p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"Icy, glacial, frozen, Arctic water poured into my throat while I breathed gulp after gulp of it, it went down my trachea, my lungs, not even my mechanical filters preventing the high intake of liquid. Briny, salty, burning and at the same time, so cold. No worst-case scenarios to be invoked, as this was THE quintessential worst scenario, me in a death trap hundreds, if not thousands, of metres into the depths of the sea, its terrifying maw open, swallowing me whole, me and the hundreds of people in the premises above me, dragged by that bulwark of metal and concrete which was collapsing, irremediably. I had made my choice and I felt that I should be accepting this, embracing my fate, calm and even relieved. However, survival is a strong primeval instinct, and my mind still tried to look for solutions, for a way out, even if I knew perfectly there was none. Terrified, darkness embraced me, my heartbeat thrumming so loudly in my ears it almost drowned the rushing waters around me. Far in the distance, a feminine voice screamed my name, desperate, desolate, asking for help, for my help, but I had failed…there was nothing that could be done for her, not anymore./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"My body jolted and I gulped breath after breath of air, as if I had just been pulled out of sea. I opened my eyes and perceived the relieving sight of the lamp dangling from the ceiling above me, and the fan lazily turning overhead. I bit my lips hard, trying not to utter a sound, then violently buried my face into one of the pillows, hoping it would drown every groan, every whimper (God, even giving it such a name made me feel so weak) fighting to escape. My heartbeat was still drumming on my ears, and an irksome warning message appeared on my field of view, concernedly remarking how high my vitals were. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""You don't say," I croaked in a low voice, when I felt capable of saying something minimally coherent, while I rolled over myself to lie on my back. I stared at the ceiling, at the slanted slices of light seeping through the window, my chest still rising and falling. Those fucking nightmares again, would they ever leave me alone? "Probably not," answered an idle voice inside me, the one I didn't like hearing./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"It was still extremely early, it hadn't even started to dawn. I turned to lie on my side and closed my eyes, trying to go back to sleep. However, after a while, I decided that it was to no avail, I might as well do something productive. Going to the TF and looking into the Ruzicka station affair, for example; I still rankled a bit at the fact that I hadn't been assigned the Dubai case, but I was not about to lock horns with Miller when I knew the battle was lost. The train station attack was a diversion, I was positive about it, but maybe it would be worthwhile finding something more out./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"Thus, I got up and started to get dressed, trying to be as silent as possible, as the hacker was bound to be still sleeping. I slid my gun into my holster and then closed the door softly behind me, activating my stealth systems so as not to cause any unnecessary noise. I would have to take my coffee at the TF, as the racket my own machine made was enough to rouse the dead. Luckily, I didn't feel hungry at the time, and I had a little stash of cereals in the office. I left the room surreptitiously, moving about smoothly in the semi-darkness thanks to my Smart Vision. I spied a bulge on the sofa, under which the hacker lay tucked into a ball. My brows furrowed slightly remembering the quasi-argument we had had the day before. I picked my coat, slid into it, and then crept out of my flat, making sure the door clicked, which meant no one could open it from the outside. I tugged the lapels of my coat as far up high as possible and wrapped myself in it, trying to fend off the cold, which made me reminisce too much of the dream I just had./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"My mind came back to the day, a shitty day that had started going downhill at work, as I hadn't been able to advance an inch with the train station attack. Smiley had to decode the DSD I had managed to fetch for him, but he had dodged the issue when I had tried to ask him when he would have it ready, so I would have to wait and look for other clues. I knew the best course of action would be trying to ask the witnesses what they had seen, but I would have to wait until I was cleared off by Miller, and he still had to smooth things over with the State Police, as they were still reluctant to hand the case over to the TF. However, until then, I could try to get my bearings about that train station, find out more about the security systems they used, how it could even be possible that an augmented man with a bag full of explosives could have easily gone through, if there was foul play involved. I wouldn't put past the government itself having blown up the train station to have an excuse to clamp down on ARC, it was not as if it hadn't happened before, after all, hadn't the Nazis blamed the Reichstag's fire on a communist to ban the party?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"To top it off, MacReady had called me to his office so he could chew me out and mock me in different ways for my report about my part in Dubai as, according to him, it was shallow, insufficient and incoherent, which would mean writing it from scratch until it reached his stupidly high standards. So, after restraining myself from punching him in the face for almost twenty minutes, I had spent the rest of the day trying to rewrite it as he liked, if only to make him shut up. Writing reports had never been my forte, having to retell at length a case I had already solved, explaining every minute detail, bored me senseless. Then, after leaving headquarters, I was held up in a police control for almost half an hour, although the cop there had no grounds whatsoever to do so, I supposed he just wanted the pleasure of exerting his power over an Aug. Finally, when I had come back to the apartment, wishing nothing more than to forget such a long and lousy day, I had spied some field distortion down the corridor, something which would have been unappreciable for a human eye, but not for mine. I had immediately activated my Smart Vision and discovered the hacker, obviously trying to get into the house stealthily behind me. On the spur of the moment, I had decided to play along and pretend I wasn't conscious of her presence, curious as to how she planned to do it. I had to recognise that, if I hadn't been aware of her being there and if my senses were not so ridiculously enhanced thanks to my Augs, I would have probably paid no heed to the gust of air she created while going past me, or the creak of a loose floorboard in the hall. I supposed her idea was to somehow sneak into the bathroom so I wouldn't be any the wiser./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"I would lie if I said that her sneakish ways hadn't made me feel vexed, but mostly, it had been that feeling of duplicity, that she couldn't speak in a straight way from the beginning. I hadn't expected her to be working for the CNI, not at all, although I already had some founded suspicions that she was more than a hacker, a journalist, or whatever her official cover was. It was not that I doubted where her loyalties lay, as this was information that, in all probability, Janus was privy to. Hell, she had even said Janus had made a point of getting in touch with her when she had started working for her people. However, what made a corporate IT engineer, working for the Palisade (even if she had been dismissed after the Incident) turn to governmental spying? More than that, just like me, she was a double agent, as she, in fact (hopefully), worked for the Collective. It was plain to see that she did not trust me enough, not at the time at any rate, although I reluctantly could admit she had a point, probably fearing that emI /emwas a traitor, that I was, in fact, faithful to the TF and just spying on the Collective on their behalf, that I could understand./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"Nevertheless, what was really a problem was not her lack of trust, but the people who were going after her. The intel she had found in the Palisade looked terribly solid, and a man had already disappeared because of it, a man who was probably already dead. Wasn't she conscious of the danger she was in? Or was she just reckless? Why couldn't she just stay put and not get into trouble? /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Oh, but would you?" asked an irksome voice inside me. Despite myself, a smirk tugging at my lips, I had to recognise to myself that I wouldn't, that my duty, or what I felt was my duty, would come before saving my own hide. It was clear she was committed to the Collective's cause, although I still had to find out the precise reason, what really made her tick. Those days I had been able to notice how, under all her practicality and apparent cynicism, there were ideals as well, and a strong sense of commitment, otherwise she wouldn't put her life at risk. Fishing out a cigarette and lighting it, I decided to walk to the TF, it would give me time to think, and the streets were fortunately deserted at those early hours (and woe betide anyone lurking and believing I would be easy prey)./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"While sucking in a deep puff of smoke, I tried to make a rough profile of my guest with the information I had available. Based on what I already knew, I could make a few educated guesses. First of all, working for both the Collective and Samizdat, I could tell that, besides wanting to do something against all the fucking evil this world kept churning out, she was rather anti-establishment. Add to that the comments on Picus and the Czech Police, and it was plain to see she didn't like authority or authoritativeness either (although, being an Aug in Prague, I could completely understand her mistrust towards the police). This made me remember my demeanour the other day, as well as the day I had "escorted" her to do maintenance on her antennas, trying to see it from her point of view: a dictatorial bastard she barely even knew bossing her around. Looking back, I realised how uncouth and boorish I must have appeared, no matter how well-meaning my intentions were. I, who prided myself so much in smoothing my way through almost any conversation, just by persuading people, among them some of the biggest scoundrels I had ever met, or men like David Sarif or Hugh Darrow. I felt a sudden heat to my face that had nothing to do with the glitches I had been suffering due to my augmentations./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"Furthermore, independent as she was, obviously used to doing as she pleased, even if she worked for an organisation, she couldn't have taken kindly to me trying to stop her from doing what she believed correct or her job. As someone who liked working alone (I knew for a fact that some people at the TF had labelled me a lone wolf), and with both Miller and MacReady remarking what and insubordinate cock-up I was almost on a daily basis, I could wholeheartedly relate to this. Of course, I could work in a team if necessary, you couldn't become a SWAT commander otherwise, I had to take care of my men, made sure we had each others' backs…maybe that was it? I had to somehow bring her over, convince her that I was on her side, which I was. And that probably meant trusting she could take care of herself, and I couldn't really stop her from carrying out her tasks, especially if she had a cover to maintain with the CNI, it would jeopardise the Collective's work, and herself. If she didn't do her assignments, her bosses would investigate why, and if they found out she was a mole, she would pay for spying and treason, most probably. No, she would have to carry on./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"I frowned, twirling my cigarette between my thumb and my index before flicking the butt away. The problem was that she was in danger, with those assholes after her…although, realistically, they had no way of knowing where she could be, there were no ties between us, no connection that could give away that my apartment was her safehouse. However, I couldn't help wondering whether I had been too hasty when I accepted her, if I would have taken her in had I known the whole situation would be so complex. But I also knew I wouldn't have forgiven myself if something had happened to her if I hadn't, Alex had no room and, if those bastards found both of them, what could they realistically do? No, I had already committed myself, so the best solution would be just speaking to her, reaching an agreement./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"Deep in thought as I was, I had barely noticed that I had reached Praha Dovoz, the small, nondescript store that served us as cover. Being closed, I slipped past another door that led to a small yard, opened the window and slid into the store, making sure no one had seen it. Hadn't anybody realised that the same people kept going in and out of that place? And some of us were very easily recognisable, I was conscious that, if I didn't make a conscious effort to blend, I stuck out like a sore thumb, and then there was MacReady, with that big scar of his and always marching like the little British soldier he was, or Miller, at whom you only had to look to see that he, somehow, called the shots./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"The elevator slid down smoothly, biosensors aiming at my body to detect whether I was friend or foe. When I came in, the main room was unusually quiet, only a couple of analysts sat before their computers, probably the people who preferred the night shift. To be honest, I didn't feel like immersing myself in a pile of paperwork and dozens of profiles to look, so maybe I could drop by the shooting practice and maybe even land some hits at the punching bag, it never hurt to train one's reflexes. Besides, at that time of the day, the gym would be empty, no one to see how the freakish machine-man hit a reinforced bag with all his forces. Thus, I went to the dressing room and rummaged in my cabinet for a T-shirt and track pants I had there in case I wanted to practise. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"Making sure there was indeed nobody, I changed and walked to the bag. Although pretty pointless thanks to Sarif, as having the augments I had made all sorts of exercise unnecessary, I still preferred to work out frequently, it helped me relax, and I didn't want to be excessively confident about them, you could never know when they wouldn't be available, as past experiences had taught me. A few minutes later, my fists, elbows and legs collided again and again against the 200 kg bag, which doubled the rest in size, but still swung to and fro as if it was a normal one, the booming collisions being drowned by thick walls, thankfully./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"A while later, drenched in sweat, I walked to the showers, glad to have the whole place for myself, no other guys having some locker room talk in which I had no interest at all, while I hurriedly dressed inside the shower cubicle. It was so different back in the SWAT, where you could even walk around butt-naked and nobody would bat an eye, with my people, commenting or complaining about the last mission. However, there it wasn't the same, I had noticed how the other guys fell silent when I entered the room, even if they were quite polite upstairs. But it wasn't like that down there; they stayed silent, yes, but it was an eloquent silence. They were saying, quite clearly "You don't belong in here". Therefore, in order to avoid that kind of situations and so as not to have to parade my augmented, half-naked, self around, I preferred to come there when there was no one to be seen. I stepped into the shower, washed myself fast, and got dressed. As usual, I had kept my gaze purposefully averted the whole time from the big mirror on the wall, but I checked it for a second to fix my hair, then went out to the shooting range, I might as well get some practice to keep my shooting skills sharp. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"In contrast to the gym, there was someone in the shooting range, but it was Aria, who besides being the quartermaster and having every right to be there, was by far the nicest person in that damned bunker, at least towards me. She was cleaning a shooting gun, but she lifted her head when she heard me and then beamed broadly./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Hi there, Adam, isn't it a bit too early for you?" she wondered, I allowed myself to smile, more relaxed than when I had left my house./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Thought I'd hit the gym for a while and then practice some shooting, must stay sharp," I commented. "Isn't it a bit early for you as well? Thought you usually came later, she shook her head, still smiling./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""That's just because you come in sooo late. No, I usually come early, and today I've got a ton of work to do, so here I am. I have also practiced a bit, though my chances of using a weapon for real are practically non-existent," her smile faded slightly at this. She had told me about her story before; besides me, she was the only augmented agent, and they apparently wouldn't let her out on the field on the grounds of her stress levels making her need more Neuropozyne./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""I know, it's really unfair. Wish I could do something; I could always try to persuade MacReady into recommending you or something, but we don't really get along and I'd probably end up making things worse for you," I said ruefully. I sincerely felt for her, she, who just wanted to contribute to the cause and wouldn't be allowed due to some technicism, another example of the discrimination Augs suffered./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Don't worry about that," she said bracingly, although I could see gratefulness in her doe brown eyes. "They'll eventually come around, I'll just have to train harder," my lips twitched at her optimism, partly envying her capacity to think the best of people./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""I do hope so," I agreed; suddenly, a voice blared through one of the speakers:/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Aria Argento, please go to the Cyber Crime division," said a feminine and impersonal voice, Aria rolled her eyes, obviously exasperated./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Bet that is Chang, he's been more paranoid than ever since that attack…probably wants to change the passwords AGAIN. Better go there before he gets an artery burst or something…it was nice seeing you, Adam," she stood up, shouldering the gun she was cleaning, probably to stash it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Same here, Aria," I answered while I picked some bullets for the practice./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Oh, and, by the way, some analysts, Smiley and I are thinking about going out this Friday for a beer or two, we've earned it, would you be down for it?" she cocked her head expectantly./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Thanks for the offer, really, but I think I'll pass, I already have some plans for the weekend," I said vaguely, although I sincerely regretted seeing the disappointment in her face. "Next time, perhaps?" I asked, tyring to soften the blow, although I knew that, if that invitation ever came again, I would reject it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Sure, something will come up soon. See you later, OK?" she said, beaming once more. I nodded while I checked my gun./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"When she left, I started firing away round after round, trying to be as fast as possible. I really appreciated Aria's efforts regarding integrating me into the Task Force, probably thinking I felt lonely. However, and even though Janus had encouraged me to get as close as possible to the members of the TF as a good source of gossip and rumours which could lead to further information, I just didn't feel like it. It was already bad enough having to lie through my nose the whole day, keeping a double life, feeling like a cheat whenever someone like Aria was truly nice towards me. Befriending others would just mean more lies, having to hide my other activities for the Collective, finding excuse after excuse. No, it was easier if I kept everyone at arm's length. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"Besides, I had already gotten used to being alone; in fact, I had never been much of a people person, merely keeping a few good friends by my side, especially when I was at the DPD. However, after quitting, in my bitterness, I had ended severing most ties I had there, even with people who had been there for me after I had broken up with Megan. Later, after the surgery, my circle had become more and more reduced; I could see their awkwardness, the foreboding in their eyes when they saw my augmented hands, the frames at both sides of my face, when not my eerily augmented eyes. Thus, I had closed almost everyone out of my life, maybe in a cowardly manner, but back then I just couldn't be around people; there was so much rage in me, that they could get hurt if I wasn't careful, if I lost control of what they had put in my body. But, most of all, I couldn't bear how they looked at me either with pity or fear. Losing my focus, I missed a shot and rumbled a curse under my breath./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"Deciding that I had been at it long enough, I picked up my trench coat from the locker and left the shooting range. Before climbing the stairs to the Counter Terrorism division, though, I went to the kitchenette in the main hall to prepare myself a good mug of coffee and nab a bottle of milk. I smelled it tentatively and decided it was good (although my Sentinel would prevent me from getting sick) and took it upstairs with me. I plopped down before my desk (the department was still empty at that time) and I poured some milk and Crunchy Pirates I conveniently kept nearby into a used bowl, which I didn't bother cleaning. Munching on my breakfast, I turned on my laptop and started checking my email, steeling myself for what promised to be a long, probably unproductive morning looking for some clue./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"I was perusing the plans of the train station, checking any secondary entrances the terrorist might have used to elude the Czech police (How the fuck hadn't they detected a bag chockfull of explosives!?), when the woman blared again through the speakers. This time it was for me./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Agent Jensen, report immediately to the Director's office," I frowned. What could it be? Probably regarding my assignment, I just prayed it was not because they had somehow discovered the whisper chip…I got up from the table, noticing the sidelong glances of some of my colleagues who had already come in to work and whose presence I had merely acknowledged with nods or non-committal grunts. I arranged my face into the best poker face I could muster and purposefully walked to Miller's office./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"As usual as of late, Jim Miller looked disgruntled, fire in his otherwise steely eyes. He was sitting behind his desk, toying impatiently with a chess piece, as I had seen him do in other occasions when he was nervous. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Jensen, are you looking into Ruzicka's attack?" he barked the moment I went through the threshold of his office./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Y'sir, I'm waiting for Smiley to analyse the DPD…" I answered immediately./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Well, stop looking into it immediately, and tell Fletcher to leave it as well, investigation has been put on hold," he replied, all of a sudden. I felt how the carefully curated indifferent expression I had when I had entered crumbled./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""What? What do you mean it has been put on hold?" I blurted out, totally thunderstruck./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Orders from above, just received a call to tell me. Apparently, the Czech government is still going about the homegrown menace thing or something, saying it is for them to investigate," answered Miller, he looked tired, and the dark circles under his eyes seemed even more prominent./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""That's the same shit they pulled out when I went down there to get the DPD, any chances they know we took it and are trying to make things harder for us?" I asked, wondering if I had bungled it all up; the mission had not been completely smooth, as I had to knock out one of the cops there./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Doesn't look like it, otherwise they would have complained loudly about it. Apparently, your presence went unnoticed, that cop conveniently had anaemia, which would account for having passed out. Still, they do not like us meddling with this, so for the time being I've been told to let it wait until they manage to smooth things over, as a gesture of good faith until everything is settled or something of the sort," he explained sourly./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""A hundred or so people dead and almost twice as many injured and they want us to wait? What the hell are they playing at?" I growled, unable to contain myself any longer, completely outraged./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Fuck me if I know. It's just fucking politics getting in the way once again. Let's hope they don't take too long deciding, whoever put that bomb may well do it again," he leaned on the table with his elbow and rubbed his eyes for a second, fatigue reflected in every fibre of his being, then he regained his composure and looked at me once more. "So, for the time being, forget about it, but don't worry, I'll be sending some assignments to you, you'll have the info in your email in a few minutes, I've told the Organized Crime unit to send it to you," he concluded./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""The Organized Crime Unit, director? With all due respect, but I don't know how I could help there, I was under the impression I worked in Counter Terrorism," I rejoined, although trying to keep my tone civil, Miller studied me with his aquiline gaze, measuring me./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""We have reason to believe these cases are somehow related to ARC, and taking into account that they could be the ones behind the train station attack, I'd rather check. Besides, this work requires someone who has experience in the police, and right now Vincent Black is under cover in another mission," he clarified, although for a second I had thought he was about to tell me to shut up and get my ass out of his office./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Alright, sir, I'll look into it," I concluded./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Right, just what I wanted to hear, you may go, Jensen," I nodded slightly and left, my nostrils flaring in frustration, but not allowing myself to display what I felt more obviously. I immediately called Alex through my Infolink and started to subvocalize, but not before making sure no one was looking at me./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Alex, bad news, the Ruzicka train station investigation has just been put on hold."