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The man standing in the doorway was, pretty much, just what John had expected.
The smart grey suit did little to disguise the man's well muscled physique.
The man stood straight, almost stiff.
His hands clasped behind his back.
This man had ex-military stamped all over him.
John turned back to Henderson.
"No." said John simply.
Henderson raised an eyebrow.
"Simmonds is one of our best and most experienced .."
"No." John said again, cutting Henderson off.
Henderson paused, studying John for a few seconds, before dismissing John's 'would be'
partner with just a look.
As the door closed, John breathed a sigh of relief.
Turning down Simmonds had been a gamble but now he knew he had some leverage.
It was time to secure the high ground.
"I want Ginny."
Henderson's face never changed but John sensed his surprise.
"Virginia isn't an operative." Henderson started to explain.
Time to gamble again thought John.
"Yes she is." He said, again cutting Henderson off abruptly.
Henderson paused again, his eyes searching, probing, perhaps reassessing.
John smiled inwardly.
For the first time since he'd entered the building he felt like he finally had some
degree of control.
"I guessing that ever since I arrived in Tamarin"
"Everyone I've had any significant contact with has been one of your operatives. Correct?"
Henderson smiled that tight lipped smile again.
"The reports said you had good instincts John. I'm glad you haven't disappointed me."
Henderson sat back in his chair and stared at John.
John felt like he was being weighed for final judgement.
"Fine." said Henderson, leaning forward again and re-opening the file in front of him.
"I'll put the wheels in motion and have Virginia reassigned."
"Ok, now that's settled ... Let's get to work."
It was dark by the time John finally left the Progressive Insurance building.
After hours of briefings and filling in endless forms his mind was swimming.
He decided to take a walk to clear his head.
After all, he may as well take the opportunity to have a look around.
It wasn't everyday you got an all access pass to a place like Tamarin Island.
He slipped his hand into his pocket and pulled out his new ID card.
It read
John Keeghan
Consultant
Risk Assessment Department
Progressive Insurance
"So that's what they call spies these days .. Risk Assessment Consultants."
John put the card back in his pocket and tried to focus on the city.
Maybe it could help him forget for a while. Although he doubted it.
Tamarin was a strange city.
The people who resided on the island
were obsessed with the tsunami which had wiped out the island 50 years earlier
and the city was a clear reflection of that paranoia.
The streets that radiated out from the city center, undulated steeply.
Rising and falling as they climbed over the defensive banks that ringed the city like
ripples on a pond.
John walked briskly, he was glad of the exercise.
As he cleared the last bank, he saw the ocean clearly for the time time since entering the
city.
The peaceful calm of the ocean only served to remind him of the carnage and devastation
he had seen.
"Tarsus is gone." he thought.
He knew it hadn't fully sunk in yet.
As he walked along the coast road his thoughts turned to Ginny.
He should be upset with her.
She had spied on him.
She had filed reports about him.
His behavior, his temperament.
She had gained his trust and betrayed him.
John searched his feelings.
But instead of anger or resentment he felt
Trust.
"I've always trusted her" John thought to himself.
"From the first time I saw her."
John considered himself a good 'reader' of people and he trusted his instincts.
He looked up at the radar installations.
Silent sentinels watching over the sleeping residents of Tamarin
searching the distant horizon ready to warn of impending danger.
John wondered.
"Who's going to watch over me?"
"John"
The voice in his head woke John with a start.
Then he remembered and ran his finger over the small disk behind his ear.
"Good morning Gulie."
"You have a guest arriving."
John looked at the clock on the wall .. he knew who it was.
"Make some coffee please Gulie"
"And make it strong"
After a long walk the previous evening, John had returned home and indulged himself with
a few of his favorite Whiskey Sours.
It had seemed like a good idea at the time but the pounding in his head was teaching
him otherwise.
A quick shower did little to improve his headache.
"I need coffee" he thought and headed for the kitchen.
Just as he was pouring his first cup, he heard the door open.
Returning to the living room he found Ginny waiting for him.
"Coffee?" he asked.
Ginny hesitated for a moment as if she was going to say something
but then changed her mind.
"Ok coffee .. and then we're going somewhere we can talk."
After 3 cups of strong black coffee, John was starting to feel human again.
He dresssed and then was unceremoniously ushered downstairs
by an impatient Ginny who had a car waiting.
"Where are we going?" John asked.
"You'll see when we get there." Ginny replied curtly.
The rest of the journey was silent.
John decided that if Ginny wanted to talk he would let her start the conversation.
Ginny drove south, away from city and started to climb up into the hills.
John had resisted a trip up to the mountains until now
But as they left the city behind he had to confess that the scenery was certainly quite
beautiful.
It didn't take long to arrive at their destination.
The Old Windmill.
John had seen it it many times as he had walked along the beach.
It was bigger than he had expected.
Julie got out of the car, grabbed a bag from the back seat
and started walking toward a path that led further up into the mountains.
John followed.
The path wound it's way upward.
John was relived that it stayed well clear of the edges of the cliffs
and tried not to think about how high up they were.
Eventually they came to a clearing with spectacular views of the city below.
Ginny sat and stared out into the void.
John pondered for a moment
Then walked over and sat next to her.
After a few minutes of ear shattering silence
Ginny finally spoke.
"Why John?"
"Why what?" John replied.
"Why didn't you walk away?"
That wasn't the 'why' that John was expecting.
"I was sure you would turn them down. I was certain of it."
"I probably would have." John agreed. "If not for Tarsus."
"Do you realise what you're getting involved in?" she sounded almost desperate.
"This isn't the movies John .. this is dangerous"
"And you're not trained for it."
"And you are I suppose?" John replied.
"Yes I am." She snapped back.
"Well then, I've got you to keep me out of trouble."
John smiled at her.
She looked into his eyes for a few moment, then turned away.
"You're an idiot." she said "You'll probably get us both killed."
They sat in slience.
This wasn't the reaction that John had expected.
Even though he considered himself good at reading people
Women were ..
Well .. 'Women'.
John was pretty sure that there was a lot that Ginny wasn't saying
and he wasn't about to start guessing at her true motivations.
She would tell him eventually
At least she probably would.
Maybe.
The last two weeks had been tough.
Briefings, training, more briefings.
John had learned that there was a lot going on in the world that he had never even thought
about.
A lot of it concerned the delicate relationship between the Academy and OmegaCo.
But there were other factions as well, some of which John had never even heard of.
Ginny still wasn't talking to him.
At least not about her true feelings.
John had done his best to stay off any potentially sensitive topics.
Like 'What was she really thinking?'.
"John"
"Yes Gulie"
John was starting to get used to that voice in his head.
"Director Henderson has an assignment for you."
"About time" thought John. The endless briefings were starting to drive him crazy.
"You need to leave immediately. A car is on the way to take you to the airport."
"Ginny will meet you there. You will receive a briefing en route"
"Can you tell me where I'm going?" John asked.
"Utopia Oasis"
"You're going to the Emerald City."