My sibling recommended that I set up a surveillance device in our home prior to departing on a one-month professional journey to a different town. I chose to heed his suggestion…

«Like Mark’s?» — «Three men. Armed». I felt fear binding movement, paralyzing will.

«Is this the end? They found us, surrounded, will catch, kill? What to do?» — I asked, barely finding strength to speak. «I have a plan,» — John turned to me, his eyes were decisive, firm. «But you need to follow my instructions exactly.

Without questions, without hesitation. Can you?» I nodded. No choice.

Only trust him. Completely, unconditionally. «In the bedroom there is a hatch in the basement.

Hide there. Whatever happens, don’t come out until I come for you. Or until a day passes.

If in a day I don’t return, in the basement there is a spare exit. It leads to the forest. Go east, in five kilometers there will be a village.

There you’ll find help». He spoke fast, clearly, like a person accustomed to crisis situations, to making decisions under pressure. «And you? What will you do, you?» «Delay them.

Distract. Give you time to leave». I understood what he is going to do.

Sacrifice himself. For me. «No.

I won’t leave you. Emily, he took me by the shoulders, looked in the eyes. I am trained for this.

I have a chance. And if you stay, there will be no chances for anyone. Please.

Do as I ask». In his eyes was such determination, such confidence, that I couldn’t not believe. Couldn’t not obey.

«Good,» — I said, holding back tears. «But promise you’ll be careful. Promise you’ll come back for me».

I promise, he smiled, and in his smile, I saw the old John. My John. The person I loved for seven years.

The person I married. The person with whom I dreamed to live all life. The car stopped at the house.

Voices were heard, steps. «Go,» John pushed me to the bedroom. «Fast.

And remember. Whatever happens, don’t come out until I come for you. Or until a day passes».

I nodded, kissed him on the cheek and ran to the bedroom. Found the hatch under the carpet, opened, descended into the dark, damp basement. Closed the hatch over my head, finding myself in complete darkness.

Heart beat so strongly that it seemed its beat can be heard even upstairs. I sat in the darkness, listening to the sounds from the house. Voices, steps, something else.

Muffled, indistinct. And then shots. One, second, third.

Screams, something broke, something fell. And silence. Terrible, oppressive silence.

I sat motionless, barely breathing. What is happening upstairs? Who won? Who lost? Is John alive? Are they looking for me? Time passed. Minutes, hours.

In the darkness, without clock, without light, I lost count of time. Perhaps two hours passed. Perhaps five.

Perhaps more. And suddenly. The sound of the opening hatch.

Light penetrating from above. Silhouette of a person against the light. Emily.

John’s voice. Alive, unharmed John’s. Are you here? Everything is okay.

I rushed to him, hugged, pressed, inhaling his smell, feeling his warmth, his strength, his life. What happened? Who was it? Are you wounded? Everything is okay. He hugged me in response.

This was a special group. My special group. Not Mark’s people.

I stepped back, not understanding. Your special group? But you said. Armed men.

Black SUV. Sorry, he looked guilty. I wasn’t sure it was mine.

Couldn’t risk. And when I saw who it is, decided to conduct a small test. Test? I still didn’t understand.

What test? On your loyalty. On your trust. Staged the shootout to check if you follow my instructions.

Will you stay in the basement, as I asked. I stepped back, stunned. You checked me? Arranged all this spectacle, made me fear, worry, think that you, perhaps, killed.

Only to check my loyalty? He lowered his eyes, embarrassed, guilty. This was necessary, Emily. I had to be sure.

Before taking you with me. Before trusting you further. Taking you with me? Where? To New York? The operation is resumed.

We take Mark, Patterson, all their group. Today. Now.

I looked at him, not believing my ears. But. How? You said the operation failed.

Mark learned about you, about your plans. This was a lie, John looked me straight in the eyes. Another check.

I had to make sure you’re on my side. That you don’t work for Mark. Don’t try to deceive me, set me up, betray me.

I shook my head, trying to comprehend what I heard. So all this. Escape from Mark’s complex, this cottage, these three days together.

All this was part of some check. Some game. Not a game, Emily.

Operations. Serious, dangerous operations, where people’s lives are at stake. My life.

Your life. Lives of many others. I was silent, trying to understand what I feel.

Anger? Disappointment? Offense? Or relief? Pride? Joy that I passed the check, that John now trusts me? And what now? I asked finally. What is required from me? Nothing special. Just be near.

Be a witness. When everything ends, you’ll give testimony against Mark, Patterson. Tell what you saw, what you heard, what you know.

And Michael? What will be with him? John paused, as if deciding how much can be told. Michael is a complicated case. He really works for Mark.

But also works for us. What? I didn’t believe my ears. Michael is a double agent? Yes.

He was embedded in Mark’s organization three years ago. By our order. For collecting information, for preparing the operation.

But. Everything he did. Listening device, manipulations, traps.

All this was part of the plan. Our common plan. We couldn’t tell you, Emily.

For your safety. The less you knew, the less risk that you accidentally give us away, our operation, our real faces. I shook my head, unable to believe.

Too many turns, too many revelations, too much truth, after so many years of lie. So Michael didn’t betray me? He was always on your side? On the side of the law, truth, justice? Yes. He risked his life, his reputation, everything.

For duty, service, country. Like me. I sat on the steps leading from the basement, trying to comprehend what I heard. The whole world turned upside down.

Again. The third, fourth, fifth time, for these crazy days. I don’t know what to think, I confessed. Don’t know what to feel.

Don’t know who to believe. John sat next to me, took my hand in his. Believe the facts, Emily.

Believe the evidence. Believe your heart. It always knew the truth.

Always felt it, even when the mind doubted. I looked at him, at my husband, at the person with whom I lived seven years. At the person I loved, trusted, respected. And who, despite everything, I still loved.

Good, I said, standing up. I’m with you.

To the end. John smiled, stood next to me. Then let’s go.

They are waiting for us in New York. We left the house. At the porch stood a black SUV.

Next to three men. Serious, fit, in FBI special forces form. Real special forces, not fake.

Everything is ready, comrade major, one of them saluted. Capture group in positions. Waiting only for your signal.

Excellent, nodded John. Moving out. Operation «Clean Hands» started.

We got in the car. Went to New York. On the way, John told me the details of the operation, plans, strategy.

I listened, nodded, memorized. Like a diligent student, like a faithful assistant, like a reliable partner. And felt a strange mixture of emotions.

Pride for husband, for brother, for their service, their duty, their honor. Relief that everything will end soon, that truth will triumph, that justice will be restored. And fear.

Fear for them, for myself, for our future. Because the operation was only beginning. And no one could guarantee that it will end successfully.

That Mark, Patterson, their people won’t resist, won’t take desperate actions, won’t harm those who stand in the way of their freedom, their power, their money. But I was ready to risk. Ready to go to the end.

For John. For Michael. For the truth.

For justice. And, perhaps, for myself too. For the woman I became in these crazy days.

Strong, decisive, ready to fight for what I believe in. For those I love.

The operation began at noon…