Three days later, I found myself back in the depths of the facility, scanning the latest reports, when I noticed Scarlett had been acting strangely. She'd been more aloof, glancing at me with an expression I couldn't quite read. When she did speak, her words were sharper, almost distracted, as if something was weighing heavily on her mind.
Lucy, on the other hand, seemed to have noticed Scarlett's behavior too—and was drawing her own conclusions. Every time Scarlett passed by, Lucy's eyes narrowed slightly, her lips pursed in quiet suspicion. She hadn't said anything outright, but her occasional remarks hinted at her thoughts.
"She seems... really invested in working with you, doesn't she?" Lucy had asked casually over coffee this morning, though I could tell it was anything but casual. There was a guardedness in her voice, a sense of questioning that lingered in the air.
"I guess so," I replied, keeping my tone as neutral as possible. "But it's just the mission."
Lucy didn't look convinced, but she let it go, shifting the conversation back to safer topics. Still, her mind was clearly elsewhere.
However, before I could even think about addressing either Scarlett's behavior or Lucy's suspicions, something bigger loomed on the horizon. Mercier had resurfaced—or rather, his influence had. Reports were coming in that he'd somehow leaked information through unknown channels. Several high-ranking officials were rattled, some even resigning under intense pressure. Whatever he'd done, he'd managed to reach far beyond his cell, shaking the upper echelons of power.
Monroe called an emergency meeting. He sat at the head of the table, his expression grimmer than I'd ever seen, with Miller beside him, both visibly on edge. Scarlett was already seated across from me, but she avoided my gaze, her jaw clenched, fingers tapping a nervous rhythm on the table's edge.
When Monroe finally spoke, his voice was dark and low. "Mercier's not just a nuisance anymore. He's incited chaos—enough to rattle government officials into stepping down. Some of them were involved in highly classified operations, and their departures are... inconvenient."
"What exactly did he leak?" Miller asked, his voice tight.
Monroe exhaled sharply. "Details on our overseas interests, names of undercover assets, operations we've been running for years. Somehow, he's been feeding this information out, stirring distrust and fear. His reach is larger than we anticipated, which means we're looking at multiple inside contacts—maybe more than just one mole."
Scarlett's eyes flickered, and she finally glanced my way, something unreadable flashing across her face. For a second, I could almost feel her unspoken questions. This situation had escalated faster than any of us could have predicted.
"We've tried tracking the leaks, but whoever's helping him has covered their tracks meticulously," Monroe continued. "That's why I need you two"—he looked directly at Scarlett and me—"to get on this immediately. If there's an insider moving freely in our organization, we need to cut them off at the source."
A sense of resolve filled the room, though tension was palpable as well. Scarlett nodded, her usual confidence returning. "We'll start with everyone who had access to Mercier's files, anyone with a motive to destabilize us."
Lucy, seated quietly at the back, looked on with worry. Her eyes darted between Scarlett and me, as if gauging just how far Scarlett's dedication went. But I could see the shift in her focus now, too—the growing fear of what Mercier was capable of.
Monroe dismissed us, but not before casting a final glance my way. "V, this goes without saying, but stay vigilant. Whoever this insider is, they're skilled. And if you uncover anything—anything at all—bring it directly to me."
As we left the meeting, Scarlett walked close beside me, her silence more unnerving than usual. Once we reached a deserted hallway, she finally stopped, turning to face me. Her eyes were narrowed, as though weighing every word carefully.
"This insider—it's someone close, V. I can feel it. And if we're not careful…" Her voice trailed off, but I understood. If we weren't careful, this insider would continue to undermine us from within, and Mercier's reach would grow even stronger.
I nodded. "Then we go in sharp, precise. Let's start with everyone who's shown any questionable behavior lately. That includes examining anyone who's managed to dodge surveillance. No one gets overlooked."
Scarlett's gaze hardened, and for the first time in days, I felt the intensity of our partnership rekindling, her loyalty unwavering.
But as I glanced back down the hallway, I couldn't shake the feeling that Mercier's web was only beginning to unravel.
We spent the next few hours reviewing the list of possible suspects—government officials, agents with access to sensitive data, even lower-level operatives who might have been overlooked until now. The list kept growing longer, and with it, the weight of the task ahead.
