Chapter 20

No matter how much he yelled at her, she kept her cool and it was cool. She is amazing. I watched from the side, unable to say there are other races living on Earth because it needs evidence and I don't have evidence.

"Okay, okay. There is a reason why came here, no? Miss I don't know the name yet…"

"I am sorry for not introducing myself but I don't think this is the best place where to have a modern conversation, especially when it got things you can't have the liberty to say anywhere."

"Of course. Where? Three friends?"

She wasn't alone; she had a partner with her. He was an adult who was in his fifties. He had a hat hiding his face from the sun, a long black coat hiding his blue blouse and old-fashioned pants. His eyes observed us intently and it gave me the creeps. One moment we were standing in front of a house for corpses, the other we were in a car, the woman driving it.

"For your information, I am agent Eliana Madison. I work for special investigators agency; it's a name you will find nowhere because it is hidden by a special system. We are only part of a big system. We want you part of us, both of you."

"Why didn't you ask me earlier?" asked the detective.

"S… S… S… Simple… Y-Y-You were a suspicious guy," the man nodded repeatedly, nervous.

"We couldn't pull out if you were part of a dangerous gang. You and your friends stuck together like a single body so we were searching for a way to separate you. You needed to have some tests and I admit, we used you several times to get to some clues. We need special people with special minds and both of you have something we need."

"If it is because I found the body, it was a coincidence. I am ready to return to the life I had before."

"I-I-It is t-t-too late for t-t-that," he shook his head. "Once you get the eyes, you can't go back."

The eyes?

"I am afraid, it is the case miss de la Croix. The higher-ups have noticed you and they want you in the team. We are currently lacking people so we can't give up on you."

"So you were the ones who caused the rift between us?" the detective burst out.

"It was Alexandre who asked for it. He said you had a talent for investigation and wanted you in his team."

"What about me?" I asked.

"Alexandre said you also had the talent but you needed a context. The truth is I don't know how you changed. Things simply changed with you from one day to another… What happened here is just the beginning? We… believe something is playing with rules of this world and it is putting humanity in constant danger."

"I am not a superhero and I don't want to be."

"We are not superheroes. We are humans fighting for our survival. Do you find it natural a girl who was in her youth waiting for a big future at Harvard to just dying like that?"

"That's how life works but I know it's terrible."

"You don't understand Anais. She turned all stupid for a man and there are several cases similar to it. The girl starts fawning over him and does everything he says then turn all sick with anaemia and in the end, she disappears. This is the first case the body was found and you found it."

"Listen… I have a family to feed and I could be any moment in danger if I joined you. My family could be at risk. I received a threatening call just yesterday and I couldn't call anyone to calm me down."

"I will look personally into that. You don't have to worry about anything. It's true that our line of work is dangerous but your family won't be involved in this. We already placed protection around them; I trust our resources."

I sighed. There wasn't any way outside of this. What did I pull Anais into? Wait… I could know more about this. I could know why I possessed her body and a way to bring her back. It wasn't a lost cause. I could clearly do my mission and her mission.

"What am I supposed to do?"

"Previously, you talked to Alexandre through Face de book. Normally, you would have assumed it was a simple conversation but he asked for your help several times. He simply told you about riddles but they weren't; you saw what we couldn't see in most cases. However, you never got to the end of the cases. Therefore, you will only search for the clues and leave the rest to us."

"I see."

She didn't take us anywhere; we simply roamed around the city and ended up in front of my house. I can do this; I took a deep breath and shut myself in my room. I paced the room, my pulse thrumming with anticipation and fear. I was falling deep into the life of a normal human and I was scared of getting attached. This wasn't my body and I didn't have a body. Anything could happen. I could wake up a morning and find myself back at the moon. My stomach churned and I couldn't tell if I was excited or about to be sick, maybe my period kicked in. Probably a bit of both.

I lived a life with many scary events. I worried about many things. My personality was a mixture of sad feelings and apprehending the future. I failed so much that I started giving up but I did it for a moment. I turned a moon saint and was given my first mission only to be thrown at the Earth. And who knows I might go back unexpectedly? I must remain professional; this will take me nowhere. My phone rang and I forced myself to keep away from it. I didn't want to answer; I wanted a moment to myself.

"I am scared," I admitted to myself. "I am scared about one day they would find out I am not Anais and label me as an evil spirit. I am scared I won't have a way to go back and be banished from the moon. I am scared to not find anywhere to go. I don't have a safe place."

It finally kicked in; the fear I have been feeling and the dread I had in my heart. Why did this happen to me? I struggled so much to keep up with the others. I was different and I had nowhere to belong. I am grateful for a friend like Elodie. My phone rang again and this time I picked up.

"Hello!"

"Hello!" the voice at the other end of the line made me jump from my place. It was Andre. My heart raced like a horse when it finally found the freedom it sought. "Open the door."

"Why?" I heavily breathed.

"There is something waiting for you there. Get dressed and come down; I am waiting for you in front of the building," he hangs up.

I dart to the door and find a package; it was wonderfully decorated with a note on top. 'Be wary of the wild roses.'

Huh? Who are the wild roses?

I opened the package on my bed and found an expensive dress inside. It was done on my size and it was embarrassing. How did he know Anais size?