Hello sweet, few fanfiction readers that are still here.
I'm sorry for the late upload. You might know I annually start a new story every October/November. I was planning on sticking to it, though a few things came up. I wanted desperately to complete the story before posting the first chapter (still didn't manage) and I've, sadly, fallen back into the deep dark hole that some call depression. I don't mean to excuse my tardiness, but it's something you should know.
I will be updating every Sunday at 10PM AMS, though I'll post chapter 2 in two weeks, just to give chapter one enough time to be seen. This one will be introductory, as usual, and I'm sorry to say that Ally won't make an appearance just yet.
This is my first ever attempt at writing a mysterious romance. It was a challenge, but I love what I've written so far. I hope you guys can appreciate this new genre. I promise you will love it if you can give it a chance.
"Fingerprints that were captured from the counter were linked to the suspect after being analysed. Security footage matched the suspect's confession," Austin Moon mouths the words automatically as he puts the final touches on the police report. After filling in the date and scanning over the document, he presses print and makes a mental note to drop it off at his chief's office. He sighs. He wasn't particularly skilled at writing reports like this but he was damn well starting to believe it, as it was one of the few things he had been allowed to do. It was like the chief didn't trust him with anything else.
As if this didn't make him doubt his abilities enough, he had the feeling that the more experienced officer that was assigned to 'guide' him through his introduction period had done a great job at overshadowing him. He didn't need someone to hold his hand, for god's sake, he was perfectly capable of handling the ropes himself, just like any other functioning adult. If they didn't think he had it in him to become a special agent, why would they have issued a contract letter to him in the first place? On second thought, he had a decent clue.
"Moon." Speaking of the devil. His so-called 'partner for an undecided period' was standing at his desk, silently judging the untidiness that his own booth couldn't compare to. The first thing Austin noticed about his partner's appearance, was the man's pale complexion. Officer Lewis was aged, in comparison to Austin at least, but the bags under his eyes seemed particularly dark today. Naturally, Austin couldn't pass up the opportunity to make him aware of them.
"Lewis," Austin states in response while leaning backwards in his chair. "You look terrible. Did you attempt to locate all your grey hairs last night and lost count?" He grins.
"As much as I'd love to give you a clever retort, now's not the time." The agent rolls his eyes, an everlasting unamused expression on his face, before pointing over his shoulder in a hurried gesture. "Chief wants us in his office." Austin barely has time to fetch the report and catch up with him before Lewis hastily knocks and waits for permission to enter. Figures, whenever Austin needed to speak with his boss, he'd be expected to make a two-week prior appointment, but once the important guy ever-so raised a finger, they better be lying at his feet in an instant. It's an authority thing.
"Come in," a gruff voice demands from behind the closed door. The two enter to reveal their faces in which the old man gestures for them to take place on the two wooden chairs facing his big, oaken desk.
"Sir," Lewis speaks in a formal greeting, Austin nodding as a likewise salute before handing him the report he had been working on earlier.
"Lewis, Moon," the man responds as he takes the file and flips through it without making eye contact with either of the agents. A minute of silence fills the room, as the fear of judgement washes over Austin. The supervisor inhales shortly through his nose, the only validation Austin knows he will get. "Congratulations on the robbery case," he speaks, enthusiasm lacking his voice. "Decent work."
"Thank you, sir," Lewis says and Austin stays silent. Since Lewis did most of the work anyway, it feels inappropriate for him to acknowledge the compliment, so he diverts his eyes.
"How would you two feel about going abroad for your next assignment?" Austin's head snaps up. That seemed like an awful lot of responsibility for an officer with his experience, or rather lack off, and one look at his partner proved he shared his thoughts.
"I'm sorry, sir, but with all due respect, I'm uncertain that's a wise decision," Lewis carefully objects.
"Are you questioning my ability to think rationally, agent?" With the raise of one of his dark grey eyebrows, the chief silences Austin's co-worker.
