Chapter 11: Chapter 11: Unravelling thread

The squad room was quiet, but not in a way that felt peaceful.

It was the kind of silence that came when everyone was thinking too much.

Sky sat at the head of the table, arms crossed, listening as Captain Ohm laid out the latest updates on the Wasan case.

Ohm, standing near the whiteboard, tapped his marker against a web of crime connections.

“We’ll take over Wasan’s operation from here.” His voice was clipped, efficient. “He’s not our biggest target, but he’s a direct link to Thupa’s drug empire.”

Joong, sitting across from Sky, exhaled. “So you’re officially cutting us out?”

Ohm arched a brow. “You sound disappointed.”

Santa smirked, leaning back in his chair. “We put in all the work, and now you’re taking the fun?”

Ohm ignored the sarcasm. “Your squad has a different priority now.”

His gaze flicked to me for half a second.

I clenched my jaw.

Sky, still calm, spoke evenly. “You sure it’s smart to separate these cases?”

Ohm met his gaze without hesitation. “Thupa’s operations are still connected to Nani somehow. But until we can confirm where that link leads, your priority is his protection.”

Sky didn’t argue.

Didn’t agree, either.

He simply gave a short nod. “Keep us updated.”

Ohm’s eyes flickered with something unreadable before he straightened.

“Understood.”

The meeting ended.

But something still felt off.

---

The moment Ohm left, the squad moved.

Joong pulled up floor plans of HQ and my apartment, while Perth mapped secure locations and emergency routes.

Dunk, still processing everything, exhaled. “So… we’re bodyguards now?”

Santa smirked. “We’re intelligence officers, dumbass.”

Dunk shot him a look. “You say that like it’s different.”

Sky, scanning the maps, cut in. “This isn’t just about security. We need to figure out who’s after him before they make another move.”

Santa leaned forward, intrigued. “So we’re investigating Nani, too?”

I stiffened slightly.

Joong, without looking up, answered simply. “Yes.”

I sighed. “You guys do realize I’m sitting right here, right?”

Dunk, ever the innocent one, grinned. “That’s why it’s fun.”

Santa shot me a lazy glance. “You wouldn’t talk, so now we’re doing it ourselves.”

Perth, still typing, added without emotion, “If it makes you feel better, we’re being thorough.”

I dragged a hand down my face. “Fantastic.”

Sky, still watching me carefully, finally spoke. “We won’t dig into things that don’t matter. But if we’re protecting you, we need to know what we’re up against.”

I hesitated.

Because he was right.

Still, the idea of them uncovering what I didn’t even know myself…

It made my chest tight.

Joong finally looked up from the files. “We found gaps in your records, Nani.”

I tensed. “What kind of gaps?”

Perth clicked a few keys, turning his monitor toward me. “Your files before you transferred here were altered. Certain data points are missing.”

Santa folded his arms. “Which means someone deliberately erased parts of your past.”

I forced myself to stay neutral. “And that’s unusual?”

Joong gave me a flat look. “For a normal cop? Yes.”

Silence.

Then—Sky spoke again, softer this time.

“Did you know?”

I met his gaze.

And even though I had been avoiding this moment, I couldn’t lie to him.

“…No.”

The room stilled.

For the first time since this started, I saw something in the squad’s faces that I hadn’t expected.

Understanding.

They weren’t just suspicious anymore.

They were starting to believe me.

And somehow, that made it worse.

---

Protection Plan

Joong stood at the whiteboard, outlining the new security measures.

DAY SHIFT:

✔ Santa & Perth – Monitoring external threats via security systems.

✔ Joong & Dunk – Mobile patrol, tracking movement around Nani’s known locations.

NIGHT SHIFT:

✔ Sky & Nani – Restricted movement at HQ or secured safe locations.

✔ Joong (again) & Perth – Alternate for emergency response.

I frowned. “Wait. Why is Sky on the night shift?”

Santa smirked. “Because you’re his problem now.”

