The moment I walk into the bathroom my phone buzzes, twice in quick succession.

Welcome back!! Xx

Come see your aunty so I can say hello

I put the phone in my pocket and wash my hands. Blood swirls out into the basin, a red frill on the colorless liquid, and drains away. I don’t have time to wash the rest off – the crusting on my collar and sleeves - but doesn’t matter. I just hate the feeling of blood under my fingernails.

+

Our headquarters are large and sprawling, exactly the kind you’d expect to see in a movie. Even the foyer is thickly carpeted with soft red material with several hallways leading away from it. I duck out of the bathroom and check my watch. Two minutes since I received the text.

‘K – I mean 72!’ There’s a shriek, and I spin around just in time to catch the girl flying towards me in my arms. We teeter a little bit off balance, and I grin.

‘Still getting used to the numbers, huh?’

Yam steps back, pouting. A headpiece hangs from around her neck, I point at it. ‘You didn’t abandon your station to come see me, did you?’

‘So what if I did? 73 kept telling me you were dead!’

‘He was just teasing. I saw him yesterday, at the airport. On his way to Russia, I think.’

‘. Anyway, I actually didn’t abandon my station. I was on my way to give this piece back.’

I reach out, punching Yam ineffectually on the shoulder. ‘You’re being promoted? I knew it’d happen, I told you! Ah –’ I look down at my watch again. ‘Actually hold that thought. I’ve got to go, Aunt In texted me.’

‘What, already?’

‘I know.’ I gesture ruefully at my collar. ‘Wish she’d let me have a shower at least.’

Yam swats at me. ‘Go, quick. Don’t keep her waiting. But if you have time, after you’re done, I’d like to have a chat with my best friend, thanks. I’ve missed her.’

I grin and give Yam a quick salute. ‘I’ll see what I can do. Missed you too.’

+

The walk to Aunt In’s office isn’t long, it’s only a few doors down one of the many corridors, but by the time I reach the familiar plain wooden door I feel like my feet are bowling balls attached to the brittle sticks that are my legs. My whole body is heavy, ready to collapse at any moment. When I reach the office, the door is already slightly ajar. I knock anyway. Mostly out of respect but also because I heard that once someone walked in without knocking and ended up in the hospital with bullets in all their non-vital organs.

'Come in.’

'Aunt In?’

'72. Welcome.’ Aunt In looks up, smiling. 'How was it?’

I greet her and sit down in front of the desk. ‘Fine. Everything went smoothly.’

‘I know you only just returned, and I’m sorry for calling you here. Don’t worry, you’ll have time to clean up,’ she glances at my shirt, ‘and have a rest before we need you to go out again. But we do need to ask you to go out again, and soon. I have a file for you, if you’re interested.’

I nod. 'Of course, yeah. Is it a long assignment?’

'We don’t have a time frame for this, but I’m assuming it’ll be at least a month, possibly longer. However, it is mostly a surveillance job, so long hours but significantly less strain than your previous job.’ Aunt In raises an eyebrow me. I shrug.

'I like a challenge. But something a bit more relaxed might be nice.’

Aunt In shakes her head. ‘Don’t accept now. Go home, rest, and get back to me. You have until 1900 hours tomorrow to accept the assignment or I will turn to another agent. Like I said, this is a less dangerous task than previous assignments we’ve sent you on, but that doesn’t mean there’s less at stake. We need the best for the job.’

‘I understand.’

Aunt In nods, clearly dismissing me, and I get to my feet. My hand is on the door-handle when Aunt In says,

‘By the way, 72?’

‘Yes?’

‘Welcome back.’

I leave. Yam is standing in almost exactly the same position as she was before when I reach the main hall. She looks up from her phone at me and raises her eyebrows. ‘That was quick.’

‘New assignment. I’ve got a bit of time to read over the file and accept or decline.’

‘You stay on your toes, huh.’

‘Tell me about it.’ Without the adrenaline sparking in my veins I feel like a disused puppet. It’s everything I can do not to lie down on the soft floor right here and go to sleep. I rub harshly at my face, hoping to perk up.

‘Geez. I’m exhausted. Are you still working?’

Yam shakes her head. ‘I’m done for the day. I was just waiting for you.’

‘Thanks.’ I cover my mouth and yawn. The hall flickers in and out of sight, leaving traces of yellow from the lights under my eyelids.

