Chapter 7: Chapter 7: The truth beneath the surface

The Weight of the Case

The office was quiet, aside from the soft tapping of fingers on keyboards and the occasional shuffle of papers. The hum of the fluorescent lights overhead was the only sound filling the space.

Santa leaned back in his chair, absentmindedly twirling a pen while scanning reports. Joong stood near the whiteboard, arms crossed, studying the connections between Thanom Wichit, the bombing, and the Kuapha gang.

Dunk, half-asleep, was sprawled across the couch, his phone resting against his face.

Perth, as always, was at his desk, scrolling through traffic surveillance feeds. “Nothing new on the car yet,” he muttered. “The driver ditched it near the city border. I’m backtracking his movements.”

Sky rubbed the back of his neck, fatigue weighing heavy on his shoulders. “Keep at it.”

I sat in my usual spot, scanning through old case files. But my mind wasn’t on them.

It was on the face in the surveillance image.

A man from my past.

The team didn’t know yet.

They didn’t know that the man in that car wasn’t just an assassin—he was someone I once worked alongside.

And now, he was hunting me.

My fingers tightened around the edge of the file.

I needed to bury this. Keep them out of it.

But before I could slip away, Perth suddenly said, “I think I found something.”

The entire room snapped to attention.

---

Perth turned his screen toward us. A zoomed-in image of a burned document fragment recovered from the bomb site.

“Found this in the forensic report,” Perth explained. “It’s partially destroyed, but a few words are still visible.”

Sky leaned over the screen, reading aloud. “'Transaction complete. Transfer location: Chiang Mai.'”

Silence.

My breath hitched just barely—but Sky noticed.

I forced my expression to stay neutral.

Dunk frowned, shifting upright. “Chiang Mai? I thought the gangs we’re dealing with were based down south?”

Santa’s gaze flicked to me. “You’re from Chiang Mai, right?”

I nodded once, careful not to react. “Yeah.”

Joong tapped his pen against the whiteboard. “If this document was at the bombing site, then whatever deal was happening in Chiang Mai was important enough to cover up. Maybe Tuman Wichit was trying to expose it.”

Perth ran a hand through his hair. “I’ll check any known criminal movements between Chiang Mai and Narathiwat.”

But Sky’s eyes never left me.

He didn’t say anything.

But I could tell.

He had noticed.

“Hold on.” Santa tapped the screen, highlighting another document. “This one mentions ‘Red Orchid Exchange.’ That sounds familiar.”

I spoke before I could stop myself.

“It’s a front for laundering drug money.”

The room went completely still.

I realized too late what I had just said.

Joong slowly turned toward me. “How do you know that?”

My throat went dry.

Shit.

Dunk sat up, blinking sleep from his eyes. “Wait… that name hasn’t come up in any of the police reports yet. How do you—”

“I read it somewhere,” I said quickly.

Sky’s expression darkened slightly. “Where?”

I scrambled for an answer. “Old files from my last unit.”

Santa and Joong exchanged glances.

They didn’t believe me.

Neither did Sky.

His gaze lingered on me—longer than usual, sharper than usual.

He wasn’t accusing me.

But he was putting the pieces together.

And I was running out of time before he figured it all out.

------

After the longest day imaginable, squad room finally emptied out one by one.

Dunk was the first to stretch, yawning dramatically. “I swear, if I don’t sleep for at least ten hours, I’m filing a complaint with HR.”

“There is no HR, dumbass,” Santa muttered, pushing his chair back.

“Exactly,” Dunk grinned. “Which means no one can stop me.”

Joong grabbed his jacket and threw it over one shoulder. “Let’s go. Perth, you too. If I find you passed out at your desk again, I’m locking your keyboard in the supply closet.”

Perth, still glued to his screen, didn’t even look up. “Mmm.”

Santa smacked the back of his head lightly. “That means get up, nerd.”

Reluctantly, Perth logged off and followed the others out.

I stayed behind, scanning through the remaining case files.

Sky hadn’t moved either.

I could feel his presence a few desks away, his posture more rigid than usual.

He was watching me. Again.

But he didn’t say anything.

And neither did I.

------

The Case update

The room was dimly lit, the air thick with unspoken weight.

Chief Sakda sat behind his desk, fingers steepled, expression unreadable. To his right, Chief Peeta of the Narcotics Division leaned back against the armrest of her chair, swirling her coffee like it held all the answers.

Across from them, Captain Sky Wongravee stood with arms crossed, his posture sharp and rigid, while Captain Ohm of the Narcotics Task Force stood beside him, frustration barely contained.

Ohm was the first to speak.

“I’ll be blunt,” he said, his tone clipped. “Who the hell is Nani hirunkit?”

Silence.

Peeta sighed, setting her coffee down. “Straight to the point as always, Ohm.”

