by TJ Hamilton
Liz switches on the monitor, showing varying viewpoints around the wharf. She turns the sound up and zooms in on Tench and Toni walking across to Miss Stephanie, her bodyguard Ben, and another man who I recognise, but can’t recall how I know him.
“Hello, Miss Stephanie. It’s always a pleasure seeing you. Denza, have you checked over the cargo?”
That’s how I know him. Denza is the brothel owner who Sally was last with the night she was murdered.
Denza nods. “There aren’t any dead ones this time.”
Miss Stephanie smiles at this news. “Good. We can’t afford to lose any more. My clients are paying top dollar for these girls; they expect them to arrive with a heartbeat.”
Tench looks around him in alarm. “Can you keep this talk to a minimum, thanks?”
“I thought you said you got rid of the informant within your organisation.” Miss Stephanie sounds unimpressed.
“That person is no longer an issue. But I don’t want you to get complacent.”
The informant? Liz looks up just when I realise Tench must be talking about me. He knows about me? How? Why didn’t he kill me if he knew I was a spy?
The five people on the monitor walk between the rows and rows of shipping containers stacked three high. As they move between the tall structures, we lose them off the screen.
“It’s time to move in,” Simon orders.
At once we pull the black ski-masks over our heads and fit the helmets down. I slide the ski goggles over my eyes and make sure my earpiece is in my ear properly, then reach around to the back of my vest and turn on my radio. Simon speaks into his mic.
“Team Alpha, you’ll move to the western exit. Team Bravo, we’re blocking off the northern end. The dogs will be waiting behind us if there are any runners. We need to capture the POIs without any rounds. Unless there is an imminent threat to life, all rounds shot in this will be classified as an unauthorised discharge. Understood?”
“Yes, sir,” all the voices in the van respond.
Simon pulls his mask down and covers the mic for a moment.
“Mia. The boss is monitoring everything, so don’t do anything stupid, okay?”
I roll my eyes at him and shake my head.
“Voices to a minimum. Hand signals only. Alpha, move into position.”
A group of five agents move out of the van. Simon looks back at us and nods once. We follow him around to the northern end of the site and crouch down. Simon points to me, and the agent beside me, then points to the small gap in between two of the containers. I nod and we both move into position.
We wait for his signal. I can see Tench from here. My heart pounds inside my ears. I raise my rifle up that little bit higher and put Tench in my sights. I think about Sally, the lies he’s told me, the truth about this shipment. I could easily take a shot and kill him from here. Looking at him makes me furious. How many girls has he brought into the country? Sally knew about this and wanted to warn me. I want him dead for every inch of pain I have felt because of him, but that would be too easy. I’m so angry that I allowed myself to love him—I loved him! Slowly lowering my firearm again, I feel the conflicting pressures of both sadness and rage push against the very depths of my soul. The boss’s voice comes through the earpiece.
“I want Bravo to move in once the container is opened. Alpha, take position once the POIs are in custody.”
I crouch down and watch Tench. Denza unlocks the four padlocks on the doors and lifts the bolt up. I close my eyes and take a breath. I am trained to do this. I can do it. I hear the high-pitched screech of the doors swinging open and I open my eyes.
As soon as I hear my brother say, “Go,” I take off towards Tench. My boots hit the ground with harsh thuds, causing Tench to react and turn. He tries to run, but four officers from Team Bravo appear from the darkness. Tench turns back again, scanning around for a possible escape.
Simon comes up on my flank and yells, “GET ON THE GROUND, NOW.”
Toni’s eyeing my brother and I see him reaching into his jacket. I fire a round straight into his chest and he flies backwards. Miss Stephanie’s bodyguard is the next to react and he also reaches into his jacket. I fire another shot, and I see a bright flash come from my brother’s direction. Three left. Miss Stephanie, Denza, and Tench. Denza drops back behind Miss Stephanie and Tench, like a cowering dog. Tench stares straight at me. Miss Stephanie glances down at the lifeless body of Ben on the ground. Her hand slowly lowers, edging towards her handbag hanging from her shoulder.
