The Mission
I sat on the park bench idly tearing the bread into chunks and tossing the pieces out into the teaming horde of ducks that had congregated before me quacking eagerly in hopes of getting a bite.
At least something appreciated me. Seeing the eagerness of the ducks and their hysterical antics, in order to get a bite restored my frame of mind somewhat.
I glanced up from the feeding frenzy to watch Maria, as she drew closer to my park bench. Her appearance abruptly destroyed my newly acquired positivity. What did she want?
Sourly, I watched my horde of minions part before her, as they glanced up in order to see whether or not she was going to offer them food too. The traitors!
Maria sat down on the bench a seat length away from me. She didn't quite look herself, which made me curious, but her wit was the same and as hard biting as ever.
"I never figured you for a bird lady in the park kind of guy." She said succinctly.
My fist tightened, as I felt remembered anger shoot throughout me, "Why are you here? Is this Chantry's way of dispensing justice? You show up and make it look like I'm trying to get back at the Agency and thus create a case for open season on me!"
"The effect we wish to have on those watching is something close to that. In exactly 3 minutes I'm going to leave, shortly thereafter an attempt will be made on your life, which will fail by a narrow margin. You will then make your escape from the scene. One of two options will then be available to you. You can choose to keep on running and find a new life for yourself or you can choose to accept the mission I have for you to do." Maria finished with coolly.
"Yesterday was all a setup?" I exclaimed in question, as I tried to not look too relieved.
"Yes it was and I want you to know that Chantry is very upset for what he has put you through for the last year, especially yesterday. He believed it was necessary though in order to maintain security."
I felt relief wash through me at the sounding out of her words, but I quickly sobered and asked, "What's the mission?"
Maria passed a thick folder over to me that she brought out from underneath her coat, "Everything you'll need you'll find in there. In brief the Agency has been compromised."
I looked up startled by the revelation that the Agency had been compromised.
Maria went on, "We don't know who it is or if there is more than one, but resources of the agency are being misused and it would appear that the groundwork for a hostile takeover of the Agency itself is in play."