Chapter 1 When memory and blood meet

Chapter 1

When Memory and Blood Meet

The city of Velmont was completely enveloped in fire and smoke as dusk fell hard. Sirens resounded like wailing cries. Hope was crushed beneath the boots of marching soldiers, and gunfire and dust filled the city from every direction. Maria Johnson knelt beside a 16-year-old boy who was groaning, her gloves shaking and stained. She worked for the resistance, which aimed to revive the shattered state and was a doctor by profession and necessity. Her own heart, however, waged a private war in the midst of the chaos. Maria met Smith Williams years ago at a UN-sponsored public health seminar in a city that had not been affected by war. With a sharp gaze that cut through rooms and a soft Southern accent, he had posed as a logistics expert. She had almost inadvertently given him her phone number when she was a student nurse with a sharp mind and quick wit. She never thought he would call. He did.

They had fun in dim apartments, kisses in the shadows of tall buildings, and stolen weekends in coastal towns as their love grew quickly and dangerously. She had her doubts and he had his secrets. She stopped thinking, however, when he touched her. His hands, his lips, and his voice when he called her name at two in the morning as if it were sacred all caught fire. They fell in love like escapees. Hungry. Desperate. The kind that might make you forget about tomorrow. However, he left. disappeared without a trace. No note No trace Her calls went on and on. She was so traumatized by his disappearance that even the revolution was unable to distract her. up to now. When two resistance scouts dragged in a man who was heavily bleeding from his side, the field hospital was a mess of screaming, blood, and uniforms that had been torn. Dust-covered, pale, and with cracked lips, his face was almost unrecognizable. Maria, on the other hand, dropped her scalpel when his eyes fluttered open and met hers. "Smith?" She exhaled. His smile was sluggish. "Still gorgeous... damn." She nearly passed out. She didn't ask him where he had gone. No, not yet. There were too many questions and too much blood. She shook her hands as she patched him, biting her tongue each time they touched. Even though she detested herself for it, she still had a burning desire for him beneath the surface. Maria wasn't stupid. She learned that trust was a more dangerous currency than weapons during the war. After that first night, she kept her distance to let the shock wear off like a bruise. However, Smith's presence loomed-he had joined the resistance under a different name and worked in logistics, concealing his true identity beneath forged documents and military-grade lies. Then the seduction began. It began subtly. a hand brushing. a prolonged stare. In silence, old flames were rekindled. They ended up tangled in a supply room one night after drinking too much rum and not thinking clearly. They exchanged quick kisses, his mouth was on her collarbone, and her body was recalling everything she had previously forgotten. Before they got too far, she backed away. It occurred once more. same level of vigor Same remorse. Maria, on the other hand, was not only following her heart but also her mission. Maria had been enlisted without Smith's knowledge by Miller Davis, the head of Interpol and a man with a grave voice and hawk-like eyes. Davis was of the opinion that there was a mole in the resistance. Additionally, Maria was an ideal target due to her proximity to Smith. In the context of a story involving espionage, manipulation, and psychological complexity, here is a 500-word discussion of the characteristics Maria ought to possess in order to be penetrated by Smith: ---

