In a quiet and unassuming moment, two brothers, Daftan and Thaddeus, aged 11 and 16, arrived at the FBI offices. They joined the queue of people, all standing in silence. Daftan, the younger of the two, led the way, while his elder brother, Thaddeus, remained silent, gently resting his hand on Daftan's shoulder. A discerning eye might have noticed the slight tremors in Thaddeus' hands, but only his brother seemed to pay attention. When their turn came, Daftan stepped forward to address the receptionist.
"Hello. We wish to see Agent Peters," Daftan spoke with a determined yet polite tone.
"Agent Peters?" inquired the receptionist.
"Yes, please.”
"How old are you?"
"I'm eleven, but my brother is sixteen. Please.”
"Alright," the receptionist sighed, clearly acknowledging the determination in Daftan's eyes. "I know where you two are going, don't make me regret sending you up there."
"Of course," Daftan, assured.
After receiving their visitor badges, the boys made their way reached the elevator. Upon reaching the floor where their brother was working, a floor of agents specialized in profiling, they carefully scanned their surroundings, searching for their brother, Kayan. However, he was nowhere to be seen. Another agent, a woman, noticed their confusion and approached them.
"Hi, do you need help?" she kindly inquired.
"We wish to see Agent Peters," Daftan explained.
"He's in a meeting right now. Can you wait, or is it urgent?"
"We can wait, thank you.”
"You can sit at my desk, and I can fetch you another chair," the agent offered.
"That won't be needed, but thank you.”
Following her, the boys reached her desk. Thaddeus took a seat first, and Daftan settled onto his brother's lap. Thaddeus instinctively wrapped his arms around his younger brother, who leaned into his embrace. The agent smiled at them and resumed her work.
After a long moment, while Daftan is playing on his phone and Thaddeus almost falls asleep, Kayan's team gets out of the meeting room. They were talking and were going back to their desk when Kayan spotted them. His demeanor changes radically. He knows they are not supposed to be or come here unless it is an emergency. Daftan is the first to spot him, he shook Thaddeus who opened his eyes rapidly and spots Kayan too. Kayan walks rapidly toward them, he doesn’t look happy. Thaddeus and Daftan stand up.
"Thank you for letting us wait here," Daftan said.
"It was my pleasure," the agent who had offered them a seat replied.
Thaddeus, Daftan, and Kayan walked a bit away from the other agents, and Kayan's team watched them with curiosity, eager to learn more about these unexpected visitors.
"What are you two doing here?" Kayan inquired with concern.
"You weren't answering your phone," Daftan explained.
"I was in a meeting. Where’s Laetitia? I told you not to come in here unless it was an emergency.”
"It is her day off! The same for four years, remember? We are not stupid! We know the rules.”
Kayan has to admit, he forgot about Laetitia's day off, the living nanny for the boys when he wasn’t at home… He quickly noticed the determination in Daftan's eyes and the trembling in Thaddeus' hands. He sensed that something was amiss and that Thaddeus was attempting to conceal his distress without much success.
"What's going on?" Kayan asked, now deeply concerned.
Before Daftan could respond, the entire team stood before them. Kayan wrapped a protective arm around Thaddeus' shoulder, and he leaned lightly against him. Daftan positioned himself in front of them, prepared to face their questions.
"Hello. Is everything alright? Do you need help?" Ethan Harwood, the team's Leader, inquired.
"They're fine; they're with me," Kayan assured.
"With you?"
"They're my little brothers, but they're not supposed to be here.”
"Little brothers?"
A scoff escaped Daftan.
"<Tt>, since Kayan does not know how to introduce people properly, I will do it myself. I am Daftan, and he is Thaddeus," he introduced, extending his hand to Harwood, who shook it with a smirk.
"Nice to meet you, Daftan. I'm Agent Ethan Harwood," Harwood greeted.
"I know. You are Kayan's Superior, and this is your team. They are Anna Jasker, Solen Granger, Ayleen Spencer, Jacob Lockhart, Matthew Daniel, and Zachary Wycliffe. I apologize; I forgot to put 'Agent' in front of your names.”