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""You gotta be kidding me, man. You haven't been at it even three days or so, have you? What the hell happened?" she inquired./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""I don't know, Miller says it comes from the big shots, apparently, they want to smooth things over with the Czech police, I told you we had some trouble claiming jurisdiction. Well, they're still reluctant to give it to us, so Interpol has decided to suspend it for the time being," I explained while I sat before my desk, pretending nothing was amiss./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""emAquí huele a mierda/em, and you know it, Adam, that Miller and the scumbags he has for bosses are up to something," she hissed, irately./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Miller didn't look too happy about it. Well, I guess we will have to wait, in the time being they are going to give me some assignments of my own, sorry for being the bearer of such bad news," I added, I felt just as disappointed as she did, if not more, I was hoping to get those motherfuckers and make them pay, I felt a woman's broken hand going limp in mine, crushed under a pile of rubble while her kid pleaded her to wake up, I ground my teeth together at the memory./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""It's not your fault, man. But it looks as if we were being blindsided every fucking time," she replied, sounding calmer./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""I know. Let's hope they don't take too long, I'll let you know as soon as I have more news," I answered, slumping on my swivel chair and pinching the bridge of my nose tiredly. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"When the transmission was over, I just sat there listlessly, feeling extremely apathetic. Despite my initial complaints to Miller regarding the assignment of the Ruzicka attack instead of the Dubai case, I had really wished to get to the root of it and, most of all, make sure that those people, no matter their reasons, spent the rest of their sorry lives behind bars, where they wouldn't be able to harm anyone else. After a while, I forced myself to check the email and see what Miller wanted me to do. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"Apparently, the city had been invaded by a new drug, neon, in the few last months. It wasn't something extremely new, as I had already heard of it when I was in the DPD, but its consumption had been marginal. However, it had been reported that more and more people were using it in Prague, and the Task Force feared that, somehow, part of the profit was being invested into other criminal activities like the terrorist attacks the city had suffered, or that the Dvali were behind it, although it appeared unlikely for what I knew about them. However, if it somehow led to them, maybe it would be a good opportunity to get close to that mob and find Markus' kidnappers and the people behind Aurora…The hacker, another issue I had to solve. It was of the essence that we made things right…but that would have to wait, for the time being, I had work to do./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"…../span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"Gasping for breath, I sat up, rubbing my bum after doing fifty sit ups on that hardwood floor. Drenched in sweat, I got to my feet, feeling better than I had the whole day, even the pinching sensation around the seams of my arms had stopped for a while thanks to stretching. Working out always calmed my frayed nerves, and today was not different, after a pointless search for Markus' captors and agonising about the prospect talk I wanted (although I was not sure whether "want" was the right word) to have with my host. Quite clearly, he was still angry at me, as when I had woken up he was nowhere to be seen, so I had deduced he had preferred to leave for work early in order for our paths not to cross. However, I was conscious that, if we left that misunderstanding unaddressed, it would probably blow out of proportion at the most unexpected moment. I went to the shower and washed myself, which managed to help me relax. But the respite was short-lived. I frowned while I dried myself; most of all, I knew my behaviour had been less than proper, especially bearing in mind how he had decided to help me, how I was using his place at will while he wasn't there, how I was encroaching on his privacy./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"After that, I got dressed and decided to work for a bit longer until he was home, if only to take my mind off things and stop myself from mulling over what I wanted to say. However, only a few minutes later, I heard the door clicking open, and, through the corner of my eye, spied the tall and black-clad figure of the ex-cop./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Hey," he rumbled quietly in that low voice of his, I tried to detect any tinge of displeasure or annoyance in it, but found none, although it could just be his usual phlegm./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Hey," I answered, biting my lower lip, feeling troubled, and forced myself to look back at the computer while I left him to his own devices. I didn't know where to start. Should I speak or just leave it for a bit later? Deciding it was probably best if I did it immediately, before I got cold feet, I stood up, still feeling irresolute./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Mmmmmmhhhh, Adam, would you mind terribly if we spoke for a minute? I promise it won't take long," I said, walking near to where he was, standing by the window and leaning over it, lighting a cigarette./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Not at all. In fact, I also wanted to have a word with you," he said, turning to look at me. "Maybe we should sit," he proposed, pointing with his chin towards the sofa. Feeling more awkward than ever before in my entire life, I complied and waited for him to quench the ember of his cigarette against the windowsill, then let him take a seat on the other side of the couch, elbows resting against his knees, I had already opened my mouth to speak when I was outran by him:/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""First of all, I wanted to apologise," at this, my eyes opened like saucers, and I positively gawked at him, totally caught unawares. Hadn't I been so sure of the soundness of my English knowledge, I might have thought that I hadn't correctly understood him./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Wait, what? What do you mean by 'apologise'" I blurted out, studying his expression, trying to look for sarcasm or mockery in it. However, he looked sincere, as earnest as usual./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""About my behaviour yesterday, I had no right to give you such a third degree, not the way I did, by any means. It hadn't been a good day for me, and I'm afraid I took it out on you," still flabbergasted by his "apology", I eyed him, not quite believing what I was seeing and hearing. He would have been the last person I would have ever expected to admit being wrong about something./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Well, yeah, I didn't really appreciate you interrogating me and trying to boss me around, but I think I get why you did it, still, I should be the one to say I'm sorry, I behaved like a total bitch…" I countered./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Wouldn't have said 'total bitch', maybe just a little bitchy," he looked slightly more relaxed, and even about to crack a smile, I also would have sworn his tone was slightly less grave, probably trying to make less of my behaviour and be polite about it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""You don't have to be so diplomatic, you know? You had good reason to be angry at me, with me hiding my position at the CNI and Samizdat and everything, I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner but…" I explained myself./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""But you weren't going to tell someone you barely know and in whom you don't completely trust," he cut in./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Well, I mean, I don't distrust you, I wouldn't have come here otherwise, but…" I didn't know how to put it, and I didn't want to risk offending him, however, he raised the palm of his augmented palm in a conciliatory gesture./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Hey, I get it, it's just what I would do. Believe it or not, I know the position you are in, the less people who know about your activities, the better; I'm a double agent myself, after all, I can put myself in your place. However, I just wanted to make clear that I'm on your side, and that I want to help," he was leaning slightly forward, as if willing me to believe him, and there was something in his eyes that compelled me to do so, no matter whatever misgivings I might still had had./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""I know that as well, you wouldn't have accepted to bring me to your place otherwise, would you? I take you were angry at me hiding such an important thing from myself, something you felt could endanger yourself and your own mission, and I understand it. I would like to say that not realising you should have known it was just plain oversight on my part, but…well, after two years of doing pretty much as I pleased, it kind of pissed me off how you tried to lord me over, I guess," I clarified, the uncomfortable knot on my throat starting to ease up, his lip curled up ruefully at this./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Oh, believe me when I tell you that, if you were to ask all the superiors I have ever had, they would all agree I'm not very fond of following the chain of command either, and I guess some would even go as far as to call me insubordinate, so I can relate with that as well," his tone was a mix between self-deprecating and sardonic, however, his demeanour and tone changed once more, they became more sober. "But I also believe that what you did yesterday was rather reckless, your situation is not to be taken lightly."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""I know, I can assure you. In fact, now that we are being totally honest, I must confess I am scared shitless," I admitted, at this, something in his gaze somehow softened ever so slightly. "I don't want to end up like poor Markus, but I also know I have work to do, and that if I let those bastards from Picus, the Dvali, the Illuminati or whatever scare me, I'm just letting them win, and I wouldn't want Markus'…sacrifice…to go to waste, he made sure I could escape, so the best way I think I have of repaying him is by going on, not just cowering on some corner." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""That's something I can respect. However, I don't think Markus would have wanted you to put yourself at risk unnecessarily," he pointed out. "However, I do realise now that, having two covers such as the ones you have, and taking into account that you must maintain them and that I can't really do anything to help you with that, I was hoping we could reach an understanding of sorts," his gaze was locked in mine in that way which looked as if he was using X-rays on me, although now that I knew he had a social enhancer, it wasn't really far from it, was he using it on me?