Inside the meeting room at headquarters, Charlotte Smith's brief notes photographed by Vladimir were projected on the display screen.
[Cocoa is one of the treasures of my life. Long live the cocoa tree~.]
[A terrible feeling keeps choking me.]
[Security guard Maxime is staring at me in a way that makes me extremely uncomfortable.]
Commander Kozlov's eyes examined Charlotte Smith's notes, which seemed to blend absurdity, childishness, and mystery.
"These notes…"
Kozlov muttered, rubbing his well-groomed beard as his eyes followed the words flashing on the screen.
"Random."
A single word that perfectly summed up each note.
"I thought the same… I don't even find them meaningful,"
Vladimir added quietly and continued,
"But Leonid insists otherwise, claiming that each note carries its own special meaning."
"And how does he explain that?"
"He says Charlotte Smith tends to record what she feels in the moment, not necessarily what's happening around her. To her, what matters isn't the event, but the emotional impact it has inside her. That's why her notes aren't as random as they seem."
Vladimir ran his fingers through his blond hair and squinted for a moment before releasing a heavy sigh.
"Do you think Leonid is right, Commander?"
Kozlov responded in a tone not without coldness:
"Why not? Out of all of us, he spent the most time with Charlotte Smith. It would be a shame if he didn't understand her especially after becoming her 'boyfriend' for the sake of the mission… or so he claims."
It was clear Kozlov didn't buy his son's story about building a relationship with Charlotte to protect her and ensure the mission's success, yet he didn't object. He simply folded his arms, leaned back in his chair, and stared at the screen in front of him.
"By the way… how are things going with Alia?"
"As for Alia… "
Vladimir paused for a moment, glancing at the short sentences on the screen, which felt more like bottled-up confessions.
"She's still unable to do anything. She's under Officer Pyotr's surveillance short intervals, but just enough to suffocate her movements."
Kozlov nodded slowly.
"I see. When Leonid arrives, tell him to act. Pressure the STARS Corporation to grant him an interview permit with the homeless man claiming responsibility for the crime."
"Yes, sir. I'll go check the building entrance. He might have arrived already."
"Hm. I'll be waiting."
Vladimir immediately stood and left the meeting room, leaving Kozlov alone to ponder the notes displayed before him.
From what he observed, Charlotte Smith's notes ended on the fourth of October.
[Spreading happiness that's what I want right now.]
That was the last sentence she wrote.
Apparently, she wrote it before her life turned upside down.
Still, Kozlov ignored this note and the rest and fixed his gaze on a small slip of paper tucked in the corner.
It was different.
Unique in every sense compared to the rest of Charlotte Smith's notes.
According to Vladimir, Leonid, and the testimonies of Vasili and Dmitri, Charlotte hadn't dated this note.
Strangest of all, it consisted of a single word:
[Euphoria]
"Positive euphoria or negative… which one did you mean, Charlotte Smith?"
Kozlov whispered in a low voice, as if speaking to her directly not to himself.
Outside, Leonid started the car engine, then pulled out the key and locked it. He opened the door slowly and stepped out with heavy, confident strides that matched his imposing presence.
With a quiet sigh tinged with boredom, he pushed open the headquarters' door. As soon as he took his first steps inside, he was met by Vladimir standing in his path. Leonid didn't show any surprise he simply gave a slight nod and continued walking toward the meeting room.
But Vladimir stopped him, saying:
"Hold on. Before you go in, there's something I need to tell you."
Leonid came to a slow halt, his hands in the pockets of his jacket. He turned toward Vladimir and replied coolly:
"If it's my father's orders, I'll be seeing him anyway. No need to tell me."
Vladimir narrowed his eyes, then gave a faint smile and said:
"Since when do you complain about protocol? Anyway, listen... The commander ordered you to take action and pressure the STARS Corporation to arrange contact with the homeless killer."
Leonid didn't respond he simply gave a short nod.
"Good, you can go now. And by the way… try not to show how rushed you are tonight. I fear the commander might misinterpret your attitude."
Leonid replied without changing his tone:
"There's nothing to be misunderstood."
"In your eyes, perhaps. But in ours… it's the exact opposite. Leonid, you seem anxious lost in thought."
Vladimir studied him from head to toe, then spoke in a tone laced with curiosity:
"Is Charlotte Smith on your mind?"
Leonid clenched his fists inside his jacket pockets. His face remained still, but inside he was burning, wishing he could let out a deep sigh.
Vladimir said quietly:
"Just between us I won't follow strict protocol against you."
At those words, Leonid finally exhaled deeply, then answered with honesty:
"Yes."
