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�
âUncle, thereâs no way I can do that with that filthy bastard.â
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 couldnât answer and hesitated, the uncle made a request that she couldnât understand.
[ Go to Joe. Then, donât come again. ]
Sally didnât 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 uncleâs mind and body got weak after he was tortured, or did she make the embarrassing mistake of standing shoulder to shoulder with her comradeâŠ? To leave them and never come back, she, who only knew revolution and comrades.
She thought about the uncleâs 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 uncleâs 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.
âIt took a long time.â
[ Iâm sorry, but Iâll have to put the withdrawal on hold. ]
âWhy? Is it dangerous?â
Sally burst into anger at the unexpected reply. He continued his word in a rather heavy voice without appeasing her.
[ Instead, youâre given a new mission. As always, I believe you will do well. ]
ââŠWhat?â
[ I want you to listen calmly without getting angry. And, donât forget that I love you. ]
As she listened to Jimmyâs words, Sally nervously twisted the wire on the handset and wet her dry lips. Was it a mission to die for?
âIf it is worthwhile, I am willing to give my life honorably. So tell me.â
[ I want you to approach him. ]
Sallyâs head tilted.
âŠApproach him â Was it an illusion that his instructions sound strange?
âI donât know what you mean. Am I not still doing that?â
At that moment, the pencil in her hand broke in two.
Beauty⊠The revolutionary army does not use such dirty tricks.
âAre you out of your mind?â
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. Itâll be of great help in stopping him. Important information can also be accessed more easily. Besides, itâll be easier to deal with when heâs useless someday. ]
âNonsense.â
[ I donât mean to sleep with him. ]
Sally smirked as she wiped her face down.
âThenâŠ? What do you mean if I donât go that far?â
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.
[ Itâs not like that. Avoid as much as you can and try to persuade him. Hopefully, you can control him. ]
âHow am I going to avoid it? Heâs not a normal thinker. How do I control him⊠Are you talking about people like us?â
[ I donât have time to argue. You donât 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.
âWhat? I donât need it. Why did you change like thisâŠ? Youâve never used such a dirty trick before.â
[ You are too idealistic. Sometimes, Iâm not sure if you really are my lifelong friend. ]
âWhat do you mean?â
[ I mean, I need confidence that youâll understand whatever I tell you. Our job is dirtier, more painful, and more disgraceful than you think. Occasionally, it takes a painful dedication. ]
[ Please, understand that this was a difficult decision, too. You did that to me â Like your parents did, you want to become close comrades with me. Donât forget, I love you. ]
âIâll hang up. I have to go before the train cuts off.â
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 Halewoodâs, 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.
âHow can I help you?â
âI want to send money.â
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 addresseeâs name was not Jimmyâs, though her brotherâs. Meanwhile, Jimmyâs words echoed in her head again as she watched the staff busily moving his fingers over the typewriter.
[ You donât have to send money from now on. You will need it. ]
Forget it. She didnât need it.
In the end, the money taken from Winston was not used for the military funds of the headquarters or for Sallyâs funds.
Her nephew, who she didnât 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 didnât 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 Aprilâs whimsical showers. What could be more suitable for her to feel heavy and droopyâŠ?
Sally dragged her bike into the mansionâs 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 Winstonâs 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 âconfiscatedâ 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 didnât lock it today. He couldnât have forgottenâŠ
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 couldnât even get a new gun.
âŠWherever she hides, Winstonâs 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.
Nevertheless, it was she who wanted to live with him as comrades, just like her parents.
ââŠBut, this is not really the case.â
Sally stopped at the door of the maidâs room, pondering the contents of the call. A shopping bag from the department store she went to today was hanging on the doorknob.