Page 39 of Jenna's Protector
I chuckle, shaking my head. “You always did have a flair for the dramatic.”
“What can I say? It’s a gift.” Blake grins, but then his expression turns serious. “But it’s not all fun and games. We’ve been tracking an organization that’s proved to be a real thorn in our side.”
I glance over at Jenna, trying to gauge how overwhelmed she might feel. It’s been a big day, and I’ve yet to tell Blake why we’re here. I’m hoping he might be able to get one of the tech geeks to take on a side project for my case.
Blake continues, his voice low and intense. “This is the only thing we have on them. It’s a symbol, really—Chinese.” He pulls out a pen, scribbling something on a napkin—??. “Isn’t that weird?”
Jenna goes rigid beside me as he slides the napkin across the table. Her face drains of color, and her breathing turns shallow and rapid.
“Shàobing,” Jenna whispers, her voice trembling. “It means Sentinel.”
The cafeteria seems to disappear, the background noise fading as I turn to Jenna. “Have you seen this symbol before?” I ask softly, dread creeping into my voice.
Jenna nods, her eyes filling with tears. “Yes. When I was… When I was taken, the man who bought me had a tattoo on his wrist. It was that symbol. And he…” She trails off, absently rubbing her wrist as if trying to erase an invisible mark.
I notice her action, my eyes drawn to her wrist. In the cafeteria’s harsh fluorescent light, I can make out faint, barely perceptible markings on her skin. Before I can ask about it, Jenna reaches for her bag. Her hands shake as she pulls out her sketchpad, flipping through pages urgently. The rustling paper fills the tense silence. Finally, she stops, laying the pad flat on the table.
A Chinese symbol is there, rendered in harsh, angry strokes of black. It dominates the center of the page, surrounded by jagged lines that pulse with danger and fear. The drawing is raw and visceral, a visual representation of the trauma Jenna endured.
“Holy fuck.” Blake leans in, his face a mask of shock and dawning realization. “Do you know what this means?”
I meet my brother’s eyes over Jenna’s bowed head, a silent understanding passing between us. The missing girls, Jenna’s past, and the organization Guardian HRS has been hunting are all connected.
“We’re working the same case.” The realization hits me like a physical blow.
“This is… It’s huge.” Blake nods slowly, his eyes never leaving the sketch.
“Jenna is a phenomenal artist. She’s got pictures of some of the men involved and some of the facilities she was taken to.” I pause, the weight of what I’m about to ask settling on my shoulders. “I was hoping that Guardian HRS could help me find some of these facilities or help with facial recognition to track down these men and start drawing some connections.”
“This is… It’s fucking gold.” Blake’s eyes widen as he flips through the sketchpad, taking in the detailed sketches.” It’s precisely the kind of stuff we’ve been looking for. With these sketches and our resources…” His expression shifts from shock to determination.
“If it can help prevent what happened to me from happening to anyone else, then it’s worth it.” Jenna nods, her eyes still glistening with unshed tears, but her gaze now has a steely resolve.
“So, what’s our next move?” I slip my arm around Jenna’s shoulder, pulling her close.
“We need to get these to our tech team right away.” Blake stands, a new energy radiating from him. “Mitzy’s going to have a field day with this.”
Blake’s words sink in. We’re standing on something much bigger than my small-town investigation. This case has just become so much more than finding missing girls. We’re about to take on a criminal empire, and the stakes couldn’t be higher.
Just then, two figures enter the cafeteria. Max, who had been dozing under the table, perks up, his tail wagging as he recognizes Jeb. The man I know as one of Blake’s former team members is accompanied by a petite woman with long, raven-black hair and dark eyes, exuding a distinct goth vibe.
“Jeb, it’s good to see you again,” I say, standing and shaking his hand. Max trots over, nudging Jeb’s leg for attention.
“You too, Carter,” Jeb replies, returning a crushing handshake before giving Max a quick pat. His eyes shift to Jenna, curiosity evident.
Blake jumps in with introductions. “Jenna, this is Jeb. He used to be on Charlie team but jumped ship to work with the techies. And this is Stitch.” He gestures to the woman. “Our resident criminal hacker turned model citizen.”
“Hey!” Stitch playfully punches Blake’s arm. “You make it sound bad.”
“Am I wrong? You were arrested for hacking into the NSA.” Blake grins. “Mitzy got her sentence commuted if she agreed to work here. Now, she’s a vital part of our tech team. Helped bring down Citadel and everything.”
“Nice to meet you.” Stitch rolls her eyes but extends her hand to Jenna and me. “What brings you to Guardian HRS?”
The innocent question hangs in the air, suddenly loaded with implications.
“Funny you should ask.” Blake clears his throat. “Jenna might have just given us a new lead on Sentinel. The man who—bought her had their symbol tattooed on his wrist.”
Stitch’s eyes widen. “Bought? I’m sorry, I didn’t realize…”