Lena arrived at work that morning with an ease she hadn’t felt in weeks. The sunlight pouring through the lobby’s tall glass windows seemed brighter, the polished floors glimmering under her steps as though reflecting the lightness in her heart. 

Her visit with Ben the other day had done her good—more than she’d expected. For the first time in a long time, she felt rejuvenated. Life had taken so much out of her, but somehow, she’d walked away from that visit feeling… whole again.

As she approached the elevator that would take her down to the Cold Case Division, a sharp clearing of a throat stopped her in her tracks.

“Uh… yes?” Lena said, blinking toward the front desk.

Imani, Adebayo’s granddaughter and the ever-sassy receptionist, raised a manicured brow. “Granny wanted to see you, newbie.” She pointed her red pen toward the ceiling, where the Director’s office sat like an eagle’s perch above the bullpen.

“Oh.” Lena tilted her head, hesitant. “Do you happen to know why?”

Imani capped her pen with a pop. “Not really. But she had that face on, so…” She shivered dramatically, her braids swishing with the motion. “You might wanna tread lightly in there.”

“Great,” Lena muttered under her breath. She offered Imani a polite wave. “Thanks for the warning.”

“Best of luck to ya!” Imani called after her.

Lena sighed, turning toward the staircase. ‘Surely it’s nothing. I’ve been doing great at my job… closing case after case.’ She nodded in reassurance to herself, squaring her shoulders as she reached Adebayo’s office door. But when she twisted the knob and stepped inside, she realized immediately that something was different.

Adebayo wasn’t alone. Before her stood Hayes, turning to look at her with a weary expression. But it wasn’t the sight of him that made Lena hesitate—it was the two strangers standing on the opposite side of the room from him.

“Ah, here she is!” Adebayo said warmly, waving her in. “Please, come in, Ms. Cross.”

“You weren’t kidding,” said the woman with a soft giggle. “She really does have a soft spot for your newbie.”

Lena blinked, taking in the woman’s appearance: short, curly blonde hair that looked like spun gold, brown eyes soft as honey, a silver dress paired with a weathered leather jacket, and a bright green-and-yellow headband that gave her a pop of life. She looked more like a teacher than an agent—until Lena noticed the federal badge clipped to her belt.

The man beside her was the complete opposite. He was tall—easily six feet—with slicked-back black hair, dark blue eyes, and an immaculate three-piece suit. Everything about him screamed sharpness, from the angle of his jaw to the polish of his shoes. Yet, when their eyes met, his expression softened unexpectedly into a faint, inviting smile.

“Lena,” Adebayo said, pulling her attention back, “you’ve never met these two, have you?”

Lena shook her head.

“These are agents from the Missing Persons Division. Jenny Whitterman and—”

Before Hayes could finish, the man stepped forward, taking Lena’s hand in his gloved one and bowing slightly.

“Caleb Harris,” he said, his voice smooth, deep, and oddly warm. Then, with an old-fashioned flourish, he brushed his lips lightly against her knuckles. Lena’s face turned bright red.

“Hey!” Hayes barked, immediately pulling her hand free and practically shoving her behind him. “Hands off my newbie, you weirdo!”

Caleb only chuckled, unbothered. “I was simply being polite, Agent Hayes.”

Jenny rolled her eyes. “You didn’t do that when I met you.”

“Different circumstances,” Caleb replied with an infuriating smirk. Adebayo sighed, drumming her fingers against the desk. “Are you all quite finished yet?”

Everyone straightened immediately.

“Good,” she continued. “Because I didn’t call you here to play out a soap opera. I think Ms. Cross here could help you two with your new case.”

Jenny’s expression turned curious, while Caleb reached into his coat and pulled out a file. He handed it toward Hayes, who snatched it like it might bite him.Adebayo glared at him, as if daring him to keep his sour attitude in her presence.

Hayes noticed her expression out of the corner of his eye but merely grunted, passing the folder along to Lena. The moment she opened it, her playful smile faded.

Name: Senna Alexander.
Age: 12.
Location: Covington, Georgia.
Status: Missing for 48 hours.

The report went on to describe the circumstances—no history of running away, an orphan under the care of her aunt, Ramona Lyman. The police had jumped on the case immediately but turned up nothing. No footprints, no signs of struggle, no witnesses. Just… gone. Lena’s heart clenched.

She closed the folder and looked up. “I’m not sure how helpful I’ll be,” she admitted softly, “but I want to help look for her.”

Adebayo smiled knowingly. “Good to hear. I think they’ll benefit from your… unique… skill set.”

Before Lena could respond, the Director was already ushering everyone toward the door. “Now, go on. You’ve got work to do.”

Out in the hall, Jenny turned with a bright, businesslike grin. “We’ll need to get on a plane to Georgia, so you'll need to pack enough to manage you for a few days. Meet us at the airport in about two hours. Got it?”

“Got it,” Lena said. As Jenny and Caleb descended the stairs, their voices fading, Lena lingered beside Hayes. Hayes leaned against the guard rail, brows furrowed.

“Are you sure about this, kiddo? I know it’s a missing child, but…” He trailed off, unable to finish the thought. Lena smiled faintly. “I can’t just ignore this, Hayes. You know that.”

He grunted, but she caught the flicker of concern in his eyes.

“Or,” she teased, “you’re just saying this because of that Caleb guy.”

Hayes scowled and turned away, arms tightening over his chest. “Yeah. I don’t like the guy. Joined the Bureau about two or three years before you did, but nobody knows anything about him. Those eyes…” He shuddered. “They just don’t look right. So please, keep your guard up, okay? I worry about you, Lena.”

For a fleeting moment, she wanted to hug him—not like a coworker or a friend, but like a daughter seeking to comfort her father. The realization made her chest ache.

Instead, she smiled and patted his shoulder. “Alright. I’ll make sure not to be alone with him.”

Hayes exhaled, half in relief. “Good.”

She started down the stairs, her mind made up.

“Thank you! Have a safe trip!” Hayes called after her, voice echoing through the lobby. Lena laughed softly, lifting her hand in farewell. Within an hour, she was back home, a small travel bag on her bed, the file on Senna still resting in her hands. She brushed her thumb across the child’s photograph—wide, hopeful eyes frozen in time.

“Hang in there, Senna,” Lena whispered. “We’ll find you.”

To be continued…