One year, six months after Day Three
Five months later
Mexico City, Mexico
They had been all over the country and now they were in the capital itself. Having set up a meeting with Mandy, the siblings were awaiting her arrival in a dark parking lot. All three had taken great care in keeping this meeting secret. Mandy soon arrived and seemed eager to ask something of them.
"I need a favour," she spoke, looking around as if expecting company at any moment. The only guns protecting them were the ones each of the siblings were carrying.
"A favour?" Nina asked, sensing Mandy's desperation and wanting more information before considering it.
"Yeah. My employers were going to send a package, but it turned out to be a bomb. If it hadn't gotten damaged in delivery, I wouldn't be here right now," Mandy spoke. She had no idea why her bosses wanted her dead but hadn't dwelled on the possibilities.
"What are we meant to do about that?" Nina replied. If it was her, she wouldn't be sticking around in the same country or even continent.
Mandy took a piece of paper out of her pocket before handing it over to her. Nina read the scrawled handwriting, it seemed to be an address within Mexico City.
"What would we find here?"
"A man called Miguel Ramirez. My bosses sent him to check the bomb had worked and since it didn't, he's trying to track me down," Mandy replied.
Nina furrowed her brow, she had a good idea of what exactly it was that Mandy wanted.
"How do I know your bosses won't find out about this?" Nina asked. If she was to make this problem go away, she wanted it done without becoming a target herself.
"They won't as long as you don't attract any attention," Mandy replied, but Nina looked at her as if she was about to walk away.
"I'll pay, of course. A million each," she continued, hoping that she didn't sound too desperate. Or weak. Nina contemplated the offer, before turning to Alex.
"What do you think?" She asked, and he considered it. Neither he nor Nina wanted him dragged too deep into the murky waters of terrorism, but a million dollars? This Ramirez guy was hardly innocent, and the money would be useful. Especially if he ever felt the need to cut all ties with Nina. Or found himself cut adrift from her.
"I don't know, how would we do it?" He asked, and Nina could tell what he actually meant.
"You would only need to drive, I can do the dirty work," she replied. She was fine with his reluctance to get his hands too bloodied and understood his reasons. Yet she could only wonder if there would be a time when he would have to do more than he wanted.
"That's fine with me," he replied.
Jack's apartment, Washington, District of Columbia
It was evening in DC and Jack was at home relaxing. He had finished working for Secretary of Defense Heller another day, a job he had been doing for some months. Sitting down on the couch that he had brought with him from LA, he opened a cold can of beer and took a swig. Outside, the sky was growing darker as night set in, so he decided to shut the curtains now before he got too comfy. Turning the light on before walking over to the window, he began feeling a sudden crushing pain in his chest. Falling to his knees in agony, he looked around for his cell and was able to crawl over to it. The last thing he did before he lost consciousness was dialling 911.
Miguel Ramirez's house, Mexico City, Mexico
Alex and Nina were sat in their car, gazing at the house. The plan was simple and would take only a few minutes before they were both a million dollars richer.
"Keep an eye out, honk three times in quick succession if you need to get my attention," Nina told him.
Getting out of the car, she glanced around as she made her way towards the house. Alex watched as she picked the lock before she pulled out her silenced gun and slipped inside. He began to wonder if he was okay with being an accessory to murder but dismissed the thought. He needed to focus on what was happening now, not on moral quandaries. Recalling her plan, he knew that she would find the target, put a bullet into his brain and then take a picture as proof. Nina had guessed that it would take her approximately five minutes from start to finish. Four minutes after she had left the car, she reappeared at the front door with a satisfied smile on her face.
"Mandy, it's done. I'll send you the proof," Nina spoke on the phone as they sped off away from the scene.
Jack's apartment, Washington, District of Columbia
The paramedics were working hard to save his life. Luckily for him, the dispatcher had been able to see exactly where the call was coming from. As they stabilised him, they began the process of transporting him to the hospital.
"This guy's been through hell and back," one commented as they noticed how battered Jack's body was. Years of service to his country had left him with countless physical reminders from head to toe.
Tony's house, Los Angeles
"Tony?" A familiar voice spoke over the phone. Tony, who had been half-asleep on the couch, couldn't believe it. Michelle was calling him and she sounded neither angry nor disappointed.
"Yeah?" He replied, hoping to hide his joy at hearing her voice once more. It wasn't that he wanted to keep it from her, instead he wanted to keep his expectations low.
"I need to talk to you, but not over the phone. Can I come over there?"
There was a tone to her voice that he couldn't place. Theories about what it was that she wanted to talk about flooded his mind before he answered.
"Okay, sure. What time?"
"Some time today, if that's possible?"
"Yeah, that's fine, see you soon"
Almost as soon as the conversation was over, he began rushing around his apartment on a mission to clean. He cleared away the empty cans and takeout boxes, hoovered up the carpets and flung open the windows. If she wanted to come round and talk, he was going to make the place look good for her.
Alex and Nina's car, Mexico City, Mexico
The siblings were heading back to their own home, each a million dollars richer. Mandy had expressed her delight at the news of Ramirez's passing. She had also assured Nina that her bosses would not find out about their involvement. Still, this had been the closest Alex had come to being actually involved in a murder. He hadn't played a part in the assassination in Istanbul, that had all been Nina and a bomb she had bought off of a contact.
"I've seen that guy before, Ramirez," Nina remarked as they drove along a deserted road. She was sure she had dealt with him at some point, but nothing was coming to mind.
"He didn't work for Schulze, did he?"
"No, it's not that. I doubt it matters now anyway."
Although the car was silent, Nina's mind was still busy. She was running through all kinds of scenarios and possibilities in her head. Who was Miguel Ramirez to her? Then she realised.
"The Salazars!"
"Wait, he's connected to them?"
"Yes, but I'm not sure how," Nina spoke and she wondered if Mandy knew of the link.
Tony's house, Los Angeles
As he opened the door, the first thing he saw was the deep brown eyes that he could get lost in for hours. The second thing he saw was the small bump on her stomach. Inviting her inside, he found himself having a very clear idea of what it was that Michelle wanted to talk about. Offering her a drink before they sat down, he was trying to come up with something to say. She beat him to it, wanting to share the news.
"I know I filed for divorce, but there's something that changes everything for us. I'm pregnant, Tony, and that means that I want to give our marriage another chance," she spoke. She stared at him and hoped that the news would have the desired effect. He grinned at her before taking hold of her hand and squeezing it.
"I want that too, Michelle, I want to change for the better. I love you too much to pass on this chance," he replied.
