The Fabricated Plan
Set ten years after United We Spy
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Cammie POV
I stand in a Surrey hotel elevator, fumbling with one of the most important flash drives' in current CIA history. The flash drive holds missions and past CIA covers. If it were ever to see the light, lives would be destroyed and careful work to infiltrate mobs and terrorist organizations would be for nothing.
Due to Zach's and my experience with stopping world catastrophes in the past, we were pulled out of a mission from South America to be paired with the CIA's top tech analysts and hackers- of course, Jonas and Liz.
All of our covers were things we were uncomfortable with; Zach was sitting on the corner of the hotel posing as a homeless man begging for money.
I don't think his situation is nearly as uncomfortable as mine though.
I am posing as a blissful Russian wife of a powerful CEO that owns half of the hotels on the North coast of America. As a powerful CEO's wife, I am required to wear four inch high heels and a dark floor length dress.
However, you do what you have to do to get the job done.
All the while Jonas and Liz sit in the cozy black van that Zach will use as an escape to return the flash drive to Langley if and when I am successful dropping it into his hands.
"Knight, I have entered the elevator. The hallways from the suite were empty, and it looks like this may be a clean get away," I mutter into my comms unit, holding the Russian accent my alias has.
"Let's not count our blessings yet, Gallagher Girl," I hear his deep voice clear through the comms.
I gasp, "Zachary, code names!" I gripped the flash drive tighter in my hands. Then I realize what I said and slap my hand over my mouth.
I begin to lose my breath in panic. Lives depend on us!
"Whatever you say, Gallagher Girl," I can imagine the smirk he was wearing right now, "Bookworm, are you able to control this elevator so it goes straight down to the hotel lobby?"
Zach asks Liz who is un-characteristically quiet while she listens to our slight banter; usually she has something to say.
"Hmm? Oh! Yes, I can do that." Liz's voice hits a few nervous octaves. Liz has always been confident while she is behind a computer on this mission, so this unnerves me.
Have I mentioned that there are missions leveled Ivory on this flash drive? When a mission or Operative's Alias is leveled Ivory, that means even the President of the United States might be kept in the dark about it.
This is a very important flash drive.
If the flash drive were a human organ it would be as important as the heart.
"Book worm," I ask her cautiously, "Is there any trouble? Is there heavy traffic on the freeway?" my voice was nearly choked; I couldn't imagine it being my responsibility if Operative's lives were turned upside down because of any mistakes I committed.
"No, Chameleon the roads are clear and safe," Liz has confidence in her voice again. My shoulders slump, barely able to take the tension.
"Knight, we have just breached the last firewall to control the elevator," Jonas voice' cuts in the silence, "In 5… 4…"
"One… Sorry Jonas, your countdown was a little slow. We have the elevator." Liz's voice is smug and slightly guilty at the same time.
The elevator that had been going down at a very slow pace jerks to a stop making me stumble forward.
Unwanted panic begins to overtake any reasonable thoughts, and the elevator begins to feel too small and turn blurry in my vision.
"So it was successful?" Zach's voice mirrors my own hope. I want to get this flash drive out of this ritzy hotel and in the right hands as soon as possible.
"Yes. She has the elevator all under control." Jonas grumbles enviously.
After Jonas's words the elevator starts up again, and as if a switch was flipped, my lungs begin to inhale and exhale as my vision becomes clear again.
The elevator is rather large with velvet soft carpet that's reflected in the mirror ceiling.
Classical music drifts into my ears that I hadn't realized yet was playing.
If I weren't holding the heart of missions and Operatives in my hands, literally, and my cover were actual reality, I might be enjoying myself.
But I'm not.
"Bookworm or Technician is there any way you could speed this up?" my Russian accent doesn't disguise that my voice was shaking from anxiety.
This flash drive is a lot to hold.
"I don't think you want them to drop you—" Zach cuts himself off and what he says next is priceless.
"Ma'am please. Just a dollar. Just one meal," Zach's scratchy homeless voice pleads, "Oh…ma'am please don't—" Zach's voice is startled, then I hear a scuffle through the Comms unit. "Don't hit me with your Lon Couture purse." Zach mutters as an afterthought, "Heartless woman."
I probably look like a crazy woman whole heartedly giggling in the elevator by herself, but that was simply priceless. I'm not the only one either; Liz and Jonas are fully ab-developing laughing, while Zach simply stays quiet on his end.
"On second thought, Bookworm and Technician hurry it up. My hands are freezing," Zach grumbles eventually. Although I can't see him, I know he's not smirking now.
"Aw, a rejected Knight. That probably doesn't feel good," Jonas eggs it on further, but you can hear it in his voice hat he regrets what he said. What a sweet guy.
There's silence ringing through the Comms unit. I want to say something witty badly but I really shouldn't risk more 'talking to myself in the elevator' when it's such a serious mission.
To my surprise Zach didn't have a smooth come back ready for Jonas.
Liz's voice sounds truly sympathetic and… encouraging? "You won't get rejected again Knight."
Everything turns so quiet compared to the laughter a few seconds ago, I wonder if I would be able to hear the soft snow fall onto the ground.
Zach's usual cocky voice came back through the Comms, "I know I won't bookworm,"
His smirk is back. "What floor are you on Chameleon?" his voice seems like it was supposed to sound relaxed but what I hear is… anxiety?
Three days planning this and putting the mission in motion took a toll on us.
With such high stakes, an operative always wants extended time to plan, but like all of the Top-Secret-Top-Important missions that happen in clandestine history, there was an hourly notice or days' notice.
