Badge Unsealed

The trial was live-streamed. Just as the verdict for the mob boss was about to be read, he spoke up. He said he’d trade an address for his life, to get the death penalty off the table. “Back when I was just starting out, I witnessed a murder.” “The victim was one of yours.” “Skye Miller. Badge number 071923. Word is… her file was reopened three times.” “If I can give her a proper burial, wouldn’t that count as a major contribution?” The live chat exploded with outrage. “He’s lying, just trying to escape execution.” “If an officer went missing, they’d tear the city apart. No way she’d just vanish.” The judge turned to the police representative, asking if they needed a recess to investigate. Sam rose slowly to his feet. “No need.” “Skye Miller isn’t dead. She’s a fugitive I’ve been hunting for seven years.”

1 To make them believe, the mob boss recounted the entire gruesome murder right there in the courtroom. He described how his associates had knocked her out and taken turns raping her. How they had ripped out her fingernails and teeth, trying to make her give up police informants. And how, piece by piece, they had shattered every bone in her body. “She screamed like hell, but she wouldn’t say a damn thing. Not until someone called her phone.” “She heard the voice on the other end, and then… she just went quiet.” “We tried everything after that. Slicing her with knives, smashing her kneecaps, pouring hot oil on her skin and scraping it off with a wire brush… not a sound. She didn’t make a single sound.” “That’s when we knew it was useless. We weren’t getting anything out of her.” “Out of pity, I asked the boss to make it quick. Later, I handled the body myself.” As he spoke, his voice chillingly calm, the chat fell silent. Countless people listening felt a suffocating tightness in their chests. Only Sam stood rigid, his eyes burning with fury. “Keep acting. Put on your show.” “You people, feel pity for a cop? Don’t make me laugh.” The mob boss asked for a cigarette. “Killing her and pitying her are two different things,” he said, taking a long drag. “Even I thought I was a monster back then. And I have to admit, I respected her grit.” “But what can you do? It was the life.” “I’ve killed so many people over the years—rats who sold me out, rivals horning in on my business, deadbeats who wouldn’t pay… I don’t regret any of them. But her? She’s the only one that weighs on me.” A wave of raw respect for the police swept through the public, and people everywhere began digging online, trying to unearth any clue from the old case. But Sam just sneered. He shot to his feet, his voice ringing with conviction. “I don’t believe a single word you’ve said.” The mob boss just shook his head, a look of weary resignation on his face. “The time, the details, the people involved—I’ve told you everything I can. I’ve got no reason to lie.” “Face it… I’m the only one who knows where she’s buried.” “It’s your call. Trade a life sentence for her peace, or let her rot.” Sam’s superiors ordered a recess, pulling him back for an immediate debrief. The public demanded a full-scale investigation. But Sam fought it tooth and nail. He stormed into his captain’s office, slamming his hands on the desk. The captain roared back, ordering him to personally lead the excavation at the site the dealer had named. The squad car’s engine screamed as he floored the gas pedal. Watching the barely contained rage on his face, I felt a wave of helplessness wash over me. He really believes it, doesn’t he? That I fell from grace all those years ago. That I betrayed my ideals, my father’s badge number, all for a bag of dirty money. That I betrayed him. And now, I was a ghost haunting the new life he was just starting with Rose. As he shifted gears, his wrist was exposed. He was still wearing the faded cord bracelet I gave him years ago. But everything else in the car—the little trinkets, the air freshener—had been replaced with cute strawberry charms. Even the air was thick with a sickly sweet strawberry scent. It was clear Rose had completely woven herself into every corner of his new life. He didn’t know. The “old me” he’d cast aside had been left to rot in the cold, damp earth. For seven years.

