Chapter 32-33 - Former CIA, Now LAPD

Chapter 32 – Lights, Cameras, Heart

May 4, 2017 – 6:12 PM

Front of the Grant house – Los Angeles

Mike stepped out of the Escalade SUV wearing dark jeans, a simple black t-shirt, and a Lakers cap with a curved bill. His left hand held two tickets in a purple and gold envelope.

Harry ran out the door, wearing a LeBron James jersey, even though he wasn't officially a Lakers player yet. May appeared right behind him, holding her cell phone.

"He's been freaking out since lunch."

Harry arrived, out of breath:

"Are we really going? You're not kidding? Chairs near the court? I saw the tickets, but I thought it was a prank!"

Mike smiled.

"No pranks. Today you'll watch the game from five meters away. You'll be able to hear the sneakers squeaking on the court."

"OH MY GOD!"

Athena appeared in the doorway, holding a bottle of water.

"Don't forget he goes to bed early and has school tomorrow."

"He'll be the exception of a lifetime," Mike replied. "I promise to return him safe and sound, and even more of a basketball fanatic."

Athena winked at him.

"You're part of this, Mike. Thank you for giving him something to remember for the rest of his life."

Mike bent down and looked at Harry.

"Let's make history, champ?"

Harry shouted "YES!" and they both got into the Escalade.

6:58 PM – Arena (formerly Staples Center)

The VIP entrance was lit, manned by polite but firm security. Mike presented the tickets; the attendant read them and arched an eyebrow.

"Golden Chairs. Sponsor's section. All right, gentlemen. This way."

Harry walked around, silently, dumbfounded, looking around. Mike walked beside him, discreetly, with that air of someone observing everything without seeming to observe anything.

The usher led them through a tunnel, and then... the court appeared. Huge. Alive. Shining.

The seats: row 1, seats 5 and 6. Almost in the center.

Harry was in shock.

"Mike... we're TOO close!"

"Exactly as promised."

Across the court, Steph Curry was shooting warm-up shots. Klay Thompson was talking to the coach. The Lakers were taking the court for stretching.

Harry was discreetly jumping in place.

"I'm going to cry."

Mike just laughed, genuinely.

7:20 PM – Game Start

The music was spiking, the lights were moving in sync. The national anthem was sung live by a local artist. When he finished, the spotlights came on fully.

In the next row, someone sat down discreetly. Tall, elegant, with a light coat and a makeshift bun. A photographer's camera briefly followed her footsteps. Kendall Jenner.

Harry noticed first.

"Mike. Mike. MIKE."

"What?"

"It's Kendall Jenner. And she's right next to you. Oh my God, I'm going to faint."

Mike glanced sideways. He recognized her. He nodded with a polite smile.

"Good evening."

Kendall smiled pleasantly.

"Good evening. Did you bring your little brother?"

"Almost. He's my partner's son from the LAPD."

"Oh. You're a cop?"

Mike hesitated. Then he answered:

"Now, yes. Before... I was something else."

"What?" she asked, genuinely curious.

— "CIA agent."

Kendall laughed, as if he were joking. Then she caught his tone. He wasn't joking.

— "Really?"

Mike just nodded.

— "Okay. That's... definitely new."

She looked again.

— "You don't look like a CIA agent. You look like an actor in a military drama."

— "I've never accepted an invitation to Hollywood. Yet."

8:12 PM – Second Quarter Halftime

The game was exciting. The Lakers led by 6 points. During halftime, celebrities were shown on the big screens music, applause, laughter.

And then...

the "Kiss Cam" camera started to pan.

It showed a couple. Then another. Laughter. A kiss.

And then, the image cut to Mike and Kendall.

Harry screamed:

— "OH MY GOD!"

Kendall looked at Mike, amused. He stared at her, a slight smile on his lips. Then she turned and gave him a soft kiss on the cheek. The arena erupted in applause.

Mike ducked his head awkwardly.

Kendall laughed.

Harry was ecstatic.

"That was the best thing I've ever seen."

Kendall turned to Mike.

"I hope your partner doesn't see this and want to arrest me."

Mike replied:

"I think she'd laugh. And she'd say you have great taste."

9:03 PM – End of Game

The Lakers won. Harry managed to get close to the fence and shake hands with all the players, even grabbing a sweaty wristband from one of the reserves which he kept as a trophy.

Mike thanked the security guards. As he was returning to his seat, Kendall approached him:

"Can I be curious? Do you have Instagram?"

— "I do. But it's private. Well... discreet."

— "That makes it more interesting. Give it to me?"

Mike took out his phone and typed in the username.

@edwards.mike

Kendall followed. He confirmed the request and accepted.

She opened the profile and saw a few photos:

One at a base in Afghanistan, with his face half-covered.

Another, in Brasília, in front of the Embassy.

More recent, in the LAPD patrol car.

And one, with Harry and May, at Christmas.

Kendall looked to him.

—"You... have lived many lives."

—"And I'm trying to live a new one now. Less secret. But still meaningful."

She smiled.

—"Maybe you should show it more. People are interested in those who have stories to tell."

—"I only tell those who deserve to hear it."

Kendall extended her hand.

—"Nice to meet you, Mike Edwards. Really."

—"Likewise, Kendall Jenner."

10:45 PM – Back at the Grant house

Athena was in the kitchen when Harry ran in with his wristband on, his eyes shining.

—"I SHAKED EVERY PLAYER'S HAND!"

Athena laughed.

—"And Mike? Well behaved?"

