Chapter 6: Target Acquired
Mina Hibermeyer, codenamed Lioness, a petite strawberry blonde with glasses, strode briskly in her 15-centimeter heels and fresh office suit. She was heading directly for Hallows' station with certain urgency. She set aside the heavy metal door and entered the small, metal scented command room. She had known Hallows long enough to know he preferred operating small. He disliked big offices, big teams, in short, he was pitted against anything big. He much appreciated having small, highly trained crews that he could keep a watchful eye on. Quality over quantity, he would always remind her. His command centre was the very example of this philosophy. Some thirty people were in it, staring at multiple screens. Not a lot, of you have in mind services like the NSA have hundreds doing the same job just as efficiently as Hallows' thirty. He trained them well. Lioness knew he could get a bigger space, more people, just by asking. She admired him. Working tirelessly for Titan for over fifteen years, made a senior agent, a title he worshiped proudly for nearly a decade. She remembered her first day of her job as his secretary. Upon entering, she perceived she must have taken a wrong turn somewhere, for the room was standard agent issue. But there he was, standing above her, grim and professional. That was four years ago. In that time her initial disappointment turned to trust, respect. She had thought him a peculiar man, even bitter at times, but as time passed, Mina cracked the code that was Hallows and they became an inseparable team, joined by their colossal ambition and passion.
Over the years, command centre 1802, Hallows' division, changed very little. Few faces were new, as employees were usually really devoted to Hallows. The only constantly changing were the computers and other technologies, always being updated to fulfill modern standards. Behind her, Mina heard the routine click of the door closing behind her, leaving her in the room. One wall was fitted entirely with a 6x8 meter screen, which was compartmentalized into multiple smaller screens, representing what each station was currently doing. In front of the screens were four rows, shaped like a semi-circle, the next one elevated from the former. Each row had ten seats, each with it's own computer, headphones and other things, though some stations were empty. On the far left of the room was a minimalistic staircase, which took a sharp right turn, heading even higher. Up highest, was Hallows' cabinet, perched like a balcony with soundproof, bulletproof glass. Mina's heart skipped a beat, when she saw him, standing just as authorative and imposing as always, forehead creased in thought and anticipation. She let a smile escape her lips. He looked as ravishing as ever in his dark suit and tie. Upon seeing her, he made a slight motion with his hand for her to come and join him.
The inside of Hallows' cabinet was stunning. Three of the walls were glass and that terrified Mina, who was afraid of heights, but she had learned to manage her fears. The floor was one thick red rug, everything else was black; two elegant couches, a desk and a little kitchen with a coffee machine. She took the liberty of making herself a cup and heading back to Hallows, whose face was only inches from the glass, eyes locked firmly on the screen. She sipped her drink quietly.
"Something on your mind?" standing besides him, even in heels, she was at least five inches shorter than him.
"The search is very bothersome and difficult," he replied, his voice very deep and masculine.
"Care to elaborate?" she took another big gulp of the hot beverage.
For a moment, Hallows put one arm against the glass and leaned his head on it.,making her jump, for she was certain the glass would shatter, even though she knew it was perfectly safe. He took a big breath: "The mission is tiresome and given every day that passes, it's becoming more and more worrisome." he swore he could feel a headache beginning to form. The strawberry blonde looked at him, suddenly noticing how exhausted he appeared to be.
"Titan himself gave the order," he pulled himself away from the glass, leading his assistant to his desk. "I was to find a certain person, a very dangerous person." he turned on his computer, opening an image of a dark-haired blue-eyed young man. "A person Titan himself cannot find."
If the information shocked or surprised her, Mina Hibermeyer didn't let it show. It was her job to keep personal matters, opinions and emotions strictly personal. "I see. Even if this man has eluded Titan, he wouldn't be searching for him over some mere personal trifle, would he now?"
"No. Even though he has every reason to," Hallows made the picture be projected on a compartment of his screen wall: "But this fellow has proven himself to be quite the bother to someone who requires our services. You know the mission keeping divisions from 0700 to 1500 so busy?"
"Mission Pandemonium?" she looked at him as he gave a nod, signifying she understood. "I see." she turned her back towards the screen, hips leaning on the desk and fingers playing with her cup.
"You checked all the unusual places?" she asked, knowing that anyone smart enough to get away from Titan's iron grip wouldn't be found so easily.
"And in all the usual places. I'm desperate." he shook his head and chuckled slightly: "God knows that I've probably already found him, only I don't realize it. You see, there was a catch."
