Forever Fighting | ✔️ | [previously Espionage: double-cross]

chapter 31

The agent watched the pair from behind the bookshelf, peering through the gap they had created. The girl had skill, he had to admit. The way she presented herself, so innocent. But he had watched her manipulate and lie, hiding the heart that beat for no one.

Sure he understood her motives but he couldn't deny the pressure she was putting the agency under. The board wasn't happy Auxilium didn't know who broke in and he knew enough to never cross Julie and reveal the truth, not if he wanted to keep his head attached firmly to his shoulders. 

He sighed, hating he had been put on watchdog duty. For the most part, the girl hadn't been doing anything suspicious. Just biding her time, he said to himself. Nothing interesting was happening. He was missing the thrill of being in the field, gun in his hands and the adrenaline rush as he raced through the city, dodging assassins on his back. After experiencing that, this was a major let down. 

He watched her talk to the old man, annoyed he couldn't hear anything without getting closer and potentially revealing himself. 

The days had consisted of a lot of watching and waiting, willing something interesting to happen, being disappointed and then playing Tetris on his phone while he waited for her to move on.

Now he was really regretting getting drunk a few nights ago. This was his punishment, one he wasn't so willing to take. 

He took one of the books from the shelf, cracking it open in a flurry of dust and wincing at the tiny words on the page. Words never were his style, numbers he could just about tolerate but when there were more letter than just x and y, he took a step back.

The book was placed haphazardly on the shelf and the agent turned back to watching the interaction in front of him, finding a pile of books on the floor and two people picking them up. He watched with interest, now, as he saw the girl stand behind the old man, plucking a hair from his head.

That's just mean. He already doesn't have much as it is! 

The girl left quickly then and he made to follow. 

Waving quickly to the librarian, wondering why he didn't come more often when she sent him a grumpy frown, he walked quickly after the girl, making sure to follow at a safe distance. 

She walked into the Junior Agent dormitories so he made a beeline to the offices. He had to look like he was walking around the atrium for a reason of course.

The few agents who had offices weren't gifted with as nice ones as the directors. He walked towards his little store room cupboard as he not so lovingly named in and sat down at the old leather chair behind the wooden desk. He looked at the files he still needed to complete after finishing his last mission with distaste and pushed them further away. The skylight above him let in enough light that he couldn't call the small space dingy but the light grey walls and cracks along them made up for it. 

He sighed and picked up the phone, dialling the number he knew by heart at this point.

She picked up after the second ring.

"Report."

"Something finally happened."

"I gathered."

"She has the DNA."

There was a sharp intake of breath down the line. "The recording?"

"Not sure."

"Knowing her she probably has one. Change the override code, make it so that room is only accessible from manual override in the control room."

He raised a brow and shook his head before realising she couldn't see him. "I think you might be forgetting my skillset."

"Sorry I don't have anything for you to decapitate right now." He laughed at the reminder. 

"That was only the one time, it's not my fault we were fighting in a factory, something gory was bound to happen."

"Don't care. Just find someone who can do it."

The call cut off abruptly, leaving him to laugh at her tone. As much as he feared her, he did enjoy their banter though he already knew she didn't like his teasing. Ten years at the agency and even though she had risen to the top and he stayed behind, nothing much had changed.

He picked up the phone again and readied himself for the calls he had to make.

It was hard to say no to Julie after all.