Chapter 50 – New Beginnings, Same Patrol
May 15, 2018 – 8:03 AM
West Division Parking Lot – LAPD
Mike adjusted the holster on the side of his waist as he headed to the patrol car. Athena was leaning against the passenger door, holding two coffees in paper cups.
"Punctual as always, Edwards."
"And you've already started distributing caffeine and sarcasm before eight. Is that a federal crime?"
She laughed and handed over one of the coffees.
"Let's make this shift last. The map is full today."
They got into the patrol car. Mike started the engine, entered the standby code into the system, and slowly pulled out of the garage toward Jefferson Boulevard.
8:20 AM – In Transit
The city was still waking up. Street vendors were packing their carts, parents were dropping their children off at school, cyclists were hurrying along the bike lanes.
Athena looked at the tablet with the real-time map of calls. Mike drove silently, paying attention to intersections, unhurried, but ready to react.
"You still find it strange driving without someone chasing you, don't you?" she asked, without taking her eyes off the map.
"Not strange. But... surprising. Every day that ends without explosions is a bonus in life."
She smiled, and for a moment, she was thoughtful.
"Can I tell you something? Guys."
Mike looked at her, then back at the road.
"Always."
"Bobby and I... are doing great. Things got... serious."
Mike processed the words for a few seconds. Then he smiled.
"So it's real. I vaguely remember you two getting closer. But now...?"
"We're dating. Discreetly, like tired adults with long pasts."
Mike laughed, genuinely.
"That explains the knowing looks the last time we met at 118. But I didn't want to presume."
Athena leaned her elbow on the door, looking out the window at the city.
"It was natural. His pain met mine. And we... started taking care of each other. Without realizing it, we were already together."
Mike nodded, serious now.
"Bobby is a man of integrity. He listens before judging. And speaks only when necessary. You need that."
"I know. I need presence, not spectacle."
Mike smiled.
"It seems we're surrounded by women who know exactly what they want. And men who just don't want to mess it up."
Athena laughed out loud.
"You didn't mess anything up, Edwards. You're the example of a man Kendall needed without needing a stage."
9:07 AM – Call: Code 484 – Shoplifting
The radio crackled.
"12-A-27, code 484, possible shoplifting at a convenience store on Crenshaw and 39th Street. Owner has detained the suspect."
—"12-A-27 on the way."
Mike steered the curve with control, blaring the siren for three seconds to get through a congested intersection.
They reached the store in less than three minutes. A middle-aged man stood outside, holding a teenager by the wrist. The boy, about 14, had red eyes and was shaking.
Mike and Athena got out of the patrol car.
"Let him go, sir. From now on, it's our turn," Athena said.
The store owner, nervous:
"He took two packages of bread and a bottle of water. He was going to leave without paying."
Mike looked at the boy.
"Do you have food at home?"
The boy shook his head, his eyes wide.
Athena approached cautiously.
"Are you alone?"
"My mom's in the hospital. I don't have a key. No one's home today."
Mike looked at the store owner.
"Do you want to file a police report? Or can we handle this another way?"
The man hesitated. Then sighed.
"I just don't want him to do this again."
Athena turned to the boy.
"Are you hungry?"
"Yes."
Mike went into the store, paid for the stolen items, and added more: milk, fruit, ready-made sandwiches.
When he returned, he handed the bag to the boy.
"This is food, not forgiveness. But it's a start. Don't disappear. We'll stop by tomorrow. Understand?"
The boy nodded, excited.
10:20 AM – Police car, silent
Athena glanced at Mike every now and then.
"You always know what to do. You always think beyond the situation."
"I've learned to see the human being before the protocol. Most of the time, it works."
She smiled.
"You know, Bobby is like that too. He sees. Before he acts."
"So you two found yourselves on the same page. That... is rare. And it deserves to be protected."
Athena played the radio, adjusting the frequency.
"What about you? Are you going to marry Kendall?"
Mike laughed.
"I can barely make a dentist appointment. But if I have to choose someone to share this chaos with... I've already chosen."
Athena raised an eyebrow.
"You're lighter. That's love, Edwards."
"Or maybe I stopped running from peace. It only found me when I stood still."
12:42 PM – Quick lunch on the police car seat
Eating sandwiches under the shade of a tree.
Athena looked at him.
"So... Bobby and I, you and Kendall. Who would have thought? Two frontline figures... trying to be happy in the pauses between shots."
