Disclaimer: Nothing is mine, unless they are characters that you do not recognize from Glee. This is the prologue, so I am asking (practically begging) you, the reader, to please give it a chance. If you don't like it, then too bad for me. *cry*
The loud blaring of Hall and Oates through her iHome ripped Quinn away from her comfortable sleep. With a scowl imprinted across her pale face, she reached out and slapped the device shut. She growled and sat up from her bed. If she knew any better, Kyler planned this wake-up song of hers because she specifically remembered setting up a calmer song, like Gravity by Sara Bareilles. Now, You Make My Dreams will be her earworm for the day.
"Well, someone is in a horrible mood this morning." An amused man called out to Quinn as she made her way down to the kitchen where the scent of waffles and bacon permeated the air.
"I wouldn't be, if the song that woke me up wasn't changed!" She snarled despite the hug that she was engulfed in. Quinn struggled but the man was too strong for her, even if his body was lean. "Ugh, let go of me, Kyler."
Kyler simply grinned and messed up Quinn's bedhead. "Whatever, Quinnie. Hurry up and eat."
Quinn rolled her eyes and sat on the bar stool overlooking the countertop. Kyler came up from behind the woman who was dancing by the stove and planted a kiss against her cheek. Quinn watched as the woman gripped the handle of the pan and craned her neck to kiss Kyler on the lips.
"A sixteen year old is in the room, please stop making out." Quinn yelled.
"Sorry, honey." The woman smiled and handed her a plate filled with bacon and other breakfast items, causing Quinn to forget everything else as she dug in.
"As much as I love this blonde eating before us, the smell of fried pig is getting to me." Kyler sighed and grabbed his thermos from the countertop. "I'll see you two at HQ or else. Especially you, Kim. Just because we're sleeping on the same bed and—"
"I don't want to hear that." Quinn mumbled.
"Okay, okay!" Kyler laughed. "Just, please don't be late. You two are family, but the advisors are nabbing my ass every single day because I make exceptions all the time."
Kim smiled and stole a strip of bacon from Quinn's plate. "You got it boss."
Kyler scowled and rolled his eyes playfully. "I'm going to leave now before my restraint flies out the window."
"Again?" Kim smirked, cocking an eyebrow.
"Damn it!" Kyler shouted, taking his briefcase and thermos before sprinting out the door.
"I love teasing your father." Kim sighed, her eyes glazing over with something, and Quinn was afraid to ask what she was daydreaming of. Quinn smiled at their expense.
Quinn and Kim drove to HQ, and were there before nine o'clock. HQ can be easily defined as a corporate building, except that it wasn't. Okay, maybe the building itself was a corporate building but the underground levels however, are a different story. Quinn walked towards the special elevator that no normal, white-collar worker should know. Punching in the code, she and Kim descended to the depths of the ground.
They stepped onto the moving walkway as it scanned their bodies for anything threatening. At the end, a woman smiled at them and handed them their identification passes. Kim and Quinn continued on, until they entered through a heavy metallic door that opened with ease.
This was HQ where all of the members of The Stigma gather every morning, unless they are on a mission, which half of them are at the moment. It wasn't as busy as it would be during the holidays, but there was still a flurry of activity. Men and women in their office attire flipped through papers and made phone calls with every breath taken.
"Good morning, Kim." A stern woman whose nameplate read Natalie greeted, looking at Kim over her eyeglasses. "Mr. Ward is already in the meeting room. He is waiting for you and…" she hesitated before glancing at Quinn, who scowled. "…and Ms. Fabray. If you would just follow me…"
Kim scowled at this, but she led Quinn by the shoulders anyway.
"Do you know what's going on?" Quinn asked in a stage-whisper. Usually, she would sign in and head directly to the gunning range. She was barely included in meetings because usually, the missions come to her, not the other way around.
"No, but we'll figure it out."
Natalie led them towards a room with glass for walls, and this made Quinn feel a slight tremor in her stomach. The Glass Room (with appropriate capitalization) was always considered to be bad news. Kyler said so. Inside, Quinn can see that her father was arguing with a stocky, bearded man who might as well be Santa Claus. Kim reached for her hand and gave a firm nod. They entered.
