between ghosts

1

-

In Nice, France, I lay on my bed in my dimly lit bedroom, rock music playing softly in the background.

The afternoon sun peeked through the narrow slot in my window, a time of day I despised. I preferred the cover of the night.

Suddenly, my phone buzzed. It was Sebastian, the old man who assigned me missions.

He was like my boss, but more than that, he was my only friend, bound by higher powers.

"Hey, old man. What's up?" I answered the call.

"Happy birthday, kiddo. Got a new mission for you," he said,

his voice gruff yet familiar.

"Another mission... on my birthday?" I replied, unable to hide my irritation.

"Life's a bitch, Angel. Deal with it. We'll celebrate your birthday once you're done, okay?"
he offered, attempting to soothe my frustration.

"Fine. Who's behind this one?" I asked, already suspecting the answer.

"Emily the Paris Mafia. She needs you to take out an American arms dealer.named Joseph Guilbert, This guy's been selling weapons to the Russians. I'll send you all the details. He's 68, about 172 cm tall. He's gonna throw a party tomorrow. You'll have an invitation and a stunning red dress. Just make sure he doesn't see another sunrise, and leave no trace" he explained.

"Emily again. That woman never quit," I sighed

"But at least I get to wear something nice. You always pick the best outfits."

Sebastian chuckled. "What can I say? I've got an eye for fashion. Everything will be at your place soon."

I said, "Okay, old man bye"

I've got the red dress; it was gorgeous, and the file contained all the details.

But something about this mission felt different, more urgent. Just as I was pondering this,
there was a knock on my door.

I opened it to find Emily standing there,
looking as poised and dangerous as ever.
Old , Short brown hair, Greek nose , tall , green eyes, wearing black suit , with red shirt under it

"Emily," I said, surprised.
"What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to deliver this mission personally,i couldn't trust Sebastian with this intel" she replied,

stepping inside and closing the door behind her.

"This one is too important to leave to chance.i chose you because we worked together before and you were rather remarkable angel "

I raised an eyebrow. "Important how?"

Emily handed me a glass of wine and took a seat and lighted a cigarette

"This arms dealer , Joseph Guilbert, isn't just any target. He's the linchpin in a larger operation. By taking him out, we can create a significant disruption."

"Go on," I said, curious.

"This man Joseph, has been selling advanced weaponry to the Russians, undermining NATO's stability. By eliminating him, we send a message and create chaos. The U.S. and Russia will be at each other's throats, and NATO will be in disarray."

"And what's your endgame?" I asked, studying

her."Destabilization works in our favor. While they're busy pointing fingers and dealing with the fallout, we expand our influence and control. It's a power play, Angel. One that could change the balance in Europe," she explained.