text: I feel a massive wave of pain on my left side, just below the ribs. Instinctively I place my hand on it. I lift it moments later and see a warm scarlet liquid coming out of my body. Instantly I feel dizzy, the sight of blood causes me that nausea feeling I hate so much. I try to look around for Jack, but my sight becomes blur. My feet feel like jelly, and I expect to crumble on the ground any second now. It all started about two weeks ago. It was a simple mission for such an experienced agent as Jack and everything were going smooth so far. Until that day came, when everything went wrong, and I felt like a modern version of the plagues of Egypt is coming upon us. Jack’s mission was Lord Alistair Wood. That esteemed man apart from an enormous fortune, he fancies drugs and weapons trade. There’s nothing wrong with making some extra money. And this is where Jack comes in. We planted various information on the internet as bait about Jack being a wealthy businessman already into the illegal weapons trade, to make him eligible for the lord’s stock. All these days the things were moving slow but steady, it takes time to gain the trust of such a man. Jack’s last transmission was that he finally persuaded lord’s intermediary to arrange a meeting with his boss where he can get a closer look at the stuff and sign the contract. During that meeting Jack would be equipped with hidden cameras and microphones that will give us all the evidence we need to get that high-class bastard behind bars. The day had come, and Jack was on his way to the lord’s estate, when we faced with an excessive amount of interference during our communication. Of course, I immediately informed my superiors but not much could be done. I tried my best to repair the communication, although the time was passing by, and I didn’t make much progress. But I didn’t back down. I tried again, this time focusing on gaining access in one of the cameras attached to his suit. The image was a bit blur, but the sound seemed to be working. A gunshot echoed through the speakers making me jump on my seat like I was hit by a thunder. There was big commotion shortly after the gunshot and I couldn’t spot Jack’s voice or what they were saying. I tried, tapping furiously on my keyboard, to fix the image transmission and I freeze in place as I see Lord Alistair’s face on the camera that was supposed to be planted on Jack’s lapel. Then he places a hood on Jack’s head, and everything goes dark though I still get some sound, mostly containing incomprehensible shouting. I press the emergency button on the phone on the side of my desk and head towards the crisis room. I open the doors and find three of my superiors sitting on chairs in front of a large table. “Jack is compromised.” I say almost out of breath. “He’s taken captive.” “How?” One of them addressed me. “They placed a hood to cover the camera on his lapel. They found out. We need to send a tactical team immediately.” Silence fell on the room, and I felt that time is passing very slowly. The three superiors were skeptical, some rubbing their chins, considering what are our options. Something inside me was telling me they won’t help him. “Please sirs, we have to rescue him. Jack is one of our top agents, if not the best. He is always efficient with a very good record behind. We don’t have to lose such a valuable asset.” I didn’t know what else to do, Jack should not be perished in that way. When I first came to this station, I was assigned to be Jack’s ears and eyes on his missions and we were a pretty good team. He was one of the top field agents and I was the greatest brain in the ‘warehouse’ a name that the rest of the staff was using for our department. When we get well acquainted, we made a promise to each other that we’ll always get one another’s back if something goes wrong and I remember the look in his eyes, that was a genuine promise and not the drinks talking. So now he was in danger, they would not send any help and I had made a promise. “I’m afraid there is nothing more we can do. Jack was a valuable member of our organization, and his absence is already evident. But we cannot waste men power for anyone. He knew the consequences of his job and by performing the missions he had accepted these terms.” I felt moisture gathering under my eyes, but I try my best to hide it from them. I just nod and exit the room heading to my desk. I will not sit back and watch my partner let down like this while his superiors already were addressing him like he’s already dead. He’s not yet and if they won’t do something I will take the matter in my hands. “I have to go. Please cover me.” I say to Jim as I walk back in and grab a folder from my desk along with my coat. “What happened?” he asked confused. “They’re not going to help him.” I replied and stormed out of the building. I know it is forbidden to take any documents outside the building and the consequences that wait for me when they find out are huge, but I don’t care. I spend all night studying anything we’ve got, every word from the intercepted discussions we got, anything that might give me the slightest clue of where they have him. And after of two long days and nights, I finally found it. I went through hell to find his centre of operations, hidden in an abandon laboratory in Japan, in the outskirts of Tokyo. I had erased all my records from the internet so they couldn’t find anything for the real me. I had everything, fake passport and various documentation making my new identity legitimate to convince them to let me in. I took even a gun, although I was never fun of them. I did the basic