Divisions

Part 2- Chapter 10

Three days later.

DO NOT FORGET THE PLAN, NATALIA.

8PM TONIGHT.

A CAR WILL BE PARKED OUTSIDE THE BUILDING. YOU WILL ENTER, AT 7:50, SHARP.

SANDERS.

The sick feeling in Natalia stomach, which had become normal in the past few days, came again, and forced her to run back to the bathroom and be sick.

With every new message Mr. Sanders sent, was a heightened sense of fear, and at the same time, a stronger sense of responsibility.

The only thing that kept Natalia going for those three days was the hope that Mr. Sanders truly did have the answer to the murder of Mr. Tobias Sheldon.

Natalia could not help but remember the smiling faces of his children in the newspaper article, those smiles, now tainted. His children, bound to living the same fate as Natalia did. To having lost a parent to a cruel world.

Natalia knew that solving this case would help them cope with their loss, in a way she had not been able to. They could pin the blame on a "bad guy" a "villain". Natalia could not.

Her parents caused their own troubles, and essentially left her brother, Nicholas, whom she hadn't seen in years and her behind. She could not blame anyone else but them.

Somehow, giving those children she did not know a better life held more importance to Natalia in those days than her own safety or wellbeing.

Carmen had already left for her international mission, the morning before and Mr. R had formally left the NIF that same afternoon, with Mr. Ackley from the IDA giving us a small break to regroup, so Natalia was virtually alone.

Ricardo spent much of his time with her those few days, trying to cheer up.

The days passed by in what felt like a blur, nothing anchoring Natalia to the ground. Neither Jarred nor Camilla had approached her, and she was glad they hadn't.

Natalia closed her eyes, trying to block out the past few weeks from her mind. She thought about how she had felt during "all-important" first mission she had had, just weeks ago. She was excited, honored even, to have been chosen for the mission, even if she had only been chosen for her young age.

She now wished she had never had Mr. R as her handler. Had he not been my handler, he'd never have chosen me for the allied task force. She would never have met Jarred at all to begin with, or Ricardo. She could have just been a regular agent, doing regular missions.

But no, the world just had to hand her the shorter end of the stick.

Natalia paced back and forth through the room, staring at the clock.

6:59, 7:00, 7:05, the hands seemed to move like blade-runners.

At 7:15, Natalia packed a small backpack with the one Agency-issued gun she had on her person, her cellphone, a torch and a spare change of clothes, prepared for the worst.

She inhaled, and thought to do one more thing before she left, to give her the courage to leave.

She retrieved the shoe-box again, and for the first time, no tears fell as she looked at the family photo.

Natalia stared at it for what felt like forever, until the faces were engraved into her memory.

She wanted for her brother, Nicholas, to be the last thing she saw before she died.

At 7:45, she left her room, looking at either sides of the door to make sure she wasn't being followed, and stealthily walked towards the reception.