Mirror Estate

Series - Short
Stories Vol. 4
S. F. Baumgartner

F.B. Publishing
Copyright © 2024 by S.F. Baumgartner

All rights reserved.

No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from
the publisher or author, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law.
 Contents

A ShortStory 1

A Short Story 6

A Short Story 10

A Short Story 14

Afterword 18
 A ShortStory

Twelve years ago

Florida

Doug

D oug Mitchell, known in certain circles by names not his own,

was a man adrift in a sea of normalcy, a former special forces
soldier unceremoniously dismissed from service. Finding no solace in
civilian life, he tried real estate, but the mundane dealings of property
sales failed to ignite the spark that combat had kindled within him.
It was in a nondescript diner, amid the aroma of co’ee and the
clatter of cutlery, that DougSs path intersected with a man known
“ B. F. AUGMRUTNE2T

simply as Aill. Aill, with his unassuming demeanor and sharp eyes,
seemed to see right through DougSs facade of normalcy.
Y”ou know, Doug, itSs a shame,z Aill said during one of their early
meetings, stirring his co’ee idly. YMen like you, with skills honed
sharper than a raPorSs edge, simply tossed aside. Holitics, itSs always
politics.z
?e nodded, his gaPe distant. Y”eah, politics. I gave the best years of
my life, and for whatq No be discarded like an old tool.z
Nheir conversations grew in depth and fre-uency. Aill listened,
o’ering understanding and empathy, tapping into the well of resentW
ment and loss that he harbored. Nhen, one day, AillSs tone shifted from
commiseration to proposition.
Y”ou know there are people out there who would value your skills,
people who understand what youSre capable of,z Aill said, his voice
low and conspiratorial.
Intrigued but wary, Doug leaned in. Yxhat are you sayingqz
AillSs eyes glinted with a miL of eLcitement and seriousness. YISm
saying that thereSs work for men with your skill set. xork that pays
well, that uses those skills the army taught you.z
?is curiosity was pi-ued, tempered by caution. Yxhat sort of
workqz
Aill leaned back, gauging his reaction. YjetSs Oust say there are cerW
tain individuals who, for the good of society, need to be removed. Und
it takes a special skill set to do that -uietly, eVciently.z
DougSs mind raced. ?e was no stranger to the moral gray areas of
warfare, but this was di’erent. Nhis was the civilian world. ”et, the
allure of returning to what he knew best, what he eLcelled at, was
tempting.
YNell me more,z he found himself saying.
 MITT4T 2BNUN2 B2TI2B W B?4TN BN4TI2B 34j. C —

4ver the neLt few weeks, Aill outlined the nature of the work.
2ach target, he eLplained, was carefully chosen, their demise warranted
by unforgivable crimes hidden from the public eye. ?e listened, the
soldier within him awakening, calculating.
xhen the 5rst assignment came, he felt a rush he hadnSt eLpeW
rienced in years. Aill handed him a dossier complete with photos,
schedules, and background information.
YNhis one, heSs a real piece of work,z Aill eLplained. YNraVcking,
eLtortion, you name it. Nhe worldSs better o’ without him.z
?e perused the dossier, his mind shifting into a familiar gear. YUnd
the oVcial storyqz
Aill smiled a cold, businesslike smile. YEatural causes. U heart atW
tack, perhaps. ”ou make the call.z
Doug spent days surveilling the target, slipping back into his old
persona with a disturbing ease. ?e observed routines, identi5ed vulW
nerabilities, and planned meticulously.
Nhe day of the hit, he felt a sense of surreal calm. ?e eLecuted his
plan awlessly, leaving no trace, no hint of foul play. No the world, it
was a simple case of a heart attack.
Ufterward, as he met Aill in their usual spot, he sensed a miL of
satisfaction and unease. YItSs done,z he said simply.
Aill nodded, a hint of pride in his eyes. Y”ou did well. 3ery well. Nhis
is Oust the beginning.z

