SFSD-X Short Story Smackdown

5.2 When She Was Bad

No one had suspected the truth. M herself had requested this testing to move Livia up in ranks. But she is now an independent agent; I have to face the facts. Worse, she deliberately manipulated me in order to steal the serum.

In a matter of seconds, I have picked the cuffs using pins from my watch (old school). A minute later, I am following the micro TDT (tracking device transmitter, new school) I had injected into Livia's arm with the serum. Of course, I have to take the Aston Martin to go after her. Anything less would be uncivilized. The Days Passed is playing, an almost romantic song I had on during the drive to the safe house. Annoyed, I hit stop.

Luckily, we are in Italy and the pedestrians here are admirable for their sense of survival. I wind through the narrow streets at break-neck speed, the tail lights of Livia's Porsche just barely in my sights. She is driving for the port.

I try to head her off through a side-street and manage to gain a few yards and a line of drying laundry. She's stopped. Her blond hair – easy to pick out of the crowd of brunettes – is going towards the beach.

The sun is setting over the ocean, blinding me with its glare. Italians curse me as I squeal to a stop, but I don't have time for niceties. My Walther PPK/S in my hand, I take a round-about path to catch her. I don't see her destination – the boats docked at the distant pier perhaps?

She ducks behind into a seaside cafe. I follow to the door and listen.

"Well done, my dear," I hear a man's voice saying. The voice instantly takes me to South Africa; to a plantation where a cold-hearted killer ran a diamond theft operation. Grabelstein.

"Make the call," Livia says.

"Not so fast. How can I be sure this is the formula I asked for?" Grabelstein asks.

I enter. "Rest assured, my good man, it's exactly what the doctor ordered."

I take out his two bodyguards without firing a shot. I turn. Grabelstein has a gun to Livia's head and is using her as a shield. I can handle him, but raise my hands in mock defeat.

"Take the bag and go," I say.

"I will," he answers. He shoulders the bag; his eyes flick away for an instant.

As I attack, Livia moves to block me. A shot rings out and she is thrown into my arms. I have a choice; leave her here to die alone and chase the bastard who shot her, or hold her while I can. I know I am already staring through the eyes of the dead.

"No, James," she whispers, grasping feebly for my hands. "If you catch him, he can't give the order to spare my brother's life."

"He has your brother?" Saints above, she hadn't turned against country, she had been protecting her family. She is not the woman I thought, but more than I had imagined.

I kiss her forehead. She sighs and slips away from this life. I think I preferred her when she was bad – it made not having her almost bearable. People are arriving to gawk and call the police. I stand to go and make my report to M.

Revenge will be served cold.

*** The End!!!! ***