"Don't worry about it.”
Harwood knelt in front of Daftan, not wanting to look down on the boy. He was surprised by Daftan's articulate manner of speaking, which seemed advanced for his age. He also detected a subtle accent that Daftan was trying to conceal.
"How old are you?"
"I'm eleven, sir," Daftan replied.
"And you?" Harwood asked, directing his gaze to Thaddeus.
Thaddeus, still leaning against Kayan, signed the number '16'. Daftan and Kayan translated for him when they realized that only Zachary Wycliffe understood ASL.
"He's 16," Kayan and Daftan confirmed at the same time.
Harwood stood up with a slight smile on his lips, pondering why the boys were there. He wondered whether the 16-year-old had driven them, or if their parents were involved. However, he respected Kayan's privacy and refrained from asking about his personal life or family, as Kayan had never discussed it with the team.
"I apologize on me…"
"My," corrected Kayan automatically.
"On my and my brother's behalf. We know we are not supposed to be here. We know the rules," Daftan said before anyone could react.
"It's alright, as long as you don't disrupt Kayan from doing his job," Harwood reassured.
"They won't, I promise," Kayan affirmed, wrapping his second arm around Daftan's shoulder and drawing him closer.
The team watched as the brothers approached Kayan’s desk. They were surprised to see that when Kayan brought an additional chair, it was Daftan who sat in it, while Thaddeus settled on Kayan's lap. Kayan wrapped one arm around him and wrote with the other, Thaddeus rested his head on his shoulder while Daftan played on his phone in silence. It was evident that the boys had no intention of causing any disruption, and Kayan’s earlier assurance held true.
"Okay, did you all see what I saw?" Matthew Daniel asked once they were out of earshot.
"That's the 11-year-old who took the lead and diverted the attention, so we focused on him and not his brother?" Ayleen Spencer observed.
"I was talking about the clear sign of trauma, but that works too."
"Enough. We're not going to profile Kayan's brothers. Is that clear?" Harwood stated firmly.
The team nodded, albeit somewhat reluctantly, and they returned to their desks. Ayleen, Matthew, and Zachary, whose desks were conveniently situated next to each other, began conversing in hushed tones.
"I know we said we wouldn't profile them, but... I don't know many 16-year-olds who would voluntarily cuddle their big brother in front of strangers," Ayleen noted.
"It's not 'cuddling'," Zachary argued.
"Then what do you call it?" Matthew inquired.
"It was very subtle. Daftan made sure to distract us from his brother, as did Kayan, but Thaddeus was trembling slightly.”
"He was? I didn't see it."
"Like I said, it was very subtle. They made sure we wouldn't notice. So I don't think he's cuddling his brother; I just think he's not feeling very well, and Kayan's presence helps him.”
"Which would explain their presence here even though it seems Kayan has forbidden them to come unannounced," Matthew concluded, shedding light on the mystery.
The team members couldn't help but steal glances at the intriguing situation unfolding at Kayan's desk. The brothers, Daftan and Thaddeus, seemed remarkably composed despite the tension that had surrounded their unexpected visit.
In their corner of the office, Ayleen, Matthew, and Zachary continued their quiet discussion.
"Ok… I can't help but wonder what's going on," Ayleen admitted. "It's clear that something's not right, especially with Thaddeus."
Zachary, always eager to analyze and find answers, chimed in.
"It's evident that they've been coached to hide their distress. Daftan's quick thinking and the way he diverted our attention, was deliberate."
Matthew leaned forward.
"But why would Kayan's brothers be here in the first place when it’s evident they shouldn’t? he's never mentioned them before, has he?"
"Not that I recall," Ayleen said, shaking her head. "This is all very unexpected. I just hope they're not caught up in something dangerous."
