Mission Rescue - Part 03

Even in the dim light, the bedroom was familiar to her. Adam had slept on that bed beside Jessica several times in the last four months. Today, she was still there before dawn. It's visible in the video, Jessica is sleeping, clasping her hands in forgiveness under the moonlight. Her face is upturned under the cover. Her white pillowcase contrasts against a mass of black hair.

The footage taken with a smartphone or a cheap camera shakes violently.

"You're probably wondering," the adult said, "why I'm showing you this video today. Doesn't the girl seem innocently asleep? Like a sleeping princess!"

Despite her anger, Adam remained silent. She felt as though the table in front would choke the man. Adam couldn't tear her eyes away from the video. There is a third person in Jessica's bedroom. Dressed in black attire. The face is covered with a black mask, except for the mouth and eyes. Black gloves in hand. In the right hand, a semi-automatic pistol. It's also black. The barrel has a long silencer attached.

A figure stands by the bed. The muzzle of the pistol's silencer touches Jessica's temple. Jessica is deeply asleep. The pistol has been against her head for a few moments. Then, the figure quickly disappears into the darkness after the scene, leaving Jessica still asleep. The screen of the smartphone turns black as the video stops.

She's being threatened, Adam understood without delay. It's as if the opposing party is saying silently: So, you understand what we can do. It won't take a moment to kill the girl. No one can stop it.

"The girl doesn't know what's really happening," said the adult in a gentle tone. "When you boarded the plane from Inverness Airport, Jessica Thomson was ready to be hunted. She has no idea that a professional killer has been keeping an eye on her for twenty-four hours. As soon as he receives the order, he'll finish her. Of course, all this will continue if she remains ignorant. You saw my capabilities. If you cooperate now, the girl won't be harmed. Have you understood my point, Mr. Adam?"

Suddenly, it feels as if Adam is trapped in a spider's web. He remains seated in silence.

"You can't hear me out," the adult said softly. "Undoubtedly, countless questions have arisen in your mind. The one that stands out the most is probably: Who am I? For the sake of conversation, let me tell you: I'm Alexander Lionel. You can call me Lionel. I won't answer any other questions that have arisen in your mind. You don't need to know whose service I'm in. Just keep in mind, we're not giving you baseless threats. We've come for urgent work. Have you understood that?"

"I have," Adam said in a dry voice. Despite the boiling rage in his chest, his mind has become as cool as ice.

"Good, it's good that you understand," Lionel said. "Now, you'll go on a mission. But before that, listen to everything I have to say. Because if you hesitate later, your girlfriend won't survive. Once I give the order, the girl will be killed immediately. There won't be any mistakes with professional killers. And if you fail to do that, you'll have to accept my words. Once the mission is over, we'll remove the threat of death from Jessica. She won't even know, a little more and she would've been dead. Have you understood my point, Mr. Adam?"

Wanting to know in a calm voice, Adam asked, "I have to follow your instructions, right? Is there any other way?"

Even though Adam was filled with anger, he managed to say in a calm tone, "I'm telling you, once the job is done, you'll never see us again."

"What do I have to do? You haven't told me yet," Adam said, "I'm waiting."

Through the mask of civility, Adam can see a ferocious beast ready to emerge from Alexander Lionel. With large, icy eyes like those of a polar bear, Lionel's gaze is cool. He softly informs Adam, "Our rules of this game are very simple. Just remember, Jessica will always be under the watchful eye of a skilled assassin. Do not communicate with her cautiously. If anyone talks to her along the way, we'll find out who it is within a few minutes. Delaying will only endanger her relatives and neighbors. In other words, if you warn her, you'll face serious consequences. And in that case, she'll have a bullet in her brain. Have you understood my point? That means, you won't have a second chance."

"Thank you for explaining it so well," Adam said in a dry voice. "Now, tell me what I have to do."

"If you communicate with the law enforcement agencies, your girlfriend will be shot dead," Lionel warned again. "And don't make the mistake of involving your friends or relatives. In that case, the girl will also die."

Adam's mind wanted to crush the adult's throat with his bare hands. Then he would open the plane's window and throw the body down. But the person would still say even after dying: Because I died, your girlfriend will be killed!

In a calm voice, Adam said, "When I reach France, Jessica can expect a call from me."

"I know that. But you don't have to worry about all that. We'll send you a text message. In a couple of words, you'll be informed that you've safely returned home. Since Jessica will take the message from your mobile phone, she won't have any doubts in her mind. Oh, and good news, your devices are being monitored all the time."

"He's taken care of everything," Adam thought, feeling like the person had persuaded her just by speaking.

"I always want to be flawless in my work."

"Alright, Lionel, or whatever your name is - I understand what you mean. Now tell me what you want from me."