“Keep your hands in the air!” Simon commands from my right.
She doesn’t stop. Her fingertips disappear into the opening of her handbag.
“I know that’s you, Miranda,” Tench says in a low tone.
My breathing intensifies and the sweat builds up, trying to cool my body that just wants to burst into flames.
Miss Stephanie’s eyes widen and her mouth drops. I hold my gun up and point it at Miss Stephanie first. As soon as I see a gun, I will shoot her.
“Miranda, what have you done?” Her voice trembles, but still manages to sound defiant. “You stupid, stupid girl.” She shakes her head.
She pulls her hand up again, and I can just make out the shape of a gun in her hand.
“Get your hands in the air now, bitch!” I bark.
“Mia, don’t do it,” Simon calls out to the right of me.
I unclip my helmet and throw it to the ground, and then rip the ski-mask off.
“I want you to see the person you have both shaped me to become. You have done this. Now I want to watch as you’re both extinguished from my existence, forever.” I raise my gun up again and hold Miss Stephanie in my sights. I fire a single shot and it hits her hand in the bag. She crumples over with a piercing scream.
I catch sight of Tench as he smiles, just like his cousin Dima did.
“Mia!” I hear Simon yell.
Shots fire from behind Tench. Denza is shooting towards my brother. In my peripheral, I see Simon drop to the ground. Has he been hit? It’s all happening too quickly now.
Tench continues to stare at me; his expression hasn’t changed. He looks almost serene, as if he’s ready to die.
He mouths the words, “I love you.”
I inhale, hold my breath and squeeze the trigger.
TWENTY-SIX
I slide between the covers of my bed and cradle Flossy in my arms. Tears silently fall down my cheeks. There’s nowhere else I’d rather be. Flossy softly purrs, but I can feel her humming is not the strength that it used to be. I know I’m losing my friend.
“Thank you for waiting until I came home,” I sob into her. How can I lose so much in one day?
I feel her breathing quicken. She looks up at me with her sharp green eyes. She stares into me and I can feel her talking to me, telling me she loves me.
“It’s okay now,” I whisper as she snuggles back into my chest.
We both drift into a welcomed sleep.
The morning light shines through my bedroom window. Flossy is still wrapped up in my arms. She feels warm, but it’s only from my body. She’s gone. I look down at my faithful friend and kiss her furry head.
“Thank you for rescuing me,” I whisper.
I didn’t rescue her all those years ago … she rescued me. She gave me a reason to love, and she was always someone to come home to. Now I have no one.
“Mia?” Simon lightly taps on my bedroom door before he comes in.
He insisted on staying overnight to make sure I was okay. The moment he sees me, he knows what’s happened. He stops still and his shoulders drop.
“She’s gone,” I whimper.
He nods and comes over to the bed. He leans over and pats her head gently.
“Goodbye, Flossy, old mate.” He smiles. “You’re gonna be okay, Mia … It’s all over now.”
“Am I? Am I going to be okay?”
“Sure you are. You have a full debriefing at the agency in an hour. Here, let me take her.”
I close my
eyes and let Simon take Flossy away. I don’t look. I can’t. I don’t want to know where she’s going.
A half hour later, the elevator doors open to the agency reception. I blow out a long breath. I don’t know what to expect, but I know it’s not going to be good. I disobeyed a direct order not to shoot, I still don’t know what my punishment is going to be. What was I supposed to do? Let everybody die? We should have known they had guns, surely?
The girl at the reception desk dips her head as we pass. I look over at Simon and frown.
The heavy mahogany door automatically swings open in front of us. A male agent in a dark suit stops, and then turns towards us as we walk in. I close my eyes. Great. This is going to be shit.
But then I hear the agent start clapping. My eyes spring open and two others stop what they’re doing at a whiteboard, and start applauding me. As Simon and I walk through the agency hall, everyone stops and starts to applaud. I smile and look at Simon. He’s smiling too, and bows his head in a gesture of thanks. Okay, so maybe I’m not in so much trouble?
