Cold War: Before The Bell

Chapter 18

February 23, 1981
CIA Safehouse E9
West Berlin

We all sat around the evidence board on crates and boxes. I hadn't even realised Park had gotten up to go fetch the dosages when Adler began to speak.

"Alright Bell, we're going back to Vietnam..." I quickly looked over my shoulder to see Park injecting a needle into my neck. Part of me beleived that it was almost the price for giving, what she thought to be, those odd looks and glances. I didn't realise at the time that it was my own tender curiosity that was to blame for those glances.

There was no time to react before Adler let the words flow from his mouth.

"Remember... we had a job to do." I turned my attention back to the others, forgetting about the strange formula in my body.

I remember explaining parts of the story to the group. Occasionally Adler would help try to keep me on track by saying "Bell, what happened after that" or "Keep going".

They picked my brain dry of every detail from that mission until I described to them the info within the blue folder. In the moment I didn't even question why it had a blood stain on the file. How could I have even guessed it was my own?

February 24, 1981
CIA Safehouse
E9

Bell was at work at his own desk, near the punching bag. He looked up when he couldn't help but overhear the conversation between his two teammates. He pressed the paused button on his walkman and reomoved his headphones to listen.

"...it is my strong preference that we attempt to
capture rather than kill him. He holds answers to a great many questions." Park was trying to convince Adler to not shoot Volkov, not yet.

"You preference has been noted agent Park." Adler put out his cigarette.

She didn't protest, just stiffened Adler a look of frustration before returning back to her own desk, leaving behind a stack of files.

Being that they had worked together over a course of years prior it meant they were used to being in tune with one another when working in the field or at a desk. It also meant that he and Adler had bumped heads before, many times in fact, but it had never went too far when loyalty would be questioned. If he had to pick a side, it would make more sense to capture Volkov than kill him on the spot. Sims had told him how Adler shot Arash in Turkey and Bell had thought that if the decision would have been up to him, he would have captured over kill. He would much rather have Volkov answer questions from MI6 first and then be killed. It was common sense. Perhaps he could try to negotiate with Adler on this. Did he himself not have a say in it? After all is he not the one who will be going in on this too?

Suddenly he felt a peice of plastic him in the side of the face. He didn't realise he was still staring in the direction of her desk until Lazar had tossed him a new tape of music to listen to.

"Got a staring problem, Bell?" Lazar chuckled, walking over to the younger man.

"New music?" Bell asked, picking up the tape from his desk.

"Yea, I found it while taking out the trash the other day. Figured you might be interested. Alder told me how much you enjoy music."

"Thanks." Bell smiled as his friend walked off.

He observed the tape in his hand. It clearly had seen some wear from the subtle scratches on it. Hoping it would play, he slid the tape in and was pleased when he heard sound through his headphones.

After finishing up with some financial documents for supplies they would need for their missions, he took the stack of papers to Sims' desk.

"Sorry, we had to relive that mission earlier. I know how exhausting it feels to have to be there... all over again." Bell sighed, setting the papers down.