Counting To Five

London

"Take a seat boys." Tyler announced, as they walked in to his office. A room filled with only sorted papers, a computer, a phone and a whiteboard with pictures of suspects. The room overlooked the London bridge on the workers side of the river. The room wasn't made of walls simply of glass really. In comparison to all the other offices - even to Mitch's - it was like Tyler liked to look over London. "Mitch do you want to tell me the real reason why you want to chase this man? You haven't really presented the positives and you haven't filled me with hope that you can deliver." Tyler's eyes were sharp with seriousness and confusion.

Mitch breathed in, trying to delay his answer but also to try and think through a correct answer. 

"He's one of the most wanted drug lords Sir. I need to get this man!" Mitch spat out as if he was being shouted at by a commanding officer. His muscles were tensing with the thought of losing his chance of getting this murderer.

"Mitch - what is my name around the office other than Sir?" Tyler asked.

"We've only ever called you boss or Sir Sir." Mitch answered. In his department, the team were rarely in the office.

"God!" Tyler replied. "They call me God. Now I don't live by this name cause I see myself as an equal to my teams. But they call me God cause I see everything, I hear everything and a lot of the time... I know everything." Tyler was looking directly at Mitch. It was almost a waste of time asking for the other boys to come in. "Now I know..." Tyler said standing up and walking to one of his windows. "I know this man, I know his background and I know his current whereabouts cause he is very much wanting to be seen. Now this makes me wander what he's up to. Boys I am happy for you to take this case but you have to have stealth and you need to work with the European teams. I know you know the German team and of course the the other major departments from the Americans. But if you go into this - you finish the job!" Tyler finished, still looking out at London. "I have information that he moves from Berlin and London so you might want to start with contacting the Berlin devision and asking for his last whereabouts?" Tyler nodded giving the men their cue to leave. The team stood up confused and one by one made for the door. "David. Mitch. Stay seated."

They sat back down - but both men knew this was going to happen.

"David did you know Mitch was planning on this?" 

"Yes sir" David lied. Mitch was filled with guilt cause he had not discussed anything with his own boss. The lives of his team were on his head and now he was really in for it. The problems with his case had come to his eyes. "We are the best team for the job and you know it Sir." David pleaded calmly and slightly forcefully.

"I know you are. But Mitch hasn't told you enough has he?" Tyler whispered. David's face pale and still. "Mitch do you want to tell us - your two bosses! why you want to chase this man?" Tyler stared at Mitch. No anger was present but a slight expression of being pissed off.

Mitch inhaled deep. 

"This man is the man who killed my parents." Mitch exhaled. "I'm sorry sir. I only wanted to present the idea I didn't think we would go straight to assignment." 

"But you did Mitch." Tyler said now sat on the edge of his desk. "If you did want us to give you this case you would have never presented to us. But I can't let your personal feelings endanger the team."

"But sir!" Mitch challenged.

"Mitch is good at his job Sir. Maybe slight revenge will help us get this man. You have said that Bosso wants to be seen so surely that means he wouldn't know that we were coming for him? He wouldn't recognise Mitch anyway!" David protested. A protest that shook Mitch.

Tyler looked at David with stern stare. Stopping David in his tracks.

"Mitch I will discuss this with David. Please take the rest of the day off. I have the lives of my team to think about rather than your revenge plot. You are dismissed." Mitch stood up and turned for the door. As he opened the door, Tyler stopped him. "Mitch..." Mitch turned in response to his name. "I know you are qualified for this job, SAS trained, 4 tours of Afghanistan but that is why you and your team are more valuable to me. I give you the hardest jobs here so that your skills are not wasted but Bosso - That's too much of a risk son." Tyler nodded for him to leave. But his speech had filled Mitch with anger. Tyler had just listed everything that meant Mitch could take the job. Just because he wasn't an assassin didn't mean he was ready for this job.

Mitch walked to his car trying to control his breathing and attempting to reduce his anger. He drove carefully, stopping only to grab a coffee and some lunch. But even this normality could switch his mind off. Once home - Mitch went through paper after paper on Bosso and tried to connect faces to his memory of his parent's murder. He was locked. Every detail he wrote down and tried to draw faces from memory. And attempted to remember little details - such as type of gun that was used. Direction of shot. Gloves present or not? These details were useful but started to drain Mitch. No amount of coffee would keep him going - only blood lust.

It wasn't until his mobile rang with a message from David; that his trance was disturbed.

We got the case - meet at the office at 0800 hours. Be bright and sharp and control you personal conflict. Tyler is right -  I will not endanger our team. Get some rest.                                                      David.

How David had kept Mitch in the game was puzzling Mitch. But Mitch took his orders and returned all his paperwork to his folders and continued his evening like any other evening in an attempt to control his "personal conflict". "This job is like any other."  David kept telling himself. "This is an important case - not a revenge mission. Keep to the limits you have been given."

As he thought this a picture of his parents, crept into the corner of his eye. He arm muscles tensed and his pain grew stronger.