Morning was the start of a new day and her mission. It was good to be out of the states and away from her funk, change in scenery was helping. Dressing in a white sleeveless top with tiny green geometric design on the bottom edge, green cotton crop cardigan, white jeans and carried a head scarf of pale green, Annie was ready to face the day. One thing nice about Casablanca was the weather, always averaging in the 60's to 70's mark and moderate breezes. Going to the main dining room for breakfast, she stopped by the lobby desk to check for messages.

"Oui Madame Rousseau, a gentleman left this for you this morning." The desk clerk handing her a white envelope with her name printed on the front.

"Thank you." Taking the envelope and continuing to the dining room. She had a strange feeling she was being watched but didn't see anyone out of the ordinary. Shaking off the feeling as being the start of her mission and maybe a little overly sensitive, she asked for a table near the rear of the room where she could watch. The feeling soon went away and she ordered a traditional breakfast of Moroccan omelet with veggies and cream cheese, a side order of fresh fruit and tea. After her meal served and Annie enjoying her morning breakfast, she opens the envelope to read computer printed note:

'Take the noonday train to Marrakech on Thursday. Will contact you at the food court in front of KFC and wear something red. - Lamorak'

The day was just Tuesday which gave her two days to kill but doing what? She had a cover, may as well browse art stores, check the local jewelry vendors in the old market place and take in an art gallery or two. Finishing breakfast, she picked up several tourist pamphlets and stopped by the desk to ask the clerk for some suggestion were to find local artisans. Armed with tour guide information, she decided to visit the old market place for her first destination, Habbous Souks District an open air market was filled with a countless variety of different vendors.

The busy market was a place foreign tourist visited and she could browse easily unnoticed as an outsider, just a new mark for ripping off another European. There numerous shops of local art work, all beautifully displayed and handcrafted jewelry with their intricate designs. Annie finding a beautiful gold cuff bracelet she couldn't pass up, she purchased it with little haggling. She was pleased with her purchase as it lifted her spirits, retail therapy. Shopping a bit more it soon became time to take a break. She found a quaint cafe off to the side of the main market for afternoon tea and lunch. Once more she felt someone was watching but saw no one suspicious. Was she being paranoid or was it the sixth sense that Eyal seem to have about being watched.

To herself, 'Damn Annie, why in the hell did he cross your mind? You haven't through about him in months, besides he is off sailing the Greek islands.' Still thinking about Eyal, she remembers some of the times they were together and how he would make her feel, the mere way he would look at her, like a she was the most desirable woman in the place. She would hate their parting, when he would vanish into thin air - so much time would elapse between their brief encounters. With a little huff, she pushed him out of her mind, she was only thinking about him because in spite of everything she was trying to shake the Auggie fixation and Eyal seem to be there in times of trauma. She struggled to shake herself free; it was as much her decision to break it off with Auggie as he was in agreement. Most certainly the hurt came from him finding someone else so quickly, like she had been just another in a long line of girlfriends that changed as often as his shirt. The hell with it, she was on a mission not to spend time in day dreams.

Finishing her lunch break, she was back in the souks and finding a beautiful tunic true to the Moroccan style in brilliant tangerine, the luxury of silk fabric with elegance and refinement. Once more Annie couldn't resist the impulse to buy and she did. It was now time to call it a day before she spent her next month's pay. Dinner back at the hotel and a boring evening in her room reading. The next day wasn't much better, a trip to a small art gallery and the new Morocco Mall, the largest shopping center in Africa, Annie was trying to keep her buying in check and did very well considering her state of mind, only another lovely tunic and a scarf. That night was another boring evening of reading and turning in early.

