NOUS I

She felt the back of his finger glide down her cheek. Her hands were outstretched, palm face down on the desk.
"You know what to do," he said.
Her eyes were wide, staring up at him. Of course she knew what to do.
He removed his finger from her cheek and though she felt a slight relief wash over her, she wanted it back. It was rare when anyone touched her, other than the case she was eliminating.

Times like these were when she thought of her family. The family she'd left behind, been torn from.

Her eyes wandered to the 9mm on the desk between them.
She swallowed.

He rose. She put her right hand over the gun.

"Will I be meeting with anyone?" she asked.
"Yes."
"Where will they be?"
"You'll find them. They'll see you." He put extra emphasis on the word 'see' so as to indicate another NOUS member.

"When I get there, I'm turning off the suit."
He turned around to face her.
"Just get the job done, Knight."
"I don't like this, Lauder."
For a moment his eyes softened.
"Put up your barriers. Like you've learned."
"I know, Sir."
"Haley?"
Her eyes shot up to his.
"Yes?"
"Watch yourself."
"I always do."
"Yes."
"It will be Mac?"
"It will be someone."
"And then can I go home?"
"No, Haley. You know you can't go home."
"The memory modification wears off too often. I remember too much."
"You're too strong-willed."
"Do they miss me?"
"No. You know that."
"The clone is well?"
"Yes. The clone is well."
"What will happen to her when I'm through?"
Lauder looked down at the girl and shook his head before leaving the room.

She grasped the gun, opened the compartment in her hip and snapped it in, adjusted her leg setting and turned toward the tube opening before turning on the ChamSuit.
Just as it adjusted, she marveled at the way her body seemed to disappear in front of any surface, then brushed her curiosity from her mind and dove into the tube and into the night's assignment.