Meanwhile, from his desk, hiding behind closed doors, Harwood observed the brothers with a watchful eye. He noticed the subtle cues indicating that Thaddeus was relying on Kayan's presence for support, and it troubled him. He had seen cases like this before, and his concern grew as he considered the possibility of hidden trauma. And the way Daftan knew how to divert attention… All this was worrying.
Kayan, feeling the weight of the situation, continued to keep a protective arm around Thaddeux. He knew that they had broken a rule by coming here unannounced, but something had driven them to take this step, and he couldn't ignore it. He looked up at Daftan, the boy had slightly furrowed brows, eyes glued to his phone. He was probably immersed in a new game of Cheese Viking. Thaddeus, on the other hand, had his eyes closed, but he knew he wasn't asleep. His shaking hadn't stopped, but it had lessened in intensity. Good. Now it was time to try and find out more.
One of his hands was busy, he couldn't sign an entire conversation, speaking Farsi might sound suspicious given that nobody in the office knew he spoke it fluently. The least suspicious of all the languages he and his brothers spoke was German because they already heard him speak it in one of their cases.
"Jungs," [1] he began, murmuring, as they both now looked at him. "Erstens: Es tut mir leid, dass ich nicht geantwortet habe. Ich möchte, dass ihr wisst, dass ihr für mich an erster Stelle steht und immer stehen werdet. Könnt ihr mir sagen, was passiert ist? Warum bist du gekommen?" [2]
The boys glanced at each other before Thaddeus began to sign discreetly, even if the rest of the team didn't understand ASL, he wanted his explanations to be for Kayan's (and Daftan's) eyes only.
“I panicked, no trigger, just my mind. I tried to calm down but couldn't. I started hyperventilating. Little D tried to help me but I was too far away. He tried to call you, but no answer.”
"Ich dachte, es wäre eine gute Idee, etwas frische Luft zu schnappen, das hilft ihm normalerweise, sich zu beruhigen. Es hat funktioniert. Wir sind eine Weile weitergelaufen, und als er sich wieder einigermaßen unter Kontrolle hatte, sind wir in den Bus gestiegen, um dich zu besuchen. Er wollte dich sehen. Und ich auch..." [3] Daftan continued.
Kayan understood the situation a little better. Thaddeus' or Daftan's panic attacks had become rare over time, but when they did happen, they were never pleasant to experience. It could have been worse for Thaddeus without Daftan's quick thinking. Their minds were sore, traumatized by many dark memories, Kayan's included. But Kayan was an adult, he could handle his moments of panic. His little brothers were just children, and despite their great capacity for adaptation, it was still hard to live with.
"Danke, Jungs," [4] Kayan whispered to them. He squeezed Thaddeus' shoulder gently and offered Daftan an affectionate smile.
After a few seconds of only affection between them, Daftan returned to his phone; Thaddeus repositioned his head on Kayan's shoulder; and Kayan got back to work. It wasn't perfect, it was far from perfect, but it was the best he could do for them at the moment.
He knew that the team continued to cast intrigued and worried glances in his direction, he knew that they had many questions about the psychological state of his brothers, but luckily, he also knew that they would respect his privacy as much as possible. Still, he couldn't help but squeeze Thaddeus a little tighter against him.
Harwood was half-concentrated on his work and half-concentrated on the three brothers when Anna Jasker, AJ, knocked on his door and entered the office.
"Everything all right?" he asked, looking up at her.
"The team's worried."
"About what?"
AJ gave her a look that meant if he was serious. He knew very well she was talking about Kayan's brothers, so he looked at her before sighing and motioning for her to sit down.
"I know we said we wouldn't profile them... but we can't erase from our memory what we've seen, what we're still seeing," she resumed.
"I know. The clear signs of trauma and distress. They're very good at hiding them, and that's what worries me."
"What do we do?"
"Nothing."
AJ looked at him surprised and wide-eyed. How could he say that... Kayan's brothers had a problem, a problem that probably affected Kayan too, and there was nothing they could do.
"I know what you're thinking AJ, but you and I both know it's imperative not to rush them. We've only just met them, learned of their existence for the most part, it would be an invasion of privacy if we were to ask them to explain their traumas to us."
