Chapter 3:
I watch the waves rolling in onto the sand and am lulled by its sound. I have no doubt in my mind that it was Walter who exposed Section to the outside world. The last time I'd seen him alive he'd taken my hand and squeezed it. "When the time comes, Sugar, don't look back. Find Michael and live."
Back then I didn't understand what he meant, and he hadn't been willing to comment further. But less than 24 hours after Walter died I received an urgent call from the Agency: someone had released an electronic file to the media and the UN detailing Section's existence. The file was untraceable but it included amongst other things specific names, funding sources, and recruitment practices.
After viewing the file I knew it had to be Walter. I don't know how long he'd been working on the file, for there was included in it information that he would not have had access to… but Birkoff would have, or Michael. I suspect that all three of them may have been involved in the file's development, but then Birkoff died, Michael was set free, and that left only Walter.
Sighing I close my eyes as sadness sweeps over me. It is at times like this that I feel much older than I am; as if I've lived several different lifetimes and all of the people I once knew are gone. It's also at times like these that I miss Michael most.
"Call me."
I stare at the message on the PDA. It's from O'Brian – the second one in the past three days. I can imagine his frustration as he awaits my response… He's never been very good at patience but he's a good friend and I trust him completely. Aside from Jason and Monique he's the only other person from Section who knows how to contact me. He's also the only person that knows Michael is still alive. There were many times when he could have betrayed me by revealing that truth to the Agency or to the UN, but he hasn't and I know that he never will.
Jason has returned to his civilian life. A story was made up of how he had faked his own death in order to travel the world in anonymity. Now he's back at the head of his company and resuming the life that he had before Section. On the outside he appears to be the same person, but I know that he has aged much in the years that he's been gone. It's impossible to remain the same person after being in Section.
O'Brian chose to remain with the government and is working with the special task force that the UN created. When I had asked him why he had shrugged his shoulders and said, "There's nothing left for me out there."
I stare at O'Brian's message on the PDA. After some consideration (this would be the first time I've contacted him since leaving) I type in my response. "Yes?"
Less than a minute later his answer comes back. He wants me to call him at a specific time. He doesn't give a phone number because I already know the private line he keeps. I sign off without responding, knowing that he will expect my call.
At the arranged time I establish a secure line and contact O'Brien. His voice, rough and scratchy, makes me smile. "About time," he scolds. "What you'd do, drop off the face of the Earth?"
"You said you needed to talk to me."
"Yeah, well, thought I'd better let you know. Someone's been digging into Sections old files. Judging from the files that were accessed I suspect they're looking for you."
My hold on the phone tightens as my mind rushes over the details of the past few days and weeks. Have I been spotted? Has there been anyone new hanging around? I automatically begin ticking off in my mind who in my past life might know that I'm still alive. I hadn't been in the field much since becoming Operations, maybe once or twice, but still there had to be a few enemies out there who remembered me from my earlier days in Section. It was possible they'd discovered I was still alive.
"Who?" I ask, and hear the hesitation in his voice. "Who is it, O'Brian?" I demand.
Sighing, he says with some irritation, "I'm not certain, but I suspect it's Michael."