DISCLAIMER: I don't know how well the first chapter went. My "GO, (author's name)! PASS IT!" feeling died of waiting. Nobody reviewed, huhu. And I don't own them (them! The cute little figures crawling in and out of your ears!), just like anybody else. For those who came for dinner to talk, thanks a lot.

CHAPTER TWO, part one

It was days after that dinner. It was simple yet things were getting clearer. Jonathan Bristow, though still covered, served as my motivation for this mission. He really is hard to track down. I also had difficulties in tracing the headquarters. Moreover, I introduced Agent Liun to Reyes as my friend in the bank. Agent Liun seemed to be enjoying the risk of his title. By that time, the agency was still not on pressure in pursuing for immediate results.

I blew the last particles of charcoal off the paper then gave my last look at the plan I've been sketching for days. I haven't reported yet to the KGB that I've been working on the CIA floor plan since I wasn't sure yet about it. The door buzzed and I hurriedly buried the sketch under other more sketches.

"Reyes will have a meeting with Agent Bristow today."

"What do you want me to do?"

"Follow them. It might help."

"Thank you," I told him. "You help."

I grabbed my coat and hopped in the car. I waited distantly then Reyes was out. I followed her to their meeting place and again, saw this Agent Bristow. They seemed to have some argument then left again separately. I turned the steering wheel sharply at a block. I won't lose him this time. I was recently enjoying my ride when he stopped at an apartment. He met a lady with a fair face. At the scene, I thought I had enough for that day. Probably, he's not going to the CIA.

I returned early. The house was empty. I called for Liun at the transmitter but no one seemed to intercept. I knew something was wrong; I was standing at an empty space with no one. Suddenly, the transmitter was on.

"What?!"

"I repeat, get out of the house immediately! Meet me at the cafe-" his words were cut and the last thing I heard was the buzzing sound.

Instantly, I grabbed for all I can think of was important then rolled off. It was still distant when I saw him. At the cafe, I saw Liun still gasping for air.

"The KGB station was attacked!" he exclaimed. It took time before it registered to my mind. I studied him carefully. He really wasn't lying.

"H-how did it happen?" my question gave more tension to his words. I too can't help but show panic.

"We don't know! The Nikkon intercept showed visions of explosion at the compound and it wasn't about anything the agency created. Employees and agents were reportedly killed and still fighting-"

"The transmitters aren't even working."

"It's because the station is already down! But we can still use the satellite."

"We have no time. We have to leave!"

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We arrived in no time but we were too late. I looked at remains. The devastation of the place was nothing I can bear. There were no one- operators, agents, handlers and officers- anyone but dead bodies on the ground. Emotions got to me, all I knew then was I am a KGB. And the KGB is now wrecked in just one night. No one could do this but someone that's too powerful.

Liun and I both stood staring for a while. The buildings were crashed; smoke and ashes were everywhere. My transmitter intercepts nothing. I closed my eyes to get myself calmed and I felt Liun's hand at my shoulder. Then I heard a familiar sound. Someone loaded a gun behind us.

"Don't move," the female voice ordered in Russian. Liun's hand slipped off. I can feel his hand ready at his side for his gun. "I said don't move!"

Liun pulled the gun and instantly the woman shot him giving me enough time for grabbing mine. I turned and faced her while Liun was lying with blood on his right shoulder. I breathed hard- her gun on my forehead and mine on hers.

"Don't move, too," I managed to order in return. I stared in stillness. My anger burned against her sympathetic eyes. I recognized her as the woman with Jonathan Bristow. I held my gun, my tears slightly showed. "You monsters!"

Her eyes' stare got distracted with another movement at my back and I had the choice to run or shoot her. I chose to run knowing that another operative is standing behind me and I knew he would kill me too if I'll shoot his companion. My legs trembled as I took the first step but I was too quick to stumble; I rolled over the ground to get to the first sufficient body shield I could get into.

For a while, I was safe. But I knew, it was a trap! Jonathan Bristow and this woman had been expecting us. I wanted to shoot hysterically but I had to stay calm. The two operatives that were there were one of those who took my agency down. Liun was now lying there, he risked his own life for trusting me on this and I knew that all I can do now for him and the agency is to escape. They shot for the second time.

I exchanged shots with them then I ran to the next block of large metal. A few more steps away and the vehicle that we used would be there. I shot continuously as I ran and they had no chance to shoot on me. I successfully got into the vehicle then rolled off as they both tried to shoot on my tires. In no time, I left the perimeter in an area no one knows.

I mended my own bruises. My intentions to leave immediately were furious; all of my thoughts were occupied by my own speculations. I wanted to get those two. I shouted in anger and my voice echoed within the area; my body was trembling. Then I had my own decision; I'll get the whole CIA. I'll get back to Los Angeles.

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0600 hours. My legs consumed all the speed it could take to walk immediately, merely running. I knew that the whole state is now looking for me but I didn't think they'd speculate I was in L.A. The cameras in the airport watched carefully, with my body and mind fused to revenge, I became aware that guards were preparing to get me. They really might have tracked me, but they won't have me. I ran; the whole crowd ran in panic as they tried to warn me with a shot. I ran as I could, I didn't even care how far or where would I go. I stole the first car I saw then escaped again.

