The Agent
910 Words
We didn’t make it far.
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Zayden pushed through the back exit—
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Cold air hit immediately.
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Empty street.
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Too empty.
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“Keep moving,” he said.
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I followed.
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But something felt wrong.
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Not the street.
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Not the silence.
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Something deeper.
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Like we had already been seen.
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We turned the corner—
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And stopped.
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He was already there.
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Standing in the middle of the road.
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Still.
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Waiting.
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My chest tightened instantly.
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Not one of the figures from before.
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No.
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This was different.
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He looked… normal.
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Dark coat.
Clean posture.
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Calm.
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Too calm.
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Zayden slowed.
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Just slightly.
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“…That’s new,” he muttered.
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The man tilted his head.
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Observing us.
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Not surprised.
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Not rushed.
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“You’re early,” he said.
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His voice was smooth.
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Measured.
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Like this was expected.
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Zayden stepped slightly in front of me.
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“Don’t,” he said quietly.
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I frowned.
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“What is he?”
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Zayden didn’t look back.
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“Problem.”
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The man’s gaze shifted—
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Past Zayden.
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To me.
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Direct.
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Focused.
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And suddenly—
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I couldn’t move.
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Not physically.
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But something in me…
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Locked.
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“Subject confirmed,” he said softly.
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My pulse spiked.
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“That’s her?”
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The way he said it—
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Like I wasn’t even there.
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Like I was data.
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Not a person.
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Zayden’s voice sharpened.
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“Back off.”
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The man didn’t react.
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Didn’t even look at him.
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Instead—
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He took a step forward.
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Slow.
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Controlled.
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“You’re unstable,” he said—to me.
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My chest tightened.
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“I’m fine.”
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A pause.
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Then—
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“No,” he replied.
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“You’re not.”
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Something inside me stirred.
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Cold.
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Alert.
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*He knows.*
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My breath caught.
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“Stop talking,” Zayden said.
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The man finally looked at him.
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And for the first time—
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There was something behind his eyes.
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Not emotion.
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Assessment.
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“You’re interfering,” he said.
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Zayden didn’t flinch.
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“Yeah. I am.”
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Silence stretched.
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Then—
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The man sighed.
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Soft.
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Almost bored.
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“That complicates things.”
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My chest tightened.
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“How?” I asked.
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His gaze returned to me.
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“Because you weren’t meant to interact,” he said.
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A beat.
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“You were meant to be retrieved.”
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That word again.
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Retrieved.
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Like I was something lost.
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Something owned.
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“I’m not going anywhere with you,” I said.
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He didn’t react.
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Didn’t argue.
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Didn’t even acknowledge it.
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Instead—
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“You won’t decide that,” he said calmly.
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Something in me snapped slightly.
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“I already did.”
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A pause.
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Then—
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For the first time—
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He smiled.
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Not wide.
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Not warm.
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Just enough to feel wrong.
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“Resistance noted.”
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Zayden shifted slightly.
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“Yeah, you should note this too,” he said.
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A step forward.
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“We’re leaving.”
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The man didn’t move.
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Didn’t block us.
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Didn’t chase.
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He just watched.
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And somehow—
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That was worse.
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“You can go,” he said.
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Both of us froze.
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“What?” I asked.
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“You’re not ready yet,” he continued.
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My stomach dropped.
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“Not stable enough.”
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My fingers curled.
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“I said I’m fine.”
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He ignored me.
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Completely.
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“Next time,” he said, almost to himself…
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“we won’t need to approach.”
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A chill ran through me.
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“What does that mean?” Zayden asked.
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The man’s eyes flicked back to him.
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“Exactly what it sounds like.”
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Silence.
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Heavy.
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Uncomfortable.
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Then—
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He stepped back.
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And just like that—
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He was gone.
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Not running.
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Not fading.
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Just…
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Gone.
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I stood there.
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Frozen.
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“…What just happened?” I whispered.
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Zayden didn’t answer immediately.
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He was staring at the spot where the man had been.
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Like he didn’t trust it.
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Then—
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“…That,” he said quietly…
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“was someone who didn’t need to try.”
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My chest tightened.
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“He could’ve taken me.”
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Zayden nodded once.
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“Yeah.”
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A beat.
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“He chose not to.”
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That felt worse.
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Much worse.
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Because now I understood something.
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This wasn’t a chase.
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Not yet.
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It was a process.
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And I wasn’t running from them—
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I was being allowed to.
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*For now.*
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My breath slowed.
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Uneven.
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“They’re not worried about me,” I said.
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Zayden’s gaze shifted to me.
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“No,” he said.
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A pause.
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“They’re waiting.”
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- Writer