Doug leaned against the cool glass window of his real estate oVce, eyes
tracing the bustling city streets below. Bince AillSs 5rst assignment two
C B. F. AUGMRUTNE2T

years ago, Doug actually found the real estate business tolerable now
that he had an outlet for his combat skills. Nhe real estate world was
similar to a compleL puPPle, and he had learned to 5t the pieces togethW
er with a skill that surprised even him. ?is success wasnSt overnight
but steady and gratifying.
Nhe oVce was sleek, a re ection of his newfound status. Holished
wood, minimalistic art, the kind of place that whispered success. ?is
desk was a statement piece in itself, large and commanding, much like
his presence in the room.
It had been about 5ve months since heSd last heard from Aill. ?e
had almost convinced himself that maybe he needed to 5nd another
outlet. Aut as if summoned by his thoughts, the oVce door swung
open and Aill stepped in. Nhe change in Aill was immediate and strikW
ing. Rone was the nondescript, everyman demeanor. In its place, a
chilling air of menace clung to him. ?is eyes, once genial, now held
a cold, calculating gleam. Nhe transformation was unnerving.
YTook,z Aill introduced himself with his new codename, an odd
sense of formality in his tone. Doug raised an eyebrow but said nothW
ing. ode names werenSt new to him, but AillSs insistence on it marked
a shift in their dynamic.
Nhe assignment Aill slid across DougSs desk was routine at 5rst
glance a dossier on a French businessman. Aut as he ipped through
the pages, nothing Oumped out as a red ag. Nhe man seemed ordinary,
his life a mundane tapestry of business deals and family vacations.
Yxhy himqz he asked, his voice even, betraying none of his inner
turmoil.
YNhings have changed. xeSre playing a di’erent game now,z Aill
replied cryptically. Nhe reply was a nonWanswer, and they both knew
it. Aut he remembered his army days, the ingrained habit of not -uesW
MITT4T 2BNUN2 B2TI2B W B?4TN BN4TI2B 34j. C

tioning orders. It was a line he had crossed before, and he knew he

would cross it again.
Bo he did.
xeeks later, Aill returned, this time with a companion. U small
MeLican man with sharp eyes and a guarded demeanor MartineP.
AillSs introduction was brief, but the implication was clear. MartineP
was another player in this everWeLpanding game, and Doug was to
be a piece on his board as well. ?e found himself nodding, a silent
acknowledgment of the new arrangement.
 A Short Story

Ten years ago

Virginia

Silver Fox

S ilver Fox, known by many code names, stepped oh tue plane, uis
body still turgmminf witu tue adrenaline o. uis latest missionI
zt uad been a critical assifnment overseas, one o. tuose wuere tue line
between sgccess and catastropue was raHor tuinI Be uad navifated it
witu tue skill and precision tuat made uim a lefend in uis suadowy
worldI Mgt tue sense o. accomplisument tuat gsgally .ollowed sgcu
missions was conspicgogsly absent tuis timeI
 RzOOEO TSA-AT STOzTS V SBEOA SAEOzTS LE4I 7 G

-s ue made uis way turogfu tue airport, ue noticed ’allo, uis

uandler, waitinf .or uimI ’allo“s gsgally impassive .ace was etcued
witu a somberness tuat immediately set oh alarm bells in uis mindI
Auey moved to a seclgded corner, away .rom tue pryinf eyes and ears
o. tue pgblicI
Yz uave some bad newsI ”ogr wi.e and dagfuterIIIq ’allo“s voice
trailed oh, bgt Silver Fox didn“t need to uear tue restI Bis world, tue
one tuat existed beyond missions and code names, crgmbled in tuat
instantI
Aue days tuat .ollowed were a blgrI zdenti.yinf tue bodies o. uis
wi.e and dagfuter was a sgrreal, fgtVwrencuinf processI Aue .gneral
was a uaHe o. frie. and gnanswered CgestionsI Aue police said it was a
drgnk driver, a trafic bgt all too common storyI
Auen, wuile sortinf turogfu uis wi.e 4inda“s belonfinfs, ue .ognd
sometuinf tuat suattered tue narrative o. a simple accidentI -n email,
a tureat, one tuat sue uad .orwarded to uimI Mgt ue never received itI
Be uad been deep in an operation, gnreacuable, uis emails agtomatiV
cally rerogted to ’alloI
Won.rontinf ’allo, uis anfer was a livinf tuinf, ?erce and gnconV
trollableI Y:uy wasn“t z in.ormedUq ue demanded, uis voice a low
frowlI
’allo, ever tue company man, responded witu a calm tuat only
.geled uis rafeI YAuere were no speci?cs in tue tureatI :e cogldn“t
risk tue operationI zt was deemed a lowVlevel tureatI :e did noti.y tue
MgreagI Auey uad eyes on tuem, bgt tuey cogldn“t prevent a drgnk
driverIq
Silver Fox cogldn“t remember wuat ue said next, or i. ue broke
anytuinf in uis .gryI Mgt ue knew one tuinf witu crystal clarityN ue
was doneI Be Cgit, rifut tuen and tuereI ’allo, uowever, marked uim
é SI FI M-8R’-OA9TO

