Anarchist

One

Leslie looked back at his fiancé, asleep on the bed. The blankets were perfectly intertwined with her legs, to make sure she was never too hot on these long summer nights. Just how she liked it, Leslie knew.

Perhaps Ruby preferred sleeping alone. Of course she did, she must be much more comfortable. Leslie wasn't there to share control of the blankets with. He wasn't there to make the bedsheets damp and warm from his sweat and body heat. And Leslie knew that soon enough, he'd most likely be out of her apartment and out of her hair for good.

He'd had doubts about his engagement. It had been over a year since he'd proposed, yet no marriage plans had been made since then. Everything had been so flat since then, so mediocre and so unbearably empty. Leslie had looked forward to it, but at this point it seemed commitment in a bond like marriage seemed near impossible. It would be far too awkward in too long a time frame, especially since breaking up with a girlfriend would have been much easier than divorcing a wife, and he'd already made it hard enough for them both by proposing.

But he did want the awkward connection between the two to end and be forgotten, because he didn't know how much more he could take of the lack of eye contact, the lack of passion in the kisses. Even in the bedroom, the intimacy and the affection of it all had just seemed to disappear. Leslie couldn't have called it making love, because as much discomfort it caused him to admit it, compassionate love wasn't an existing element in their relationship anymore. So it wasn't even making love anymore, it was just having sex, because everything had seemed meaningless recently. Leslie and Ruby only continued with the physical side of their engagement for their own pleasure, not for the other's.

They didn't hate each other, of course; they didn't even dislike each other. It just wasn't love, and they just didn't fit, and they couldn't ever have been able to put up with each other for long enough for marriage.

From this experience, Leslie expected they could just about remain friends after it was over.

Now it had just become a game of who would make the first move to end their relationship.

Leslie picked up his mug of coffee, setting it down on the glass table on the balcony. The fresh air of the Summer's night was cool, and somewhat comforting to him, because he did miss a lot of things. He wasn't sure whether it was Ruby or him who had changed, or perhaps both. Leslie knew breaking this off like this would be healthy, but part of him wished they didn't have to.

He rested his forehead against his fists, sighing softly. Perhaps this life he wished he could have back wasn't right for his profession and duties. It didn't allow him lifelong commitment for either his job or his fiancé, so he had to choose between the two.

Given Leslie and Ruby's current feelings for each other, his choice was cruel to him, but not particularly difficult.

* * *

PRIVATE AND CONFIDENTIAL
For storage in Room 65, Section 3
File to be issued: Thursday July 23rd, 18:34 pm.
Dear Mr. L Jackson,
We believe to have uncovered the location of the current headquarters of FIREFLI, who have been suspected of possessing a powerful chemical weapon of their own creation for at least a month. We know little about such a creation, but we do know that it can and will create chemical explosions if misused.
A team of no less than eighteen individuals are to be set to infiltrate the suspected premises within four days of receiving this document. Collect any information on the target if you are capable of doing so and if time allows you, however the main priorities in this operation are to obtain the target and seal it in the sodium lined box that you have received from us, and to safely disconnect and destroy its detonator, unless you discover the target has other means of detonating. Once you have sealed it, it and all information you find is to be sent to us where we can safely dismantle it. Any further details of the operation must be organised by either yourself or Ms. T Kendall. Advise yourselves and the rest of your organised squad the most extreme caution during this operation. No doubt will the location have exceptionally high security standards, and FIREFLI do not take kindly to visitors. It is within your hands to keep yourselves and your team alive. In the event someone makes a mistake, it could lead to the execution of you all. However if the correct precautions are taken, there will be no reason for the operation to fail or for any lives to be lost.
I and my colleagues at NCPO trust you with this responsibility and wish you the best of luck.
God bless you,
Dr C. Waters.