The man’s heavy footsteps
echoed loudly across the nearly-empty street, his feet slapping the pavement
with the intensity of someone sprinting at full speed. Panting heavily, the man
stopped for the briefest of moments to adjust his large, baggy overcoat and tie
his shoes. Satisfied, he continued onward, splashing through a number of large
puddles created from a torrential downpour of steady rain the entire night. As
the man continued to run, the rain continued to fall; his entire body was
soaked from this natural onslaught of water. He had been running for hours all
over Manhattan, desperately searching for information that could lead him to
the whereabouts of someone important to him, someone he might never see again.
Most people would have given up such an incredulous task long ago, but not him.
It was almost two o’clock in the morning, and the normally busy areas of
Downtown Manhattan were eerily quiet. However, there were signs of life in the
city that never sleeps. A flicker of lights across the street indicated that
the owner of a small flower shop was still awake, while the faint outline of
the Brooklyn Bridge was just visible to the naked eye. Large, flashing
billboards lit up the desolate area, advertising the latest 4.8-inch screen
cell phone. A large, white car zoomed
by, blaring loud reggae music out of its windows. Looking up, the man noticed
an old woman hobbling past him, muttering to herself in a foreign language. The
man forced himself to ignore these distractions, and instead focused on a
tattered piece of paper he had been carrying in his back pocket. Once neatly
printed, but now smudged in blue ink was an address, one that the man had
preciously treasured for years. Now, he was finally here. He had finally
arrived.
Looming above the man was a
monstrous skyscraper, its mere presence frighteningly overwhelming. Its frame
cast long, dark shadows of epic proportions. The man frustratingly fiddled with
the door, entering after what seemed to be an eternity. He slowly glanced
around, taking in his surroundings, noticing the lighted interior and realizing
that this was the first time in hours he was out of the rain. Suddenly, a
scuffling sound broke the eerie silence. The man slowly turned and was surprised
to see a construction worker standing before him. The worker silently gestured
to follow him, and began to lead the man through a series of stairs, walkways
and complicated internal areas of the building. Although the man could not tell
where exactly they were going, he did notice that they were heading upward.
After a particularly strenuous set of stairs, the worker stopped at a rusty
steel door. He turned to the man and said, “You must go alone from here. Wait
for the contact to arrive.” The man thanked the worker, entered, and grimaced
as the door quickly slammed shut behind him. He was alone, outside and on the
roof of the building. As he waited, the man slowly walked around the perimeter
of the roof, taking in the beautiful sight of the restless city. The rain had
finally subsided. Gleaming lights were shining everywhere and the buildings
magnificently lit up the skyline. Despite the beautiful view, he was bitterly
disappointed. Time ticked on and on, and no one had arrived yet. Feeling duped,
the man was getting ready to make his way back to the door when he began to
hear a low humming sound in the distance. It slowly grew louder and louder,
eventually culminating into a deafening roar. Looking up, the man saw the shape
of a black helicopter flying across the sky, heading towards the building. It
quickly descended upon the roof of the building, perfectly landing on yellow
“H” circle. The man stood in amazement as the rotors of the flying machine spun
slower and slower, eventually coming to a complete stop. After what seemed like
an eternity, the door finally opened. Carrying a thick package in one hand and
an umbrella in the other, a woman slowly made her way out of the cockpit of the
helicopter. She wore the same 6-inch high heels, the same long, black coat, the
same pair of gloves with a small hole directly above the index finger. The
woman began to stride towards the man with a crisp, very matter-of-factly gait.
The man noticed the woman had a face of stone as she came to within speaking
distance. However, when she finally approached the man, her expression softened
for the briefest moment. A hint of recognition appeared in her eyes as she
whispered a simple, “Hello.” Time stood still as a floodgate of memories
between the two burst, a wave of nostalgia passing over the man as he
desperately tried to relive his former life. The woman handed the package to
him and said, “Inside is everything you’ll need. Make sure you’re careful and
don’t arouse any suspicion. Lay low for a while, then act when you get the chance.”
The man solemnly nodded, knowing this was it. He opened the package and found a
number of essential items; fake passports, social insurance numbers and
driver’s licenses, all with different names; a business card of a former
associate, a map of St. Petersburg, Russia, and a silver, Glock P14 pistol. For
a moment, neither of them spoke as they both took in their surroundings and
breathtaking view. Finally, the woman said, “I can’t stay for long, I have
another assignment. Take care Allan.” The woman opened her umbrella (for the
rain had begun again), marched to the cockpit of the helicopter and started its
engines. As the rotors began to spin faster and faster, the man was caught in a
state of shock. Was this what he really wanted? Did he really have a choice?
The rain began to fall more ferociously, splattering down in thick drops on his
head. The rotors of the helicopter spun faster and faster, soon gaining enough
momentum to lift the helicopter from the ground. With one last sly smile, the
woman turned the helicopter around and propelled it away from the building. The
man looked onward as its shape became smaller and smaller, assimilating itself
into the city that never sleeps, until it completely disappeared, forever lost
in the shadows of the night.
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