The Truth is Undercover

Business

The soft sounds of the moving train were soothing, and provided some nice background sound for reading a book. As I flipped through my pages I breezed through the words effortlessly. Every now and then the train bumped up, then back down.

As I continued to absorb the story from the pages I held in my hands, I felt goosebumps start to rise. It felt as if someone is watching me. I glance up, trying to not make it obvious I sense their gaze. I take a quick survey of the train and quickly weed out the suspect. A young man, wearing a light gray suit accompanied by a light blue tie. His blonde hair is swept back. The rest of his face is covered by his newspaper. He has black gloves that match his black dress shoes. I had already looked back down at my book, I don't think he noticed my quick check.

I check my watch. I've been on the train for at least thirty minutes now. I wonder if he got on at the same time as me. But I only just now felt his gaze, so he must've gotten on after me. Maybe he just now noticed me. Either way, I raise my guard and try to resume my reading. I only have about twenty minutes left until I reach my final stop.

I recall all of the security at the train station. There's a very good reason as to why it was all there. My country had just been at war with the country I'm currently travelling to. Relaria, the country of which I live in, just barely won the war against Pudvisk which is our neighboring country. But Pudvisk isn't done yet. In fact, our victory has only made them angrier. Since we're out of war at the moment, I've been deployed by my agency to go across the border and receive as much intel as possible while also trying to prevent another war outbreak.

Leaning back in my seat, I release a breath and I think I should get up and take a walk. I feel uncomfortable. I decide to go to the bathroom. I pack up my book and take my bag with me, not allowing the man or anyone else a second to go through my stuff. I head over there. I reassure myself that I know combat and that I can defend myself. My agency has also prepared me for encounters like this. As a spy, it's important to know self-defense. I do my business and walk back to my seat, sitting down and resuming my book. I notice the man look at me, checking if I'm back. I shrug it off.

Finally, we reach the final destination. I grab my stuff, trying to hurry off. I've not even checked into my hotel yet, but I'd really prefer to avoid any contact. Once I'm out I see security spattered around the station. I blend in with the crowd and make my way out of the station. I find my way to a sidewalk and take a deep breath. It's not as great as the air in Relaria, but it's better than on the stuffy train. Maybe I'm also just biased. I know my hotel isn't far from the train station so I start heading in that direction.

I just crossed the road and am about to check my map on my phone when I notice someone running across the road to get to the sidewalk. I'm slightly horrified to see it's the man in the gray suit. He got off at the same stop as me and is taking the same path as me. I decide that I shouldn't go straight to the hotel so I don't lead him there if he is truly following me. Then he'd know where I'm staying. So I walk around for a bit, looking at the buildings around me and checking behind me every so often. Each time I glance behind, I still find him somewhere. It's like Where's Waldo, but less difficult.

After a bit I decide to take action here before he can do anything to surprise me. I stop and act like I'm looking around for someone or something. Then I look at him and act like I just noticed him. I approach the man with a friendly attitude.

"Hey there." I say, slightly startling him. He clearly didn't think I'd approach him.

"Erm... hello..." he responds quietly.

"Would you mind providing some direction to where Monnie's diner is at? I can't seem to find it." I ask him innocently.

"Oh, uh... you'll just continue going straight, past a side road, then take a right and then a left. Then you're there." he answers.