Chaos Read online

  ‘So what is your name?’, Mitch asked

  ‘Why must you know sir?’

  ‘Please, don’t call me sir.’

  ‘My name is Maria’, she said.

  ‘Well Maria, how did you get involved?’

  ‘I am not a common taxi driver Mr. Crowne.’

  ‘So I figured. What is your connection to the person I’m going to meet?’

  ‘We were pretty much the same, only different agencies, different missions. You get the picture.’

  ‘That’s not an explanation Maria. If you don’t answer the question I’ll leave the vehicle.’

  ‘She went rogue. I’m the only one she trusts.’

  ‘See, that’s an answer. Maria, you’re doing well. Do you like this city?’

  ‘I grew up here Mr. Crowne. I saw the world and came back.’

  ‘Indeed, a real taxi driver.’

  ‘This car is a little modified Mr. Crowne. Would you like me to show you?’

  ‘As long as it doesn’t kill me, why not?’, Mitch said with a grin.

  Restaurant Shtaslivetsa, Ruse (Bulgaria), 11 October 2008

  Mitch arrived in the centre of the city. Maria raced throughout the backstreets of the city and Mitch was a little over impressed when they arrived. He slammed open his door and fell out the car. Maria also left the car and walked towards Mitch, smiling and pleased. Mitch was couching and catching breath as she stopped in front of him.

  ‘That’ll be twelve dollars sir. Or ten euro’s. Whatever you have I’ll take it.’

  Mitch, still on one knee, looked up at her and saw her smiling. He took his wallet and gave her twenty euros.

  ‘You should put on a seatbelt to next time Mr. Crowne.’, Maria said as she went back in her car.

  ‘Keep the change’, Mitch said.

  Mitch walked towards the restaurant where he would meet the person that appeared to know a lot about his past. The restaurant’s name was Shtaslivetsa. The building was near the regional Historic Museum of Ruse. At this time of the day, it was very crowded. But, the only figure Mitch didn’t understand on the note, was probably the table number. So, he walked towards number 33 and seated himself opposite another female. The female opposite him had shoulder long hair, and wore also sunglasses. Big ones. Her hair was dyed blonde.

  ‘Mitch Crowne, you decided to come.’

  ‘I did. Now why should I stay?’

  ‘Because I feel that you deserve to know the truth.’

  ‘I’m listening’, Mitch told.

  ‘Right. You’re name is Mitch Crowne, born in 1977. I know you’re ID say’s it was 1975, but, it was your brother Robbie Crowne born on 4 September 1975. They changed your date of birth in order to get you in the field earlier. There are a lot of lies and rumours about you.’

  ‘So, is that all. A date of birth?’

  ‘Mitch, you, by far, were the youngest field agent the CIA has ever created. They decorated a monster with you.’

  ‘Thank you.’, Mitch said sarcastically.

  ‘You were operative in the field from 1998 to 2001. That was indeed the year you assassinated the corrupted Vice-President. Your kill count as normal government assassin is 37. You excelled in gun practice and were taught at least five different combat programme’s and eight languages in only five years. That’s why, they chose you as first pick to catch or kill a different type of government assassin. The type that shouldn’t even exist. You were chosen to kill Jason Bourne. You were about to become everything Blackbriar stood for. And that wasn’t everything. In the midst of the Blackbriar operation, they were working on the real programme that Blackbriar and Treadstone were sub programme’s for. Called Larx.’

  ‘I recall blackbriar and the name Jason Bourne. He is the one who exposed secrets, well disguised sections within the CIA. I would never kill him.’

  ‘You wouldn’t have a choice Mitch. Because they did tests on you while you were active for CPU. Tests that the whole Larx thing is build on. It’s called behaviour modification. You even volunteered for letting them test it on you.’

  ‘As far as I knew, I already didn’t feel anything.’

