As he was thinking about it. He watched the bank and took more photos of people coming and going from the bank. After ten minutes or so Jynx returned and climbed out on the roof. She climbed up to the peak of the roof and laid down next to Karma. She tapped him on the shoulder and whispered, "Mission completed."
Karma rolled to the side and replied, "Was it accomplished? Only you can tell me?"
Jynx rolled over to face him and said, "I did what you asked me to do. Now, you need to tell me why I did it."
Karma could sense some hostility in her voice. So, he said, "I know why you did it. You tell me, what did you learn?"
Jynx now carried a look of disguise on her face. Being ordered around was never fun but being ordered around without a purpose was even worse. She said, "I don't know, I thought maybe you wanted me to memorize the layout of the interior of the building. Which I did." She raised her voice a bit as she continued, "Maybe you wanted me to count the number of employees. Which I did." Jynx got closer to Karma as she raised her voice, "Maybe you wanted me to identify the locations of all the security cameras. Which I did! I did it all! Now you tell me! What was the purpose of the mission?!" Jynx was right in his face as she said this.
Karma was flabbergasted. He had never seen her so worked up. Jynx and Karma sat there face to face with each other on the rooftop for a few seconds. Both waited for the other to say something. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Karma put her hand on her shoulder and said, "Good job. You did everything I hoped you would do. And it seems you understood the purpose of the mission." Jynx didn't have anything to say. Once again, the roof of the building was bathed in silence. Both expecting each other to say or do something. Finally, Karma said, "You know, you are pretty when you are angry." Jynx gave him a somber look. Then Karma said, "Let's go back inside."
Climbing back through the window Karma found a pen and some paper in the luggage. He set it up on the countertop and said, "Draw me the layout." Jynx drew the layout of the main hall on the paper. She added the camera locations as well. Karma looked at the drawing and asked, "How many employees and guards?"
Jynx answered him, "At least ten employees and security guards."
"Did they let you open an account?"
"No, the clerk was acting strange. She didn't like the fact that I spoke English."
"A bank that doesn't like English speaking people." Karma said as he drew on the paper showing their field of vision as per her drawing on the paper. Then he said, "Have you ever heard of a bank that doesn't like money?" Jynx shook her head. Karma continued, "Typically when we go to a surveillance operation, we already have this information. Building layout, employee count, etc. This is a new location so we need to gather all the rare data that we can get a hold of. Not only did you do everything I hoped that you would do. You did it with me telling you to do it. Good job."
Karma held up his hand to give her a high five. She returned the high five and said, "I wasn't really angry."
Karma let Jynx take the first watch on the telescope. Karma went to the nearest payphone and dialed up Freeman again. He checked his watch, and it was now 4:30 p.m. As per the usual Freeman picked up and Karma gave the password, "Bravo kilo one niner."
Freeman was on the other end, "Karma, what is the situation?"
"We are at the location. As it turns out, the address is a bank. Velika Bank here in Koper." Karma took a quick look around himself. Forever vigilant. He continued, "Gear is set up, I was just calling to check in."
Freeman replied, "Copy that. We have new information just in. Apex brought back intel on a few more agents involved in the Exstrusis Program. Leaked documents with Agent Death's name on them along with other names."
"That is saucy intel." Karma smiled with excitement, "I look forward to reading it. Maybe it will give us some more info on who he is in cahoots with."
Freeman added, "Let's hope so. By the way I didn't tell you this before, but when you and Jynx have 24 hours to watch that bank. Then you are RTB. Got it?"
Karma questioned him, "Why so short? You don't like it when we find our own work?"
Freeman replied, "Scouting locations without any form of planning or organization. It's reckless. I know you have your methods, but I don't want her to pick up your habits."
Karma retorted, "Hold up, this is back ass-ward here. You want me to train a recruit to have my skill level? However, when the recruit starts acting like me you are upset... Can you hear the confusion in my voice?"
Freeman replied, "There is a difference between being a Good Agent and being a Successful Agent. Maybe you need another ten years under your belt to understand that. But I am serious about that RTB. Got it?"
"Copy that. See you." Karma hung up the phone. Freeman was always a worry wart. Karma left the payphone and walked over to the store nearby. He needed items to last a few days. He bought a few blankets, some food, and most importantly sunblock. If they are going to be sitting up on the roof for a few days these would be very important.
