2. OPERATIONS ROOM

   "Peter... Peter", Lusaka was getting impatient because he had been calling Peter like seven times and he had not even turned to look at him. Peter's desk was right next to his and he could not get to understand where Peter's mind was. He knew something was up since he had never seen him this way, not until today. Of course, Terrorist Managment Unit has always been dealing with cases that endangered human lives and they were used to it. He got up from his seat, marched towards Peter's and gave him a part on the shoulder.

   "Peter, are you okay?" He asked him. Peter turned with an insanely tense look as if his boss had found him doing something wrong.

"Uuuuhm... I am okay... I am good, whats up?" He replied while trying to look relaxed.

" I have been calling you over and over again and you didnt turn even once?"

"Really?" Peter still tried to remain calm but now with an inquisitive look, " when was that?"

"Like two minutes ago", Lusaka replied accompanied with a shrug of his shoulders.

"Wow, am sorry about that, whats up?"

"Whats up..." Lusaka's eyes were wide open, "...Jesus, you already forgot that our director is dead."

"No no, really no. Thats what am working on."

"What?"

"Finding the assassin right...?"

"Are you really okay?"

   "Alright everyone, heads up", Abubakar's voice interrupted them. He was the current acting TMU director since their sunior's demise. Before, he was only an assistant director but mostly did his bosses's work. After introducing himself in the room, everyone stopped everything they were doing and paid him full attention. The room was filled with people mostly in official wears but each had their own specific jobs to do. They all had workstations to work from.

   It must be so tiring having to face a monitor the whole day. In such cases when they are tracking down someone and by chance their target happens to be more elusive. Forced, they were, to camp there for even two days straight. All shifts would be cancelled and all they could get was a few hours sleep. The pay was hefty but the work was also not easy and it became more harder the more the pressure increased. This pressure mostly originated from the high offices. However to these worker, they embracedthe job since it involved saving lots of innocent lives. Once successfull termination of a threat was the best they could want to achieve. Not all directives were successflul.

    "Since I have your attention, where are we on the updates...?" Abubakar continued

"Our dispatched units haven't got any clues in the house about her whereabouts, we still dont know where she is", Nadia, one of the analyst replied.

"How did they miss her? How did she escape?"

"Her car exploded right before we arrived and she managed to skip through the frenzy and public panic"

"Frenzy public panic" he repeated this words as he went left and right on the floor. He slammed his fist on the nearest desk, "is there anyone with good news?" furiousness was getting the better of him.

"We have retrieved a damaged harddisk of her laptop and our technical team is working on retrieving information from it. We believe she was trying to erase all evidence by bombing her car together with the laptop", Anyura replied.

"Come on guys, she is just an investigator, find that bitch as quickly as possible so we can be done with this." Everyone stood still and stared back at him. "Well what are you all staring at? Get to work, I want her found like yesterday", they all sprung into action with others leaving the room while others got onto their desktops and  busy started punching the keys onwith keyboards. 

   Peter remained standing for a while staring and all of a sudden began approaching his boss although he was still hesitant about it. Some part of his conscience told him to just turn around and go back to his workstation. His feet kept pushing forward as he came close to him. Abubakar was busy talking with Pinto, one of the best agent at TMU. He had nighty percent missions completed in his profile. Kill counts were also confirmed to be more than a staggering two hundred. A born killer he was.

As Peter was close to Abubakar, instead of requesting that permission he really seeked to have a private audience, he just passed them and went straight for the dispenser. Abubakar turned for a second to look at Peter and then continued his conversation with Pinto. If there was a live cctv camera that was focused on Peter, it would have to be Lusaka's eyes. All this time he had been checking his movements to the dispenser and his alter ego screamed of  suspicions every second.

           *******************************

   "Why are they taking long to track this bitch?" Pinto asked his senior, Abubakar, "just send me out there and I will have her in an hour."

"Relax, so hungry you are. Infact I have another assignment for you ."

"Really, you are going to get me off this hunt?" His eyes exhibited his inner sadness.

"No, by all means no, its part of the hunt. Only that these is a small detour."

"Come on."

"Look", Abubakar gently placed his palm on Pinto's right shoulder, "I promise once you finish this you will be back on to Myra in no time. Later on you will understand why this side mission is very fundamental to this whole search."

   Pinto thought for second and the gave in. He had no choice whatsoever in this matter. Abubakar could be derogative sometimes and no one loved that personality trait of his.

"What is it?" He asked selfishly.

"I need you to get to Mombasa quickly."

"Fuck, what the hell are you talking about?"

"Hey, hey, now watch your tongue, am still your boss. Now, I need you to do these real quick and come back. So, you better head to Wilson, a plane will be ready for you", He handed him a file, "thats your target." Pinto was almost openning it before his boss stopped him, "now this is a black ops mission and as you know its eyes only. Besides we are in the middle of an open ended ofice for Pete's sake."

"How would a black ops mission relate to Myra when she is all over the news?"

"Dont forget you are a soldier Pinto. You are meant to obey and not ask questions", he had that affirmative voice.

"Okay, see you later", Pinto gave up and turned to go on carry his new mission. Abubakar grasped his hand making him turn around. "Tell you what..." he mentioned, "If alive, I will give twenty thousand, dead I will double it. All in kenya shillings."

Pinto was the one who was now flummoxed, "Are you tripping with me right now."

"Look into my eyes", they faced each other for a while, " do I look like I am Pinto?"

"Who is this target?" He asked. Abubakar chortled as he looked at Pinto. "Sometimes I always pray no one buys you. I mean, you are so vulnerable to money."

   "Well I wouldnt be working for you if it werent for the money. Shouldnt that be obvious", Pinto joked.

"Whats your answer then?"

"We have a deal", Pinto concurred. The room was still busy with analyst and other TMU staffs doubling their efforts to track Myra. Some were busy typing and others on calls. Well the place is usually messy in such situations since everyone is usually working under abnormal pressure from the one the high table.. After all these sacrifices to save humanity, they still had  to lead a private life.

   Some yearned for fame like heroes while others just a little recognition would do. With these world's cruelity, all these status fell on people on the high table . These room was known as 'Operations Room', where they were currently in. They were standing close to the entrance/exit door while looking at the staff. To their right was a big screen the size of the wall it laid against. Here all the most VIP reports appeared and could be accessed by analyst to show everyone what their findings were easily.

   "Before I leave, since its a black ops and everyone is focused on Myra, who will be my eyes out there?" Pinto asked him before leaving.

"Why would you need eyes when you have almost tewnty five years experience of not getting killed?"

"You sending me out there without communication and a guide, it will be extra tough."

"You have always managed, like in Beirut. You really pulled up a show."

"You are going to have to assign me one analyst who I can work with", Pinto didn't exhibit any signs of leaving without knowing someone was watching his back. He almost died in Beirut when he loosed contact with headquarter support. They were showing him easier alleys to escape through and all of sudden everything went silent. At that point he realised he was persona non granta and if he was not gonna escape then he was as good as dead. He was not ready to be captured and tortured, footsteps grew louder as his heart pounded harder. It was only a memory though. At the moment he was staring straight into Abubakar's eyes.

   "You get going, I will fix for you one by the time you arrive."

"I will not do anything when I arrive until I get contacted by an analyst."

"Done", his boss confirmed since he was tired already and was not in the mood to enter into some meaningless negotiations. As he was going, he stopped on his tracks and without even turning back,"by the way, I wouldnt mind a ladies voice", and continued walking, dissappearing into the door.

"What a scamburg", writhed Abubakar as he turned and headed to his office.