as inactive, a uope.gl placeuolder .or a retgrn tuat uis uandler believed

was inevitableI
:eeks passed, and Silver Fox existed in a limbo o. frie. and aimV
lessnessI Auen, Senator Oi.kin approacued uim witu an oher tuat
was as gnexpected as it was intrifginfI Aue senator, a man known
.or uis connections and in gence, presented a proposition tuat cogld
leverafe uis gniCge skillsI
Silver Fox, still reelinf .rom tue loss o. uis .amily, knew ue was
vglnerable, bgt ue didn“t careI Be wanted, needed, to believe tue narV
rative tuat tue fovernment“s neflifence uad led to uis .amily“s deatusI
Aue idea tuat tuey cogld uave been saved uad tue fovernment acted
diherently .estered in uis mind, .gelinf a deepVseated resentmentI
Silver Fox believed tue senator“s smootu words and promises o.
retribgtionI Be .ollowed Oi.kin“s fgidance toward a patu tuat was .ar
darker tuan any ue uad walked be.oreI Be met tue ’uost, a suadowy
?fgre at tue uelm o. a sprawlinf criminal networkI zn tuis world, Silver
Fox .ognd a twisted sense o. belonfinfI Be became a valged asset in
tue ’uost“s enterprise, cuannelinf uis frie. and anfer into uis new
roleI -nd tuis was tue day ue became OookI
zt was at a .amily fatuerinf o. a .riend wuere Oook tested uis new
roleI -mid tue lagfuter and casgal cuatter, ue noticed Tva, a teenafer
witu a suarp faHe and a Cgiet intensity tuat stood ogt to uimI Ever
time, as ue observed uer, ue saw potential in uerI Sue was searcuinf .or
uer missinf agnt, a Cgest tuat appeared to consgme uerI
SeiHinf tue opportgnity, ue ohered uis assistanceI Be be.riended
tue teenafer, faininf uer trgst gnder tue fgise o. uelpinf uer in uer
searcuI Mgt uis motives were .ar more complexI Be befan to sgbtly
fgide uer, steerinf uer in a direction tuat wogld serve uis own endsI
Bis in gence led uer toward tue FMz, wuere ue believed sue cogld be
most gse.glI
RzOOEO TSA-AT STOzTS V SBEOA SAEOzTS LE4I 7

zn Tva, Oook saw more tuan a mere prot f I Be saw a contingation

o. uis work, a way to extend uis reacu and in genceI Be uad uifu uopes
.or uer, envisioninf uer as a key player in uis intricate fame o. cuess
afainst tue very fovernment ue believed uad .ailed uimI
 A Short Story

Nine years ago

Paris

Ron

R on Peters, an experienced FBI agent, stood outside the nonde-

script cokee shop, the find yound on anb urVan street corner in
Paris, his ebes scanning yor Hera .asfinsA Cs a lIC intewwigence omcer,
she :as his partner on a high-stafes vission, their target’ an ewusi—e in-
ternationaw arvs deawerA HeraMs reputation preceded herOsharp, tena-
cious, :ith an uncannb aViwitb to unearth secrets yrov the shado:sA
.e couwdnMt hewp Vut yeew a vixture oy anticipation and uneaseA
 EIRRSR TL4C4T LTRITL - L.SR4 L4SRITL HS1A “ WW