Returning to the apartment, Karma ran into the sewing shop owner's son. The boy was standing outside the back of the shop smoking. Karma nodded to him as he walked by, but the kid gave him a dirty look and asked, "Who you be?"
Karma pointed up to the apartment and said, "I am the boyfriend." With that he walked up the stairs and entered the door. Bullet dodged. Karma unloaded the items he purchased and took the sunscreen outside to the rooftop. He climbed the ladder and handed it to Jynx. Then he asked, "How is it going?"
Jynx said, "Just people coming and going. Quite a few people actually." Without looking away from the telescope, she handed Karma the sun scene and said, "I don't need this. I enjoy the tan."
Karma disagreed, "Yeah for a few hours, but when the back of your neck is glowing beat red you will be wishing you put some on."
Jynx replied, "Okay, you win, Spymaster. Since you are here and I am busy, can you put some on the back of my neck for me? Pretty please?" Maybe it was an innocent request, but for some reason Karma had the strangest feeling that he just walked into a trap. Regardless, he opened the sunscreen and applied it to her neck. Her body tensed up for a second then relaxed. Karma made sure the back and sides of her neck were covered then he went back inside without saying a word. Jynx said, "Thank you." Karma did not respond. This relationship was going to remain professional.
Karma took the blankets and made a simple bed on the floor. One blanket folded up was his pillow. If he was going to stay up all night, he needed to sleep. He took off his bomber jacket and pistol holster. He laid there on the blankets for a bit trying to relax his body. Trying to make himself fall asleep. It wasn't working. His mind leaned back to Jynx. She could have applied her own sunscreen. Normal people don't ask strangers to rub sunscreen on their necks? Do they? Is this some new trend that the kids nowadays are doing?
Karma shook his head free of these thoughts. He needed to sleep. Once again, he relaxed. This time it worked. The weight pulled him to sleep.
*
For the first time in a long time Karma had a dream. In his dreams Jynx was standing over. What did she want? She was clearly trying to wake him up. Karma blinked his eyes a few times and snapped back to reality. This was not a dream. He sat up and said, "What? What is going on?"
Jynx was on her knees with one hand on his arm, she said, "We have a big problem. Encore is here."
"Encore?" Karma was still dazed from just waking up. He looked out the window and the sun had already begun to set. He must have slept for a few hours at least. He asked again, "Encore? Is that uh… That is Sidewinder's recruit. What is he doing here?"
Jynx was still in a state of panic. She said, "I don't know, what should we do?!"
Karma stood up and stretched his back. The hard floor really did a number on him. Then he said, "Well, let him in. Is Sidewinder with him?"
"No, no, no…" Jynx grabbed Karma trying to get the message across. "Encore is here, like in the bank. He just came out of the bank. I took some pictures of him!"
The information took a few seconds to register in Karma's head, then he said, "Oh… shit." Karma grabbed his holster and coat off the floor. He ran over to the door putting them on. With a quick glance he looked back at Jynx and said, "Let's go. What is he wearing? Tell me quickly."
"Umm, gray coat, black pants, dark hair, no hat." Jynx said as quickly as she could while following him out the door.
Karma flew down the stairs. He pulled the car keys out of his pocket and tossed them to Jynx. He shouted, "Get the car." As he ran for the street. Once he was on the street, he put his head on a swivel. Gray coat and black pants. It was starting to rain. That made visibility worse. He looked at the people walking up and down the sidewalk. Karma started to nonchalantly walk around the buildings. He needed to find Encore if he was here. After all, Jynx could be wrong. But if she was right then they had a big problem on their hands.
Karma entered the nearby intersection. Then he spotted a man with a gray coat on. He was walking away from the bank. Karma charged into the intersection to pursue him. Karma made it to the other sidewalk as Jynx pulled up in the car. Karma jumped in the passenger side and said, "There he is up ahead. Catch up to him but keep your distance."
Jynx did just that. She closed the gap between them. Karma couldn't tell from the back if it was Encore. It was getting darker, the rain was pouring now, and visibility was limited. Karma leaned over to Jynx and said, "Stop here. Keep it running." As he stepped out of the car. Karma was only 20 or 30 ft behind him at this point. Any normal agent would have detected him by now. Either this was not Encore at all or he had not gained the skills yet. Karma walked as quickly as he could to catch up with him. The man in the gray coat pulled the keys out of his pocket. He was about to get in a car. Karma made his move.
