This was supposed to be an easy extraction job. Get in, get the package, and get out.
Anna grimaced at the seventeen armed men standing around her target. She ducked behind some of the large wooden crates in the warehouse and contemplated her next move. She had three smoke bombs, four throwing knives, a zippo lighter, a tiny piece of twine, and a seven inch dagger strapped to her boot. The odds were definitely not in her favor this time.
She cursed herself for underestimating the enemy and not army herself properly for this mission. When Anna took the assignment to retrieve a rich guy's daughter, she'd expected a group of thugs, not a whole crime syndicate.
She was just about to slip away and make her retreat when she heard the large doors across the warehouse open. Great, more of them show up.
"Look alive worms!" one of them shouted, "It's the Boss!"
Anna peeked over the crates to get a glimpse of the "Boss". After all, if she was going to go back empty-handed, she could at least get some valuable intel.
The man was tall, with big meaty arms and a stupid ponytail of black hair. He strode over to the chair where her rescue target was tied up. Poor thing.
Her target's name was Belle Du Franc, age 17. The girl was about 167cm tall, had brown hair, hazel eyes, and a usually wore a ponytail with a light blue ribbon. From the pictures in her file, Anna had seen that the girl was quite pretty.
And apparently she was a total genius too. Belle Du Franc was the daughter of a brilliant scientist and inventor, Maurice Du Franc. He owned a huge conglomerate of technology suppliers and biomedical research facilities. His intelligence bordered on madness, so the rumors went.
It was no surprise when Belle had graduated high school at the age of fourteen, fluent in seventeen languages. She was currently going to a world renowned university for PhDs in several fields of both science and technology. In her file, there were interviews from her classmates calling her a 'stuck up bookworm'. Anna didn't really know what to make of that.
"So, sweetheart, are you going to tell us where it is?" The Boss questioned, placing a hand on the back of the girl's chair. Anna moved a bit so she could see better, careful to remain hidden. A strange smell caught her nose. Was that oranges? No, lemons. Maybe grapefruits?
Belle stared him down, and Anna couldn't help but silently admire the girl's tenacity. "You must be more specific with your questioning." She answered him calmly.
The Boss narrowed his eyes at her, moving his face closer to hers in a silent threat. "Do not make me ask again." He growled.
Belle just leaned back slightly, her gaze unwavering. "Then do not ask again, it makes no difference to me." Anna smiled a little bit at that. The girl had guts, and a sharp tongue to match.
The imposing man sputtered and straightened. "Are you mocking me?!" he demanded, clearly affronted with the mere idea of opposition, "Do you know who you're dealing with?"
The girl rolled her eyes. "You're a criminal, obviously," she stated, "And a simpleton to boot." She added that last part with a challenging smirk.
"That's it! I don't care what my orders are!" he roared, stomping his foot, "Untie her so I can teach the bitch a lesson!"
As the men moved to obey his commands, Anna realized that she would not be retreating from this situation. There was no way she was going to run away while thugs harmed an innocent young woman. She had to act fast.
C'mon Anna, think of a plan! The redhead's brain raced with possible scenarios, her eyes scanning the warehouse for possible items she could use to her advantage.
As the armed crew worked to untie Belle, and The Boss fumed angrily while he waited, Anna once again smelled the scent of oranges. She couldn't figure out why she was smelling citrus in a dingy old warehouse full of rusty tin barrels and old wooden crates.
Suddenly it all clicked. Those barrels are full of citrus oil. This must be a warehouse for cooking supplies or something.
Her eyes scanned over the large tin barrels, a plan quickly forming in her head. Anna took out her smoke bombs, weaving her piece of twine around the fuses and placing them near the barrels. This should get their attention.
She quickly lit the twine with her lighter and slunk across the warehouse behind the cover of crates. She caught Belle's eyes as the girl was being untied and winked at her with a finger placed to her lips. Just sit tight, okay? The brunette nodded imperceptibly before her jaw was grabbed by the angry boss guy.
"Listen up, you snarky bitch," he growled in her face, "I am Gaston, the head hauncho around here, and no one mouths off to me without—" the man was cut off by the hissing of the smoke bombs as they began to release their dark green gases.