training, but I always hoped there will not be any occasion to use it. It took me some time until I find the exact location of the facility and from the reconnaissance I did it appeared that is understaffed and not so heavy guarded. When I finally snuck in, I grabbed a white robe from the staff uniforms room and having prepared an access card with my picture on it I was free to wander around the place. It appeared that the laboratory was further from abandoned and was fully operational, producing nuclear weapons. I spend some time wandering around the facility and finally after quite some time, I could trace his bug inside the building. I follow the signal and my steps stop in front of a huge metal door. My heart was racing fast, he’s still alive. That bug was planted within his body and would not transmit if Jack was dead. It was not easy to open a metal door without making some noise and at first, I was glad that no one came towards my place. I was ready to cry when I saw him bound with ropes in a far corner of a room full of glass testers with liquids in various colours. I run to him and kneel. I removed the hood covering his face, truth to be told I was shocked at first when I saw his once bright blue eyes now swollen with big circles under them. His shirt was open and purple bruises were spreading in various parts of his torso. “Elena how-” “Shh, don’t talk.” I cut him off. “Once we are out of here, I’ll tell you everything.” I go behind him and untie the ropes around his hands. Once I finished untying the ropes from his ankles as well, I grab him gently under his arms and help him get up. A soft sigh of pain leaves his lips as he stands up. “I’m sorry.” I whisper. We walked slowly until his feet get used to walking and then I let him walk by himself. We were outside the main lab area heading towards the point I had entered the facility. I could see the opening through the fence, a few metres more and we will be out of here. Thankfully, the forest that surrounded this place was more than what I could have asked for cover. I start running and I was glad to see that he followed considering his state. We were a few steps away when I froze in place at the sound of gunshots. We turn and see about half a dozen men with guns firing towards us. I took the gun that was attached at the back of the waistband of my trousers and fire back. “Go! Now!” I scream to Jack, and he followed my order without second thought. We were finally out of the facility and began our way through the forest. I was happy that they didn’t follow us but something in me was sure that they will soon. And so, they did. We were trying to find something to hide when we heard trampling and shouts from afar. “Follow me.” Jack said calmly and run to our left. We kept running but that wasn’t easy. The whole place was covered by thick roots of the trees that were above the ground leaving a very small free space between them so, jumping would be more accurate. The trail ended in a river, and I was so focused to moving forwards that I bumped into Jack, I didn’t notice he stopped. “We must jump.” He said with such a calm tone in his voice that I wondered how he can be so cool at times like this. But of course, this is everyday life for him, for me this is nightmare. A loud gunshot broke the temporary silence, and you know what happened next. I feel my body losing its ground and falling in the river. I want to scream but no sound gets out of my mouth. I surrender to the wet abyss and the only thing before I lose my senses, is a pair of strong hands around my waist. When I open my eyes, I see an unfamiliar ceiling and the sound of different machines around give me the idea of where I am. I try to bring myself to a sitting position and I feel the same pair of hands holding me firmly. I turn to see Jack next to me, holding me from the back to assist me. “Thanks.” I whisper. Jack was looking much better from the last time I saw him, and a thought strikes my mind immediately. “How many days I’m knocked out?” “Five days.” He replied looking at me with concern in his eyes. “The doctor will be here any minute now.” “What happened? I remember being shot and the rest I’m not sure If they’re true.” “Yes, you fell into the river, and I jumped to get you before you lose your senses and drawn yourself. I cannot say it was easy, but I managed. The river stopped them from following us and the stream led us to a nearby village. From there, I called for an ambulance and here we are. Thankfully, your wound was not critical, only the excessive bleeding freaked me out a bit.” I raised an eyebrow. “Wow, you? Freak out? I hardly believe it. You are used to staff like that.” “Sometimes even I can lose my shit.” He said quietly and sat back on a chair next to my bed. “I know that they will not send someone to get me after all that happened. I was furious at first but then I accepted my faith. Lord Wood decided that the best way to end me was to be tortured slowly until I beg them to end me, that's why you found me alive. I don’t know for how long I would be though.” “I couldn’t just let you go Jack, we’re a hell of a team. Their decision was not fair. I had to do something, even if it got me killed.” Jack leaned forward and took my hand in both of his. Those blue eyes hanged on me and I felt like they’re looking through my soul. Moments pass and we remain like this, like the time has stopped for us. Out of the blue, he stands up and comes closer. Bending down to my face, he is almost a breath away before our lips touch, when the door opens and we jump back to our positions, looking almost breathless at the doctor.