“I will. Anyway, these new upgrades will come in handy if they try to tranq me again.”
“Precisely. Okay, we will sync these nanites, and then you can get dressed and be on your merry way.”
A green beam moves up and down my body again. Connie steps into the lab. “How is her body handling the Mark Twos?”
He glances up from his handheld. “Agent Cohen’s vitals are fine, and her body is accepting the upgrades beautifully.”
She smiles. “Excellent.”
“Are we done here, Doc?”
He tucks his handheld under his arm. “Yes, Agent Cohen. We’re done here.”
I step off the scanner, and stroll over to the table slipping my clothes back on.
Connie turns to me. “How do you feel?”
I shrug. “I don’t feel any different. So that’s good, right?”
“It’s perfect.”
“Thanks for the tweaks on the nanites.”
“You’re welcome. Now, come along let’s show you to your quarters. By the way, I can assign you some cosmetic nanites to get rid of those pre-existing scars you sustained before you received the nanites. You know, get your bikini body back.”
Nanites only regenerated recent injuries not scars several years old.
“When you grow up in Tel Aviv, you get sick of looking at the beach. Plus, I’d rather keep them as reminders of my mistakes.”
“Fair enough,” she replies.
We head down a hallway across a glassed bridge that leads to the other side of the complex.
“Here’s your room. All you have to do is press your finger on the keypad. You’re already in the system’s network.”
She must’ve seriously wanted to piss off Levana when she removed her director status and reinstated me as an active agent.
The light turns green after a red beam scans my finger. “DNA recognized,” the keypad confirms in a male British accent.
She points to the keypad. “Now this door will only open when it’s your DNA. I’ll see you when you wake. Get some sleep you’re going to need it.” She turns and heads to the lifts.
The living space is the size of a small apartment. My room decked with white carpet, and a single bed draped in dark red sheets in the center of the room. A large flat screen TV hangs on the wall and a window with a button that works the bulletproof shutters. There’s a glass desk sitting in front of the window. Now, time to check the rest of the room.
I flip on the lights, and it’s a standard walk-in shower and a typical run of the mill crapper tank… nothing fancy. Although, I miss my Jacuzzi bathtub. I loved to soak my bones in a warm bath, but a hot shower will have to do, I suppose.
I peel off my dirty blood-soaked clothes; steam saturates the bathroom as I turn the handle to warm. The shower nearly made me forget about the frigid temperatures of the lab. In the shower, all they had was the standard bottle that said, Shampoo. It’s better than substituting liquid soap for shampoo. It doesn’t do your hair any favors, but it does keep your hair from smelling. I had to do it a few times in the IDF. Lathering the shampoo in my hands, I scrub my scalp and rinse my hair under the faucet, skull fragments and chunks of brain circle the drain. I step out of the shower stall and saunter to the bedroom.
Shit, there’s no change of clothes except the ones I came here with, and I have no desire to put them back on. They stink of blood and sweat, so I slip on a white bathrobe. The sun rises on the vista, shining into the room.
Not today I need sleep, asshole.
I push the button, and the shutters let out an electronic hum as they close. I relax on the fluffy mattress and switch on the television. Flipping through the channels, I come to a news channel with US Vice President Cook bellowing. “If whoever killed my boy is watching this, I will get you, do you hear me? You *BLEEP* psychopath. I will hunt you down and you will answer for your crimes!”
The News switches back to the anchor. “In other news, the FBI still has no leads on the suspects responsible for the tanker explosion, but they have stated this was not an accident. It was an act of terrorism.” I shut off the TV.
That’s enough of the lamestream for one day.
Just as I am about crawl under the covers, there’s a knock at the door. “Who’s there?”
“It’s Connie.” I open the door, and she’s holding a pair of folded up grey jogging pants and a matching shortsleeved T-shirt.
It’s not every day the leader of a country is bringing your clothes to your room. I wonder if she sees the humor in this.
