7 years ago

The apartment was small and dingy. As Michael carried boxes inside, he kept sniffing old curry, spilled beers and a sickeningly sweet aroma of strawberry condoms the previous tenants had left behind. He held his breath involuntarily every time he stepped over the threshold and wondered if he'd every get used to the stench.

To his relief, Simone opened all of the windows, put on yellow rubber gloves and went methodically over every surface with a disinfectant. She kept her usual silence as if they had been married for ages and had long run out of things to say to each other.

Michael put the last box on the floor and shut the door behind himself. It banged loudly because of the draft and Simone threw him a slightly reproachful glance.

'Do you want me to start dinner?' he asked in an attempt to humor her a little.

'Not unless you cook vegan,' she answered over her shoulder.

Michael's jaw dropped as he mentally shuffled through all of his specialty meals.

'You don't eat meat?' he said finally.

'Meat, dairy, eggs, cheese,' Simone enumerated rubbing at the spot on the kitchen counter. 'I also don't drink alcohol.'

Michael stared at her immobilized.

'Why?'

Simone gave him a long look and then shrugged her shoulders.

'I have a right, don't I?'

She sprayed the chemical over the fridge door and attacked it with cloth. Michael's ears prickled with sudden warmth.

'I'm sorry… I didn't mean to offend you.'

'Not at all,' she answered levelly.

It really seemed like she didn't care at all for what he said or did.

'What can I do to help?' he took a few steps towards her.

Simone breathed out and wrinkled her brow.

'See if you can do something about the bed,' she motioned to a small room to her left.

Michael stepped inside and looked at the old mattress covered with yellow and brown stains. A spring stuck out of it at one of the corners and a distinct smell of sweat and piss hung around like a cloud. The only thing to do about it was strike a match and set it afire. But, of course, they had a cover to maintain and unemployed would-be criminals did not exactly go around shopping for new bedroom sets.

Michael sighed and took out a roll of stretch wrap out of the box. He put several thick layers around the damned thing and then covered it with clean sheets and a simple woolen blanket. They'll have to be careful not to slip off this arrangement in the night but at least the stench was well hidden now.

By the time he finished Simone was already stirring something in the pan. It smelled of fried onions, rich earthy mushrooms and soy sauce.

'You can order pizza if you like,' she said without looking at him.

Michael bit his lip and approached her slowly.

'I'm willing to try what you're making,' his voice trailed softly. 'If you don't mind.'

Simone nodded and kept stirring the concoction.

'Pass the rice, please,' she asked.

Michael helped with the rest of the cooking carefully watching Simone out the corner of his eye. When they sat down to a small table and dug their forks in the food, the girl finally raised her head to meet his inquisitive stare.

'How long ago did they recruit you?' he asked.

'A little over a year.'

Michael waited for a more detailed story but it didn't follow. He tried his luck once more.

'What did you do… before?'

Simone took a bite of tofu and chewed.

'You'll find out soon enough.'

Michael almost rolled his eyes in exasperation. This girl was worse than himself. He sent a few spoonfuls of rice into his mouth and was surprised at the intense flavors flooding his palate. His stomach rumbled gratefully as he quickly stuffed it with warm goodness.

When both their appetites were sated and they leaned back in the chairs, slowly picking at leftovers, Michael made the first step into the uncomfortable territory.

'That day in the hall…' he said. 'Were you really hurt?'

Simone averted her gaze and then nodded.

'Cracked my rib trying to fight off Ferreira. Madeline promised to transfer him to another Section.'

'Ferreira?' Michael's cheeks paled.

Amelia had also spoken about Ferreira but it was all a lie. 'Best lies stem from the truth,' he heard Jurgen's voice in his head.

Simone looked at him carefully.

'What did you mean about the test-drive?'

Michael opened his mouth to answer when a loud thump shook their door.

'We know you're there!' a man's voice rasped. 'Open up!'

Simone rolled her eyes almost as if she had been expecting this and quickly moved across the small hall. As soon as her fingers turned the lock, two men tumbled inside. One of them held a hand to his side and dark blood spewed between his fingers. He could barely stand on his own two feet and the other guy had to support him.

'Take him! Quick!' he shoved the wounded to the dining table.

Plates fell to the floor and smashed to pieces, food flying everywhere.

'How long has he been like this?' Simone asked.

Her fingers lifted the soaked shirt as the man moaned with pain.

'Fifteen minutes, tops!' the other guy flailed his arms around as his voice rang with fear. 'I told him not to go there! But he didn't want to hear about it… Oh man, how bad is it?'

Simone's face was drawn in concentration as she palpated around the wound.

'Michael, I need scissors, boiling water, a needle and a thread,' she instructed coldly.

