DARE

“I shot that man myself. We all watched him collapse. Unfortunately, I shut my eyes before witnessing him breathe his last. But I trusted in the number of bullets that I fired at him. Unless there was a conspiracy, General, that man is supposed to be rotting six feet under where he belongs.” Gia fired.

The general maintained his stand and composure, Gia’s words not getting into him. “Then that, Miss Gia, is what you are supposed to believe and block every other voice going through your little head.”

“But sometimes, a hunch even outshadows the seeming reality. I chose to trust my hunch this time, General.” Gia shot back.

“You are hurting yourself unnecessarily, Gia.” The general contended.

Gia's frustration simmered beneath the surface, her determination driving her to seek the truth. "People saw him fall; they saw the accident. The reports confirmed his death. You, general, confirmed his death! How do you explain his reappearance?"

“The man is dead, Gia! stop tormenting yourself with"

“No, he isn’t!” Gia howled, trying to make the general understand her predicament. “I know what I am saying. That monster is alive. Why don’t you want to believe me?”

“Because there is nothing to believe in your hallucinations, Gia!” The general's words echoed in her ears.

"Gia, sometimes trauma can cause our minds to play tricks on us. It's natural to struggle after witnessing something so distressing."

"But I'm not imagining this," Gia pressed, desperation creeping into her voice. "He is alive. I saw him, and he was trying to tell me something or warn me about something important. And that something could only be the terror that he is planning. You got to believe me, general!"

The general's response was cryptic, his words carefully chosen. "Appearances can be deceiving. What you believe to be true might not necessarily be reality. It must be the trauma that you went through before that is making you see things that are not real."

Gia's mind whirled with incredulity, her thoughts grappling with the general's elusive responses. The veil of secrecy surrounding Ejay's supposed demise seemed impenetrable, leaving her with more questions than answers. “Well then! Proof me wrong, general.”

“What do you mean?” The general asked, unaware of what Gia was thinking.

Gia locked eyes with the general. “I want Ejay’s dead body! Rotten or raw or ashes, I need confirmation. Only then will my heart be at peace!” Gia shot, pulling the general into a deep state of unexpected thoughts.

For the first time, the general everted Gia’s gaze, scratching his head before pulling his shattered nerves together. “You are asking something impossible.”

“Why? Because you know there is no dead body? Because you know he is not in the grave and he is instead roaming free within us." Gia asked, furled with anger and fear.

The general remained mute for a minute. Gia had turned out to be more inquisitive, persistent, and witty than he had anticipated.

He sighed heavily, recalling the day when he and Ejay had orchestrated the latter's "death." It was a necessary sacrifice for a clandestine operation that held the key to turning the tides of the conflict they were embroiled in. Ejay had been a vital asset in a covert mission, and their collaboration was paramount to its success.

Yet, Gia's curiosity and insistence on Ejay's survival posed a danger, not just to their mission but also to the precarious balance of secrets that kept them all safe. The general couldn't afford to let Gia dig deeper, risking the exposure of classified information and putting Ejay, himself, and the entire operation in jeopardy.

"Damn it, Gia," Arden muttered under his breath, frustration lacing his words. He couldn't openly reprimand her or reveal the truth without risking further suspicion. His priority was to protect Ejay and the mission, even if it meant suppressing Gia's inquiries.

He knew Gia was a competent and dedicated member of the team, but her relentless pursuit of the truth threatened the delicate web of secrecy they had spun. The general felt torn between his duty to protect his colleague and the loyalty he owed to Gia for her unwavering commitment to their cause.

With a heavy heart and a sense of guilt gnawing at him, he resolved to distance Gia from her inquiries, subtly guiding her attention away from Ejay's alleged survival. It was a difficult decision, but one he deemed necessary for the safety of everyone involved.

"Perhaps it's best to redirect her focus," Arden mused, contemplating the delicate balance between loyalty, duty, and the sacrifices demanded by their clandestine endeavors.

He knew that in their line of work, secrets were often the difference between success and failure, between life and death. And for now, preserving the secrecy surrounding Ejay's fate was paramount, even if it meant frustrating Gia's relentless pursuit of the truth.

"I need answers, General," Gia pressed on, her tone edged with urgency. "Clear everything up, general. There have been contradictions from the start. First, why did you first give different information to the police? Why did you come up with that plan of giving the citizens a different report from reality? Why the secrecy, the deception?"

“If I need to refresh your memory, Miss Gia, I did that to protect you! We did not want people to know that you killed Ejay! You are a murderer, Gia!” The general shot.

“You could have told them that the police killed them in an encounter if it was so necessary for you to lie, general! So why exactly did you choose that ankle? Was this your plan all along?” Gia shot straight into the general’s face.

“You watch your mouth, Gia! I will not accept you disrespecting me this way! I can take legal action against you for suspecting me of such a heinous crime!” The general fired in defense.

“And I dare you, general! Do you want us to take this matter to court? I am more than ready because I believe in my facts! So, dare?” Gia shot, shutting down the general for a while as more tension spewed in the room.