“The server checked on him, and he ordered another coffee, an Americano. That’s what stood out to me. He’d ordered different drinks each time she came by. When she came back with it, she also laid a newspaper down alongside the coffee. He took a sip and let out a loud “Damn!” Then spit coffee across the table.”
“He stashed his papers back into his backpack and wrapped the newspaper up, then turned to leave. I stood and told him to wait. He looked over at me with the coldest eyes I’d ever seen. I was thinking, “Great, this asshole’s going to kill me now,” but he softened once he realized I wasn’t a threat. “
“I told him I was just going to remind him to pay his tab. He started laughing and thanked me for reminding him, then paid mine as well. I told him that his little outburst scared the hell out of me, and he apologized.”
“I stuck out my hand and offered what I thought was my clever traveler intro, I’m Mikel. Journalist, explorer, eater of scones, drinker of lattes, sharer of pot brownies, and in search of new friends.”
“Would you believe he just stood there and stared at me for a minute? Like a full minute. Stared at me like I was a lunatic. Then he started laughing. He laughed for a long time. I started to feel self-conscious because it went on for so long. He ignored my outstretched hand and gave me the warmest hug ever. Squeezed a bit harder than I’d have liked, but his point was made.”
“I’m David. Not a journalist nor an explorer, but I will take you up on a pot brownie. Plus, I could use a friend right now. You, sir, are a goddamned God send. Thank you.”
At this point, the audience started to speak all at once. Mikel held up a hand, and Jesse said, "Hold up, this is where it gets good. Maybe just sum up a bit, Mikel? Move it along, at least?"
"Okay, sure. We spent the next few weeks doing all manner of things around Amsterdam. I'd need to check out a building three towns away for an assignment, and he'd ride along to see the countryside. We ended up in some awful underground that wasn't technically supposed to exist so he could leave a letter for a "scavenger hunt" (and yes, I was that naive,) and overall, we became incredibly good friends."
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“After three weeks, it was time for him to leave. I had a week and a half left before I came back home, and he was going off to San Fransisco. We said our goodbyes and promised to keep in touch, which, at the time, was something I was absolutely terrible at. He wasn’t, thank God. I returned home, got settled into campus life, and returned to my regular, boring routine.”
“One night at 2:43 AM…I remember because I looked at the clock before he knocked again. David was at my door. I let him in, and he gave me a hug. Then he asked for whiskey. We finished a bottle of Old Forester over small talk before crashing for the night.”
“The next morning, he asked if I knew how to stitch holes in clothing. I said sure. His response was, “Good, stitch this hole up,” and he dropped his pants. Fucker had a bullet in his leg. I freaked out. He told me to calm down, told me again, then slapped me and told me a third time. I did, then he popped out the bullet, and I stitched the hole shut.”
“He introduced me to his “handler” later that day. Turns out his handler was the one who shot him as a test to see if I could handle stress. The previous guy David tried that with passed out, then started choking on his own vomit. That time, it was a small knife wound. He stopped letting himself get wounded like that after me.”
“So, in a nutshell, that’s how I got involved. He taught me far more than college did. I know how to Hotwire a passenger airliner. I can also make a mean tuna tartare. I don’t diffuse bombs, though. I don’t like that shit. Jesse can do all of that plus about 50 thousand more because she’s an amazing agent and an even better reporter, or just the opposite. I’m never really sure. I also know she can kick my ass.”
"Just know that unless they ate him, David is fine, and we're going to find him. After we get to the cabin, Jesse and I will track him down. Hopefully, he's still got his tracker implant. It'll make the chase so much easier." Mikel wrapped up, ready to finish breakfast and storytelling and get back on the road.
“David trained you? I knew you were close, but damn. That’s great! I learned a lot from David when I was setting the bar up for the apocalypse. He taught me about food rations, weapons placements, barricades, and all sorts of vital info.” Sal offered, sounding energized.
“What are we supposed to do with all this information, Mikel? And I’m glad you like David, Sal.” Polly asked.
“I wanted you to know that you have some of the world’s most talented assassins sitting here at the breakfast table with you. We don’t miss shots, and we don’t miss targets. Plus, we take care of our own. Information was just the beginning. We’ve moved well beyond that stage. I’d call us government-subsidized hit persons. Jesse can thread a bullet through the eye of a person from over 1,000 yards. I’ve seen her do it. Little wolf out there is screwed.”