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“First of all, breathe. Breathe with me.”

She breathes in, and I follow. She breathes out, so do I.

Sara’s breathing technique actually helped this time. She nods at me and starts speaking.

“Was the memory triggered before or after you bit on your nail? And was it a happy memory?”

“It was a happy memory, and it was after I bit on my nail.”

“Good. You are describing a classic somatic memory trigger. Triggers are highly individualized, so it’s different for everyone. But they are a sensory or environmental trigger. When that trigger does happen, it can cause someone to re-experience physical and emotional reactions to a memory. Or even conjure up a memory that your mind suppressed for many years.”

“Huh, weird.” I go still as that small voice of the child I can’t remember echoes in my mind. Why the fuck do I have such a response to that memory?

“Care to elaborate?” Sara asks me tentatively. I shake my head. “Fine. Now, an hour has passed. Can I take Emin out of the anechoic room?”

Fuck, I almost forgot about my guest.

“Yeah, of course.”

“Who is going to bring him to Lana? Josh?” Her question makes me wiggle my eyebrows at her. She huffs and puffs and crosses her arms, like a mom about to penalize her son.

“No.”

“Oh yes.” The gleam in my eyes is unmistakable, just like the joy in my tone.

I am delivering Lana’s friend to her.

“Go get our guest and bring him to me immediately.”

“Asshole, I probably have to bring him to the medical room first and assess him. He is going to need to calm down for a bit at first.”

“Fine, don’t care. I will wait outside for you.”

Sara goes down to the basement, and I prepare myself to go to Lana. I’m all decked out in my outfit I usually wear when I am about to do a hit.

My ex won’t do anything stupid, but you can never be too careful.

I’m standing by my car, getting soaked by the rain.

Sara comes out of the house with a handcuffed Emin. He looks subdued.

“Isn’t he a ray of sunshine?” I take him over from Sara and push him inside my car.

“He is,” she answers sarcastically. “Do you have your earpiece with you?” I nod and show it to my friend.

“Good. Adam is already staking out the area by Lana’s estate, and he’ll stay there until you have successfully handed over Emin.”

I fist bump Sara and go to my car. Before I can start the ignition, my phone rings. In any other situation, I wouldn’t answer, but my dear friend from Belgium is calling me.

“What’s up, player!” Isa’s infectious energy has always been palpable in a good way.

“Work and stuff. How are you? Sara told me that you are in Sarajevo?” I hope that he has time, as I have missed him.

“I am. I’m finishing my clinical placement. Stuff I won’t bore you with.” Isa tells me. He is one of my dear friends from Antwerp, and the last time I saw him was at Elma and Armin’s wedding. Despite his wild ways and love to fool around, he is incredibly intelligent. Isa went to medical school and specialized in neurosurgery.

“Cool. Until what date are you here? We can catch up.” I propose to him.

“I’m here for ten more days, then I’m off to Antwerp again. I have a night shift tonight at the hospital, but I’m off tomorrow. Would that work for you?”