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""An understanding? I see," I felt frankly interested, I hadn't expected him to make a proposal that would work for both of us, just that he was going to chew me out, tell me not to leave his place again without permission, and be done with it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Yeah. Obviously, if you are still here and have managed to maintain your cover since you joined the Collective, I guess I will have to trust your judgement not to put yourself at risk unnecessarily, I'm not going to stop you from doing your job. However, just for the sake of my sanity, would it be much to ask that, if you emreally/em, emabsolutely /emneed to go out because of something related to the CNI or Samizdat, you keep me in the loop?" he looked at me quizzically./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""That sounds very…sensible," I concluded, still rather nonplussed by how well he was taking the whole affair, he nodded slightly, his shoulders sagging slightly in relaxation./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""That's the idea. After all, we're on the same side, last thing we need is being a hindrance for each other," he pointed out./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Fucking A…By the way, I also wanted to thank you…for being so reasonable. I kind of expected you to use your drill sergeant tone on me, or do a good cop-bad cop routine to make me step behind the line," I commented, allowing myself to relax as well./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""The good cop-bad cop routine is just for questioning," he noted quietly, the beginnings of a subtle smile on his mouth./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Well, you get the idea. I also wanted to say sorry for my lack of teamworking skills and that kind of thing. I mean, I don't want to excuse myself by saying that it's because I'm a hacker and all that, although I can tell most of us are very particular about how we work…" I said./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""That I know, I've worked with hackers before and I know you can be…" he left the sentence unfinished, probably looking for the right expression./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Insufferable jerks?" I offered, trying to be helpful, unable to hide a wry smile now. He, however, grinned more widely than I had ever seen him before and snorted through his nose, stifling a laugh. I couldn't help but feel quite proud at having made laugh such a sober guy./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Wouldn't have put it quite like that, but I guess it's kind of fitting," he answered, trying to revert to his usual poised expression, although there was still mirth in his eyes./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Believe me, it is, and usually, the more capable the hacker, the bigger the asshats they are," I said with a lopsided smile. "Water under the bridge, then?" I asked, rather encouraged by how relaxed he looked now, standing up and proffering a hand as if we were closing a deal./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Yeah, sure," he answered, leaving the couch as well and shaking my hand with a firm grip, although it could simply be due to the strength of his augs. "I'm glad we talked about it," he added./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""So am I, we are on the same side, after all, aren't we?" I concluded. "I'm going to work for a little longer, but if at any point you feel hungry, just tell me and we prepare something," I said while I sauntered back to my computer again./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Are you working on the database? I'll take a shower and come help you with it," he answered while he stretched his neck. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""There's no way I'll convince you of doing otherwise, is there? Alright, although after spending the whole day investigating that train station attack, I should think you've earned some rest," I accepted, by then I knew better than trying to persuade him, he huffed a mirthless laugh./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""If only, it just got put on hold, just my luck," he explained, his tone quite bitter./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Wait, put on hold?" I asked, my fingers slipping on a key due to the shock./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""You heard it. I'll take a shower and fill you in," he concluded, then marched away to the bathroom, I nodded silently and went back to my work./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"I had managed to scan over a few more profiles when he came out, his hair still wet and looking a lot less tense, bringing with him his swivelling chair. I waited for him to get his laptop and sit down, eager to hear about the affair he had mentioned before./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""So, put on hold, you said? I hope that was just a joke," I asked, unable to contain myself anymore./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""I don't make a habit of joking, wish it was, though," he said, a lopsided and rueful smile on his mouth./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""But, how could they?" I asked, feeling incensed, my mind couldn't wrap around the fact that the deaths of hundreds of innocents would be left unavenged./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Politics, we had trouble claiming jurisdiction in the first place, the Czech Police wants it for themselves, so now the TF has to fight for it against them like two dogs for a scrap of meat," his jaw was now set in anger./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Wasn't the TF supposed to cut through all the red tape or something of the sort?" I wondered, still utterly baffled./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""It should, but people in the high spheres just love having their pissing contests, I guess," he said quite glumly./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Sounds very fishy, someone up there doesn't want this investigated in the first place, and behind all that we will probably find the people we are trying to bring into the light," I said, my tone as sombre as his./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Don't think that possibility hasn't gone through my head. Still, I think that attack was a diversion so that we wouldn't pay as much attention to the Dubai affair," he countered./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""But, according to Alex, they wanted your division to see something there, didn't they? That's why they sent you instead of Oman's squad," I replied./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""I know, but who knows how all their little plans fit in their great scheme of things, that's how they work, moving one pawn or another, spinning their web," even though his tone was rather calm, there was righteous anger in his eyes./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Yeah, those sneaky bastards. So, what will you do now? Weren't you the one investigating that case?" I inquired./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Miller has given me other assignments to occupy myself with in the meantime, let's hope it won't take them too long to solve the issue," he commented, looking pensive and pulling at his beard, a tic I had noticed before. "Wish I could know who is trying to keep everything hush hush, though," he added, more to himself than anything./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""If you want, I could look into it," I offered, rather eager to help him somehow, after putting up with me and, to top it off, helping me with my own stuff. His eyes, which had wandered away in thought, focused back on me immediately, the rings around his pupils swivelling into place./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Could you? I mean, you must have a ton of work as it is, I don't want to add to it," somehow, he seemed reluctant to accept my help. It made sense, though, probably being more used to be the one on whom people depended, the guy to whom everyone turned for help. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""You should talk, you must be up to your neck in the TF, and yet you insist on helping me. It won't be a problem, honestly. I can take a look into the big shots' emails and see who's behind everything, I could always start with the asshole whose computer I'm mirroring," I said./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Is it manageable then?" he probed, clearly tempted./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Yeah, pretty much. It will be even easier than getting into that git's computer, once I have a string from which to pull, I can easily hack other accounts," I insisted. I sincerely wanted to help him and, of course, find out who was behind that ham-handed attempt at covering up the affair./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""I'd really appreciate it, then, once again, if you can't…"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""I will, just leave it to me," I interrupted him, bringing the discussion to an end./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Ok. Back to other matters, where do you want me to look today?" he asked, nodding towards the computer. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Only 300 more profiles to check, with some luck we will be done by tomorrow, which is good, because if I had to check any more I would fling myself through the window," I said grimacing, he snorted through his nose at my pretended dramatism. "Let's hope we find it, otherwise it will have been an utter waste of time," I commented, mostly to myself, feeling dismal all of a sudden, and guilty as well. As if it was a mantra, I repeated to myself that there was nothing to be done for Markus, with any luck we could, perhaps, somehow avenge his death, but nothing else. Feeling troubled, I tore my eyes away from Adam's inquisitive gaze and looked instead at the computer, trying to hide the turmoil in my head and concentrate on that damned list./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"We worked well into the night, and yet there was no sign of our mysterious man with the tiger tattooed on the head. I rubbed my eyes tiredly, I had been a great part of the day before my laptop and at that point I was feeling the effects. I raised my eyes to my companion, who held his forehead against a black and gold augmented fist, his eyes lost in space, clearly not having the heart to go on but not wanting to admit defeat./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Hey, I'm pretty hungry, wanna leave it for today?" I asked, closing the lid of my laptop. He looked up and nodded eagerly, obviously as bored as me. Thus, we settled again into that little routine of cooking something and sitting on the couch with our food. However, the ambiance was a lot more distended than other days, and I felt happy for it. We even commented on what we saw on TV, although we tacitly steered clear away from topics related to the Collective and the TF. I supposed that both of us had more than enough just going about our business the whole day, no need to extend it further./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"After that, we washed our dishes and I picked my book while he watched TV, but he soon grew tired and imitated me. I had to admit that, after two years living by myself, it felt kind of nice having some company, especially now that we were back on good terms. The room was at a pleasant temperature and the lights had turned themselves down, while the TV droned on and on in the background. It was as if the couch was trying to absorb me into its comfortable depths, and I let myself relax to the sound of the TV and span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanthe man's breathing at the other side, my head leaned against the backrest of the couch and my eyes closed involuntarily. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"I felt a hand shaking me gently by the shoulder, I grunted sleepily, I had been feeling so comfortable…/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Hey, Aurora, sorry, didn't see you had fallen asleep, you can prepare the couch and turn in," said a quiet and low voice near me. I opened my eyes and saw Adam there, looking slightly chagrined./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Don't worry, I just dozed off a little bit, reading does really relax me," I answered, I didn't want him to feel that he had to leave his own living room for my sake./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Go to bed, ok? I'm going to bed as well anyway, I didn't sleep too much yesterday…" now that he mentioned it, I noticed that the bags under his eyes seemed more pronounced, he looked rather tired./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Yeah, maybe it's not such a bad idea," I acquiesced while I sat up and rubbed my eyes. He had stood up and was turning off the TV. "Goodnight then," I added in his direction./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Sleep tight," he answered, stifling a yawn while he walked towards his bedroom./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"Still rather drowsy, I got changed and put the bedding clothes in place, then curled under them after commanding the lights to turn themselves off. I could still hear some noises coming from my host's room, probably getting himself ready to sleep. I couldn't help but remember how he had said that we were in the same side, and it was apparently true, we shared a common goal. It was strange how the Incident, the discrimination against Augs and everything that was happening had brought together people as dissimilar as us. But there we were, struggling to bring light where there was nothing but darkness./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"My body jolted and I gulped breath after breath of air, as if I had just been pulled out of sea. I opened my eyes and perceived the relieving sight of the lamp dangling from the ceiling above me, and the fan lazily turning overhead. I bit my lips hard, trying not to utter a sound, then violently buried my face into one of the pillows, hoping it would drown every groan, every whimper (God, even giving it such a name made me feel so weak) fighting to escape. My heartbeat was still drumming on my ears, and an irksome warning message appeared on my field of view, concernedly remarking how high my vitals were. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""You don't say," I croaked in a low voice, when I felt capable of saying something minimally coherent, while I rolled over myself to lie on my back. I stared at the ceiling, at the slanted slices of light seeping through the window, my chest still rising and falling. Those fucking nightmares again, would they ever leave me alone? "Probably not," answered an idle voice inside me, the one I didn't like hearing./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"It was still extremely early, it hadn't even started to dawn. I turned to lie on my side and closed my eyes, trying to go back to sleep. However, after a while, I decided that it was to no avail, I might as well do something productive. Going to the TF and looking into the Ruzicka station affair, for example; I still rankled a bit at the fact that I hadn't been assigned the Dubai case, but I was not about to lock horns with Miller when I knew the battle was lost. The train station attack was a diversion, I was positive about it, but maybe it would be worthwhile finding something more out./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"Thus, I got up and started to get dressed, trying to be as silent as possible, as the hacker was bound to be still sleeping. I slid my gun into my holster and then closed the door softly behind me, activating my stealth systems so as not to cause any unnecessary noise. I would have to take my coffee at the TF, as the racket my own machine made was enough to rouse the dead. Luckily, I didn't feel hungry at the time, and I had a little stash of cereals in the office. I left the room surreptitiously, moving about smoothly in the semi-darkness thanks to my Smart Vision. I spied a bulge on the sofa, under which the hacker lay tucked into a ball. My brows furrowed slightly remembering the quasi-argument we had had the day before. I picked my coat, slid into it, and then crept out of my flat, making sure the door clicked, which meant no one could open it from the outside. I tugged the lapels of my coat as far up high as possible and wrapped myself in it, trying to fend off the cold, which made me reminisce too much of the dream I just had./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"My mind came back to the day, a shitty day that had started going downhill at work, as I hadn't been able to advance an inch with the train station attack. Smiley had to decode the DSD I had managed to fetch for him, but he had dodged the issue when I had tried to ask him when he would have it ready, so I would have to wait and look for other clues. I knew the best course of action would be trying to ask the witnesses what they had seen, but I would have to wait until I was cleared off by Miller, and he still had to smooth things over with the State Police, as they were still reluctant to hand the case over to the TF. However, until then, I could try to get my bearings about that train station, find out more about the security systems they used, how it could even be possible that an augmented man with a bag full of explosives could have easily gone through, if there was foul play involved. I wouldn't put past the government itself having blown up the train station to have an excuse to clamp down on ARC, it was not as if it hadn't happened before, after all, hadn't the Nazis blamed the Reichstag's fire on a communist to ban the party?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"To top it off, MacReady had called me to his office so he could chew me out and mock me in different ways for my report about my part in Dubai as, according to him, it was shallow, insufficient and incoherent, which would mean writing it from scratch until it reached his stupidly high standards. So, after restraining myself from punching him in the face for almost twenty minutes, I had spent the rest of the day trying to rewrite it as he liked, if only to make him shut up. Writing reports had never been my forte, having to retell at length a case I had already solved, explaining every minute detail, bored me senseless. Then, after leaving headquarters, I was held up in a police control for almost half an hour, although the cop there had no grounds whatsoever to do so, I supposed he just wanted the pleasure of exerting his power over an Aug. Finally, when I had come back to the apartment, wishing nothing more than to forget such a long and lousy day, I had spied some field distortion down the corridor, something which would have been unappreciable for a human eye, but not for mine. I had immediately activated my Smart Vision and discovered the hacker, obviously trying to get into the house stealthily behind me. On the spur of the moment, I had decided to play along and pretend I wasn't conscious of her presence, curious as to how she planned to do it. I had to recognise that, if I hadn't been aware of her being there and if my senses were not so ridiculously enhanced thanks to my Augs, I would have probably paid no heed to the gust of air she created while going past me, or the creak of a loose floorboard in the hall. I supposed her idea was to somehow sneak into the bathroom so I wouldn't be any the wiser./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"I would lie if I said that her sneakish ways hadn't made me feel vexed, but mostly, it had been that feeling of duplicity, that she couldn't speak in a straight way from the beginning. I hadn't expected her to be working for the CNI, not at all, although I already had some founded suspicions that she was more than a hacker, a journalist, or whatever her official cover was. It was not that I doubted where her loyalties lay, as this was information that, in all probability, Janus was privy to. Hell, she had even said Janus had made a point of getting in touch with her when she had started working for her people. However, what made a corporate IT engineer, working for the Palisade (even if she had been dismissed after the Incident) turn to governmental spying? More than that, just like me, she was a double agent, as she, in fact (hopefully), worked for the Collective. It was plain to see that she did not trust me enough, not at the time at any rate, although I reluctantly could admit she had a point, probably fearing that emI /emwas a traitor, that I was, in fact, faithful to the TF and just spying on the Collective on their behalf, that I could understand./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"Nevertheless, what was really a problem was not her lack of trust, but the people who were going after her. The intel she had found in the Palisade looked terribly solid, and a man had already disappeared because of it, a man who was probably already dead. Wasn't she conscious of the danger she was in? Or was she just reckless? Why couldn't she just stay put and not get into trouble? /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Oh, but would you?" asked an irksome voice inside me. Despite myself, a smirk tugging at my lips, I had to recognise to myself that I wouldn't, that my duty, or what I felt was my duty, would come before saving my own hide. It was clear she was committed to the Collective's cause, although I still had to find out the precise reason, what really made her tick. Those days I had been able to notice how, under all her practicality and apparent cynicism, there were ideals as well, and a strong sense of commitment, otherwise she wouldn't put her life at risk. Fishing out a cigarette and lighting it, I decided to walk to the TF, it would give me time to think, and the streets were fortunately deserted at those early hours (and woe betide anyone lurking and believing I would be easy prey)./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"While sucking in a deep puff of smoke, I tried to make a rough profile of my guest with the information I had available. Based on what I already knew, I could make a few educated guesses. First of all, working for both the Collective and Samizdat, I could tell that, besides wanting to do something against all the fucking evil this world kept churning out, she was rather anti-establishment. Add to that the comments on Picus and the Czech Police, and it was plain to see she didn't like authority or authoritativeness either (although, being an Aug in Prague, I could completely understand her mistrust towards the police). This made me remember my demeanour the other day, as well as the day I had "escorted" her to do maintenance on her antennas, trying to see it from her point of view: a dictatorial bastard she barely even knew bossing her around. Looking back, I realised how uncouth and boorish I must have appeared, no matter how well-meaning my intentions were. I, who prided myself so much in smoothing my way through almost any conversation, just by persuading people, among them some of the biggest scoundrels I had ever met, or men like David Sarif or Hugh Darrow. I felt a sudden heat to my face that had nothing to do with the glitches I had been suffering due to my augmentations./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"Furthermore, independent as she was, obviously used to doing as she pleased, even if she worked for an organisation, she couldn't have taken kindly to me trying to stop her from doing what she believed correct or her job. As someone who liked working alone (I knew for a fact that some people at the TF had labelled me a lone wolf), and with both Miller and MacReady remarking what and insubordinate cock-up I was almost on a daily basis, I could wholeheartedly relate to this. Of course, I could work in a team if necessary, you couldn't become a SWAT commander otherwise, I had to take care of my men, made sure we had each others' backs…maybe that was it? I had to somehow bring her over, convince her that I was on her side, which I was. And that probably meant trusting she could take care of herself, and I couldn't really stop her from carrying out her tasks, especially if she had a cover to maintain with the CNI, it would jeopardise the Collective's work, and herself. If she didn't do her assignments, her bosses would investigate why, and if they found out she was a mole, she would pay for spying and treason, most probably. No, she would have to carry on./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"I frowned, twirling my cigarette between my thumb and my index before flicking the butt away. The problem was that she was in danger, with those assholes after her…although, realistically, they had no way of knowing where she could be, there were no ties between us, no connection that could give away that my apartment was her safehouse. However, I couldn't help wondering whether I had been too hasty when I accepted her, if I would have taken her in had I known the whole situation would be so complex. But I also knew I wouldn't have forgiven myself if something had happened to her if I hadn't, Alex had no room and, if those bastards found both of them, what could they realistically do? No, I had already committed myself, so the best solution would be just speaking to her, reaching an agreement./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"Deep in thought as I was, I had barely noticed that I had reached Praha Dovoz, the small, nondescript store that served us as cover. Being closed, I slipped past another door that led to a small yard, opened the window and slid into the store, making sure no one had seen it. Hadn't anybody realised that the same people kept going in and out of that place? And some of us were very easily recognisable, I was conscious that, if I didn't make a conscious effort to blend, I stuck out like a sore thumb, and then there was MacReady, with that big scar of his and always marching like the little British soldier he was, or Miller, at whom you only had to look to see that he, somehow, called the shots./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"The elevator slid down smoothly, biosensors aiming at my body to detect whether I was friend or foe. When I came in, the main room was unusually quiet, only a couple of analysts sat before their computers, probably the people who preferred the night shift. To be honest, I didn't feel like immersing myself in a pile of paperwork and dozens of profiles to look, so maybe I could drop by the shooting practice and maybe even land some hits at the punching bag, it never hurt to train one's reflexes. Besides, at that time of the day, the gym would be empty, no one to see how the freakish machine-man hit a reinforced bag with all his forces. Thus, I went to the dressing room and rummaged in my cabinet for a T-shirt and track pants I had there in case I wanted to practise. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"Making sure there was indeed nobody, I changed and walked to the bag. Although pretty pointless thanks to Sarif, as having the augments I had made all sorts of exercise unnecessary, I still preferred to work out frequently, it helped me relax, and I didn't want to be excessively confident about them, you could never know when they wouldn't be available, as past experiences had taught me. A few minutes later, my fists, elbows and legs collided again and again against the 200 kg bag, which doubled the rest in size, but still swung to and fro as if it was a normal one, the booming collisions being drowned by thick walls, thankfully./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"A while later, drenched in sweat, I walked to the showers, glad to have the whole place for myself, no other guys having some locker room talk in which I had no interest at all, while I hurriedly dressed inside the shower cubicle. It was so different back in the SWAT, where you could even walk around butt-naked and nobody would bat an eye, with my people, commenting or complaining about the last mission. However, there it wasn't the same, I had noticed how the other guys fell silent when I entered the room, even if they were quite polite upstairs. But it wasn't like that down there; they stayed silent, yes, but it was an eloquent silence. They were saying, quite clearly "You don't belong in here". Therefore, in order to avoid that kind of situations and so as not to have to parade my augmented, half-naked, self around, I preferred to come there when there was no one to be seen. I stepped into the shower, washed myself fast, and got dressed. As usual, I had kept my gaze purposefully averted the whole time from the big mirror on the wall, but I checked it for a second to fix my hair, then went out to the shooting range, I might as well get some practice to keep my shooting skills sharp. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"In contrast to the gym, there was someone in the shooting range, but it was Aria, who besides being the quartermaster and having every right to be there, was by far the nicest person in that damned bunker, at least towards me. She was cleaning a shooting gun, but she lifted her head when she heard me and then beamed broadly./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Hi there, Adam, isn't it a bit too early for you?" she wondered, I allowed myself to smile, more relaxed than when I had left my house./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Thought I'd hit the gym for a while and then practice some shooting, must stay sharp," I commented. "Isn't it a bit early for you as well? Thought you usually came later, she shook her head, still smiling./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""That's just because you come in sooo late. No, I usually come early, and today I've got a ton of work to do, so here I am. I have also practiced a bit, though my chances of using a weapon for real are practically non-existent," her smile faded slightly at this. She had told me about her story before; besides me, she was the only augmented agent, and they apparently wouldn't let her out on the field on the grounds of her stress levels making her need more Neuropozyne./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""I know, it's really unfair. Wish I could do something; I could always try to persuade MacReady into recommending you or something, but we don't really get along and I'd probably end up making things worse for you," I said ruefully. I sincerely felt for her, she, who just wanted to contribute to the cause and wouldn't be allowed due to some technicism, another example of the discrimination Augs suffered./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Don't worry about that," she said bracingly, although I could see gratefulness in her doe brown eyes. "They'll eventually come around, I'll just have to train harder," my lips twitched at her optimism, partly envying her capacity to think the best of people./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""I do hope so," I agreed; suddenly, a voice blared through one of the speakers:/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Aria Argento, please go to the Cyber Crime division," said a feminine and impersonal voice, Aria rolled her eyes, obviously exasperated./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Bet that is Chang, he's been more paranoid than ever since that attack…probably wants to change the passwords AGAIN. Better go there before he gets an artery burst or something…it was nice seeing you, Adam," she stood up, shouldering the gun she was cleaning, probably to stash it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Same here, Aria," I answered while I picked some bullets for the practice./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Oh, and, by the way, some analysts, Smiley and I are thinking about going out this Friday for a beer or two, we've earned it, would you be down for it?" she cocked her head expectantly./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Thanks for the offer, really, but I think I'll pass, I already have some plans for the weekend," I said vaguely, although I sincerely regretted seeing the disappointment in her face. "Next time, perhaps?" I asked, tyring to soften the blow, although I knew that, if that invitation ever came again, I would reject it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Sure, something will come up soon. See you later, OK?" she said, beaming once more. I nodded while I checked my gun./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"When she left, I started firing away round after round, trying to be as fast as possible. I really appreciated Aria's efforts regarding integrating me into the Task Force, probably thinking I felt lonely. However, and even though Janus had encouraged me to get as close as possible to the members of the TF as a good source of gossip and rumours which could lead to further information, I just didn't feel like it. It was already bad enough having to lie through my nose the whole day, keeping a double life, feeling like a cheat whenever someone like Aria was truly nice towards me. Befriending others would just mean more lies, having to hide my other activities for the Collective, finding excuse after excuse. No, it was easier if I kept everyone at arm's length. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"Besides, I had already gotten used to being alone; in fact, I had never been much of a people person, merely keeping a few good friends by my side, especially when I was at the DPD. However, after quitting, in my bitterness, I had ended severing most ties I had there, even with people who had been there for me after I had broken up with Megan. Later, after the surgery, my circle had become more and more reduced; I could see their awkwardness, the foreboding in their eyes when they saw my augmented hands, the frames at both sides of my face, when not my eerily augmented eyes. Thus, I had closed almost everyone out of my life, maybe in a cowardly manner, but back then I just couldn't be around people; there was so much rage in me, that they could get hurt if I wasn't careful, if I lost control of what they had put in my body. But, most of all, I couldn't bear how they looked at me either with pity or fear. Losing my focus, I missed a shot and rumbled a curse under my breath./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"Deciding that I had been at it long enough, I picked up my trench coat from the locker and left the shooting range. Before climbing the stairs to the Counter Terrorism division, though, I went to the kitchenette in the main hall to prepare myself a good mug of coffee and nab a bottle of milk. I smelled it tentatively and decided it was good (although my Sentinel would prevent me from getting sick) and took it upstairs with me. I plopped down before my desk (the department was still empty at that time) and I poured some milk and Crunchy Pirates I conveniently kept nearby into a used bowl, which I didn't bother cleaning. Munching on my breakfast, I turned on my laptop and started checking my email, steeling myself for what promised to be a long, probably unproductive morning looking for some clue./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"I was perusing the plans of the train station, checking any secondary entrances the terrorist might have used to elude the Czech police (How the fuck hadn't they detected a bag chockfull of explosives!?), when the woman blared again through the speakers. This time it was for me./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Agent Jensen, report immediately to the Director's office," I frowned. What could it be? Probably regarding my assignment, I just prayed it was not because they had somehow discovered the whisper chip…I got up from the table, noticing the sidelong glances of some of my colleagues who had already come in to work and whose presence I had merely acknowledged with nods or non-committal grunts. I arranged my face into the best poker face I could muster and purposefully walked to Miller's office./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"As usual as of late, Jim Miller looked disgruntled, fire in his otherwise steely eyes. He was sitting behind his desk, toying impatiently with a chess piece, as I had seen him do in other occasions when he was nervous. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Jensen, are you looking into Ruzicka's attack?" he barked the moment I went through the threshold of his office./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Y'sir, I'm waiting for Smiley to analyse the DPD…" I answered immediately./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Well, stop looking into it immediately, and tell Fletcher to leave it as well, investigation has been put on hold," he replied, all of a sudden. I felt how the carefully curated indifferent expression I had when I had entered crumbled./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""What? What do you mean it has been put on hold?" I blurted out, totally thunderstruck./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Orders from above, just received a call to tell me. Apparently, the Czech government is still going about the homegrown menace thing or something, saying it is for them to investigate," answered Miller, he looked tired, and the dark circles under his eyes seemed even more prominent./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""That's the same shit they pulled out when I went down there to get the DPD, any chances they know we took it and are trying to make things harder for us?" I asked, wondering if I had bungled it all up; the mission had not been completely smooth, as I had to knock out one of the cops there./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Doesn't look like it, otherwise they would have complained loudly about it. Apparently, your presence went unnoticed, that cop conveniently had anaemia, which would account for having passed out. Still, they do not like us meddling with this, so for the time being I've been told to let it wait until they manage to smooth things over, as a gesture of good faith until everything is settled or something of the sort," he explained sourly./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""A hundred or so people dead and almost twice as many injured and they want us to wait? What the hell are they playing at?" I growled, unable to contain myself any longer, completely outraged./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Fuck me if I know. It's just fucking politics getting in the way once again. Let's hope they don't take too long deciding, whoever put that bomb may well do it again," he leaned on the table with his elbow and rubbed his eyes for a second, fatigue reflected in every fibre of his being, then he regained his composure and looked at me once more. "So, for the time being, forget about it, but don't worry, I'll be sending some assignments to you, you'll have the info in your email in a few minutes, I've told the Organized Crime unit to send it to you," he concluded./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""The Organized Crime Unit, director? With all due respect, but I don't know how I could help there, I was under the impression I worked in Counter Terrorism," I rejoined, although trying to keep my tone civil, Miller studied me with his aquiline gaze, measuring me./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""We have reason to believe these cases are somehow related to ARC, and taking into account that they could be the ones behind the train station attack, I'd rather check. Besides, this work requires someone who has experience in the police, and right now Vincent Black is under cover in another mission," he clarified, although for a second I had thought he was about to tell me to shut up and get my ass out of his office./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Alright, sir, I'll look into it," I concluded./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Right, just what I wanted to hear, you may go, Jensen," I nodded slightly and left, my nostrils flaring in frustration, but not allowing myself to display what I felt more obviously. I immediately called Alex through my Infolink and started to subvocalize, but not before making sure no one was looking at me./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Alex, bad news, the Ruzicka train station investigation has just been put on hold."