Not Bad

98.

The cat and mouse game is on. Vi, in telling her story of the escape, needs to sell the veracity of her intentions on both sides of the wall. She must convince Cyrus, and more importantly Mr Big that it was through her cunning and fearlessness that she escaped. On the other side of the wall I am listening to her testimony with the same degree of interest that a technician might have when administering a polygraph test. 

The entire operation was build upon the success of flipping her from doing the dirty deeds of The Axis to her rebirthing as a born-again defender of justice. A trick we have always considered a long-shot but were satisfied with her progress, ability to handle dramatic change and willingness to engage with an altogether new morality. In some cultures this is called Baptism, and it is often by fire instead of water. 

She seems to be in control of the situation, still detailing the events that has led her back to their door, offering her tactical experience and specific expertise on their behalf. She is a terrific actress, however at this juncture in the surveillance I would sell a large portion of my soul for some video, as there is nothing more telling than watching non-verbal communications, the body language of truth, to determine the actual success of one's thespian skills.

Mr Big is narrowing his infrequent requests for specific fact down to the rather fantastic series of events that allowed the two of them, herself and me, who she refers to as ‘the Fed’ to pull off an impossible escape, evade a city-wide lock down, successfully hide out, initiate contact, and show up in full disguise and asking for her old job back. He calls it borderline unbelievable, meaning to me, that this is the critical moment in the charade, one where she needs to carry the day and make the sale. This is the moment where stars are born, delivering a juicy line of dialogue with the outcome at the exact center of the balance beam. It is a could-go-either-way, sink or swim, boom or bust, life or death moment. 

“There were times I thought it was over, but then I would get some kind of cosmic inspiration telling me to just keep pushing as hard and as intrepidly as I could, just run through the fucking fire and see what’s next. We were flying past guards, knocking them down like bowling pins, pissing on the warden’s floor and blowing shit up. I never stopped moving at full speed until we were free. Fucking free at last. It scared the living shit outta me, but what a rush. I have never felt more invigorated and alive, ever. And now here I am. Ready for work. Reporting for fucking duty.”

Not bad I whisper to myself.