Mike lifted his water bottle.
"To those who didn't run away from love. Even knowing the price."
—"To those who didn't run."
They toasted. And for a moment, amid the distant sound of sirens and the stifling midday heat, all was peaceful.
Chapter 51 – Truth Between Episodes
May 15, 2018 – 10:48 PM
Mike's House – Master Bedroom
The soft light from the lamp reflected off the amber-hued walls. The bed was comfortably unmade: light sheets, an Egyptian cotton quilt thrown over it, pillows crumpled from so many changes of position.
Kendall lay down, legs entwined with Mike's, head on his shoulder. She was wearing his white T-shirt and cotton shorts. Mike wore gray sweatpants and held the remote in his hand. The TV displayed the Homeland logo, with Carrie Mathison on the home screen.
"Do you want to see the next episode?" Mike asked, not taking his eyes off the screen.
"Definitely. That woman makes me anxious just looking at her," Kendall replied, laughing.
Mike pressed the play button. The opening song began. Kendall nibbled on a slice of apple, resting on a small plate beside him. They were already on season 3.
"Seriously, Mike. Answer me bluntly."
"About?"
"This show. Is it real? This whole secret agent thing, briefings in makeshift barracks, drones flying over urban areas, informants in the middle of the desert. Is that really how it works?"
Mike paused the show. The image froze on Saul Berenson's face. He took a deep breath.
"Do you want the comforting answer or the truth?"
Kendall looked at him with those eyes that demand honesty.
"Always the truth. That's why I'm with you."
Mike repositioned his body, standing a little straighter. She was still in his arms.
"Some things are dramatized. The real-life timing of an operation can't fit into a 45-minute episode. But the essence... the tension, the moral dilemma, the feeling of operating outside the shadows... that's real."
Kendall blinked slowly.
"Have you ever... done what they do there? Have you ever led informants? Have you ever been behind a laptop tracking a terrorist cell in Pakistan?"
Mike stared at the ceiling for a moment.
"Yes. And more."
She straightened, sitting cross-legged, facing him.
"How can you live with that? Doesn't it weigh you down? Like... carrying all that inside you?"
Mike set the remote down on the nightstand.
"It's heavy. But training makes you compartmentalize. You learn to keep things to yourself. To separate mission from morale. But eventually... the inner drawers overflow. And if you don't have someone... or something to anchor you, you lose yourself."
Kendall slowly ran her fingers down his arm.
"Have you ever lost yourself?"
Mike nodded, without drama.
"More than once. In Afghanistan. In Beirut. Even in Brasília. Not by bullets. But by choices. The ones we make without time to consult our conscience."
She touched his face lightly.
"And now?"
"Now, I have somewhere to go back. I have someone to go back to. I have you."
Silence.
Kendall leaned back again, closer, as if protecting herself in the concrete.
"Don't you ever think about writing about all this? Telling. Even if it was under fake names."
Mike laughed lightly.
"I'd rather this lives in me, and die with me. Some stories don't need to be told. They need to be understood by those who live with those who carried them."
She kissed his shoulder.
"Then I'm the book where you can rest these pages."
"You're the only library I trust."
11:30 PM – Episode rolling, but eyes on the details
While Carrie investigated yet another traitor in the CIA, Kendall watched Mike. His eyes, even relaxed, were always alert. She noticed how he picked up on every sound around him: the beeping of the microwave in the kitchen, the car passing outside, the hiss of the TV speaker.
"Are you still in alert mode?"
"Less. But not completely off. It's like sleeping with the bedroom door ajar."
"What about me? Shall I help close that door?"
"You don't close the door. You convince me it doesn't always need to be open."
She sighed, her head on his chest.
"You're the most complex man I've ever met. But at the same time, the simplest to love."
Mike pulled her closer.
"And you're the only place where I can be everything. No uniform. No role. Just me."
12:12 AM – Episode ends
The TV automatically turned off. Mike covered them both with the quilt. The lamp was turned off. Silence filled the room, but it was a silence full of meaning.
Kendall whispered, his voice already drowsy.
"Do you think one day the world will know everything you've done?"
"You don't have to. If you know... that's enough."
She squeezed his hand.
"Then know: I know. And I love you for everything—including what you'll never tell."
He replied, with the same tone:
"And I... love you for being the only place where I can stop being an agent and just be human."
And then they slept.
With the whole world outside.
