The soft hum of the jet engines filled the cabin, a steady vibration that seemed to lull most passengers into quiet conversation or sleep. Lena sat rigidly in her window seat, the view outside a wash of white clouds and endless blue sky. Beside her, Jenny practically buzzed with energy, tapping her fingers on the armrest like a metronome. Caleb sat two rows behind them, eyes shut and earplugs already in.

“So,” Jenny began, leaning closer with a conspiratorial grin, “can you finally tell me what the Director sees in you? I’ve never seen her smile at anyone!”

Lena blinked, caught off guard. “Um…” she started, fingers gripping the strap of her seatbelt.

“Oh, sorry! That must’ve sounded rude, huh? My bad!” Jenny said quickly, giggling in that light, musical way that made her seem immune to tension. “It’s just—these two hours are all the downtime we’ll have, so I thought it’d make for a good icebreaker. I got too ahead of myself… it sounded nicer in my head, promise!”

Lena managed a polite smile. “Right… well, I’ve helped solve a few cold cases since I joined the Bureau, so maybe that’s why?”

Jenny tilted her head, studying Lena with catlike curiosity. Her eyes narrowed slightly as if she could see past the polite façade Lena tried to maintain. For a long, unnerving moment, she just looked. But then she smiled and leaned back in her seat.

“You could be right,” she said cheerfully. “She does seem to like proactive and hardworking people.”

Silence finally settled between them. Lena exhaled, feeling the stiffness in her shoulders fade just a little. Maybe she could close her eyes, get a short nap in before they landed—

“So…” Jenny suddenly whispered, her tone mischievous. “Do you think Caleb has a crush on you?”

Lena jolted so hard she almost hit her head on the window. “W-w-what?! No way!” she stammered, her voice carrying just enough for a few passengers to glance over.

Jenny was delighted. She tried—and failed—to stifle her laughter, one hand over her mouth as her shoulders shook. “I see why Marcus was so defensive of you now! You’re absolutely precious,” she teased.

“You’re just… messing with me, aren’t you?” Lena muttered, face hidden in her jacket sleeve, her cheeks a deep shade of red. “Is this some kind of initiation to the Missing Persons squad or something?”

Jenny tilted her head with an oddly affectionate smile—one that felt too soft, too knowing. “Of course not, don’t be silly. You’re only joining us for this one case, after all… unless—”

“No, thank you,” Lena interrupted firmly, her voice muffled but decisive.

“Aww, okay…” Jenny said, chuckling. “Well, I think—” She broke off with a yawn, covering her mouth with a small, polite hand. “Ah, I think I’ll get a little nap then. An hour-long nap sounds heavenly right now.”

“Right…” Lena murmured, but Jenny was already half-asleep, a faint smile resting on her lips.

For the first time since takeoff, the world went still. Lena turned toward the window, watching as sunlight painted the clouds in soft gold. She’d never flown before—hadn’t even thought about whether she should be scared—but something about the view calmed her. Maybe it was knowing someone else had been there beside her, even if that someone was a whirlwind like Jenny.

Her gaze drifted back to Jenny’s peaceful face. 'Thank you,' she thought silently, before resting her head against the seat.

An hour later, the landing gear hit the runway with a jolt. The familiar screech of tires on asphalt startled Lena awake. Her ears popped, her heart thumped, and before she knew it, they were filing out of the plane with their carry-ons.

Two men stood waiting at the arrivals gate. One was short and round with a shiny bald spot in the middle of his head, his oily brown hair combed back like it was clinging to the last remnants of dignity. His handlebar moustache twitched as he chewed on something invisible. The other man was tall, dark-skinned, and wore a neutral expression, holding up a small sign that read simply: FBI.

“Sheriff Yorke?” Jenny asked the older man brightly. He grunted, giving her a slow once-over that made Lena’s stomach twist.

“We’ve got a squad car ready for the three of you,” said the younger man flatly. “Motel’s two blocks from the station. You can shower, sleep, whatever.”

The drive to the Covington Police Department was short and quiet. Lena sat in the backseat beside Jenny while Caleb watched the passing buildings through the front passenger window, silent as always. Outside, the town looked sleepy—white-bricked storefronts, leafless trees, and narrow roads slick with recent rain.

The police station itself was a squat white-brick building, old but well-kept. Large spruce trees framed the lot, one of them leaning awkwardly close to the roof like it was just waiting for a good storm to finish the job. Lena found herself staring at it longer than she meant to before following the others inside. The smell of coffee hit her immediately—strong, almost burnt. Officers hurried past with notepads and folders, a constant hum of phones ringing in the background. It was cramped, noisy, but functional.

“You guys can use conference room two,” Sheriff Yorke said as he led them down a narrow hallway. He unlocked a door with a grunt. The hinges squealed. Inside was chaos. Boxes stacked to the ceiling. Papers spilling from open bins. A forgotten mug sitting beside a dead potted plant.

“Sorry about the mess,” Yorke muttered, coughing hard enough to make his belly jiggle. “You can just move those against the wall. There’s a dry erase board in there… somewhere.” He clapped Caleb’s shoulder with a meaty hand. “Anywho, good luck.”

And just like that, he was gone. The three of them stood there, staring at the disaster of a room. A long silence hung between them until Jenny laughed under her breath.

“Well,” she said with a lopsided grin, “it’s not what I expected… but are you guys ready to get to work?”

Caleb sighed. “Not much choice, is there?”

Lena smiled faintly, already pulling off her coat. “Guess not.”

It wasn’t the most glamorous start, but Lena figured it was good enough—they had a job to do, and that was all that mattered.

To be continued...