Cold War: Aftermath

Chapter 12: Childhood Dreams

March 18, 1981
Perseus Base
Moscow, USSR

That name.... that was not his first name.
"Leave us." Perseus said to the doctor.

"Anthony..." Bell said through sudden realization.

"Ahh, so you do remember." Perseus said quite pleased.

"You'll remember everything soon enough comerade. Right now I need a debiref on your last mission. So tell me, what happened in that forrest."

"I... I searched for him. He tried to get the jump on me but failed. I saw the look of defeat fall across his face just before I shot him. I watched as his body fell into the stream as it took him over the falls. It was like taking the entire world off my shoulders."

"The others, what became of them?"

"They..." Bell had to choose his next words carefully.

"They got away."

"How?"

"Just before I shot Adler he tried to speak the phrase that was embedded within my mind. I was able to kill him, but it... I felt like my mind was being reassembled and torn apart. There was a constant ringing, and before I knew it the foreign agent had caught me off gaurd with a throwing axe and a knife of her own."

"This foreign agent you speak of, which country did she belong to."

"One of MI6."

Perseus nodded and let him continue.

"I held her at gunpoint and nearly did eliminate her. But that was when the other two Americans came rushing in just in time. Previously I had dropped my Ak in a brawl so I made a haste for it, knocking the foreign agent unconscious in the process. I held both my Ak and revolver in hand aiming at both the americans. We fired at the same time, they at me and me at the two of them. I was able to injure them, not fataly unfortunatly. I was foolish to leave the other agent unattended while she was unconsious. She had regained enough strength to grab a pistol of her own and shoot the back of my leg. I guess they heard the mighty footsteps of out soldiers, so they left me, but not before saying to me that one day they would personally ensure my death by their hand."

"They ran across the stream?"

"Yes."

"So help me understand. How does this foreign agent come charging at you with a knife if she has a pistol later in the story?"

Bell ket his poker face.

"It was concealed sir."

"Then wouldn't it make more sense to have simply shot you while she had the chance."

Bell was quick to respond. "Letting the enemy beleive all you have is a knife was a clever enough tactic to fool me."

"I see... Well what is done is done. I'm sure you may have many questions but unfortuantly they will have to wait, I'v got a meeting soon." Perseus stood from his chair. "You are a hero to the Motherland. Rest easy, comerade." He opened the door and paused for a moment.

"I always knew my best agent would find his way home." He said over his shoulder.
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He was watching everything happen from a 3rd person perspective. Was he watching a movie? An old film he was remembering? It was a cloudy day, late in the afternoon. Bell saw as the autum leaves swept down the road and its sidewalks and people on them. Cars passed up and down the street. His attention went elsewhere when he heard the sound of a school bell ring.

"I can carry some of your books for you." A boy, no older than eight or nine said to a girl, who looked to be a few years younger than him.

"Thanks, but I got it. Remember, Mama said I should start carrying my own books." The girl responded, zipping up her own bag.