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The next day commenced as
the previous one, with a morning ride in which he could spare to use the pillow and not resent damage. This time the night vision devices tested with satisfactory results, and as they finished he went to the clinic once more. Although he knew he could have missed this visit, he chose to take the treatment anyway. He would not allow the risk of starting the journey to his recent past not being in an optimal shape.

His
next scheduled activity of the day was to visit the hairdresser, who was expecting him in a building nearby the clinic. This place housed the facilities where agents had to go for an appearance change.

He had just entered the narrow room
where an old man was working as a stylist when what he found there astonished him. Hanging on one of the walls there was a display of images showing him, or rather his replica, from various angles. He felt a need to ask about the method used to obtain these pictures, which had obviously gotten there after those that Bladek had shown him days before. The gray-haired man merely rebuked him with a gentle voice:

“
Remember that in this business you make no questions, young man. Either way, though willing to tell you, I do not know myself.”

“
He called me young man,” he thought. “This casual mode is missing nowadays, especially since age and youth ceased to be linked. I cannot remember when I was called this way the last time.”

He sat on the worn
out armchair to let the affable character masterfully run across his hair, ringing the scissors while strands of hair were falling one after another on the white sheet over him.

The rancid smell
coming from the barber’s body was making him uncomfortable. He was feeling an urge to get up and go far from there while breathing through his parted lips, which was making that some of the smallest cuttings of hair falling from his head ended up in his mouth. He was having a hard time to control himself and not fall into despair.

The
less than 15 minutes of the old man’s intervention seemed endless to him, but the result was worth the effort. His hairdo looked exactly like that of the character portrayed on the wall, and the three days left before impersonating him would take care of fading the newly-done look of his hair.

When
he finally got up he thanked the old man for his services and went to look for his mission mates. They had to continue preparations. As he walked toward the meeting point, with his right he was moving his hair in an attempt to settle it down and reduce the stiff feeling left in his scalp by the cut.

He had j
ust set foot inside Control’s office when she lifted an arm pointing to the door and said:

“You are being expected at
the wardrobe area. You have an appointment to try on your clothes for next Monday.”

“
And where is that?”

“
Right next to where your appearance was beautified a while ago. You will not have trouble finding it.”

He had to go the distance again. They had done
him uselessly walk over half a mile under the heat from this morning’s sun.

When he reached the
tailors’ room, his face was streaked with sweat lines coming down from his temples that were about to start dripping from his chin.

“Mole
?” asked the younger of the two small men who were there.

“
Yes,” he replied. “I see you are expecting me.”

“That’
s right,” he said. “You must try on this model,” he added, pointing to the clothes hanging from the wire mannequin in front of him.

The suit was perfectly fashionable and looked
crafted close to excellence. The jacket without lapels, light gray and five buttons in the front, elegantly combined with the round-collar pale yellow shirt and the trousers made of a lightweight dark-gray fabric.

The black shoes,
with a fine texture and no ties, completed the outfit that would make him look like in any other day.

“
It seems like you have taken these clothes from my closet. I remember leaving back there garments so alike that I cannot tell them from the ones you are showing me.”

In answer, the man
handed him a picture of his replica wearing exactly the same outfit just a few days before and said:

“
It is not a coincidence; here we leave nothing to chance. If you look carefully, you will notice that these garments carry the label of the tailor that used to dress you back there. The match must be perfect, that’s why we have chosen clothing worn during by him in the past week. This way we avoid the risk of you repeating his appearance too soon; important people never do.”

“
Surprising,” he replied. “I guess now I have to try on these garments.”

“
In the fitting room on the back,” the man said, pointing at the screen door as he handed him the clothes just removed the mannequin.

Minutes later
he was dressing the stylish set while subject to the zealous inspection of every detail the two men were doing at once.

A tug here, a line drawn there
, a pin elsewhere, and ready; there it was. He would have to go back later to pick up the finished work, so after saying goodbye to the diligent tailors, he headed to the office of Control.

