Becoming Agent Rider

Operation Darwin

It seemed that Sicherheit was a very punctual man. After the ex-spy repeatedly checked to make sure they were on schedule, Alex found himself standing, exactly three hours later, on Sicherheit Security Systems' helipad in Berlin and looking out at the expansive, empty field surrounding the company's 8-storey building. They seemed to be in the city's southeastern Treptow-Köpenick district, an area with a low population density. It was still dark out but, across from him, he could just make out the Spree in the distance, feeding into Müggelsee Lake. His sailing lessons from last week seemed a lifetime ago to him now. On either side, the building was nestled between two rivers merging into Seddinsee Lake.

"Beautiful, is it not?" Sicherheit asked, coming to stand beside him. "The view was one of the reasons why I chose this location for my Germany headquarters. Nature reminds me of my true goal."

"Going back to your roots?"

Sicherheit smiled at him indulgently and turned to walk towards the fire escape leading into the building. "No, but I will explain what I mean momentarily. Come. Let us talk in my office."

They were silent as Alex was led to a large office on the top floor that was not much different from those in intelligence agencies. Everything was grey or dark wood. Impersonal. Alex supposed that it was a preference left over from the man's spying career. Wondering if he would turn into that kind of person someday, he scanned the room and hoped not. It would be like stripping away his humanity. While he scanned the room, he sat down in the chair opposite of the ex-spy and took note of the security cameras as he accepted the water that Sicherheit offered him.

As he was watching Alex's every move, Sicherheit noticed his examination of the room and gave an almost imperceptible nod of approval. "What do you think of the current state of the human race, Alex? Of human nature?"

Alex shrugged. Even though he sensed that his answer was important despite the casual tone of voice used, he couldn't understand why his opinion mattered. "Same as it's always been. Both good and bad exists."

"Good, you still have a little innocence left in you," the ex-spy muttered to himself wistfully, taking a sip of water. Addressing Alex again, he asked, "And what do you think of the state of the world's security?"

Alex thought back to his experiences in the last year. "Could be better." There had been quite a few psychopaths that he had stopped. He was the only one who could have done it, if Blunt and Jones were to be believed. "It depends on the people in law enforcement and military," he added as an afterthought.