by Lee Sau Woon
Day 1
Vanessa was walking on the street with Jennifer when her handphone rang. She answered on the second ring.
"Vanessa."
"Vanessa, Jordan here. We got a mission."
"Where?"
"New York. You're still at Long Island?"
"Yes."
"We would be flying to New York. Can you meet us at the airport?" Jordan asked, giving her the flight number and arrival time.
"I'll be there, Jordan."
"You have everything you need?"
"You won't believe this, but I actually brought my gun along. As for the rest of the things, there is nothing I cannot get from a pharmacy."
"Great." Jordan said. "We'll meet at the airport. See you later."
"Seeya."
Vanessa shut her handphone, and found her friend looking at her.
"Job?"
"ZULU had a mission in New York. I will be meeting them there."
"Does that mean I gota go?"
"Nive, you can stay if you want to. "
"Nah. Forget it. I'm going back to Paris."
Both of them continue to walk for a while before Jennifer broke the silence.
"By the way Nessa, who gave that name?"
"What name?"
"ZULU. It make you guys sound like a African tribe who dance for rain."
*******
Same time, Canada.
The envelope was not marked, but Ching knew that it was for her. After all, not many people knew that she had a apartment just across the US-Canada border. And only one person knew that she would be here for the week. The envelope was plain, and thin. There could not be much information inside.
Taking a letter opener from the shelf, she slit the envelope open with one quick stroke. There was a single piece of white paper inside, folded into half. She read the simple paragraph typed on it.
"Subject is seen leaving house two days ago. East-going. Signs of recovery. Will continue watch. So far so good."
She smiled at the message.
*********
Vanessa reached the airport an hour before time. It was deliberate. She check for the arrival time of the flight number given to her by Jordan, and was rather relived to see that the plane is not landing early. She gripped her travel bag tight, found the sign showing a pharmacy and followed it.
Inside the pharmacy, she strolled casually along the aisles. There were a few people in the shop, but none that knew her, and that she knew. Good. She took a few items from the shelves, threw them onto basket she took and walked to the cashier when there was noone making payment.
The cashier was a teenager looking bored. She took the items from the basket and keyed in the price, and did not even look at Vanessa as she threw all the items into a shopping bag. Well, not until the last item. Vanessa ignored her, paid for the stuff, and left the pharmacy.
She then made her way to the ladies. Luckily for her, it was empty. She chose a cubicle farthest away from the door, entered and locked it. She then took a item out of the shopping bag, read the instructions on the package, and followed it.
Five minutes, she walked out of the cubicle, her right hand clutched and made her way to a sink. Turning the tap on, she washed her face until she was all red.
"Bloody hell," she swore at her image. She then turned and was about to throw the contents in her hand onto the nearest waste paper basket when she was what was inside.
It was a poker card. A Joker.
"Bloody hell." She swore again, and she threw the contents on top of the card, and walked out to meet her teammates.