"Yeah, I know…"
"But. Nothing can stop us from trying to know them," retorqued Harwood with a sly smile.
AJ smiled back, understanding what he was getting at.
"After all, you're good with kids, and Kayan may need some solitude to finish his work quietly."
"I can do that," she said, rising to her feet. "I'll let you know how it goes. Harwood, nothing is stopping you from talking to Kayan too you know. At least to let him know that if he needs help, we're here."
Harwood nodded as AJ left the office, closing behind her.
AJ calmly made her way to Kayan's office, a warm smile on her face. If she wanted to find out more about what was going on with Daftan and Thaddeus, first and foremost she had to gain their trust and prove to Kayan that she meant no harm to his little brothers.
"Hello," she said as Daftan and Kayan raised their heads at the same time.
From this angle, it was obvious they were brothers, with the same questioning gaze, the same eyes, and the same hair, although Daftan's skin was more tanned, their affiliation was obvious. Kayan looked at her with a small smile, his arm still firmly around Thaddeus, while the latter had his eyes closed, obviously asleep. AJ noticed that his hands were trembling slightly, but didn't dwell on it.
"I was wondering if your brothers would like to accompany me to get something to eat, but I see one of them is fast asleep."
"Ha, yes," Kayan said, glancing at Thaddeus, then turned his attention back to Daftan. "What about you? do you want to go with AJ?"
"Can I?!" exclaimed Daftan, smiling.
"Yes, if you promise to be nice to AJ and listen to her."
"Of course."
"Then go ahead."
As Daftan stood up, AJ threw Kayan a smile, and the latter silently articulated a thank you, to which AJ nodded back.
AJ and Daftan made their way out of the office, leaving Kayan with his slumbering brother. The bustling FBI building was a stark contrast to the quiet tension within their floor. As they walked down the hallway, AJ couldn't help but notice the boy's demeanor. Although he appeared excited, there was still an underlying unease.
"So, Daftan, how are you finding the FBI so far?" AJ asked, trying to strike up a casual conversation.
"It is big and quiet, and there are a lot of serious-looking people," Daftan responded. His English was quite impressive. "But my brother works here, so I feel safe."
"That's great to hear. You must be really proud of your big brother."
Daftan nodded enthusiastically.
"Yes, he is amazing. He is always looking out for me and Thaddeus."
"You mentioned your other brother, Thaddeus. Is he okay? he seemed a bit tired."
Daftan's expression darkened slightly.
"Thaddeus has… trouble sometimes. He gets really anxious and has bad dreams."
"I'm sorry to hear that. It must be tough for both of you. But it's wonderful that you have a big brother like Kayan to protect and take care of you."
"Yeah," Daftan smiled again, though this time it held a touch of sadness, "he is the best. He never lets anything bad happen to us."
They reached the cafeteria, and Daftan's eyes widened at the array of food choices. AJ could tell he was eager to try something new.
"You can pick whatever you'd like," AJ told him. "My treat."
Daftan scanned the food options, his eyes widening with each new discovery.
"Can I have a hamburger and fries, please?"
"Absolutely. A classic choice," AJ said, guiding him through the line and helping him get his meal.
They found a quiet corner to sit, away from the bustling crowd. AJ watched Daftan dig into his meal with enthusiasm. Despite his earlier appearance of unease, it was clear that he was trying to enjoy this outing. While Daftan ate, AJ decided to steer the conversation gently.
"Daftan, you and Thaddeus are very close, aren't you?"
Daftan nodded, chewing his food thoughtfully.
"Yeah, we are all each other has."
AJ sensed that the boy wanted to talk about his family, but she didn't want to push too hard.
"I can tell you and Thaddeus mean a lot to Kayan. He must be proud of both of you."
"We love Kayan a lot too. He is always been there for us, and we want to be there for him, to make him proud."
"I'm sure he's already proud of both of you."