Ohm ignored her, looking straight at Sakda. “You and I both know that kid isn’t just some transfer officer. The way he recognized Thupa’s man immediately? That’s not normal. He knew what Red Orchid Exchange was before it was even in our reports. He’s not just an ordinary cop—so I’ll ask again. Who. Is. He?”

Sakda exhaled slowly, rubbing his temples. “It’s complicated.”

Ohm scoffed. “Try me.”

Sakda didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he turned to Peeta, his gaze questioning.

Peeta smirked slightly, but there was no amusement in her eyes. “I checked after you asked me, Sakda,” she said. “Made a few calls to people who owe me favors. Turns out, our Mr. Hirunkit doesn’t officially exist.”

Sky’s brow furrowed. “What do you mean?”

“I mean his file is too clean,” Peeta continued. “No major records before joining your squad. No direct ties to any department. No history of his early years.”

She leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees. “That kind of file? It only exists when someone wants to erase a person’s past.”

Ohm’s eyes narrowed. “So you’re saying what? He’s black ops?”

“No.” Peeta’s voice was calm. “Worse.”

A heavy pause.

Then she said it.

“He was a ghost.”

Sky’s breath caught in his throat.

Ohm still completely.

Even Sakda didn’t say anything for a moment.

Peeta leaned back. “You’ve heard the stories, haven’t you, Ohm?" Peeta asked. "About the legendary undercover agent who worked for Narcotics. The one who helped us take down an entire drug operations from the inside. The one no one ever saw.”

Ohm’s hands clenched into fists. “That’s bullshit. The ‘Ghost’ was just a myth.”

Peeta tilted her head, watching him. “Was it?”

Ohm let out a humorless laugh. “You’re telling me this kid—” he gestured sharply, “—is supposed to be some legendary agent who worked undercover for a decade? That’s impossible. He’d have to be—”

“Nineteen, when he started.”

Ohm’s words died in his throat.

Sky suddenly felt like the ground beneath him wasn’t as steady as it had been five minutes ago.

Peeta sighed. “The truth is, we don’t have full clearance on what exactly he did. Only one person does—his handler.”

“And who the hell is that?” Ohm demanded.

Sakda shook his head. “That info is above our pay grade.”

Ohm let out an exasperated breath. “So you’re saying he worked for us, but we don’t even know what he did?”

“That’s exactly what I’m saying,” Peeta said lightly.

Sky, who had been silent the whole time, finally spoke.

“If that’s true,” he said, voice steady, “then why is he in my squad now?”

Sakda looked at him then, something unreadable in his gaze.

Then, quietly, he said, “Because someone wants to keep him alive.”

The room fell into complete silence.

Sky’s fingers tightened slightly against his crossed arms.

Ohm’s eyes darkened.

Peeta just chuckled under her breath. “And here I thought we were the elite unit.”

Ohm turned to Sakda. “Does he even know who he is?”

Sakda hesitated for a second. “He know who he is. But the last three years? He missing a part of his memory.”

Sky’s pulse spiked.

He didn’t know why.

But that answer made something in his chest feel tight.

Sakda sighed, rubbing his temples. “Look, I get why you’re all uneasy. You want to know if we can trust him.”

Ohm folded his arms. “Can we?”

Sakda didn’t answer immediately.

Then, he looked at Sky again.

“…Find out for yourself.”

Sky held his gaze.

Then, with a curt nod, he turned on his heel and walked out.

--------

Nani's room

The clock read 2:30 AM when I jolted awake, gasping for breath.

My shirt was damp with sweat, my pulse hammering in my ears. The dream was the same. Always the same.

But this time, there was more.

This time, I remembered.

I remembered the smell of blood and gasoline.

I remembered the cold weight of a gun against my ribs.

I remembered the whisper against my ear.

"Run, Nani."

"Don't look back."

"You need to stay alive."

I pressed a shaking hand to my chest, steadying my breathing.

I hadn’t had a nightmare this bad in years.

But after Narathiwat, the past was crawling back into my head, refusing to be ignored.

I ran a hand through my hair and forced myself up. No point in trying to sleep now.

I needed air.

I grabbed my jacket and slipped outside.

------

Sky sat on his motorcycle, helmet resting beside him, parked near a dimly lit alleyway close to Nani’s apartment.

From this distance, he could see the faint glow of light from the window.

Nani was still awake.

Sky exhaled slowly.

The conversation from earlier kept replaying in his head.

"He was a ghost."

"Someone wants to keep him alive."

Sky tapped his fingers against the handlebar.

Who the hell are you, Nani?

Then—movement.

Nani stepped outside, his jacket thrown over his shoulders, hands stuffed into his pockets.

He looked calm. Like a man going for a late-night walk.

But Sky saw the tension in his shoulders.

Saw the way his eyes scanned the streets, checking for tails.

Where are you going?

Sky pulled his helmet back on and kicked up the engine.

If Sakda wanted him to find out for himself…

Then that’s exactly what he was going to do.

