As the police sirens echoed into the thin air, Rong Xinghe walked up to Xi Yuan with a takeaway cup of coffee, "Here.", she passed it to him, her eyes still searching for any possible injuries upon his body.

"I am fine.", the man rolled her eyes, "Trust me."

"Okay.", the girl raised her hands in the mid-air in resignation, "I give up."

"So this is what you do every day?", the man turned to look at the forensic staff taking away the dead bodies for post-mortem, "Interesting."

As she heard the man, the girl couldn't help but chuckle, "It isn't just this. There's a lot more that I do."

"Really? Do tell, Officer.", the man smiled.

"Well... for starters, my job profile demands preventing the attackers to even step into the country. We've got Special Forces, Intelligence Units, and bureaucrats for the same. While they monitor suspicious activities throughout the country, I monitor them.

Then there's the Armed Force, the Naval Force, and the Air Force. They are the physical, more combat forces. I've to fabricate everything concerning them: what locations they'd serve, for how long they'd serve, their salaries. And in case of war, I've to come up with the exact strategies they would have to follow in the field; including where each one of them would stand, hide firearms, and who would lead them.

"And don't even get me started on the sting and undercover operations. Putting on a pretense of a stranger just for the sake of information and leads. These operations take place domestically as well as abroad. But regardless of the location, it's always risky. The moment your identity is revealed, you're dead. I've to either plan such operations or perform them myself.

"Lastly, this.", the girl pointed her chin at the hospital building, "Rescue operations. Executions. Personally? Among everything else I've to deal with every day, this... I find the easiest."

Xi Yuan remained silent as the girl patiently explained to him, her work requisites.

"What is it?", the girl pulled the man's attention back to her a minute later.

"Nothing.", the man shook his head, "You really enjoy this, don't you?"

"I do.", the girl smiled, waving at Shawn Florence standing at a distance, "It's nice to work with people who share your beliefs, dreams, and principles. And it's not just about protecting your country, Yuan. This work, no matter how dangerous, has an ardor to it. The adrenaline rush when you fly one of the fighter jets up above or get into that frontline military tank, it's so riveting. Only a soldier can understand that rush, the thrill, you know."

"I've done a lot of things in my life, Yuan. Singing. Motivational Speaking. Running an NGO. Managing 'Youth Team' foundation. And I plan on exploring myself further too. But this... these officers hailing from different corners of the country, they feel like a selfless community. I enjoy this. I really do."

"And I am glad that you do.", Xi Yuan placed his hand over the girl's shoulder, his eyes glued to her lips, "Passion suits you, Xinghe. And I might not say this more often, but I really am proud of you."

"Thank you.", Rong Xinghe nodded, surprised, "You were good today. Impressive marksmanship, President Xi!"

"Well... we would've made amazing partners.", the man clicked his tongue, certain of his statement, looking directly into the girl's eyes.

"We would've.", the girl agreed.

_________________

Next Morning, 10:00 a.m.;

"What was the name of that guy you heard those guys talk about yesterday?", Rong Xinghe placed her hand over her phone, turning to her Yuan.

"Maksoor Khan.", Xi Yuan replied as he whisked the coffee and sugar in the girl's cup.

"Maksoor Khan.", the girl nodded, talking into the phone again, "That's the guy we are looking for, Elijah. Get all details about this guy from the National database. And get back to me as soon as you do."

"Okay.", the man replied, "Are you coming to work today?"

"I'll see.", the girl shrugged, "I was going to meet bro Mo today. But after then, maybe?"

"Sure. It's okay, Xinghe.", Elijah Williams assured, "You deserve a break after last night. Not to mention, we don't have anything essential going on here anyway. Until Abram Orlov gets an update from Aftaab Ali, we are pretty much free. As far as the Military Chief work is concerned, I am sure I and Shawn can handle that?"

"Hello!", David Florence yelled from the man's behind, "I was trained for this very position too."

Letting out a laugh, Rong Xinghe agreed to Elijah's suggestion, "Tell me if anything comes up."

"I'll drop you at the MZX Headquarters en route to my work, alright?", Xi Yuan said, as he passed the girl her coffee.

____________________

MZX Headquarters, 11:00 a.m.;

"Get out of my office. Now!", Mo Zixuan's voice resonated through the entire floor. As every head turned to look at the cause of the dilemma, they realized it was their CEO and his ex-wife, the company's COO. He Chen.

"Zixuan, you don't understand.", the woman turned around, taken aback by the man's sudden arrival. She hadn't obviously thought the man would come back from his meeting this soon, "I was simply trying to boost MZX's TRP."

"All you were trying to do was leak confidential information!", the man's voice raised further, his eyes turning a few shades dark, "How dare you leak the news about Xi Yuan performing an operation with Xinghe last night? His reputation is on the line now, because of you. Not to mention, her's too!

"Also, no other news channel dared to follow the two last night, and yet, this news was revealed by her own brother's company. How cunning, Ms. Chen!"

"Zixuan, believe me, I didn't realize that-"

"That invading the privacy of the highest Military Authority of Country X is a crime, even for media? Of course, you were aware of it.", Mo Zixuan scoffed, pressing his hand against his torso, his breath fastening, "I should've known it. Letting you inside this company was a huge mistake."

"Oh my God, are you okay?!", He Chen was about to rush over to the man, but before she could do so, a hand wrapped around her left hand's wrist, twisting it at the back so hard, she almost fainted by the pain.

"Could you stop being a bi*ch to my brother for once?!", the serpent-like cold feminine voice whispered into her ears, sending a chill down the woman's spine.