"Carla?" Thomas walked through the door of their new home, waiting to see the woman of his heart. "Carla? Where are you?"

"Boo!" Carla jumped out from behind the open door and jumped onto his back. "Got you!"

"Oh no you don't!" Thomas span around and ran further into the house. It was like a dream. The sun shining in through the brand new windows, the warm yellow walls of the hall and the fresh smell of furnished wood in the air. As he span, giggles came to his ears and long ebony hair fell all over his face. "Just you wait 'till I get my hands on you!"

"You are just grumpy because I won't let you touch me until the honey moon."

"Well yes." He stopped and looked in the mirror opposite. Staring back at him was a young man in his 20's, with light brown hair, green eyes, creamy skin and a rugged smile. But over his shoulder held a more, alluring sight for him. Carla's dark hair made it hard to see, but he could just see past the wavy ebony veil. Bright blue eyes, cute little freckles on her cheeks and nose, peachy skin and small dimples where she smiled. Her long ebony black hair was wild with curly locks and a perfect fringe over her forehead. "But it will be worth the wait."

"Good. Because we have a lot of unpacking to do." Carla dropped off his back, stumbled from the spin, and made her way up the stairs. "You coming?"

"Sure I." The phone rang and cut him off. "Just after I get that."

"Ok, don't be long. You are not leaving it all for me to do." She skipped up the stairs, happy as a new bride should be and vanished into the bedroom.

"That depends who's on the phone…" Tom leaned against the wall and lifted the speaker piece to his mouth, and listened. "Hello?"

"Agent Black. It's been a while."

"Listen Jackal, I don't want you calling me anymore, especially not here."

"Afraid your little wify-poo will pick up the phone? You know I wouldn't divulge your 'occupation' to her. You are too valuable."

"Look, I am not part of Operation Rolling Thunder Two anymore, so stop calling me. And why are you calling me?" The frustration in his voice was starting to elevate, but not loud enough to deter the man on the other end of the phone.

"You will never leave the core. You know that. Just because you grow a backbone and try to hightail it, doesn't mean we will let you go all that easily."

"I have a wife. I have a new life and a job at the hardware store. I left the core and I will never go back."

"…How is Carla?" Tom's eyes budged in his head and felt his throat grow sore.

"How did you know her name?"

"We have eyes and ears everywhere Black. You know that." His face drained of all colour as the deep voice continued. "You're not out of our reach Black. Not by far."

"I take it my landline is tapped and my computer is bugged?"

"As standard yes."

"What else?"

"But Black, if I told you that, it would ruin the surprise." Tom looked over his shoulder to check that Carla was still upstairs.

"What surprise?"

"Surprise is the wrong word. Offer is more like it."

"What do you mean offer? I will not take bribes Jackal."

"This is not just a bribe, it is a decision. A decision that you better make wisely, or pretty little Carla, may not live through it…"

"How dare you threaten!"

"I can do as I like Black, or should I say Claws?"

"I told you no, and never call me that again!"

"I can call you what the hell I like Black!"

"Listen Jackal!"

"No you listen Claws. I own you. The core owns you and if we think it is time for you to get your pretty boy ass, out of your comfy chair and do your duty to your country, then by God you will get your pretty boy ass out of your comfy chair and do as you are told!"

"I won't do it."

"Then Carla will pay the price." The underlining promise in that statement, chilled his spine and made him check behind him, paranoid of where his wife was. She wasn't there and he turned his back to the stairs.

"Leave her out of this...please..."

"The words of a desperate man ay Black?" Thomas met Carla at school. They stayed together through out school, worked together in university and married only a week ago. They were due to go on their honeymoon in only a week. He couldn't let anything happen to her. He loved her.

"Just say what you called me to say. What do you want?"

"We have one more mission for you."

Carla hummed to herself as she unpacked her clothed. For two years she and Tom had saved up for the dream house and the perfect wedding. They married on a cruse boat off the coast of Hawaii last week. They moved into their new house a few days ago and Tom even had a new job all planned out. Her day was perfect, her life was perfect. Nothing could go wrong.

Thud.

She span round and ran out the room. A loud crash came from the lounge and within seconds. Carla skidded to a stop in the lounge, only to see Tom with half a broken phone in his hand, and surrounded by the debris of the once new table.

"What happened? Why is he phone in two pieces... And what the hell happened to the table?"

"Nothing. I'm just...having a bad day..."