Dunk gasped dramatically. “Oh my god. Sky, are you his bodyguard boyfriend now?”

Sky didn’t react.

Didn’t even blink.

He simply turned the page on his clipboard and said coolly, “If I were, I’d charge extra.”

Santa and Dunk lost it.

Even Perth let out a small, amused exhale.

Joong sighed heavily. “Focus.”

Sky finally glanced at me. “Problem?”

I opened my mouth. Closed it.

Shit.

I shook my head. “No problem.”

Then Joong circled three locations on the city map.

✔ Nani’s Apartment – No longer safe. (Personal belongings retrieved, location abandoned.)

✔ HQ – Primary secured location. (Access is limited, monitored at all times.)

✔ Emergency Safehouse – Backup if HQ is compromised.

Sky’s tone remained steady. “No solo movements. No unapproved meetups. If Nani leaves HQ, he takes a partner.”

I exhaled. “That’s excessive.”

Santa scoffed. “Bro. You literally have hitmen after you. This is the bare minimum.”

Dunk sighed. “Wait, does this mean if he wants snacks at 2 AM, one of us has to go with him?”

Perth, still typing, answered flatly. “Yes.”

Dunk groaned. “This is oppression.”

Sky ignored them. “In case of an emergency, Perth will embed an encrypted tracker in Nani’s comm device. If he can’t communicate, a silent distress signal will activate.”

Joong nodded. “If anything happens, we move immediately. No delays.”

I sighed. “You’re really making this official.”

Sky, without missing a beat: “It was already official the moment someone tried to kill you.”

I shut up.

Because he was right.

Damn it.

The room fell into silence.

This wasn’t just a precaution.

This was serious.

For the first time since this all started, I felt the full weight of what was happening.

------

Once the planning was wrapped up, the squad slowly dispersed to finalize logistics.

Dunk and Santa were still bantering.

Joong was updating schedule details.

Perth was reviewing the erased records.

I turned to leave—

But Sky caught my wrist.

I froze.

His grip was warm and grounding.

I looked up, and for the first time in hours, his eyes weren’t just calculating a threat.

They were calculating me.

His voice was quieter this time.

“Are you actually okay with this?”

I hesitated.

Not because I didn’t know my answer.

But because his concern threw me off balance.

I swallowed. “It doesn’t really matter if I am, does it?”

Sky’s fingers tightened—just slightly—before he let go.

“Maybe not,” he murmured.

Then, just as smoothly as before, he turned and walked away.

Leaving me standing there, my heart was beating a little too fast.

---

A Name That Shouldn't Exist

It was past midnight when Perth let out a low whistle.

The sound cut through the quiet of the squad room, making Santa glance up from his phone.

Joong, who had been reviewing case files, turned toward the monitors.

Dunk, already half-asleep, blinked groggily. “What?”

Perth’s eyes flickered toward me.

Then Sky.

“I found something.”

The entire room tensed.

Perth adjusted the settings on his screen, pulling up encrypted data files.

“It’s about Nani’s past.”

My breath hitched.

Sky stepped forward, voice calm but sharp. “Explain.”

Perth’s fingers flew over the keyboard. “We already knew parts of Nani’s records were erased. But there were still data fragments left in the system. I ran a cross-check.”

A new name popped up on the screen.

Joong leaned in, eyes narrowing. “What the hell is that?”

Perth’s expression was unreadable.

Then he turned to me.

“It’s a classified alias. One you used before you lost your memory.”

My stomach dropped.

The room went completely silent.

Dunk slowly straightened, suddenly very awake. “Wait… you had a fake identity?”

Santa exhaled, shaking his head. “Of course, he did.”

Perth’s gaze was still locked onto mine. “That’s not the part you should be worried about.”

A suffocating pause.

Then Sky, voice steady but dangerous—

“What’s the part we should be worried about?”

Perth exhaled.

“…The last time this alias was active?” He clicked on the date log.

The squad stilled.

Because the date wasn’t from three years ago.

It was from last week.