Once I made sure all of my girls were eating, I dodged out of the dining hall to pull the bullet out- grabbing a roll on my way (because one did not simply neglect the Chiefs butter glazed rolls).
I grabbed the packet I had been neglecting to look through and snagged some equipment from Fibbs' lab.
Inside the file was a picture, name and occupation of the man I was going to assassinate- luckily, it was no one I knew.
Name: Rakim Adler
Occupation: Secret Service informant
His occupation revealed more questions than answers. Now I knew why the SS was trying to stop me, but how had they known the drop location? How did they know it was their informant we were after? I could try to set up a brief with a local handler, but I wasnt sure how much it would help.
I spat part of the buttered roll out when I seen the assination course. Two weeks from now he would be in woodrun, the town over from here, to attend a parade with his wife in an attempt to save their marriage. I didn't know how they were going to manage to set that precise plan in order- but as long as my hands were endgame... it didn't matter.
After I secured the file, I turned to the tools with a sigh.
Taking the bullet out was harder than I thought. I aggrivated the wound further by digging around in it and by the time I had it extracted, tears were streaming down my cheeks. I considered them traitors. I didn't like to cry but it wasn't only my tears that stopped me in my tracks. Couldn't I get a damn break?
I could feel horror etched into my face as I moved quickly through the room. I wrapped the bullet in a cloth, along with all of the instruments and grabbed my cell phone. I didn't waste time being calm and collected, I was running my full speed through the halls. Get away from Gallagher. Was the only thought forming through my head as I catapulted myself through the woods once I made it off campus. I knew their was blood oozing down the back of my shirt but I didn't care. I didn't even feel the evident pain. Get away from Gallagher.
I didn't stop running until I made it into a bathroom at the festival. It had only been here for a couple hours, and they were still setting up- so a crazy woman running wasn't something they thought anything of.
After I slid the deadbolt in place, I dumped the bloody equipment into the sink and slid the faucet as high as it would go until water was gushing from it. Then I took a better look at the bullet, my phone in hand as I dialed one of the only numbers I knew would never change.
"Trinity?" I questioned over the phone, after I heard a click, using the code word.
"Make it quick, I don't have a lot of time."
"I need to know what bullets the secret service have recently approved for field operation." I was desperate, I had to know I didn't endanger my sisters.
"You know I'm not supposed to-
"Dominican Republic. I told you about the bugs." There was a short pause, and I felt bad for using the Dominican Republic op. against her, but I had to know.
"A tracking bullet. It's supposed to attack the targets neuro system so they hallucinate- one subject reacted so violently that he remained unconcious for the better part of a day. It sends out radio signals once the shooter activates it, so the target can be found if they manage to escape."
"Thank you, Abby. I owe you."
"I'll collect."
That was the extent of our conversation. No 'I love yous' or sentimentality. Our relationship was always strained and professional after Matt and Warren were killed, but I had no idea why.
No sooner had I hung the phone up, the round bullet began to flash even brighter than when I had pulled it out of my skin, and I dropped it as it shocked me. Maybe that was a neutralizing agent?
I wrapped my tools in paper towels and stuck them down my shirt, hoping the scapel wouldn't cut me as I threw the bullet in the toilet bowl. It would lead the trackers to this bathroom where the assumed I would be passed out, but I would be across the way- keeping a very detailed report of who would be coming in and out of here.
I wrapped the tools in more paper towels and threw them out in the bathroom trash of a bar across the street. (After they scrapped my back one to many times for comfort).
Once I was in a good visual place in the darkly-lit, low key bar, I pulled my phone back out to place a call to my brother. Of course, I only received his voice mail.
"Hey, I'm missing the rest of class. Tell Ray it won't be a regular occurrence. If you could write on the board that they have an essay due on proper bullet extraction due at the end of class, I would love you forever. Be back later." (Of course this one sided conversation took place in Farsi since civilians would be a little worried).
It was a while before any town picked up, but I kept a steady flow of foods and drinks so the bar owner wouldn't toss me out. I had a perfect view of the bathroom, and was left alone until one brave woman approached me- sitting on the stool to my left.
"Hi, I'm Belle."
"Belle. Like beauty and the beast?" I asked, because, beauty she was.
"The one and only I'm afraid. My mother had an affliction for smart Disney princesses."
"I'm Clarice." I replied with a grin, sticking my hand out to her as I waited to see if she got my reference.
"That wouldn't be linked to hannibal lector now would it?"
"I'm afraid so. My mother had an affliction for cannibals it appears." She met my grin, but hers seemed more genuine.
"I have to admit. I loved the books, but I feel the movies didn't portray clarice right."
"Not many people would allow it to be known they read such... works of literature, but I agree." I said, trying to goade her, but she simply blushed- a very riveting action to watch.
"The movies portrayed Clarice as the weak girl who fell for a psychopaths games and was twisted into being fascinated with him, when in reality-
"She was the one who initiated their sexual relationship. I always pictured them as my second favorite fictional couple. Only behind Morticia and Gomez." I revealed and her eyes widened with happiness and she took my hand.
We sat their talking late into the afternoon, it was the most fun I'd had since forever.
She seemed to read my mind as the sun continued to go down, and handed me a pen. I wrote my private number down on her arm after brief hesitation. I didn't get the vibe that she wanted to kill me, but it's always a possibility. It didnt matter much, if she tried to search me- she'd find Clarice Dominique, one of my two full fledged aliases. They both came with drivers license, passports, offshore bank accounts and the whole works, but the my alias hadn't been used it a while.
"It was nice to meet you. I'll see you again soon?" She bit her lip after she asked, indicating she was nervous.
I didn't want to give her false hope, but I couldn't remember the last time I had done something reckless. Maybe it was high time I started. I couldn't make a promise I didn't know if I could keep, even if I wanted to.
"I- I hope so." I hadn't meant it when I thought of the answer, but as I said it... I knew I did.
She gave me a smile, and I committed it to memory. Down the the slight scar on her upper right lip, and I couldn't help but wonder how it was received.
I waited a few minutes after she left, and drank a shot of tequila before leaving myself. A lot of woman had gone into the bathroom during my time with Belle, but none had stood out from the rest.