Hush (Discontinued)

7.5

The craziness continued when the movie was over. And the girl decided to leave. If there's one thing women can't stand, its indifference.

Soon afterward, Jordan returned to the room. "So how'd it go?" he said.

I didn't answer. I turned on a tennis game.

Jordan stared at me awkwardly, and then stepped forward. "Hey, bud. There's something I need to tell you about."

I looked up at the serious face and muted the television. "What is it," I said.

He motioned me outside where the summer night was hot. The electric blue pool painted the walls and my friend into a moving Van Gogh painting.

He leaned over the railing on two folded arms and sighed. I knew it was serious. Almost to himself he muttered, "Man. I hope I get to see you again."

"What do you mean?" I said.

He turned his blue face, and said, "My job here's done, Jack. It's time for me to go home."

I sent him a surprised look which meant, "What? You're leaving? You're going back to the island?"

Jordan nodded as though he could read my mind. "I really loved hanging out with you ever since you graduated college. I'd been begging the agency to let me see you ever since the day you left in September 2012. I can't tell you how happy I was when they told me they'd let me be with my best friend again. Even if it was only one more time."

My arms started shake. I couldn't tell if he was playing me or telling the truth. "Jordan. . . You're not going to leave me are you? I thought you were going to help me with my new assignment!" I quickly moved toward the cabinet drawers underneath the TV where I had hid the envelope under the dusty old hotel bible.

"Mr. Golem told me about your assignment an hour ago," said Jordan. "I didn't know I had been a part of it. You see, I was in contact with Mr. Golem on fourth of July. He'd asked us what we'd been up to. Who we were with. Then he sent a local man to check us out. And by coincidence, we had stumbled upon a very important girl. That Brooke girl. Apparently she tied into something. Mr. Golem wouldn't tell me what. You know how headquarters is. They split up parts of missions among several agents so that everyone plays only a minor role and no one really knows what the main goal of headquarters is. But anyway, I was told to keep up with the Brazilian girl so as to keep you tied up with the Brooke girl. She seems to have taken a liking to you. And because you two seem to have gone on quite well, headquarters wants to capitalize on the opportunity."

I couldn't believe Brooke could be tied into anything possibly important to the SSSA. Then I remembered the photo of the man in the picture and the gun. Did she know him? Was I to use her to get to him?

I finally handed Jordan the envelope and told him that Alyssa had come to me this morning. I asked him if he knew what my mission pertaining to the photo and the gun was. He said he had no idea. His only mission was to encourage a blooming fling between me and the Brooke girl by keeping the Brazilian friend entertained.

"But anyway, if all goes well, Mr. Golem says I might get to see you again," said Jordan. "Maybe in two years. Or three." His face saddened considerably at the potential loss of his best friend.

"That's bullshit!" I said. "Mr. Golem can't keep me off the island forever! I want to see my home, my family, my friends! If you're really deserting me to return to the island than at least tell Chuck that Mr. Golem has exiled me! This is wrong."

Jordan shook his head, grabbing his things to prepare to leave. "Chuck already knows. He agrees that you need to prove your worth again after your five-year hiatus. Prove that you can do good work, and they'll let you come back, and let the others see their role-model return."

As jordan gave me a strong bear hug, he left out the door. I stepped out and said, unapprovingly, "But I don't want to be anyone's role model. Not anymore."

Jordan turned and said sadly, "And that's why they don't want you back anymore."

I was lost for words.

My dearest friend exited the blue light. He disappeared into the night.