Balance (20 page)

Michael, as her Dispatch,
mu
st
also
effect terminations in a manner
that
keep
s
Rena from implication.

Rena
has become
as
deadly
as many of Chango’s
best
Dispatch agents
, Michael being
the rare
exception
.
 
Regardless of her
deadly potential
, her
skills in i
nfiltration
are
unprecedented. 
For Takada,
Rena’s multifaceted skillset starts to pose a
dilemma
;
He and Ms. Smith
consider not utilizing her in the field
,
fear
ful
an asset of her level
too valuable to risk losing. 
Recognizing
performance
in training
did not guara
ntee effectiveness in the field,
he
instructed
Ms. Smith
to
develop
special simulations
, simulations that would push the extent of
Rena’s
training, more closely representing real immersion
environments and circumstances.

He had to know if he had indeed uncovered his diamond.

In t
oday’s training ses
sion
,
Takada intends to expose Michael to the element of surprise.

The wall computer chimes. 5:45AM

Stepping out of his
quarters,
Michael
lean
s
on the wall and
wait
s.  Rena’s
door opens moments later.  She slips
out
,
her
back toward
him, head down, her dark red hai
r
hanging
down past her face, hiding it from view.
Turning around
,
she
look
s
up.
H
er
hair fall
s
back to reveal her
stunning
face
and
striking turquois eyes and
smiles
warmly
.
His heart, like every morning, skips a beat.  No matter how many times he looks into those eyes, that face,
she stuns him
.  Michael, g
rateful
to spend at least one more
day
with her
,
a
ll other concerns ebb away
,
at least
for
the
moment.

“What’s on your schedule this morning
?” She
asks politely
, already knowing the answer, initiating their morning banter
.

“Huh
?
O
h, yeah
…
Rifle
range
followed by h
and-to-hand wi
th Takada.  Are you joining us?
” He
stammers, his thought
s
distracted, and rightfully so.

Rena
loves catching him
lost in the moment,
especially
knowing
she was the moment he was having.
 
A charming half smile emerges … h
e has
to work on his poker face. 
She hopes they never have to
immers
e
together
,
portraying
strangers
.  She’s not too sure
Mich
ael
could pull it off …
h
ell, she’s
not too sure she’d pull it off. 
“No
, I can’t
this morning
…
Immersion. 
Ms. Smith
has something special planned.  When are you done?  Maybe you can stop in.  Who knows what she’ll have me w
earing, if anything.”  Anticipating
his
reaction
, her
half smile
grows, casting its full-on luminance
at
him
.

“You
,
not wearing anything …
I
’ll
see if I can get out early.
” He leans in, lightly touching the side of her face, his body heat caressing her cheek, “
Don’
t let that get
around
.
I don’t want all the good seats taken.”
He whispers
softly
.

“Selfish much?” 
Rena
giggles,
reach
ing
her arm
around his waist to give him a hug.
They head into the dining hall, laughing and teasing each other.

Breakfast has become
one of the
more rela
x
ing
periods
o
f
the day.  They now sit next to each other, spending little time scanning the room for threats.  Periodically, someone
will pass their table and say ‘H
i’.
  Far more of the greetings
directed at Rena and most from young men.  She politely acknowledges them, never implying any interest, always making sure to address Michael immediately after.

A
s much as she wished he
’d
exhibit some
jealousy, she’s glad
he’s
comfortable and confident
in himself
.  She has feelings for him
, intensively
possessive
feelings
, but expressing
them
could do so much damage in the future.  The
re are so many reasons
not
to
pu
rsue
intimacy;
just to have him with her every
da
y is all she can all
ow herself … all she deserves.

As usual, near the end of their breakfast,
Waters and Rodriguez
arrive
in the dining hall
and
sit down.
  Over the last six-months, the four have built a relationship akin to a family, moving past the handler and trainee formalities.  Most in the Bunker are aware of Michael and Rena’s vocation, and their
potential,
b
oth becom
ing
almost celebrities.

“
I think Takada has something special planned for you today, but I haven’t got any idea what it is.”
Waters comments.

Rodriquez
responds,
“
M
ake sure
he’s
in Immersion by
10:45AM. 
Ms. Smith
has
something
requiring Michael’s attendance planned as well
.
I understand Takada is aware.  Of cours
e
,
when isn’t
Takada
aware
?
”

Michael
laughs,
“Maybe you will be naked!”

Waters and Rodriquez look at each other and then at Rena.

“Relax boys, inside jok
e
.
”
She
laughs,
turning a knowing look at Michael,
“
B
esides, if you keep blurting it out, you’ll never get a
good seat.”
She
scolds
.

Rodriquez
studies the pair, an equally knowing look on his face.  Committed to getting Rena to her appointments, he
stands,
“We’d better get going. 
You
don’t want to keep
Ms. Smith
waiting.”

Silent,
Michael watches Rena as she leaves the dining hall.

“So
,
have you told her how you feel?” Waters asks
, waiting until she’s out of sight.

“Wha
t
? Excuse me?”

“Jesus … a
s
Ms. Smith
said ‘hydrogen and oxygen’. 
Michael, y
ou
’ve
gotta tell her.”

Michael’s face drops, his focus on the table in front of him,
“Things are complicated.  M
y top concern
, my only concern …
is her safety
.
A
s
her Dispatch, if emotions get t
o
o heavily involved
,
I could
put her at serious
risk.
  I could never do that.” He exhales slowly, “
Right now, she’s my little sister.”

W
aters studies him, understanding
him more
each day, learning what a complicated man Michael is.
“Well, I hate to tell you
,
bu
t
your little sister
is
insanely beautiful
,
could kick most of our asses
and you are alrea
dy heavily emotional.  But I
respect your decision …
things are complicated.”

Michael nods,
repeating to
himself …
‘things are complicated’
.

Arriving
at the
sparring
dojo,
Michael
find
s
Takada waiting. 
He
immediately
senses
this might not be a simple hand-to-hand training exercise.  With Takada
,
there’s ‘training’ and there’
s ‘learning’. 
Today,
Michael expects the latter.
 
E
xchang
ing pleasantries,
he
inquires as
to
the
intent
of
to
day
’s
lesson.

Takada explains
,
“Today,
there are two objectives.
F
irst
,
assess a theory proposed regarding
your
unique physical abilities.  The second will become
clear as the lesson progresses.
We’ll let
that
one be a surprise.”

“So
,
what was the theory proposed?”
Michael asks,
intrigued by Takada’s vagueness.

“
The m
edical
team
has been studying you,
reviewing tape of your feats, your
extraordinary
agility and
quickness
. 
Alt
hough
,
they do
n
o
t have definitive data to support their
theory
,
they’ve proposed
you may have an evolved physiological anomaly.  They believe your tendons, ligaments and
to some
degree,
muscles
,
are
uncommonly resilient and stronger than the norm.  The evolution has
endowed
you with unnaturally fast twitch reflexes.”

“So
,
what do you think
?” 
Michael inquires, recognizing
skepticism in
Takada’s
explanation
.

“I’m not sure what to attribute y
our talents to.  I think there’
s more to it than just your joints. 
I
f I do come to a
theory
, I’ll let you know.”

“Thanks.  I appreciate that.  I think?
”

Takada directs Michael to a rolling wall with
a variety of
weapons
hanging
on it.  “Please
,
pick one.”