A simple word to say, but heavy in meaning. He lowered his head and looked away, then added:
"I can't stop thinking… especially after she decided to return to her apartment to be alone."
Vladimir's eyes widened in surprise, staring at him sharply:
"She what?! How could you let her do that?!"
Leonid remained unaffected by his outburst, staying calm, while Vladimir suddenly realized Charlotte was no longer sleeping safely at Leonid's place.
Leonid spoke with a weary tone:
"I couldn't stop her. I almost told her the truth about her situation, but then she suddenly screamed, 'I don't want to!' followed by, 'I want to be alone!' She caught me off guard… she was falling apart in front of me, screaming, begging, then apologizing. It was a true moment of collapse."
He gave a bitter smile, shook his head, and continued walking toward the meeting room without waiting for a reply.
Behind him, Vladimir muttered under his breath, lifting the hair off his forehead:
"Seriously… you're not acting like yourself anymore."
Ever since Leonid took on this mission, he hadn't been the same "iceberg" he used to be. His icy composure was starting to crack. And in that moment, Vladimir fully understood what Vasili felt when he witnessed Leonid lose control that emotion that drove Vasili to step in, even revealing his operative status to a regular police officer.
When Leonid reached the meeting room, he knocked quietly before stepping in with steady composure. He wasn't surprised to meet his father's cold gaze the same gaze he had grown both used to, and never truly used to, all at once.
Inside the women's locker room, Alia took off her uniform and changed into casual clothes that wouldn't draw attention. She ran her fingers through her blonde hair, then quietly shut her locker door.
Grabbing her bag, she checked her phone as she walked toward the door, turning the handle to leave.
"Alia!"
"What—?!"
Alia flinched the moment she saw Officer Pyotr standing in front of her… he had been waiting.
"Officer…?"
Pyotr offered an apologetic smile, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly.
"Sorry if I startled you."
He chuckled lightly, trying to break the tension, then said:
"Anyway… how about we go have dinner together?"
"Dinner? Together?"
Alia tilted her head slightly, uncertain of what she'd just heard. She pointed at herself, then at him.
"You and me? Just us?"
Pyotr nodded in confirmation, a somewhat forced smile on his face.
"Yes, why not? Is there a problem? Do you have plans? Or maybe… a boyfriend?"
He paused before adding teasingly:
"As far as I know, you're single. Nothing wrong with going out for dinner, right?"
"You're right… very logical."
Despite her response, a subtle bitterness crept into her chest at his blunt assumption. But what exactly was driving Pyotr to insist on taking her out… and why now, of all times?
She still had to reach headquarters, review the latest updates, and submit her report to the deputy commander… then to Commander Kozlov.
Even so, why not take the opportunity? Maybe she could extract some information without raising suspicion about herself, or the case involving the eighth floor.
Any external interference could negatively impact their progress.
"Alright, so what are we waiting for? Take me to the best restaurant you know… honestly, I'm starving."
Pyotr laughed at Alia's urgency and replied,
"Same here. Let's go."
He smiled as he walked her to his car, determined to make tonight's dinner unforgettable.
On the way, they chatted casually, the streetlights glowing like stars across the city.
As they walked toward their reserved table, Alya noticed how attentive Pyotr was to every detail.
"This is sweet. Booking a quiet, romantic place in advance? When did you find time for all this?"
"Well, I'm always available. Also…"
Pyotr leaned slightly toward her and whispered gently:
"May I take you home after dinner?"
Then added with a charming sidelong smile:
"As a gentleman, I'd like to make sure you're safe. You know… you're quite an important person at the base."
Alia raised an eyebrow and said lightly:
"Oh, Officer Pyotr, don't treat me like I'm fragile just because I'm a woman."
Pyotr laughed and replied:
"You're absolutely right. Who am I to treat a woman with top-level training in multiple martial arts like a delicate thing? Honestly, sitting next to you makes me feel like I'm the one who needs protection."
Alia chuckled softly and took her seat as Pyotr gently pushed the chair in for her.
He adjusted his jacket and sat across from her. As soon as he did, Alia spoke in a calm tone:
"That's not very nice… I mean, yes, I don't want to be treated like I'm fragile, but at the same time, I don't want to be treated like I'm stronger than everyone else either… At this rate, I'll never get married."
Pyotr laughed and playfully winked:
"Oh, forgive the rudeness, but truth be told… you're very impressive."
Then, leaning forward slightly, he added:
"You know, maybe I should've taken you with me to that interrogation in the cramped room maybe with your help, I could've gotten that suspect to cooperate more easily instead of how things turned out."