Michael's body seemed to freeze to the spot. He couldn't take his eyes off the man's face contracting with agony. His own blood beat loudly in his ears as the mind fogged with memories.

'Michael!' Simone yelled.

He started and began to move then barely registering what his body was doing. Somehow he got it all right: scissors, a needle, a thread, hot water boiling on the stove.

'Bring a flashlight,' Simone said.

She made him pour the light down on the wound as she cut the shirt and pushed the man's hand away. Blood gushed out, dark crimson, and Michael's fingers trembled visibly. He tried not to look and still he couldn't take his eyes off it. The cut seemed small but it was all it took to end a life.

Simone's movements were fast and confident. She sterilized the needle in the stove burner, inserted the thread at first try and pushed it inside the man's flesh. He cried out in shock and writhed on the table.

'Michael, put him out,' she said.

Michael gulped and looked at her.

'Now,' she repeated.

He remembered his training and hit the guy's head against the table, hard. The body now lay limp and supple, and Simone closed the wound in a matter of minutes.

'W-will he be all right?' the second guy asked, his mouth shaking.

All this time he had been leaning on the wall not to fall.

'He needs antibiotics,' Simone said levelly.

The guy nodded feverishly and rushed out the door. Michael felt sweat trickle down his temple as he turned to the girl.

'Is this what you had been doing… before?' he asked.

'Learned it from my father,' she wiped her brow and started to clean the mess in the kitchen. 'Didn't have much choice.'

Half an hour later Michael sat at a local bar sipping beer and the guy who had unceremoniously broken into their apartment sprawled next to him behind a counter. He was getting drunker by the minute but Michael did not blame him. He wished he could numb some of the memories from this night himself but his mind needed to stay sharp for the mission.

'So how did you land a girl like Simone?' Billy asked. 'She didn't let anyone come nearer than kicking distance. We had a running bet in the neighborhood who'd claim her flower, if you know what I mean…'

The guy laughed and choked on his beer which oozed out of his nostrils. Michael shrugged and gave a half-smile, suppressing his disgust.

'I guess I got lucky.'

'Yeah-yeah, chicks dig the Frenchmen…' Billy rambled on. 'Only if you ask me, good old Brooklyn dicks're just as thick. Whaddaya say?'

Michael's beer got stuck in his throat.

'I wouldn't know,' he answered.

Billy laughed even harder and slapped Michael on the shoulder.

'Of course you wouldn't! You alright, man… You alright…'

A few minutes passed in silence. Michael had an urge to ask the guy something else about Simone but there were more pressing matters to discuss.

'How did you friend get injured?' he tried.

They had both carried the wounded guy to an apartment a few blocks away and stuffed him full of pills.

'I told'im not to do it, man… I told'im! But he went anyway. Lovesick bastard…'

Billy shut up and peered at the counter.

'Lovesick?' Michael prompted.

'I'm not supposed to say this, man…' the guy whispered. 'But there was a shooting the other day at a tattoo parlor. Three bodies were found, including this girl, Alice. She was from around here, and Charlie… Damn, he got it hard for her! Never looked at anyone else since he was old enough to jerk off, believe it or not.'

'What did the police say?' Michael made a concerned face.

'That's the whole point, man! The police didn't say shit. They're probably gonna sweep it under the rug again. Who cares about any Brooklyn girl who got killed?' Billy's nostrils flared. 'Well, as I said, Charlie was smitten with her and he just wouldn't let it go. See, he knew she had something fishy cooking with some people. Outsiders, a weird bunch, if you ask me. Really dangerous, too. But Charlie didn't care. He just went ahead and started a fight with them. Shouted something like it was all their fault Alice got killed… He was really lucky they only cut'im once and not too deep. And that you guys just moved in today… Simone's a miracle worker, always has been. You hold on to her, man.'

Michael nodded and finished his beer. He realized he had just hit the jackpot and made a mental note to get acquainted with Charlie later.

A couple of hours dragged on uneventfully as Billy got totally shitfaced and let Michael carry himself home.

At 3 a.m. Brooklyn looked just as busy and loud as at noon, only a different kind of busy. Hookers lined the streets at equal intervals, cars swept by, roaring engine and rap beats from the stereo, and once Michael was sure he heard gunshots but maybe it was only a flat tire. He entered the apartment, took off his shoes and went barefoot to the bedroom. Simone was curled in a ball under the covers, breathing evenly. Her face looked as peaceful as ever, untouched by any emotion. He wondered how someone so quiet could grow up in such a noisy neighborhood. Would he ever learn more about her?..

Michael stripped to his boxers and slipped under the covers, careful to keep his distance from the sleeping form beside him.