“Regrettably all I have regarding clothes is a jogging suit and a pair of white boxers. We don’t have your measurements in our database yet, so I brought what I thought would fit you. That being said, we are going to remedy that issue right now. Stand still please.” She pulls out her handheld and scans me from head to toe. “Your measurements have been forwarded to the couturier.”
I take the clothes from her. “Thank you, Ms. Kimura.”
“Lilith, is it so hard to call me Connie?”
“No, I was just respecting your rank, but I can call you Connie if you prefer.”
“I would.” She grins. “You get some rest, Lilith. We have a long operation ahead of us, and I need you at a hundred percent.” She turns and heads to the lifts.
I shut the door and place the clothes on the dresser. I slide off my robe and crawl under the sheets and switch off the lamp, drifting into the world of the Sandman.
Laying on a white sandy beach with Karl’s arm draped around my waist, he pulls me close while we bask in the sun. “Karl, why did you betray me?”
He gently kisses my neck. “Shh. Let’s enjoy the moment.” He caresses my cheek. “It’s almost time to wake up.”
“I don’t want to wake up. Not until you tell me why you did this to me.”
“You can’t stay asleep forever.”
I turn over and gaze into his eyes. “I am not leaving you until I get an answer.”
“You have to. You have to wake up and stop Black Reign from doing this to someone else. Stop them from destroying humanity and for the love of god don’t let them mass produce, Athena.”
My eyes well with tears. “What do you care you were going to help them do just that by selling me off as a product to them.”
He smiles, kissing me on thelips. “Whether I care or not is irrelevant you know they have to be stopped.”
“This world is fucked. It’s like no matter how many evil pricks I send to their deaths, there’s ten more just like them. It’s pointless. I should just take the money I made and retire and just sit back and let the world sink into chaos and madness. I’m not cut out for this work anymore.”
He strokes my cheek with his thumb. “Lily, honey this is the grief talking, not you. The real you, the stubborn bitch in you would keep on fighting and fighting and fighting. I know you, girl,” he says with a wink.
Tears stream down my face. “I’ve gotten so used to having someone to come home to, but now I am alone again. I feel… like a lost soul trapped between worlds.” My voice breaks.
“Lily, you were alone a long time before you met me. You will find yourself again you know how I know? Because you’re a strong bitch and a stubborn one.”
I giggle while grabbing his chin and gently shake it. “If you weren’t so cute, I would’ve kicked your ass for calling me a stubborn bitch all those times.”
“Time to wake up.”
I flash a look of worry at him. “Hey, come on, Lily. Don’t worry about me. I got this nice beach, a bar filled with people who love me.”
Tears roll down my face. “Goodbye, Karl. I love you.”
I wake up to a pounding on my door. I sit up on the edge of the bed wiping the tears from my eyes, and glance at the clock on my phone, its 11 am. I slip on the jogging suit and stroll over to the door, answering it.
Clare, Dominic, and Samira step into the room. “You Alright, Lilith? We didn’t know what happened to you till Clare activated the tracker ping in you
r nanites,” Dominic says, placing his hand on my shoulder.
“I’m fine, Dom.” Here is your clothing,” Samira says, sitting a gym bag on my bed staring at me with concern. I take my bag into the bathroom and change into my dark brown cargo pants and an olive green long sleeve pilot shirt.
I come out of the bathroom and dig into the bag for some socks. I sit on the edge of the bed and slip them on.
Clare sets a pack on the mattress. “Here’s your murder toys.”
After lacing up my combat boots, I walk over to her and smile. “Thank you, Clare. I owe you one.”
She grins and waves her hand. “Pfft! Nah, girl. You owe me nothing. I see you as a BFF.”
I still owe her one whether she feels I do or not.
Dominic takes a sip from my vodka bottle and turns to me. “Well, it’s great to have you around again, but we need to get over to the conference room, and join Connie for a briefing on DR Conrad.” He sighs crossing his arms. “Lilith, Connie is not happy with us relying on Venora’s info. So we’re going to bring Tiffany back into it.”
I cross my arms. “No. Tiffany has been through enough shit because of me.”