  ‘You were wrong Mitch. You did feel something. These tests wiped your memory clean for a part. The part that contains our emotional memories. It didn’t last long because soon you figured out your father was betrayed and killed by his own mates. That’s why there was only one thing that broke the modifications, the need to avenge your father. It is indeed an emotional feeling. And on your long adventure there was nothing that could break you. Because by the time you avenged him, there was someone else you care about. Mia Barros. But, one thing you never remembered was the fact that you also found out that you have a sister. Everything is connected when it comes to behaviour modification Mitch. And you just don’t remember it.’

  ‘Why do you tell this to me. Who are you?’

  ‘I am a good friend of Jason Bourne. And much like him, I want you to have your own chance to have a second chance in this life. You say you have nothing to lose, but, you have.’

  ‘Give me a name.’

  ‘Nicolette Parsons is my name. Look it up and you find out that nothing I said will be a lie.’

  ‘I’m not interested in your name. I need something to look for. For if I complete my vendetta against the traitors that eliminated my father.’

  ‘You’re not done yet?’

  ‘Name.’

  ‘Alan Fitch.’

  ‘I guess that Bourne has arranged punishments for those who were involved? With Blackbriar and Larx?’

  ‘Mitch, there never was just one. Bourne was the top of the iceberg. But, yeah, they aren’t in the picture anymore.’

  ‘Thank you for the letter.’

  ‘Maria would like to bring you away from here.’

  ‘Bet she does’, Mitch said as he sighed. Thinking about the previous ride.

  Monteceito heights (Los Angeles), Shelley’s home, 28 November 2008

  Shelley was about 1.64 metres long, had dark brown to black collared hair. She wore blue jeans and a black shirt with a white sweater. Above the sweater she wore a leather black jacket. Since the events in Mitch Crowne III she left England and travelled throughout the United States. She moved from place to place and did some hacking work in order to provide herself of money.

  It had been three years since she entered the shadow world that she was accustomed to now. She witnessed how one of her friends was killed and buried by a complete nutcase of a man. Shelley used to life together with her pets in a remote town in England. But, she knew that she could never go back to the life as she knew it. She sold the house and brought her beloved pets to one of her best friends. She knew that they would have the best home possible there.

  In the United States, she met a guy called Ryan who showed her most of the beauty that was in the United States. They travelled together for almost two years until he found out what she did for a living. In order to prevent him for exposing her further, she had to get rid of him. She didn’t kill the guy, she only bought herself enough time to disappear and start all over again in California.

  In California, she had already saved enough money to have the life she always wanted. She bought a new cat to accompany her and was dating a local called Frank. The thing was, she began to miss the thrill that she was used to ever since she discovered the computer. Before the events in Mitch Crowne II, she already was an active hacker since her employer fired her unfairly after a few arguments. She got revenge by hacking into his bank account and private computer and exposed his secret relationship with a mistress. She walked towards her phone. On her computer screen were documents about different assassinations. The last one was in Russia.

  Shelley didn’t knew the other person that was calling her. She was about to hang up until the female mentioned Mitch Crowne. Then she was interested immediately. Shelley received a secret phone number that would set up a secure line via an old Russian communication satellite. Shelley knew that Mitch was trying to reac
h out to her. Before she followed the instructions the female with Eastern European accent told her, she traced the call to Santa Domingo.

  Shelley dialled the phone number with her own Nokia 1500 cell phone. She only used the old phone for this sort of occasions. It took her a few minutes to decrypted Mitch code. The number she received wasn’t a phone number of course. It was a decrypted code that contained a phone number. Before she made the call, she hesitated a little. This could mean as well her return into the shadow world. Would it be worth it?

  ‘Mitch, is that you?’

  ‘It’s been a while Shelley’, Mitch answered shortly after.

  ‘To what do I owe the pleasure?’ , she asked interested.

  ‘I know that you’ve been following my actions for a while. This world is addictive, isn’t it?’

  ‘How did you know?’

  ‘Well, not for sure. It was an educated guess. Back at school, the school I went, they taught you really well to look inside other people’s heads.’

  ‘That doesn’t answer why you contact me. You kept me in the dark back then, why should I even listen to you?’