Thursday morning and Annie was delighted her down time was over and she would be on her way to meet Lamorak. The weather in Marrakech would be warmer than in Casablanca , in the mid seventies to lower eighties, a muted blue dress with a cap sleeves was in order and following her instructions, a red belt and long red silk scarf she had purchased the day before. Catching one of the little red cabs to Casablanca Voyageurs Train Station, Annie couldn't help but think of the intrigue and romance Marrakech would have to offer. A modern city yet with the old walled part still significant with souks and tourist, especially the French. Her cover was perfect. The train trip would take three hours and Annie had brought along a paperback book to read - 'And The Mountains Echoed',by Khaled Hosseini.

After about an hour into her trip and well into her novel, the train made a stop at Settat, a city in route from Casablanca to Marrakech. Glancing out the window and watching the many travelers walk along the platform, she saw someone who looked familiar. Shaking her head no can't be, she turned to smile at the woman who had sat beside her get up and depart from the train. Returning to reading her book, a low melodious voice spoke to her in French.

"Cette place est prise?"

"Non." Annie not looking up from her book.

"So you are not interested in the stranger sitting next to you?"

Annie looking at the man, "Eyal! Uh...what are you doing here?"

"Taking the train to Marrakech, what else." He answered with his devilish grim and captivating brown eyes.

"I mean what are you doing in Morocco?"

Eyal with his flirting way, "Holiday. And what are you doing so far away from home?"

"Would you believe holiday?" Annie was quick to answer.

"Not in a hundred years. So you are on assignment."

"I can't say." Annie was wishing he would give her some excuse no matter how flimsy it might be for his months of absent without an e-mail or even a simple text. She was glad to have Eyal sitting next to her, she had a feeling of excitement being this near to him and now seeing him again, how she had missed him. Looking at his attractive face she noticed, the past months had given him a handsome tan, a little longer hair, just covering the top of his ears and clean-shaven.

"I can tell by your expressive eyes and that tiny wrinkle in your forehead you want to know what I've doing lately. So to answer your question, would you believe I've been sailing. I can't tell you how great the pleasure being on the open sea with the wind in your face. Sorry you didn't come with me."

"You are still a big flirt. Maybe one day I will surprise you and show up in Athens." Annie smiling a sweet caring grin. Playing his game because she knew the sailing was a cover, being spies there were secrets, an ugly part of life for them.

"Now for that I can't wait, hope you do." Eyal taking her hand in his and leaning his head back against the seat and smiling. She started to remove her hand but let it stay in his grasp.

The remaining of the train trip was spent in wide-ranging conversation, both spies being guarded about giving too much information about their presence in Morocco. Reaching their destination, Eyal stood for Annie to get off the train first.

"It was good to see you again Annie, I would love to spend more time chatting with you, but I have to meet someone. I'll give you a call and maybe if you are free we can have dinner."

"Yeah that would be nice, please call. Hope we can have dinner." Annie being delighted he suggested dinner and hope her mission would not interfere with meeting Eyal. She had a slight skip of a heart beat as she watched him walk away. He had an air of unrestrained confidence, a mysterious man with many layers and so handsome, striking in a roguish sort of way with those tantalizing flirtatious brown eyes. It had been months since they parted in Amsterdam and all old feelings for Eyal were starting to come back, the ones she had pushed away time and time again in the past years, thinking with each goodbye he may not come back. Perhaps this time it would be different, this time, if they had dinner, this time... if only this time hope there may be more to their chance meeting maybe the start of a romantic fling with no strings attached. There could never be anything stable with Eyal, he was so mysterious, so hard to define.

Eyal: Watching Annie as she received the note of the hotel desk clerk, all his hopes and dreams for the past months were about to come true. Maybe he should change his mind about his dislike for the CIA, they had sent Annie, his Neshama on this mission. To be close to her again was all he had hoped for and now there she was once more back in his life. He knew he could not rush into anything because he had heard gossip that she was in a hot love affair with Auggie Anderson but of course he could see the affection in Amsterdam. Didn't make any difference, his fondness for Annie had built over the years and he had done this waiting before but this time he knew precisely what he was faithfully waiting for.