And the truth between them.
Silent.
Safe.
Alive.
Chapter 52 – Faces Between Uniforms and Bleachers
May 17, 2018 – 10:47 AM
Station 118 – Common Room
The morning was relatively quiet. A brief respite after a fire in an abandoned restaurant. The group was scattered around the room: Buck was cleaning helmets; Chimney was serving coffee; Hen was reviewing the supply inventory; and Bobby, as usual, was standing, leaning against the counter, his posture attentive but relaxed.
Eddie Diaz, the Texan rookie and former military man, sat with his arms crossed, listening, still getting used to the station's rhythms and inside jokes.
Bobby casually commented:
"I heard Athena and Mike responded to a heavy call in South Central yesterday. Cara barricaded the family inside. It was Mike's voice that convinced the guy to surrender."
Hen looked up from her tablet.
"Of course he was. That man could convince a wall to open with just the tone of his voice."
Buck laughed.
"We talk about him like he's a character in a book. But he's just Athena's partner... and Kendall Jenner's boyfriend."
Eddie frowned.
"Mike? Who's that? I don't think I've met him yet."
Momentary silence. Chimney put down her mug with an almost comical look of surprise.
"Wait. You haven't met Mike yet? How is that possible?"
Bobby laughed.
"That's right. Eddie arrived after the last time he was here. And since he's discreet... well, let's just say he doesn't make a point of showing up."
Hen turned to Eddie, excited.
— "Mike Edwards. Athena's partner in the LAPD. Ex-CIA. Like... for real. He operated abroad, lived in Brasília, worked with JSOC teams..."
Buck added:
— "And now he's dating none other than Kendall Jenner. A super discreet but steady relationship. It's been going on for over a year."
Eddie was silent for a moment. He crossed his arms and squinted, as if trying to piece together a stray memory.
— "Mike Edwards..."
Hen took out her phone.
— "Here, look. This is one of the few photos of the two of them together that have emerged. It was at a Lakers game last month."
She turned the screen to Eddie. In the image, Mike was sitting next to Kendall, discreet, wearing a dark blue dress shirt, a short beard, and a neutral expression. Kendall was smiling, with his hair down and a cap.
Eddie froze. His expression changed subtly.
— "I know this guy."
Chimney frowned.
"What do you mean? Like... in person?"
Eddie nodded slowly.
"I saw this guy at Bagram. 2011. I was a combat medic stationed at FOB Sharana, but I was deployed to Bagram for two weeks to reinforce the medical team triaging critically injured people. I saw him arrive in a Black Hawk with JSOC personnel. But he wasn't military. He was in civilian clothes. Dark jeans, a shirt, sunglasses, a plate carrier, an HK416 on his chest, and a Glock in his holster."
Everyone fell silent.
Buck broke off:
"Dude. You're describing him like he's straight out of a movie."
Eddie continued:
"He didn't talk much. But he walked like he knew the terrain. One of the Delta Force operators with him called him 'ghost lead.' I only remember that because it sounded like a video game nickname."
Hen whispered:
"Ghost lead..."
Bobby, serious now:
"It makes sense. Mike was Ground Branch. He was the kind of agent who worked alongside direct action teams. And if he was with JSOC at Bagram... he was probably involved in some joint operation."
Eddie looked at the photo again.
"I remember that face. But I never knew his name. Until now."
Chimney was silent for a few seconds, then commented:
"This is surreal. We work with firefighters, paramedics, and police officers. But there's a guy operating here with the most classified record in the building."
Buck joked:
"And the craziest thing: he's at home, having dinner with the Kardashian family, and no one even knows."
Hen laughed.
"This city will never get over Mike Edwards."
Bobby, thoughtful:
"He's exactly who Athena needed. Someone who's seen the worst... and still chooses the good. Without needing to prove anything to anyone."
11:45 AM – Station 118's Outdoor Patio
Eddie lit a cigarette (his one old habit he couldn't completely break), leaning against the wall, reflecting.
Hen appeared and approached.
"You went quiet after you recognized Mike."
Eddie shrugged.
"It's strange. In war, you come across so many enigmatic figures. But you never expect to meet them again in Los Angeles... dating a supermodel and patrolling with the most respected sergeant in the LAPD."
Hen smiled.
"He hasn't changed that much, you know? He's still reserved. Attentive. And he has that look that seems to see beyond the moment."
Eddie nodded.
