"Laureline! You need to move faster, go south." Valerian was anxiously watching laureline's tracker on the screen above him while talking to her earpiece. This wasn't laureline's first mission alone, but it was the first time she was in serious danger and needless to say Valerian wasn't very comfortable just being behind a screen. "Valerian, I can handle this myself, stop panicking." Laureline said in an irritated voice. She was becoming sick and tired of Valerian not trusting her to go on these missions herself. The only reason he wasn't on the ground with her is because he is too recognisable and if he was noticed it would ruin the entire operation. After the pearls became fully settled back into their home, they made a public announcement about who helped them find justice and create their home planet. Even though they mentioned Laureline alongside Valerian it didn't make a difference, once again Valerian was considered the hero and Laureline was hidden in Valerian's shadow. Although Valerian's new found fame slightly annoyed Laureline at first, it did give her more opportunities to work on the ground by herself which throughly enjoyed. Of course Valerian and Laureline are still partners first and foremost, but he wasn't always the easiest person to work with. This mission was the first mission that was given to her directly and not through Valerian and she was determined not to fuck it up. She was back at the market in alpha because one of the vendors had been dealing illegal drugs, at first glance it was not the most exhilarating mission, but she was happy to take it as it marked the first step of making a name for herself and not just being 'Valerian's partner'. Laureline was walking through the market place when she finally came to her destination, she set her gun to stun and checked the stall to see if there was any contraband, there was nothing sitting on the stall except a selection of useless trinkets, she now just had too figure out how to get to the room underneath... "Can I help you miss?" Standing in front of her was a seven foot tall man with a grey beard down to his knees, piercing steel grey eyes and he was dressed in what could only be described as something a homeless man would wear. "No I'm just having a look around, thank you." Laureline put on her kindest voice and stared straight into the man's eyes, analysing him. "A beautiful girl like you shouldn't be wondering around by herself" He said in a predatory tone. "C'mon back I think I've got something you'd like..." He leaned across the stall so he was inches away from Laureline's face. "Dick." Laureline heard Valerian's voice through her earpiece, for once she completely agreed with him and she was extremely tempted to walk away...but she knew if she went back there she could easily get into the basement underneath the stall and this mission would be a success. Laureline put on her most flirtatious smile and answered "Please show me." She began to follow the perverted old man behind the stall when she heard Valerian panicking in her ear "Laureline what are you doing?" She couldn't answer him as the man with no name would hear. "Laureline I can see where you're walking don't do this we can find another way in." Valerian said in a concerned and anxiety filled voice. "Laureline listen to me get out of there now Alex said you're gun isn't working." Panic began to fill Laureline as she was following the man into a dark back room with only a few saturated neon lights to allow her vision. If her gun wasn't working that meant she would have to rely on her combat training, this man could easily overpower her but as long as she was fast a few pressure point punches and he would be down. She took a deep breath and continued into the dark room, nothing was going to stop her from completing this mission. "LAURELINE, what are you doing get out now!" Valerian now sounded as if he was about to have a panic attack, Laureline had never heard him so nervous and all she wanted to do was to answer him to give him some comfort, but her circumstances stopped her from doing so. She followed the man into the back corner of the neon drenched room to sit with him on a ratty old couch. The man's eyes wondered up her legs and she was regretting her choice to wear her grey dress today. "What did you want to show me." Laureline asked as flirtatiously as see could. You'll find out in a minute...Agent Laureline." Before she could respond the man grabbed her and positioned her so she was face down underneath him...just as she was about to kick him off and get out of there, she felt the unmistakable cold steel of a barrel of a gun pressing against her bare back. "I wouldn't try to fight it if I was you, especially since Agent Valerian here would be left without a partner." He painfully ripped the earpiece out of Laureline's ear and placed it in his own ear. "Hello Agent Valerian, how are you this fine day." He said with menace in his voice. "If you dare touch Laureline I swear you're a dead man walking." Valerian said in a low intimidating voice. "Well I'm touching her now, so I guess you better come kill me." He said in a mocking tone. All of a sudden the man took out the earpiece and held it next to Laureline's face, at first Laureline was confused, but then the man lowered his body on her back and the weight crushing her back made Laureline scream out in pain. He then placed the earpiece back in his ear. "Or maybe I'll kill her first." The humour in his voice made both Valerian and Laureline sick to their stomach. "Please, I can give you anything you want just stop hurting her." Valerian's said in a rare vulnerable voice. "Cmon Valerian I expected less of a cliché from you...shame we could of had some fun." He threw away the earpiece and laureline's heart dropped when she heard it smash...her lifeline was gone. Laureline was so in shock that up to this point she hadn't said a word. She was still being crushed by his body and was having difficulty breathing. Using all of her strength she let out a breathy, "Who are you?" There was a tension filled silence before he lent down a whispered in her ear "Someone from your past life."