Nikita got lost in Michael's stare hanging on his every word. They had been sitting in the coffee shop for half an hour now and he barely said a few sentences but his eyes spoke volumes.
'We were paired on our first mission, both of us still recruits,' he whispered. 'It was supposed to be easy but everything went terribly wrong.'
Michael sipped more of his drink and looked out the window as if reliving the experience. Nikita let him take his time and decided to give the apple pie a try.
'Would you like some?'
Words flew out of her mouth before she realized there was only one spoon.
Michael nodded and gave her a small smile. She cut a piece and moved the plate closer to him. He swallowed it absently and then cut a piece for her.
Their fingers brushed as she took a spoonful of pie and put it in her mouth. She was terribly conscious of where that spoon had been just a moment ago. The taste of the pie eluded her altogether.
'So what happened?' Nikita asked swallowing.
7 years ago
They drove an old Honda along winding streets of Brooklyn. Michael's eyes traveled aimlessly over boarded-up shop windows, our-of-order signs, heavily-graffitied walls and teenagers in oversized clothes drumming a rhythm on the overturned garbage containers and shouting out obscenities. He looked at Simone who barely said a word since they'd left Section and seemed content to stay this way. Despite his own usual reticence he found himself acutely curious about her.
'How do you know Shaw?' Michael asked looking at the girl out the corner of his eye.
'I grew up here,' Simone answered simply.
Her fingers fumbled with the choker around her slender neck. Madeline had chosen hip punk-rock clothes for both of them: faded jeans ripped at the knees, a black T-shirt and a black leather vest with metal studs for Michael; a checked mini skirt with a strapless leather corset for Simone. She looked deadly attractive and completely oblivious of the fact. Her small breasts hugged tightly by the corset rose evenly with each breath.
'Were you a part of their… organization?' Michael made another attempt.
'Not really,' she shrugged.
For a moment Michael couldn't take his eyes off her bare shoulders, pale cream and delicate like porcelain. He wished they could drive a bit longer but the tattoo parlor was just around the corner.
They got out of the car and stepped inside. It was a small space and hot as hell. Walls were covered with complicated designs in dark colors streaked with red: dragons breathing out fire, skulls and roses, thorns and metal chains smeared with painted blood. A girl of about eighteen stood behind the counter and was drawing something on a piece of paper, her face stern in concentration. She had a pierced bottom lip, a few studs in her left eyebrow and a whole chain of rings in her ears. Her thin arms were sleeved in tattoos from wrist to shoulder.
'Oh my God!' the girl's eyes widened as she looked at Simone. 'Look who's back from the dead!..'
Simone smiled and came closer. They hugged each other like long lost sisters.
'What happened? Everyone thought you were…'
'Yeah, I know. It's kind of a long story.'
'Are you back? And who is this juicy piece of flesh?' Alice looked at Michael who was feigning interest in the tattoo designs on the wall.
'A friend,' Simone answered mischievously.
'A friend-friend or a boy-friend?' the girl asked not bothering to lower her voice.
'Just a friend.'
Alice headed straight for Michael eyeballing his biceps and sculpted pecs.
'You know what could do justice to this gorgeous body of yours?' she asked.
'What?' he gave her a small smile.
'A couple of hours with me and that chair,' she nodded at an old leather thing in the corner prepared for customers.
Michael read the double meaning without any difficulty and realized his mode would have to change. Lydia's words sounded in his head clear as thunder:
'Seduction is always about the same old game: one is the hunter and the other one is prey. Most targets are usually prey: you have to lure them in, create a false sense of security and lead them every step of the way. But if you encounter someone different, someone who prefers to be a hunter, you need to become their quest.'
'I'm not sure,' Michael said innocently. 'I've never done this before.'
Alice smirked and looked him over trying to understand if he was pulling her leg. Simone used the diversion to slip behind a small door at the back of the shop.
'Well, I promise to be gentle,' Alice caressed his shoulder. 'But only the first time…'
'Will I also get a discount?' Michael asked holding her gaze.
Her nostrils flared up in frustration but he could tell by her enlarged pupils that she wasn't letting go. Not yet.
'I'd do you for free,' she breathed out hotly in his ear.
Michael was toying with the next line in his head when the parlor door creaked open. Two guys in black jackets came inside and Alice's face dropped.
'Is it ready?' one of them asked chewing a gum.
'I told you it'd be ready by the end of the week,' she tried to sound firm but her chin quivered at the words.
'I want it now,' the guy towered over her.
'Well, I can't help you.'
In one swift motion the guy took out a gun and pointed it at Michael.
'Why don't you go to your little room there and get it,' he said to Alice. 'While I'm entertaining the customer…'
Alice looked around and noticed Simone's absence. Her brow furrowed as she looked at Michael.