Karma put his arm around the man's neck then quickly punched him in the stomach with a right hook. When the man keeled over from the hit, Karma grabbed his coat and threw him into the nearby alleyway. The man hit the ground gasping for air as Karma drew his pistol. The man finally looked up to see his assailant. Karma and Encore locked eyes. It was him. At this point Karma finally knew Jynx had been right. Encore's eyes widened as he reached for his pistol. But Karma already had one in his face. Karma pointed the pistol at Encore's head and said, "Small world isn't it. It's amazing who you run into while you are out on a mission. Are you here alone?"
Encore caught his breath and said, "Oh fuck you."
"Wrong answer. Where is Sidewinder?" Karma looked around half expecting to see Sidewinder pointing a gun at him. But there was no one. Encore didn't say a word. Karma reached down and relieved Encore of his Springfield 1911 pistol. Karma looked at the weapon then went back to Encore and said, "We just filmed you walking out of a Exstrusis affiliated building. Rather than defending yourself you are just going to sit there in the rain?"
Without taking his eyes off of Encore, Karma heard Jynx pull the car into the alleyway and turn off the engine. She got out of the driver's seat and walked over to Karma. Then she let out a gasp, "It WAS him."
This disturbed Karma. He looked back at her and said, "You sound a bit shocked. Were you only like 50% sure it was him?"
Jynx replied, "Well, it's not like I really knew him. I only met him a few times at HQ. I was really hesitant to say anything."
Listening to them argue, Encore rolled over and tried to stand up. Karma said, "Don't go anywhere." Karma quickly cracked Encore in the back with a 1911 handle. With a quick groan, Encore fell to the wet ground again. Karma knelt down beside him and said, "Sidewinder uses this same model pistol. You two must be pretty close. Does he know you are here?"
Encore still did not say anything. He knew his life was on the line. Karma stood up and handed the 1911 to Jynx. Then he said, "Open the trunk. This one needs a ride." Then Karma turned back to Encore and said, "That's fine. We will play it your way." Karma reached down and grabbed Encore by the arm and twisted it behind his back. Encore resisted, but only for a second. Karma pulled him to his feet, led him over to the hood of the car, and searched his pockets. One by one Karma found a small folding knife, Encore's wallet, and a yellow envelope. He left all of these on the hood of the car and led Encore back to the trunk of the car. With a swift push, Encore was inside. Jynx slammed the trunk on him.
An older woman with an umbrella witnessed all this and came over to question them. She said, "What is going on here?"
Karma pulled out his wallet and said, "Police business madam. Everything is fine. Return to your home."
Karma didn't actually have a police badge. But sometimes all it takes is a few words to drive off suspicion. He put his wallet away and walked around to the front of the car. He grabbed Encore's things. Then Jynx and Karma jumped in the car. The old woman was still standing there watching them as they drove away. Karma handed Jynx the envelope and said, "Open this one."
Jynx opened it and her eyes bulged as she looked at the money. She counted the bills and said, "It's a lot." After she was done counting, she said, "It's like 50,000 euros."
"That's a lot of money to be walking around with. Don't you think so?" Karma turned the car down a road leading to the docks. Then Karma looked at Jynx and said, "I don't think you are ready for the things that are about to happen. If you want to stay in the car, I won't make you watch."
Jynx shook her head and she said, "No I can handle it." She was convinced. Karma was not.
Karma smiled and said, "You know good cop, bad cop?"
Jynx nodded and smiled. Then she said, "Oh yes, we got this."
After a few more minutes of driving Karma stopped the car near one of the boat houses. He got out and told Jynx, "I'll get the door. Drive the car inside." He checked the door to see if it was open. He could see it had a padlock on it, but he didn't have time for this. He pulled his silenced Model 59 and shot the padlock off the door. Jynx was shocked. She had never seen him discharge his weapon before. Karma opened the door as Jynx pulled the car inside the boat house.
Once inside, Karma shut the large door. He pointed to the ropes that hung on the wall and said, "Grab those." Karma readied his pistol and opened the trunk. Encore made a break for it. He jumped out of the car and landed on the ground. Karma grabbed him as he struggled and put the pistol to his head. Then he said, "Stand up. Now." Encore resisted but did as he was told. Karma walked him at gunpoint over to a wooden support beam and stood him up against it. Without taking his aim off of Encore he said, "Jynx, tie him up."
