The Polish Program (LSD, #2)

Extra: Don't Fear The Reaper

Extra: Don't Fear The Reaper

I look around. I try to convince myself that Poland is a beautiful country, that these green mountains make a spectacular view. All I have to do is relax and enjoy, but if I'm honest, I'm not enjoying this at all.

I look ahead. I try to convince myself that there are only five metres of rope between me and being safe, but if I'm honest, it's closer to ten.

I look back. I try to convince myself that I already covered twenty-five metres, so there's only the last twenty percent left, but if I'm honest, those first twenty-five metres were going down, and this last part is going up, and the rope is slippery under my sweating hands: for every hand I try to advance, I slip back two.

I look down. I try to convince myself that it's not really as high as I think, but if I'm honest, I can't see if that animal, walking along the brook at the bottom of the ravine, is a mouse, a rat, a cat or a rabbit. I have to hold on. If I let go, I will fall... I will die... I don't want to die...

"I really could use some help here, Scarlett. I can't make it to the other side.", I shout.

Scarlett, on the far edge of the cliff, looks terrified: "You HAVE to go on, Red. How can I help you? I'm a woman. I'm not strong enough to hold you and climb back here. What do you suggest I do to help you? You have to do it by yourself, and you'll have to do it quickly too, because the world is in danger and you're the one who has the key in his pocket to disarm the nuclear device in the cabin on the other side of that ravine. You can't die now, Red, or the explosion will kill me too, and everybody in Krakow and its surroundings. You HAVE to go on, Red."

For the first time in my life, I start to worry, a bit, but still. Save the world or die trying, I always say, but that's easy as long as you're not as close to «die trying» as I am now. I do my best to focus on the end of the rope. Don't look down.

"Even now, when I hang above the Valley of the Shadow of Death, I fear no evil, for you are with me, Scarlett, but you have to do something, please, because I can't go further, I can't go back and I definitely can't hold on much longer. Help me, please. I'm afraid. If you don't help me, I will die..."

"Fear is a useless emotion in this situation, Red. You need to focus. All you need is time, energy, creativity and knowledge, in the right combination. That way you can solve ANY problem.", Scarlett shouts from the other side.

Save the world, or die trying. This is my final mission. We found the message in the pocket of the dead man in the shed, we broke into the high-security bunker and stole the codes, we swam through the lake that was cramped with mortal piranhas, angry as hell for the pain caused by their dental problems, we fought the seven ninjas who protected the old monastery on the top of the mountain, where we found the key, after solving three difficult riddles, so all we needed to do was to cross this ravine via the rope that connects the two sides, enter that cabin over there, and use the key to turn off the nuclear bomb we expect to find inside.

I try to get a better grip on the rope, but my fingers are cramped and I only make things worse. I have to be honest with myself: there is no way out of this situation. The only way I will get away from here is down, a 200-metre fall, and then up, to the angels that have always protected me until this last stupid mission, this hopeless mission.

"This is hopeless, Scarlett. I'm not going to make it. I can't hold on much longer. I'm sorry..."

"No, Red. You HAVE to hold on. If you die, I will die too. The bomb..."

"This mission is a joke, Scarlett. Sometimes we want to do things that are beyond our reach. The terrorists have won. I just want to say you were the best partner I've ever had, the best partner any spy could ever wish for. Thanks. And don't lose the faith, ever. This mission is a joke. The best we can do is laugh about it. You'll see that, in the end, that stupid nuclear bomb has a construction error and it will not go off. Or its battery goes dead before the clock hits zero, ha, ha, ha! Don't lose the faith, Scarlett..."