NovelOnlineChapter 284: Night Affairs Ill
The phone buzzed incessantly on Athena's nightstand, the caller ID illuminating the screen once more to reveal
Aiden’s name, stubbornly demanding her attention.
She huffed, choosing to face the ceiling, while fighting the urge to pick up. Ignoring him felt like a form of
rebellion against a stubborn whirlwind of emotions swirling in her chest.
For the umpteenth time, she would deny his call, but the fact pained her. The calls had beca bitter reminder
of the fractures in their relationship, forcing her to evaluate the decay of trust that had once anchored their
partnership.
Each ring echoed like a wave crashing against a cliff, relentless and unyielding. Athena buried her face in her
hands, mentally scolding herself.
How could it have cto this? A former ally’s betrayal hitting harder than a physical blow, all the while Aiden
continued to reach out, seemingly oblivious to the wall she was trying to build between them.
The betrayal weighed heavily on her heart, a lump forming in her throat as she ruminated on the actions of her
former colleagues. They had known about the true nature of Scarlet’s death, yet stayed silent, hiding the grim
truth from her. Their smiles had felt so genuine, their camaraderie so real.
Worse... How could they still hold positions in the CIA after what that stupid organization had done? She couldn't
help but wonder, picking her phone again.
The CIA had always presented itself as a bastion of justice, yet they had proven to be just as corrupt as the
criminals they always handled.
And the idea that the Boss, Shawn and Eric, could still work under the banner of the organization despite such
treachery left her feeling hollow. She had always trusted them to uphold a standard that now seemed to
evaporate like mist before the morning sun.
What was the difference between them and Alvarez then?
If nothing else, she knew there was no way she could reach out to them; pride wouldn't let her. Yet, she knew no
other one in the CIA, no one whom she could trust to handle this situation with Alvarez and co.
Athena took a deep breath, forcing herself to focus. What to do about this situation? That was the question that
loomed large in her mind.
She had promised her colleagues that she would take care of this. Had that been too forward, especially since
Aiden was no longer her partner?
Biting her lip, she glanced at her phone again, Aiden’s nstaring back at her. Maybe she should block him.
Her hand hovered his contact, stilling when she remembered that he had called her childish earlier.
The gall!
She hadn't even bothered to check the other messages, not wanting any unnecessary thing to stress her mental
health.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt
She cursed under her breath, when his call flashed again, brows furrowing next when the call suddenly cut. Had
he given up?
She sighed the next second, frustrated with herself for allowing Aiden’s persistence to irritate her even more.
She pursed her lips, feeling in her guts to call Ewan. She questioned the feeling however. What could Ewan do?
She didn’t think he knew anyone in the CIA.
Thinking about this possibility made her recall the response she was expecting from Nathaniel’s friends. Quickly,
she moved to her mailbox, a frown masking her face when she found no response even after refreshing twice.
What the hell was all these blocked roads? She mused angrily, frustration boiling over.
Biting her lips, she reverted to her contact list, and brought up Ewan’s contact. So far he has proved his worth
not only in the lives of the children, but in the larger schof their mission.
He was a solid anchor, to an extent, in the storm that had turned her world upside down.
After shesitation, she dialed his number, sinking back against her pillows.
Please pick up, she urged silently, her heart racing as the phone rang.
"Hello?" Ewan'’s voice, warm and playful, blasted through the speaker, and she realized that she had been
holding her breath.
"Ewan, it's me," She rambled, trying to rein in the tension in her voice.
Ewan chuckled. "Athena, | know you're the one. Why are you calling? Weren't you scoldingabout staying up
sminutes ago? Aren't you playing a part in it now?" He teased lightly.
Athena let out a soft huff, the corners of her lips curling into a reluctant smile. She could understand the irony.
"Yeah yeah. But it was an emergency. However..."
A pause.
"Why are you still awake?"
Another pause. "Are you working, Ewan?" This was stated in a slightly annoyed tone.
"Nah. My reason is the sas before... | didn’t want to risk falling asleep... in case you needed my help."
"That's a stupid gamble, Ewan."
Ewan chuckled again, a sound that brought warmth to the chill that lingered around her heart. "What can | say? |
like to live dangerously."
"Speaking of danger," Athena said, leaning forward, ignoring the warm tingles around her heart, her voice
turning serious, "do you have any contacts in the CIA?"
There was a brief silence on the other end, stirring her anxiety again. "Why do you ask?"
