Betrayal

Chapter 29

Zain's POV

He sat down on his desk after collecting the file he had on Valerie. He had seen her hurt before but the look she had when she stormed out of his office was not that of a liar, she looked betrayed. She felt betrayed, it was the last thing that Zain wanted to happen. He was angry and said things he didn't want to say. He took his phone texting his shrink who promised to be at his office in the next hour. He needed to release what he was feeling and she was the only one who wouldn't judge her. She was ex-military too, she devoted her time after retiring to help soldiers with PTSD and that was how he met Daniella Malcom.

"Zain, what troubles you that you had to call me in? We don't have a session until next month?", she said while sitting. "I know Doc. It couldn't wait", he said sitting on the sofa opposite her. He handed the file to her. "She's pretty. Who is she?", Daniella asked. "Valerie, my girlfriend", he answered avoiding her eyes. "Zain. Why do you have a target file on your girlfriend?", she asked looking disappointed. Zain didn't reply. "You put a PI on her and she found out didn't you?", she asked and he still couldn't answer. "That's not what troubles me. She fought with Yolanda and said that she was put in prison for something her ex did. There is no evidence of any of it. I confronted her but she said it happened. Chris has never given me the wrong intel. Not even once", he said feeling his blood boil. "You don't trust her?", Danielle asked him. "I do, I trust them both", he replied. "Ask Hank to look into it. Maybe someone covered it up", she replied making him realise that he didn't consider that option. Yolanda once said that Valerie dated someone famous so maybe they didn't want to be known so they covered things up. "If you're looking for someone with connections I believe that friend of yours can help you out", she said returning the file to Zain. She left right after. Leaving him full of thoughts.

"Hello Mr. High and mighty", Hank said as he sat in the booth at Joe's. "Look who's talking", Zain replied with a smile. "I need your help man", he said pushing Valerie's file to him. Hank opened it, his eyes went wide with shock. He took turns looking at the file and Zain for a couple of minutes. "Where did you get this?", Hank asked looking pissed. Zain was confused. "Relax man. She is my girlfriend. I told my PI to look into her because of something she said. This brings me to what I need you to help me with. She said that she was put in prison because of something her ex did so I had to investigate her but there is no record of it anywhere. I have a feeling she is telling the truth so I need you to dig the details for me in case someone covered it up", he said and watched Hank inhale a whole bottle of beer. "Look man, we have been through a lot together and you know I would help you with anything but this...I can't help you with it. Some doors are too painful to reopen", Hank said making him even more curious. "You know her, don't you? Fuck! If you know her that means the fucker must be a drug lord. Is that why you are here? Who is he? Is he in town? Is Valerie in danger?", he found himself panicking. Hank slapped him returning his focus. He usually did that if he was overreacting. "Look, I do know her ok? But if you do love her then you will let her tell you herself and yes the fucker is around. My informant tells me that he wants to set up his warehouse here somewhere. He is super slippery, I have been on him for years and am sure that once he finds out about Valerie, he will reach out to her. Am not sure if it will be a happy reunion", he said ordering another beer. 

Knowing how secret ops worked he knew that Valerie was not her real name. "What's her name?", he asked. "Fuck man, you know I can't tell you that", he said drinking his second beer. "I need to know, this woman has been living with my brother and his girlfriend for years and even met my young sister. She has a target on her back. To help her I need to know her the real her. Spill it!", he said holding on to his point. He knew how to make Hank talk they had been working together for years. "Fuck it. It all started with Evans's death. We got a tip that he went radio silent while following a trail. So I sent my team to go investigate and they found out that there was an interrogation happening between Greco's people and a certain man by the name of Snake. He was controlling the shipments and for some reason, something went wrong. All we cared about was that we finally had evidence that could keep the Greco family behind bars and for good this time so my people raided their home only to find your girl and a couple of more men who when questioned they said Valerie was their boss. I was busy making sure that Joe had all the details to keep an eye out for me only to return and find my team on the verge of torturing her to death. She had to go under physical therapy for a year or so to return to her usual self", Zain felt his blood running cold. His Valerie in pain was something that he had seen but not the kind of pain one would get from trained killers. He had done his fair share of torturing people. It's not something he could wish on someone who didn't deserve it. "How long was she tortured for?", he asked trying to control his breathing. "I think a month or so. I did punish the ones responsible but I was too late so in return I gave her a pass. No testifying to the Greco investigation and a new life", he said now on his third bottle of beer. Zain knew his friend was in pain. He felt responsible for what his team did. "What's her real name Hank?", he pressed seeing him visibly swallow hard. "Iris...Iris King".