One Last Job

“One more job Cecily. That’s all we’re asking for.”

“Jarrod, that’s what you said about the job two jobs ago.”

“What can I say, you’re the best we have and we hate to lose you.” Jarrod sighed heavily “..but I mean it this time. It will be your last. There’s a lot at stake here and this is more of a favor than a job.”

“Favor for who? I don’t owe any favors.”

“You doing this for me will be repaying a favor that I owe.”

“We don’t repay favors with jobs. You know that rule as well as I do.” Cecily retorted. There was something more to this. “Do the others know about this “favor”?” She asked already knowing the answer.

“No.”

“Well isn’t this something? You need a personal “favor” from me just as soon as I’m walking away from all of this finally. Just couldn’t help but use me one last time?”

“Cecily, this is not personal. I told you I was sorry for all of that. I never intended to hurt you.”

“Everything that happened was your choice!” She inhaled sharply “I’ll do the job but I want one thing from you.”

“Whatever you want.” He quickly replied.

“I want my notebooks.”

“Are you crazy? You got to be out of your damn mind!” Cecily held the phone away from her ear as Jarrod unloaded a string of insults.

When the verbal assault finally stopped she put the phone back to her ear. “Listen, you need me to do this job, and I need my peace of mind. I’m not asking for the moon. Just what is mine.”

“How do you even expect me to accomplish that?” He demanded.

“You’re resourceful, figure it out. Or no deal because you owing someone has nothing to do with me.” Anymore she thought to herself.

“Fine. I’ll deliver the details in the usual manner. Good Luck.”

Dead air.

Well isn’t this just fucking dandy? Cecily said out loud to no one. She looked around the airbnb, she hadn’t even bothered to unpack. She could easily put off her plans, it’s not like anyone was waiting on her or that she even had plans yet. The last 5 years had been nothing but jobs and Jarrod. True to her nature she had immersed herself. This is what made her so good at her job, her ability to focus with such intensity. Not giving 150% wasn’t an option when Cecily was involved. Which is maybe why she kept taking these last few jobs even though she officially turned in her resignation over 6 months ago. She needed something to take up the recently vacant spot that once was occupied by Jarrod and she didn’t know what else to do with her time then to continue to take the odd job that was sent her way.

Cecily was putting in a load of laundry when her email alert chimed. She knew it would be the job details. As she skimmed them over she didn’t see anything out of the ordinary until the last paragraph. “Meet in person for final exchange” Well that’s a first. Usually these transactions were more secretive but at least now if he tried to back out she would have some control over what she gave up. The pickup was close by thankfully. No more than a couple hours train ride from where she was currently staying. Maybe Jarrod was telling the truth. It wasn’t personal, she was just the closest agent under his division that was as close as proximity would allow. It was merely a happenstance of time and place. She wasn’t sure she completely believed that.

As the evening came to a close Cecily walked out the front door of the vacation home, turned the key in the deadbolt, and gracefully dropped the key into the locked mailbox. It was a cute little place, within walking distance of the beach and all the tourist like shops. Though she hadn’t really taken the time to participate any of these gems of coastal living. Maybe at the next place she’ll dive into the resident life and make an honest go at being a normal person of society. 6:45pm was the last train out of the station that night heading inland. Cecily was on the platform fifteen minutes before, in her gray travel suit with her blonde hair pinned tightly at the nape of her neck. A small carry on was all she had. Always travel light was her motto. As she waited to board the train she pondered over what she would do with the notebooks once she had them. Burn them. The less evidence left the better.

Such an odd thing the agency did, keep track of each agent within a collection of little black notebooks. Each agent had their own notebook, series really. Only so much can go into each notebook. A count of 150 pages fills up fast in this line of business. All the notebooks are kept in one undisclosed vault that only the top agents know about and even fewer have access to. The thought process is that in this day of internet savvy and hacking, it’s easier to write it all down and have literally no other access other than reading with your own eyes. Rumor has it that those agents that see the notebooks are searched for any technology before going in. If notes are needed, they have to write them down. And if anything goes array, there’s always a kerosene lamp burning with an elaborate connection to every book on the shelf that with one flick of flame would engulf the entire library.

Cecily looked out the window and watched the terrain change from blues and grays to greens and browns as they continued on. She daydreamed about what she would do in her new life. Maybe she would get a dog. She’d never had a dog before and had always wanted one. Her life didn’t allow for that, being flexible was part of the job description. As she contemplated between a golden retriever and a corgi she noticed the view outside her train window change to a city again and they were no longer traveling through thick dark woods. The train came to a stop at an enclosed station that was clean and well lit.

