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Timothy met Ronnie for the first time at the crowded bus station on a noisy evening. You could see the dark sky, the shinning street lights, and people rushing to catch up with the going buses. Ronnie while standing was recognized among the crowd because he was tall, dressed smart and calm. He walked up to Timothy with a friendly smile and asked if he knew a place to stay.

Ronnie further explained that he had come to the city in search of a new life, he explained to Timothy that he is into an export-import business. He maintained his voice while talking, his words were smooth, and his confidence stood out. Timothy on the other was relaxed with Ronnie's explanations and since he needed a roommate, he felt this is it and then he went ahead to offer Ronnie his place.

Life with Ronnie was comfortable at first. He woke early, read the newspapers, and kept himself neat. He spoke about business, trade, and money, though often in very general terms. Timothy felt cool him, and even admired how organized and disciplined he was.

But one evening, Timothy came home earlier than usual and he quietly pushed the door open thinking Ronnie would be sleeping, but he was amazed seeing Ronnie kneeling by his bed, pulling out a heavy bag from underneath. Timothy stopped in shock as Ronnie unzipped the bag.

Inside the bag were steel cutters, saws, strange-looking keys, drills, a magnifying glass, and even a small gun. Ronnie checked each one of them carefully, checking them like a soldier preparing for a war.

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Timothy's heart skipped. Why would an export-import businessman need these tools? He felt fear crawl over him, and at once, doubts filled his mind, maybe Ronnie was a thief, a robber, or something worse. The gun, especially, was a sign of danger.

From that night, Timothy was troubled but still didn't show it. Ronnie on the other hand, still acted polite and calm, but the hidden tools in the bag, spoke a different truth. Timothy’s thoughts raced;

• Could Ronnie be a burglar?

• Was he a double agent?

• Or maybe an undercover criminal?

The facts were confusing. Timothy made a mistake by judging Ronnie only from clothes and sweet talk. The truth was that Ronnie’s life had layers he didn’t show.

The apartment soon became tense, like a scene shown in a suspense movie. Every time Ronnie opened his bag, Timothy’s breath caught. Every sound of the door or footsteps in the hallway made him nervous. He tried to act normal, but was burning with questions inside.

Ronnie sometimes gave him long looks, as if he could sense Timothy’s doubts. The small apartment no longer felt safe; it felt like a stage where two men played roles, one hiding secrets, the other afraid to uncover them.

Finally, Timothy could not keep silent anymore. One night he asked carefully,
“Ronnie… I saw what’s in your bag. Those tools… they don’t look like import-export business tools. What’s going on?”

Ronnie stood still. For a moment, the room was silent. Then he smiled gently, but his eyes were sharp.

“You’re right,” he said softly. “I am not just a businessman, I’m working for the government.”

Timothy's eyes opened wide in shock. “Government? Then what are you really?”

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Ronnie came closer, lowering his voice.
“I’m a field agent. My job is to gather information, monitor dangerous people, and stop threats before it gets out of hand. The tools you saw are for surveillance and yes, the gun is for protection. I couldn’t tell you before. It’s safer this way.”

Ah! Timothy’s mouth went dry. “So all this time… you’ve been living a double life?”

Ronnie smiled a little. “A double life, yes. But not for crime, it's for duty. I am not a thief, ok, I only run some investigations for the government. At times, the city keeps secrets that are bigger than anyone thinks.”

From that moment, Timothy’s fear changed into respect. He got a clear understanding of the reason behind Ronnie's mysterious act. All the while, the “business” talk was only a cover behind his life of danger and secrets.

Soon after, Ronnie disappeared for days without explanation. Then one morning, the news reported that a dangerous smuggling ring had been destroyed in the city. Timothy immediately knew Ronnie had been part of it.

Few days later, Ronnie came briefly to pack his things, but before leaving, he looked Timothy in the eye and said, “Thank you for trusting me, even when you didn’t understand what I was hiding. But remember, sometimes the world is safer because of the secrets you know but don’t see.”

Ronnie walked away after saying those words, and disappeared into the city’s noise like a shadow.

I would invite @aviral123 @josepha and @sergeyk