Chapter 14

Whistling Man and the Angry Mole

West African BSSA branch offices, 3 months after Africa

"And the position goes to..." The man slowly pulled a black marker and slowly wrote out the name of the recipient of the new promotion down on the whiteboard. 'Omid Siddonis'. Was the name that the man wrote. A look of shock spread across the faces of the men and women sitting around the room. But, everyone in humid briefing room clapped their hands as Omid stood and accepted the promotion, everyone except Sheva Alomar. She stormed out of the meeting room with a bitter frown. Her boss followed her out into the crowded room filled with cubicles.

"Hey, Sheva what was that?" He asked harshly making Sheva jump.

"You!" She turned around and pointed to him. "You told me I'd be a shoo in for it and there wasn't any competition."

"Omid proved to be more effective in this position." He told her.

"Really? Omid the pencil pusher would be better at Team Captain than me. It's a social position and last month, he told Christa that she should be working at a dairy farm because she'd be embraced by her fellow cows!" She yelled. He toke her by her arm and pulled her into his office.

"Listen, Sheva. Human resources changed my decision for you to lead the new team because of your um..." Sheva's eyebrows raised as he spoke. "Issues."

"I've been cleared to be out in the field. All of my 'issues' are dealt with."

"You haven't even been out yet."

"Then let me prove myself before you give it to Omid."

"The only mission available is the Factory mission and that a huge project."

"I'll do it. Make me a mole there."

"I don't think you're ready..." She eyed him. "Fine, I'll convince the higher ups that you're going to take this mission without pay to prove your ability to be out in the field. You'll be cycled out in 6 months but, until then Omid will lead the team."

"I promise I won't make you sorry. Josh." She told the man as he smiled at the young woman he called sister. She was as strong and stubborn as he was. He knew she was going to be fine. Now, it's his turn to convince his bosses that she was truly up to the task.

The Factory, 4 months after Africa

The car stank badly as it rolled down the rocky gravel, the wind sweeping against the sides, slowing it down. Sheva coughed in the back of the vehicle. It smelt of sweat and blood. It wasn't among the more pleasant smells Sheva had accounted. The polyester bag hung around her head loosely but, was tied harshly against her neck with a piece of rope. Her head clanked against the mirror as the rusted car bounced up and down along the new found sandy path.

"Assurez-vous qu'elle est prête à se lancer à l'usine, les frères sont en attente pour lui lors du séminaire accueillant" A voice spoke in front of the Sheva.

"Ne vous inquiétez pas, je l'ai eu." Another man spoke beside her. She felt the car make a sharp stop and her arms being tugged out of the vehicle behind her. And she stumbled out of car and pulled into a building. She was forced down onto her knees and felt a knife slid underneath the braided rope and sawed it off. The bag was swiftly token of her head and thrown onto the floor. She inspected her environment, it was average. A regular office but, it seemed dark. It was clean and professional but, something was off.

A dark skinned man leaned over her and smiled as one of the men who had escorted her here cut through the ragged rope binding her wrists together. She stood and shook his outstretched hand.

"My apologies but, I'm afraid we have to be careful here. You know when it comes to our line of business."

"I understand, It's a dangerous business making cardboard boxes."

"Yes, precisely. But, I'd like you to keep our shadier part of this establishment to yourself. There is some workers here that aren't a part of this. Pretty much everyone on the upper levels actually makes cardboard boxes." He told her as he lead her into a room filled with assembly lines. Rows of people sat cutting Cardboard and folding them into their correct shape. She couldn't help noticing a quite handsome man whistling loudly as he folded a cardboard box and placed it back on the assembly line. He looked up at her and winked.

Sheva loved music. All types of music. From pitter patter songs to death metal. This man intrigued her. It was a joyful tune and he seemed to kinda dance around. It looked so silly and it was kinda adorable. She smiled as she continued walking down the hall as her new boss droned on about the rules and her new job. But, She soon found herself thinking about the colorful man.