2 Seven years, and he looked almost the same. A strong, righteous jawline; a lean, powerful frame. He just spoke less now, burying his emotions deeper. The silent red and blue lights flashed across the mountain road before the car stopped in a desolate field of withered grass. It was the dead of winter, the ground frozen solid. The first shovel strike just left a white scratch on the hard earth. He took command of the scene. “Use torches to soften the ground. The wind’s strong, so widen the downwind perimeter by another twenty feet.” Rose emerged from a group of volunteers, unscrewing a thermos. “Drink some hot water. Your voice is getting hoarse from all the shouting.” Sam took a sip, his voice softening. “What are you doing here?” “It’s crowded and chaotic. You should head home.” Rose rested her head against his shoulder, her voice filled with worry. “I saw the trial.” “Do you think… it could be real?” Sam let out a contemptuous snort but didn’t answer. He just stroked her long hair, his fingers gliding from the crown of her head to the very tips, curling a strand around his finger. Just like he used to do to soothe me. Back then, both our fathers were detectives. They worked together, went on missions together, and in the end, died in the line of duty together. At the wake, I curled up in his arms, clinging to him as my only anchor. He held me tight, his hand stroking my hair, over and over, from root to tip, curling a strand around his finger. We were inseparable after that. We went to the police academy together, inheriting our fathers’ badge numbers. We weren’t just partners with a shared purpose; we were lovers, fused together. Before our wedding, my mom had said with tears in her eyes, “You rascal, you’ve stolen my daughter.” Sam wrapped his arms around me possessively. “Not at all. You’ve just gained a son.” “Don’t you worry, ma’am. I swear I’ll never let Skye suffer a single day of hardship.” And he kept his promise. When I wanted to dig into a cold case, he’d stay up for nights on end organizing files for me. When I faced a gunman on a call, he threw himself in front of me without a second thought. I couldn’t handle spicy food, so this man who loved heat never touched a single chili pepper for years after we were married. We thought nothing in the world was stronger than the bond between partners and lovers. Who could have known? Our relationship would be torn apart by a prostitute we rescued from a drug den. I studied Rose’s enchanting face. It was hard to believe that in just a few years, she had transformed from a girl covered in the grime of the streets into this alluring, sophisticated woman. I guess a woman’s tears are the ultimate weakness of a man with a steel heart. After we rescued Rose, she started calling Sam in the middle of the night. Crying about how she couldn’t find a decent job, how everyone judged her for her past as an addict and a sex worker. Sam’s heart melted in her tears. Pity and sympathy bloomed in him like weeds in spring, impossible to control. He brought her into our home, giving her his entire paycheck under the guise of a “cleaning fee.” I was left to cover all our household expenses, and money became incredibly tight. I tried to fire her several times, but he always insisted. “Skye, Rose is fragile. She’s been through hell. We have to help her.” But over Sam’s shoulder, I could see her eyes, fixed on me, gleaming with defiance. I lost it. I grabbed her by the hair and dragged her out the door. She clutched her scalp, her tear-filled eyes speaking volumes without a word. And Sam—the man who had sworn to protect me with his life, my lover, my partner—raised his hand to me without hesitation. The slap sent me reeling to the floor. He cradled Rose’s face, his thumb gently wiping away the tears at the corner of her eyes. “Don’t cry. I told you, no one will ever hurt you again.” Then he looked down at me, his voice cold. “When are you going to get rid of that temper?” “Rose is a victim, too. Does this behavior honor the badge you wear?” But in this twisted triangle of betrayal, wasn’t it the two of them who were tormenting me? A thousand words caught in my throat. In the end, I just silently packed my bags and moved into the precinct dorms. Aside from work, we never spoke another word. I knew, deep down, that nothing physical had ever happened between him and Rose. I just couldn’t stand it. He was giving the tenderness that was once mine to another woman, while I was left to pay the bills. We were at a stalemate for a long time. Every day I would think, Maybe I’ll make up with him tomorrow. But the next day, the words would die on my lips, choked by the bitterness of it all. Unfortunately, tragedy arrived faster than tomorrow. I never got the chance to see him come back to me. Instead, I made a shocking discovery. Rose had a hidden connection to the very crime syndicate we’d been investigating for years.

3 A powerful suction tore me from my memories. The crowd erupted. “They’ve found something!” “Careful, give them a hand!” Sam stood stunned, the word escaping his lips before he could stop it. “Impossible!” “You just wanted to see me sweat, to make me look like a fool, didn’t you? There can’t really be any bones…” he muttered, as if to himself. Rose bit her lip, her expression fraught with worry. “Sam… you don’t think… Skye could have killed someone, do you?” “She always had such a volatile temper. If someone pushed her too far…” Sam’s jaw tightened, his muscles coiling. He pushed his way through the crowd. “I’m going to take a look.” I hovered over the shattered remains of my own skeleton. The wind whistled through the gaps in the bones, and I couldn’t help but laugh a bitter, silent laugh. This was the true meaning of “chilled to the bone.” He brushed the dirt from a fractured piece. Even through his gloves, I could feel the warmth of his fingertips. My soul trembled. Suddenly, I didn’t want him to see me like this. If I had a choice, I would want him to remember me as I was. Headstrong, impulsive, but so full of life. But now, all I could do was gaze up at the man I once loved, desperate for the lingering warmth of his touch. The medical examiner collected the bones, and the crowd slowly dispersed. Sam remained alone in the field. As the first light of dawn painted the sky, he suddenly pulled out his phone and started dialing like a madman. Ring… Ring… “The number you have dialed is no longer in service. Please check the number and try again.” The wind on the open plain was freezing, turning the tip of his nose red. A choked sob was ripped away by the gale. “Skye, this isn’t real…” “This is just a sick joke, right?” A pair of arms wrapped around his neck, a woman’s warm breath against his ear. Rose’s voice trembled. “Sam.” “Is she… still in your heart?” Sam’s body flinched violently. A heavy, turbulent silence hung between them. He placed his hand over hers, which rested on her stomach, and let out a long, weary sigh. “That’s all in the past.” “All I have now is you and the baby.” Rose’s arms tightened around him as she began to weep softly. “Sam, I’m so scared you’ll leave me.” “I’ve given you everything. Please… don’t let me down.” Seven years had worn away my anger. Now, I could watch her performance with a calm detachment. This woman was born with two faces. With Sam, she was always the pitiful victim. With me, her eyes were filled with venom and defiance. Sometimes, I truly wondered what I had ever done to her. Why did she hate me so much? It wasn’t until I was dying that I finally understood. She had every reason. Her father, a career criminal, had been killed in a shootout with my father and Sam’s father after resisting arrest. Without his protection, she quickly became a “plaything” passed around by the gang. “Do you know what I hate most about you?” she had sneered, crouching in front of me. Her voice was a low hiss. “We both lost our fathers. So why was your life so damn easy?” “Your classmates and neighbors treated you with even more kindness. The men in your life didn’t try to slip their hands into your underwear.” “I’m smarter than you, prettier than you, and I understand people better than you. So why, after all of that, does Sam still love you more?!” It dawned on me then. Love and hate—both can destroy you. Rose had intended to avenge her father’s death on both me and Sam. But somewhere along the way, she fell in love with him. And that only made her hate me more.