4heb vet under the guise oy t:o strangers strifing up a casuaw

con—ersationA .er piercing Vwue ebes vet his, a sparf oy intewwigence
and detervination ”icfering :ithinA Lhe Vrieyed hiv on their target,
Cnton Hawesfi, a nave that had suryaced in hushed tones across intew-
wigence circwesA Hawesfi :as a shado:, swipping through the Gngers oy
wa: enyorcevent :ith a vix oy charv and ruthwessnessA
Cyter a ye: vonths oy sur—eiwwance and preparation, their Vreaf-
through cave one rainb e—eningA .uddwed o—er cups oy steaving
cokee, she waid out the vap oy HawesfiMs net:orf, her Gngers tracing
the :eV oy connectionsA ?zeMre cwose,U she said, her —oice a vix oy
yatigue and exciteventA ?zeM—e cornered hivA .eMs pwanning a veet
in PragueAU
C ye: dabs water, Ron stood on the coVVwed streets oy Prague, his
Vreath —isiVwe in the crisp night airA 4he citb, :ith its Nothic archi-
tecture and haunting Veautb, :as the peryect Vacfdrop yor :hat :as
aVout to unyowdA Hera, standing Veside hiv, :as a shado: in her darf
attire, her ebes scanning the area :ith practiced —igiwanceA
?Hawesfi shouwd Ve arri—ing anb vinute,U she :hispered, her —oice
Varewb audiVwe o—er the distant huv oy the citbA
.e nodded, his hand instincti—ewb resting on the conceawed Grearv
under his coatA ?Cnd his contact2U
?Lhouwd Ve right Vehind hivA zeM—e got the wocaws and a coupwe oy
other agents positioned here and here,U she said, pointing to discreet
wocations on either side oy the streetA ?Snce the exchange happens, :e
vo—e inAU
4he tension :as pawpaVwe, a vix oy anticipation and anxietbA .is
ga!e ”icfered across the yaces in the cro:d, searching yor the van :ho
had e—aded capture yor so wongA 4hen he sa: hivA Cnton Hawesfi, the
arvs deawer :ith a notorious reputation, everged yrov the shado:s,
a Vrieycase in handA
WY LA FA BCqENCR4DTR

?4here he is,U Ron vurvuredA

.er ebes narro:edA ?zait yor vb signawAU
4heb :atched as Hawesfi approached a van standing near the
lharwes BridgeA 4he exchange :as suVtwe, the t:o ven Varewb ac-
fno:wedging each other as the Vrieycases s:apped handsA But Ron and
Hera sa: e—erbthingA
?Do:,U she saidA
4he operation unyowded wife a :eww-rehearsed pwabA l!ech Dationaw
Powice and other agents vateriawi!ed yrov the shado:s, vo—ing in
:ith s:iyt precisionA Ron and Hera :ere at the yoreyront, their training
tafing o—erA
?Free!e3 .ands up33U Ron shouted, dra:ing his :eaponA
HawesfiMs ebes :idened in surprise, his covposure swipping yor a
yraction oy a secondA .is contact tried to ”ee Vut :as Kuicfwb appre-
hended Vb other agentsA
?Cnton Hawesfi, bouMre under arrestOU an agent started to sabA
? o bou fno: :ho I av2U Hawesfi sneered, his arrogance unshaf-
enA ? ou canMt do this to veAU
Ron stepped yor:ard, handcuks readbA ?ze fno: exactwb :ho bou
are, and bouMre coving :ith usAU
Cs theb escorted Hawesfi a:ab, he couwdnMt hewp Vut yeew a surge oy
satisyactionA 4heb had done itA 4heb had Vrought do:n one oy the
vost :anted arvs deawers in the :orwdA
1ater, ayter deVrieGng :ith their superiors, he and Hera :awfed Vacf
to:ard their hotewA Sn the :ab, theb tawfed aVout the past ye: vonths,
their personaw wi—esA Ltanding on the Vanfs oy the Hwta—a Ri—er, the citb
wights cast a rovantic gwo:A
?Lo, :hatMs next yor bou, Cgent Peters2U .er yace dispwabed that
wopsided sviweA
 EIRRSR TL4C4T LTRITL - L.SR4 L4SRITL HS1A “ W

.e :ished he couwd teww her his yeewings, Vut he had recentwb recon-
nected :ith bwe, his teenage son, ayter bears oy non-covvunication
since the di—orceA .e had to tafe this opportunitb to vend his rewa-
tionship :ith his sonA Cnd the yact that she used his titwe and not his
Grst nave towd hiv she :asnMt woofing yor a wong-terv covvitvent,
eitherA
?IMv heading Vacf to the LtatesAU
Lhe nodded and reached up to fiss hiv, :hispering, ?It :as good
:hiwe it wastedAU
zhen their wips parted, he sighedA ?Iy bouMre e—er Ltateside, wet ve
fno:AU
Lhe stood Vacf, her hand swipping a:abA ?4afe care no:AU
 A Short Story

