"We'll be so rich that no one can touch us, Anna," said Avon. His voice was weak and his body was shaking as she cradled him in her arms, trying to give him what comfort she could. He was always like this after coming back from a bout of retraining. This time had been the worst so far. They had kept him for three days, trying to work on his mind. He had come through the door of their residence and collapsed. He had scared her. When she looked into his eyes, it was as if a part of him was missing.
He had regained consciousness just long enough so that she could get him into bed. She ran her fingers through his hair. He was asleep now. Anna wondered which Avon she would find when he woke up. Each time they did this to him, he would become colder and more distant; more wrapped up in a shell that protected him from the pain of living in a world where he was little more than a tool for someone else's agenda. When she had first been assigned to him, he had stopped caring about anyone except himself. Or so she thought.
Bartolomew, Central Securitys top undercover agent. No one was safe from her either inside or outside the service. She was tasked directly from the Presidential office. Only the President and a few of his top advisors knew who she really was.
Avon had been her greatest challenge. His intelligence and his abilities had made him dangerous enough that any hint that he was working against the Federation was flagged immediately and forwarded to the highest levels. A lifetime of being monitored and having his life controlled had made him supremely paranoid. Everyone who had ever been close to him had been used to manipulate him into doing what the Federation wanted. In their cruelty, they had caused them all to betray him so that he would have nothing left except the Federation. But it had backfired. Avon stopped trusting anyone and anything, including the Federation.
In the end, Anna had found his weakness.
She had pretended that she was being influenced by his example and had started voicing her opinions on the illogical actions they were required to take which sacrificed reason for political expediency. At first he had regarded her with the same suspicion as he did everyone else. Treating her actions as blatant attempts to gain his trust, which they were.
But then her actions led to her being sent for retraining as well. Several times. She had allowed it to happen even though, as Bartolomew, she had the power to stop it; could have faked the retraining sessions. Anna was not the best undercover agent for nothing. She was willing to do anything to trap her target.
It had been a horrifying experience. The mind-bending machines used and the psycho-manipulation techniques employed were barely legal in the Federation. Anna wondered that Avon was still sane after a lifetime of being subjected to them. As it was, he no longer reacted to things like a normal person. Avon was as close to a machine as they could make him and still be called human. Because of what had been done to him, he had developed an almost pathological hatred of being manipulated or betrayed; and had an overriding desire to survive.
At first he had still regarded her warily. But after the third time she came back, full of anger and fear; he had been uncharacteristically gentle, trying to help her through the worst of it. That was all it had taken. He fell in love with her and had looked at her in wonder. No one had supported him before. They were all too scared to risk their careers for something as insignificant as the truth.
Those idiots. It's no wonder you want to escape them. Oh Avon. Why do you have to continue defying them? It would be much easier if you told them what they want to hear. They don't like being told they're fools. Especially if they are. Political agendas will always take precedence over reason and logic. That is the reality we live in. Why can't you accept that?
Anna sighed. In many ways, he was the only honest man she had ever known. He made no pretentions about whom or what he was. He was brilliant; he made no apologies for that. He had no interest in making friends or telling people what they wanted to hear, even if it would make his life easier. He always said exactly what he thought. He had no interest in charming people to his side or currying favour, the very things which were needed to succeed and to stay out of trouble.
It's no wonder you've always been in trouble. They only tolerate you because you are brilliant. And now, you've really landed yourself in serious trouble. That's why they sent me to work on you. Someone must have betrayed you. Thought they could advance their career by reporting you. Any fool who knows you would know you're not political. But CS is paranoid too. I still can't convince them you're not They can't believe that someone who would speak the truth so freely would have no political leanings, no desire to bring down the governing power. They don't know you. You only want to survive; to be able to live your life without fear or interference It's a good thing you aren't political, Avon, else I would turn you over to them. But you're not and because of that, I'll try to help you No one has ever been willing to die for me before.
She loved him but she wasnt in love with him. Not in the way he was with her. There was nothing he wouldnt do for her. He would give his life for her, of that she was certain. It was very flattering but she was a professional. She was already skirting the lines of becoming personally involved.
It must be terrible to know that the brilliance which makes you invaluable guarantees that you will never be more than aninstrument for others. They will never let you go. You are too useful.
Anna knew that Avon had a plan. He knew how to circumvent the security protocols of the Federation Banking System; knew how to funnel five hundred million credits into secret accounts spread across several worlds.
Maybe with this plan, you can escape Avon. You can be safe. Do what Ensor and Egrorian did. Disappear.
The escape of geniuses like Ensor and Egrorian were the reason why people like Avon had to suffer now. The Federation would not allow any more of their valuable resources to break away from them or to act independently.
There was one disturbing thing she had been hearing from Avon lately though; apart from an element of increased hatred. He had mentioned it in passing, how easy it would be to bring down the entire Banking System.
Anna laughed.
This plan of yours is clever, Avon; and very dangerous. You are truly worth my time and effort. If I hadnt been with you already, no one would have been able to stop you. No one would even have known who had done it. It's a good thing those foolish rebels never thought of going this route. Good thing they never had the ability to do something like this. All they know how to do is to make noise and destroy things. If they were able to harness someone like you, if they knew how to use your brain and were willing to listen to you, they would be able to bring down the Federation in a matter of months without bloodshedDestroy its economy; bring it to its knees.
Anna hugged the sleeping man. At rest, his hard and cynical face relaxed. He had a boyish quality.
You might not be political, Avon. But I cant let you carry out this plan. You would become a danger to the Federation and that cant be allowed Even usefulness has its limits if you become too dangerous for them to bear the risk. Then it will be the end. Dont make me stop you, Avon.