— "But now... I see he's where he's supposed to be. And that gives me some hope."
Hen leaned in beside him.
— "You'll enjoy getting to know the real Mike. And, more importantly, he'll enjoy getting to know you too. You speak the same language. The silence that has seen fire."
Chapter 53 – Between the Fire and the Dust
May 19, 2018 – 11:58 AM
Station 118 – Main Entrance
The late-morning heat beat down on the patio tiles. The garage was open. Two station cars were undergoing a quick overhaul. The smell of oil and rubber in the air mingled with the aroma of something cooking in the cafeteria.
Athena and Mike arrived through the side entrance, both in uniform. Athena took off her sunglasses as she entered. Mike remained alert, his eyes scanning the room.
"I think Bobby's in the kitchen. And I doubt they'll let you leave without a plate of food."
Mike replied with a slight smile.
"If it's Hen cooking, I'll accept without hesitation. If it's Chimney... I'll inspect the plate."
Athena laughed out loud.
Shortly afterward, Bobby appeared with a dish towel slung over his shoulder. Seeing them, he smiled.
"Distinguished guests!"
He hugged Athena and greeted Mike with a firm handshake.
"Stay for lunch with us. Hen's making stew with garlic bread."
Athena looked at Mike.
"We have time. And good food is always appreciated."
They walked inside. The common room was already filling up. Hen, Chimney, Buck, and Eddie were there. Seeing Mike, everyone waved—except Eddie, who stood still for a second, watching him as if measuring the shadow of a memory.
Bobby made the introductions.
"Mike, this is Eddie Diaz. Our recent reinforcement, from Texas. Ex-military, now a firefighter with fighting blood."
Mike extended his hand casually.
"Welcome to the mess, Eddie."
Eddie shook his hand firmly. The sense of déjà vu was almost tactile.
"We've seen each other before. Bagram. 2011. FOB Sharana. You arrived with Delta operators. You were in civilian clothes. Plate carrier, HK416. They called me to stabilize a wounded operator. You were there."
Mike froze for a moment. It wasn't surprise—it was concentration. His eyes narrowed for a brief second. Then he nodded slowly.
"Bagram... 2011..."
Silence.
Everyone around him stopped talking for a moment.
Mike ran his hand over his chin, remembering.
"Black Hawk. Night extraction. Green Zone... one of the operators took shrapnel in the shoulder, another had a fractured tibia. You were the medic who stabilized the wounded man before the evacuation to Ramstein."
Eddie nodded.
"Exactly. I never knew your name. I just remember they called you 'Ghost Lead.'"
Mike smiled, almost embarrassed.
"It was a code name. Used more out of necessity than vanity."
Athena, until then silent, watched everything with a discreet smile.
"You two are reminding me how small the world is."
Hen brought the plates, breaking the tension.
"Let's eat before you get too emotional and the stew gets cold."
12:20 PM – Lunch at the big table
The food was simple but delicious. Hen's stew was perfectly seasoned. Mike sat between Bobby and Eddie. Athena was next to Hen.
Chimney began to tease, as always:
"So we have two men who operated in the Middle East at the table, and neither of them seems to want to mention the shooting part."
Eddie smirked.
"The shooting part is overrated. What really gets me is the silence afterward."
Mike agreed:
"And the smell of the desert getting into your uniform. That... never goes away."
Hen looked at them.
"How many lives do you think you've lived since then?"
Mike replied, looking at his plate:
"At least two. The first ended when I landed back in the States and realized the battlefield wasn't far behind. The second... began when I put a badge on my chest and decided to protect the city without having to kill to do it."
Eddie finished, calmer:
"And maybe the third begins when we learn to live with who we are... not just with what we've done."
Respectful silence at the table.
Bobby raised his glass of water.
"To those who came back. And to those who chose to keep living."
Everyone toasted.
1:12 PM – 118th Yard
Mike and Eddie were leaning against one of the trucks, drinking coffee, away from the rest of the group for a few minutes.
"Sorry I didn't think of you right away," Mike said.
Eddie nodded sympathetically.
"You saw hundreds of faces. It wasn't personal. But I saw you. And I remember the way you were silent after the evacuation. Like you were carrying more than that helicopter."
Mike looked up at the clear Los Angeles sky.
"I did. And I do. But now... I know how to share the burden. With the right person. And in the right place."
Eddie stared at him for a second.
