American President's Palace
11:29 p.m.
February 28, 1981

Adler's POV

After Woods, Mason and I eliminated Arash we were immediately called by Hudson for a meeting with the most important people of the America. For "most important people" I mean all who decided our steps in our missions.
Even if I'm the leader of my squad the decisions don't belong to me.
So we flied from Trabzon Airfield to America: it was a long fly, but I prefer flying for hours instead of listening those boring informations.
The meeting was in five days, so I spend all the time taking care of Bell on my own.
Ok, not really on my own, Park helped me but only because she's a woman and has more touch with ladies.
But I cared about her situation more than the whole squad.
She was so tiny, with a big wound of a bullet in her stomach.
Go to hell, Arash, I thought when I stitched her points. How can somebody hurt a woman?
Even if she lost a lot of blood, fortunately Bell was strong enough to made it.
After all the injections she was so tired and lost: her eyes were like the full moon on a summer night. Frightful and beautiful at the same time.
She lost her sense immediately when we brought her in the Safehouse, in West Berlin, so she don't remember anything about what happened.
After the surgery she fell in coma... I thought I would lost her, that I wouldn't see her eyes open again.
Some days after we went to the meeting with the President, so I had to left Bell with Park.
Park didn't come to the reunion 'cause she's not part of the CIA, she's only here to help.
I left with the hope to see Bell awake on my return.
When we arrived the President wasn't in the room yet, so we decided to chat about what happened. We weren't alone tho, there were many other people sitting around the long wooden table.
I took place as far away as I could from my leader.
Hudson turned on the TV in front of us and start to talk: he prefers to chat in that way.
"1943. Detailed Information from the Manhattan Project was stolen from Los Alamos from the Russian spy known as Perseus."
After Hudson's word we can see some videos about people from Los Alamos and then an explosion.

"1968. The Vietnam War. Viet Cong soldiers were orchestrated by Perseus attempted to steal an American- made nuclear bomb from a U.S. firebase."
On the TV the video of a war and the plane crash appears on the screen.

"Five days ago, while on a mission, we acquired that Perseus is in a play once again and planning an attack on the West."
Now we can clearly see Perseus' face on the screen. The last photo we have about him, where he's still young. I have to admit I'm a little jealous of his aspect.
Hudson turned off the TV.

"Perseus. The CIA's analysis consider him to be the single largest threat to the Free World."- he said with his serious expression, walking around the table.

A man opened the curtains and the room was lighted by the sun.

"Mr. Hudson, we're all aware of Perseus. We're also aware he's more myth than fact. I mean, personally I think he's nothing more than the Russian bogeyman."- Haig said pouring some coffee in his mug.

He's a man, more old than young, he should be over 60.
Mason and Woods watched each other. I find it very hilarious because they always understand each other without words.
"General Haig, allow me to introduce the man best suited to respond to that: CIA Clandestine Special Officer Russell Adler. He's one of the few people to even come closer to capturing Perseus." - Hudson said presenting me.

It's strange that Hudson didn't take the credit, as he always do.
I kept smoking my cigarette and watch them with curious eyes.

"Mr. Adler, why we should take this 'Perseus' threat seriously?" - Baker asked.
I wanted to scream and make them understand that Perseus is a walking danger for everyone but I decided to play it cool.
"You don't have to, sir."
Woods laughed in front of me.
"Yeah, but then a lot of innocent people are gonna die."

"Why do you say that?" - Baker asked.
"Sir, every time Perseus has come into play it's shifted the balance of the Cold War. After thirteen years of silence,  if he's active, something big is gonna happen...Something  that will affect the Free World." - I explained.
All eyes were on me and Baker seemed to understand that the safety of million of people depends from us.

The silence was interrupted from the big door which was opened by an operator of the President.
I put my cigarette into the red ashtray.

We all get up and put our arms behind our back.
He came in.
"Sir." - Hudson and Baker said.
"Mr. President." - I said.
I like to be different from the others.
"Sir." - Woods said.
"Mr. President." - Mason said.

"Mr.President, this is Jason Hudson and Russell Adler." - Haig introduced us.

"I know their names." - The President interrupted him. " Who do you think approved the last mission?" - he said watching me.

Then we sat down: the President took place near to me, behind him there is the American flag.
Hudson decided to remain on his feet.
"Is the threat real?" - the President asked.
"Yes, sir. We believe it is." - Hudson replayed.
"Can you stop Perseus?"- he asked directly to me and this make me proud.
"We can sir, I've already submitted the requisition for my team."
"Sir, their request is highly irregular, most likely illegal. If the press gets a hold-" -Haig tried to say but Mason interrupted him.
"What the hell are you talking about? Do you know who we are?"
"Every mission we go on is illegal." - Woods added angrily and throwing on the table some papers.

"Sergeant Woods, plausible deniability is the blackbone of our work." - Haig explained.
"Al, we're talking about preventing an attack on free men and women of the world. Give Mr. Adler whatever he wants." - the President said.
I nodded satisfied.

Haig seemed a bit disappointed but he didn't talk anymore.
"Gentlemen," - he continues " you've been given  an important task: protecting out very way of life from a great evil. There is not higher duty, there is no higher honor. And while few people will know of our struggles, rest assured the entire Free World will benefit."

He watch directly every one of us.
" I know you won't fail us."
The meeting ended well and we flied back to the safehouse, in West Berlin.
I was happy because our mission was approved but my enthusiasm didn't last long: when I step inside your dorm I saw Park near Bell's bed.
And her eyes were still closed.
I couldn't express my anger inside so I went near a tree and started to punch it till my knuckles were bleeding. Then I smoked too many cigarettes and get drunk.
I wish nobody saw me like that.
I spend all the nights asking myself which mistake I made and if she will wake up or not.
I entered in her dorm so many times in a day, I lost the count.
I stopped to eat and work out, nothing had a sense anymore.
I took the responsibility to feed her by the drip every day and everytime the needle penetrated in her soft skin my heart cried.
But the happiness on my face when she woke up is indescribable.
I took control of the situation and acted like nothing was happened but I really wanted to throw myself in her arms.
She would have thought that I'm crazy and that leaders can't do that.
So I decide to do a bigger step every time...
to reach her heart.