Singularity And Reciprocation.

"Mykanos, Greece."

Laura furrowed her brows.

"Are you kidding me?"

A party island, and very accessible to the rich. The mafia would have no problems tracking her down.

"We have a deal with the government. They will keep you safe."

The voice on the opposite end was in distress.

"Is this a joke?"

Alex raised his hand.

'Calm down.'

He signaled to her.

'Our proposition.'

She looked downwards. There was a script in her hand.

"Once you get the money, you will have enough capital to stay afloat despite the upcoming recession. I have convinced the MI6 to provide for a safehouse for me. Now, on account of your ability to fuck things up, I won't be telling you the location to the safehouse. However, you all have to pay your debts in the form of a yearly installment to the British government, in return for my safety."

A pause, another breath, and continuation.

"And to be clear, this is not a choice. The money has to be deposited every year without fail. The amount will be billed to you accordingly, and it won't be some outlandish sum. If you refuse to pay the bill, then two things will happen. One, I will no longer be your problem, and any goodwill left between us will be terminated. Two, the government will cease all of your licenses, and your companies will be shut down within days, as the government won't tolerate companies that have colluded with the mafia and have caused serious threats to the security of the country. I know that the person who got you into this mess is dead, but that doesn't mean that you lot weren't involved. The price of my safety is your tax, and if you have the guts to lose everything over your ego, then be my guest."

She had successfully cornered everyone.

"Is that clear?"

She looked toward Alex, who gave her a thumbs up.

'Satisfactory.'

"Quick. I don't have all day."

With a smile on her face, she commanded them to make a decision.

After two minutes of constant inaudible murmuring, a response arrived.

"Deal. But we will have to sign a proper deed with the British government, granting us immunity from any surprise attacks."

"Not a problem. An agent will be at your door by the end of the day, and the money will be transferred to your accounts as soon as you sign the papers."

"OK then. Enjoy your retirement."

With nothing more to discuss, the representative hung up.

"Nailed it."

After placing the phone back on the table, she slumped backwards.

"That place might just be your eternal home. Are you sure about this?"

Saint Helena. A small island under the provision of the Crown, famously known for being the location designated for Napoleon Bonaparte's Exile.

"That is the only place where I could live my life peacefully."

She removed the locket from her neck and placed it onto the table.

"Open it."

Alex grabbed the locket and opened it. There was a small map inside it.

'Saint Helena.'

He closed up the locket.

"Here."

She looked at the locket in his hand.

"Keep it. A souvenir from my side."

She didn't need it anymore.

"I'll ask you once again. Are you sure about this?".

"I am sure. Your mission is over. You don't need to follow me to that place."

She had made up her mind.

"As you wish."

He didn't pry any further. There must be a very good reason for her to repeatedly avoid this topic.

"What about you?"

He was going to say 'none of your business'. But as he looked at her face, he could sense an iota of fear in her eyes.

She was unsure of her fate.

"I'll go back to my family."

"Is that so..."

"Yes. I'll probably be on standby until the next mission arrives."

Her mind asked her a question.

'What have you earned after so many years of sacrifice?'

No attachments. No friends. No family. She is just as empty on the inside as the day she first stepped into this world.

"Alex. Can you promise me one thing?"

Singularity.

Encompassing all of her life, but manifesting in the form of an infinity of nothingness.

"Please, don't forget me."

This wasn't meant to be a call for a favor. This was her pleading for some sort of relevance for her life that was about to be a thing of past. Most people are ecstatic to leave their tainted history behind and start anew. But to her, all she had achieved was revenge. And now, that revenge was also to be reduced to a mere memory.

Those who think too much, don't need a second person to be their devil.

Her eyes were looking for an answer. Relevance was all they had the maturity to seek.

Alex stood up from his seat.

This was probably the last part of his mission.

He could choose to walk away from this. In fact, it would make more sense to just let her succumb to her mania. He was an assassin first, a human second.

But that was exactly why this was important.

A gentle hug, free of any vulgarities.

"Don't be so harsh on yourself."

Words that were teeming with empathy.

"You have earned this chance. Don't give up on it now."

The value of a second chance. Who could understand it better than himself?

A deluge of tears was soon to follow, but before that, reciprocation by the means of a tight embrace.

There was no one that could speak these words to her. And there might not be anyone after now.

But in this one moment, there was someone present to acknowledge her fear.

Someone present to value her life.