"A catch? Do tell," she spun back to the screen.
He ran his hand down his bald head: "One thing Titan knew for sure was, this renegade agent is a master of disguise. This image we have may be completely useless, for all I know. But there shall be repercussions. Who knows? Maybe he has orange hair now? Maybe he's dressed up as a beggar. Maybe he's a woman. If only we had something more tangible than looks. Genes, for example, DNA material. It's a common truth that genes don't lie."
"Whereas looks can deceive," she added, glaring thoughtfully at the screen. Even with the best technologies you couldn't track a person who truly wanted to lay low. Disguise is an impenetrable science nowadays.
Hallows turned towards her. Looks can deceive. His assistant had used Titan's exact phrasing of his problem. He had to resist the urge to shudder as he heard his eerie voice blow the sentence in his ear. What had he ever done to deserve this? He was getting a feeling his boss was trying to get rid of him. Was he fearing a power play? The rustle of Mina's skirt as she shuffled to the coffee machine snapped him back to reality sharp.
"Have you gotten any sleep?" she asked in a less forceful manner. "The coffee machine's been severely abused."
"I've been working for nine days, I got a few hours between days two and three and six and seven. I'm good. Why? It's so nice and touching to see you concerned for my well being." Hallows was in his feet again.
"Very funny," she retorted: "Wipe that smirk off your face."
"Last time I checked," he loomed over her in mock menacing and took her cup and gulped down what remained in it. "I was the boss here." Mina shifted away, a little disgusted, but that was just how they worked. Forever tormenting each other. She ducked under one of his arms, which given her height, wasn't hard.
So basically, it could be anyone. Our suspect, I mean." she posed herself arrogantly.
"Yep. To my everlasting misfortune - " he was cut off by a loud beep on his control panel. Then he heard the voice of one of his agents, speaking loud and clear, with barely sustained enthusiasm. Come quick. I've found something you'll like.
In the blink of an eye, they were at agent Trilla's side, the assistant momentarily forgetting her fear of heights when they had descended the precarious looking steep stairs. Agent Julia Trilla was a peculiar sight, but the best satellite image hacker and person tracker in their arsenal. She had an asphyxiation with the color purple. She wore contacts, which made her eyes a metallic purple and her hair was also dyed deep purple and fashioned into spikes. Her entire body was covered in black tribal tattoos; she even had two across her cheeks. Her ears had several piercings with loop earrings and her left eyebrow was pierced as well. She would always wear hip-hop clothing, but the style suited her. Hallows and Mina couldn't imagine her any other way. She was highly intelligent and had a habit of questioning everything.
She removed a set of headphones and hung them around her neck.
"Oh, you're here," she turned towards them: "Boy, you're getting faster each day. Look, I got a new tattoo!" she gestured to her elbow: "Isn't it neat?"
"That's all fine and well," Hallows sighed: "But what did you want me to see. Don't tell me that's it."
She gave him a death glare and typed away on her computer: "Geez, keep your pants on. You're gonna love this."
Julia pulled up a satellite feed image of a man with pale blue eyes and short curly hair. Mina leaned towards the screen, straightening her glasses in disbelief. The resemblance was striking. Hallows could not believe it. He still felt it had been too easy, that this wasn't the person they were looking for. The image wasn't identical, but was within the range of changes that can happen to someone in a couple of years. A new haircut, gaining or loosing weight? But something was amiss.
"Oxford Street, London. Taken three minutes ago." the purple-head chirmed in.
"Any thoughts?" the other woman asked upon seeing his perplexed expression.
"Not okay," he said in an estranged voice: "It's not okay. He still looks so familiar and yet so different. Why didn't he change his appearance more drastically?"
"Maybe that was his defense plan. To look so much like himself and change but a few details as to be inconspicuous and throw us off." agent Trilla remarked, catching his drift.
"Perhaps," he exhaled loudly: "But what if we're wrong? What then?"
It was Mina's time to shine: "We'll take someone who knew him with us. And if it's not him, well, we can always just kill him off." Hallows couldn't help but admire her unforgiving nature. Perfect for the job.
"Lioness, you're going with me. Julia;" he patted her shoulder; "Good job."
"Oh, I'm not done," she gave a twisted smile and pressed a single button on her control pad. A text box flew in and settled to place on the screen, beneath the dark head's face, bearing two words, a name.
Andrew Renner.
Author's Note: Now you know whom Titan had Hallows search for in Introduction. Or do you?