Jynx brought the rope over and wrapped Encore to the pole. The rope was dirty from years of hanging on the wall. This in return made Jynx's light green sweatshirt dirty and Encore's whole body dirty. Once Jynx wrapped the ropes around Encore's legs and arms. Karma finally relaxed. He put his pistol back in the holster and started asking questions again. He said, "Encore, I know you don't know me very well, but I know you have been with Sidewinder for some time. You know what happens to traitors. Right?"
Encore did not say a word. Karma could read his facial expressions. He was looking down. The look of defeat. Encore knew he was in trouble. Karma asked again, "So we will make this easy on you and ask you a few questions. Is that 50,000 euros for you or for Sidewinder? Are you just doing this as a favor? Or is this some wild conspiracy?"
Encore said, "It's not a conspiracy. This is an information business. Everybody does it. Sidewinder asked me to deliver it."
Karma was surprised Encore was talking. He asked, "Deliver what?"
"Papers. Sidewinder exchanges information with some ladies for intel on others. She is an asset." Encore continued, "This time around she didn't have any intel to share with us, so she gave us money instead."
"This time around," Karma agreed, "Lucky for you, I guess. So, who is the woman you hand this information to?"
Encore answered, "I don't really know her name, she calls herself something different each time we meet."
Karma shook his head in disbelief and asked, "Some nameless woman?" He looked at Jynx and asked her, "Do you believe him? Is this a credible story?"
Jynx shook her head and angerly said, "No, he's a fucking traitor! He is just feeding us some bullshit to save his ass!"
After that sudden outburst, both Encore and Karma were speechless for a second. Then Karma said, "Jynx, I am supposed to be the bad cop. You are supposed to be the good cop. Good cop doesn't say stuff like that."
Jynx was shocked, then she said, "We didn't discuss this before we got here! You were talking to him so nicely, I thought you were being the good cop."
"Why would I be the good cop? I have the gun. You are wearing a light green sweatshirt. You should definitely BE good cop."
They argued for a minute until finally there was silence. Encore said, "Should I leave, you two have some things to discuss?"
Karma turned back to Encore and said, "Sorry about this, we are going through a training phase."
"Training?" Encore said with a smirk.
Karma chambered a round and said, "Since the good cop, bad cop thing isn't working I am just going to deal with this myself." Karma raised the pistol to shoot Encore in the head.
Encore eyes bulged as he said, "NO, wait!"
Karma froze for a second, then he said, "Wait? Wait for what? Even the good cop knows you are full of shit. Tell me why I shouldn't blow your brains all over this pole right now." Karma lowered his weapon and waited for Encore's answer.
Encore backed up his answer by saying, "Everything I told you was the truth. Call Sidewinder and ask him. He knows all about this. It is a huge misunderstanding."
Karma nodded and said, "Yes, you and Sidewinder are selling information to an unknown female who works out of a Soviet fronted building. To the point that she is paying you 50,000 euros per trip. That's a lot of money. This whole situation looks really bad for you. And you are telling me that you know nothing about this?"
Encore wiggled a little bit in his ropes then he said, "It's true. I don't know what else to tell you man."
Karma wasn't playing around. He asked, "How about this question. What harmless information have you and Sidewinder been leaking to the Soviets?"
"I don't read the papers, man. I just do as I am told. I make the deliveries and…" Before Encore could finish his sentence Karma pulled his pistol and shot Encore in the foot. Encore screamed blood murder. Jynx covered her ears and looked away. Karma put his pistol down and waited for Encore to stop screaming.
After a bit, Encore had calmed down. Karma said, "That must have hurt. Now, let me ask again. What information have you been leaking to the Soviets?"
Encore cried, then he said, "It's nothing really." Karma was losing his patience. He pulled his pistol again and pointed it at Encore's other foot. Encore naturally freaked out as he shouts, "No, no! It's just phone numbers! Phone numbers!"
Karma lowered his pistol and said in disbelief, "Phone numbers?"
Encore was still crying but he managed to say, "Phone numbers. Yes."
Karma asked, "What phone numbers are worth 50,000 euros?"
Encore explained, "They pay us 10k per number. They are harmless phone numbers. Any of them could be found in a phone book if you just took the time to look them up. That's it. That's everything I know."
