March 25, 1981

Paris, France

Meeting of the United Nations

He wanted to scream. He wanted to scream until he couldn't talk. Not because he was afraid, maybe that was part of it, but mainly because of everything he felt and remembered when he thought of Adler. Seeing him just made everything that much worse. He pressed his back into the wall of the closest, with heavy breathing he could feel himself begining to feel lightheaded. From the corner of his eyes he began to see objects that weren't actually there. He was slowly losing it.

"It's not real..." he shook his head and repeated over and over to himself until he calmed down.

"Portnova." He remembered his mission and rushed out of the closet door after making sure he was out of sight to return down stairs.

"What took you so long?!" She said in a hushed tone.

"Had some... difficulties..." He drifted off as he kept his eye on Adler. He immidiatly regreted it when the man turned around. Their eyes held contact for the slightest of seconds.

"Who..?" Portnova became curious at what he was staring at.

"Don't! ... don't turn around." He cautiously advised her as he gripped her shoulder.

"We have a tail?"

"Something like that." He kept his eyes on hers the entire time as he felt Adler's gaze. He saw Park from the corner of his eye go towards the piano and tell the lady sitting there playing to take a break. Luckily she brought a prerecorded device to play for her or else he was sure their ears would bleed. He could tell she had planted her device and was awaiting further instruction from them when she looked in their direction.

"No, no, no." He whispered. He shut his eyes as he heard Adler's footsteps get closer and closer. His brain froze with no idea how to avoid him.

"Hey, no red flags, right?" She said with a look in her eye he didn't like.

He let out a regretful sigh. "No red flags." He said before she kissed him. Any eyes that were on them suddenly diverted back towards the big round table in the middle. He opened his eyes to see Adler's back once more as he walked away. "Clear." He said, wishing he had never even gone on this mission when he looked to his right to see Park looking at them. He cursed under his breath after he handed Portnova her device to go plant.

"Be quick about it, I think they are begining to suspect something." He whispered before she left. He pulled his hat down a bit more, trying to cover up as much of his face as possible without looking obvious. The ambassadors all sent multiple documents around the table as they signed their names and who they were representing.

"Sir, you'll be coming with me and your escorts." Adler said from behind him.

He felt every hair on his body stand up. From the way he managed to hold his act together this time, you really wouldn't have noticed how nervous he really was.

"Wrong person." Benedikt said in Norwegian, a language he wouldn't have recognized 'Bell' speak in. He spoke over his shoulder, not making eye contact as his eyes hid behind his fedora.

"My apologies." Adler replied back in norwegian. The man spoke to someone else just four people away from him.

"We're green, Comrade." Portnova returned by his side moments later.

"Good, let's get out of here." He said to her. They easily made their way out from the crowd. Park managed to regroup with them towards the entrance. It took everything he had not to go back and shoot Adler on the spot. Unfortunatly doing so would reveal to everyone of Perseus prescence. He only hoped the man would go up in flames from the explosion.

"Leaving so soon? The meeting isn't over. Spain was just about to sign as well." One of the French gaurds said, seeming quite suspisious of the three.

"I'v already signed. The President himself requests our immidiate return." Benedikt said easily. "Plus let's be honest, I'm just trying to escape from so much conversation. It can be draining talking to so many people about the state of your own country." He dragged.

"We're under strict protocol not to let anyone in or out until they finish their meeting. Your going to have to wait back inside like-" the gaurds weren't able to finish once the three swiftly took out the two.

Remembering not to kill them was a bit harder than he thought. Nobody could be killed until the explosion or else they might as well scream to the too of their lungs that they were all Perseus agents.

With the gaurds unconscious their driver rushed to come pick them up. Portnova sat up front while Benedikt and Park sat in the backseat.

"Blow it." Portnova said now that they were a decent distance away.

He took the remote from his jacket and pressed the red button. Seconds later there was a loud boom that roared from behind them. They all paused to look out of the window to see flames rise in the night sky.

"Beautiful.." Benedikt said in awe, his eyes locked on the explosion for a few seconds.

While Portnova began to talk to the driver he decided it to be the perfect opportunity to day something. "Are.. you upset?" He looked over towards his right as he spoke carefully.

She shot him a glare and never said a word. He could feel the tension even when they had returned home.

March 27, 1981

Moscow, USSR

Perseus Base

"You said you saw this.. Adler there, yes?" Perseus asked Benedikt as they all sat in the same roof from their breifing.

"Yes sir, the American." He confirmed. "I have no idea if he survived, knowing his annoying habit of staying alive it wouldn't suprise me if he evaded death once more." He hadn't told either of his partners about seeing the man on their mission. For one, one of them refused to even speak with him while the other was totally oblivious to the history of Adler, just explaining it would become exhausting.

"That is something I will keep an eye on." Perseus put a hand over his chin. "Anything else to report?" The older man looked around the small group sitting at the table.

"No sir, that will be all." Park spoke up as she rose to her feet and left the table, leaving the others.

"Give it time comrade, things will sort themselves out." Perseus assured Benedikt. By the way the younger man sighed and placed his hand over his eyes and forehead he only assumed what issues were going on. "Good work comrades, you have yet again made your country proud. Dismissed."