Athena hesitated, contemplating how much to share. "I just finished a call with sof my colleagues.. and we
decided that Alvarez and the others, who had betrayed our trust, deserve the company of the black cells... The
problem is that the black cells is under the jurisdiction of the CIA. | need a contact there."
A notable silence at the other end, making Athena more anxious than before. Can Ewan turn up like before?
"The CIA... | thought you had smen there... | remember you bringing them during the court case at the elder
council. Weren't they the males that led Alfonso out of the hall?"
Athena licked her lower lip, thinking of a good lie. She hadn't bargained on Ewan remembering Shawn and Eric.
"Yeah, they are." No need to lie about it. He could easily find out if she did.
"So, why aren't you utilizing their services? Is there something you are not telling me?"
Athena exhaled tiredly, rubbing her forehead. She didn’t want to tell Ewan about Scarlett. No. That was too
personal. "We had a fallout somehow... | can’t reach them now either way..."
Another pause ensued on the other end.
"So, do you have someone? Can you help me?" Athena continued, not wanting to give Ewan a chance to ask
more questions.
"I think so. Just givea few minutes." Ewan finally answered.
Athena nodded as if he could see her, exceptionally relieved, and then ended the call. Keeping Ewan around was
certainly not a bad idea.
Five minutes passed agonizingly slowly before her phone rang again. It was from a strange number.
Who was that? She wondered. Was Aiden calling with a different number?
She scoffed at the thought, letting the call ring out.
When the number started calling again, she had no choice but to satiate her curiosity. Heart racing, she picked it
up, wary.
"Hello?"
"Athena?"
Athena removed the phone from her ear, glaring at it hotly. Shawn?
"Yes, who is this?" She pretended like she didn’t know who was speaking.
"Shawn." A striking pause, and a loud exhale. "Athena, I'm really sorry about Scarlett. | should have informed
you, but | just thought you would be better off not knowing. That was a foolish decision on my part, and | am
sorry..."
Another pause.
"I've tried reaching you for days, but it seems you blocked me. | was thinking of visiting next week... our
friendship means a lot to me. However, when Ewan reached out toabout the situation with Alvarez, | wanted
to touch base."
Athena’s mind raced as she processed the implication. "You know Ewan personally?"
"Not really. I'm not sure how he got my contact. But he called a minute ago, mentioning that you need my help
concerning Alvarez... the male you chose to oversee the Nimbus operation... | just had to call..."
Athena said nothing, while battling with her feelings which were unable to pick a side. She was angry with Ewan
for reaching out to Shawn, but she was also relieved.
Shawn, feeling indebted to her, would make the favor easy to ask.
Still... Why didn’t Ewan let her know before making the call? Most likely Spider had gotten the contact for him...
"Athena, are you there? Please talk to me? What's going on? You know | can keep your secrets more than Eric
can..."
Athena chuckled before she could help it. "I can’t believe you are still this petty." She finally spoke, relaxing. "I'm
still angry with you, Shawn..."
"I know." Shawn replied gently. "You can tacklelater... Let's just deal with Alvarez first. If there's any truth in
the document Ewan sentjust now..."
"It's the truth. Alvarez is in cahoot with the gang. But how can I trust you, Shawn, when you're still with the CIA?
They worked with Morgan at one point to annihilate Scarlet and I..."
A sigh echoed from the other end. "I still work with the CIA because | want to keep things less corrupt. We both
know how that organization is important to world unity. Since Scarlet’s death, I've been seeing a lot of
misappropriation of funds and resources... Eric and | are working to end it from the root... The Boss too..."
A pause.
"You can trust me, Athena. This matter won't leave my lips, unless to Eric, whose help I'll need to carry out the
mission... and maybe Boss..."
Athena exhaled, choosing to let go for now. "Okay then. | need your help to convey the traitors to the black
cells."
"Glad to do it. Also there's something | should point out Athena... The CIA has no friends," Shawn stated firmly. "It
does only what benefits them. And right now, taking care of Morgan is a priority in their list. His involvement with
the Grey disease threatens to jeopardize us all."
Athena mulled over his words, understanding the logic but still feeling a sense of mistrust. "You're sure about
this?"
"Absolutely. We'll take care of it."
After exchanging a few more words, the call ended, leaving Athena deep in thought.
Albeit, she texted Ewan a quick ‘thank you’ for putting her in touch with Shawn.
As she prepared to set her phone down, she noticed smovement outside her window. Her heart lurched,
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