Spy School: Old Becomes New

Chapter 20

May 17th, 2029

Downtown Toronto

1530 hours

Ben's POV

I walked through the streets of the city with Zoe, not having any idea where we were going. She seemed hell bent on going somewhere though, if it was any solace to me.

We hadn't spoken since she tried to ambush me. I was getting a little bit uncomfortable, but what choice did I have? I kept following her, racking my brain for things to say.

We finally arrived at a small restaurant. She walked inside and we both took a seat at a table.

"So," I said. "How's life?" She just gave me a look as if to say I should cut the crap.

"You want to know why I ambushed you, I assume," she said, looking at the menu.

"Well, technically you didn't ambush me, because I dodged," I said, my mouth watering at the options they had on the menu.

"Yea, yea, whatever."

A waitress came over to us with her notepad.

"What can I get the couple today?" she asked.

"Actua-" I started but Zoe cut me off.

"I'll take the cheesy bowtie pasta," she said, then looked at me.

"I um, well, I'll have the double cheeseburger, with a water please."

"I'll have a water as well," Zoe said.

The waitress smiled and walked away.

"Anyways," Zoe said, as if nothing had happened, "I tracked you down because I need your help."

"What do you need my help with?" I said sarcastically.

"Well, it's effectively your mission," she said to me.

"Okay," I said. I started thinking.

"Why are you listed as a mole, exactly?" I asked her.

"You have clearance to that list?" she said, obviously surprised.

"Is it that surprising?" I responded to her.

"Well," she started. I could see that she was thinking about lying but decided against it. "I'm sure Mike told you that we were after these guys for a bit. I tried to get mission authorization from the board and they denied my request. So when they found out I was still after them, they listed me as a mole."

"Why have you and Mike been after these guys for this long anyway?" I asked.

"It's personal to me and you ... well, you really don't know?"

"I feel like an idiot right now."

"You remember that cigar company from before?" she asked me.

"Yea, Hilltop Cigars and whatever the rest was," I said. "There was something suspicious about a guy going there every day or whatever. But it didn't really help us at the end of the New York mission."

"And now who are we after?" she said, positing the questions like I'm a baby.

"MH, well B&B and MH, but yeah." I still didn't see where this was going.

"Wow, your deducting skills have taken a hit. Hilltop. MH. Think Ben."

It took me a second.

"Murray Hill."

"Finally," she said. Our food had came and she started eating her pasta. I took a bite of my burger, then drank some water.

"Wait, that's impossible." I said. "I neutralized him when I was fake dead."