"No, sir."
"Perfect," he nods. The office chair creaks slightly as he rises from it. From one of the grey file cabinets that frame the room, he finds a thick document package with no apparent effort, like the importance of the file caused him to memorise its location. "Are you two familiar with the cellophane chandlers." The question is not so much of a question, rather a statement.
"The trafficking case from 2015. An organisation of an unknown number of drug dealers working in Europe. We picked it up after they got connected to two homicides." Fortunately, Lewis appears to know exactly what he's talking about and saves Austin from possible humiliation. Even after a year of internship and a few months of being a paid employee, he still feels like a rookie. Two years ago, Austin hadn't even considered starting a career as special agent.
The chief nods again while sitting down again. "They have never been seen and not a single member has ever been identified. It was filed as a cold case after a year of no progress, but we have kept tabs on them ever since. And, recently, we have picked up a pattern." He leans over his desk to hand the two agents the file. Lewis reaches out, but the chief moves it closer to Austin, giving Lewis a significant look in which the agent quickly leans back again. Austin takes the document, unsure of how to interpret their exchange, so he just thumbs through it as the chief continues. "It has been discovered that the team uses cruise ships as transport, one line in specific. We have researched their schedule and, if they work as consistently as they have in the past, their next shipment leaves the harbour of Rotterdam this week."
"Rotterdam?" Austin looks up, trying to hide the excitement on his face. The name suddenly realised the international aspect and it was strange to imagine actually working abroad. Lewis takes advantage of his loss of focus to inch his chair closer and look into the file, too.
"According to the patterns studied over the past year, this Friday, the Dutch cruise line DFDS will carry almost thirty kilograms of cocaine along the east coast of England and unload at its final stop, Southened-on-Sea, where it will be transported to London." The chief ignores his question as he gives them all vital information. "You will be looking into the staff of the ship to try and uncover who is part of the organisation."
"Why are we so sure the team is part of the staff?" Austin asks in order to sound somewhat involved. He's noticed that, so far, he has only said one word and that is definitely not granting him any intelligence points. Though, he is rapidly notified that this was not the best question to ask.
"Do you reckon we wouldn't have caught these men if they were tourists, going on the same trip on a fixed schedule for years consecutively?" Austin chooses not to answer this rhetorical question and instead quietly continues reading the page in his lap. Lewis speaks up, raising a question that does add something to the conversation.
"How long do we have?" Austin isn't sure whether to be thankful for not stretching the awkward situation or to envy the way he uses Austin's obliviousness to make himself seem like the better agent.
"The ship will take seven days to reach its destination after departure."
"Just a week?" Austin can't contain himself. The best agents hadn't managed to even uncover the identity of a single member in a year's time and they were expected to catch the team red-handed within a week? He couldn't be the only one finding gaps in this plan, but looking around, the eyes staring at him lack the disturbance he searches for.
"Besides the fact that it is crucial that you gather enough information to guarantee success, this group will most likely be willing to do anything to protect their stash," the chief continues to add reasons for Austin's worry. "It is vital that your real identities remain secret or your lives will potentially be in danger."
"So we're going undercover?" As soon as the words escape his mouth, Austin realises how juvenile his question sounds, like a little kid playing secret agent with his playdate.
"You work for a travel agency to promote the cruise line. This will give you the opportunity to interview the employees." Even if anyone agreed with his thoughts, any type of mockery doesn't follow. Instead, the chief hands them both a driver's license, a notepad with the fake agency's logo on it, and another thin dossier. Austin takes a look at his license. Andrew Young, that's the name he will have to respond to over the next few days. "Further information can be found in these files. Any questions?" Both the agents stay silent. With a waving gesture, he closes the meeting. "That would be all."
Without saying a word, both agents rise from their seats, still a bit overwhelmed by the importance of the case. Just before Austin exits the room, he's being called.
