Secret Agent Man
Chapter 2
Gerard wrapped his jacket tighter around himself as he stepped out onto the pavement to try and keep the cold breeze out. There were still a lot of lights, lots of traffic, despite how late at night it was. He didn’t like it; the colorful flashes were making him woozy, and he had to squeeze his eyes shut as he stumbled his way to the car.
He didn’t want to follow the note at all. Not really. In fact, he wanted to go home and just sleep the alcohol away. But with a job like his, he almost never got that chance. And as he drove into the mass of cars on his way to 7th and Harper, he was mentally prepared to expect the impossible.
A lone car was parked on Harper Street, facing oncoming traffic. Gerard frowned at this and parked his own vehicle on the opposite side of the road as a precaution. He entered a code into the car’s computer and pressed a few buttons along the sides. The high-powered scanners hidden just beneath the lights scoured the area in all directions. A few seconds passed, but other than a man walking a small Yorkshire terrier on a leash, they found nothing. He checked his watch again and saw that it was three minutes to midnight. He removed a silver-plated case from an inside coat pocket and drew a single cigarette from within. He used the car’s lighter to ignite the end of it and sighed as he placed it between his lips, inhaling slowly. The three rings on the filter gleamed in the red glow of the fire on the end of the object, signifying a rank he had spent years earning.
A sudden tap on the darkened glass of his passenger window caught his attention. He looked up to see the old man with the dog standing there, waving at him and smiling. He slipped off his sunglasses to look a little more normal and hesitantly rolled down the window, making sure to turn off the bright display screen of the computer.
“Can I help you?” he asked as he leaned closer to the window. The chilling breeze wafting in sent a weak shiver down his spine, but he managed to control it.
“Yes, I was wondering if you might know where I could find a convenience store around here,” the man said. “The one just a block away is closed already, I’m afraid.”
“Sorry, I’m not from around here,” Gerard answered. He quickly scanned the man’s outward appearance and saw the metallic edge of something protruding from his pocket. The outline of the box showed that it was larger than a box of cigarettes; Gerard guessed it to be a stash of alcohol, but he made sure to watch out for it. “Don’t think I can help you.” He started to return to his seat and moved to roll up the window, but a sudden click caught his attention. He slowly glanced up and saw the cold metal of a silencer attached to a gun staring him in the face.
“Might want to reconsider,” the man said in a dark tone. “Out of the car. Keep your hands where I can see them.”
At first, Gerard wondered how this was possible, but obliged and slowly slid out of the car. He kicked the door closed with one foot and raised his hands into a defensive position.
“Give me your gun,” the man ordered. Gerard drew it from inside his jacket, but instead of dropping it, he quickly fired three shots into the man’s chest in an upside down triangle pattern. He fell to the ground, writhing in agony, and pulled the square object out of his pocket. Gerard’s eyes widened as he saw the red button perched on top of it. The man gave a wry smile as he pressed it. Gerard dove at him across the hood of the car, but it was too late. The car across the street exploded in a giant fireball. He covered his mouth with the sleeve of his suit to keep the heated air from baking his lungs dry as it rushed past him.
The silence returned just moments later, but the people rushing from their homes to see what had happened broke through it quickly. Gerard made sure the man was dead before standing up and climbing back into his car. He started it up and floored the accelerator, tires squealing as he sped away from the scene. He struggled to keep his heavy eyes open as he drove, so he punched in the address of his destination and set the car on autopilot while he reclined his seat to take a much needed nap on his way home.
He didn’t want to follow the note at all. Not really. In fact, he wanted to go home and just sleep the alcohol away. But with a job like his, he almost never got that chance. And as he drove into the mass of cars on his way to 7th and Harper, he was mentally prepared to expect the impossible.
A lone car was parked on Harper Street, facing oncoming traffic. Gerard frowned at this and parked his own vehicle on the opposite side of the road as a precaution. He entered a code into the car’s computer and pressed a few buttons along the sides. The high-powered scanners hidden just beneath the lights scoured the area in all directions. A few seconds passed, but other than a man walking a small Yorkshire terrier on a leash, they found nothing. He checked his watch again and saw that it was three minutes to midnight. He removed a silver-plated case from an inside coat pocket and drew a single cigarette from within. He used the car’s lighter to ignite the end of it and sighed as he placed it between his lips, inhaling slowly. The three rings on the filter gleamed in the red glow of the fire on the end of the object, signifying a rank he had spent years earning.
A sudden tap on the darkened glass of his passenger window caught his attention. He looked up to see the old man with the dog standing there, waving at him and smiling. He slipped off his sunglasses to look a little more normal and hesitantly rolled down the window, making sure to turn off the bright display screen of the computer.
“Can I help you?” he asked as he leaned closer to the window. The chilling breeze wafting in sent a weak shiver down his spine, but he managed to control it.
“Yes, I was wondering if you might know where I could find a convenience store around here,” the man said. “The one just a block away is closed already, I’m afraid.”
“Sorry, I’m not from around here,” Gerard answered. He quickly scanned the man’s outward appearance and saw the metallic edge of something protruding from his pocket. The outline of the box showed that it was larger than a box of cigarettes; Gerard guessed it to be a stash of alcohol, but he made sure to watch out for it. “Don’t think I can help you.” He started to return to his seat and moved to roll up the window, but a sudden click caught his attention. He slowly glanced up and saw the cold metal of a silencer attached to a gun staring him in the face.
“Might want to reconsider,” the man said in a dark tone. “Out of the car. Keep your hands where I can see them.”
At first, Gerard wondered how this was possible, but obliged and slowly slid out of the car. He kicked the door closed with one foot and raised his hands into a defensive position.
“Give me your gun,” the man ordered. Gerard drew it from inside his jacket, but instead of dropping it, he quickly fired three shots into the man’s chest in an upside down triangle pattern. He fell to the ground, writhing in agony, and pulled the square object out of his pocket. Gerard’s eyes widened as he saw the red button perched on top of it. The man gave a wry smile as he pressed it. Gerard dove at him across the hood of the car, but it was too late. The car across the street exploded in a giant fireball. He covered his mouth with the sleeve of his suit to keep the heated air from baking his lungs dry as it rushed past him.
The silence returned just moments later, but the people rushing from their homes to see what had happened broke through it quickly. Gerard made sure the man was dead before standing up and climbing back into his car. He started it up and floored the accelerator, tires squealing as he sped away from the scene. He struggled to keep his heavy eyes open as he drove, so he punched in the address of his destination and set the car on autopilot while he reclined his seat to take a much needed nap on his way home.