The Agent

The late afternoon sunshine at my back colours the ground around me with a radiant orange glow. I follow her, but from a distance as not to alert her to my presence. It wouldn’t be too difficult for her to spot me, after all my attire is not the most inconspicuous for this sort of task. My black coat finishing just at my knees, revealing my dark trousers and smart, but worn black shoes didn’t place me well with the joggers, or couples and dog walkers passing throughout the large open park. I might look like a travelling business man, but without a brief case or newspaper I wasn’t pulling it off. Men in this dress were only ever seen in the city, a big busy bustling city filled with rich worthy honest decent men... if you are to believe the papers. I however know the truth, and so does she.

Her blonde hair glistened in the bold sunset, she was dressed smartly nothing to prominent though, simply black trousers and a black top. Her walk was quick and sharp, as if she was in some sort of hurry. I new she wasn’t in a hurry though, she was scared and for good reason, we were onto her, she just wasn’t aware of how close we were.

I pulled out my mobile phone from my inner coat pocket, pretending to make a call. I new I didn’t fit in and if I didn’t at least make an effort to blend, someone might decide to call the enforcers. The enforcers don’t like my company and I have a bloody hard time getting them off my tail, not to mention a month in confinement with the company. It’s not an ideal lifestyle, but if you don’t fuck up, you’ll earn plenty and you can sleep at night.

I need to get back to the task at hand; the woman was leaving the park at an old redundant train line crossing in amongst the hedges. I continue along the hedge line, wait a moment and then follow up the bridge. The moment I tread on the stairs she turns and snarls at me before making a dash down the other side of the bridge. Shit! I new it, what a crap move, now I have to run – I hate running – I leap up the stairs two at a time. Sprint along the bridge and scramble down the opposite stairway.

How could I be so stupid, I was so worried about looking out of place I didn’t stop to think once about why the hell she would be wandering across old rail track bridges? Well at least I know one thing about her for sure; she doesn’t trust her gut instinct. Something I have been trained to do.

I jump the last steps and run after her, the coat drags in the wind, but I can’t ditch it, if I lose it I would expose the company… sure they’d make it look like I was never here, but at the cost of confinement, I’m not taking that chance.

Confinement. That was your drive to get the job done, flawlessly. Any mistakes and you are placed in a cell with no daylight no clothes and minimal food, yet still expected to keep fit enough for the job. They were harsh and cruel, but as much as they hated failure they had to keep us. Recruiting new agents wasn’t an option, not with the amount of information monitoring going on, you were either born an agent or you were born into the ‘free’ world.

The woman was quick, but she was short and she was panicking. Her breathing was reckless and she was wearing herself out. I maintained my long strides, and was gaining on her. She darted down an alley, and I skidded round the corner, the rubble beneath my feet almost causing me to slip. The woman had slowed to a jog and as I got closer I reached out to grab her shoulder I saw something move from my side. There was a gap in the alley and a monster of a man had swung a bat straight for the back of my neck. I rolled onto the floor, reaching into my inner coat pocket; I felt my phone and then the cold metal handle of one of five short but sharp throwing knives.

I pulled one out and slung it for his neck, the man lurched back as the blade ripped threw his skin. Instantly I ran towards him, gripped the knife and pulled it. Making sure his airways were completely cut open. The blood squirted violently lashing my face. I absolutely hate other people’s blood on me. The man stumbled to the floor unable to breathe his blood pooling on the floor at my feet. I look up at the sun and silently mutter, 57…

I move my phone into the other pocket, and replace the blade. I turn on my heel and continue down the alley, the woman had stopped I slow down as I approach her. Her whole face trembling with fear. I remember the blood on my face and bow my head modestly, it doesn’t appear to help, the woman darts her eyes right and then back to meet mine. I glance to the opening at her side and I notice an elongated shadow starting to stretch out across the floor from the opening. Then I see an arm rise out. That familiar yellow and blue stripe glove bearing the electronic pulse hand gun… an Enforcer.