"Moon." Austin looks over his shoulder, wondering why he was being spoken to still. The chief had put on his reading glasses and was reading through something Austin couldn't see. While keeping his eyes on the paper, he beckons him over. "A moment please."
He couldn't deny he was scared of what was coming. Obviously, whatever he was going to be told, it was directed at him personally, as Lewis was being kept out of it purposely. Maybe he made a stupid mistake in his report, maybe he was going to be scolded for underperforming. Austin takes place in the same chair he had just gotten out of and tries to control his breathing. The chief takes off his reading glasses and leans on his desk with both arms, granting Austin his full attention for the first time that day.
"I hope you realise the significance of this assignment." Austin releases a breath. If it was simply a warning to do his best, he could simply make a promise and walk out again. "I put full trust in your capabilities. I dearly hope you can realise my expectations."
"Of course, sir," Austin politely responds. This wasn't the first time a conversation for this purpose had taken place and he wasn't sure whether his performance was an indication.
The chief sighs, as if he's annoyed that Austin doesn't grasp the point he's trying to make. "I believe your previous cooperation with agent Lewis caused some issues." The tone of his voice indicates a question like he's trying to receive a confirmation. Austin rolls his eyes, wondering whether it was Lewis who told on him.
" I can't help it! He's just not-"
"Austin!" He rarely calls him by his first name, so he knows his patience is running out. Wrinkles on his forehead seem deeper than ever and Austin wonders whether stress that he causes might have contributed to them. He certainly didn't have those when Austin was younger. The chief pinches the bridge of his nose. "I want you to have the best possible guidance and agent Lewis is the most qualified agent I have in service. I expect you to do your best to follow his directions and learn from him, and to be on your best behaviour," he speaks like he does not expect any objections. Austin eyes the man's hair and makes a quick prayer that early receding hairlines don't run in the family. "Did I make myself clear?"
"Yes, dad."
"Very well," Chief Moon nods, finding he obtained the goal he wanted to reach. Austin sincerely wonders whether he would have knocked on his father's door if he had had a real ambition for the future. But the combination of a lack of interest in any profession and the desperate need for money to live on his own had driven him to beg his father for a job. His mother supported his decision, though it caused their contact to fade over these past months. And that's how he ended up in this position. "You may be excused." Austin leaves the room, knowing that his performance on this case would help his father decide whether the time and effort he had spent on him had been a waste.
The two agents had had merely a few days to pack, to prepare mentally for whatever challenges would await them, and to get used to their alter ego. The knowledge that this team has killed to keep their business safe was still burning in the back of their minds. It only assured them in what kind of life danger they were in, that is, if their identities would not stay hidden. A better motivator to do the job right was far to be found.
"Well, today's the day," Lewis says. After a long flight, the taxi ride had been silent for that past half hour, simply because there was not much to say and because Austin hadn't admitted how agitated he secretly felt. "'re you nervous?" Lewis tries to gauge his mood.
"Why should I be?" Instead of confiding in him, Austin decides to keep his cool. Clearly, it's not the answer Lewis was expecting nor hoping to hear as he mocks his indifferent attitude with a scoff.
"You know this isn't some kid destroying phone booths," he warns him while passing a serious glance. "This is a group of criminals, they live for what they do. We've seen what they're capable of. One wrong move and you might be next."
"Wow, thanks for the pep talk, partner," Austin responds sarcastically, even more dread filling him.
Lewis sighs. "I'm just saying." He pauses for a second, looking for the right words to pass on his message. He avoids his eyes like he's embarrassed about something. "I won't always be by your side at the ship. Just... Don't do anything stupid." Lewis looks out the window to signal the end of their conversation, but Austin's having none of it.
"Worrying about the life of your co-worker all of a sudden, huh?" He snickers.
"Don't get any ideas," Lewis says sharply. "Caring about the son of a friend, that's all." Austin doesn't respond, instead, imagining how his dad might've pressured Lewis to keep him safe. It's a weird thought, as he has never told Austin that he's worried about his safety personally. Having to hear it indirectly from someone else felt odd.