"I don't think we come back whole. But we learn to be whole in a different way."
Mike smiled.
"That's why you're here. And so am I."
Chapter 54 – Three Months of Peace
May 21, 2018 – 9:12 AM
Kendall Jenner Residence – Beverly Hills
The morning was calm. The house's interior garden breathed soft light, and the sound of the fountain in the courtyard echoed like a constant whisper. The house was silent, but alive—like a place where time moved slowly by choice.
Mike wore a plain white t-shirt, black shorts, and was barefoot. He sat on the living room sofa with a washcloth slung over his shoulder. On his lap, wrapped in a light cotton blanket, was Stormi, just three months old, asleep.
Kendall, sitting next to him, watched the scene with teary eyes and a slight smile on her lips.
"She adores you. I've never seen her fall asleep so quickly with anyone. Not even Kylie."
Mike looked down at the little one in his lap. Her tiny hand involuntarily clutched a piece of his shirt. Her face pressed against his chest, right over his heart.
"She feels the rhythm. The human body learns to trust its beat. And I've learned to keep my heart steady even under fire. Maybe she's reading this right now."
Kendall smiled, leaning in to stroke her boyfriend's hair.
"You're a living poem, you know that?"
Mike looked at her.
"No. But maybe she'll turn me into one."
10:03 AM – Kitchen
Kendall was preparing a bottle, while Mike remained on the couch, practically motionless, with Stormi still asleep on his lap. He moved with the precision of a sniper—each gesture measured so as not to disturb the tiny universe sleeping on top of him.
Kendall returned with the bottle.
"Do you want me to hold her?"
"Not now. She aligned her head right here... looks like she found the perfect spot."
Kendall watched the scene, sat down next to him again.
"You know, you with her like this... it makes me think."
"About?"
"About you. About me. About the future."
Mike didn't take his gaze off the child.
"I always thought my legacy would be shadow. Information that dies with me. But... maybe the real legacy is this kind of presence. That doesn't change the whole world—just someone's world."
She touched his hand.
"You would change a child's world. I know that."
"And you would be the perfect home for him."
Silence.
She rested her head on his shoulder.
"It's early, I know. But... it's good to know we think alike."
Mike looked at Stormi.
"She reminds me that the world still has new beginnings. Even if they're small."
12:22 PM – In the garden, Stormi awake
Stormi was now awake, in Kendall's lap, making small sounds that sounded more like attempts at speech. Mike was sitting on the floor near the plants, watching.
Kendall rocked the little one gently.
"Stormi is lucky. She'll grow up with strong women and... maybe some men who know when to be silent and just love."
Mike smiled.
"She'll be fierce. She's already holding my shirt like she needs to protect me."
Kendall looked at him tenderly.
"And you'll let her?"
"Of course. It's the first mission in years I've been willing to surrender."
2:10 PM – Nap time
Stormi had already nursed, been changed, and was lying on Mike's chest again, breathing slowly, almost in sync with him. The sound of the baby's breathing and the whisper of the wind were all that filled the house.
Kendall, sitting nearby, took out her phone. She took a photo—just one. No filters. No flash. Mike with his eyes closed, Stormi nestled against his chest as if she'd always been there.
She wrote a short caption for personal use:
"The soldier and hope. She nestles in my chest where there used to be silence. Now, there's peace."
She didn't post it. She just saved it. Because there were things the world didn't need to see.
4:33 PM – Kylie's Visit
Kylie arrived through the side entrance. Seeing Mike with Stormi still in his arms, she smiled.
"I should hire you. I've never seen her so calm."
Mike laughed softly.
"She beat me to it. No amount of training can prepare you for this kind of mission."
Kylie sat beside him.
"You know... I was afraid she'd grow up in a world of spotlights. But today, seeing you with her... it gave me hope."
Mike looked at her honestly.
"Her world will be better. Because you decided to put love before fame. And that... changes everything."
Kylie nodded. She touched her daughter's forehead, and then the man cradling her.
"Thank you. For being that kind of man. We need more Mikes in the world."
6:00 PM – End of the day
Stormi had returned to her mother's arms. Mike and Kendall were sitting on the porch, drinking tea.
"You look different," Kendall said, looking at him.
"I think... for the first time, I understand what it's like to leave a legacy without leaving a body behind."
She took his hand.
"Maybe this is the beginning of the next chapter."
He looked at her.
"And I want to write that chapter with you."
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