Agent with a History

It was past ten o'clock and all was dark, but for the reflection of the moon off the ocean's surface casting off just enough light to see by. He should have been inside enjoying one of his women or a couple of them for that matter, but Iya had no desire for such amusements tonight.

He felt restless even worried. It wasn't like him to worry about anything. He had looked life in the face all of his life and surged on without a care for tomorrow or what might happen, only living for the day. He had been young then. He wasn't now. He had felt his age creeping up on him over the past few years in leaps and bounds.

The decrease in his abilities made him wonder how long he could yet remain in control. The wolves were circling and he had not yet attained his share of immortality. He had to stay strong for yet a little while longer and then he would have what he had always wanted, the respect of his people for generations to come.

It wouldn't matter all the things that he had done up until this point, once he had achieved what he had been striving for all his life. He would be loved and even worshiped for countless generations to come. That was worth holding out for. That was worth risking everything for. He just hoped his daughter could come through for him. If anyone could do it she could. His wondering thoughts came to a halt and he sat up straighter in the chair.

He was sitting on the same patio, as he had been earlier in the day with Lisa. Something was different in the night. A new element had been added to the peaceful tranquility of the crashing waves on the shore below. And then he saw the tall figure of a man striding up out of the waves, out of the foamy backwash of the sea itself. Iya's face split into a huge grin, as the feeling of danger descended upon him.

He needed that feeling to live, like some people needed air to breath. It was part of who he was and it was also what had helped him to become great. He poured some more wine into his glass and then set another glass upright and poured it full, as the figure from the beach made his way up the steeply grassed lawn toward him.

The man came abreast of the table and sat down across from Iya and took a drink from the glass that Iya had pushed across to him.

"The swim, how was it?"Iya asked in a jovial manner.