Maria's characteristics that make her susceptible to Smith's intrusion Maria is not your typical woman. Her qualities are admirable, but they are also the openings through which Smith, a devious manipulator with a military background and an intelligence dossier thicker than a phone book, enters her life. Maria must possess a combination of qualities that make her both formidable and tragically penetrable in order for Smith to successfully enter Maria's world-emotionally, professionally, and possibly even spiritually. First, optimism. Maria has a strong belief in institutional reform, humanitarian efforts, or social justice, and is deeply committed to causes greater than herself. She is oblivious to the cynical motives of those around her because her idealism paints the world in shades of hope and possibility. Smith sees this flaw as an opportunity and uses it to his advantage to become a mirror of her dreams by presenting himself as a friend. He can get around her usual defenses because of this. Second, Maria is empathetic and vulnerable to emotional manipulation due to her emotional sensitivity. She can identify with the suffering of others. Maria becomes Smith's savior when he tells her about his fabricated "tormented past," and she believes she can help him heal. Her rational judgment is overridden by this nurturing instinct. Smith sharpens and employs her compassion as a surgical instrument. Loneliness concealed behind a public image of strength is the third. Maria may appear to be an admirable and envious political aide, professor, or successful businesswoman. But on the inside, she's alone. Her emotional isolation creates a need for connection due to a past relationship that didn't work out, a betrayal, or trauma in her family that hasn't been resolved. Smith preys on it, not just notices it. He provides her with the fantasy of a soulmate who finally "gets her," the appearance of understanding. Her insatiable thirst for the truth is another essential quality that, ironically, makes her susceptible to deception. In a world of shadows, Maria is looking for clarity. She researches, reads, and asks probing questions. Knowing that she will immediately follow the scent of authenticity into his trap, Smith, who is trained in psychological warfare, provides her with just the right amount of truth encased in lies. In addition, Maria's loyalty, which is generally regarded as a virtue, becomes a disadvantage. Even when evidence begins to contradict her beliefs, she becomes unwavering once she is emotionally invested. Smith takes advantage of this by becoming a part of her circle and forcing her to make choices that make her compromise her values over time until she can no longer retreat. Last but not least, Maria has a moral blind spot because she believes that evil always appears to be good. Smith is unassuming and charming, but she never fits her image of a threat. He has the ideal disguise because she is unable to distinguish corruption disguised as virtue. In the end, Maria's downfall has more to do with her strengths than anything else. Smith uses her goodness as a vehicle to destroy her. And because of that, her intrusion is tragically possible. She reluctantly agreed. She had a strong belief in Smith's goodness. But wanting was a sign of weakness in Velmont. Another piece of the puzzle was Miller Dennion, head of security and longtime associate of Smith. Dedicated, sharp, and extremely wary of Maria. He trusted Smith, however. Smith also continued to talk while he was asleep. A part of Maria wanted to scream and run every time she lay next to Smith. Between heartbeats, the other part listened for truth by pressing her ear to his chest. However, not every danger wore uniforms. Smith's mother, Lotoya Williams-Brown, a shrewd war widow with shady connections, was seen talking to Jones Garcia, a notorious criminal whose name shaken entire sectors. Garcia was well-known for arranging bombings, hijackings, and arms deals on the black market. Interpol reports also state that Garcia was interested in Smith's unit. Did Smith represent both sides? Maria was unaware. However, even if it meant breaking her own heart once more, she was determined to find out. The Shot That Started It All It happened shortly after curfew on a humid evening. After a battle near District 9, a convoy of wounded resistance fighters found their way into Maria's outpost. A boy with a collapsed lung, a girl with a missing leg, and a soldier with burns that were too severe for him to survive are among them. Maria moved quickly from patient to patient, her hands stained with blood like she was feeling guilty. The shot was then heard. A sniper fired from the upper floors of a bank that was only partially demolished. The bullet flew through the air like a curse and struck her directly. Smith threw himself across her body before she could react. He was hit in the shoulder by the shot. As she screamed, he groaningly collapsed into her arms. The sniper emerged from the shadows. Another round was fired. Maria tried to grab her gun, but she misplaced it. Smith, conscious and still bleeding, pulled out his gun and shot the sniper square in the chest before the sniper could fire again. The corpse fell. Chaos came back. Maria looked at William Brown, Smith's brother, who had just arrived as she dragged Smith behind a barricade. Everything was seen by him. And he looked at her with jealousy, not worry. As William watched Maria cradle Smith, his jaw tightened. His sibling. the man she once said she detested. The woman he had begun to slowly fall for. He turned silently and vanished into the smoke. However, Maria's hands did not shake out of fear. "Why were you doing that?" She spoke softly. Despite the blood, Smith smiled as he coughed. Couldn't let go of you. Never again. But the war continued behind her. Betrayal did not occur either.