Surrender

Chapter 5 (Anna's POV)

I thought back to when I was at Micheal's apartment last night. I hadn't been that close to him in six years. He thought I would actually kiss him. When he went for it, I had backed away. I grabbed my jacket and left. The part that really fucked me up was that he actually thought I had killed myself because he cheated. All these years, he had thought I took a bunch of pills because he stuck it in some girl. He would've kept thinking that if he never knew I was still alive. Who the fuck is that ignorant? The Idiot has no clue I am trying to save his ass. 

I sat inside the cafe taking a sip of my coffee as I observe the people inside the cafe. The man in a suit standing in line. The girl reading a book. A couple having lunch together. A woman frustrated yelling into her phone. The cashier trying to keep up with all the orders. The two baristas behind trying to making the orders. The waitress cleaning up a table. A mother with her little daughter. 

The last one caught my attention. I felt an ache in my chest as I watch the mother wipe the crumbs off her little girl's face. The girl couldn't have been more than three years old. She clapped her hands with a huge smile on her face. 

I wish I can go home. There is nothing more that I want than to hug my mother. To tell her how much I miss her. The guilt takes over every night keeping me awake. She thinks I am dead and never coming back, but here I am sitting in a cafe staring at the mother and her daughter. 

The door of the cafe opens. A guy in a dad hat walks in. I look at my watch. It's exactly 1:27 pm. Right on time. 

He stands in line as he adjusts the shoulder strap of his bag. There was no doubt in my mind he has his laptop with him. I don't expect anything less. Wherever he goes so does his toys. I take a sip of my tea as he sits two tables away from me. Come on Nerd. Do your thing. 

I knew him too well. I 'd like to think of him as a friend. Or at least when I was inside Division. But things change. He thinks I am a traitor. I think he is a moron. It's sad to see when people ignore what's right in front of them. Ignorance really is bliss. 

He sits there enjoying his lunch. I watch him like a predator as I wait the best time to attack. I knew his schedule like the back of my mind. It's why I waited here for him. This cafe was his favorite place to come by every Wednesday at exactly 1:27 pm. He gets the special and sits down with his laptop. He is also Shadow Hunter. The best and the brightest hacker.  He is no match for any government. No wonder Lance keeps him on a leash. 

After finishing his lunch, he throws his trash after getting up, and starts heading out. I am quick to follow him but keep a very safe distance while trailing behind him. The streets of New York City are filled with people going on with their daily lives. While they walk, do they ever wonder if a killer and a hacker is walking among them? Of course not, because no one wants to see the ugly side of our world. We turn away from it because we don't want it to drive us insane. I don't blame the world. However, once you see what people like Lance Cooper are capable of, you can't just sit back and watch. Then I am no better than the monsters that created me. 

I keep my eyes on my target. He makes a right turn. Slowly, I pull out my pistol with silencer on from my waistband. He walks into an alley as I follow behind him, taking aim at his head. "Turn around Nerd." 

He stops walking. "I gotta say, I missed that nickname." He turns around facing me. Christopher Paxton aka Shadow Hunter, head of Division's tech and programmings. Also one genius motherfucker. "Vienna, are you stupid? Don't answer that. You must be if your big plan is to go after Division." 

Still aiming my gun at him I take a step forward. "Why are you blinding yourself from what Division is really about?" 

"What? Giving criminals like me a second chance? How is that a bad thing?" He shouts. "Vienna, you're up against something you can't win. You know that. Why are you signing up for your own death? YOU GOT OUT! Why didn't you stay out and live a normal life?"