Karma looked at Jynx. She was still turned away. She had seen enough. Karma looked back at Encore and asked, "Before we cut you down and take you to the hospital. I have one last question, how do you cut money? Is it 60/40? Or do you and Sidewinder split it 50/50?"
Encore thought about it for a second then said, "I don't get a cut at all. Sidewinder keeps it all. I was just doing my part as Sidewinder's recruit."
Karma double checked to make sure Jynx was still turned away. Then he said, "You're a bad liar, Encore." With that he pointed his pistol at Encore's head and pulled the trigger. The shot echoed inside the large empty building as Encore's lifeless body slumped down in the ropes. Karma put his pistol away and walked over to Jynx. She was in tears. Jynx gagged for a second then threw up on the ground. Karma backed away. This was a common reaction. When she was done, Karma put one hand on her back as she was doubled over and said, "We have to go."
Back in the car, Karma raced to the apartment. Jynx was still in shock. She couldn't speak. Even though she did not see it happen, she had never been so close to death before. When they got back to the apartment Karma left Jynx in the car. He ran upstairs and grabbed the cameras, tripods, and their personal bags. He left everything else exactly where they were. Returning to the car Karma threw everything in the trunk and got back in the driver's seat. He turned the car around and drove out of the alleyway, out of the neighborhood, and out of town completely. They were done in Koper. Karma was in a race against the clock. He had to get back to HQ as soon as possible.
After 30 minutes of driving, Jynx finally came around and asked a question. She said, "Where are we going?"
Karma looked at her with troubled eyes and said, "You, okay? You seem to be handling this pretty well." Jynx didn't say anything to that. She just waited for his answer. Karma said, "We are going back to HQ. We have to get there as quickly as possible."
"Why what happened?" Jynx asked almost in a confused manner.
Knowing that she was still in shock, Karma tolerated it. He said, "We just witnessed a mole in our organization. A mole is a traitor that is willing to sell out his own countrymen for a dollar or material gain. He doesn't care about the lives that he risks in doing so. If Encore doesn't check in with Sidewinder, Sidewinder will know that Encore has been compromised. If Sidewinder thinks his cover is blown, he will kill everyone at HQ to bury the truth. Everyone in HQ is in danger. Does that make sense?"
Jynx nodded, then she asked, "Shouldn't we call them?"
Karma explained, "No, not really. If we call and tell Freeman, he will have a hard time believing us without any evidence. The only evidence is in the camera that we have with us. If Freeman knew Sidewinder was a mole, then he might do something to tip him off. For this to work, we need to be there with evidence in hand. Do you understand?"
Jynx nodded, "I think so. Sidewinder is a traitor." There was a long silence, then after a few minutes Jynx asked, "I know I asked you this last night. But I don't remember your answer. How many people have you killed?"
Karma looked at her but kept driving. Then he said, "It's just business."
Hours passed. Karma made it across the border without incident. Jynx had mostly recovered. She had accepted what happened and was ready to move forward. She even put on a happy face for the border guards. HQ was just ahead. Karma looked over to Jynx and said, "When we get there, I want you to stay in the car. If we are too late, and Sidewinder has executed everyone in HQ… Then there is nothing that you want to see in there."
Jynx nodded. She had seen enough horror for one day. Just before they got to the warehouse. Karma got out and refilled his pistol magazine. He needed to be topped off for this. Getting back in the car, Karma drove over to the garage door. Getting out of the car he looked in the windows. Everything appeared normal. Pistol drawn, he grabbed the handle and pulled the door open. He walked to the door leading to the main hub of the warehouse. He peeked in the door. No one was home. That's either really good, or really bad.
Karma walked into the sleeping quarters. His gun was at the low end. Suddenly he heard voices. Someone was in the intel room. Karma crept over and looked in the room. Sidewinder was standing at the cork board. He was talking to Freeman and Opal who were sitting down watching his presentation. It was time to act. Karma switched his pistol from his right hand to his left. Then he walked into the intel room so no one could see what he was carrying.
Freeman noticed him first and said with confusion, "Back so soon?" Opal and Sidewinder both turned to look at Karma as he entered the room. Karma just nodded at Sidewinder then threw a quick punch at him. Sidewinder took the full force of the punch as he fell back into the folding table. He held his face with one hand and reached for his gun with the other. Too bad Karma was already there.