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""You gotta be kidding me, man. You haven't been at it even three days or so, have you? What the hell happened?" she inquired./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""I don't know, Miller says it comes from the big shots, apparently, they want to smooth things over with the Czech police, I told you we had some trouble claiming jurisdiction. Well, they're still reluctant to give it to us, so Interpol has decided to suspend it for the time being," I explained while I sat before my desk, pretending nothing was amiss./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""emAquí huele a mierda/em, and you know it, Adam, that Miller and the scumbags he has for bosses are up to something," she hissed, irately./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Miller didn't look too happy about it. Well, I guess we will have to wait, in the time being they are going to give me some assignments of my own, sorry for being the bearer of such bad news," I added, I felt just as disappointed as she did, if not more, I was hoping to get those motherfuckers and make them pay, I felt a woman's broken hand going limp in mine, crushed under a pile of rubble while her kid pleaded her to wake up, I ground my teeth together at the memory./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""It's not your fault, man. But it looks as if we were being blindsided every fucking time," she replied, sounding calmer./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""I know. Let's hope they don't take too long, I'll let you know as soon as I have more news," I answered, slumping on my swivel chair and pinching the bridge of my nose tiredly. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"When the transmission was over, I just sat there listlessly, feeling extremely apathetic. Despite my initial complaints to Miller regarding the assignment of the Ruzicka attack instead of the Dubai case, I had really wished to get to the root of it and, most of all, make sure that those people, no matter their reasons, spent the rest of their sorry lives behind bars, where they wouldn't be able to harm anyone else. After a while, I forced myself to check the email and see what Miller wanted me to do. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"Apparently, the city had been invaded by a new drug, neon, in the few last months. It wasn't something extremely new, as I had already heard of it when I was in the DPD, but its consumption had been marginal. However, it had been reported that more and more people were using it in Prague, and the Task Force feared that, somehow, part of the profit was being invested into other criminal activities like the terrorist attacks the city had suffered, or that the Dvali were behind it, although it appeared unlikely for what I knew about them. However, if it somehow led to them, maybe it would be a good opportunity to get close to that mob and find Markus' kidnappers and the people behind Aurora…The hacker, another issue I had to solve. It was of the essence that we made things right…but that would have to wait, for the time being, I had work to do./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"…../span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"Gasping for breath, I sat up, rubbing my bum after doing fifty sit ups on that hardwood floor. Drenched in sweat, I got to my feet, feeling better than I had the whole day, even the pinching sensation around the seams of my arms had stopped for a while thanks to stretching. Working out always calmed my frayed nerves, and today was not different, after a pointless search for Markus' captors and agonising about the prospect talk I wanted (although I was not sure whether "want" was the right word) to have with my host. Quite clearly, he was still angry at me, as when I had woken up he was nowhere to be seen, so I had deduced he had preferred to leave for work early in order for our paths not to cross. However, I was conscious that, if we left that misunderstanding unaddressed, it would probably blow out of proportion at the most unexpected moment. I went to the shower and washed myself, which managed to help me relax. But the respite was short-lived. I frowned while I dried myself; most of all, I knew my behaviour had been less than proper, especially bearing in mind how he had decided to help me, how I was using his place at will while he wasn't there, how I was encroaching on his privacy./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"After that, I got dressed and decided to work for a bit longer until he was home, if only to take my mind off things and stop myself from mulling over what I wanted to say. However, only a few minutes later, I heard the door clicking open, and, through the corner of my eye, spied the tall and black-clad figure of the ex-cop./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Hey," he rumbled quietly in that low voice of his, I tried to detect any tinge of displeasure or annoyance in it, but found none, although it could just be his usual phlegm./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Hey," I answered, biting my lower lip, feeling troubled, and forced myself to look back at the computer while I left him to his own devices. I didn't know where to start. Should I speak or just leave it for a bit later? Deciding it was probably best if I did it immediately, before I got cold feet, I stood up, still feeling irresolute./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Mmmmmmhhhh, Adam, would you mind terribly if we spoke for a minute? I promise it won't take long," I said, walking near to where he was, standing by the window and leaning over it, lighting a cigarette./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Not at all. In fact, I also wanted to have a word with you," he said, turning to look at me. "Maybe we should sit," he proposed, pointing with his chin towards the sofa. Feeling more awkward than ever before in my entire life, I complied and waited for him to quench the ember of his cigarette against the windowsill, then let him take a seat on the other side of the couch, elbows resting against his knees, I had already opened my mouth to speak when I was outran by him:/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""First of all, I wanted to apologise," at this, my eyes opened like saucers, and I positively gawked at him, totally caught unawares. Hadn't I been so sure of the soundness of my English knowledge, I might have thought that I hadn't correctly understood him./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Wait, what? What do you mean by 'apologise'" I blurted out, studying his expression, trying to look for sarcasm or mockery in it. However, he looked sincere, as earnest as usual./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""About my behaviour yesterday, I had no right to give you such a third degree, not the way I did, by any means. It hadn't been a good day for me, and I'm afraid I took it out on you," still flabbergasted by his "apology", I eyed him, not quite believing what I was seeing and hearing. He would have been the last person I would have ever expected to admit being wrong about something./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Well, yeah, I didn't really appreciate you interrogating me and trying to boss me around, but I think I get why you did it, still, I should be the one to say I'm sorry, I behaved like a total bitch…" I countered./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Wouldn't have said 'total bitch', maybe just a little bitchy," he looked slightly more relaxed, and even about to crack a smile, I also would have sworn his tone was slightly less grave, probably trying to make less of my behaviour and be polite about it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""You don't have to be so diplomatic, you know? You had good reason to be angry at me, with me hiding my position at the CNI and Samizdat and everything, I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner but…" I explained myself./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""But you weren't going to tell someone you barely know and in whom you don't completely trust," he cut in./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Well, I mean, I don't distrust you, I wouldn't have come here otherwise, but…" I didn't know how to put it, and I didn't want to risk offending him, however, he raised the palm of his augmented palm in a conciliatory gesture./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Hey, I get it, it's just what I would do. Believe it or not, I know the position you are in, the less people who know about your activities, the better; I'm a double agent myself, after all, I can put myself in your place. However, I just wanted to make clear that I'm on your side, and that I want to help," he was leaning slightly forward, as if willing me to believe him, and there was something in his eyes that compelled me to do so, no matter whatever misgivings I might still had had./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""I know that as well, you wouldn't have accepted to bring me to your place otherwise, would you? I take you were angry at me hiding such an important thing from myself, something you felt could endanger yourself and your own mission, and I understand it. I would like to say that not realising you should have known it was just plain oversight on my part, but…well, after two years of doing pretty much as I pleased, it kind of pissed me off how you tried to lord me over, I guess," I clarified, the uncomfortable knot on my throat starting to ease up, his lip curled up ruefully at this./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Oh, believe me when I tell you that, if you were to ask all the superiors I have ever had, they would all agree I'm not very fond of following the chain of command either, and I guess some would even go as far as to call me insubordinate, so I can relate with that as well," his tone was a mix between self-deprecating and sardonic, however, his demeanour and tone changed once more, they became more sober. "But I also believe that what you did yesterday was rather reckless, your situation is not to be taken lightly."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""I know, I can assure you. In fact, now that we are being totally honest, I must confess I am scared shitless," I admitted, at this, something in his gaze somehow softened ever so slightly. "I don't want to end up like poor Markus, but I also know I have work to do, and that if I let those bastards from Picus, the Dvali, the Illuminati or whatever scare me, I'm just letting them win, and I wouldn't want Markus'…sacrifice…to go to waste, he made sure I could escape, so the best way I think I have of repaying him is by going on, not just cowering on some corner." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""That's something I can respect. However, I don't think Markus would have wanted you to put yourself at risk unnecessarily," he pointed out. "However, I do realise now that, having two covers such as the ones you have, and taking into account that you must maintain them and that I can't really do anything to help you with that, I was hoping we could reach an understanding of sorts," his gaze was locked in mine in that way which looked as if he was using X-rays on me, although now that I knew he had a social enhancer, it wasn't really far from it, was he using it on me?