Chapter 16

Chapter 16

“What…?”

Sally was momentarily speechless at his astonishing speculation. Perhaps, it was because Winston was friendly with her in the torture chamber, and it got misunderstood…?

“Uncle, there’s no way I can do that with that filthy bastard.”

[ Isn’t that the order from above? ]

“You know that such a task cannot be given from the upper level, even my fiancée.”

[ …. ]

“Uncle.”

[ Are you in touch with Joe? ]

He asked if she had contact with her brother, who had left the comrade out of nowhere. Even though he was a family to Sally, he was a traitor to his comrades.

While she couldn’t answer and hesitated, the uncle made a request that she couldn’t understand.

[ Go to Joe. Then, don’t come again. ]

Sally didn’t know why he hung up the phone. She put the handset back in place and stared at the stain in the corner of the coffee table.

Maybe, it was because uncle’s mind and body got weak after he was tortured, or did she make the embarrassing mistake of standing shoulder to shoulder with her comrade…? To leave them and never come back, she, who only knew revolution and comrades.

She thought about the uncle’s words blankly, then a bang on the wall saying the radio was noisy from next door made her spirit come to life.

Sally and Nancy chatted all afternoon over a cold coffee.

Nonetheless, fragments of the uncle’s words were still floating around in her head. When it was a time when a new topic of discussion fell and traced back to her childhood memories, finally, the phone rang.

“It took a long time.”

[ I’m sorry, but I’ll have to put the withdrawal on hold. ]

“Why? Is it dangerous?”

Sally burst into anger at the unexpected reply. He continued his word in a rather heavy voice without appeasing her.

[ Instead, you’re given a new mission. As always, I believe you will do well. ]

“…What?”

[ I want you to listen calmly without getting angry. And, don’t forget that I love you. ]

As she listened to Jimmy’s words, Sally nervously twisted the wire on the handset and wet her dry lips. Was it a mission to die for?

“If it is worthwhile, I am willing to give my life honorably. So tell me.”

[ I want you to approach him. ]

Sally’s head tilted.

…Approach him — Was it an illusion that his instructions sound strange?

“I don’t know what you mean. Am I not still doing that?”

Sally’s fiancé let out a long sigh and muffled his voice.

[ Did I say to see you as a woman? ]

At that moment, the pencil in her hand broke in two.

Beauty… The revolutionary army does not use such dirty tricks.

“Are you out of your mind?”

As she raised her voice, she could hear the sound of a chair being pulled away from the kitchen. It looked like Nancy was coming this way.

[ You know this is a rare opportunity. It’ll be of great help in stopping him. Important information can also be accessed more easily. Besides, it’ll be easier to deal with when he’s useless someday. ]

“Nonsense.”

[ I don’t mean to sleep with him. ]

Sally smirked as she wiped her face down.

“Then…? What do you mean if I don’t go that far?”

The moment she brought the receiver to her lips and scolded him, Nancy walked out of the kitchen. Sally turned her back from her friend, who leaned against the door frame with a worried face and wrapped her hand around the receiver.

[ It’s not like that. Avoid as much as you can and try to persuade him. Hopefully, you can control him. ]

“How am I going to avoid it? He’s not a normal thinker. How do I control him… Are you talking about people like us?”

[ I don’t have time to argue. You don’t have to send money from now on. You will need it. ]

It meant buying the necessary cosmetics and clothes to seduce Winston on a weekly basis.

“What? I don’t need it. Why did you change like this…? You’ve never used such a dirty trick before.”

[ You are too idealistic. Sometimes, I’m not sure if you really are my lifelong friend. ]

“What do you mean?”

[ I mean, I need confidence that you’ll understand whatever I tell you. Our job is dirtier, more painful, and more disgraceful than you think. Occasionally, it takes a painful dedication. ]

The more her fiancé continued to speak, the more Sally’s face changed from moment to moment.

[ You don’t think this is an excessive sacrifice, do you? Many people lose their lives, although I hope you are not just protecting yourself. ]

“You are my fiancé… No, how can you say that when you know how serious I am about this?”

[ Please, understand that this was a difficult decision, too. You did that to me — Like your parents did, you want to become close comrades with me. Don’t forget, I love you. ]

Jimmy knew well what his fiancé was weakest in words.

Sally bit her lip as he drew the decisive card.

“I’ll hang up. I have to go before the train cuts off.”

It was still a bit early for the train to stop. However, as soon as Sally hung up the phone, she ran out of the safe house because she knew Nancy would ask her what was going on.

While walking towards the tram stop, stomping her feet as if to vent her anger on the innocent street, she could see the department store where she gave the boy money. She then stopped her steps.

Sally grabbed her bag and pondered for a moment before she crossed the boulevard and entered the post office.

There were already people lining up in the lobby of the post office, which was incomparably larger than that of Halewood’s, waiting for their turn. As the deadline approached, the post office workers were busy playing with their hands and did not pay attention to the customers who had just arrived.

She took the round sunglasses out of her bag and put them on. The black scarf was also tightly wrapped around her head and chin to cover her wounds before she stood at the end of the line.

After waiting for about thirty minutes, it was her turn. The gilt-rimmed employee glanced up at her and asked rudely.

“How can I help you?”

“I want to send money.”

Sally pulled out the wad of cash from her bag. The employee raised an eyebrow at the amount before giving her a piece of paper and a pen to write the sender and payee information on. While the man was counting the bills, she twisted the pen.

Remittances she sent through someone other than Peter may be tracked. Regardless, it was difficult to find the sender in a post office in such a bustling metropolis.

Filling out the application form, she handed it to the staff.

The long-scrambled addressee’s name was not Jimmy’s, though her brother’s. Meanwhile, Jimmy’s words echoed in her head again as she watched the staff busily moving his fingers over the typewriter.

[ You don’t have to send money from now on. You will need it. ]

Forget it. She didn’t need it.

In the end, the money taken from Winston was not used for the military funds of the headquarters or for Sally’s funds.

Her nephew, who she didn’t even know the face, would be able to spend a happy Easter… which was a little comforting.

Even though she still wanted to go around because she still felt like it, now that she didn’t have a gun anymore, it would be dangerous for her to wander the dark night streets alone.

On her way back to the mansion from Halewood, her hair and clothes were wet and droopy from April’s whimsical showers. What could be more suitable for her to feel heavy and droopy…?

Sally dragged her bike into the mansion’s employee-only back door. As the sun went down, the lights were dimming in the dark garden. She turned her back to the main building, where the bright lights were pouring out, and she walked towards the ugly annex.

Upon entering through the annex wall, it seemed that Winston’s car was not there.

She put her bike in the backyard shed and looked up, but the lights in the office and bedroom were also off.

He was not back yet?

The revolver, which was still ‘confiscated’ in the office drawer, flashed through her mind for a moment. Despite that, Sally immediately shook her head. He always locked the drawer, but he didn’t lock it today. He couldn’t have forgotten…

That was a trap that was deliberately left open to steal.

With that thought, Sally let out a long sigh as she climbed the steps of the annex to the attic. She couldn’t even get a new gun.

…Wherever she hides, Winston’s dirty hands will find it.

Tonight, for what reason was he going to call her to do some dirty work?

Rescue operations, bombing, robbing the royal family. She had taken on all kinds of challenging missions, however, this was the first time she felt like escaping.

‘Damn Jimmy… Are you still my fiancé?’

Nevertheless, it was she who wanted to live with him as comrades, just like her parents.

‘…But, this is not really the case.’

Sally stopped at the door of the maid’s room, pondering the contents of the call. A shopping bag from the department store she went to today was hanging on the doorknob.

No way, was Winston here…?