Moonlight and Masks

Chapter 8

Agent 2108 strolled into the compound, nodding to the reception staff as he entered.

"2108, nice to see you!" The older receptionist said sweetly. She had curly white hair that sat tight to her round face. Mary was a kind woman who always looked out for the agents but especially 2108, she knew how young he was and actually argued with The Boss that he shouldn't be given the King case, 'he's too young! He'll get hurt!' she insisted.

Agent 2108 smiled, "it's nice to see you too, Mary. Mr Callahan said he wanted to see me." He tried to keep a calm composure but he was terrified. He knew what this was about, the incident at the school. Mr Callahan only ever called agents in if they did something wrong and right now the girl he was supposed to be protecting was in a hospital bed beside her crying parents. She was fine they just wanted to keep her overnight to monitor her but still not good for his career...

"Just head on up dear."

"Thanks," He smiled as he walked to the elevator praying it would be empty he was desperate to take this damn mask off. Everyone was staring at him, he was way younger than the rest of them (and better looking, he managed to make blue spandex look good for goodness sake!) and way better at every aspect of being an agent; he was faster, fitter, he could beat every single one of them in a fight and make it look easy so of course they were jealous, why wouldn't they be?

He was relieved to walk into an empty elevator and ripped the mask off as soon as the metal doors slid to a shut. He was hit with instant relief as he stuffed the mask into his pocket. He caught his reflection in the mirrored walls and was taken aback, this whole double life thing had really taken it's toll on him, the bags under his eyes were so big and so dark that it almost looked like he had been punched in the face twice. He ran his hands through his tousled hair in a futile attempt to calm it down. He looked so tired and he realised that he hadn't had a proper night sleep in two weeks, living off coffee was not going to work for ever. He was willing to test the limits of that theory though and something told him that he probably would have to, leading a double life is hard!

"I'm dead," he sighed, "I look dead and soon I will be dead. Callahan is going to kill me." He told his reflection. He had no idea who 'Assassins Are Us' had sent after Brooklyn, not to mention the fact that they almost succeeded with that stupid attack on the school. Maybe he wasn't cut out for this job after all... He was suddenly hit with a terrifying possibility, what if Callahan or The Boss chose someone else to protect Brooklyn? He imagined some creepy, old guy following her about and laying with her on the hammock or taking her on late night adventures. It was all too much, he resented this hypothetical man! He wasn't even real and he hated him! He would protect Brooklyn with his life. He would rather die than see her hurt. That's why it scared him so much that she had been hurt, there was no way he could have stopped it, in that moment he couldn't protect her and nothing had ever scared him more.

The elevator came to a stop and he reluctantly put the mask back on and stepped out into Mr Callahan's office. It was a big room, the walls were so full of bookcases and art that he wasn't sure what colour they were underneath, there was a giant stuffed bear in one corner and a lion in the other, Agent 2108 had nicknamed then Ron and Harry after the characters in Harry Potter, he hadn't told Callahan that though he probably wouldn't find it amusing. At the opposite end of the room sat a desk and behind it sat Mr Callahan. Callahan was an older man with white hair and a wrinkled face, Agent didn't know how old he was and he had a theory that he was immortal and was hundreds of years old. He wore a black suit and tie, of course he didn't have to wear any stupid spandex! Word of advice from Agent: if you have a choice, never pick spandex, it is the worst. He was a straight forward man who told it as it was, Agent always respected this until now that is, he prepared himself for the lecture of his life.