  ‘Because back then I simply didn’t require your skills anymore. And you know far too well that being in contact with me endangers your life.’

  ‘I can handle myself. And Mitch, I like to make my own decisions!’

  ‘Exactly. So are you in?’

  ‘Of course I am. Wait, what is it I have to do? I don’t do hacking stuff anymore you know.’

  ‘I need you to hack into the CIA files and uncover everything you can about a man called Alan Fitch. Also, try to find whatever there is left about a defunct department within the CIA called CPU.’

  ‘That makes sense.’

  ‘Can I trust you that whatever you find out, only share with me?’

  ‘No you can’t.’

  ‘Don’t play jokes with me Shelley.’

  ‘What are the chances that this favour will come after me?’

  ‘The stakes are high. Everything seems to be connected. My past and a lot of things I still need to address. But, first I have to finish what I started in 2001.’

  ‘I’ll see what I can find Mitch. Be safe. Where are you even going?’

  ‘Denmark.’

  Husavik (Iceland), Mitch safe house, 24 January 2010

  After Mitch and Jeremy were picked up by Ayda, they went to Mitch’s safe house on Iceland. This house was located in a small village in the North of Iceland called Husavik. It was an old fisherman’s house with only one bedroom, a small bad room and a living room and kitchen in one. Jeremy already installed his laptop while Ayda used the bedroom as stash place for her weapons. Mitch came back from outside as he discovered Ayda working on her artillery.

  ‘Does look good Ayda. Can I borrow one?’

  ‘Jeremy told me about how you treat your weapons. So, if you promise me to life up to those standards, feel free to make yourself get comfortable.’

  ‘It’ll be appreciated. I don’t know what it is, not having a weapon feels much like not having clothes on.’

  ‘I think we reached our first agreement Mitch’, Ayda said as she stood up and gave Mitch the gun she knew he wanted. While Mitch walked towards Jeremy, Ayda left the house.

  ‘I am ready to track and trace Mitch. Who am I looking for?’

  ‘Her name is Shelley Loraine. She’s one of the best hackers on this globe.’

  ‘What do you need her for while you have the best right in front of you?’

  ‘She has been working on something for me for a while now.’

  ‘What this thing might be. You know it could kill her, right?’

  ‘She is a professional. I count on her. I trust her and her skill set. She’ll manage.’

  Jeremy typed in a code. ‘I disagree Mitch. You don’t even know yourself what you get us into.’

  ‘I need to know who’s hunting. I don’t like being the hunted.’

  ‘What is our play here Mitch. Why do we want to find the persons that hunt you? I don’t want to be selfless but, I tasted life without this crap and I was already beginning to get used to it.’

  ‘I think I don’t have to explain your motivation Jeremy. But, you’re not a prisoner. help me find Shelley and get your ashes on a plane to anywhere. Just do not contact me ever again. As far as everybody knows, You and Ayda died in Russia.’

  Langley (Virginia), Mr. Home’s office, 20 January 2010

  It was a very unfamiliar phone number that was calling him. Home also knew who the person was. It was his superior and former mentor. He knew that this call was not meant for chit chat.

  ‘Things are likely to be getting worse’, Home said in a natural voice without an introduction.

  ‘What are you going to do about it?’

  ‘We go against it with everything we have. You don’t have to worry.’

  ‘My organization traced a very unpleasant person down to California. She broke into the CIA files. This person had a special interest for CPU.’

  ‘How long has that been going on?’

  ‘We don’t know. It may as well take years to get everything we have. We don’t know how much this person got to know. Is this individual linked to Reddington?’

  ‘We will find out. I promise you that.’

  ‘I know you will. The fulcrum, if it exist may not fall into that man’s hands. You understand?’

  Home hung up and looked at his watch. Was this the final act in his life. Would everything be for exposed if Reddington would get something like the fulcrum? Who was this damned hacker. California? If finding Mitch Crowne and dealing with that damned task force wasn’t already enough...

