Friend and Foe

Chapter Ten

As I strode into The Hub, the place that is very much how it sounds it should be – people, voices, screens, everybody doing a million different things that you'll never quite understand until well after – I can't help but wonder if I would have done things differently if I'd known I was going to be in the position I was – am – in.

I was greeted by a handler, a middle-aged man with a thick black beard and just as thick, black framed glasses. He shook my hand and introduced himself as Briggs before escorting me to Gwen's office.

She was different to how I remembered, two years of memory twisted by ideas and recreations. She had seemed like a giant when she had first greeted me two years before, as a force of nature. But at that moment she didn't seem so grand, some of the polish had worn off. Facing me at eye level, was the woman who had decided to play god, commanding who would live and die.

"I'm waiting for Magnet, Ma'am," I informed her before she could say anything.

"No, you're not."

"Why?"

"Because," she said simply, in the most unsatisfying way.

"Because, why?"

"Because I said so," she growled.

I stared at her defiantly, "Not good enough."

She sighed, "He's been off the radar for a few days and he may not reappear soon. We need to act now. Wait and we will lose our chance."

"But I need Magnet," I told her, "he's my partner."

"You're a big girl you can look after yourself, Parker." She looked to Briggs, "Take her to the Armoury. She won't need much but I've already sent Ange a list."

In the Armoury, we were greeted by the 'Keeper of Gadgets' as Magnet had dubbed her, back when we had to train onsite every single day – being sixteen and explaining to your parents why you need to go into the city for two hours every day was not an easy task. Whatever list Gwen had given her, it was decidedly short seeing as she handed me one item.

The gun was foreign and alien in my hand. It was a lot of power for one person to wield and it scared me. I knew just how these things felt, whilst my leg didn't feel like it had been run through with a red-hot poker anymore, it stung with every movement I made. I held it uncomfortably, wanting to put it down, but somehow unable.

"And also." Ange disappeared into a back room. She came back carrying a black bundle. "Your suit."

I took it wordlessly and left the room. Briggs trailed me, two steps behind, telling me how to find the change rooms.

***

Nobody stopped me as I left The Hub. The girl in head to toe black carrying a gun in hand.

Surely there is a lot a paperwork involved in that.

In my other hand, I had an address and car keys.

I have to say, I was a little disappointed to find out my ride was a rusting Nissan with ratty seats. But I drove it anyway. It was better than nothing, because though I could have run faster than the car drove, I was in no state to do so.

The address I was given led me to an abandoned warehouse in a quiet commercial district in The Hills. I parked the car in the empty lot across the street, hoping the thing just looked like an abandoned rust bucket and not a sign of trouble.

I let myself in through the back, braced for surprises as I stepped through the door. None came as my eyes adjusted to the light. The place was as abandoned inside as it looked outside. I prowled the whole space, but I couldn't find a reason as to why somebody would frequent this place the way Gwen told me the traitor did. There were no secret doors or rooms. Perhaps it was just a meeting place?

Then I'd have to work fast, because I didn't want to be surprised by the traitor's friend.

The traitor. Gwen had refused to give me his name though she had sent me to deliver his death. I suppose it was to protect him, even in death. I wondered who would inform his family of his passing. Would they make me do that too? Sit down and look the mother in the eye.

I didn't think, 'I'm sorry I killed your son' would go down too well.