We get to the boss’s door and Simon gives me a quick wink before we go in. I chuckle. My brother reminds me of Nick.
The boss is already making his way towards the door, probably to check the commotion in the hallway. His eyes catch mine as I enter his office. He greets me with an outstretched hand to shake. Usually he never wants to shake hands.
“Congratulations, Agents Thyme and Thyme. You have managed to uncover the Principal’s operation within Russia and we’ve taken down the main players involved. There were twenty-four emaciated and very scared young girls who are now being fed and readied to go home to their families. The authorities in Russia have been notified of the discovery and they are tying up things on their end. Take a seat, please.”
I sit down as directed. I should feel elated that all I’ve worked for is complete, but I don’t. Instead, I feel hollow inside. What do I even do with myself now? I thought the end to this operation would bring with it a feeling of freedom, but all I feel is emptiness.
“You’ve done it, Mia.” Simon smiles.
“We’ve done it.” I turn my gaze to the boss. “I couldn’t have done it without Agent Donohue or my brother, Agent Thyme.” I shoot a glance at Simon. “What about the people I shot?”
“The critical incident board have gone over all the details. All persons shot were armed. You’re in the clear, Mia.”
Just like that. I’m cleared.
“Where to now?” the boss asks.
“Anywhere. I’ve lost too much in Sydney to stay here.”
“Very well.” The boss pulls out a large yellow envelope. “In here is everything you need to get on with your life. You have upheld your part of the agreement, and now I must too.”
I take the envelope and open it. There’s a stack of passports, bankcards and driver’s licences in different names for varying countries. I look up at the commander of the OCT-U agency and smile.
“Thank you, sir.”
“It was a pleasure working with you, Thyme.”
The wind howls past my ears on the cliff. I stand next to Simon on the fenced edge of The Gap, a tall cliff-face bluff at Watson’s Bay. The ocean violently crashes against the rocks below, but it looks majestic. I glance over at Simon and nod.
“Are you ready?” he asks.
I nod again and open the urn with Flossy’s ashes. The wispy grey dust inside is quickly picked up by a gust of wind and carried out into the endless sky. The particles of Flossy join the windswept dance and discolour the sky where she flies. The dust becomes harder to see as it spreads further and further apart over the rolling ocean. And just like that, she’s gone forever.
TWENTY-SEVEN
“Are you sure you won’t come with me now?” I say to a tearful Charlie as we stand at the gates to the international airport.
“I’ll come the moment you’ve decided where you’re settling in. Plus, I’ve got to organise a wedding.” He winks.
I beam brightly at Simon and Liz as they stand arm in arm.
“There’s not much to organise. We’re getting married on the Amalfi Coast with a few people present.” Liz laughs.
“Oh, don’t burst my bubble, Liz. You don’t know Italy like I do. There’s plenty to organise,” Charlie teases.
I hold my brother tight. “I’m going to miss you so much.” The tears roll down my cheeks.
“We’ll see you in a few months at our wedding.” His eyes become misty.
“I wouldn’t miss it for the world.” I look around at all three of them and pick my backpack up, swinging it over my shoulder.
“As if you fit all your couture in there. That barely covers your shoes,” Charlie says.
I shake my head. “I don’t need it anymore. Labels mean nothing where I’m going.”
The overhead sound system calls out for a Miss Sally Smythe to make her way through customs for immediate departure.
“That’s me. Better go.” I hug them all one more time. “I love you all so much.”
“Love you, sis.”
“Love you, Mia.”
“Who you kidding? I’d turn for you, I love you that much.” Charlie adds the final giggle.
I race through the gates and wave frantically at my family before I disappear.
I blow out a breath of air as the plane lifts off the ground. I look down and Australia becomes a sea of tiny lights. I don’t know when I’ll see my country again, if ever.
“Can I get you something to drink, ma’am?” the stewardess asks.
“Pina Colada?” I joke.
“I’ll see what I can organise.” She winks.