An hour later Cecily was walking down the sidewalk towards the meet up location. She already looked at the place on the internet so she knew where she was going and had a general idea of the layout. Always be prepared. As she got closer she could hear slow country music being played. According to her instructions she was to look immediately to her left and the man she was meeting would be in the last booth. As she pushed the door open she laid her eyes on an older gentleman sitting in the designated booth.

“Welcome to Larry’s Steakhouse. Party of one?” A prissy hostess interrupted Cecily’s scan of the room as she handed her a menu.

“Actually I’m meeting someone here, that’s him in that booth over there.” Cecily pointed with the menu as she walked away before the hostess could say more. The man eyed her cautiously as she walked up to the table. “Ann Thompson?” he asked. Using one of her many fake names used on certain jobs.

“Yes, nice to see you again…” the sentence dropped off as she waited for him to fill in the blank. “Martin.”

“Yes, Martin, of course. It’s been so long.” I am so over this part of the job Cecily thought as she slid into the overside booth seat.

“What can I get you two started off with tonight? Nacho Fries are the special appetizer for this evening.” From hostess to waitress, these folks didn’t miss a beat in customer service.

“We’ll be just a minute.” Martin said to the waitress. She retreated reluctantly.

“I assume you are more interested in receiving what I have for you than you are with actually ordering food.” Martin said over the rim of his drink glass.

“Actually, I just got off a train ride from the coast, I could do with a nice dinner and you don’t seem the type to invite a woman to dinner and than not actually expect to pay for her meal… or am I wrong?”

“My mother would be appalled.” Martin motioned for the waitress to come back.

“I’ll have the ribeye, medium rare, mashed potatoes and gravy, and a side salad with blue cheese. Along with an ice tea with extra lemon.” Cecily did not care for drinking alcohol when doing jobs. Just too many things that could go wrong.

“I’ll have the same but bring me another Lemmy.” Martin tossed the last of the dark liquid down his throat and handed the glass to the waitress. They sat in silence for a moment waiting for the waitress to bring the drinks. She returned quickly and once she walked away from the table Martin cleared his throat.

“So do you come here often?”

Cecily looked him dead in the eye “ I said I wanted a meal, not small talk.”

“Thank God.” Martin exclaimed. “In that case, I’m going to hand you this” He pulled an envelope out of his coat pocket and placed it on the table in front of Cecily. “I’ll take my dinner at the bar, there’s a ball game on that I want to catch and quit frankly dear, I enjoy small talk.”

“Thank you for dinner.” She said as she slid the envelope into her purse. Martin winked and walked towards the bar. As she left the restaurant with her dinner to go she could hear Martin laughing and cheering with other sport enthusiasts at the bar, Cecily smiled and wonder if she would ever get to that place in life.

While walking back to the hotel room she sent off an email to Jarrod letting him know that she had accomplished her part. Almost immediately she received a response. Meet in hotel bar in 20 minutes. Be packed and ready to leave. Cecily went up to her room, showered quickly, and changed into a pair of sweatpants and matching sweatshirt. Might as well be comfortable she figured. As she walked to the hotel bar she could see Jarrod standing there in similar casual clothes.

“Well aren’t we dressed for the occasion?” she said as she stepped up to the bar next to him.

“You’re going to want to order a drink.” Jarrod said with a smirk on his face.

“Why’s that?” she asked

Before answering her Jarrod asked the bartender for the tv remote and changed it to a news station and turned the volume up.

“That’s why…”

Cecily looked at the screen as it showed one of the many headquarters of the agency being engulfed in flames.

“What happened?” She asked hesitantly.

“Did you bring the envelope?” Jarrod asked avoiding her question.

“Of course, it’s right here.” She pulled it out of her purse.

“Open it.” He said with yet another smirk.

Cecily did as he asked and looking inside she saw various forms of identification, debit cards, cellphones and a ring. She looked at Jarrod with a puzzled look.

“We can start a new life now Cecily. That building..” he motioned towards the tv “..that was where they kept the black notebooks. It’s all gone now. Here we have whole new identities, and on each debit card is a total of $20,000 to start us out with. I’m not going to assume that you’ll choose to go with me, but if you want to….”

Cecily couldn’t process it all fast enough, but what she did know was that the notebooks were gone and Jarrod was here. It was almost too clean of a slate, but what did she have to lose? Absolutely nothing.