My memory rushed. The apartment address flashed photographically. The roads became similar, left then right. Now, police cars are behind me. I looked at the rear mirror then calculated how much time, how many of them could arrive. Quickly, I turned, speeded off. The cars followed, I know I am not totally familiar to the streets but I trusted on my own abilities. With a few more turns, I lost the police and the choppers that followed me. I switched in to another car then headed to my apartment.

I ran towards my room. I halted to get some air then held my gun; ready to shoot on any traitor. The lights in the apartment were open. Someone broke in but I saw no traces of SWAT teams or forces. The room was still contained. Still ready, I took few more steps inside. Then, I saw my bedroom. There was a moving shadow going over my things- my papers, banking transactions and, the sketches. The figure found my floor plan but she looked closer at a picture I sketched.

"You never told me your job included hostile matters..." I breathed as I pointed my gun on her, Agent Reyes- seated still on the floor, holding my documents. "Get up! You heard me! I said get up! Face the wall!"

She quickly stood, faced the wall.

"Put your hands behind your head!" I shouted louder, my hand trembled because of my anger. She didn't follow at an instance but was forced to. I grabbed all the weapons she has then threw them far enough. I stepped back. "Now, you traitor, tell me. Where did you take my colleagues?!!!"

"I knew you are KGB. You don't want to kill me, we both know that," she tested. "You're all alone now in this mission. There's no point to continue."

"Shut up! Answer my question! Where did you bring them?!!"

"We didn't do it. We, the CIA nor the FSB, did not know anything about this-"

"Stop covering up! I saw two of your agents back in Russia and now your telling me that you don't know a thing?!" I sarcastically closed the gun to her head. The cuffs trembled on my own hands as I put it to hers. "Jonathan Bristow, your commander, and the woman- both tried to kill us!"

"Jack and his daughter went to Russia with the hope of helping and finding survivors. We intercepted that there were attacks in your compounds. The only reason why I wasn't with them is because I went to the headquarters late. They were sent to engage in the defense of your headquarters. It was an inside job, Clio. Your own officers did it!" her calmness broke as she explained. I felt my hands weakened as her words entered my mind. "Please, put your gun down. Teams might have tracked me now and they might be on their way. I don't want them to find you in this state."

"Well, what do you wish my state to be? After finding out that my agency, my whole life, is now vanquished by the same people I trusted? You, and your collaborators did it. There's no way that a traitor in the agency could last hidden for such a long time that they have plotted this conspiracy. Only someone or those who are powerful enough can do this," I detested.

"And I am not too foolish to perform this devastation. There are many wrong things that are happening in your agency. Some actions that your agency had made were used against itself. And this was the biggest," her words went softer. She breathed harder. "You knew before that finding out that your mentor was a traitor wasn't the biggest conspiracy in the agency; because it is the biggest mistake. Yes, the most powerful ones are the only who can do this-"

"You knew I wouldn't trust you. Stop insisting your reasons. I was ordered to follow you because you took one of our elite officers down and not because of anything my mentor had involved to... Don't use her against me. Now, how am I supposed to trust you?"

"Because this is the truth. I was ordered to kill Marius Pavlovich because of his threats to the country. Being one of Lhuzikov's followers, it was about that time that he was given missions to contact bigger terrorist groups. The agency, your life, believed that Yevgeny Lhuzikov and his collaborators had no intentions to go against the agency. But they were wrong. Instead, they gave him more power for pursuing Irina Derevko's exile. He's the same officer that attacked your agency," she emphasized. Agent Reyes' words made me silent. She answered all the questions in my mind that I've kept for years. By that time, she made me feel someone else knew how I felt when you know that not all of the decisions that your agency made were something you agreed on. "That's why the FSB had no other choice but to move on its own. The KGB never believed us."

I was bit of annoyed that she knew the truth better than I should have. But I blinded myself from the fact that I wanted to believe.

"If these were true..." my voice shook. "H-how did you know all of these?"

She paused. She thought of what she would say.

"You have no one else to trust, Ilinova," her words came to my consciousness. "You've got to trust me on this. I- I was the one who submitted that Irina Derevko was innocent. That's why I know too that Lhuzikov was the one who framed her, the one who is the traitor. He did that because Irina knew Lhuzikov's treacheries."

"Don't think that because you know these things, you can make me stand on your side. I see no proof on any of your words... My agency has its own reasons why they didn't trust the FSB."

"And it included envy," she spoke. I can't believe the words that I heard. "Your superiors knew that the KGB was about to be dissolved from the traces of the Soviet Union. The administration decided on that but they never wanted to be fused with FSB. They never told you that it was about to be dissolved to the FSB because they don't want you to suspect on their intentions."

She kept the tension on her own words. My lips trembled to ask more when I suddenly felt that men were moving around the house. I pointed again the gun to her but someone opened the door. I looked at my back and I felt a sudden shot of pain on my neck. The last thing I remembered, Agent Reyes had the chance to give me a blow at my neck. My body collapsed by the pressure. My vision blurred and I felt I was helplessly numb. I lost my thoughts; I lay unconscious on the floor.

A: mika's not yet registered. My stomach grumbles in hunger of your reviews. Please have a chance to. Have concerns to the poor writer. '