As they continued their meal, AJ kept the conversation light, discussing favorite subjects in school and hobbies. She noticed that Daftan's demeanor had become more relaxed, and his smiles were more genuine. It was evident that the young boy was making an effort to enjoy this moment.
After they finished their meal, AJ knew it was time to head back to the office. She could sense that Daftan was returning to the quieter demeanor he had when he first arrived. As they walked back to their floor, Daftan resumed.
"Can we visit Kayan again soon?"
"Of course, we'll arrange that. And if you ever want to talk or have any questions, you can always come to me."
"Thank you. You are very nice, just like Kayan said," Daftan said, looking at AJ with gratitude.
They returned to the floor, where Daftan rejoined his brothers. Kayan was still holding Thaddeus, who had woken up but still appeared somewhat anxious. As Daftan took his place by their side, the three brothers huddled together, creating a circle. AJ observed this scene and couldn't help but smile. She had made a promise to Daftan, and she intended to keep it. In the challenging world of this job, where dark and difficult cases were the norm, a little light and compassion could go a long way. AJ returned to her own office a little lighter.
"How was it with AJ?" asked Kayan as Daftan sat down.
"She is really nice, you were right," he replied with a smile.
"I told you, they're all really nice."
"You wouldn't be working with them if they weren't," Thaddeus signed slowly.
"Fair enough," laughed Kayan.
Kayan, Daftan, and Thaddeus settled back into a rhythm at their shared desk, with Thaddeus occasionally dozing off or reading a book from Daftan, Daftan engrossed in a game on his phone, and Kayan working on his profiling report. Kayan's protective and comforting presence appeared to have a calming effect on Thaddeus, which was a good thing.
After a while, it was Kayan who noticed that the team had begun to show genuine concern for his brothers, especially Thaddeus. He could see the questions in their eyes, at least the ones that were visible to him. He could see their curiosity about the situation, and their desire to understand more about the boys' psychological state. He knew that their behavior had raised red flags among the seasoned profilers on his team. But should he tell them what was going on? it was their life, their personal life, their dark memories that they couldn’t share with anyone, not even Laetitia knew about this in detail. Maybe he could told them at least that the boys were under his custody.
Now that he thought about this, Harwood was supposed to know that, it was on his files. So why was he surprised when he introduced the boys as his brothers? something wasn’t right. He needed to speak with him. Harwood, as the head of the team, should have been aware of the boy's custody under Kayan. He felt the need to clarify this matter.
"I need to talk to Harwood, would you be alright alone for now?"
The boys nodded as Kayan stood up. With one last look to them, he approached Harwood's office. He knocked lightly on the door.
"Come in," Harwood's voice called from the inside.
Kayan entered and found Harwood going over some case files. The team leader looked up as Kayan entered.
"Kayan, what can I do for you?"
"Can we talk a minute?" Kayan began, his tone carrying a sense of concern. "It's about my brothers."
Harwood nodded, signaling for him to continue.
"You seemed surprised when I introduced them earlier, I have to admit that I'm not sure why?"
"What do you mean?" Harwood asked, confused.
"I thought you were aware that Daftan and Thaddeus were under my custody. It's on my files."
Harwood's brow furrowed as he looked at him, more confused.
"There is nothing of such on your files. No mention of brothers or someone under your custody."
"What," he said wide-eyed. "That's... It's supposed to be there. I didn't erase it, nor did you. Harwood. I put this information in my files. I swear.”
Kayan's revelation left Harwood puzzled, and he leaned forward to check the files on his computer. As he meticulously reviewed the documents, his expression remained focused, and concern gradually crept in.
"I can't find any mention of this in your files," he admitted, frowning more.
Kayan's concern deepened, and he could feel a sense of unease settling in. He had explicitly placed the information about his custody of Daftan and Thaddeus in his files, and it should have been easily accessible to the team leader.
"This is... this is weird," Kayan muttered, frustration creeping into his voice. "I assure you, I put it in. I wouldn't keep something this important hidden."