"Me and my brother work on the top floor. So, you'll have to go up there once a month to give us your report." He told her as they walked down the hall of the gigantic factory. Sheva's mind still drifting to the whistling man, hoping he wasn't apart of this disgusting crime that takes place in this factory.

Kiunguza, Bhai Experiment Depot, 6 months after Africa

Sheva stormed into the dirty white building. Her face stuck in a deep scowl as she pushed the glass door open and stomped through the depot to the back rooms. And their he was. Alain Diarra, her fiance. The intriguing man she met on her first day at the factory, the man that promised her that he had nothing to do with the whole bioterrorism thing, and she believed him. She still believed him, despite what common sense had to do with it. No, she was here in this little small gross depot for one reason.

She had shown recordings from her last check in with Josh of him escorting a young woman into a car and driving away. But, she noticed something strange, something she did not like. He had held her hand and grinned at her. And his eyes... they twinkled. Like they did for her. If he wasn't cheating, he was trying to. Which is equally bad. Either way, he wasn't talking her out of this.

Sheva opened the small office to see a dark skinned woman sitting on his desk. All she saw was her bare skinned back. The woman turned around and looked at Sheva's angered expression. Then, her boyfriend peered up at her from behind the woman.

"You son of a bitch." She told him as her eyes watered.

"Sheva, I can exp-" He started but, she turned herself around and rushed out of the room. She ran through the depot once again with him quickly following, shouting "Sheva! Wait!"

"This is over!" She shouted back as she pulled the gorgeous engagement ring off her finger and threw it behind her.

"Sheva!" He said as the ring hit his shoulder. 'How could I be so stupid?' She wondered as she stepped through the depot, tears slipping down her face. She needed to leave, she needed to get out. She opened a door and spat at him.

"I will never forgive you!" She yelled in swahili as she bumped into a boy in the door.
"I need to explain this!" He responded.

"You are not..." She paused as she sniffled. "Talking me out of this!"

"Listen to me!" He yelled.

"Never talk to me again! You are a horrible, disgusting, cruel, little man! How dare you!" She yelled at him pointing her finger at him. "You made me believe that you cared for me!"

"I love you!"

"No, you don't! You are as bad as your father!" She yelled striking a nerve. His father was an awful man from what Sheva knew of him. A womanizer who left him and his mother to fend for themselves. They were poor and couldn't afford food most days. It was a low blow but, Sheva didn't care. She wanted him to feel like she did. Horrible. She sharply turned away. But, he did something she'd never expect he'd do. He grabbed her wrist and threw her to the ground. Pain stuck her body and she couldn't stand. Tears escaped her eyes and she sobbed loudly as Alain yelled at the boy to leave. He looked down at her and spoke in english.

"I'm not my father!" She stood and quickly ran out of the depot. Once she ran to her car, he appeared out of the depot and yelled loudly.

"I love you, Sheva Alomar! And If you avoid Bougouni. It'll prove it to you!" She looked up at him with sad eyes and opened her door and headed staight back to the factory. Sadly she didn't take his advice

Supply closet

The atmosphere in the supply closet had changed when Sheva had finished her story. A small tear escaped her eyes as she told Chris the story, she had wiped it away but, it seemed to wipe away his anger too. "I came here because, he told me not to. That's so immature." She told him looking down at feet.

"Well you couldn't predict this."

"Yeah..." She looked him in the eyes. "Listen, Chris I'm sorry. I didn't tell you. To be honestl, I'm still not completely over it." She told him thinking that this was getting too personal. "I think we should go get our holsters and ammo. Then go find the others, if you are sure that I'm not involved in the attack." She said with little to none emotion. And as Chris was about to answer a large boom sounded outside the room.

"I think we need to hurry." She told him as she peered into the hall to see if guards had returned. They hadn't. "Come-on, we need to find the others and get out of here. I think things are going to hell out there."

*I'M BACK! I'm was going crazy in the real world on my break. I'm so glad that I'm here bringing a new chapter to you all. It was horrible guys. But, I did get ahead so, I don't have to freak out on my planned days for writing. So, this is how Sheva came to be on this little adventure. Hope you enjoyed it!

-mrssherrymuller.