Harry replied, with the most satisfied look in the world:

—"Kendall Jenner kissed him on the cheek!"

Athena looked at Mike, who just... smiled.

"Really?"

"It was the kiss cam. Blame it on fate."

May walked down the stairs.

"You kissed Kendall Jenner?"

"She kissed me. And it was just on the cheek."

Athena just shook her head, laughing.

"You're going to need an escort now."

Chapter 33 – In the Spotlight

May 5, 2017 – 7:02 AM

Grant House – Living Room

The television was on low. Kendall Jenner's face was playing on a loop on various morning shows. But it was the same clip that kept repeating:

"Who is the mystery man Kendall Jenner kissed yesterday at the Lakers game?"

Athena, sitting with a mug of coffee in her hand, sighed deeply as she watched the replay for the fourth time. May came downstairs with her phone in her hand.

"Okay, this is getting out of hand."

"What?"

May showed her phone. On Twitter, the hashtags were trending:

#KissCamMysteryMan

#KendallsNewFlame

#WhoIsThatGuy

"Mom... they're trying to identify Mike."

Athena shook her head.

"And they'll hit the wall. His name isn't public, his profile is private, and the LAPD doesn't confirm anything about officers who aren't designated as spokespersons."

May sat next to her mother.

"But people are already saying he might be ex-military. Some said he looks like 'mercenaries in Netflix movies.'"

Athena laughed in disbelief.

"Mike will hate this."

7:58 AM – Mike's Residence – West Los Angeles

Mike's phone vibrated nonstop. Messages from colleagues. Three emails from the LAPD's Internal Communications Department. A missed call from Captain Elaine Maynard.

He turned off his phone, took a deep breath, and held the towel over his shoulder. He had just gotten out of the shower. His clean-shaven face reflected the tension in his eyes.

He dressed simply gray polo shirt, dark jeans. Turning the phone back on, he read a new message:

Kendall Jenner:

"I think the world has seen us, secret agent. How are you handling the fame?"

Mike smiled. Then typed:

Mike:

"With silence. It's always been my preferred way."

Seconds later, the reply:

Kendall:

"Seriously now I'm so sorry. I didn't think it would escalate to this. Can I call you?"

Mike hesitated. Then replied:

Mike:

"Do you prefer audio or text? I just need to keep everything... under control."

Kendall:

"We'll go with text. For now."

8:40 AM – Western Division – Captain Maynard's Office

Mike entered the room with a neutral expression. Captain Maynard gestured for him to close the door.

She had her tablet in her hand, videos open on YouTube.

—"Edwards."

—"Captain."

"You're on all the entertainment portals. And some national security portals."

"I imagine."

She turned the tablet toward him.

"You know what happens when someone who was CIA is seen kissing a Jenner on national television, right?"

Mike nodded.

"Cross-check protocols, asset checks, termination and access validation. I've done this before, under other names. I have no outstanding issues. My history is archived. No operational compromises."

She put down the tablet.

"I'm not pressing charges as a superior. I'm asking you as a friend: do you want us to intervene? We can ask the LAPD's public relations department to release a statement saying the officer in question will not be identified for security reasons. But this... raises the curiosity even more."

Mike thought for a second.

"Do it. I'll handle the rest discreetly. And I guarantee: there won't be a scandal. Just... a moment that escaped the routine."

She watched him.

"Are you comfortable with this?"

"No. But I'm aware. That's enough."

11:30 AM – Patrol Car 12-A-27 – Patrol with Athena

Athena was driving. Mike was in the passenger seat, silent, as usual. But she knew there was more to that stillness.

"Have you spoken to her today?"

"Kendall?"

"Yes."

"She apologized. She's as surprised as I am. We texted."

Athena looked away for a second.

"Will you see her again?"

Mike replied, without hesitation:

"Maybe. If the world allows it. But my life doesn't fit with fame. She knows that."

Athena sighed.

"Just don't let the world decide for you."

Mike turned to her.

"You're not jealous, are you?"

Athena laughed out loud.

"I have love, Mike. Not possessions. And who am I to compete with a Jenner?"

Mike looked at her seriously:

"You're everything fame can't buy. That's never changed."

Athena didn't respond. But her smile said it all.

4:10 PM – Cell Phone Messages

While Mike was eating lunch alone in a small cafe in Venice Beach, a new message arrived.

Kendall:

"The press wants to know who you are. I said you were an old friend. I hope I didn't make a mistake."

Mike:

"No. It was polite. Thank you for that."

Kendall:

"You're used to hiding. I'm not. But... I think we can find a middle ground. Will you let me see this side of you outside of the mission?"

Mike thought for a long time. Then he replied:

Mike:

"We can try. One step at a time. Away from the cameras. Just... reality."

8:45 PM – At the Grants' gate

Mike arrived to drop off a book for May a biography about women in intelligence. Harry was watching TV. Athena walked him to the gate.

"She wrote again?"

"Yes. Want to see me outside the spotlight. In a discreet coffee shop, with no audience. Just conversation."

Athena crossed her arms.

"And you're going?"

"I am."

"You know her life will never be ordinary, right?"

"Yes. But maybe what she's looking for... is precisely someone who doesn't need applause."

Athena leaned against the railing.

"Be honest with her, Mike. And be honest with yourself."

Mike looked at her. His eyes said what he didn't say.

"I promise."

And in that moment, under the Los Angeles night sky, the man who had lived in the shadows was slowly learning to walk in the spotlight with dignity, control, and truth.

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Chapter 16 - Chapter 32-33