The next morning, I was ready. With Abby helping with this operation, I knew I could get away from the Circle. I made my way to the Sistine Chapel - my original meeting point with the Circle of Cavan. The robed figures were back; they were watching my every move. Something told me that if I didn't do as they asked, they would abduct me (again), interrogate me then put me through some intense training course to finish this mission. I shook that thought from my mind, feeling the smooth handle of the knife in my pocket.

I looked at the sky, making it out to be around 1:55pm. In three minutes, the Pope would appear to a crowd of religious tourists. In four minutes, I would attempt to assassinate him in front of the excited crowd. After that, I either accept my fate and go with the Circle or follow the last minute plan I had come up with in the middle of the night. I waited for the signs that signalled the Pope's appearance - the cheering, the doors cracking open, the hidden security members, etc. When they didn't show, I began to panic. My deadline was fast approaching and I had nothing to fall back on if I didn't even try. I got up from the wall I had been leaning on and made my way through the crowd. I reached the building closest to the entrance and drew the knife. I flipped it open, revealing a polished dagger-like blade.

I took aim from the shadows as the tourists went silent with anticipation. The doors began to open and the crowd went wild - cheers coming from every person. As the Pope stood in the open doorway, I threw the knife. It felt like time was slowing down as I watched the knife cut through the air - making its way to my target. When it finally hit, security began swarming into the area - surrounding the man that I had been tasked with killing. The crowds were in mass hysteria and I had created it. I ran through the dark alleys, hiding from everyone. Getting out was the final part of the plan - the most crucial part of any operation.

When I finally got out of there, I casually walked to the rendezvous to meet Abby. My mission had gone perfectly and there was no going back. I reached the CIA safe house that Abby had loaned for today and walked inside - the door was unlocked as planned. I lay on the couch, waiting for my plan to unfold completely.

Abby's POV

I saw the knife skimming the Pope's face - narrowly missing him by a centimetre; the knife had lodged itself into the stone wall just two metres away. The panic that swept across the city was instantaneous and nobody saw the green-eyed man run further into the shadows. I watched as the woman who kidnapped Joe sighed in disappointment and sent her agents to find him. I was the only one that noticed that the assassin was gone from the scene and no-one was injured in the attack.

I stepped away from the madness and began to follow the route to the safe house. That was until I was grabbed from behind. I knew it had been too easy. I shifted my body weight slightly which knocked the agent to the ground. Looking down, I saw a young boy not much older than I was. Then it hit me - these Circle members are recruited young. They don't know what they're getting themselves into. Taking a short detour, I left to meet Joe. I knew he'd be waiting for me, so I ran faster.

Getting to the hidden house had been harder than I expected. The place was covered in tripwires, bullet-proof glass and laser grids. I genuinely felt shocked to see Joe asleep on the couch - how could he just walk in here and avoid all the security measures? I carefully shook him awake and he looked at me, smiled then said, "You're late."

Solomon's POV

I sat up and listened to what Abby saw of the mayhem. I was so relieved to hear that I didn't kill/maim anyone, especially the Pope. Everything went as planned - I escaped from the scene unnoticed, the Circle was disappointed in me (but I didn't know if they could tell I failed on purpose) and I made a good friend from all of this. I believed that this wasn't going to be the last time I saw her - we're both in the CIA and we had Matt and Rachel to meet up with soon. My unofficial mission was over for now and I realized that it was now Abby's turn to go to a foreign country for a classified reason.

"Aren't you going to miss your flight to Buenos Aires or something?" I asked, wondering why she stayed in this Italian villa instead of leaving for her own mission.

"Oh yeah, I should be getting back to Langley now." she mumbled, looking like the girl I first questioned in the restaurant.

"Promise to stay in touch with me?" I offered. Instantly, she lit up and smiled.

"I'd love to." She hugged me and walked to the door. She stopped and turned around and said, "Can I just ask, what department in the CIA are you in?"

I opened my backpack containing the things I had brought with me on this mission. I found the sheet of paper that I had forgotten about until now and I couldn't believe my luck. One of the agents in my team in the CIA was none other than Abigail Cameron!

She laughed at my disbelief and took my arm, "Come on. Don't want to be late for our next mission!"

"So that's why you bumped into me yesterday? Because you knew who I was?" I laughed, "And you were acting like you didn't know we were going to be working together! Oh, you're too good."