“I know you care about your friend’s well-being, but Venora is baiting you don’t you see that? He takes a deep breath and places his hands on his hip. “Look, I’m sorry, but it’s the only way. Connie thinks you’re letting sentiment cloud your judgment.”
I leap from the bed. “No! I let sentiment cloud my judgment when I was too stupid to see that my own husband was running a longcon on me.” I sigh and sit down taking a sip of Vodka. “Is there no other way? Do we really have to finish off my friend’s sanity?”
“We have no choice. Tiffany is the lowest risk. I’m sorry, kiddo, but you know as well I do this game ain’t pretty sometimes.”
My friend is about to go from pissed to hating me and wanting me dead, but I must suck it up and do the deed. No matter how bad it rips her heart out or mine.
Connie is already sitting in the conference room wearing a business casual black pinstripe pantsuit. She greets us with a nod and stands. “Good morning, everyone,” she says. I sit down in a chair as does Dominic. Clare and Samira sit next to each other and grip each other’s hand. Connie leans forward in the chair. “Okay as I told Lilith, Doctor Conrad takes priority over Colvin at the moment. And, because a notorious terrorist like Venora supplied the Intel, we can’t rely on her Intel. Forgive me, Lilith. I know you’re not going to like what I’m about to suggest, but we must retrieve his niece and find out what she knows.”
Clare winces at me. “Sorry, but the director is right. We need Tiffany, or we may never get a lock on Conrad.” Connie turns to Samira. “When you were in his lab did you ever overhear anything that may have told you where he lived?”
“No, Ms. Kimura. I am sorry.” I light up a cigarette and glare at her through the haze of smoke. “We should at least try Venora’s Intel. She legit hates Black Reign, and she is using them for her own ends. I say we take advantage of that.”
She glances at Dominic, and he nods. “Lilith, we cannot risk it. Especially when Venora sees you as something to play with and to be honest, she has a history of toying with you. I won’t authorize you to put yourself at risk or the team by using her Intel.”
I hate doing this. I don’t want to bring her back into my world. She has suffered enough hell thanks to me, but as much I hate to admit it; Connie is right we need her, and Venora is too much of a risk.
I nod in agreement. “Fine, we grab Tiffany. Provided I’m the one who brings her in.”
“I’m glad you saw reason.” Connie nods. “Now give Clare Tiffany’s cell number so she can zero in on her location.”
“To make this go faster start with the Berlin area. She has family there.”
I’m sorry Tiffany, but I can’t let your uncle replicate Athena.
We leave the conference area and board the elevators. The doors open up into a dimly lit room with onlycomputers for illumination. “Welcome to our command center, Lilith. This room is where we control our satellite. This satellite uses state of the art FLIR, and it can pick up cell phone conversations, and pinpoint their exact locations.” She marches over to a touchscreen table. “Here is where we view the satellites live feed. We can see it here or bring it up on the big screen if the need should arise.”
I glance behind her and see a massive screen with real-time images of the world map and under it; on smaller screens, real-time video feeds of the exterior of the compound.
Karl would’ve loved this room he would’ve felt like he was on Deep Space Nine.
“Agent Dahan, whenever you’re ready put in her cell number.”
I really hate spying on my friend invading her privacy, but what choice do I have? The Intel Venora gave me could have me walking into an ambush.
I reluctantly give her Tiffany’s cell number.
She dials it in on the screen, and an icon pops up that says, scanning. A minute later Connie sounds off. “There. We’ve got a lock.” She taps the screen with her finger, and an image of Tiffany rises from the table along with her phone number and records. “Is this her, Agent Cohen?”
“Yes, it’s her.”
I would say just trace the uncle’s phone, but Colvin probably supplied him with an encrypted cell that bounces signals all over the world.
“Okay good. When Tiffany calls her uncle and according to you, she will. We will have a lock on her, and then we will pick her up.”
Shit, I am sorry again Tiffany.
“You don’t need to trace her cell. I know where her apartment is in Berlin. I can give you the address too.” Connie lets out a long, irritated sigh and crosses her arms in frustration. “Agent Cohen, I know your head is a bit scrambled due to the fact you’re grieving, and you care for your best friend. But from this moment forward, try to be faster with the Intel. Do I need to emphasize how crucial it is Conrad stops breathing?”
