The Lost Agent

Chapter 6

I quickly snatched the files and put them in my bag, still my thoughts weren't organized well after knowing the truth of all this. I can feel that I'm getting closer to ending this mission, but I don't know if that's a good thing or not. A small sticky note dropped to the floor after I put the files in my bag. I picked it up and it showed a picture of an eye. My mind, that's slowly regaining its consciousness, tried to process the meaning of this. Eleanor's painting. The exchange. That's it! These files were meant to be exchanged to Eleanor, but why? Well, I'm about to find out.

Picking up speed, I walked to the front of the gallery, my eyes met with the eye yet again. Seeing this painting now feels surreal to me. My hands hesitated upon the frame, as if this eye was looking after me all this time, I don't want to face the reality of what's behind it. If there was a reality.

I tapped the same spot of the frame as the previous one and there it was, the same small compartment behind it slowly started to appear. A small, trembling exhale escaped me, the anticipation brewed as the frame took its time to fully open up, and when it opened, there was nothing. The exchange didn't happen. Yet, at least. I sighed out of relief, but my heart was pounding nonetheless. If Albert really was the agent, is Eleanor part of this scheme then? Can it be that I have been stringed by her all along? Or does she not know anything about this?

I need to catch my breath.

–

I can't look into her eyes.

When I see her, all I can think about is what might have been and what might happen soon if she was the devil's advocate all along. The weird feeling I've been trying to figure out now becomes less blurry, but not clear enough. I can't make out what it was about her that made me hesitate on my steps.

Left, right. Left, right. She slowly got closer to me. This dark and empty room became smaller and smaller as her figure stood in front of me.

"It's me. I'm here."

I opened my eyes to the sight of a car seat. The movement of this car slowly brings me back to reality with every bump. I was sweating upon waking up from that dream. I haven't had the time to get much sleep and when I do, all my head wants to show is her, the blurry figure I can't quite figure out who. I have not the slightest clue why it haunts my dreams, but I can feel the guilt seeping through if it were the person I think it is; Eleanor.

It had been a few days since I took the files. In that time, I've been working non-stop trying to figure out the validity of them, making sure every detail matched with what the force had. I couldn't get much sleep, but I've said that already.

The next day after that encounter, Eleanor showed up to school. I wanted to confront her about all this, but I don't know of it was the sleep deprivation or some other weird being that lurks around the school that made me stay away from her, it was as if she had a bubble I couldn't get through, and that was a good thing if I think about it. I need to cut off everyone anyway, so might as well do it now, but that weird feeling still lingers. I don't want to think about it.

I've been through a handful of missions to be able to recognize this place I'm heading to. The place where every agent gets their gadgets. My handy alarm and earrings were diligently crafted here. The thought of everything slowly seeped back in whilst my eyes saw building through building passed by the car I was in. It hasn't fully occurred to me that Albert was the agent all along and that I was going to be over with this mission soon. I still don't know what my next step will be. Would I be able to live a normal life again after this? I've gotten back from an undercover state many times, but somehow, Calliope has stuck on me, or maybe the people she's close with have stuck to me, but wasn't that my plan all along? To get rid of my past life? I shake off the thought. An agent never lets their feelings get in the way of their plan.