Katie bit her lip. The jet had recently been installed with camouflage screening, but she wondered how long it would be until it was spotted in the plateau. “Come on, Conner. Cone on,” she whispered quietly. She detected someone watching her and looked over to see Sarah looking at her with a concerned look on her face. Katie looked away and turned towards the window again.
“Armaan to Conner. We have the jet. We are ready for you here. Out.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Sarah asked. Katie turned her head to see Sarah sit down beside her. She looked back out the window. “When did you find out?”
Katie was quiet for a moment, imagining the explosion. She closed her eyes and allowed for a tear to roll down her cheek. She took a deep breath in and let it out slowly. “He was so young, you know?” She knew she hadn’t answered either question, but for the moment she didn’t care.
“I know,” Sarah answered, her voice soft. “He would have made a good soldier…”
“Don’t,” Katie interrupted. She shook her head and looked out the window again. People died every day, but never by her hand and never anyone this close to her. After a while, she asked, “How do you guys do it?” There was a pause, so she continued. “How do you guys go around like this, living a life of kill-or-be-killed where only the strongest survive? How can you stand to shoot people and then go about your daily lives as if nothing had happened?
The hand that had been rubbing Katie’s shoulder suddenly stopped as Sarah recoiled back into the seat. She didn’t say anything for a long while, so Katie turned to look at her. Sarah’s expression was troubled.
“We aren’t very old. I mean, I’m only sixteen and I’ve already seen people die or almost die. One of my own best friends almost killed herself because of this, and now she’s right back out there doing dangerous things and watching horrible things happen,” Katie explained.
“You’re talking about Rebecca,” Sarah stated. Her voice sounded oddly distant.
“Yes, but not just her. Everyone here,” Katie continued. “Everyone’s insane!”
Sarah’s dismal expression slowly faded into a sad half-smile, but her eyes were still distant. “‘If we do not laugh, we will cry,’” she said suddenly.
Katie gave her a quizzical look.
Sarah didn’t look at her. “It’s from The Devil’s Arithmetic. They say everyone at Heritage is insane. It’s a joke, but they don’t really understand all that goes on around here.”
Katie rubbed her face, hoping to rinse herself of the dried tears. She glanced over at Tyler, who was oddly quiet. He wasn’t looking at anyone, just sitting with his arms on the chair, staring straight forward like some kind of zombie. Katie looked back out the window. “I will never understand it,” she said.
****************
Zamyr had to be careful in approaching the contact. He could change his disguise, or he could risk not going through the complicated progress and risk being seen by the two weirdos. Alexander Green could come any day, any hour really. He might already be here, and today would be the day that Green would have his lunch at 1:15. Zamyr paced around the room with arms folded, considering his options. Finally, he decided on what he deemed to be the best option.
***************
Lexi observed the dining room, slowly chewing on her salad. She was deep in thought and began to wish that she could just work in a normal hotel. She had seen many strange people come and go, but Zamyr being followed by an Australian and an Irishman was the strangest sight yet. One of her normal customers came in with his lunch and sat at an empty table. He bowed his head and closed his eyes for a few moments, then began to eat his lunch with delicacy and class. She wished that all of her customers were normal, not doing anything wrong, being religious and well-mannered.
*****************
Zamyr entered the dining room at 1:13. His eyes naturally observed the three large, glistening chandeliers hanging from the high ceiling. He saw Lexi sitting at a table by herself, slowly stabbing at her salad. There was an elderly couple at another table, holding hands and laughing. Zamyr wondered what it would be like, to have such a normal life and marriage and how they had managed to love and stay with each other for who knows how long. He then realized that that couple probably had their own problems and trials in their life. They seemed old enough to be veterans for World War II. At least the man could be. Those two must have gone through so much in a normal life, but they still pushed through and were here, smiling, holding hands, and living their lives to the fullest. Zamyr's eyes wandered to the corner of the room and noticed an adult eating his lunch. Zamyr checked his watch; so did the man. It was 1:15. Zamyr slowly walked towards the man at the table.
****************
Lexi was wondering when Zamyr was going to sit down. He had just randomly entered the room and was staring at the room for at least two minutes before moving towards a table. Lexi then realized that he was moving towards one of her normal customers. She couldn't believe that the man could be one of her strange customers. Was there something Zamyr was plotting, something against the law? She had heard of an Albanian gang smuggling goods to different countries. Could Zamyr be part of it and the two guys looking for him are part of the Serious Organised Crime Agency of the UK? The two seemed a bit young, but it was the only way Lexi could explain that the three guys from completely different cultures would show up here at the Harborside Hotel in St. Mary’s Quay. Lexi glanced at Zamyr and the man discussing something with each other, then decided that she would tell the men that were looking for Zamyr where to find him. She had had enough of them anyways. She quickly finished her salad and strode briskly out of the room.
****************
Zamyr approached the man, sat next to him, and casually whispered, "The Calder calls."
"Your mission then." The man responded. "Come closer."
Zamyr did so and Alexander Green gave him his next mission.
******************