“No. It won’t happen again.”
I need to stop letting grief and sentiment cloud my perception. It will only hinder the mission.
“As agreed, I bring her in?”
She places her hands behind her back straightening her spine. “Agent Cohen, it’s vital we find Doctor Conrad. I know she's your best friend. That beingsaid, if you can’t persuade her to come of her own volition, then the Guardsmen will drag her out of her home. Bagged, gagged and in restraints. I like you, Lilith. But nothing will hinder this operation.”
My eyes bore into her. “You won’t have to resort to kidnapping. In fact, you better hope you don't have to.”
“It's true,” Dom adds. “Tiffany is dealing with PTSD. Her mental state is hanging by a thread thanks to that monster Alexi. We need to do it Lilith’s way to avoid the risk of her turning catatonic.”
She sighs. “Okay, but remember what I said.”
“Deal.” I storm out of the command center and head back up to my flat.
Hopefully, she will come willingly, and I won’t have to resort to Connie’s Gestapo tactics.
Samira is reclining on my bed reading a graphic novel. I sit down across from her at my desk. “Samira, you will stay here till Black Reign is dealt with. You will be safe here at the HQ.”
She stares at me with concern in her eyes. “Lilith, are you okay? I know you look okay on the outside, but all the things you’ve been through, there has to be a hurricane raging inside of you.”
“There’s always a hurricane raging inside me. It’s what gives me the drive to keep doing this line of work.” I stand and grab my coat. “I’m going outside for some fresh air.” I march out of my room.
The recruits are still in the field; they’re doing handto-hand combat training. Some of them have rosy red cheeks and shivering from the cold, but they press on with their training anyway despite their bloodied noses and lips. At least the initiates don’t have to train in a hot desert climate like I did. I’d take this weather over the tropics or desert any day. Marisol only keeps t
he recruits in this kind of weather for thirty minutes to avoid breaking their bodies down. A sick rookie is no use to us.
Samira probably sees me as a bitch for storming out on her, but I don’t care. Just because I saved her life, doesn't give her the right to get to know me. Besides, people who get to know me end up dead or screwed up in the head like Tiffany. I did my friend a favor by finally letting her go. I made a mistake gettingto know Tiffany and Karl, and that’s already bit me in the ass. The Tiffany situation is making me feel conflicted now, but I have to do it if I want to find Conrad. I recall Nina’s words when I told her about my marriage. Love is a death sentence in our world, a death sentence for the one you love and possibly for you.
But, I had the sickness of love, and I didn't see reason, but now I do. Nina can say she didn’t mean it till hell freezes over, but I know she did. If my husband were still alive, she would still be singing that same damn song. Dominic told me in training the path of a Hunter is a lonely one, and it does not pay to get attached to people. I know deep down Dominic, and Nina wants to shout I told you so to my face. But they won’t most people aren’t that brutally honest or cold. Plus they will look like hypocrites telling me that now.
I zip up my leather coat it’s getting a bit too chilly for comfort. Placing a cigarette between my lips; I fish out my Zippo and light it. I spot Marisol teaching the recruits knife techniques. She directs one recruit to thrust toward her. He does, and she leaps aside and grabs his wrist. Marisol slams him to the ground. Disarming the knife from him and putting it to his neck. She recognizes me and throws up a wave and smiles. I wave back. She returns to teach her recruits takedowns — my phone pings with a text from the pilot. Director Kimura says we are ready to move out.
Well, it’s time to go to Germany and ask my friend to come back to hell or drag her back to hell. I hope that’s all I have to do, is ask.
Chapter 4
I’m sitting in my car outside of Tiffany’s townhome in the middle of the night. The tactical team is parked in a black van on the curb across the street awaiting my orders, orders I hope I don’t have to give. I’m hoping those guys won’t have to get involved and we can leave like two friends going to dinner.
Lilith Cohen Retribution Page 4