Harwood leaned back in his chair, his expression serious.
"I believe you, Kayan. There might have been some technical glitch or an error in the system. I'll ask Granger to look into it. In the meantime, I apologize for any confusion or surprise earlier. I assure you, it wasn't intentional."
"Thank you. I just want to ensure that the team is aware of the situation without revealing any sensitive details."
Harwood shared a brief nod and then spoke.
"I'll investigate this and make sure your files are updated. If there's anything else you need or if you have any concerns, don't hesitate to let me know."
"Thank you," Kayan replied. "I appreciate that. My brothers… they’re my top priority."
"I know, I would’ve been surprised if it wasn't the case."
Kayan smiled lightly before nodding. With the matter clarified, he left Harwood's office, hoping that the issue with the files would be resolved promptly. He returned to his desk, where Daftan was still engrossed in his game, and Thaddeus, still dozing off, appeared peaceful. He sat back on his chair, with Thaddeus on his lap.
Kayan's focus shifted back to his profiling work, but he couldn't help but think about the erasing of his brothers on his file... He trusted Harwood to rectify the situation, but the incident had left him with a lingering sense of concern and even more questions. Was that just a glitch? an error? or did someone erase this information voluntarily? he couldn't help but wonder if the removal of this information from his files had been deliberate.
Harwood put Solen on it, their technical expert, he would have an answer soon, he just needed to wait and have trust in his colleague. For now, he had to finish this work if he wanted to go back home in time…
Zachary, Matthew, and Ayleen had ended up continuing their work in silence although their gazes always ended up discreetly staring at the brothers. They had seen AJ approach them with a big smile. When she had left with Daftan, they had taken the opportunity to observe Thaddeus in greater depth. He seemed to be the one who needed Kayan the most at the moment. His face was hidden against the older man's shoulder. All afternoon, he seemed to have fallen asleep without bothering Kayan, as if it were a habit. They had asked each other a thousand and one questions, knowing that they probably wouldn't have the answers for some time. Kayan trusted them, and now was not the time to force them to find out more.
AJ came to see them at their desks shortly after Kayan had gone to see Harwood.
"I know what you're thinking," she said in a whisper.
The four of them were practically glued together. It was a conversation they didn't want the Peters brothers to hear.
"Did it go well with Daftan?" asked Ayleen. "We saw you leave with him."
AJ nodded, sharing her observations.
"It did. He's an incredibly sweet and articulate boy. But he mentioned something about Thaddeus getting anxious, and having bad dreams. They clearly have a strong bond with Kayan, and it seems to me that they've been through some tough times. I didn't push for details, though."
Matthew, Zachary, and Ayleen exchanged glances, their expressions filled with concern.
"It's clear that there's more to this than meets the eye," Matthew stated.
"I agree," Ayleen added. "And Thaddeus seems to be going through a lot. Did he look okay?"
AJ hesitated before responding, her voice lowered further.
"He appeared anxious even asleep, and he was holding onto Kayan as if seeking comfort."
Zachary, with his knack for analyzing situations, chimed in.
"It's possible that these boys have experienced trauma or some form of abuse. Daftan's quick thinking and the way they hide their distress points in that direction. Kayan seems protective and caring, but there's a lot more to this story."
The team members shared a collective concern for the Peters brothers and the possible traumas they might be carrying. It was a challenging situation, especially since Kayan had not provided any specific details. However, they were professionals, and their instincts told them that there was more to discover.
"I wish we could help," Ayleen said, voicing what they were all thinking.
"We need to give them time and space," AJ reminded her colleagues. "They've shown some trust in us today, at least Daftan, that's a good start. We can't rush this, especially if they've experienced trauma. It's a delicate situation."
Zachary nodded, recognizing the truth in AJ's words.
"Absolutely. We can't force them to share their experiences. We'll support them as best we can while respecting their boundaries."
"And in the meantime," Matthew added, "I'll talk to Kayan, remind him that if he ever needs help or someone to talk to, we're here."
