A lone figure stood in the shadows of a dark alleyway. A black jacket helped him blend in. As the night fell upon the city, it became silent. No movement. And then, slowly, he rose. The faint shadow loomed out of the darkness.

Kicking the side of the sidewalk, he stepped into a restaurant that looked brand new, but still empty. The only sounds were of the employees cleaning up and the faint sound of the bar next door. Turning to a waitress, the man pulled down his hood, revealing his face.

His brown hair covered one eye and he looked like a teenager. "I need Cam Fisher." Though he looked young, his voice was gruff. The waitress nodded and hurried off to find Cam, clearly frightened. The man slowly fingered the wood tables, ignoring the stares from the workers.

"Derrick Harrington? Is that you?" Cam exclaimed in surprise.

"No one calls me that anymore," Derrick replied, sounding agitated. Cam looked surprised, but shook it off.

"How are your parents?"

"Dead." His reply was short, with no sign of sadness or sorrow.

Cam was confused. His college friend appeared after disappearing for ten years, so what had happened to him?

"What's up?" Cam tried to make it feel like old times, but he could tell that the man in front of him was not the prankster that he had once known.

"I saw Massie and she sends you a message. She wants to meet you in Harbour Café tomorrow for lunch." With that, he pulled up his hood and turned to leave.

"Wait! Don't you want to stay?" Cam grabbed his shoulder. Derrick stopped, frozen, and looked at Cam over his shoulder.

"No." Derrick shrugged him off and turned to walk out the door.

Scott turned and saw the waitresses and waiters staring. He got back to work and avoided everyone's gaze.

As Derrick closed the door, a single tear fell. He couldn't have friends. It was too dangerous. No one could ever enter his life. He had to build a barrier from emotions. He couldn't afford it.

As he made his mind, his cell phone rang. The voice reminded him of whom he was, who he had to be. "I know."

Walking into the darkness, he became a shadow in everyone's memory. He had chosen that path. He couldn't turn back now. It was a commitment he had made. To himself, and to his country.

Five years later, he completed his missions. He was free as he walked the same sidewalk to the same restaurant he had entered years ago. He passed the window, watching his old friend.

Cam seemed to notice someone was watching him, and he looked up to see Derrick walking away from the window. Cam smiled to himself and returned to the customers in front of him.

Derrick kept walking, but he was happier than he had been for years. This was destiny. He would follow it, no matter where it took him.