First class has its perks. I settle back into the huge armchair and open up Great Expectations. I read the first three sentences. I could close the book and continue reading it verbatim. There are parallels I can draw from the words, but the book is not about me anymore. I need to write my own story now, and live my own life.
I am free. I can be anyone, and go anywhere I want. Tench is gone, and I can move on from it all.
I search through my Louis Vuitton makeup bag and find the letter I was given before I left. I was told to open it when I was ready, and right now I’m not ready. Next to it is the Shadow of Love necklace and matching ring. I know some investors in Europe who will pay a pretty dollar for the set. Along with the million that has accumulated some nice interest in an offshore bank account, I will be set up enough that I never have to worry about money ever again. I can taste my freedom now.
A long flight and an overnight boat ride later, I change out of my first-class pyjamas and wait anxiously for the boat to land. I had to visit Ibiza first. I’ve wanted to come here for a long time. Nick and I fictitiously met here as our cover with Charlie, so in some ways I feel closer to him by coming to the island.
We glide into the passenger terminal. I prepare to disembark, and walk into my freedom. I have no baggage checked in so I swing the last of what I have over my shoulder and slide my Ray-Ban aviators over my eyes to shield them from the Mediterranean sun.
The moment I step off the boat, I know I was meant to be here. The warmth in the air feels welcoming, and I stand for a moment and tilt my head to the light blue sky and thank the universe for allowing me to get through it all.
I close my eyes and listen to the tourists finding taxis, the kids laughing and the people screaming in delight at seeing one another again. This is what life is about.
“Do you need a lift, miss?”
I can’t breathe. My heart wants to bounce out of my chest. I don’t want to open my eyes. I shake my head and shake his voice from my delusional mind …
I listen again. It’s gone. I peek out of one eye and snap it shut.
It looks like him. It can’t be. I saw him dead. I felt him. I kissed him. He was dead.
My eyes spring open. Nick leans against an old Porsche convertible from the sixties that has seen better days. His skin looks darker and his hair looks lighter, but his eyes are just as
piercing.
He holds his hand out to me. “Come on, kid, let’s go live our life now.”
I can’t breathe. All I see is the pavement rushing very quickly at my face as my legs give out underneath me. He’s alive!
EPILOGUE
Dear Agent Mia,
Thank you for sparing my life, although I sometimes wish you hadn’t. They have me here locked away where the sun doesn’t even shine. I only see the guards twice a day and they monitor me 24/7. That bastard Denza is better off dead after attempting to shoot me in the back, but he still lives in protective custody somewhere, too. He’s the one who murdered your friend. I thought you should know that. He told her everything about our trafficking operation then panicked and strangled her before I could find out what he had said. I saw it as an opportunity to send a warning to Stephanie. She wanted to take control of the operation, but I had to show her who was really running the show. I was always sorry that the girl was your friend.
Toni is recovering nicely, too. They only let us speak for five minutes a week while he’s in hospital. He laughs about you shooting him. He thinks you missed all his vitals on purpose because you actually like him, deep down. Mrs Oktar always brings me her baked goods when she visits, but the guards always get to them first. I don’t mind though, it’s keeping me on their good side. If there is such a thing here?
I’ve told Mrs Oktar that my house is now hers. She deserves it after all. She said you will always be welcome to visit her, but I told her that I doubt you will ever come back.
It was in Russia that I knew the rumours about you being an agent were true. I found a bug in the bedroom. I put it in Dmitri’s car so that you would hear that he wanted you dead. Luka warned me about Dima’s plans, so I wanted to make sure you knew too. Despite knowing who you were, I still wanted to protect you. I wanted to see if we could get past everything and have a life that we deserved together. I’m not a bad guy, Mia, I just don’t know any different. I hoped you would see that eventually.
To me, you will always be my gorgeous Miranda.
Joe Tench
I gently push the letter down into the ocean water and watch the words slowly dissolve away. A wave rolls down and takes the final words from Tench out into its depths where it belongs.
