When the rains may come (Science Fiction)

48. A Bad Spy

"Everything okay, doctor?" Larson asked as Clint stepped out of the V.I.P room. "You were in there for quite long. Is Mr. Hodges okay?"

Clint's face was parchment pale. But he kept his expression normal. "He is fine." He nodded. "I'm done for the day, I'll be heading out now. The nurses and Raymond are more than enough to keep running things smoothly." He stepped away before Larson could question him further.

Clint went back to the common room, retrieved his holdall from the locker and left the hospital building from the back door. The crowd of devotees were still at the main gate. There were even more of them now, probably.

The moment he was out on the road, he took off running, not caring about looking suspicious to the steel heads anymore. He had to get out of here quickly. He had to get to the Moon's Edge.

He hailed for a cab who got him to the pub in fifteen minutes while Clint wished he'd got there in ten. He rushed through the front door.

Harry was still behind the bar. "I wasn't expecting you this early." The bartender frowned. "In fact, you shouldn't be here at all righ–"

"Forget it, Harry!" Clint snapped, stepping up to the bar and leaning in close. "This is a lot more important!"

"What do you mean?"

"I have to talk to Watcher. Myself."

Harry stared at the doctor, bewildered. "You must be kidding. Don't you know? Watcher doesn't meet–"

"I told you none of it matters!"

"Doctor, I can't do that. You need to tell me something at least."

Clint groaned. He wanted pull his own hair out and slap Harry in the face at the same time. He refrained. He took a deep breath. "I can't tell you everything. But I'll tell you one thing. Pass this message over to Watcher. Eli Hodges is not our enemy."

"What?!"

"You heard me. Go tell that to Watcher. If he wants further explanation, tell him to come see me himself," Clint said. "I wanna tell him what happened myself. I don't trust anyone else right now."

#

Clint sat alone at the bar while Harry had excused himself to a room in the back--apparently making calls--trying to heed to the unfair demand Clint had made of him. I'm the worst spy ever, that's all Clint could think. He'd made the worst decision in the situation. He'd went off the script, 'broke the character', Marie would've said. But he had already come too far now. There was no turning back from here. This was going to change the entire direction of their mission. Heck this was going to change the direction of the revolution.

Harry came back from the room. "I didn't take any responsibility for your actions, doctor. Cuz it's not my job. You better have a very good reason to obstruct a mission like this. Or else you and your family are gonna be in a world of trouble."

"Okay, Captain Obvious. Tell me what did Watcher say? Is he coming?"

"Yes. He is already on his way. Better start preparing your case, doc. You have a ton of explaining to do to him."

#

It wasn't what Clint had expected. Watcher didn't arrive in a luxury car at all. Not a fancy convertible, not an intimidating SUV, but a nondescript sedan. It actually made sense Watcher drove around in this thing. This was perfect for maintaining low profile.

The car rolled up in the alley behind the pub. Harry escorted Clint to the back and held the passenger door open for him. Clint climbed in. The car windows were tinted and there was a partition curtain between the front seats and the back.