Mistaken For a Couple

Chapter 8: Bayrn Amusement Park (3)

After parting ways with Priscilla, Rahan tapped his earpiece.

"Time until mission start: three-zero mic (30 minutes). Tighten the perimeter. Restrict movement and increase ID checks. From this moment, full operational command is transferred to Major Jerid. No communication with Delta (Special Ops Commander, Rahan) allowed. Under no circumstances should anyone acknowledge Delta’s presence. Over."

As soon as the order was given, plainclothes soldiers surged into the entrance gate.

"Wh-What’s going on?!"

"Lieutenant Jerid Kalbron of the Imperial Army. From this moment, Bayrn Amusement Park's entrance is under lockdown. We ask for your cooperation."

The incoming guests were pushed back as the plainclothes soldiers and police began pouring into the park.

“Reddish-brown hair. Black irises.”

Now in command, Jerid’s eyes scanned the crowd rapidly.

"Team One, cover the west side of the park. Team Two, east. Police, take the north."

At his sharp instructions, the teams dispersed.

But as time ticked away, Jerid found himself chewing on his lower lip.

The scheduled contact time between the squirrels was 2 p.m.

It was already 1:50.

Only ten minutes left.

"Teams One, Two, and Three, report."

[This is Alpha. No suspicious individuals matching the composite sketch.]

Bravo and Charlie echoed the same.

No progress. No leads.

“Where are they? Where the hell are they?!”

Jerid began biting his nails in frustration.

Letting two enemy agents escape under his watch would not only be humiliating but a massive blow to his commander who entrusted him with full authority.

Then, he remembered Rahan’s advice:

[Jerid. Do you know what’s most important when hunting spies?]

[A solid composite sketch. And relentless tracking, sir.]

[Textbook answer. But what’s truly critical is empathy.]

[Empathy… sir?]

[If you were a Naifel spy—start from that thought. Love the Naifel Empire. Understand them. Admire them. Acknowledge them. Only then can you capture any of them.]

At the time, he brushed it off as something only Rahan could say.

“Come on, think, Jerid. If I were them—where would I meet?”

Back to square one.

The classified intel had said: Bayrn Amusement Park.

Why, of all places, here?

Jerid looked around.

A child with a balloon.

A couple walking hand in hand.

A family pushing a stroller.

A newlywed couple.

Young kids in academy uniforms.

"…Wait. Could it be?"

Why the amusement park, especially on a weekend?

To hide in a sea of people?

"Makes sense. Then inside the park, where’s the most crowded spot…?"

The park’s center.

The fountain plaza where the evening parade is held.

“The fountain.”

Jerid tapped his earpiece.

"All units, converge on the fountain! Establish a perimeter!"

[Copy that!]

He radioed again—this time to Rahan.

"Commander, I’ve located the rendezvous point."

[...Well done, Jerid. Join me there.]

'Join him?'

Rahan had known all along?

Jerid raced toward the fountain.

It was packed with people.

A street magician.

A churros vendor handing sweets to a child.

A balloon artist twisting up dog-shaped balloons.

It looked so peaceful and innocent.

'To meet here, of all places…? Typical Naifel agents.'

He signaled the nearby operatives to form a tighter net.

***

"…What?"

"Ten minutes past the scheduled rendezvous. No sign of the target. I'm sorry, Lieutenant Jerid."

Jerid slumped in the middle of the plaza.

"No way. I missed something?"

His dazed face said it all.

Could the agents have already completed the exchange and fled?

'Mission… failed.'

It left a bitter taste.

Jerid tapped his earpiece.

"Commander… I’m sorry. Mission failed."

No response.

It had been his first big assignment—and he blew it.

Then—

[You did well, Jerid.]

"…Sir?"

Wouldn’t scolding have been better than this sudden praise?

[You still have much to learn. Who said the mission failed?]

"Wait, what?"

[You correctly deduced they would hide in a crowd. Half of your deduction was right. Be proud.]

"Then…?"

[The exchange hasn’t happened yet. You should’ve considered the intel might not be 100% accurate. If they were to hide among people, 2 p.m. would be too early.]

"Wait—The parade! Bayrn Amusement Park has two fountain shows: one at noon, one at 7 p.m. Those are the most crowded times!"

A voice rang from behind Jerid.

"Correct, Jerid."

He turned around.

"Commander!"

Rahan stood behind him, wearing his disguise, with a pleased smile.

"Let’s move. In intelligence warfare, those with more information hold the upper hand. The mission isn’t over yet."

***

As twilight fell, Priscilla crouched behind artificial shrubs near the central fountain, eyeing the crowd.

"Seven o’clock."

She had deciphered the mission time shift based on the cryptic clues left earlier.

'The Empire has someone sharp. They figured out the time change too.'

She clicked her tongue and checked her watch.

'It’s time.'

She moved.

Wearing a black hoodie with her hands tucked in her pockets, she bumped into a man in front of the fountain—right as water shot skyward in a dazzling display.

Children squealed, couples cheered.

"Whoa! Look!"

"Look, son, the fountain!"

"I love you."

"I love you too."

Amid the bustling crowd, the man tapped Priscilla’s shoulder.

"I think you dropped this."

He handed her a small note.

"Oh, thank you! It’s important."

She handed him a USB drive.

"No problem."

"Well, I’ll be off then."

She started to walk away, then clapped her hands as if remembering something.

"Be careful. It’s crowded."

"…"

The man nodded slightly.

Then—

"Nobody move."

Armed Imperial soldiers appeared from all sides, surrounding the plaza like a trap.

People screamed.

"What’s going on?!"

"Lieutenant Jerid Kalbron of the Bayrn Imperial Army! Please remain calm! We are targeting dangerous criminals hiding in this crowd. Cooperate, and you’ll be safe."

Priscilla bit her lower lip.

She expected soldiers to show—but not to trap all the civilians too.

'Wait, that guy… he looks smaller than the one I bumped into at the factory. Is he being controlled from behind?'

She smirked.

'As expected. But he’s out of time. I won’t start a hostage crisis, but… will he?'

Suddenly—

"Kyaaa!"

"Step back."

The mysterious man seized a woman and held a knife to her throat.

"You! You’re the Naifel agent!"

"You’re mistaken, Lieutenant Jerid Kalbron. Even cornered, a rat bites back."

"Put down the knife!"

"Why would I? Maybe I’ll start by killing this one. I’ve got plenty more hostages here."

Jerid panicked.

That’s when—

Thud.

Someone stepped forward through the crowd.

"You’re surrounded. Surrender."

It was Rahan, wearing his disguise.

Priscilla immediately recognized him.

'That’s the man I bumped into at the factory.'

She stared at him intently, memorizing his face.

The spy pulled his hostage closer.

"Take one more step and she dies."

"Go ahead."

"What?"

Crack!

A hand shot forward and gripped his jaw.

The knife was already knocked out of his hand.

Rahan grabbed the USB the spy had hidden in a false tooth.

"Got you, rat. Where’s the other one?"

Meanwhile, Priscilla withdrew her hand from her pocket.

'I have to rescue him… or at least retrieve the data.'

She drew a small pistol and started walking toward Rahan.

Kill him now, and the mission would be complete.

Her eyes narrowed with deadly focus.

Then—

A hand grabbed her wrist.

"Shh!"

"Who—?"

"Are you trying to get yourself killed? Come with me."

The man pulled her into the artificial shrubbery, away from the soldiers’ eyes.

Before she could even ask who he was—

"Who are you? You’re not the real Priscilla, are you?"