Murmurs broke out among the men.
"What was that noise?"
"Look! There's green smoke over there."
"What's causing it?"
They edged closer to the billowing cloud, as per Anna's plan. The redhead took out her throwing knives, and hopped up to a higher crate for a better shot. With a flick of her wrist, she sent the blades drilling into the barrels near the smoke cloud. The clang of the tin as it was pierced full of holes drew even more attention.
Gaston grumbled something under his breath, forcing Belle back into the seat and roughly tying her wrists back to the armrests. Anna waited for him to wander over to the group of men before making her silent descent towards her target.
Belle offered her a small smile of gratitude as Anna cut her bindings off with her dagger. "My hero." The brunette murmured, rubbing her chafed wrists.
Anna shook her head and took out her lighter. "Don't thank me just yet."
"HEY!" they both turned to see all the men staring at them from across the warehouse.
"Start running!" Anna commanded, pushing the girl towards the warehouse exit. The brunette, to her credit, did not question the command.
Here goes everything! Anna lit up the lighter and tossed it towards the barrels. Suddenly half the warehouse burst into flames, the men who'd been investigating started screaming while running around blindly searching for something to extinguish themselves.
Anna knew that citrus oil was highly flammable and had used that to her advantage when she pierced the barrels with her knives. The liquid had leaked from the holes all over the floor where the men were blindly searching in her smoke trap. Once ignited, the flames spread to the wooden crates and to other tin barrels, finally evolving into a full blown inferno.
Anna quickly left the warehouse before she got caught up in the fiery mess.
"I assume now is the proper time to give you my thanks?" Belle asked her quietly, her eyes still locked on the burning building. It glowed brightly in the dark of the moonless night.
Anna placed a hand on her shoulder. "Let's get you back to the base. Your father's waiting for you there."
Belle nodded and allowed the redhead to guide her across the dark and dingy shipyard to a sporty blue convertible. The brunette smiled at the car as she sat in the passenger seat. "May we leave the top down?" she asked, excitement seeping into her voice.
Anna smirked. "Of course."
She revved the engine and sped out of the lot. Belle smiled into the wind as it whipped her ponytail around wildly. "This is marvelous!" she cheered with delight.
"Never been in a convertible I take it?" Anna asked casually.
Belle shook her head, child-like smile still in place. "No, my father's driver Phillipe takes me everywhere. It's terribly dull!"
Anna chuckled, speeding up a bit when she got to the deserted highway that led back into town. "Well kid, if you ever want to go for a joy ride just contact the agency and I'll pick you up. The coast is a really awesome way to go during the day, you can see the ocean and the crashing waves."
Belle pouted. "I am not a child, I'll have you know. I'm probably not much younger than yourself. How old are you?" she paused, "Come to think of it, I don't believe I know your name either."
Anna smirked playfully, taking a tight turn with practiced ease. "That's classified." At Belle's glare, she broke into a chuckle, "Just kidding. My name's Anna Andersen, and I'm 24."
Belle nodded, taking in this new information. "It's a pleasure to meet you Anna, even under the given circumstances. I would introduce myself to you, but I assume that the action would be quite moot."
"Moot?"
"Pointless."
"Well, you assume correctly," Anna said, slowing down as they reached the city limits, "I already know plenty about who you are. However, I still don't understand why you were kidnapped by those guys."
Belle sighed and rested her chin in her hand, her elbow propped up on the side of the car. "Why else would the daughter of a rich man be kidnapped by a group of brutes? Money, obviously."
Anna raised an eyebrow, slowing down to stop at a red light. "I don't think that's the whole story here," she stated, "And I think you know that too."
The brunette stared at her for a moment. "I'm impressed by your intuition," she acknowledged after a moment, "They were after a set of passcodes that grant access to my father's most important and secretive research."
Anna nodded, pulling into a parking lot next to a flower shop. "I don't suppose you'll tell me what the research is about, huh?"
Belle smiled sadly and shook her head. "No, sorry," she looked around curiously, "I thought you said we were going back to your agency?"
Anna unbuckled her seatbelt and got out of the car. "We are, just follow me."