Scarlett and I were working methodically, carefully compiling the evidence, when I noticed her subtle tension again. She was quick to mask it, but her posture had shifted—there was a faint edge to her movements, a deliberate restraint as if she was trying to keep something from spilling over. Her earlier aloofness was back, and this time it wasn't just the pressure of the mission.
I couldn't ignore it anymore. I needed to address it, but the timing was never quite right. It wasn't the first time she'd acted like this, but it felt different—more pronounced.
"Scarlett," I said, my voice low as I glanced up from the file in front of me, "What's going on with you?"
She didn't look at me immediately, her gaze focused on the computer screen as if the numbers on it held all the answers. But after a long pause, she finally met my eyes, and for a moment, the mask slipped.
"I've been... thinking," she began, her voice soft, measured, almost fragile. "About this whole thing with Mercier. About the insider we're chasing." She hesitated, the words coming slower now. "And about us."
I arched an eyebrow, unsure of where this was going. "Us?" I repeated, keeping my tone neutral.
She sighed, a sharp exhale that sounded like frustration mixed with something else. "You've been... distant. Not in the usual way, but like you've been keeping something from me. I know you don't share everything, but lately, it's been more than that."
I couldn't help the flicker of guilt that crossed my mind. Scarlett had been a reliable partner—hell, she'd been a friend, in a way. But I had my own secrets, my own battles to fight. And there were things I couldn't let her see.
"I'm not hiding anything from you," I said, my tone more defensive than I intended. "It's just... there's a lot at stake right now. We're dealing with a situation that could tear this whole system apart."
Scarlett's eyes didn't leave mine, searching, probing. "I get that, V. But don't shut me out. Not now. If we're going to take down Mercier, we need to trust each other. All the way. No more walls."
Her words hit harder than I expected. She was right. The walls I'd put up over the years, the walls that kept everyone at arm's length, had been growing higher with each passing day. But I wasn't sure if I was ready to tear them down. Not yet.
I leaned back in my chair, taking a moment to let the silence settle. "You're right," I finally said, my voice quieter, more sincere than before. "I've been... pulling back, but that's on me. The last thing I want is to lose trust with you. We're in this together. Always have been."
She nodded slowly, as if she were weighing my words. "Good," she said, her voice softening. "Because we're going to need each other for what's coming next. And we can't afford to let Mercier divide us."
Just as the tension began to ease, the sound of footsteps echoed down the hallway. Both of us turned toward the door instinctively, just in time for Monroe to enter, his face dark with urgency.
"Everything you're working on? It's about to get a lot more complicated," he said without preamble. "Mercier's latest move has triggered something big. We need to move quickly. All of you—now."
Without another word, we gathered our things, each of us falling into line as we headed toward the meeting room. As I moved alongside Scarlett, I couldn't help but notice the lingering tension between us. There was a moment of unspoken understanding in the air. She was right—I'd been keeping my distance, and it was starting to cost me more than I cared to admit.
As we entered the room, Monroe was already addressing the others, his voice sharp and focused. "Mercier isn't just an isolated problem anymore. We've got multiple layers to deal with, and it's all about to converge. Our job is to ensure that he doesn't turn this into a full-scale disaster."
Miller stood beside Monroe, his usual stern expression now tinged with concern. "We'll need to infiltrate deeper, find the mole who's been helping him. But we can't do this piecemeal anymore. We need to hit him hard, all at once."
The others nodded in agreement, but it was clear this mission was going to be unlike anything we'd faced before.
"V, Scarlett, you're the tip of the spear on this one," Monroe said, his gaze locking with mine. "You're going in fast, and you're going in deep. No hesitation. If we're going to put an end to this, we need you both at your best."
I exchanged a brief glance with Scarlett, her face set with determination. There was no backing down now. Mercier had pushed us into a corner, but we weren't about to let him win.
As Monroe's orders rang in my ears, I couldn't shake the feeling that we were entering a new phase of this game—a phase where trust, loyalty, and everything we'd fought for would be put to the ultimate test.
And as much as I wanted to believe in my plan, I knew I couldn't do it alone. Not this time.