"We've selected you from a small list," Lemur explained with a glance. "Others in the list are also skilled in similar tasks like you. But among them, you are the best. Your job will be to identify our target with certainty."

"So, you mean to kill," Adam didn't ask any questions. She heard the words like a comment in her own ears.

"You are the most suitable among those on the list. Others have capabilities similar to yours. You've rescued many people before from deep forests, mountains, or seas. You have no match in finding someone. And that's why we have chosen you. You've done this kind of work before as a British Secret Service."

"In that case, should I assume they also need help this time?" Adam asked.

Lionel shrugged lazily. "I'll just say this, a sheep has strayed away from the flock. And to find it, someone as skilled as you is what we need. That idiot sheep has made a huge mistake. And for that, he'll face severe punishment."

"So, once he's in our hands, he'll be killed?" Adam wants a clear answer.

"Yes. We'll finish him off. So that no one can find his corpse. Have you understood my words?"

"But you've made a big mistake," Adam said. "I'm not a hired assassin or a cold-blooded killer."

Lionel raised his voice. "What are you saying, Adam! Am I supposed to believe you're not willing to go on a killing mission? Have you forgotten the first condition of playing so hastily?"

Adam remained silent.

"Dear MR. Nine, engrave this urgent message in your mind; if you don't cooperate with us, you have no way out. Either you go on the killing mission, or Jessica Thomson will be killed. We might have chosen someone else for this job, but in this case, you have special qualifications. You're very good at recognizing the real target. You know all about their movements."

"So, I'll have to kill someone I know," Adam said. "I know killing loyal friends in the British Secret Service is a very common occurrence."

"You're mistaken. That familiar person is not your true friend. But you both have been on several military missions together. That was quite a few years ago."

"Who are you talking about?"

"His name is Fox. Wilbur Fox."

"That means he has left the team," Adam commented. She understood abruptly why she was being involved in this killing mission. His mind became even sharper. With an indifferent tone, she said, "What has Wilbur Fox done that he needs to be killed?"

"You don't need to know what he has done. Just keep it with you for now. Keep it encrypted within yourself. Inside it, there's crucial information. But once you've seen it, within two minutes, the encrypted data will be destroyed. So, keep it in your mind. You're an intelligent person; it won't be difficult for you to keep important information."

"Tell me the decryption key or password."

Lionel chuckled softly. "So that you don't have any trouble remembering, the password is: 'Liliana'."

The only daughter of billionaire Desmond Roosevelt, Liliana. Eight years ago, when she was only eighteen, she was kidnapped while traveling in Libya. Sahara's deserters wanted to sell her to a Saudi Shiekh who was notorious for his greed for women. At that time, Adam was undergoing Desert Warfare Training with thirty-two officers of the Shuvapur Army, including four officers of the Department of Warfare. They fought armed bandits with only five rifles and a few knives. Adam brought Liliana back from Libya. Since then, the girl has held Adam in high esteem. Whenever she got the chance, she would say, "Adam is my real elder brother. I can even die laughing for him. And I wouldn't mind dying for him either. That's how brothers are supposed to be!"

"When did Fox leave the team?" Adam wanted to know.

"Five days ago," Lionel replied.

"Fully trained commando from the SAS Force," Adam said, "can go anywhere. I assume your people have searched the entire country for him."

Lionel looked puzzled. "We've learned a couple of things. A car was stolen from a village near Sar. The same night, a Foxhound was stolen from the village. It was found in London the next day. We'll get all this from the data file."

"Maybe he's using a fake identity and has gone to another country," Adam speculated.

"His mind is sharp. He's almost as intelligent as you are. Both of you are trained from the SAS Force."

"Fox might be in a cave in Mongolia, or in an area in Florida," Adam guessed.

"That's why we've chosen the best person from the list to find him. More than anyone else, you're the one who knows him best. My guess is if you manage to find him, that person is you, Marina."

"Blindly, one step at a time."

"If necessary, you'll do that," Lionel said, showing his smartphone to Adam. "Once the mission is over, give me a call. There's a phone number inside. Also, you'll find a secure email address there. After the target is eliminated, take a photo and send it to us. Then one of our agents will go and confirm whether he's dead or not. After that, there will be no more claims on you. You and Jessica can enjoy life together. I personally assure you of this."

"I understand you're an extremely honest person, Lionel," Adam couldn't rid the bitterness from her voice.

Rising from his seat, Lionel paused on his way back and said, "One more thing, there are a few agents on this plane keeping an eye on you. So, if you leave without going to the toilet, they won't see you properly. Again, I warn you, that if you betray, Jessica won't survive. Hopefully, you'll wrap up your mission calmly. That way, you'll be protected from danger."

With that, Prout left, eyeing his own seat on the plane. Adam remained silent, her heart filled with anger and hatred.