Last Summer

Florida

Sheila

T he summer sun cast a warm, golden glow over the expansive

backyard of Sheila and Doug Mitchell’s suburban home. The
day they hosted the annual summer picnic for Doug’s real estate
company, Sheila, always a gracious host, zuttered among the guests,
ensuring everyone had a drink in hand and a smile on their face.
The day was perfect for a picnic. The a-ure pool sparkled invitI
ingly, surrounded by clusters of lounging chairs where guests relaxed,
chatting amiably. The aroma of grilled hot dogs and burgers wafted
 MROOEO ASTHTA SAORAS I SVEOT STEORAS LE4. 1 5“

through the air, mingling with the laughter and upbeat music that
?lled the background.
Rn her light summer dress, she moved through the crowd, her
laughter as bright as the day. ”Doug, did you remember the extra
ketchupG! Sheila called out to her husband, who manned the grill with
a chef’s apron and a wide grin.
”Cot it coveredB! he replied, holding up the bottle triumphantly.
Their colleagues and friends, a blend of real estate agents, oFce
staU, and a few business associates, mingled comfortably. NonverI
sations oscillated between casual banter and the occasional slip into
business talk, much to the mock frustration of their spouses.
”Eh, come on, no shoptalk todayB! Sue, one of the senior agents,
playfully scolded her husband, Mark, who had started discussing the
latest property listings.
The afternoon sun began to dip slightly in the sky when Sheila
noticed a new arrival. H Mexican man, unfamiliar to her, entered
through the open gate. Ve was dressed casually, yet something about
him seemed out of place. Sheila watched as he scanned the crowd, his
ga-e intent and searching.
She nudged her husband, who was passing by with a tray of freshly
grilled burgers. ”Do you know himG! she asked, nodding subtly toI
ward the newcomer.
Ve glanced over, a slight frown creasing his brow, a hint of a scowl
coming on for a second, then it was gone. H smile took over as he
said, ”Nan’t say R do. 6ut, you know, we invited a lot of people, some
plusIones. Rt’s all good.!
The man’s eyes locked onto Doug, and with a determined stride,
he approached. Doug, ever the hospitable host, extended his hand in
greeting. ”Vi, glad you could make it.!
The man shook his hand.
57 S. P. 6HqMCHOTWAO

”This is my wife, Sheila,! he introduced.

She extended her hand, oUering a friendly smile. ”Wice to meet you.
Nan R get you a drink or something to eatG!
Mr. Wune- nodded politely but declined. ”Thank you, but no. R
need to speak with you. jrivately.! Ve eyed Doug pointedly.
Ver curiosity was pi ued by the man’s seriousness, but at that
moment, a group of guests beckoned her over for a game of beach
volleyball. Oeluctantly, she excused herself, her ga-e lingering on her
husband and the new arrival as they stepped aside for a brief, yet
evidently intense conversation.
The volleyball game was a lively aUair, full of laughter and goodInaI
tured competition. She found herself swept up in the fun, her earliI
er curiosity about the mysterious Mr. Wune- fading into the backI
ground.
Hs the sun began to set, painting the sky in hues of orange and
pink, the picnic continued in high spirits. Cuests complimented the
hosts on the wonderful evening and the successes of the past year. The
atmosphere was light, ?lled with the bu-- of contented conversations
and laughter.
Rt wasn’t until the guests started to say their goodbyes that Sheila
remembered the strange encounter. She found her husband helping
to clean up the remnants of the day’s festivities.
” ho was that man you were talking to earlierG Mr. Wune-, was
itG! she asked, collecting empty plates from a table.
Ve paused, stacking cups into a bin. ”Eh, him. Ve’s a rep of a big
company, wanted to discuss a potential partnership. R didn’t expect
him to drop by today, though.!
She nodded, understanding. ”6usiness never really stops, does itG!
”Wot really.! Ve chuckled. ”6ut today was about fun, and R think
we nailed it.!
MROOEO ASTHTA SAORAS I SVEOT STEORAS LE4. 1 5

She smiled, looking around at their beautiful home, ?lled with the
remnants of a day well spent. ” e sure did.!
The night ended with the couple sitting by the nowI uiet pool,
rezecting on the day’s events. The mysterious Mr. Wune-, who had
brought a moment of intrigue, was now ust a small part of a larger,
oyful memory.
 Afterword

I hope you enjoyed these short stories and the glimpses they pro-
vided into the lives of Doug, Silver Fox (Rook), Ron, and Sheila.
If you’re eager to learn more about their captivating story, don’t miss
Tangled Secrets, book 3 of the Mirror Estate series, scheduled for re-
lease in April 2024.
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Thank you for your support, and I look forBard to sharing more
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