Operation Wedding Ring

"Are you sure you really want to do this Jenny?" Captain Cole Martins asked the detective sitting across him.

Detective Jenny Mills nodded. Her hazel eyes determine. "I am sir."

"This is a very dangerous mission. I knew it was when I first told you about it, I just didn't know how much. But since we last spoke I have discovered a lot of scary things. I don't think it would be a good idea for you to take this case."

Jenny looked at him. Her face was set and her mouth twitched. "I can handle it sir. I will bring down these criminals no matter what it takes."

Cole shook his head. "You are getting emotional and that is dangerous. You can't afford to let your emotions get in the way of a case like this."

"They won't. I promise. Remember what you told me last week sir? That I was the best for the job? I didn't believe it then but I believe it now. Put me on the case. I won't disappoint you." She said earnestly.

Cole sighed. "I know you won't, but these people are dangerous and vengeful." He said.

"So am I sir."

"I am afraid you are rushing into this Jenny."

"I am not sir. I want to do this and I am not afraid. Please put me on this case."

Cole looked at her beautiful face lined with sadness and determination. He knew Jenny Mills was the one for the job.

"Okay Jenny. The case is yours, but I must remind you of the danger. You will be working alone. No backup or support. If you can sneak away once a week, I will arrange a spot where we can meet so I can get your report. But I repeat, the situation you are about to enter is dangerous."

"I am dangerous too sir." She said coldly.

"Fine. Let's go over your assignment. Like I said before Damien Krasniqi and his family are as secretive as they are dangerous. In fact they are so secretive no one knows what they really look like. The face of the company is his grandson Adam Krasniqi. Here is his picture." Cole pushed a picture to her. "Don't let the innocent face fool you, he is crueler and more dangerous than his grandfather."

Jenny looked at the picture. She couldn't see anything innocent about the man, all she saw was an evil person who had taking the most important person in the world from her. Now she was determine to see the face behind bars.

"Adam is the one who runs the operation," Cole continued, "all the horrible things the company is involved in is sanctioned by him." He paused awkwardly.

She knew what he was thinking and said it aloud. "Including what happened to her. I know. That is why I am taking this. I want to make sure the Krasniqi never hurt another person like this again, and if I have to pretend to be in love with him to make that happen then fine." She was so angry and bitter she knew she was going to burst into tears, so she took a deep breath to calm down.

There was a minute of silence, then she asked. "What is my way in?"

"You will be Ivy Black. A freelance antiquities consultant with an interest in European artifacts. I have your new identity documents right here, along with everything you need to know about Ivy Black. Study it carefully because you need to be really convincing. If Adam suspects you are lying you will be dead."

He handed her a file and she quickly went through it. Ivy Black's life was very similar to hers. They were both orphaned as children, but while Ivy had been raised in an orphanage, Jenny had been raised by a loving grandmother.

"Would you need more brief training about Albanian customs or-"

"No." Jenny interrupted closing the file. "My grandmother taught me all I need to know. How will I meet this jerk Adam?"

"The Krasniqi are hosting a gala to celebrate the opening of their new Albanian art gallery in New York. We will try and get you an invite. Adam will be there. It will be up to you to work your magic and get to him. If we are lucky he will fall for you and once you get close to the family, you can take them down."

She nodded. After hearing a little more details of the operation she stood up and he walked her to the door.

"Remember Mills, the lives of a lot of people, maybe millions, depend on you." Cole reminded her.

"I won't fail sir." She promised.

"Also, this is between you and I Jenny. No one else must know about this. The Krasniqi's are rumored to have cops on thier payroll. It may just be a malicious rumor but until we know who we can trust this stays between us. Agreed?"

"Yes sir."

She went to her office and began getting ready for her mission. As she cleared her desk there was a knock on the door and her partner Mike walked in.

"Jenny, how are you holding up?" He asked.

"I have stopped crying." She shrugged nonchalantly.

"You are packing your stuff? Are you leaving?" He asked anxiously.

"For a few days. I want to sort a few things out."

"I understand Jen. Go get some rest. You need it. But remember I am here if you need anything."

"I will remember. Thanks Mike."

He left and she let out a deep sigh. She felt guilty lying to him. He was her friend as well as partner, and she knew he was an honest cop. But like Cole had said, no one could be trusted. So for now she would have to treat everyone with suspicion.

Her eyes fell on a picture of her and her grandmother. Tears filled her eyes and there was a lump in her throat.

"Adam Krasniqi will pay for this Nona. I promise." She whispered.

Then she dropped into her chair and burst into tears. "This is all my fault! If only I had done things differently three weeks ago." She cried.

Three weeks earlier.....

The criminal struggled as the officer snapped handcuffs onto his wrist. He was glaring at the brown haired woman who stood nearby, smirking at him.

"You did this!" He fumed. "I thought you were in love with me? How could you betray that love?"

