A few hours later, the side fitting room door finally opened.
For nearly the entire afternoon, strange noises had been coming from inside—complaints, threats, and loud arguments over foundation shades. At one point, Edwin had loudly declared that he would rather fight another gang war than continue whatever was happening behind that door.
Nobody came to save him. Especially not Arora.
The door swung open dramatically. Jack stepped out first, wiping his hands on a towel looking far too proud of himself. "Done."
He motioned behind him. "Come out, Edwin."
A long silence followed, accompanied by the slow rustle of fabric. The entire room turned toward the doorway.
Edwin emerged looking like he had lost the will to live.
Miso immediately covered her mouth, her eyes watering. "Oh my God."
Even Nick, who rarely reacted to anything, blinked twice.
Clad in a tailored dress, a sleek wig, and enough high-end makeup to completely rewrite his facial features, Edwin was utterly unrecognizable. The transformation was disturbingly effective.
Jack crossed his arms proudly. "Told you."
Miso walked around Edwin once. Then twice. "This is terrifying."
"Thank you," Jack replied.
"That wasn't a compliment."
"I know."
Edwin looked ready to jump out the nearest window. "Can I go back to being a man now?"
"No," Jack said.
"Please."
"No."
Edwin looked toward Arora for support. Unfortunately, she was trying very hard not to laugh, which was somehow worse. "Leader. This is workplace harassment."
"The disguise works," Arora said, taking a calm sip of coffee.
Edwin stared at her, then at Jack, then at the ceiling, searching for answers from a higher power. None arrived.
Eventually, once the room settled, Arora placed a floor map of St. Gabriel Medical Center on the table. The atmosphere shifted immediately into business.
"Tomorrow's operation requires direct access to St. Gabriel's administrative files," Arora explained. "Someone connected to the Boar investigation has been scrubbing records through their local network."
Miso nodded. "We confirmed the digital trail leads directly into the third-floor records room."
Nick crossed his arms. "The information trail keeps leading back there."
Jack stood silently watching the whole scene from the edge of the table. Then, he raised his hand.
"Can I come with you guys?" he asked, looking directly at Arora.
Nick frowned in disbelief. "And why should we do that?"
Arora stared at Jack, her dark eyes evaluating his unbothered expression for a few silent seconds.
"Okay," Arora said. "Get ready."
Jack grinned instantly, turning on his heel and rushing back to his room to get his things.
The moment the hallway door closed, Nick turned to Arora, his brow furrowed. "Leader, why did you do that?"
"I want to observe him," Arora said quietly, her eyes lingering on the doorway. "I still can't figure out what he wants."
Nick gave a single, understanding nod as the team finalized the infiltration plan.
By the time Jack returned with his coat, Edwin was staring at his reflection in a wall mirror. "I actually look convincing."
Jack grinned. "You doubted me?"
"Constantly."
"Fair."
As the meeting ended, Arora gathered her files and stepped toward the window. Outside, the evening lights of Chicago were beginning to appear across the damp skyline.
Across the city, completely unaware of the disaster approaching him tomorrow, Kelvin was finishing his shift, looking forward to one thing: his upcoming time at St. Gabriel, where he'd get to see Jennie.
Things seemed to be aligning smoothly for her brother, which was precisely why Arora felt suspicious. In her experience, life rarely allowed things to be that simple.
She glanced toward the vintage photograph resting on her desk. The mystery hadn't disappeared; it was simply waiting. And somehow, Arora had the feeling that tomorrow at St. Gabriel Medical Center would change far more than any of them expected.
To Be Continued...