In the town of Dunedin on a blustery night, two people with a complicated past meet in the shadows of the train station. There's a transaction to be completed but what feelings will seeing each other elicit after all these years?
Just to warn read...
She bowed her head to the bitter Dunedin breeze as heavy clouds rolled overhead, shielding her from the glare of the moon. She tucked her chin into the neck of her coat and quickened her pace. She had no intention of making him wait.
The city's magnificent train station slid into view, its spires and decorative masonry a tribute to rail travel's glorious past. There were few people around and even fewer security measures, one of the reasons she had chosen this spot. The only threat; a camera mounted on a traffic post beyond the station gardens. The door to the main body of the building remained secured by nothing more than a lock. She could break into some of the most secure facilities on the planet, she could certainly handle this.
She used the shadows to her advantage, creeping underneath the columned portico. With the click of a lock, she was inside. She took a deep, satisfied breath as her eyes greedily devoured the scene. She liked her transactions conducted in grandiose locations worthy of her talents - this didn't disappoint. The opulent tiles and mosaics glinted impressively, even in darkness.
A small shift in temperature and the slight rustle of material alerted her to his arrival.
"I trust you had no trouble," she said softly, without turning.
"Only the trouble of getting here. I see you continue your fancy of cities without international airports." His voice was deep and gruff. Her pulse quickened as she recalled the thrill of rooftop chases, brief rendezvous' and hairline escapes. But as the world had moved on, so had they. Better now to operate behind the scenes.
"They're more charming, less spoiled. Besides, I did leave you one option."
"Brisbane," he huffed. "Tight connection. I trust you have it."
"Of course," she purred, finally facing him. Stained glass from the floor above framed his silhouette; in it an oncoming train loomed, puffing its way inevitably towards them like the past they couldn't escape.
She reached into her coat pocket and pulled out the envelope. "It's all here."
His breath faltered. "The photo?"
Her head dropped to conceal the smile that betrayed her. It wouldn't do for him to think her sentimental now. They were done with that.
She nodded then watched him open it. Precious government secrets lay encrypted in that manila envelope but, fixed between his forefinger and thumb was a photograph. He gave a longing sigh. "He looks so like you."
"He has your charms, ways of twisting me around his finger," she said with a laugh.
"Do you ever have regrets?"
Her eyes met his. "This life is too short for them."
A police siren sounded far in the distance, not meant for them. She turned to face the platform; no real trains stopped there anymore. This building was a museum, a monument to what was. The world had moved on.
By the time she looked back, so had he.
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