4 The morning sun stretched their shadows long across the ground. Watching their overlapping figures, a morbid curiosity sparked within me. What would Sam do if he knew who Rose really was? Would he continue to pity her, to cherish her? Or would he be disgusted? I couldn’t guess the answer. Fate is a cruel playwright, one that delights in twisting the human heart. It arranged for a detective to be killed by the daughter of the criminal he had taken down. Then it arranged for that detective’s son, completely unaware, to marry that same criminal’s daughter. Sometimes I think, if only Rose had been an adult when her father died. Her records wouldn’t have been sealed. We wouldn’t have mistaken the new head of the syndicate for an innocent victim. And I wouldn’t have died in such a horrific way. Every single one of my bones bears the scars of what they did to me. Back then, I had screamed, struggled, begged, and demanded to know why. But they just laughed as they broke my limbs and pulled my teeth out one by one, relentlessly demanding the names of our undercover officers and informants. Finally, they pumped me full of adrenaline—three shots. They wanted me fully conscious as they sliced open my abdomen and tossed my organs to the dogs. But there was a moment, a single chance, when I could have lived. Before they gutted me, Rose appeared, flanked by several menacing-looking Burmese men. “You’re good,” she said. “You almost brought down my entire operation.” “I was going to kill you outright. But Jago convinced me not to waste a valuable asset.” “If you can get the police to close the case, take the fall for everything, you can live out your days peacefully in prison.” I managed a weak, bloody smirk. “In your dreams.” Her smile turned ugly. “Refuse, and you disappear.” “In a few years, Sam will forget all about you anyway.” I closed my eyes in silence. But then Rose spoke again, her voice like a serpent’s hiss. “It’s the anniversary of your father’s death today, isn’t it?” “Every other year, Sam would have gone with you to the cemetery.” I tensed. “What are you planning?” “Nothing much. Just happened to ‘lose’ some evidence of a dirty cop taking bribes, and the money trail happens to lead straight to you.” Her voice was raspy, poisonous. “I know he won’t believe it. But he’ll use it as an excuse to make up with you.” “Women… we’re petty creatures. If I can’t have him, I’d rather destroy him.” Almost as soon as the words left her mouth, my phone began to ring, a death knell. It was Sam. Rose gestured with her chin. “Answer it. Have her lure him here.” I took the call. Sam asked where I was. He said there were some things he needed to clear up in person. He wanted to apologize and pick me up to go to the cemetery. But his apology had come too late. Even if I survived, I would be a cripple for the rest of my life. So I said nothing. Jago grew impatient. He grabbed a blowtorch and aimed it at my thigh. The smell of burning flesh filled the air. I clenched my teeth, refusing to make a sound. Sam. He was my closest partner, my beloved husband. He had given me the happiest days of my life. If I had one last wish at the end of my life, I would give anything to ensure his safety. But Sam must have sensed something was wrong. His voice grew sharp with urgency. “Skye, are you in trouble? Can you not talk? Hold on, I’m coming to find you!” I shook my head frantically, using the last ounce of my strength to shout into the phone. “Don’t!” “Don’t come looking for me! We’re over, you hear me?” “Go live your life with your little saint. I’m… I’m done with you!” I hung up and managed a final, heartbreaking smile. “You win, Rose.” Go to him. Comfort him. From now on, he’s yours. That night, they slept together. And from there, it was a natural progression. They became the perfect couple and even conceived a child together. And me? I died on the coldest day of winter. Buried beneath a barren field for seven years. Until today. The medical examiner held the DNA test results, his eyes filled with sorrow. “Captain, the victim is confirmed. It’s Skye Miller.” “Badge number 071923… case file sealed once more.”