------

The underground ring was filthy, humid, and loud with the sound of bodies colliding against concrete.

The stench of sweat and cheap beer clung to the air, the crowd cheering, cursing, throwing money onto the floor.

I barely felt it when my opponent’s fist connected with my jaw.

The adrenaline drowned everything else out.

I shifted my stance, dodging the next hit before I landed my own strike—

A sharp uppercut to his ribs.

He stumbled, but I didn’t let up. A kick to his knee, a strike to his temple—

His body hit the floor with a heavy thud.

The referee raised my hand, signaling the win.

I barely heard the crowd.

Barely registered the money being thrown toward me.

Then—

A voice.

A voice I recognized too well.

“Nani.”

I froze.

Slowly, I turned toward the edge of the ring.

Sky.

He was standing there, arms crossed, jaw tight, eyes dark with something unreadable.

For the first time in a long time, I felt exposed.

Shit.

-----

The moment I stepped out of the ring, Sky grabbed my wrist—not hard, but firm enough to make sure I didn’t run.

“What the hell was that?”

I scoffed, trying to pull away. “It’s exactly what it looks like, Captain.”

Sky’s grip tightened slightly. “It looks like you’re out here getting yourself killed.”

I clenched my jaw. “I can handle myself.”

Sky’s eyes flashed. “That’s not the point.”

For a second, we just stood there, tension coiled tight between us.

Then Sky did something that threw me off completely.

He reached up, fingers grazing the bruise forming on my cheekbone.

The touch was light, barely there—but it made my breath catch.

Sky exhaled sharply. “Why are you doing this?”

I swallowed. “I need the money.”

Sky’s gaze darkened. “For what?”

I hesitated. Too long.

I didn’t answer.

Instead, I turned to leave.

I heard Sky follow two steps behind me.

Then, finally, he spoke.

“Why?”

I didn’t stop walking.

Sky grabbed my wrist again—this time, not letting me go.

“Why the hell are you doing this?”

I clenched my jaw. “It’s none of your business.”

Sky’s hand tightened slightly, his breath sharp.

“Like hell it isn’t.”

For a second, we just stood there, the sounds of the underground ring buzzing behind us.

Then, unexpectedly, Sky’s grip eased.

And when he spoke again, it wasn’t frustration in his voice.

It was something else.

“If you need money, tell me.”

I inhaled sharply. “Sky—”

“Whatever it is, you don’t have to do this alone.”

I looked up at him, and for the first time in years, I felt something close to fear.

Not from danger.

But because someone had just offered to stand beside me.

And I didn’t know how to handle that.

-------

The ride back was silent.

I kept my gaze fixed on the passing streetlights, the rhythmic hum of Sky’s motorcycle beneath me the only thing keeping my mind from spiraling.

The air between us was thick—not with anger, but something else.

Something I didn’t want to name.

When we finally pulled up near HQ, Sky killed the engine but didn’t move.

I swung my leg over, stepping off first.

“Sky,” I said, voice measured. “Forget what you saw tonight.”

He exhaled through his nose. “You really think I’m going to do that?”

I clenched my jaw. “I’m not your problem.”

Sky’s gaze hardened. “No, but you’re my responsibility.”

That one sentence made my chest tighten.

I hated it.

Because for a second, it almost felt like I wasn’t alone.

Before I could say anything, Sky finally got off the bike, brushing past me.

“Let’s go,” he said, his voice flat. “The others are waiting.”

And just like that, the moment was gone.

---

The second we walked into the squad room, all eyes turned to us.

Joong, who had been standing by the whiteboard, froze mid-sentence.

Santa, sipping his coffee, paused, eyes narrowing.

Perth glanced up from his monitor, brows furrowing.

And Dunk—

Dunk nearly spit out his drink. “Holy shit—what happened to your face?!”

I frowned. “What?”

Dunk gestured wildly at my jaw. “You look like you got into a fight with a brick wall and lost.”

Santa snorted. “More like lost, got back up, then lost again.”

I rolled my eyes. “It’s nothing.”

Joong didn’t look convinced. “Nani.” His voice was low, steady. “Where were you?”

I was about to answer when Sky cut in first.

“Nowhere important.”

I blinked.

Joong raised an eyebrow. “That’s not an answer, Captain.”

Sky shrugged, heading to his desk. “If it were important, I’d tell you.”

The team exchanged glances.

They knew something was off.

Santa’s gaze drifted to me, sharp and calculating.

Perth looked at the surveillance feed, then back at me. “You weren’t on any city cameras past midnight.”

Joong crossed his arms. “So either you took a detour through a black hole, or you went somewhere you didn’t want us to track.”

I exhaled, grabbing a water bottle from the desk. “I just needed air.”

Dunk scoffed. “And the air punched you in the face?”

I ignored him.

But the tension in the room was palpable.

They weren’t stupid.

They knew I was hiding something.

But for now, they let it go.

For now.