After leading them through a maze of dull-coloured containers, the taxi arrives at the harbour where a handful of big ships are docked. One ship stands out in particular. At the bottom of the stairs that lead inside, a few crew members are rolling out a ruby coloured rug while others are putting up a tent to shield the check-in area from the sun that threatens to break through light grey clouds that seem to hover them everlastingly.
"This is the one, right?" Austin checks, just to be sure.
"What gave it away? The ship's logo or the people waiting for us?" Lewis answers with a mocking smirk. They are just about to exit the taxi, knowing the company arranged payment in advance when the driver turns around in his seat.
"Your boss wanted me to give you this before you enter the ship." Lewis takes a thin briefcase from him that looks surprisingly heavy. "Just some miscellaneous information about your assignment. He forgot to hand it to you before your departure." The man clarifies before turning around again. The two take this as an invite to get out of the car, in which they shrug and do exactly that.
Once they open the doors, the sound of air horns, waves breaking against the rocks, and gusts of wind hit them over the head. Austin takes a few seconds to take in his surroundings. The harbour knows a limited colour palette; the main colour he saw was grey. Even the sky matched the cement and container ships. The only thing that broke the plain canvas was the enormous, white cruise ship that seemed to radiate.
Then, suddenly, something feels off. He doesn't know what exactly, but something makes Austin feel queasy. Beneath the deafening noise that surrounds them, Austin hears something subtle. Something weak, yet very, very alarming. He stops Lewis, who was just about to make his way towards the ship and once he moves closer to the agent, Austin the sound gets louder, more identifiable. It's a series of beeps and once he manages to focus on it, he notices the speed of the beeping accelerating. Austin's eyes drop to the briefcase in Lewis' hand and he realises what caused his uneasy feeling. He knows he must act fast.
Without saying a word, he jerks the bag out of his grip, sprints towards the water, and throws the case in without a second thought. From behind him, he hears Lewis rage at him.
"What the fuck, Austin?" The agent yells while running towards the water like he's planning on saving as much of the case's content as he could. "That could've contained vital-"
An explosion that is suppressed by the water the bomb causes a hollow column of water that rises three feet into the air. The two agents simultaneously stumble backwards, shocked by the sound and the sight. Surface waves move outwards from the centre after attracting the attention of all bystanders. Austin hears Lewis breath heavily next to him and he feels like he owes him an explanation.
"My dad hasn't forgotten anything regarding his job in his life," he says. Lewis takes a few seconds to progress the piece of information before covering his forehead in shame.
"I should've known," he admits his fault. He swallows once before looking Austin in the eyes, reaching out to shake his hand. "Thank you."
"I just noticed the timer coming from the binder," Austin shrugs as he attempts to downplay his move. The shock is playing with his mind and he struggles to know what to say.
"Good to have a young pair of ears nearby," Lewis chuckles as Austin smiles uneasily. They fall silent, looking at the brown suitcase that was now floating peacefully on the surface like it didn't just make an attempt to harm them. Lewis looks at Austin again, a more worrisome look in his eyes. "You know what this means, right?"
Austin knew. It didn't have to be said out loud because it was obvious. Their secret identities hadn't fooled the team for a second. The dealers knew exactly who they were and what they were here for. And they would rather kill than face even the slightest risk of getting caught.
The briefcase wasn't meant to kill them.
That stunt would go viral and I'd really rather limit the number of so-called undercover agents on my ship, thank you very much.
No, that was simply to send a message. I've got enough people to do the dirty work for me.
And seven days is more than enough time to release those two in my lovely labyrinth.
The only thing I'll have to do is hide in plain sight.
Let's see how good of an agent you two really are.
Now, more than ever, your comments would mean the world to me. Y'all know I thrive on justification. Hope you see you again in two weeks when I might've finished the whole story (hopefully). Love