Chapter 2
A short time later, a darkened room in an unknown location…
"I'm sorry it had to be that way John. Unfortunately we didn't have time for milk and cookies." Meryl said half-heartedly.
"Little rough round the edges, but nothing I can't handle." John quipped back.
"Glad to hear it."
Meryl liked John, but she couldn't let that get in the way of her professionalism. She couldn't compromise her position of authority here, too much was at stake and this wasn't the time for reminiscing. But he reminded her of man she knew, a flawed man, but the best man she ever knew. He was the spitting image of him. Well he would be, she thought to herself.
"What's going on here?!" demanded John. It was a question that Meryl often asked herself. After the demise of the Patriots all those years ago, the world at large returned to relative normality with little or no interruption to their daily lives. Only a few really knew the truth, and even then some of the details remained blurred at the seams. What was certain is that it marked the end of an era of super soldier, one man armies. But she had a feeling that was about to change.
Walking away from John she paused and sighed deeply. "John the world is a scary place right now. The Chinese have steadily built their power and economy over the years and no-one has been able to slow it." Then spinning on her heels she turned to face him again. "They have now become the new Soviet Union of old. We have reason to believe they have their hands of a new kind of tech that could be a game changer. And what with the powder keg of the Middle East about to blow at any minute and rumours that China is supplying weapons, time has run out. We can't let this thing be tested."
"So why me?" John cut straight to the chase.
"You have certain qualities that are desirable in this kind of situation John….and we have to use a codename from now on."
What's wrong with John? He asked rhetorically and under his breath. "Meryl, about my history, my genes, I…"
"John, not now. There's no time. I brought you here to brief you on this mission. The time will come for that discussion. Now is not that time. We are in a new cold war. The President and Chinese officials are meeting as we speak. They're running out of nice things to say to each other. This mission comes direct from the Pentagon."
She moved to a nearby desk, which was dimly lit by a table top lamp. After sifting through some files, she pulled a single sheet of paper out and held it in front of her, remaining silent. The paper she was examining was a list of agents under her direct command, and their corresponding codenames.
"In my time as Commander of Foxhound, I've made a few changes. The codename system is one of them. I've chosen a name for you that I think will suit you, it's a little unorthodox to christen you this early but it seems fitting. For now on you shall be called….Fox Snake."