"Sorry Ernesto I don't fall in love with criminals." Detective Jenny Mills said rolling her eyes.

"You will pay for this you two faced snake!" He fumed. "I will kill you! And everyone you love!"

"Shut up." The police officer said finally handcuffing him. "Threatening a police officer is a bad idea pal."

"I don't care. I will teach her a lesson." He warned.

"I am so scared." Jenny said mockingly.

She watched as Ernesto was taken away, then walked to her car.

"Good job Jenny." Mike, her partner said, walking up to her.

"Thanks."

"How about a drink this evening to celebrate." He asked.

"Tomorrow. My grandma and I are going to dinner this evening."

"Sure. Where are you going now?"

"To brief the captain on the case, then I will head home. See you." She drove away, humming happily. Thanks to her month long undercover work, the Bianco crime family had finally been busted and they were now all in jail.

Her phone rang and she smiled seeing the caller.

"Hey Nona." She said.

"Jenny, I hope this isn't a bad time. I wanted to ask if we are still going to dinner this evening, or if you can't make it I will cook."

"Nona I'm happy to hear your voice. And yes we are going. I have just concluded a major case and we are going to celebrate."

"What case is that?"

"I will fill you in this evening. Get ready, I will pick you up by 5pm."

"Okay dear. Take care."

She hung up smiling. Her grandma meant everything to her. She had been both a mother and father to her ever since she lost her parents in a car accident when she was ten

She got to work and was congratulated by her colleagues, then she went to see her captain.

"Jenny, you are back." Captain Cole Martins said as she entered. "I heard about the arrest. Congratulations."

"Thanks. Am I getting a promotion?" She joked sitting across him.

"Maybe. Depends on how well you tackle your next assignment."

"Bring it on sir. I am ready for anything." She said confidently.

"Easy, this isn't your regular job. You will be working to bust one of the biggest crime families in the country, the Krasniqi family. You will infiltrate them, get engaged to the company CEO Adam Krasniqi, and gather info that we will use to take down his criminal empire."

"Hold on sir, did you say engage? As in ready to marry?" Jenny asked incredulously.

"I told you this isn't a regular mission. You will have to be an actress and a cop. The Krasniqi's are Albanians and very family oriented. You can't get as close as you need to be unless you are a family member. And right now I have heard rumors that Adam is looking for a bride so you will have to act like the perfect one."

"Count me out. I am not an actress and I'm not getting engaged to any gangster." Jenny said firmly.

"Please Jenny, Damien Krasniqi and his family are dangerous international arms smugglers. Their weapons have killed and hurt thousands, maybe millions of people. They must be stopped."

"I agree but find someone else to stop them. Why me?"

"Because you are beautiful, smart, you speak Albanian and know the culture, thanks to your grandmother, and you are my best detective. I need you."

"Sorry sir, I have done many things but getting engaged to a criminal isn't something I want to do."

"Okay I won't push you, but take this file. It contains all the crimes this family have committed. Study it in your free time. You may change your mind."

"I won't." She said, but she took the file and heading for the door.

"Are you going home?" He asked.

"Yes. I am taking my grandma out to dinner."

She drove home, slightly amused by Cole's offer. No way was she doing something as crazy as getting engaged to a mafia lord. She pulled up in front of her apartment and called her grandmother.

"I'm downstairs Nona." She said.

"I am on my way dear."

Her phone rang again as she hung up. It was Cole.

"Hello sir?" She answered.

"Jenny, you forgot to brief me on the raid." He said.

"Oh sorry." She began briefing him. As she spoke she saw her grandmother walking towards her car. Then suddenly a masked man came out from the side of the building and pointed a gun at her.

Before a horrified Jenny could react she heard two shots.

"Nona!" She screamed.

She jumped out of her car and ran to her grandmother. The gunman had disappeared by the time she reached her.

"Nona!" She cried again, dropping on her knees besides her grandmother. As she gently turned her over, she knew it was too late.

**********************

A week after her grandmother's funeral Cole asked to see her.

"How are you doing Jenny?" He asked gently.

"It dosen't matter sir. Any update on the scum who killed my grandmother? That is what matters more than anything."

"Yes that is why I sent for you." He sighed softly. "We haven't caught the guy yet, but we have the weapon. And from what we have learnt it was imported from overseas by," he paused. "Albagroup. The firm owned by Damian, but run by Adam Krasniqi."

Jenny's jaw dropped. "What?"

"Yes," He continued. "And there is more. Our informant said Adam asked the guy to test it by shooting a random person, unfortunately that person was your grandmother."

Jenny was speachless for a long time, then she said hoarsely.

"I did this."

"Jenny-"

"No sir. It is my fault. You warned me that people would get hurt if Adam Krasniqi wasn't stopped but I couldn't be bothered. I thought it wouldn't affect me, now it has." She said tearfully.

