Code: Juleit

After my shift, I headed straight to the hospital to check on Mercutio.

His injuries were worse than I had expected. Bruises lined his face, cuts ran deep along his arms, and the machines beeping around him only added to the weight pressing against my chest. I was sure of one thing—this wasn't an accident. This was Juliet's plan.

I clenched my fists, my mind pulling me back to the past. Mercutio was the one who carried me to the hospital when I blacked out during my first mission. He watched my back, fought alongside me, and treated me like a little brother. In this world, where trust was fragile and alliances were temporary, Mercutio was my only family.

Maybe that's why she targeted him—to warn me.

Mercutio and I shared a bond that no one could break. We didn't know each other's real names, where we came from, or if we even had families waiting for us. But we knew one thing—the cases we had solved, the blood we had shed, and the promises we had made to keep each other alive.

November 12, 2021

Time: 03:34 PM

"Look, we have a new agent. We can trust him. He's family."

The boss's voice boomed through the meeting room as he pointed directly at me.

"New recruit," he said, his tone carrying both approval and warning.

His eyes locked onto mine. "It's your first mission, and I'm trusting you with this."

I nodded, feeling the weight of those words sink in.

"A mafia boss named Juliet is roaming freely in our country, smuggling weapons, killing agents, and running an empire in the shadows. And no one can touch her." He paused, scanning the room. "That ends now."

I swallowed hard. My first mission. And it was already one of the most dangerous assignments the agency had.

"Feeling nervous?" a voice beside me asked.

I turned to see a young agent, leaning back in his chair like this was just another casual briefing.

"Hmm," I nodded, exhaling slowly.

"Don't be," he smirked. "It's my second mission. At first, I thought this job would kill me, but then… I realized it's an adventure."

Before I could respond, the boss's voice cut through the room.

"Looks like Agent Maxwell is excited about the case."

The agent beside me—Maxwell—instantly went quiet.

"Oh, we all know why," the boss continued, his lips curling into a smirk. "Juliet reminds you of your girlfriend, right?"

Laughter filled the room, but I didn't laugh. Neither did Maxwell.

"Come on…" Maxwell rolled his eyes, shaking his head. "She's not that bad."

The boss chuckled. "Alright, let's get to the real business. We're taking on Juliet, so let's play her game. She's obsessed with Shakespeare—that's why she calls herself Juliet. So, we'll do the same."

He turned to Maxwell. "From now on, you're Agent Mercutio."

"Mercutio, huh? I like it." Maxwell smirked, nudging me. "Looks like we'll be buddies now."

The boss then looked at me, tapping his fingers on the table. "And you… You're Romeo."

Silence fell over the room.

"Hmph. Suits him." Capulet nodded in approval.

That was the first time I met Mercutio. Back then, I had no idea he would become the only person I'd ever call family.

Present

Two bodyguards stood at the door of Mercutio's hospital room. Through the small window, I could see him lying in bed, the ventilator humming beside him. His heart rate was lower than usual.

How could someone be so cruel?

Juliet didn't just try to kill him—she used him as a warning. Because she knew what he meant to me.

A single tear slid down my cheek. Maybe that's why agents weren't supposed to have families.

I pulled out my phone and dialed.

"Agent Benvolio, I need you to check who was the last person Mercutio met before the accident."

"On it, sir." The line went dead.

I turned to the guards, whispered the clearance code, and stepped inside.

Mercutio stirred as I approached, his eyelids fluttering open. His lips cracked into a weak smile.

"He-hey," he croaked.

"Take it easy," I muttered, pulling up a chair beside him and gripping his hand.

"I… I don't know how th—" His voice faltered, his injuries weighing on him. His face was covered in fresh scars, each one a painful reminder of what happened.

"It's okay," I reassured him. "Who was the last person you met?"

He blinked, his gaze drifting toward the ceiling. "Uhm… I can't remember, actually…" His eyes scanned the room, as if searching for lost memories.

Before he could say more, my phone rang.

"Excuse me." I stood up and walked to the corner, answering the call.

"Yes, Agent Benvolio?"

"Sir, I can't confirm who he met last, but I pulled the CCTV footage from his car before the accident. There's something you need to see."

My heart pounded. "What is it?"

"The footage shows someone near his car right before the accident. It was Vale."

I froze.

"I just sent you the file. You should see it yourself."

The line went dead.

"Romeo!" Mercutio's voice snapped me out of my thoughts. His eyes were wide, as if he had just remembered something.

I turned to him. "What is it?"

"I remember now..." his voice was hoarse, hesitant. "The last person I met was.. My girlfriend. Vale"

What on earth??