“
I hope this time they do not make me come back here,” he thought as he was walking the stretch back under the heavy sun.

He found an
empty office. On the desk there was a laconic note that read: “Lunch. See you at two.”

“It seems that they won’t let me sit today,” he said to himself. “Anyway, I’ll visit the fat man again
.”

The
cafeteria was packed, so he intended to pass unnoticed to the cook. He was carefully watching every movement of his sworn enemy, trying to plot some farewell revenge that would be consistent with the way in which he had treated him. The hissing tomato that had missed him by little was still fresh in his memory.

After lunch the session in the office went on until late. When Mole was heading back to his room the esplanade had become empty. Night had fallen. The fatigue he was feeling after this long day was exceeded only by his concern from knowing that it would be the next day when the journey toward the mission would set off. The time for action was closer each time. He was not sure to get to sleep this night.

Once
he had the bed in sight he pounced on it, still dressed. He was trying to relax as his head was buzzing with countless thoughts that crisscrossed to stun him. He was having trouble to put his mind at peace.

30 minutes later the doorknob began to turn slowly. The faint squeak of the hinges while opening caught his attention. The shock put him up with a jump.

The
fine figure of Control got in sight, wearing a provocative smile. Mole froze. He could not decide how to react. He simply watched her as she kept approaching until standing in front of him.

She
held him around his waist. Then, with a sensual tone in her voice she said:

“
I’ve always been curious to know how much a man has learned after 83 years of life. I will not let this opportunity pass.”

He stayed
undaunted, holding his gaze on her without knowing what to do. He had not been with another woman besides Lucy from the beginning of their courtship. He was not sure how to behave.

Finally
he found that he needed not to know what to do. It was enough to be swayed by this hypnotic presence that had attracted him so much from the first time he had laid eyes on her, while struggling to convince himself that what was happening was real.

She took his hand and led him to the shower while unbuttoning his shirt.
When the bathroom door was closed, all their clothes were scattered on the floor.

Hours later
, as she was closing the door of the room from the outside, he was plunged into a deep sleep.

The barn door opened to
let the stable boy out, driving 16 and 28. The trailer where they would make the journey to the starting point was ready and waiting. Near the entrance, Guide and Mole were watchful, attentive to every detail. They would be on their way after lunch to meet with their horses at night in the small farming community where the defector had arrived weeks before.

This
morning’s activities would be focused on fine-tuning their gear and resting as much as possible, because at night they would start their long trip. Mole could perceive how quickly trust and camaraderie were building up between him and Guide. Now his mere presence made him feel safe.

The memory of the night before
had kept him uneasy from the moment he had opened his eyes in the morning, and now he had an urge to seek Control even though he knew that such things would be completely out of place. It had been a simple one-night stand, and if he now was feeling more attracted to her, it was he who should refrain from being carried away by this new feeling.

As the vehicle pulling the trailer
set off, driving the horses to destination, the agents left the area to attend the meeting scheduled at Bladek’s office to review one last time the details of the mission.

Inside the office
were gathered already Voice, Control and the captain, just awaiting the arrival of the expeditionary force to get to work.

Just entering the room his gaze sought the woman
’s eyes with a smile that betrayed his thoughts. She returned his greeting in the same inconspicuous manner. Afterwards, they treated each other as usual for the rest of the day.

The meeting was short.
Mole requested permission to make one last visit to Professors Naim and Kilgo. He wanted to say goodbye. He had developed an emotional tie to them during the days he had been under their tutelage. He knew it was unlikely to see them again once he had left the camp. Bladek granted him authorization to visit them later, as his last activity, just before leaving. For now, they had to prepare their gear and give it to the driver responsible for taking them to the starting point.

The rest of the morning passed slowly. Actually
, they did not have much left to do, so they took the opportunity to rest.

