Magda stood at the rear corner of the two-story cement government building.  The calm wind tenderly played in her hair, waving the black locks back and forth.  From her perch on the roof she watched the sun slowly break the tail end of night as a soft golden hue cascaded upon the world; a world which would surely change for her in a matter of moments.

The steadfast sound of crushing gravel below grew more urgent.  Magda knew it was him sprinting to the silver sports car at the edge of the build.  No one followed him, called for him or fired weapons.   No alarms pierced the awaking day.  She thought to herself that he would have to wait; the backup plan allocated a three minute window for either team member who failed to reach inside check point. This is what she was told.  Magda knew it was a lie.

She always admired his tenacity to accomplish his objectives.  In previous assignments, he willing sacrificed other members, escape vehicles, and personal beliefs allowing him to flee without capture.

It was two missions ago, while jaunting around Istanbul where he disappeared without notice, leaving Magda vulnerable for capture by her own secret service.

An overnight painful interrogation splintered her silence and she revealed her part in counter spying against her home land.  In the following twilight, they spared her life in exchange for the killing of all foreign agents she had assisted.  The following day photos were sent to her of her family being held.  The scene was gruesome.  In her mind she feared for their lives; in her heart she knew they had perished.

Three weeks earlier, while in Southern Italy, Magda poisoned two agents and sent photos for proof.  Aaron had not taken the after dinner drink, thus surviving the night while his team members silently choked themselves to death.

Today, in a more spectacular avenging act, he would die.

Aaron reached the sports car and with deliberate moves was inside.  He wasn’t going to wait the three minutes for Magda; he was always planning to leave her behind to die in the explosion.  Through the windshield she watched as he frantically searched the compartment for the keys, the very keys she held in her hand.

With one mighty throw, Magda heaved a black backpack of explosives through air and watched as it plummeted on to the hood of the silver car.  She never placed her plastic explosives in the building as instructed, but rather went to the roof to prepare for this moment and waited; waited for the man who left her for capture, the man she tried to kill once before.

Aaron’s body jolted in shock, his hands reacted with a death grip on the steering wheel.  He recognized the twin backpack; he knew the heavy thud meant the plastic explosives were still inside.  The noise caught him off guard, but his mind quickly calculated that this was a foreseen confrontation.  He released his paralyzing hold of the wheel and looked upward through the windshield.  She stood defiantly two stories above him looking more confident than usual. 

Magda’s stance was wide; one hand on her hip the other stretched outward holding the detonator.  The rising sun glittered her solid black attire with a softening gold.  Her hair flocked freely behind her shoulders. 

Killing Aaron wasn’t the cure, but rather an action required to calm the hatred in her mind.  Her capture was entirely his fault.  Deep in the night she often pondered if it was premeditated.  His knack for leaving at the proper time never failed him and this clouded the possibility that it was coincidence. 

Once the black button was pressed, the explosives would engulf the car and execute Aaron in a brilliant fireball.  Once the black button was pressed, her spirit would be free from the anger she held within soul.  Once the black button was pressed, her world would change in a matter of moments.

As Magda’s finger slowly began to rest upon the trigger, she noticed for the first time that Aaron was purposely staring at her, not in fright but with a slight smile.

Less than six hours earlier, Aaron and Magda sat side by side with a small team preparing for the demolition of a Chinese government building.  Neither member questioned why the destruction was necessary though in early reconnaissance they speculated this building was used to assist a nonviolent global terrorist group.  The “Silent Partner” group prepared and trained elite terrorist organizations to commit the violent acts the world would learn about through the media, but never participate in the acts themselves.

Once the plan was formed, both agents dressed with the help of other team member.  Aaron’s assistant, with his back to Magda, began to whisper.  “We’ve just learned that your partner was compromised.  She was caught in Istanbul as suspected.   We also are assuming she killed agents Mosscat and Wombat.  Unfortunately we need her now.  Inside the terrorist building at this very moment is the number two and three leader of the “Silent Partner” group. “

Aaron didn’t flinch or make a change in his gaze.  He looked at Magda in an uncaring manner.  Magda returned the gaze.

“Damn.” Magda’s assistant appeared frustrated as she held the middle button of the vest in her hand.  This act was carefully planned.  She reached into the kit, discreetly switched buttons and quickly fastened a black button to the vest.  The entire sequence took under two minutes.

“Ok, Aaron.  You are ready,” his assistant said aloud.  Then he handed Aaron the black cap to hide is greying brown hair. He whispered again.  “The new button fastened to her vest is a chemical explosive.  Leave her inside the building and get out as soon as you’ve planted your bits.  Get in the car and use the black button on the keys to detonate the building and her button.  She’ll never know what happened.  Don’t get caught with her; there is enough material in that button to scatter your body as well.”

The sun continued to rise revealing the colors the night hid.  Green leaves.  A cloudless blue sky.  Crimson red blood that painted the grey roof from the security guards Magda killed while fortifying her perch.  Looking down to the silver car, she could see her target clearly through the windshield, his brown hair, white skin, his smile…  Why was he smiling?

She was about to kill him, he had to know that by now and yet he smiled so carelessly.   Her mind searched in speeds she couldn’t comprehend for an answer.  Mentally she retraced her last few hours.  The planning, the meeting huddled in a small corner room, the dressing… the tiny incident of the button on her vest.

Magda returned the grimace as she yanked the middle fastener from her vest and watched as Aarons lips uncurled and went flat.  Placing the button on the edge of her thumb, she flicked the tiny killer over the side.  They both watched in slow motion as the black button dropped to the gravel below.

Aaron leaned back away from the window.

Magda pressed the black button to detonate the explosives in the building, in the backpack on the hood of the car and the fastener hidden among the gravel.

A blinding fiery light engulfed the new day.

Magda’s soul was free from hatred.