Berlin, das Bundeskanzleramt. U.S.S.A director Noah Bauer stands by the window of the conference room on third floor, watching the honor guard marching to the flagpole in the heavy snow. Holding the cellphone on, Noah blows a hot hreath to the window with vapor condensed on.
"Luna is attacked by the Russians," reports Nemo from the airport, "We have assets working for Bagira in our agancy. They knew our plans."
"Is Luna alive?" Noah asks.
"She's in bad condition. Really bad, that......we probably would lose her. She was in coma and internal damage when we saved her out. I'm sending her to the Charité now."
"Keep updating, I need......" says Noah, with 5 seconds hesitate, "......I need her status precisely accurate."
"Of course, sir."
"Which means dead, or alive, no other options... It must be confirmed."
As Noah hangs off utters director Essenstein.
"So, you gather us here," he utters, "I suppose it is about the airport? Is your flight landed safely, General?" he turns to the AGI director, General Gu.
"Yep, half-hour ago," Gu says, "The Premier seems not be disturbed. He said he's sorry to hear about the bad news."
"I'm thinking about the details on my way here," Essenstein shakes his head, "And the answer is: how the fuck could these things happened? How could that dude controls everything a thousand miles away?"
"Vega Molotov," Gu responses, "I doubt that too, Robert. He shouldn't have such power. He should've dead two weeks ago without consciousness."
"Right, in Minsk......you can say that again, Gu," Essenstein speaks fast, "Think it twice. Is that everything became chaotic since Minsk? Molotov escaped, your team defected; then we heard two shootings in D37, and some Russians kidnapped Major's daughter; we even found them sneaked in the airport, and exploded the tunnel just before the Chinese arrival! Jesus! Within 24 hours we have encountered three terrible cases and our summit is not even start yet!"
"Gentleman, I know what you mean," Noah raises his voice, tired though but still firm, "As the director I feel hardly to admit it but......the U.S.S.A takes full responsibility, about the incidents for these days. Can't imagine same stuffs happening in Washington or Beijing, but an attack is exactly happening in Berlin now, targeting all of us three."
Gu and Essenstein stares at each other in serious.
"We don't mean to criticize you, Director Bauer," Gu shakes his head, "If our invulnerable castle------at least we thought------has been breached three times within a day, the most urgent check we should take is probably not from outside, but from inside."
Noah frowns as he looks at Gu in his eyes.
"The mole." he whispers.
"The lock, and the door keeper," Essenstein adds, "Imagine someone knows your operation details, your settlement about Luna.....That person is able to contact high level intellegence, which means he or she is in high rank authority. That mole knows he or she is not on the top of your suspected list."
"Nor on the bottom," Gu continues, "Probably someone sets in the middle."
Noah doesn't respond instantly. He's still in grave doubt.
"We can help if possible, Noah," Essenstein says, "Or you may call it 'cooperation' if that sounds less offended. That dude couldn't buy over three of us in all."
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"It's not the case. I'm just thinking......no, still can't explain it," Noah says, "No......after Nemo's report I cease that idea about 'mole'. If he knows that......if he really mean to use that, the only possible suspect-----should be me."
Like hit by a lightning, Gu and Essenstein shock there with wided-mouth opened.
"We have usually 5 levels of classification, as you're both aware," Noah states, "The 5th level, the top secret......only those may turn the world upside down will be classified in. I kept one item myself......document coded 'Ghost', which is the protocol between me and Major Song Yinuo, recorded as audio file in a tape.
Well......how should I start with? Right, the Ghost Protocol. You need his most valuable treasure to tie a rope on his neck, which is his accidental daughter. Things started with the Square Trafalgar 7 years ago. He contacted with the U.S.S.A, said he wanted negotiation......"
"About the explosion?"
"About his daughter. We've made a plan to arrest him at first, but then abort it after serious discussion. Song choosed a seat at Star Bucks righ in the business center in London, too many civilians around, and they were all his hostages if he found our SWAT near by. To earn his trust, I came to meet him alone, with only an old recorder and a radio interphone, no smart-devices.
So yeah......I saw him, he let me in without check. You can't imagine what I felt about him for the first met. God......he was like a roaming beggar on the street, with hair curled with dirt and beard unshaved, and a patched shabby coat with gory shirt inside. The conversation lasted for 2 hours, and it was not a memorable conversation. Song has an accent, he repeated his words many times to make sure that I fully understood his requirement. Luckily we finally reached an agreement, and since he had no trust in paperwork, we decided to record it on the tape. It's about 41 seconds long."
"So you two keep the record each?"
"'No, you keep it.' I remembered Song said in firm, 'It's your resiponsibility to command your agents. They won't hear my explanation even I show the record to them.'"
Noah let out a heavy sigh, wipes his eyes as he mentions this part,
"'Ghost Protocol'......all clauses are about his daughter, code name 'Luna' for that little thing she always wears, as Song never told me her real name. First and for most, since he sent his daughter under our protection, the U.S.S.A will guarantee her absolute safety, as long as he works for us."
"Do you think he's really loyalty?" Gu asks in doubt.
"Doesn't matter. It's just a deal. He puts Luna as a hostage, we take and protect her. That's it. After the explosion at the Square Trafalgar he lost his faith in protecting Luna, he realized that no matter how strong he is, he can't be with her 7/24 without distraction."
"But CIA also has that ability in protection," Essenstein raises his eyebrow one side, "I feel like being despised by him."
"We were at war by that time, remember?" Gu curls his lips, "Ignore that, Noah. I suppose there are more clauses?"
"Second one would be his existence. The U.S.S.A should keep his secret to everyone, especially to Luna. She will never get any information from us about her father. I remember he stressed his words by 'Tell her I'm vapored in the air". I don't understand but still accept it. I guess......he might have his reason.
'You know you could have a chance to meet her in secret, if you want.' I said to him.
'Won't be necessary.' he said in a tone remixed by cruel and sorrow, "She's not your average neighborhood girl, and she'll never be like that anymore.'"
Noah holds up a cup of coffee, leaves the room in silent.
"Well......that's quite," Gu utters in confuse, "Normal."
"Yes, those are commonly clauses so far," Essenstein says, "But it's in top secret list and coded 'Ghost'."
Noah stops the cup by lips as he hears their words.
"It's all my fault, my idea......" he puts down the cup, "Because the last 6 seconds.....is added by me, without informing Song Yinuo, and that 6 seconds clause, is the real 'Ghost Protocol', or should I say, execution order."
"What did you do?" Essenstein snuffs the cigar as if he realizes something, "Shit! Are you------"
"'Out of human or force majeure factors, if Luna dies, the protocol is demised automatically.' Which means......if we failed to protect Luna, Song Yinuo will be put into our black-list again. We have to kill him before he knows Luna's death."
......
......
He stucks himself inside the sofa by the window, as he lost all hs strength.
"Luna is the real deal, gentleman. She is the deal and the duty. The protocol is meaningless anymore without her. Song Yinuo will still be our threat and rival by that time. But......I didn't expect that far. I might have......harmed the Songs somehow when I record that 6 seconds. If Luna have suffered in any kind, I am the one to be blame. I'm the real sinner pretended to be saint......"
Noah lowers his head. Essenstein stares as he does a double take.
"So that's why-----"
"A plot with simple logic," Gu says, "If people wants to kill Song Yinuo but dread his skills, they could just simply kill Luna, a much easier target."
With his head lifts up again, Noah covers his wrinkled face.
"Pray for Luna......pray that she could make through the dark time," he whispers to himself, "Otherwise ......the execution will be activated, directly sent to the Legion Zenith."