  Chapter 6:

  Homecoming

  Husavik (Iceland), Mitch safe house, 24 January 2010

  Mitch was standing in the bathroom. He looked at himself in the mirror and examined his appearance. His stay in Russia had left it trademarks on his body. But, the only scar he had on his face was the result of something that happened in his youth.

  When he was twelve years old and living in Hungary just before his father died, he got himself in trouble with a group of locals. One of them lured him out his house and into the woods. There he was trapped. Mitch got hit with a stick on his left eye. The stick hit his face on his left eyebrow and beneath his eye. It was a miracle they didn’t hit his eye what possibly could have left him blind. Eventually he paid all four of them a little visit that same week. They all ended in a hospital with broken bones. The only other scars he had were covered by his hair. They could only be seen once he cut his hair real short. That was a result of a bar fight when one of his classmates hit him with a beer bottle. That person ended up expelled after he received a beating by Mitch.

  Mitch opened the left drawer and picked up a scissor to cut his long hair. Eventually after eight minutes, he grabbed his razor to shorten his hair to millimetres. He applied foundation on his face to make him look more like he was on holiday. He finished his look with a Yankees cap and wayfarer sunglasses. He wore shorts and an blue/white Hawaiian shirt to dress the part. Jeremy almost didn’t recognize him when they passed each other in the door opening.

  ‘You sure that will get you in?’, Jeremy still asked.

  ‘They will never expect me like this, wherever that may be, Jeremy. I think I look the part. At least, long enough to get passed airport security.’

  ‘I think there’s something missing’, Ayda said while entering the house, ‘By the way, nice look.’

  ‘Thank you’, Mitch responded with appreciation.

  Ayda walked towards Jeremy’s suitcase and picked up Jeremy’s IPod.

  ‘What is that?’, Mitch asked.

  ‘Jeez, you know everything about martial arts and.. never mind... It’s a mini walkman. It’ll suit you just well.’

  ‘Hey, I liked that one’, Jeremy said.

  ‘So, if I take it, he will be pissed?’, Mitch pointed is left thumb at Jeremy.

  ‘He’ll get a better one.’

/>   ‘Aah, why not. How does it work?’

  ‘A person of your stature will find out himself. This is the play button. Good luck with it’, Ayda said with a grin.

  Santa Domingo (Dominican Republic), Downtown 26 January 2010

  Sandra and Frederic returned home after a few days. Mia met for the second time Frederic’s sister and got along with one of her new nieces. Sandra was asked a lot about her family and she mentioned her brother that died two years ago. Mia almost caused trouble since she was about to tell about Mitch like he was Sandra’s former boyfriend and who she considered to be her father. Sandra was in time to prevent that from happening by overruling her in that conversation where she told how fond Mia was of her uncle. Sandra said it with a wink that was enough for Mia to understand what Sandra meant.

  Eventually, the three of them returned to the Dominican republic. It was Mia that caught an Chinese guy and a Mexican following them for a while. Sandra was able to see an earpiece and within a second she reminded herself of a conversation with Mitch. People that wear earpieces are bad news unless they wear a suit and sunglasses. Than they were real pain in the ass. As Mitch referred to secret service agents. These were not agents, they didn’t fit the part. Frederic became a little irritated when Sandra ignored his questions about what was wrong with both her and Mia.

  Eventually Sandra instructed Frederic to take Mia home. Sandra explained that she needed to go to her apartment. She used Mia as excuse to prevent Frederic for insisting to go together. Mia reacted as Sandra hoped, so Frederic agreed to take Mia home. Before Frederic and Mia left the airport, Sandra got herself a rental and followed the other two from a distance. It didn’t last long before she spotted one man in one of the cars that were following Mia and Frederic. It was the Mexican. But, where was the Chinese looking guy?

  Sandra knew what to do. Before Mitch had left, he told her how she would be able to alarm him. She went to her apartment and activated her laptop. The only remaining thing she didn’t bring along to Frederic’s. She wrote a short story called "Where are you now?" that was a few sentences long. Mitch told her that he would look at a specific site everyday and if that story popped up, he would respond.