'Didn't you hear me?' the guy shook his gun.
Michael slammed at his arm and ducked. He heard a bullet piercing a wall behind him and his own frantic heartbeat, louder than anything else. The room went ablur as his body sprang into motion. He dealt a few precise punches to the ribs, caught the guy's nose against his knee as he was doubling up and finally wrenched the gun out of his fingers.
'Drop it!' the second guy said.
He was pushing his own gun against Alice's temple holding her in a tight lock. The girl's eyes were huge and wet.
They froze in a Mexican standoff each holding a prisoner and staring daggers at each other. Sweat poured down Michael's neck as his heart pumped with adrenaline.
The back door burst open and two bullets hit the air. The guy holding Alice jumped and squeezed the trigger. Dark crimson pulp flew out of the girl's opposite temple as the shot went trough her head. Michael felt something pushing in his stomach but the next moment bullets started flying everywhere as the guy went berserk.
Michael used his own hostage as shield when the body went limp in his hands. He could see Simone crouched behind the counter and trying to reload her weapon. She wouldn't stand a chance if she lost her cover.
The guy almost reached her now as he kept shooting left and right.
One more step.
Michael raised his arm and took aim. His heart stopped as he pulled the trigger.
The guy dropped dead to the floor.
Michael's fingers went numb as he lost the gun and looked at the three bodies lying around. He felt hot and cold at the same time, his insides swirled and his knees buckled under him. Waves of pain shook his body and crashed deafeningly in the brain. His mind exploded as he clutched his head and emitted a harsh wail.
He didn't know how long it went on for. It felt like eternity. Then somebody's small cold hands gripped above his temples and pushed.
Sharp needles went through his mind. The pain dissolved.
He looked at Simone who was still holding his head and pushing — gently now — at his fevered scalp.
'We need to get out of here,' she said.
Michael nodded and got to his feet. He stared at his arms and legs as if they were newly attached to him and he wasn't sure how to use them.
'What did you do?' he asked Simone.
'Later.'
She grabbed his arm and they went out the door, leaving the horrid mess behind.
By the time they reached Section Michael managed to get a grip of himself. Apart from his ears burning with shame and a slight tremor in the fingers, nothing betrayed his inner turmoil.
Both Operations and Madeline waited for them at van access.
'What happened?' thundered Paul.
'There was a third party,' Michael answered.
'Who?'
'We don't know.'
'Did you kill them?'
'Yes. But we lost the target in the cross-fire.'
Operations' brows lowered over the bridge of his nose as he stared at the recruits. Madeline cleared her throat.
'Considering it was your first time under fire, you did well.'
Michael swallowed hard forbidding his memories to resurface.
'Was there anything else?' Paul scrutinized the recruits.
'Yes,' said Simone.
Michael looked at her sideways feeling the floor drop from under him. His mind reeled trying to figure out excuses for his behavior.
'I found this in the back room,' the girl handed Operations a small panel which had been hidden under her corset.
Michael held his breath which threatened to rush out of him in relief.
'We'll have Brian sweep it for intel,' Madeline smiled and took the panel. 'Simone, come with me, please.'
Michael watched the two women go away and then stared back at Operations.
'I want full debrief in half an hour,' the older man said.
Michael nodded and went to Comm to return his gear.
In the following days Simone was nowhere to be found. Michael lingered in the cafeteria after each meal, checked all of the training areas and stared intensely at every black bob-cut in Section. Questions pulled at his mind, questions and tingling shame. Two nights in a row he woke up from his own screaming and found his cot soaked with sweat. Images of death and destruction bubbled in his brain and only subsided when he remembered the cold touch of her small fingers against his scalp.
On the third day he finally saw her — just as he was entering Madeline's office. She sat opposite the chief strategist straight as an arrow, much like the first time they were briefed for a mission. Nothing showed on her face as she gave him a short nod of hello.
'The information we swept from the panel confirmed linkage to Bright Star,' Madeline started. 'Now that we know that, we need someone to come into contact with them. The best way would be to use the two of you again. We can place you into the neighborhood with fake ids and provide living accommodations. Your job would be to find out as much as you can and draw someone from the Bright Star out.'
Bitterness crept up Michael's throat and he swallowed it down.
'As neither of you are full-fledged operatives,' the chief strategist pierced them with her gaze, 'we understand that this is a big risk. If you feel that you will be unable to perform in any capacity, please voice your concerns now.'
'I'm ready,' said Michael at once.
Simone bit her lip and looked down at her folded hands. Sorrow lined her face as she went through some inner struggle. Then she raised her eyes and gave a short nod of consent.