***
Once again, Summer sat next to me on the train. “Did you have a nice breakfast?” How did she know about that? She hadn’t been anywhere nearby. She couldn’t have been or I would have felt her. I decided the only way to deal with her was to not respond.
“It must be painful to have him reject you over and over.”
I had felt it, especially today. She was right he had rejected me. But the words he said right there before they’d left the apartment, was he telling me something? Was he reminding me that he still cared for me, but was unable to act on it? My stomach did a little dance.
“Don’t worry about today. I'll take care you. You'll be safe. I'll be watching your stupid little butt. Just know I'm watching.” Had Summer really been there? Was I losing my touch or was she as good a shadow as she seemed? Relief slid over me that she hadn’t said anything about my feelings toward Jeremy. Summer would certainly report it. Most certainly.
And how dare she come right before a mission and try to rattle me? I had five more minutes on the train to cool off.
***
I headed into the Louvre, knowing that this time, agents from Division 57 were following Kamal as he left the area. Kamal gave me a new bag to use for the day. It was a fanny pack of sorts, and I strapped it to my waist. Once inside, and certain I wasn’t being tailed by him, I went into the closest bathroom and changed into a new person, carefully putting Eva’s clothing into my go bag. I had opted for a silicone mask of a mid-twenties woman with tan skin and tastefully done makeup. The mask fit perfectly and there wasn’t hint of Christy or Eva in it. With a black wig, glasses, some dark colored contacts and some slacks and a billowy blouse, I was set to go. I pulled out my phone and texted Jeremy. Kamal was in the Tuileries Gardens. He was probably picking up a drop from one of his l’Orangerie pickpockets. I couldn’t help but think how much easier it would have been for us had Kamal simply taken the two drives to his bank and left them with the others.
I made my loop through the Louvre before exiting with a jostling crowd. Despite my anxiousness, I felt eyes on me. I stopped to tie my shoe and surveyed the area for this phantom tail. No one. A part of me hoped it was just Summer I was sensing. It would be good if I was finally be sensing her.
Jeremy gave me Kamal’s location and then patched me in to his tracker. I hopped on the metro so I could get to Kamal and keep an eye on him.
I never realized just how busy Kamal was until I followed him during his daytime activities. He entered the Jardin du Luxembourg, a sprawling park that had quickly become one of my favorites. I enjoyed sitting in the sun near the gorgeous flowerbeds and reading after a hard run. He walked quickly on a path that was meant for joggers and received several mean stares and comments. Rules governing where and when joggers could run, where cards could be played, where dogs could be walked, and where and when music could be played were hard and fast in Paris. I’m sure Kamal knew that, but I guessed the stress of his meeting was clouding his judgment. Or perhaps he thought the rules were foolish. I wondered if he knew that the park sat right on top of the French CIA. A nervous feeling settled over me.
He met with someone and for a moment I panicked that it was Marco, but when Kamal took a bag from him, I knew I was being overanxious and took a seat. Kamal turned and looked right at me as he passed. An inward burst of relief spread through me that I had put on such a complete disguise today. Sweat had started to pool beneath my latex mask and my head itched, as it always did, under the short black wig. Had I just put on a wig and some different clothes, I would never have been able to pull off following him.
Why wasn’t he going to the bank already? Irritation sat on me. I thought he was supposed to meet Marco in the morning. It was almost afternoon. Kamal stopped by the clearing house and then made his way back to a business section of town. My heart leapt. Maybe this was it. But it wasn’t. Finally, he entered an area with three banks. This had to be it. Which of the three would it be? I sat in the park across the street to wait as he entered one. The whole time I could feel Summer, which was unusual, but I didn’t have time to think about it. I had to focus on Kamal. I’ve got my eye on you too, Summer.
A part of me felt bad for Kamal and how he’d felt trapped into being a pickpocket. I knew what it felt like to be trapped, and it wasn’t a good thing. I hoped his girl would get the help she needed. She had to be special if he was willing to do what he was in order to help her. And I knew what it was like to feel like you had to do something you didn’t like in order to help someone. The drive and desire could be overwhelming. Time was ticking by too quickly. Again I lamented my choice in putting on the silicone mask. It was hot and uncomfortable.
A dark shadow crossed into my path. I looked up to see the sneering face of a tall, thin man.
“Eva. So nice to see you.” His hands clamped down on my upper arms like a vice, capitalizing on my pressure points. An acrid smell