Karma pointed his silenced pistol at Sidewinder's head and said, "Of all the people I have worked with, I never would have thought it was you."
Sidewinder shook his head, "Have you lost your mind?! What the hell are you talking about?!"
"Yeah, what are you talking about?!" Freeman said as he stood up and drew his pistol.
Karma looked at Freeman and said, "Sidewinder is the mole. He sold out Virgo, and he has probably been selling us out for years."
Sidewinder retorted, "This is some Bullshit! I have been on point for all my missions. 100% success rating. Freeman tells him the truth."
"Karma, he just got back from a mission." Freeman explained, "He was just giving us a report on his findings. Please tell me you have some kind of evidence."
With his free hand he pulled the envelope of money from his back pocket and tossed it to Freeman. The toss was a bad idea. Sidewinder was no fool. He took the opportunity to save himself. With a quick movement Sidewinder jumped for Karma's Model 59. The fight was on. Sidewinder had both his hands on Karma's pistol. Karma knew whoever had their hands on the end of the barrel had more leverage. Karma took the opportunity to steal Sidewinder's pistol from under his jacket. When Sidewinder successfully ripped the Model 59 out of Karma's hand, he stepped back only to find himself looking down the barrel of his own gun.
So, the situation was now completely unhinged. Karma had Sidewinder's 1911. Sidewinder had Karma's Model 59. Both men were aimed at each other. Freeman had his pistol out, too. He was currently aiming at Karma. This fact did not go unnoticed by Karma. He said, "Freeman, what the hell are you doing?"
"I don't know. As of the last few minutes I don't trust either of you." Freeman still held the envelope of money in his hand. He asked, "What is this?"
Karma explained, "It's the money Sidewinder has earned from selling us out. We took it off Encore's dead body."
Sidewinder's eyes grew wide as he said, "What did you say?! You killed Encore?! You're dead. You are fucking dead!"
"Everyone shut up!" Freeman shouted. "Put down your guns, boys. We can figure this out peacefully."
Sidewinder said, "Not going to happen boss. This asshole just confessed to killing a fellow agent. He is a traitor."
Karma retorted. An argument ensued. Three grown men pointing guns at each other, having a full-blown agreement. Finally, when the last word was said and there was a moment of silence in the room, Opal said, "I actually don't have a gun… So, I am going to go that way." Opal slowly sidestepped out of the room until she was out of sight.
Just as Opal left the room Freeman and Sidewinder's attention was brought to someone new in the room. Karma looked out of the corner of his eye to see Jynx enter the room. She had Encore's 1911 in her hand and the camera slung over her shoulder. Only she was not pointing her gun at Sidewinder. She was pointing it at him. Jynx said, "Put your gun down, Karma."
"WHAT?! What is wrong with you?!" Karma said in utter disbelief.
Jynx explained, "You are the hostile force in the room. Put your gun down and everyone else will too."
Karma shook his head, "Forgive my ignorance, but I strongly disagree."
Jynx tried again, "You're in a bad situation here Karma, maybe you should listen to your recruit for once. Just put it down. Okay?"
Every fiber of his being was telling him not to do it. But she was right. He was standing in the room with three guns pointed at him. He was outnumbered, outgunned, and out of ideas. Victory was nearly impossible. He took a breath and lowered his weapon. He dropped Sidewinder's 1911 and put his hands up. Then he said, "Okay. The war is over."
After Karma dropped his weapon, Freeman lowered his weapon too, thinking the exchange was over. Sidewinder didn't though. Seeing Karma unarmed, he smiled and said, "You fucked up boy."
Jynx saw Sidewinder close one eye. It was like he was getting ready to fire. She quickly changed targets and shot the gun out of Sidewinder's hand. The bullet hit the gun in a sea of sparks. Despite Sidewinder having a grip on the weapon it went flying out of his hand. Sidewinder was even spun halfway around clutching his hand in pain.
Jynx instantly turned her weapon on Freeman and said, "Drop it! Put it down." Freeman was extremely confused at this point. He dropped his weapon and backed away from Jynx. She turned back to Sidewinder and said, "Hand up, Sidewinder. I want to see everyone with their hands in the air!" Sidewinder eventually turned to face Jynx and put his hands up.
Once Sidewinder, Freeman, and even Karma had their hands up, Jynx successfully was holding everyone hostage. She said, "Okay, now that we are all on the same page, we need some film developed. Freeman, can you develop the film?"
