StarGaze

Thomas Jenson

“Hello there, Thomas. I knew I would see you again.” The director said and shook hands with the wounded agent.

Thomas shook hands and collapsed on the chair beside him. The old man looked at Thomas and smiled. The nanites inside him were doing the work of patching him up.

“I am amazed, Thomas. I am amazed by the amount of dedication you have for a cause that you were not born to fulfill. I am amazed by the extent to which you have gone to stay loyal to us. You sacrificed everything for us, and the only reward you got was another mission. And still, you never complained and carried out missions, no matter how risky they were.

You, Thomas, are one of the pillars that this organization is standing on and is thriving today. I admit some of us had fallen, but we have identified them and taking action accordingly to make sure there are no unpleasant scenarios in the future.

The mission you just completed has saved the agency from reaching a paradoxical end. I had seen it happen in another world, and you were the only link to stop it from ever happening. And for that, I thank you.” the director said.

Thomas forgot all pain as his eyes lit up. This was the only time someone from the agency showed gratitude to him, and Thomas had no idea how to respond to it. He just sat there with his eyes wide open.

“I most certainly appreciate your appreciation. I did what I thought was right. It wasn’t like I had another option.” Thomas said and smiled uneasily.

“Well, you have an option now.” The director said and sat on his chair.

“Wh…what do you mean by that?” Thomas asked.

“The agency has decided to give you a break for an unspecified period.” The director said and observed Thomas’ face closely.

“What? Do you mean retirement?!” Thomas asked as his eyes gleamed and his throat grew dry with excitement.

“Yes…but we will call you in the future whenever there is a threat which needs to be handled by an agent with a special set of skills.” The old man said and leaned backward.

Thomas didn’t respond, or rather he did not know how to respond. He was genuinely confused as to what he should do. He stared at the director’s face as his mind processed the possibilities of this being a test.

“Don’t worry Thomas, the agency is stronger than ever now. We are prepared for any threat. On the other hand, we cannot say the same about you.

You have taken some genuine psychological hits on yourself, and there is no healing from them. You can only learn to live with them, and that takes a lot of time spent on self-reflection.

We cannot force you to stay here after all you have done for us and the world. You will never receive any credit or fame, but we will always remember the legend of Thomas White. But we can force you to retire because we know you would never do it willingly.

Go somewhere peaceful Tommy, you have earned it. In fact, you have been earning it for every day of the one hundred and fifty-five years of your service. So now be at peace terms with your soul and cleanse your consciousness.” The old man said, lighting a cigarette.

“I am glad you thought me fit of such an honor. But there is just one thing I have been dying to know from the start.” Thomas said.

“I know what that is. You want to know your origin; who you are (or rather were), what made you sign up for this agency, and how are you so good at what you do.” The director said, letting out a cold sigh.

“Ye…yes that’s about it,” Thomas said reluctantly.

“Very well Thomas, if you must know who you were before this version of yourself, I will tell you.” the old man said with divine light in his eyes and a plain face.

Thomas leaned in as the time he had dreamed about for decades was finally here. His heartbeat fluttered and the breathing became rapid as the man in front of him opened his mouth to speak.

“You are me, Tommy.” The man said and Thomas was taken aback at once.

“That is right, Thomas. You never knew my real name. My, or rather our real name is Thomas Jenson.

I was born in a regular middle-class family and raised to be just another corporate worker in the city of Chicago. But all my life goals changed from pilot and teacher to army personnel when the Chicago airport supermarket was hit with nerve gas.

My parents died in that attack. I happened to be just standing on the wrong side of the glass door. I watched them suffocate in front of me. I watched as their eyes grew red and swelled up from the lack of oxygen in their cells. They thumped on the glass-like animals, but it was over the moment that gas entered their body.

I was always a clever student, so I took my part as a military weapons expert, at the same time excelling in physics. I wanted to rid the world of terrorism, but I knew it was impossible until I found the journal of a lost soldier.

I know he now shares a part of your head, just like he shares a part of mine. You will take some time to adapt to the new territory, just like it took me. I know everything about you Thomas, and that is the sole reason I never doubted your loyalty to this agency.” The director said.

“So…I can actually go?” Thomas said, absorbing all the information.

Thomas believed everything the director just told him. After all, this wasn’t the craziest of things he had heard in his life.

And as the sun went down, the agents bade farewell to the most successful veteran of the White Feather, the man who stood in the way of every terrorist organization and the world and shut them down!