Itzy had become the most famous band in the world. But fame had left Yeji bored and disillusioned. As if they had been waiting for this moment, Britain's covert intelligence agency, MI6, recruits the young star and trains her to be the most dangerou...
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[Note: This contains some graphic violence.]
"Wow, Vector. Just... wow," Radius said, shaking her head. "I had hoped that Calliope and Jumper might tame you, but now... well, I'm glad they didn't. I think." She pursed her lips. "I'm wondering if you need a spooning session with Archangel to relax."
"Wait... was that humor?" Yeji smiled.
"Vector, I am a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma."
"Ok, so let's say we did spoon. How would you know?"
"Archangel put it in her report. In detail. Come to think of it, maybe more detail than we were actually looking for."
"Of course she did," Yeji sighed. Winter.
Yeji and Radius were sitting in an ultra-modern, glass-walled conference room, at opposite ends of a ten-foot-long mahogany conference table. Outside the room was a giant office space filled with dozens of blue-walled cubicles.
But the entire office was empty, save the two of them. Strangely, she heard a copier wheezing along somewhere.
Yeji pointed her finger towards the cubicles. "I have to ask, what's the deal?"
"This is going to be a completely fake import-export office staffed entirely by our agents. A senior foreign diplomat is coming here for a meeting, and we're hoping we can get her to confess her part in a gigantic money-laundering operation."
"What happens to her if she does confess?" Yeji asked.
Radius simply raised an eyebrow.
"Got it."
"I'm glad you do. This isn't a game for children. You know that better than anyone. That's why we're sending you to the Gobi Desert in southern Mongolia. We've received a report about a prison camp being operated by a fanatical, fringe militia group. This camp, however, isn't housing criminals. It's full of human-rights activists and opposition politicians. Three of our people are being held there as well, and we expect that they are being brutally interrogated, and probably tortured. Based on satellite photos and electronic intercepts, we think there are about 100 prisoners in total."
Yeji's jaw clenched and her eyes narrowed. "When do I go?"
"You'll be traveling tonight. The Yanks have a forward operating base in the area. You'll set off from there. I hope you like camels, because that's what you'll be working with. Once you infiltrate the camp, neutralize everyone who isn't an inmate. Once that's done, you'll radio the American Delta Force operators, who will lead a helicopter-based task force to evacuate the camp."
"Why doesn't the task force handle this on their own?"
"Discretion, Vector. You'll be close to the Chinese border, so there is an enormous risk of a diplomatic disaster. If Delta goes in, they'll go in hard, with a lot of lead flying, and someone innocent will get killed. And I don't want that. We did a lot of negotiating with the CIA so we can take point on this - our people rescuing our people. Plus, the US doesn't need to get its hands on any of our agents. I know we're allies, but in this game, there are none. But if our people are at risk, I'm sending my best asset: you."
