Chapter 7: The Message Beneath the Badge
Nia stared at the back of her badge.
She had worn it every day for six years.
Through crowded terminals.
Through emergency calls.
Through sleepless nights and difficult situations.
She knew every scratch on the front.
Every mark on the metal.
But she had never looked closely at the back.
Until now.
Trust the dog, Nia.
The handwriting was unmistakable.
Her father’s.
“Your father wrote that?””
Marcus’s voice was quiet.
Nia did not answer.
Her fingers traced the engraving.
A memory flashed through her mind.
Not a memory of the airport.
Not of Marcus.
Of her father sitting at the kitchen table years ago, polishing his old security badge.
She had been younger.
Curious.
“Dad, why do you always check the back?””
His answer had seemed strange.
“Because the things people ignore are usually where the truth hides.””
She had laughed.
She thought it was just another one of his sayings.
Now it felt like a warning.
Arthur stepped closer.
“Your father knew something.””
Nia looked up.
“I need answers.””
Marcus nodded.
“So do I.””
A sudden movement from the officers surrounding them interrupted the moment.
The group tightened their formation.
The security officer from earlier stepped forward.
“Officer Carter, hand over the individual.””
Nia looked at him.
“On whose authority?””
The officer hesitated.
Then reached toward his radio.
“Central command.””
Nia shook her head.
“No.””
Everyone looked at her.
She held up her badge.
“I’m initiating a security investigation.””
The officer’s expression hardened.
“You don’t understand what you’re dealing with.””
Nia stepped closer.
“Then explain it.””
Silence.
That was all she needed.
He didn’t know how to answer.
Or he knew too much.
Marcus leaned toward her.
“He’s afraid.””
Nia whispered.
“Of what?””
Marcus looked at Rex.
“Of what Rex remembers.””
The dog stood between them.
Calm.
Focused.
Waiting.
Then Rex suddenly moved.
He walked toward the edge of Gate D24.
Not the restricted door.
The seating area.
Passengers watched as the K9 approached an empty chair.
A forgotten carry-on bag sat underneath it.
Nia’s instincts immediately activated.
“Everyone back.””
People nearby moved away.
The security officer frowned.
“What is that?””
Nia ignored him.
She watched Rex.
The dog sniffed the bag.
Then sat.
Alert.
Marcus’s face changed.
“That bag.””
Nia looked at him.
“You recognize it?””
Marcus nodded slowly.
“I’ve seen it before.””
Arthur looked confused.
“Where?””
Marcus swallowed.
“During my last mission.””
Nia stared at the worn brown bag.
“Why would it be here?””
Marcus walked closer.
Nia stopped him.
“Wait.””
She examined the area.
No owner.
No identification.
No obvious threat.
But something felt wrong.
She opened her radio.
“Requesting bomb detection support.””
The security officer immediately stepped forward.
“No.””
Nia turned.
“No?””
He realized his mistake too late.
“Officer: I mean, we don’t need to create panic.””
Nia looked at him.
“You just told me there was a dangerous wanted person standing in my terminal. Now you don’t want us checking an abandoned bag?””
The officer said nothing.
Nia carefully opened the bag.
Inside was not a weapon.
Not explosives.
Not anything dangerous.
It was filled with documents.
Old documents.
Photographs.
And one envelope.
Marcus saw the handwriting before anyone else.
His face turned pale.
“That’s impossible.””
Nia looked at him.
“What?””
Marcus pointed.
“That’s my handwriting.””
She picked up the envelope.
On the front was written:
*FOR THE PERSON WHO FINDS REX*
Nia opened it carefully.
Inside was a letter.
Only a few sentences.
Her eyes moved across the page.
Then she stopped.
“What does it say?”” Arthur asked.
Nia looked at Marcus.
“It says Rex was never lost.””
Marcus frowned.
“What?””
She continued reading.
“It says someone intentionally separated him from you.””
Marcus stepped closer.
“Keep reading.””
Nia’s hands tightened around the paper.
“The person who wrote this knew you would return.””
A cold feeling moved through her.
Because the letter was not old.
It was recently updated.
There was a timestamp.
Yesterday.
The same day Arthur received the photograph.
The same day everything started.
Marcus looked around.
“Someone has been moving pieces.””
Nia looked at the documents inside the bag.
Then she saw something underneath.
A small video drive.
Attached to it was another note.
This one had only one sentence.
*WATCH BEFORE THEY ARRIVE.*
Nia looked toward the terminal entrance.
May you like
Because at that exact moment…
Every security screen in the airport went black.