The brunette nodded and followed her across the parking lot to the florist building. "'The Corona'?" Belle read the store's sign aloud, "Your base of operations is in a flower shop?"
Anna shook her head and led the girl around to the back of the building. The wall was made of neatly stacked bricks, blemished by an array of all sorts of colorful graffiti.
"Not in a flower shop…" Anna approached the wall, her hand reaching out to touch a small yellow sun design that had been painted onto the center most brick. Suddenly, the central slab of the wall receded into the ground, revealing a small platform elevator.
Anna smirked at the look of surprise on the young brunette's face. "We're going underneath a flower shop."
Belle followed her wordlessly into the elevator, watching with interest as they descended several levels down. "This is quite clever, I must admit."
Anna smiled and thanked her as they stepped out of the elevator.
"Andersen! You're late!" a short, stubby balding man with a big nose and a red goatee stomped towards them.
"Relax, Phil," Anna held up her hands in surrender, "I was held up due to some complications." She internally grimaced at the report she'd have to give. Burning down a warehouse wasn't exactly following the mission plan.
The little grumpy man grumbled and shook his head. "Just get in your office, Agent Flynn is waiting for you with Mr. Du Franc, he wants to talk about another assignment or somethin'."
Anna sighed at the prospect of yet another difficult job. She honestly just wanted to go home and get to sleep. She made sure Belle was still trailing behind her as she trudged to her office.
Flynn greeted her with a hearty pat on the shoulder. "Good job, Feisty. You made it out of there in one piece, and with Ms. Du Franc safe 'n' sound no less."
Anna sheepishly rubbed the back of her neck. "Yeah, um, about that…I may have, say… burned down a warehouse." She clenched her eyes shut, waiting for the scolding comment. But it never came, and was that chuckling?
Flynn was smiling at her. "I already heard about that, and I've got damage control on the case. So don't worry, you did the right thing."
"I-I did?" Anna stuttered in surprise.
"Of course you did." Another man said as he approached them, "You've brought back my precious little girl unharmed, and for that I am truly grateful to this organization."
"Father!" Belle ran into the man's open arms and hugged him tightly. Anna's heart warmed at the sight. It was moments like these that made her love her job.
Flynn smiled as well. "The Guardians are always happy to help those in need."
Mr. Du Franc smiled over his daughters shoulder. "Thank you again, you have done more good than you will ever realize."
"It was no trouble at all." Anna said casually, trying to play it cool and nonchalant. "Belle's a really nice girl."
The brunette pulled away from her father and smiled at her. "Thank you again, Anna." She said earnestly, "For saving me."
Mr. Du Franc shook Anna's hand, followed by Flynn's. "I'll have compensation sent over tomorrow, and if you ever need any strings pulled, I'll be happy to oblige." He said.
And then they left with warm smiles on their faces.
Flynn grinned at her. "So Feisty, did you find out anything good?"
Anna sat down at her desk, which still had Belle's file open and her papers splayed all about. "Nothing overly substantial," she replied tiredly, "The group of supposed 'thugs' turned out to be some kind of crime syndicate who were after the passcodes for Du Franc's special research. Their leader wasn't there, just some really annoying guy with a bunch of armed lackeys." She sighed and leaned back in her chair. Her muscles were starting to ache a little bit, and a few knots were beginning to form in her shoulders.
Flynn took in this information with a slow nod. "I see. Intel has been tracking a dangerous syndicate who call themselves 'Nightmare', and I believe that they were the ones behind it. Word on the street is that Nightmare is preparing something big and dangerous, which brings me to the topic of your next assignment."
Anna inwardly groaned. It was two in the freaking morning! The whole 'justice never sleeps' catchphrase was starting to sound like a load of crap. Justice better be allowed to go home and take a damn nap!
"Don't worry, you can go home after we debrief," Flynn said as if he was reading her mind. He pressed a button on his watch. "Bring her in." he spoke into it.
After a few seconds, the door to the office opened once more. Anna suddenly felt wide awake, while simultaneously feeling like her heart had stopped.