The team decided to maintain their distance and continue providing the Peters brothers with the space and time they needed. They understood that trust had to be earned, especially in delicate situations involving potential trauma.
Meanwhile, Kayan, at his desk, was still processing the mysterious removal of his brothers' information from his files. It was a puzzle he needed to solve, a mystery.
The end of the day came faster than Kayan could have imagined. Between his cases stagnating on his desk and making sure his brothers didn't lose their patience sitting like that, time had finally moved fast. That said, he wasn't surprised that Daftan and Thaddeus had remained calm and quiet for so long. Their father, and especially their grandfather, hadn't raised them to throw tantrums outdoors.
His heart suddenly tightened. No. This wasn't the first time he'd started thinking about them, so why did he feel this way? it was as if sometimes his heart couldn't bear to remember. He took a deep breath, it was almost time to go home, the time for memories belonging to the future...
"Boys, it's time to head home," he said with a soft smile.
Daftan looked up from his phone and nodded, while Thaddeus opened his eyes and signed, "Home."
"Yeah, home," repeated Kayan.
As the boys stood up and silently put on their jackets and then their backpacks, AJ, who had also planned not to be home too late, walked over to them.
"Do you mind if I walk a little way with you?" she asked with a smile.
"Not at all," he replied, returning her smile.
Daftan gently took Kayan's hand as Thaddeus took his second. With a gentle chat, the four of them made their way to the elevator. Arriving in the parking lot, AJ concluded their conversation by addressing the boys directly.
"It was nice to meet you, and I hope to see you again soon."
" It was a pleasure," Daftan said with a smile. "If Kayan agrees to let us come back, it would be a great joy."
"Hey, I don't have a problem with that, but I should be warned first!" he laughed.
"Then we're bound to meet again."
"Get home safely, AJ!" exclaimed Kayan as she set off for her car.
"You too!"
As they watched AJ drive away, Kayan, Daftan, and Thaddeus continued to the car. Kayan maintained a watchful eye on his brothers, particularly on Thaddeus. Once they reached the car, Kayan helped Daftan into the back seat and made sure he was securely fastened in. Thaddeus, however, preferred to sit in the front passenger seat next to Kayan. Kayan started the car, and they began their journey home.
As they drove, Kayan couldn't help but think about the incident involving the missing information about Daftan and Thaddeus from his files. It was a troubling mystery that he needed to resolve.
"Did something happen?" Daftan asked, noticing the slightly furrowed brow on Jason's face.
Kayan considered his words carefully. He didn't want to worry them, but he also didn't want to hide the situation from them.
"Something unusual happened with the information about you and Thad in my work files. It was gone as if it had been deleted."
“Deleted? That is strange. How does that even happen?"
"I'm not sure. It could be a technical glitch, but it's unusual. Solen is looking into it, I’ll be the first to know when she finds anything."
"You will tell us?" signed Thaddeus after making sure that Kayan could see his hands.
"Of course, Babybird."
Daftan and Thaddeus nodded, as the drive continued in relative silence. Daftan and Kayan occasionally exchanged a few words, and Kayan kept a watchful eye on them.
He will tell them when he knows what happened, but for now, he has no answer and that is worrying. He knew that his top priority was protecting his brothers, and he needed to get to the bottom of this to ensure their safety. Why would someone erase this information? what would be the point? it was like the mystery was starting… He glanced at Daftan, who was looking the city passed at the window; and then at Thaddeus who had his eyes closed and was finally calm. He knew he’d do anything for them. He also knew that he had to be patient, for the sake of his brothers.
For now, he had them beside him, and that was enough.
[1] Boys [2] First, I'm sorry I didn't answer. I want you to know that you are and always will be, my priority. Do you think you could tell me what happened? Why did you come?
[3] I thought it would be a good idea to get some fresh air, it usually helps him calm down. It worked. We walked on for a while, and when he got himself reasonably under control again, we got on the bus to come see you. He wanted to see you. And so did I...
[4] Thanks, boys
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