Safehouse, CIA
February 25, 1981

The safehouse's light is turned off: it's bed time. After this intense night all I need is a shower and some sleep.
"See you tomorrow. And don't be late." - Adler watch everyone in the eyes.
Hudson went away an hour ago so Adler is the leader again. But he's way more better.
He stared at me more than at the others.
Suddenly the safehouse's door opens and Sims comes inside.
"Sorry if it took that much but as you asked, Adler, I stocked the garage with choppers, new weapons and ammo."
"And what is that red lipstick on your neck and your mouth?" - Adler asks seriously.
"W-What?"- Sims immediately cleans the mouth with his hand. "But there's nothing here!"
Sims is clearly confused and he's waiting for an explanation.
"Gotcha!" - Adler laughs loudly with the others.
I laugh too and notice how white and shiny Adler's teeth are.
"Since when are you so funny, Adler?" - Woods notices.
"Oh, c'mon! Give me a break!" - Sims smiles too. "
"Do you already know we have a fly this morning?" - Adler returns serious.
"Yeah, Hudson talked me about it. Don't worry, I'm on it. Just need some sleep."
"We all need some sleep. Let's go to the dorm. I want you all fresh and rested." - Adler orders.
"Night, brothers!" - Woods says and, followed by Mason, climbs down the stairs.
"See you tomorrow." - Park says.
"Goodnight!" - Lazar adds.
They looked at each other and smile, then they climb down too.
I wonder if Lazar did the first step with her.
I can't think much about it because suddenly I feel a big hand covering my shoulder from the behind.
"Adler?"
"It's me."
His touch gives me more emotions than I thought. He seems to notice my red cheeks.
"You need to sleep, Bell. After this night you surely need it."
"I was on my way. I'm not sure if I will sleep well tho, the mission was a disaster." - I reply looking at the evidence board.
"Don't say that." - he comes closer. "I already told you things like this happen all the time. It was a risky mission but we made it, at the end."
"I thought I was gonna die..." - I confess remembering the gun on my head and Volkov's face.
"I thought that too. Hopefully we made it in time." - he says with a deep voice. "I still don't understand why you didn't kill him."
"He- he was disarmed. It wasn't a fair fight. And Park wanted him alive, for the information he can give to us."
" He didn't think twice before putting the gun on your head, tho. Be careful, Bell. Not everybody have a good heart like yours."
"I will, I promise."
"Good, now take care of your wound and rest. See you, Bell."
Adler's serious eyes meet mine before they disappeared downstairs.

When the hot water hits my skin I feel so relaxed. The pain in my muscles stops and my head feels mild.
But my thoughts about Adler don't stop.
I still ask myself what we are.
Sometimes he cares too much about me.
There should be some memories of us I have forgot and when they will come back I will chose what to do.
Was he... dating me? But it's impossible. He doesn't act like a boyfriend, more like a friend who just cares.
Stop thinking, Bell, or your headache will come back.
I touch with my fingers the wound on my stomach, but it's not a wound anymore but a scar wich is irregular and circular.
The shape of a bullet.
Adler healed me and I have to admit he did a great job.
You're thinking about him again, Bell.
The only sound I can hear is the rain hitting the safehouse's roof.
Then I hear another sound: it's the electricity passing in the light bulb.
The yellow light on the ceiling suddenly becomes red and the bathroom around me disappears.
What the heck?
I watch into the dark and an old television turns on, showing the same damn thing I saw many times: a war.
The soldiers are running forward with a weapon in their hand.
Here's a tank, a chopper...
Where am I? I minute ago I was in the bathtub and now...
Are they -
memories?
Are they -
coming back?
The television turns off and instead of it two people appear.
A woman and a man. The same two I saw before.
I know what their intention are so I try to escape.
But the bathtub becomes a stretcher and my wrists and ankles are tidied one for each side.
There's no way out.
"What do you want from me?" - I scream.
They come closer, he has crossed arms and she's holding a needle.
Not again.
"Oh all we need is some informations." - she says smiling.
"I don't know a damn thing!"
"In that case " - she looks at him - " we haven't another choise."
I can't see them well, my vision is dark and the red light doesn't help.
I recognize something familiar in them, but I don't know what.
The man nods and the woman tries to do the injection, this time in my left eye.
I close my eyes and try to escape.
"Stop it!"
The woman opens my eyes with two fingers: the feeling is awful.
I need to do something, but if I struggle again the needle will hurt my eye and makes me blind.
The needle is coming closer and closer to my eye.
My heart starts to beat faster.
In a few seconds it will be inside and I can't do anything about it.
The only thing I can do is wait.