"We will get him. I promise." Cole assured her.

"Yes we will. I want in."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes sir. I want to take down Adam Krasniqi."

*******************

Present day

Now as she sat crying in her office she remembered those words and felt braver. She picked up the picture again and stroked her grandmother's face gently.

"Don't worry Nona. I will make sure Adam pays for when he has done."

Jenny got to work immediately. She spent all day and night studying the case files on the Krasniqi family. She learnt the patriarch of the family was Damien Krasniqi, a ruthless gangster who had ordered the deaths of nearly a hundred people, most of them business rivals, but also some members of law enforcement. So far he hadn't been prosecuted because there was no solid evidence linking him to any of the crimes.

"Not for long." Jenny mumbled and continued reading.

He had come to the United States as a teenager and founded Albagroup. It was now a conglomerate dealing in real estate, construction, art, medical supply exporting, and seafood exporting. The cops believed one of those businesses was being used to import his main business, weapons.

Her job was to find out which of the business was being used.

"I am guessing the seafood exporting business." She muttered.

She read about Damien's personal life. He was in his seventies and a widower.

I won't be surprised if the monster killed his own wife. She thought.

He had two kid and no one knew how many grandkids. The only grandchild people knew about was Adam, the company CEO and the man she was supposed to somehow get engaged to.

She began reading about him. Harvard educated, a smart business and rumored to be as ruthless as his grandfather and just as mysterious. Although he was CEO of the American company he was mostly based in Europe and had been accused of ordering the deaths of a lot of people in both continents.

Including Nona, she thought bitterly.

He had also been voted the business worlds most handsome bachelor CEO, for the fifth year in a row. She looked at his picture pinned to his file. He was just about average height, and plump with large grey eyes and a small mouth.

"The people who voted this ugly killer most handsome CEO must have been blind and stupid." She muttered.

Well it didn't matter, handsome or ugly she would put him in jail.

Now she knew the people she was dealing with, she could destroy them. And she would. Tomorrow was the day, and she was going to be ready.

**********************

The next evening Cole pulled up in front of the Golden Hotel, where Damien Krasniqi and his murderous family were hosting their gala.

"Are you okay?" He asked her.

She nodded, not trusting herself to speak.

"Once you walk into that hotel and get Adam intrested in you there is no going back. If you succeed good, but if you fail," he sighed. "If you back out now I will understand."

"I won't fail and I am not backing out." She said firmly. "In six months time the Krasniqi empire will be destroyed. I promise you."

"Then good luck Ivy Black. And please be careful. With these people, things aren't always what they seem. if you have any problems this evening don't hesitate to call me."

"Yes sir. And thanks." I will need all the good luck I can get. She thought, and stepped out of the car.

Her heart pounded as she approached the hotel entrance.

"Ivy Black representing Helman antiques." She told the security, giving them her ID.

They barely looked at it, their eyes were fixed on her and she wasn't surprised. She was wearing a black spaghetti sleeved evening dress that clung to her like a skin, enhancing her curvy body. Her glossy brown hair was parted in the middle and hung down to her shoulders. Her make up was flawless, so was her manicure. To add to her exotic look she had gotten a tattoo of a small butterfly on her right forearm. She looked a far cry from Jenny Black, the t-shirt and jeans wearing, no make up cop. Now she looked like what she was supposed to be. An educated, polished, antiques expert, with a touch of bad girl. She was the type of woman who belonged in a place like this.

"Welcome to the party ma'am." The guard said in Albanian.

Thank you." She replied in Albanian, with a slight smile.

"You will have to submit your phone ma'am," they told her. "You will get it back when you come out."

"Sure." She handed them her phone and was searched, then allowed in.

That was easy, she thought as she headed to the ballroom, now time of the real work, seducing a killer.

She entered the ballroom and her jaw almost dropped. She had never been in a place so big and beautiful. There were chandeliers hanging from the ceiling and soft music playing in the background. The walls were covered in expensive paintings. Men in well tailored suits and women in beautiful evening gowns were talking, laughing, drinking and dancing. She pulled herself together and walked in to join them. A few eyes turned in her direction and looked at her with admiration. She pretended not to notice and took a glass of champagne from a passing waiter. She sipped it while her eyes scammed the room. No sign of her target. But she was sure he would soon be here. She continued looking round the room, then she saw him. He was sitting on a love seat near a tall bronze statue, surrounded by four giggling young women. The sight of him laughing and enjoying himself after the pain he had caused her and so many others made her blood boil, but she forced herself to calm down. She had a bigger problem, how to get close to him because bodyguards stood on either side of his chair. Walking up to him and starting a conversation would be nearly impossible.

She would have to think of something. She went to stand near a beautiful painting hanging on the wall and pretended to examine it, while thinking of a solution to her problem. Then she heard a strong, deep, voice say,

"I see something beautiful, and it isn't the painting."

Startled, she turned.