Ashes Between Us

Agent 7

Car Ride

“Is everything alright, Ma?” Elena asked.

She had noticed the signs—Audrey twisting her hair, tapping her fingers against her lap, whispering under her breath.

“I’m fine,” Audrey replied quickly.

Elena didn’t believe her, but she said nothing. Audrey was her boss, not her friend.

“Elena?”

The sudden call pulled her out of her thoughts.

“Yes, Ma?”

“Am I making the right choice?” Audrey asked. Her hand gripped the pendant at her neck as she stared out the window.

“Ma?” Elena answered carefully.

Audrey turned to her. Her eyes were wet with tears.

“Do I have to divorce Levi?” she whispered. Her voice cracked, her cheeks flushed as tears slipped down her face. She buried her head in her hands, sobbing softly.

Elena froze. She had never seen Audrey like this. To her, Audrey was always calm, collected, untouchable. But now she was undone, fragile, hurting.

How do I comfort her? Elena thought nervously.

“Ma,” she said at last, her voice steady. “If I may… I believe this is the right decision. For you, and for the business.”

Audrey lifted her head. Her mascara was smeared, her eyes sharp with sudden anger.

“How?” she demanded, her voice cold. “Tell me why this is best. Why do I have to leave the man I love to rot in prison? Why abandon him when he needs me most?”

Elena’s mouth opened, then closed. She had no answer. Words failed her. She sat in silence, watching helplessly as Audrey bent forward again and sobbed into her hands.

Back at the Prison

Levi lay on the hard steel bed, the thin blanket offering little warmth. He clutched the divorce papers in his hand, unwilling to let them go. Sleep would not come. His eyes stayed fixed on the ceiling as his mind replayed everything.

He had no memory of the night of the murder. All he remembered was the cold weight of a knife in his hands and a man lying dead at his feet. Blood on the floor. That was how the police had found him. He had told them the truth—he didn’t know how it happened—but no one believed him. Not the cops, not the judge, not even Audrey.

The prison doors buzzed open again. Three guards stepped inside.

“Levi! You have a call,” one of them barked.

Levi sat up immediately. One guard crouched and unlocked the chains from his ankles. The other two stood close, hands hovering near their batons. They were ready for trouble, but Levi stayed calm. The chains hit the floor with a loud clank.

“Go.”

He followed their lead, walking down the hallway. Prisoners shouted from their cells, mocking him as he passed. He ignored them, eyes fixed forward.

They reached the usual phone station, but it was crowded with inmates waiting their turn.

“Not there,” a guard growled.

Levi frowned but said nothing. He was led instead to a side room—dark, cold, empty. The only thing inside was a table and a chair.

The guards pushed him in. The heavy door slammed shut behind him.

Levi scanned the room. No phone. No wires. Just the table and chair. He stepped forward, running his hand across the cold surface. Why am I here? he wondered.

The latch rattled. A guard entered, carrying a laptop. Without a word, he placed it on the table and left.

Levi stared at the device. He already had an idea what this was. Slowly, he sat down and faced the dark screen.

A chime broke the silence. The laptop lit up.

“Hello, Levi,” a voice came. “It’s been a while.”

Levi did not flinch. He knew that voice instantly.

“Hello, Bemjamin,” he replied. “It really has been a long time.”

Bemjamin Rogers. Vice President of the United States. Head of the covert N.O.V.A. operation.

“Seems like you’ve put yourself in a tough spot,” Bemjamin said. “Mind if we help?”

Levi hesitated. He had worked for N.O.V.A. before, leading a team of five. After his last mission three months ago, he retired. He had been sure he was done. Clearly, he wasn’t.

“And how exactly can you help?” Levi asked carefully.

“We have a mission for you,” Bemjamin said. “I know you’re retired, but there is no one else capable. This request comes directly from the President.”

The line went silent for a moment, as if Bemjamin wanted Levi to feel the weight of that statement.

“What is the mission?” Levi asked.

“That’s classified until you accept a return to the organization.”

Levi stared at the glowing screen. He leaned back in his chair. It almost felt like a trap. But his options were limited.

“What’s my payment?” he asked bluntly.

He could hear Bemjamin’s faint smile through the mic.

“I take it you’ve accepted to return,” Bemjamin said. “Your payment will be fifteen million dollars after the mission, and a full pardon of your alleged crime. You’ll also have full access to any resources you require.”

Levi paused. The offer was tempting, but not enough. A pardon alone wouldn’t save him. Audrey would never trust him again unless the world believed he was innocent.

“I want more than a pardon,” Levi said firmly. “I want the world to know I was framed.”

“Very well,” Bemjamin agreed without hesitation. “You will be released today. Head to Faraday Hotel. Room 706 is reserved for you. Under the bed, you’ll find the mission file.”

There was another pause.

“Welcome back, Agent Seven,” Bemjamin said. His voice carried both pride and finality.

The laptop chimed and shut down.

Levi sat still.

“Agent Seven…” he muttered under his breath. It had been years since anyone called him that.

Almost immediately, the doors opened again. The once-hostile guards now saluted.

“Sir Levi,” one of them said. “We’ve been ordered to escort you to the terminal for release.”

“So fast?” Levi wondered aloud. “Guess if the President wants something, he gets it.”

He rose to his feet. A guard stepped forward, unlocking his cuffs. The metal rattled as it fell away from his wrists.

For the first time in weeks, Levi’s hands were free. He flexed his fingers and looked at the men who now treated him as a superior.

Finally, he was free again—at least until the mission was complete.