The woman before her was beautiful, no, she was gorgeous! Neatly styled up platinum blonde hair was arranged in an elaborate braided bun, complimented by flawless snowy skin. And her eyes! They were the deepest, bluest eyes that Anna had ever seen in her entire life. And they were gazing right at her!
"U-uh, hi." Anna was already making an idiot of herself, her freckled face turning the color of a tomato.
The blonde smiled shyly. "Hello." She greeted back with a nervous little wave. Gods, even her voice is beautiful! And that little waving thing she did was so damn cute! Anna blushed harder.
"Anna, meet Elsa," Flynn introduced, "Elsa, Anna."
Anna nodded in greeting, trying not to notice how the woman's sundress perfectly displayed the delicate curves of her hips.
"You will be guarding Elsa at your home for the next few months."
That snapped Anna right out of her hormone induced haze. "Wait, what?" she whipped her head around to face him. "Why can't we just protect her here?"
"Honestly?" Flynn answered with a raise of his brow, "Because she isn't safe here. The people who are looking for her… they're dangerous and resourceful, and they will most likely be keeping tabs on the base for signs of her."
Anna stood up from her chair, brushing off her black pants. "I still don't see how my place is any better. My neighbors are all busybodies who will probably know something's up if I bring a random stranger to come live with me. They'll talk, and word will travel around back to her pursuers."
Flynn opened his mouth to speak, but Anna cut him off. "And don't even think you can make her blend in by passing her off as my long lost cousin or something because everyone in the City of Arendelle knows that I don't have any living family."
Flynn sighed and crossed his arms. "Are you done pleading your case?"
Anna nodded.
"Well, as I said before, she will be staying with you," he said, "And she will be posing as your fiancé."
Suddenly Anna's heart started beating again, no, this time it was racing. Hell, it was running a freaking marathon in her chest. "M-My..f-fi…m-my…" she couldn't even form a coherent thought. Her eyes darted to Elsa, who sat demurely in a cushioned chair like some sort of still life art. She has really nice posture…wait, what am I saying? "She can't be my fiancé!" Anna blurted.
Two sets of eyes stared back at her, one slightly hurt. "I-I mean," she stuttered, "Why don't you get one of the male agents to do it?"
"Because most of them are either married, have girlfriends, have roommates, or are gay." Flynn replied, "Face it Anna, you're one of the only operatives we have that lives alone, isn't seeing anybody, and lives in a location that is a safe enough distance from the base."
Anna sighed and slumped against her desk. She realized that there was no getting out of it. Life was going to be hell. How am I going to survive living with a goddess?
"Fine, is there anything I need to do?" She asked, resigned to the idea.
Flynn smiled. "Nothing for now, but I'll keep you posted. Just make sure to sell it to the bystanders so she blends in."
Anna nodded. "Done. Now tell me this, why are people after her?"
Flynn grimaced. "That's classified."
Anna narrowed her eyes at him. "Are you kidding me?"
He shook his head. "It's on a strict need-to-know basis."
Anna rolled her eyes. "Whatever." She looked at Elsa, who was watching their exchange intently. "Are you ready to go?" Anna asked her, surprised at how gentle her own voice sounded.
The blonde nodded nervously. "Yes, Ms. Andersen. Flynn had some of my things moved into your home while you were out on your mission."
Anna sent a glare to Flynn before turning back to her fake fiancé. "Please, call me Anna. We are going to be fake married after all." She tried to make it sound light hearted, but her voice came out gloomy and dull.
Elsa smiled sympathetically, her kind blue eyes acting as a balm on Anna's soul. "Thank you, Anna. I know that you don't want to do this, and I appreciate the fact that you are doing this anyway for my sake…It is very kind of you."
Anna felt a dopey smile spreading across her face. Being complimented by such a pretty woman made her insides turn to absolute mush. Her face became red again. "I-I'm happy to help." She cursed her blithering idiocy in the face of beauty. Elsa probably thought she was completely inept.
Flynn smiled at the two of them. "I think that this'll work out just fine."
I am alive! Gosh it's been forever, hasn't it? Taking summer classes in college is hell on earth, remember that for those of you who are thinking about taking them. Also if you're waiting on ATW, don't worry, I'm still working on that as well. Anyway, let me know what you think of this story so far. :)