The Price of Freedom
Chapter 5 part 2: Ally
Meanwhile, Agent Coulson took Mrs. Simmons into another room and shut the door. Marilyn went over to one of the beds. It creaked as she sat down. She placed her head in her hands.
"Phil, I knew this day would come somehow or another."
Coulson paced the floor in front of her. After several silent moments, he stopped.
"Does she know?"
Marilyn sighed. "No, she doesn't. I haven't told her."
"This is bad news. Anarchy isn't a face to reckon with. I haven't told you yet what I found, and it isn't for the children's ears. I have sent out several mission teams trying to track Anarchy down or what we thought was them. Some were physical engagements and other were strictly recon. Marilyn, those agents never made it home. Once their coms went dark, that was it. We never heard from them again. It was like they disappeared. No bodies were ever found by the retrieval teams once we discovered something was very wrong. The only thing we found recently was this," he said taking out his phone. He pulled up a picture and showed it to her. On his screen was a photo that contained a message. It said: What was once lost has now been found. All who get in our way will be crushed under the forces of our people. We cannot be stopped. We are Anarchy. The message was signed with a large A and a red handprint. "These messages have all been the same placed at the last known location of the missing agents. Anarchy has been the hardest and worst group S.H.E.I.L.D., or whatever is left of it, has ever faced. This enemy from the beginning has been invisible and yet have been everywhere at the same time. They don't just strike from the shadows, but in broad daylight at any time. There have been no visible patterns we can trace to locate them. We don't know what their ultimate goal is, but I doubt it's world domination because they would've tried something by now. Until we know more we need to keep our heads down and eyes alert. Marilyn, I need you to tell Katelyn about her father. If he had anything to do with this attack, Katelyn may be in more danger than we thought."
"Phil…I—I can't. I made a promise to keep her safe and hidden."
"Marilyn, listen to me. Keeping that secret from her is putting her in more danger. If Anarchy knows who her father is and knows of her existence, then they will use that as leverage against us. We can't afford that to happen."
"So, how is exposing her out in the open safer? Coulson, you are making my daughter a target!"
"I know, but if it means drawing out Anarchy, then it's the best lead we have."
"No. Find another way, but you are not going to use my daughter as bait. I don't care what clearance you have or what the President orders you to do, but Katelyn is under my protection. I want agents watching her constantly if I am not around. Once this whole thing blows over, I will tell her about her father. Until then it is too dangerous for her to know. I made a promise to someone and I intend on keeping it." With that Mrs. Simons got up and stalked angrily out of the room.
[Meanwhile, back at the police headquarters…]
Officer Kim shut her office door behind her and locked it. She walked out to front lobby and nodded goodbye to Officer Miring at the front desk. She got off work early due to some of her overtime. Though it was the middle of the afternoon in Fort Nelson, British Colombia it was still early spring, which meant cooler temperatures. She wrapped her light brown suede semi-heavy jacket tighter around her. She got into her Ford Fusion and started the engine. Half an hour later she turned into a small diner. Once inside she found a quiet booth in the corner and waited for a server. A young woman came by.
"Would you like the usual ma' am?" she asked pulling out her order pad.
"Yes, please. Could I also get some black coffee?
"Any cream or sugar?"
"Cream please. No sugar."
The young woman nodded and disappeared to fulfill the order.
Officer Kim pulled out her laptop and phone. Opening her private email, she clicked on a new message from a secure, but unknown sender. She read it carefully tapping her nails across the table. She then clicked on the attached files and opened several classified documents. A thin smile crossed her elegant face, but it didn't reach her eyes. Taking out a black USB from her purse, she plugged it in and pulled up pictures of a young girl standing before a burning house. She attached them to a new email in response to the one she received. She hit send and closed her laptop and put it away.
A few minutes later, her black coffee arrived. She nodded her thanks and put one creamer cup in. She watched a young couple enter the diner with intertwined hands and take a seat on the far side. Officer Kim sighed. This was her favorite diner to go to. Here she could be away from her work and enjoy the perks of being alone.
Once her food arrived, she dug in hungry from the stress of that day. She took one last swig of her black coffee, paid the bill, grabbed her belongings, and left. Once back inside her car, she pulled out her phone and dialed a number. A man in a groggy but gruff voice answered.
"This better be good Angela."
"Sorry to wake you, but I sent the documents you requested. They took the bait and are doing exactly as you predicted. Our plan is a go."
"Good. They won't know what hit them and when they do, it'll be too late. You have my permission to initiate phase two. Code is ready to move when the hour comes."
"Copy that."
With that Officer Kim hung up the phone, opened her door, and crushed the phone with her boot. Satisfied she gathered the broken pieces, placed them in a bag, and stuffed them into her purse. She started the engine and drove out leaving a trail of dust in her wake.