"Yes."
"Okay," Jynx looked at him and asked, "If we had the film on us right now, exactly how long would that take?"
Freeman thought about it and replied, "About 10 to 15 minutes."
"Okay good." With her gun still trained on Sidewinder, Jynx turned to Karma and said, "I want you to take the camera and give it to Freeman."
Karma said, "Okay, do I have to keep my hands up the whole way?"
Jynx scoffed at him as she said, "No, you're on my side, you can put your hands down." Karma walked over and took the camera. Then he backed up and took a picture of Jynx. She gave him a strange look and said, "What are you doing?"
Karma smiled and said, "Sorry, I just really wanted to remember this moment. We can hang the picture up on the wall and say this was the moment Jynx took HQ hostage. I can tell everyone that this was the moment I realized my trainee was more of a badass than I was."
Jynx didn't find the comment funny. She pointed her gun at Freeman and said, "He has the film. Go develop it."
Karma handed the camera to Freeman and asked Jynx, "Do you want me to hold Freeman hostage while he is developing the film?"
For a second, she chuckled at the concept of the whole situation. Then she straightened up and said, "Damn it, Karma stop! Why are you making this so hard on me? Just go watch him, okay?"
Freeman and Karma went to the dark room and shut the door. Freeman pulled out a bottle of chemicals as Karma turned off the regular light and turned on the red development light. Freeman said, "I think you broke her, Karma."
"What are you talking about?" Karma smiled and said, "She's just like me… but a better shot… and completely bat shit crazy."
Freeman pulled the film out of the camera and said, "Yeah, I can tell that. But you took her from zero to one hundred so fast. She clearly has lost her…" Freeman thought about it for a second, then he said, "…marbles. If she survives this whole hostage situation, I am sending her to the psychiatrist to be tested."
"No, don't be so hard on her." Karma agreed, "I will admit though she has had a rough day. She spent the night in her first safe house, did some surveillance, and even watched me interrogate Encore at the boathouse in Koper. That was probably too much."
"Mind if I ask, why did you interrogate Encore?" Freeman asked as he worked with the film.
Karma explained, "The bank is a front for Exstrusis activity. We spotted him coming out of the bank after hours with 50,000 euros in his back pocket. Either he was up to no good, or he drove a long way to make a withdrawal. At first, he was quiet, he tried to deny everything, and finally he played it off like he was doing nothing wrong. Sidewinder was his boss, there is no way he doesn't know about this."
"That does sound like some pretty good evidence. I hope your pictures back it up." Freeman said while he was looking over the film. Then he turned toward Karma and asked, "The first six pictures are of Jynx. What's the deal with that?"
Karma panicked, then quickly thought up an excuse, "I was calibrating the camera. Had to get that focus just right."
Freeman just looked at him with a questionable expression. He turned back to the developing table and after a few more minutes he found the correct picture. He hung it up on the drying line and looked at it. Karma came over and looked at it too. Then Freeman said, "Well, there it is. I knew one of you was telling the truth. I just didn't know which one. Either way, it was going to end badly." Freeman held out his hand to Karma and said, "No hard feelings?"
Karma shook his hand and said, "None. It's just business."
Freeman and Karma came out of the development room. Freeman went to the interrogation room and grabbed a syringe. Then Karma and Freeman walked back to the Intel Room. As they entered the room they could see Jynx was still holding Sidewinder hostage. Freeman put the needle in Sidewinder's neck and said, "Relax this is going to make you feel a bit groggy."
Karma walked over to Jynx and put his hands up. He said, "You can put it down now. You did a good job. You have done a very good job." Jynx's face turned from stone cold killer into a puddle of tears in a few seconds flat. She dropped the gun and started to sob uncontrollably. Karma realized Freeman was right, she was broken. She collapsed onto him. Karma held her as she continued to cry. Freeman led Sidewinder into the interrogation room. Karma wanted to go with him to get the truth, but he stayed. Right now, Jynx needed him more. Karma didn't have any words to comfort her with. He just held her while she cried.
True to his word, Freeman conducted the interrogation on Sidewinder himself. It took him three days to crack. Three days of Sodium Pentothal and questions. Freeman recorded the whole thing. And when he finally got all the answers that he needed, Freeman fired the last shot.