Those Hollow Lies

The Quarter

6/10/09 afternoon some time

I followed Roz, the butterflies churning away in my stomach as I realised what I had agreed to do. I’d sacrificed freedom once more and was allowing myself to fall back into the espionage game that I’d only just broke free from. I thought it had been for the best, but for some reason, I felt ready to face this again, ready to deal with the fighting and the killing that I couldn’t handle three years earlier.

The small brunette led me up a dark alleyway that caused me to tense up, fists clenched and ready to throw a hit or two if necessary. Hell, I was being so cautious that I almost smashed into her when she stopped abruptly. I studied her closely as she looked around to make sure that no vagrant or junkie was nearby before she tucked her long hair behind her ear and bent down, pulling up a manhole in the ground and gesturing for me to climb down it.

“Is this another sewer?” I asked, trying to peer into the darkness and failing.

“Just get down it.”

“Yes ma’am.” It wasn’t wise to argue with Roz when she was calm and right now, when things were personal and her temper was worse than ever....I didn’t even want to risk it.

The ladder was in pristine condition but I almost slipped when the thin tunnel was flooded with darkness. Roz had replaced the manhole cover and started her own descent into the darkness. “Just get to the bottom of the ladder and wait. The path will light up once I prove my identity to the security system. Whatever you do, don’t move to either the left or the right or the alligators will be released. I don’t need that delay right now.” Roz told me, her heels almost breaking my fingers as she caught up to me.

“Glad to know you still have them.” I mumbled sarcastically, feeling the concrete beneath my feet and letting go of the metal ladder. “I’m at the bottom.”

Roz leaned over from her position on the ladder and tugged at a loose brick in the wall, dropping it to the ground and inserting her hand deep into the crevice it made. Suddenly, it sounded like a generator or something kicking in and the whole tunnel lit up with dim lamps that still provided enough light to guide the way. Roz hopped to the floor and replaced the brick, dusting her clothes off before silently proceeding to the right, the sound of her heels echoing down the seemingly endless tunnel.

“Things have changed since you left.” Roz said, not even glancing back to look at me.

“How?”

“William is no longer in charge, we have new agents, new methods and more determination than ever.”

“Wow, someone must have really turned this place around. No offence to William.”

“I did my best.”

“Wait, what? You’re in charge now?” This girl was determined to shock me to death.

“I was raised to be an Underground Agent and I know how to keep invisible better than anyone, so why not?”

“Good point.” I found myself standing at the double doors that Roz had pushed open time and time again after we completed our missions in the past.

As if this was just another ‘normal’ day for us, she pushed open with ease and stepped inside the heaving Quarter where agents of all ages were busy. The sound of the news flooded the hidden building and when I looked up, the twenty four hour broadcast was playing on the large screen where we used to hear our missions.

“Miss Harman, the FBI have visited Rachel. They think she may know something.” A young man ran over to her, holding out a piece of paper.

“I told you this morning to send out a car and bring her back here. We couldn’t protect Joe so this is the least we can do. Now get to it!” She practically spat in the face of the terrified agent as she snatched the paper from his hand and walked away, moving towards the stairs.

“Glad to know you’ve not changed either.”

“I killed my parents in cold blood, I think it’s too late for me to learn empathy.” She turned towards what used to be William’s office at the far end of a narrow hallway.

“I beg to differ.” I whispered as we stepped into the office.

“Russell. This is not a game anymore. Feelings are exactly how Joe ended up in this mess. You made him believe that love and normality could be mixed with a life of invisibility here at the Quarter and he pursued that ideal despite me warning him that it couldn’t work out. Now, I have an entire government to take on and a group of two hundred agents who are all at risk because of love.” She pulled out a folder from the desk and handed it over to me, her dark eyes meeting mine with a hard and serious stare. “Love and invisibility simply don’t mix and Joe had to learn that the hard way.”