After the meeting, Scarlett and I left the conference room in silence, each of us lost in our thoughts. The hallways were dimly lit, the hum of fluorescent lights filling the quiet as we made our way toward the operations center.
I glanced at her, trying to gauge if the tension between us had really lessened or if it was just hiding under the surface, waiting to resurface at the worst possible time. Her face was set, determined, as she mentally prepared herself for what lay ahead. I knew she'd follow through on Monroe's orders without hesitation. But trust—true trust—was a different beast altogether.
The feeling of unease weighed on me, sharper now than before. Monroe's words had hinted at the possibility of a deep network of operatives, people we hadn't even considered who might be working with Mercier. If Mercier was as well-connected as Monroe feared, the situation was far more dangerous than I'd realized. This wasn't just about catching one man. It was about rooting out an entire conspiracy.
Scarlett finally broke the silence as we reached the staging area. "V, if we're really diving in this deep, I need to know… are you ready for it? Are we ready for it?"
Her voice was softer than usual, as if she were voicing a fear that she'd been carrying for too long. I took a deep breath, choosing my words carefully.
"We don't have a choice, Scarlett. We go in, we get it done. Together."
She nodded, and for a brief moment, I saw a flicker of relief in her eyes. Then she straightened, her professional mask sliding back into place. I did the same, and we got to work.
As we reviewed the mission details, I noticed that our orders included a series of encrypted files marked "for agents' eyes only." Each file contained profiles on possible targets, encrypted locations we'd need to access, and dossiers on potential allies and threats. It was meticulous—an outline of the high-stakes moves we'd have to make to unravel Mercier's network.
A knock sounded on the door, interrupting us. I turned, expecting Monroe or Miller, but instead, Anderson Silva walked in, flanked by Lucy. I could see the flash of worry in Lucy's eyes, masked by her attempt at professionalism. Anderson looked amused as always, a faint smirk pulling at his lips as he glanced between Scarlett and me.
"Looks like you two are getting the real treatment," Anderson said, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "Guess it's good to have people who are so… capable."
Scarlett tensed beside me, clearly trying to keep her composure. I could tell she wasn't in the mood for Anderson's games, but his presence here meant he had some role in our mission, however unwelcome it might be.
"Anderson," I said, keeping my tone neutral, "what brings you here?"
He leaned against the doorframe, his gaze settling on Scarlett with that familiar, unsettling grin. "Just wanted to see if you two were ready for what's coming. Mercier's no small fish—though, from what I hear, you're going straight into his territory." He paused, letting the words hang for a moment. "Scarlett, I'm sure you'll be fine. You've got experience in hostile territory, after all. Isn't that right?"
Scarlett's eyes narrowed. "I don't need a reminder of my background, Anderson."
He shrugged, looking pleased with himself. "Of course not. Just making sure we're all on the same page." He turned to Lucy. "Let's go. Don't want to distract our star agents from their important work."
Lucy gave me a small, apologetic glance as Anderson led her away. As soon as the door shut, Scarlett exhaled sharply.
"Every time he shows up…" she muttered, shaking her head. "Anyway. Let's get back to the plan. We're on a tight schedule, and I'd rather not waste another minute."
We refocused, running through the final checklists for our equipment, going over the entry points, and reviewing possible extraction routes. Every detail had to be perfect. Mercier was no fool, and any misstep could cost us everything.
Several hours later, we were ready. Under the cover of night, we'd be dropped onto the island—Mercier's stronghold. We'd blend in, use the intel from Monroe's files, and work our way to Mercier's inner circle.
The silence between Scarlett and me felt heavier than before, and I sensed the weight of what lay ahead pressing down on both of us. I stole one last glance at her as we prepared to leave the staging area. She caught my gaze, her expression unreadable.
"Let's make this count, V," she said quietly, her voice steady.
I nodded, feeling the gravity of her words settle over me. This mission was about more than just the job. It was about proving something—to Monroe, to Miller, to ourselves. It was about taking back control from the shadows Mercier had cast over all of us.
With one final look, we headed into the night. The game was about to begin. And we weren't going to stop until we'd taken down every last piece of Mercier's empire.