"Are you kidding me, what the hell was that?"
Flynn was pacing around, throwing his hands in the air. Michael lived in a small apartment in the worst possible part of London, but it was something that in a very weird way reminded him of the places he was used to back in NY, that’s why he’d chosen it. Flynn had warned him he’d eventually have to move out from there and somewhere closer to the group, but for now, this worked well. Michael lived alone- he always had, and he and Flynn had agreed to avoid meeting just the two of them unless something really big was going on. Judging by the tantrums Flynn was throwing, the big thing had happened.
“I can’t believe you told them your actual name and ...and the cop thing, I mean…” Flynn ran a hand absently through his hair and immediately pulled it back, probably scraping the burn Killian had made earlier. Now that he saw it better, Michael noticed it was quite deep. The man wasn’t kidding.
Michael propped himself on the edge of the table- his apartment didn’t have much anyway- a small bed with a nightstand, and the kitchen consisted of a table with two chairs and the usual household utensils.
He was pretty sure the dishwasher didn’t work, but neither did he know how to cook, nor did he eat in any way.
Michael preferred it that way, he never needed much, since he never knew how much time he’d have on a place, and packing wasn’t something he’d have time for in case of an emergency. He also wasn’t sentimental. Flynn eventually stopped walking around like a caged animal and sagged in the nearest wooden chair.
Michael glanced around in search of his cigarettes and when he didn’t see them anywhere near, he just decided to direct his attention elsewhere, and not to the raising need to just be left alone and put his thoughts together. Too much was going on for him, and that didn’t include only the task at hand.
“Well, “ Michael tried, “whatever it was, I got to go with him, this is what we wanted, right? Get closer to the guy , so that we can have more on Richard. “
“This is too risky and dangerous. The plan was for you to just be introduced to them today. Maybe get you to run a few errands here and there, not to.. “
“But that’s even better, right?”
“I...I don’t know. “
Flynn folded his arms and bit his thumb. “Killian’s unpredictable, you saw that for yourself today. How do you know he won’t just go off and shoot you?”
Michael shrugged.
“I don’t. “
Flynn groaned and leaned further in his chair.
“Jesus. You guys all from the CIA are insane, aren’t you? “
“More or less. But I guess it’s not much different with MI6, right?”
His new partner said thoughtfully.
“No, actually now that you mention it, there are a few psychos here and there. “
“Yeah?”
“Yeah, there’s always one in the pair. “
“It’s me in ours, then. “ Michael said and this time they both laughed.
“What do you think the task will be?” he asked after a while.
“No idea. As far as I know, Killian doesn’t have bodyguards or anything, let alone someone he takes around with. “
“No? What about the older guy, today, “ Michael asked, “He seemed quite, you know…”
“Overprotective? Yeah, that’s Garrey.”
Michael shifted. He’d wanted to ask about the man ever since they left the office, and he could swear the man seemed to be watching every single step everyone in the room made. But there was something different about the way he never let Killian’s moves go unnoticed.
“Garrey? Who’s he? There wasn’t anything in the information I was present with before coming here. And I’d remember if there were.”
He tried to sound casual, nothing in his tone betraying what he’d noticed and that maybe his curiosity wasn’t just something to do with the job.
No, he wasn’t jealous, or anything- that would be beyond absurd, but he preferred to know more.
Flynn dropped his arms and draped one over the armrest of the chair.
“He’s an ex-agent, just like he told you. “
“And everyone knows that. “
“Naturally. “
“How do they know he’s not on the force still? “
Flynn looked at him amused.
“No, right- he’s probably known Richard all his life. “
“Yeah, Mike. And Garrey’s more of the kind of guy you never want to cross. “
“Like Killian. “
“Like Killian. “
“Do you know what he wants me for? “
“It could be anything, “Flynn said, “ From taking you to get his car washed, to ordering you to shoot someone. “
Michael must've made a face because Flynn hurried to explain.
“Well, you saw him today. “
“Yeah. “
“Look, the thing with Killian is he was raised by Richard. “
“Raised?’
“Well, yeah. They say he took him in when Killian was like fourteen- fifteen, or something... “
“Took him, from where?”
“I don’t know, Mike. But Garrey is Richard’s right-hand man, I’d assume he’d send him to watch over his most valuable asset. “
“And his successor. “
Michael offered.
“Yeah, especially over his successor.“
They looked at each other and their eyes met. Michael felt like all his fears were confirming. Killian wasn’t just Richard’s protege, just as his boss back in the US had said. Everything was getting worse and worse by the second.
“Well, I guess I’ll soon find out, “ he said eventually.
“Just be careful, all right. “ Flynn wriggled in his seat, most likely interpreting his mood wrongly. “We can't have you get killed in the first month of your work, you know. Doesn’t speak well about us in MI6, okay?”
“I can’t promise. “
“Nah, you won’t get away that easy, we’re just starting. “
Flynn pushed away from his seat and got up, still smiling.
”Right. I’ll be going. Call me if anything happens, okay. “
“Okay. “
Flynn was already heading towards the front door when Michael said.
“Hey, Flynn?”
“Yeah?”
“Thanks. “
The guy glanced back at him and winked.
“Nothing to thank me for, that’s why we’re partners. I’ll see you around. “
“Yeah, you too. “
Michael followed to see him off, trying not to think what would happen next.
For the first time since he’d come here, he felt that things might work out, and he wasn’t on the other side of the world without knowing whether there would be a tomorrow.
One never knew, especially in the world he lived in, but Flynn looked like someone he could count on, even if the guy didn’t agree with his ways.
Killian was a different thing, though, and Michael braced himself and the idea he was going to meet him again sooner than he was ready for.