A SURPRISE VISIT

Sitting in the quiet seclusion of the hotel room, Gia and Grace's minds were a jumble of doubt and expectation. The ticking clock on the wall appeared to correspond with the ticking time bomb of the upcoming meeting with the general, which was to take place at an undisclosed location and under a cloud of secrecy. That still remained, and 'why' nobody knew except the general himself and perhaps his accomplice. Something was definitely for sure, though.

With a tense feeling inside, Gia ran her fingers through her hair. "Grace, I'm stuck with this uneasy feeling. The uncertainty of the location and time of this meeting is unsettling." She said this, pacing back and forth with anxiety.

Grace nodded in agreement, her expression mirroring Gia's concern. "I understand, Gia. The unknown can be quite unsettling, especially in a situation as delicate as this."

A cloud of uncertainty surrounded the nature of the upcoming meeting as the weight of the unspoken details hung large over them. Many possible outcomes raced through Gia's mind, each offering a distinct vision of what might happen."I wish we had more information," Gia sighed, her voice tinged with frustration. "It feels like walking into the unknown blindfolded."

Reaching out, Grace put a reassuring hand on Gia's shoulder. "We must continue to be watchful. The General may be using this secrecy as a ploy, but we must remain vigilant. Your security is of utmost importance."

Gia nodded, her determination unwavering despite the veil of uncertainty. "However risky this is, Grace, I need to take all the risks. I need to find out the truth, not just for me but for Deep and everyone affected by this. This nightmare has to end, and hopefully this time around, for good!"

An air of unresolved tension permeated the room as a meditative silence descended. The meeting was approaching, and every second that went by, the weight of it weighed on them like an unseen burden, and all they could think about was the unknowns.

Gia and Grace continued to be quiet and anxious as the night went on, their brains racing with a lot of unsolved problems. They were left to contend with the mysterious obscurity that obscured the substance of the impending encounter with the general, as the meeting the next day loomed like a specter.

NEXT MORNING

The soft hum of the air conditioner filled the room as Gia sat in the hotel, her thoughts wrestling with the unresolved anticipation of the meeting with the general. The sound of a door creaking open startled her, snapping her out of her contemplation. She turned, her heart pounding, only to find the general standing in the doorway, his presence unexpected and unannounced.

The general entered the room with an air of calculated composure, his demeanor poised and controlled. Gia's pulse quickened at his unanticipated arrival, a mix of surprise and wariness painted across her face.

"General?" Gia stammered, her voice laced with a mix of shock and uncertainty. "I wasn't expecting you."

The general's expression remained stoic, his eyes fixed on Gia as he closed the door behind him. "You must be thinking that you are so special to keep making demands to the general, Ms. Gia. Well, I thought, why not give you the satisfaction of feeling the power of summoning this mountain? And I came to you just like you demanded. And now, I even found you seated here like a little princess waiting for some nanny to get her ready for some games."

His arrival, devoid of prior notice, sent a ripple of unease through Gia. His choice of words and the way his cold eyes never rested on one place in the room appalled her, though she did not show her fears. The secrecy surrounding the meeting, compounded by his unannounced appearance, heightened the tension in the room.

"I am sorry, general," Gia replied, attempting to maintain her composure despite the surge of apprehension within her. "But I wasn't given any details about when or where our meeting would take place. I honestly thought the meeting wouldn't hold."

The general's steely gaze remained fixed on Gia, his tone measured and deliberate. "It was necessary to ensure confidentiality and control over the situation. I hope you understand. "We, the police, do things with the utmost discreetness, not like you commoners."

Gia's mind raced with a flurry of thoughts, the unexpected turn of events leaving her grappling with a sense of vulnerability. She realized she was now face-to-face with the enigmatic general, and the clandestine nature of their meeting added an unforeseen layer of complexity to the already tense situation.

As the general stood before her, an air of guarded anticipation enveloped the room, their encounter poised on the edge of unspoken tension and unresolved uncertainties. The meeting, unfolding in an unanticipated manner, left Gia on edge, bracing herself for the uncharted territory she was about to traverse in the presence of the elusive general.

“I am right before you, Miss Gia Wilsons. At your service. Tell me, What is this that has been pressing you so much, even to the point of you threatening me?” The general spoke, cold and deep.

With a plethora of questions boiling up inside her, Gia steadied herself and kept her eyes on the general. She was being questioned intensely at the moment due to the unexpected change of events. She faced the General about the unthinkable—Ejay's purported death—with a resolute resolve.

"I know it must not have been easy for you to leave your tight schedule and come to meet me. Thank you, General. And since I don’t want to waste even a minute of our time, I will just cut to the chase." Gia began, her voice firm despite the lingering apprehension, "How is it possible that Ejay, whom a lot of people, including the policemen, witnessed dying, is still alive?"

The general's composed facade remained unwavering, his demeanor unyielding in the face of Gia's pointed query. "Ms. Gia, sometimes events are not as they appear. And this happens to be one of those cases."