But the
nervousness that often comes when waiting right before starting a long journey was keeping Mole on alert despite his attempts to relax, which led him to engage for the first time since he knew him in a casual conversation with Guide. He told him about the bad times that the cook had put him through every time he had shown alone in the cafeteria, and how so far he had not been able to find a way to get back at him. He was especially upset because he knew that during lunchtime he would get to meet him for the last time. He was feeling frustrated at not having been able to get even in spite of his purpose of doing so.

Along the days h
e had carefully watched each one of the actions of this unpleasant subject while performing his duties, to the point of now being able to predict his movements with certainty, but he had failed to conceive a plan that promised to end up in a victory.

His companion was amused with the series of anecdotes that made the sad tale, so he pledged to help
him to take revenge.

By one in the afternoon the cafeteria was overflowing with activity. It was the rush hour and the place was packed. Two agents came in through the main door for their last meal before leaving. As it was the custom, they stood in the long line that stretched at the end of the bar. The fat chef was busy serving dishes from the other side, soaked in the sweat that the mere effort of his daily work always made drip.

The line
kept moving until Guide’s turn came. He took a tray to put some food on it, as if it were any other day, until his steps took him before the cook. Then he asked him to reach one of the spices that were in the highest shelf, just behind him.

The obese character grunted as
he used to; then he stripped his white hat and left it aside to climb on the stool that would help him reach the requested spice.

Taking care
not to be recognized, Mole was closely following his companion, carrying a tray like all others. As his sworn enemy’s hat had been left on the bar and he was giving his back, the agent emptied the contents of the plastic bag strapped to his belt, which fell to the bottom of the hat.

An unpleasant
barn smell invaded the place immediately. Some of those who were there, the closest, had begun to laugh already.

Without realizing what was happening, the
fat man came chugging down the stool and tried to fit his hat again, but the feeling that something was wrong made him stop in the middle of the movement, just in time for the contents to roll over his head to fall to the ground, leaving at each point of his anatomy that had made contact with them the undoubted traces of their passage. A piece of paper with the words “Greetings from 28” drifted to the floor while the laughter of all who had witnessed the incident filled the place.

The applause
of most of the people inside followed the agents while rushing to the door. They had to run dodging the objects thrown by his angry victim.

They did not slow down
until they were back in the waiting room next to Control’s office, and it would still take them long to catch their breath, lost from laughter rather than exercise.

“
Long time since I laughed so,” Guide said still trying to regain his breath.

“
He asked for it,” Mole replied. “He has made my life miserable for the last few days. Will we get in trouble because of this?”

“
I think not. Even though such practical jokes are not a custom anymore, there was a time when they abounded. I guess some classes are made of recruits more prone to humor than others. You will be the main topic of conversation today.”

“
Glad to leave my footprints. As for the fat man, it was well deserved. I do not regret having done so. Next time he will be more cautious when thinking to harass someone.”

“
Moving on, we leave in two hours and we haven’t eaten. I’ll pack some extra rations to take a snack along the way. Meanwhile, take the opportunity to say goodbye to whoever you want. It is most likely that you will never return to this place.”

His companion’s words brought a dark shade on his eyes
. His experiences during his stay at the field had changed him and he was aware of this. His life had got a sense again. Finally he had managed to perceive himself as a part of the community. He had achieved such certainty of being on the right path that now he had got to see his former life as a big mistake. He had come to regret having wasted so many years, numbed from illusions while living a life that now seemed empty. Finally he was feeling alive. The idea of leaving behind this stage of his life was making him feel oppression on his chest.

He waited
to get started until Guide had left the room. He went to find the professors. He needed to see them again.

As he
was walking towards the office where he had spent so many hours during his first week in the field, he realized that he was not having trouble finding his way up there.

Somehow, the
maddening exercise into which he had been forced every morning, when they had made him disorient and then asked where the north was, had proved to be profitable. Now he was feeling sure that he could find this or any other destination simply by following his instincts. And just like in this, he also was feeling certain to achieve whatever he decided to. Undoubtedly, the professors had done an excellent job with him.

He was
still deep in thought when he found himself knocking at their door. From the inside, the distant voice of Kilgo invited him to go in.