"Ah, finally." Santa Claus' voice boomed over Kyler's angry voice. "Pretty women in the midst of this testosterone party. Take a seat, please."
Quinn took the seat beside Kyler who threw her a concerned look. She noticed the silent conversation between Kim and Kyler, and she immediately felt small and out of place.
"Would you ladies like anything? Coffee? Hot milk?" Santa asked, chuckling at his attempt at a joke. He glanced at Natalie who straightened beneath his gaze. "Natalie, make sure that they have what they want before we begin."
"I'll have peach cocktail if you have it." Kim muttered. "Quinn, want anything?"
"Mango juice for me." She huffed.
Natalie nodded and left the room. Santa chuckled and jabbed Kyler's shoulder. "Your ladies love fruit drinks, don't they?"
Kyler faked a smile and nodded. "Yeah. Look pops—"
"Don't call me that." Santa snapped.
He sighed and Quinn noticed that his shoulders tensed more, if that were possible. "Listen, Mr. Taylor, I don't think this mission will be for Quinn! She's experienced, yes, but this is an undercover mission! She has specializations, but this is too much—"
"We'll start when the drinks get here." Mr. Taylor said, relaxing against his leather chair. His small, beady eyes landed on to Kim with a small smirk. "Tell me, Kyler. When will you make an honest woman of this fine lady right here?" His gaze was eerily concentrated, and Quinn felt her fists clench when Kim tugged at her shirt in discomfort.
"Soon enough don't worry." Kyler mumbled impatiently. "Come on—"
"How about this young lady right here?" Mr. Taylor shifted his stare towards Quinn now, his tongue peeked out and he licked his lips. "Such a pretty face. I'm not surprised Kyler is adamant on letting you go and meet boys your age."
"Will you please stop leering at my daughter?" Kyler snarled.
Natalie arrived with two tall glasses of peach cocktail and mango juice, setting it before Quinn and Kim. With a curt nod, she left The Glass Room, leaving the four people inside in silence.
"Now, we can begin." Mr. Taylor sighed with a grin. "And what's so wrong about me appreciating the beauty of your 'daughter', Ward?"
"Taylor," hissed Kyler with a voice laced with contempt. "My daughter is a better shot than I am, so if you make her uncomfortable I swear to the lord above…"
"Calm down." Mr. Taylor said with a wave of his hand. "I'll start." He clicked a few keys on his laptop and a presentation appeared on the flat screen that was perched on the wall. "Ms. Fabray, I feel that it is time to delve deeper into your skills as an assassin. I understand that you finished a large amount of missions throughout the world, especially in Thailand, Japan, North Korea and Europe. I'm sure your father is proud."
"I am." Kyler sighed. "Just… Just get on with it."
Mr. Taylor nodded his head, his expression morphed into something serious. "Those missions that you completed were done with perfect accuracy. This is a mission only you can do. There are no textbook answers and you only have your instincts to guide you. Of course there are your parents for guidance, but for the most part, this task is reliant on your judgments."
Quinn blinked. "Okay?"
"This mission," Mr. Taylor shifted in his seat. "Is an undercover one."
Quinn gulped. She remembered the times when Kyler was on an undercover mission. Everything was top secret and he was gone for long periods of time. It made their family dynamic lose its balance, but the aftermaths were always priceless. She glanced at Kim who had fear and anxiety written all over her face. Kyler, however, reverted to his calm demeanour.
Mr. Taylor closed his laptop shut and clasped his palms together. "Before I brief you, I want to know if you are set on doing this task. Then again, being Kyler's daughter I know what your response will be." He paused and stared at Quinn. He wasn't being lecherous about it. He was serious. "You're the only one who can do this, Quinn."
Quinn didn't look at her parents. She knew what their faces would look like: determined, proud, afraid and concerned. She clenched her fists and nodded. "I'll do it."
Comments and questions are much appreciated :D