‘Come on.’ I can feel Yam taking hold of my arm and helping me along, can hear her voice echoing through the space in between sleep and waking. My eyes drift closed, flicker open, and then –

I jerk awake, heart beating fast. There’s a moment of panic as I struggle with the pale mass around me, fighting to free myself from its clutches until I fall backwards and realize I was viciously attacking my bedsheets. Sunlight dribbles in through the window, pooling on the floor and running down my back like warm oil. I stretch, smiling. You can’t truly appreciate a good night’s sleep in your own bed until you’ve been away for ten days dodging bullets and barely closing your eyes. I remain where I am, soaking in the quiet and the warmth for a moment before clambering off the floor and pushing open my bedroom door. At the kitchen table, Yam is sitting with a cup of coffee and the newspaper.

‘Morning!’

‘Hi.’ I wave at her. ‘Thanks for last night. I hope you didn’t have to carry me up here.’

Yam smirks. ‘I did, actually. You were pretty much out by the time we reached the downstairs lobby.’

‘Ah.’ I slide into a chair and rub the back of my neck. ‘Sorry.’

‘It’s ok. I haven’t missed an arm workout day at the gym in months, and last night it payed off. You know, you’re tall but you’re light.’

‘Maybe you should carry me around more often.’

‘In your dreams.’

‘I’d rather save my dreams for something more interesting.’

Yam grins. ‘You want some tea? The kettle’s boiled if you do.’

‘Awesome.’ Within minutes I’m clasping a cup to my chest and settling onto the couch. Steam floats through the air; I blow it away before taking a sip. ‘D’you have work today?’

Yam shakes her head, turning a page in her newspaper. ‘Nope. I’m off today and tomorrow.’

‘Any plans?’

‘Mm…’ Yam pauses. ‘Oh! Yeah, actually. Thanks for reminding me. She wouldn’t have liked it if I’d forgotten.’

I grin. ‘Some girlfriend you are.’

‘I am a wonderful girlfriend.’

‘How’s it going with you two?’

At that moment, there’s a knock on the door, and Yam jumps to her feet, her whole face lighting up. ‘Hold that thought!’ She rushes over, pulling open the apartment door and says ‘hi,’ in a way that means good morning, love of my life. I snort.

‘Hi,’ says Pii back, in a way that means the same. There’s a pause while they stare wistfully into each other’s eyes. I clear my throat.

‘Oh, right.’ Yam pulls Pii into the apartment and closes the door behind her. ‘Kim’s back.’

‘Yo!’

‘Hey.’ I grin up at Pii. ‘Been awhile.’

‘Yeah! Yammy says you went on like some impromptu trip to Europe or something. How was it?’

‘Cold and grey. I’m glad to be back.’

‘We should all go out for drinks sometime,’ says Pii, slinging an arm over Yam’s shoulders. ‘Unfortunately today is all about this special lady.’

‘Don’t let me keep you. I need a shower anyway.’

‘Well I still need to get dressed, so you’re not really holding us up,’ Yam says, and disappears into her bedroom.

‘What have you guys planned today?’ I turn to Pii. She sits down on Yam’s recently vacated chair.

‘Something special. It’s our one-year anniversary.’

‘Congratulations!’

‘Thanks.’ Pii beams. ‘Honestly can’t believe she stuck with me for a whole year.’

‘Come on, you’re selling yourself short. You should hear Yam talk about you.’

Pii laughs, flushing. ‘She’s something else. So, I’ve got some surprises planned. What about you, anything on?’

‘No way. I’ll just laze around here. Have a really long shower. Watch some TV.’

‘Sounds like a good day to me.’

‘I’m looking forward to it. But I also have a tiny bit of work to do, so I guess I’ll slot that in somewhere.’

‘I’d say call us if you get bored, but –’

‘Don’t worry, I don’t want to ruin your anniversary. Besides, I doubt spending time with you love birds would be that fun for me.’

‘Ouch.’

‘Is Kim being mean?’ asks Yam, emerging from her room.

‘If she is, your beauty made it all better.’

‘Hush you.’ Yam leans down to kiss Pii on the tip of her nose, and then turns to me. ‘Call us if you need anything.’

‘I just told her not to do that,’ Pii grumbles. I laugh.

‘I’ll be fine. Have fun on your anniversary.’

‘Bye Kim!’

‘Later.’

I wave goodbye, and soon the apartment is empty and quiet. I take a deep breath, savoring the absence of gunfire around me, then head to the bathroom. Shower time.

+

One long, long shower and several episodes of some drama I don’t know the name of later, I find myself lying on the couch with the case file. Despite the short time to recuperate, I don’t really mind being sent out again. I do – after all – have the coolest job in the world. I mute the television, roll onto my stomach, and open the file.

OPERATION: HOUSEWIFE

I stare. And stare. And then I call Yam