Headlights illuminated the winding country road, hidden behind tall pine trees, and the sky was overcast with an upcoming storm. A trail of black cars travelled smoothly towards a mansion up the hill.
A gloved hand rhythmically tapped at the leather seat, while a cold pair of upturned eyes stared off at the distant gray sky for a moment before closing to rest. Yet, the dark-haired man whose scleras have tinted red and undereyes deathly purple- though weary kept every muscle taut, his senses on edge.
He hated days like this. The fingers drumming the seat, though steady, were soon drowned out by the rain that finally came.
"Tsar, we have arrived." A man in a suit hurriedly opened the door, as many lined up waiting on foot, all with bowed heads, yet each of them carried any item the man inside might need.
Languidly, the towering man stepped out; even his demeanor and indifferent gaze felt much colder than the chilling wind.
He hated rainy days. It reminded him all too much of the day he first woke up in this hellhole.
—
[3rd District Police Department]
"As you are made aware, this is a 'get in, get out' operative; the objective is the black flash drive hidden in Sokolov's private vault. A special team will be joining us for this mission. Our job is to get them in and out of Sokolov's territory in one piece."
Captain Popov stood arms crossed, her words sharp and concise, projected behind her were key details on the operation to be executed in a 3 days' time.
Her aged eyes landed on a brown-haired man whose youthful, smooth face had gotten him taunts for being wet behind the ears. It also didn't help that the man would bark back at every elementary school provocation.
Perhaps because of that, the kid tries to prove himself in ways that could easily get him killed.
Hardening her expression, Captain Popov's strict glare locked on that figure, her words harsh and emphasized as if drilling the words specifically to those defiant emerald green eyes.
"You are not to engage, stick to the mission and nothing else."All the other officers gave each other sidelong glances, a few even snickering. But before they could watch a spectacle unfold, they were coldly dismissed by their captain.
"... I don't get it."
"I thought I dismissed you, Officer Kim."
"Do we even know what's inside that flash drive? We're risking our lives for some files that the higher-ups wouldn't even disclose what they're about, when we could nip their whole modus operandi-"
"By what? Going against the senator's directive,"- Popov cut him off, her voice colder than it had already been- "by targeting the Tsar of Sokolov?"
"Yes!"
Daniel Kim stood, reaching into his satchel, producing stacked paper of plans and investigation reports as he hurriedly explained- "Cap, if we play our cards right, this is the only time during the heir's proclamation we could arrest the new head of the organization. From there, we can dismantle the whole thing with one fell swoop."
"Stop, Officer Kim, I get that you have some bright ideas, but don't start that shit with me."
To calm the brewing headache, Popov pinched the skin between her brows- "Look, I don't know what you're trying to prove here, but targeting the mafia? As a small town cop? Kid, what are you trying to prove here?"
"Cap, I'm-"
"You started off so strong after graduating from the academy, but now your track record is a mess. You got transferred from the capital to this small town. Proud of the probation period you earned after the shit you did in downtown? You were this close to a dishonorable dismissal 3 months ago because you went rogue just to arrest some of Sokolov's men."
"And what did that get you?" Popov pointed at Kim Daniel's chest; the sheer pressure dug into his skin.
"You almost got shot, and it didn't even matter cause Tzar had him killed the day after."
"That's because the higher-ups refused to let me be his interrogation officer, I was at the scene. I know he was involved; he must've been. We just needed one confession, and we could have gotten it if we protected him as a witness. At least then we could've known what Tzar looks like."
Kim Daniel reasoned with clear eyes, grasping at the finger at his chest, only for it to be coldly swat away in a burst of anger.
"I get that you're trying to be like your father, but just because he threw his life chasing after Sokolov doesn't mean you should!"
Taking a deep breath, Popov took a seat, her eyes no longer meeting Kim Daniel's- "Get out. Cool your head and don't even think about anything but the mission tells you to do."
Exasperated, Kim Daniel picked up his satchel, in a flurry, his actions only pausing when Popov's voice sounded in his ears- "... Think about your mother and your baby brother."
"It's exactly to protect them that I dare to do this."- Daniel Kim replied, his stature more resolute to his resolve, with a salute, he left the room with a soft thud.
Alone in her own office, Captain Popov opened a drawer, and in it was a small weathered photo of a trio.
She looked much younger here, they all were, they looked much healthier too- the type of sort that you've thought to live up till their 50's, yet only one of them ever did.
With a sigh, she placed the picture back, staring at the wall, lost- "... partner he's so much like you, that I don't know what to do with your son."
—
'3 days.'
In a sleepless night, a pair of men miles apart spent their night with surging thoughts and clenched fists.
""In 3 days, I'd finally meet that man""