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""An understanding? I see," I felt frankly interested, I hadn't expected him to make a proposal that would work for both of us, just that he was going to chew me out, tell me not to leave his place again without permission, and be done with it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Yeah. Obviously, if you are still here and have managed to maintain your cover since you joined the Collective, I guess I will have to trust your judgement not to put yourself at risk unnecessarily, I'm not going to stop you from doing your job. However, just for the sake of my sanity, would it be much to ask that, if you emreally/em, emabsolutely /emneed to go out because of something related to the CNI or Samizdat, you keep me in the loop?" he looked at me quizzically./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""That sounds very…sensible," I concluded, still rather nonplussed by how well he was taking the whole affair, he nodded slightly, his shoulders sagging slightly in relaxation./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""That's the idea. After all, we're on the same side, last thing we need is being a hindrance for each other," he pointed out./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Fucking A…By the way, I also wanted to thank you…for being so reasonable. I kind of expected you to use your drill sergeant tone on me, or do a good cop-bad cop routine to make me step behind the line," I commented, allowing myself to relax as well./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""The good cop-bad cop routine is just for questioning," he noted quietly, the beginnings of a subtle smile on his mouth./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Well, you get the idea. I also wanted to say sorry for my lack of teamworking skills and that kind of thing. I mean, I don't want to excuse myself by saying that it's because I'm a hacker and all that, although I can tell most of us are very particular about how we work…" I said./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""That I know, I've worked with hackers before and I know you can be…" he left the sentence unfinished, probably looking for the right expression./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Insufferable jerks?" I offered, trying to be helpful, unable to hide a wry smile now. He, however, grinned more widely than I had ever seen him before and snorted through his nose, stifling a laugh. I couldn't help but feel quite proud at having made laugh such a sober guy./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Wouldn't have put it quite like that, but I guess it's kind of fitting," he answered, trying to revert to his usual poised expression, although there was still mirth in his eyes./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Believe me, it is, and usually, the more capable the hacker, the bigger the asshats they are," I said with a lopsided smile. "Water under the bridge, then?" I asked, rather encouraged by how relaxed he looked now, standing up and proffering a hand as if we were closing a deal./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Yeah, sure," he answered, leaving the couch as well and shaking my hand with a firm grip, although it could simply be due to the strength of his augs. "I'm glad we talked about it," he added./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""So am I, we are on the same side, after all, aren't we?" I concluded. "I'm going to work for a little longer, but if at any point you feel hungry, just tell me and we prepare something," I said while I sauntered back to my computer again./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Are you working on the database? I'll take a shower and come help you with it," he answered while he stretched his neck. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""There's no way I'll convince you of doing otherwise, is there? Alright, although after spending the whole day investigating that train station attack, I should think you've earned some rest," I accepted, by then I knew better than trying to persuade him, he huffed a mirthless laugh./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""If only, it just got put on hold, just my luck," he explained, his tone quite bitter./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Wait, put on hold?" I asked, my fingers slipping on a key due to the shock./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""You heard it. I'll take a shower and fill you in," he concluded, then marched away to the bathroom, I nodded silently and went back to my work./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"I had managed to scan over a few more profiles when he came out, his hair still wet and looking a lot less tense, bringing with him his swivelling chair. I waited for him to get his laptop and sit down, eager to hear about the affair he had mentioned before./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""So, put on hold, you said? I hope that was just a joke," I asked, unable to contain myself anymore./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""I don't make a habit of joking, wish it was, though," he said, a lopsided and rueful smile on his mouth./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""But, how could they?" I asked, feeling incensed, my mind couldn't wrap around the fact that the deaths of hundreds of innocents would be left unavenged./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Politics, we had trouble claiming jurisdiction in the first place, the Czech Police wants it for themselves, so now the TF has to fight for it against them like two dogs for a scrap of meat," his jaw was now set in anger./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: normal; tab-stops: 45.6pt;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Wasn't the TF supposed to cut through all the red tape or something of the sort?" I wondered, still utterly baffled./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""It should, but people in the high spheres just love having their pissing contests, I guess," he said quite glumly./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Sounds very fishy, someone up there doesn't want this investigated in the first place, and behind all that we will probably find the people we are trying to bring into the light," I said, my tone as sombre as his./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Don't think that possibility hasn't gone through my head. Still, I think that attack was a diversion so that we wouldn't pay as much attention to the Dubai affair," he countered./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""But, according to Alex, they wanted your division to see something there, didn't they? That's why they sent you instead of Oman's squad," I replied./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""I know, but who knows how all their little plans fit in their great scheme of things, that's how they work, moving one pawn or another, spinning their web," even though his tone was rather calm, there was righteous anger in his eyes./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Yeah, those sneaky bastards. So, what will you do now? Weren't you the one investigating that case?" I inquired./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Miller has given me other assignments to occupy myself with in the meantime, let's hope it won't take them too long to solve the issue," he commented, looking pensive and pulling at his beard, a tic I had noticed before. "Wish I could know who is trying to keep everything hush hush, though," he added, more to himself than anything./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""If you want, I could look into it," I offered, rather eager to help him somehow, after putting up with me and, to top it off, helping me with my own stuff. His eyes, which had wandered away in thought, focused back on me immediately, the rings around his pupils swivelling into place./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Could you? I mean, you must have a ton of work as it is, I don't want to add to it," somehow, he seemed reluctant to accept my help. It made sense, though, probably being more used to be the one on whom people depended, the guy to whom everyone turned for help. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""You should talk, you must be up to your neck in the TF, and yet you insist on helping me. It won't be a problem, honestly. I can take a look into the big shots' emails and see who's behind everything, I could always start with the asshole whose computer I'm mirroring," I said./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Is it manageable then?" he probed, clearly tempted./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Yeah, pretty much. It will be even easier than getting into that git's computer, once I have a string from which to pull, I can easily hack other accounts," I insisted. I sincerely wanted to help him and, of course, find out who was behind that ham-handed attempt at covering up the affair./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""I'd really appreciate it, then, once again, if you can't…"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""I will, just leave it to me," I interrupted him, bringing the discussion to an end./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Ok. Back to other matters, where do you want me to look today?" he asked, nodding towards the computer. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Only 300 more profiles to check, with some luck we will be done by tomorrow, which is good, because if I had to check any more I would fling myself through the window," I said grimacing, he snorted through his nose at my pretended dramatism. "Let's hope we find it, otherwise it will have been an utter waste of time," I commented, mostly to myself, feeling dismal all of a sudden, and guilty as well. As if it was a mantra, I repeated to myself that there was nothing to be done for Markus, with any luck we could, perhaps, somehow avenge his death, but nothing else. Feeling troubled, I tore my eyes away from Adam's inquisitive gaze and looked instead at the computer, trying to hide the turmoil in my head and concentrate on that damned list./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"We worked well into the night, and yet there was no sign of our mysterious man with the tiger tattooed on the head. I rubbed my eyes tiredly, I had been a great part of the day before my laptop and at that point I was feeling the effects. I raised my eyes to my companion, who held his forehead against a black and gold augmented fist, his eyes lost in space, clearly not having the heart to go on but not wanting to admit defeat./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Hey, I'm pretty hungry, wanna leave it for today?" I asked, closing the lid of my laptop. He looked up and nodded eagerly, obviously as bored as me. Thus, we settled again into that little routine of cooking something and sitting on the couch with our food. However, the ambiance was a lot more distended than other days, and I felt happy for it. We even commented on what we saw on TV, although we tacitly steered clear away from topics related to the Collective and the TF. I supposed that both of us had more than enough just going about our business the whole day, no need to extend it further./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"After that, we washed our dishes and I picked my book while he watched TV, but he soon grew tired and imitated me. I had to admit that, after two years living by myself, it felt kind of nice having some company, especially now that we were back on good terms. The room was at a pleasant temperature and the lights had turned themselves down, while the TV droned on and on in the background. It was as if the couch was trying to absorb me into its comfortable depths, and I let myself relax to the sound of the TV and span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanthe man's breathing at the other side, my head leaned against the backrest of the couch and my eyes closed involuntarily. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"I felt a hand shaking me gently by the shoulder, I grunted sleepily, I had been feeling so comfortable…/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Hey, Aurora, sorry, didn't see you had fallen asleep, you can prepare the couch and turn in," said a quiet and low voice near me. I opened my eyes and saw Adam there, looking slightly chagrined./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Don't worry, I just dozed off a little bit, reading does really relax me," I answered, I didn't want him to feel that he had to leave his own living room for my sake./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Go to bed, ok? I'm going to bed as well anyway, I didn't sleep too much yesterday…" now that he mentioned it, I noticed that the bags under his eyes seemed more pronounced, he looked rather tired./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Yeah, maybe it's not such a bad idea," I acquiesced while I sat up and rubbed my eyes. He had stood up and was turning off the TV. "Goodnight then," I added in his direction./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;""Sleep tight," he answered, stifling a yawn while he walked towards his bedroom./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"Still rather drowsy, I got changed and put the bedding clothes in place, then curled under them after commanding the lights to turn themselves off. I could still hear some noises coming from my host's room, probably getting himself ready to sleep. I couldn't help but remember how he had said that we were in the same side, and it was apparently true, we shared a common goal. It was strange how the Incident, the discrimination against Augs and everything that was happening had brought together people as dissimilar as us. But there we were, struggling to bring light where there was nothing but darkness./span/p
