Agent Finds a Warrior

"What I do is a sacrifice Maria. It's not easy and I'd rather not do it most times. Moments like this can make it worth it, but it's still not easy. In fact it can be downright tormenting! Are you sure you want this, because it's not too late to back out yet."

She seemed to have reached a calm level of assurity and she responded back strongly, "I am fully committed to doing what God has in store for me. I'm going to be around for the long haul so stop trying to scare me off."

Some part of me rejoiced at her words, while some part groaned. It was a tossup as to which was the stronger of the two emotions.

"Okay then." I said resignedly.

She was watching me and a smile had started to come out on her face.

"What?" I asked defensively.

She shook her head in refusal to answer me, which I didn't like. Oh well there were a lot of things I didn't like about this working relationship, but I was stuck with it now.

I dug a credit card out and handed it to her, "Use this to buy yourself some clothes and whatever items you may need, but no more than what fits in a pack that you don't mind carrying the weight of. I recommend you get something comfortable to walk in as I do quite a lot of walking at times. I'll meet you back at the café in a few hours and then we'll leave the city."

I turned to go attend to my own needs when she called out to me, "Elon?"

I turned back.

Maria looked as if she had something she wanted to say, which she hesitantly put words to, "This work we're going to be doing is going to be dangerous no doubt. I imagine that you also have some rather extreme enemies."

Maria paused for a moment and then patted her side, "I have a 9mm, but that's all I've got. You must have twenty knives and assorted other devices stashed all over your body. That silky shirt you're wearing is some kind of light body armor and I'd be willing to bet that your leather coat would stop a high-powered rifle bullet. The point is I feel both underdressed and under-armed for the fight. I'd like to armor up some more, if it's not too much trouble?"

She had a valid point I had to admit.

"On Robert Avenue off of 75th St. there is a store called 'Kinks of the Trade'. Tell the store owner my name and she'll get you anything you want."