Chapter 394 - Being Alone Is A Choice

Hummingbird checked into a traditional Moroccan riad, connected her Bluetooth earpiece, and sat by the pool.

"So, what exactly do you need me to do?" she asked casually over the phone as she waved at a staff member, "One Tequila Sunrise, please."

Halia heard the woman and smiled, "I am sending backup soon, but for now, I want you to confirm that Amun is definitely in Morocco at the current time. According to our lead, he frequents a rooftop bar just outside of the Medina at the Sahara Hotel. Alcohol is hard to come by, so there aren't many bars to choose from. This particular one is the most exclusive and only allows access to foreigners. He often goes to the bar to look for one-night-stands with tourists. It leaves him with less loose ends since they are only in the city for a short period of time. I will send you a sketch. Don't do anything reckless if you see him and don't draw too much attention to yourself. If he has his eyes on you, he may even spike your drink."

Hummingbird nodded, "Don't worry. Send the sketch through."

After Hummingbird hung up the phone, she leaned back and looked up at the blue sky. "I guess, I'm free to do anything until the sun sets..." she whispered to herself. This was the benefit of being on her own. At times like this, she could do whatever she wanted without having to discuss with another person or consider their feelings. This was why being a spy was perfect for her. What other job allowed one to travel often and not be tied down? She had always been a free spirit that did not like restraint. Probably, that was the meaning behind her code name: like a bird flying in the sky, she never wanted to land. At least...she had yet to find a reason to land.

As she soaked in the warmth of the sun, she closed her eyes comfortably. The silence was calming; she could lie there all day like that. But, a voice suddenly broke the silence, "My name is Franco, what's yours?" a handsome young man was standing at the edge of the pool. He seemed to be a backpacker that was on his own as well. A charming smile was directed her way and the man stretched out his hand. 

Hummingbird shook the man's hand and lied, "Maggie." She had made many friends on the road, but she never kept in touch with any of them because she always provided a fake name and fake details. Apart from her parents, probably no one in this world knew who Allison Jones was.

Hummingbird looked at the man. Dark brown hair, hazel eyes, neatly groomed facial hair, Italian accent; he would match the boyfriend criteria for a lot of women. But, Hummingbird was different. She wasn't after a relationship nor even a hookup. Her life could not accommodate another person. Besides, she was much too smart to fall into societal norms and expectations. What? Did they expect her to get married, settle down, and have children? That was not for her.

"Are you on your own?" the man asked.

Hummingbird smiled and nodded her head. 

"Why would a beautiful woman like you be alone?" the man flirted as he sat down by the pool.

This was not the first time a man had asked her this question. If he was simply trying to make small talk, she was happy to make a new friend, but if he had other motives, she had no time to mess with him. Without answering, she asked back, "Are you on your own?"

With a twinkle in his eyes, the man cleared his throat and smirked, "Yes."

"Then, why are you on your own?" Hummingbird questioned.

The man looked amused. He moved a little closer and revealed a charming smile.

"I haven't found the one yet...but you may be the one..." he said, deliberately trying to tease and flirt with the woman. These words always worked a charm.

But, to his surprise, Hummingbird looked into his eyes and said, "Well...I guess you've misunderstood. I'm on my own because I choose to be on my own..."

The man laughed awkwardly when he heard this response and almost choked on his own spit. This was not the response that he expected. Taking the hint, he stood up and excused himself.

Hummingbird laughed and closed her eyes again to enjoy the silence.

That night, Hummingbird returned to her room and changed into a short black dress. The dress made her blue eyes and blond hair pop, but her aim was to not attract too much attention, so she covered herself with a leather jacket and headed out to the bar that Halia mentioned.

At the entrance of the bar, the security guards asked for her passport. After they confirmed that she was not a local, they let her inside. As Morocco was predominantly a Muslim country, they had strict laws regarding alcohol. Locals were not allowed to drink alcohol in public and alcohol could only be served in licensed venues, so some of the more exclusive bars chose to only serve tourists to avoid any problems.

As Hummingbird stepped inside, she carefully scanned her eyes around. Like all the other BTA's, she had an exceptional memory and already memorized the sketch that Halia sent her. Of course, the sketch was very accurate because Jackson had drawn it after talking to Lotus.

As much as Sasquatch sympathized with Lotus, she was still a criminal, so he arrested her and convinced her to help them. If she helped, not only would she receive a lighter sentence, they would help her create a new identity after she was released. Lotus agreed. After all, she had been wanting to escape from Amun since the night of her 18th birthday, plus she knew Amun wanted her dead, so helping Sasquatch was the smartest decision she could make. 

Hummingbird did not see the man from the sketch so she found a quiet corner to keep watch. Fortunately, thanks to Halia's reminder to keep a low profile, she did not attract too much attention.

However, halfway through the night, a drunk woman suddenly tripped over and tipped a glass of wine all over her body. She quickly removed her jacket and tried to wipe herself dry. But, while she had her head down, a voice suddenly asked, "Are you OK?"

Hummingbird looked up to say that she was fine and saw the man from the sketch standing right in front of her...