Akihiko Matsuda checked his watch, his heart beating with eagerness. He was waiting for the signal to commence his mission: infiltrating a terrorist organisation plotting a massive attack on the metropolis.
As an experienced spy for the Japanese government, Akihiko was no stranger to risk. Yet this mission felt different. The stakes were higher, and the threat more immediate.
Akihiko's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of his phone vibrating in his pocket. He promptly verified the message: it was the signal. The time had come.
He put on his earpiece and made his way to the rendezvous point. Along the way, he took care to avoid bringing attention to himself. He realised that any slip-up could be the difference between success and defeat.
As he approached the planned meeting site, Akihiko studied the landscape, searching for any signs of danger. He noticed nothing out of the norm, but he knew better than to let his guard down.
Shortly then, his phone rang. It was his contact on the inside.
"Walk to the alley behind the convenience store," the voice muttered. "The door will be unlocked."
Akihiko followed the directions, making his way to the back of the store. He found the door unlocked, just as his contact had promised.
He went inside, his eyes adapting to the dim lighting. It was a small room, hardly big enough to fit the two men waiting inside.
"Hello, Matsuda-san," remarked one of the men. "We had been anticipating you."
Akihiko nodded, his demeanour neutral. "I'm here," he said.
"We have information that could prove useful to you," the man added. "But first, we need to know that you are trustworthy."
Akihiko bristled at the innuendo, but he kept his cool. He has experienced this kind of doubt before.
"Understood," he said. "What do you need me to do?"
The man handed him a little device. "This is a transmitter," he said. "We need you to install it in the main office of the terrorist organisation. It will allow us to obtain important intelligence and stop their strike."
Akihiko grasped the item, inspecting it thoroughly. "How am I meant to get in?" he questioned.
"We have a person on the inside who will help you," the man continued. "But be careful. The terrorists are on high alert."
Akihiko nodded, putting the item into his pocket. He had expected this kind of assignment. It was hazardous, but he knew he could manage it.
As he made his way out of the room, he felt a wave of adrenaline. The mission has officially begun. And Akihiko was resolved to see it through to the end.
As just as he neared the door, one of the males shouted up.
"Wait," he said. "There's one more thing."
Akihiko turned, his hand on the door doorknob. "What is it?"
The man hesitated, then spoke in a quiet voice. "We've got intelligence that the terrorists have acquired a new weapon. Something... deadly."
Akihiko's heart fell. He understood that this endeavour had now gotten even more risky. Yet he had no choice but to soldier on. The fate of countless lives rested on his triumph.
"I'll keep that in mind," he muttered, before sliding out the door and into the darkness.