“I hope I’
m not interrupting,” he said in greeting as he entered.

“
No way,” Kilgo said affably, but not looking up from the papers he was inspecting. “We knew you would come around before leaving. How are you feeling these days?”

“It is precisely about th
is that I have been thinking the last few hours. Somehow you have turned me into a new man.”

“
No big deal,” interrupted the professor. “We just have helped you find out who you truly are, but you had to do all the work. We have only guided you.”

“
I must confess that, when you told me upon my arrival that I was about to live a unique experience, I did not believe you. Even after you had finished with me I was bearing some doubts. But now I realize it was true. This is why I feel the need to thank you again.”

“
Say no more,” Kilgo replied, and turning towards the door to the next room he called in a loud voice:

“
Naim!  Look who’s here!”

The
bald professor showed in with a smile.

“I see you hav
e come back. I hope not to play on us some of you pranks, like the one you played the cook. They had to bring him to the clinic to calm him down. Good job.”

At this time he
had begun to feel bad for his victim; however, he could not feel sorry. Such was his new nature.

“
Not at all,” he replied.

“As for ourselves
, my colleague and I enjoy finding out that our work has proved profitable. A week ago you would not have dared to do such a thing.”

“This is precisely what I was saying to the professor,” he
said pointing to the elder. “I have become a new man.”

“You mean
in the same man, but some 70 years younger. As you should have been in your distant childhood,” Naim said.

“Now that you mention it
, I come to see that it is true.” He approached, and giving him his hand said: “I must go. I do not know if we will ever meet again, so I have come to thank you for what you have done to me.”

He said goodbye with a handshake, first
to one of them and then to the other. He left the office to find Sergeant Kim, leaving behind two smiling professors, proud of a job well done.

When he
got to the sergeant’s office he found the door open. Inside, Kim was experimenting with the new gadget he had on top of his desk. The unexpected visitor startled him. He was completely absorbed handling the device, which he was quick to put in a drawer.

“
You scared me. Fortunately it was not Bladek who found me with the door open. No one should see this device I have under consideration.”

“
Do not worry. As for me, I have not even noticed it,” replied Mole amused. “I just came to say goodbye because I am leaving in less than an hour.”

“
How do you feel about the gear? Will you have problems to make it work?”

“
I don’t think so. You did a good job with me.”

Kim smiled. Then he answered:

“Good luck then, we all are counting on you.”

“
And I will not disappoint you,” he replied. “Especially after what you made me swear a few days ago. I still think of my head rolling on the floor when I remember.”

“
And it is I who shall be in charge of severing it, so better spare me the job.”

They laughed and strong
ly shook hands, although Mole could not help thinking that maybe what they were taking as a joke could eventually become true. After all, his first impression of Kim was still fresh in his memory; he had seemed really frightening to him when they met.

He left the office
not knowing for sure if he was happy or worried. His conversation with the sergeant had forced him back into reality. He chose to forget about this and better headed with a lively gait to Control’s office, where he was hoping to find a more pleasant sight.

The door was locked
. He knocked twice and got no answer, so he dared to open it, but only to find out she was not there.

Somehow disenchanted, he
reached into his pocket for the red floret he had cut minutes earlier when crossing the esplanade after having visited the professors. Sighing, he left it on the desk and went out of the room, now walking slower, to meet the appointment that Guide and he had with their driver. It was time to leave. He had no pending matter in the field.

When he got to the
meeting point, Guide was inspecting the gear one last time.

“
Help me check that everything is on board,” he said, “we don’t want any last minute surprises.”

T
he next ten minutes were devoted to open and close all those black canvas bags, marking on a checklist all their contents.

“
It seems that everything is in place,” he said finally. “Let’s go!” he added, now addressing the driver who had been watching all the time.

The man in charge of driving
was wearing civilian clothes, just like his passengers, intending to go unnoticed during the journey. The car looked like any other that might be found around; it rather gave the impression of being an old model.