We're one of the lucky ones.
My eyes flicker, hopeful, to be at least close to getting to the main lobby.
Floor 36?!
"Bookworm! Technician!" the words contradict my icy voice, "Why, am I STILL on floor 36?" the panic fuels the intimidation.
"Chameleon," Jonas chides me, "We have complete control of the elevator, fully hi-jacked, every operation is showing on our computers and not inside the elevator,"
Jonas sounds smug when he finally held the upper hand after Liz shunning him with her hacking talent, "You are on floor two." He finally decides to inform me. I inflate my cheeks and let out a slow breath,
"Alright I am calling a radio silence. Position Knight, and I will be out there as soon as possible. Sorry Tech and Bookworm." No one responds but I swear I hear a distant giggle of nerves in the background.
I waited one more minute then the doors opened and I silently strutted into the hotel lobby, fully immersed in my alias.
The lobby smelled of cinnamon candles, and was bustling with a wide range of successful business men and women calling for attention of the hotel Managers or bell hops.
No one noticed the Russian trophy wife smoothly work towards the door averting her gaze to lovely paintings on the wall.
"I am forty feet from the door; I will be there in five minutes." I muttered.
I slightly narrowed my eyes at the chipper bell boy who was giving me a toothy smile, as he opened the door wide, nonchalantly letting the arctic blast hit me.
I folded my arms, tugging the fur coat around me more snugly, and step into the cold, the dark angry clouds swirled above me, gentle snow falling down like a drizzle of rain.
When I hear a rusty voice calling out for money, I turn to the left and start down the sidewalk, trying to pull off a casual stroll in one of New York's coldest winter days this month.
My pace quickens when I see a homeless man begging on the street corner, I am ready to drop off this flash drive, and forget about it. I am ready for this flash drive to be destroyed and everything stay as sane as possible for a while.
The homeless man turns his head and sees me; I catch an unmistakable glance of aggressive dark green eyes, but they quickly look away and turn to the empty street.
Pulling off the homeless man look should be impossible. But the look only brings out the more rugged part of Zach.
There was slight stubble along his jaw and upper lip, a wool hat shoved over his wavy dark hair carelessly falling into his eyes, the tattered coat around his broad shoulders barely containing his muscles, which a homeless man should not bare. For that matter a homeless man shouldn't have such a flawless body.
The silence in the city, was deafening in my ears, I loosen my grip on the flash drive to drop in Zach's hand.
Just one split second my hand brushed Zach's, securely placing the flash drive in his ready palm.
"Gryaznyy ublyudok ruki! Otvali" I curse at Zach in Russian clinging to my cover, Zach however he refused to let go of my hand.
I try to yank out of his grip and when that fails I aim to kick his face. I don't care if one simple bruise on his face makes me frown, he shouldn't be steering away from the plan.
Zach's palm flies out protecting his face, grabbing my ankle and places it back on the ground, with barely a fight.
"Pomoch'! Pomoch'!" I yell hoping the victim card would be convincing enough.
Lives could be crashing down, right now, because of Zach.
I swat my hands, because as a Russian trophy wife, I can't pull the Yuno twist that would, fracture Zach's wrist in five painful ways.
"Jesus Gallagher Girl! Calm down!" Zach yelled trying to calm me down and for what reason I have no idea.
I simply try to pull my hand away again,
"Otoydi ! Gryaznyy Ublyudok!" I screech at him.
Zach finally had enough fun and pinched a nerve on the inside of my elbow, rendering the Gallagher Girl in me, defenseless.
Missions are blown. Deep cover Agents are blown. Chaos—
"The mission was FABRICATED!" Zach yelled kind of desperate because I was aiming kicks at his pride.
What Zach just said, froze the world, seriously, the rule of Time was broken, nothing moved.
I stared at Zach uncomprehendingly, I was frozen completely.
That's when Zach's hand pressed into his ear speaking into the comms, "I got it from here. Thanks." he whispered.
With no further ado I heard my comms unit crackle when Liz and Jonas log off.
What is going on?
I glared at Zach my breath quickening, "What? What do you mean this mission was—"
Zach interrupted me again, "Me, Liz, Jonas, and everyone else made this mission up," Zach stood to his full height, my nose was nearly pressed against his chest.
One part of my mind secretly admired him for being able to defend himself from the ground and the other part was clinging to just about anything to make sense.
Yes. The mission was fabricated but why?
That's when Zach's hands took mine gently,
the simple warmth from his rough working fingers burned my hands, spreading to my knees making them feel weak.
I tipped my head back, my bewildered blue eyes, stared into his steady mischievous green.
"Za—" I couldn't finish because what he did next took my breath away.
Zach brought our intertwined hands so that my eyes could see a slim silver band holding a single diamond on my left ring finger,
"Cameron Anne Morgan will you marry me?"
As if it was my last chance on earth I kissed him throwing myself at him.
My hands tangled in his hair, tears coming down my cheeks, Zach held me tight and brought me in a full circle his arms tight around my back when I murmur into his lips, "Yes. Zachary, I will marry you." I murmured into his lips as we burned in our fire, I felt Zach smile against our lips.
Best. Fabricated. Mission. Ever.
Author Note: Thank you for your consideration in reviews! (Katniss Everdeen bows)
No skipping over the reviewing option! :{)
DISCLAIMED
This whole one-shot was re-written and I put a lot of heart in 2,168 words!
I sent a frantic message to Hammsters whose writing I respect, and she helped me A LOT. So here is a SHOUT OUTto the wonderful Beta and Grammar queen,
GO. READ. HER. STORIES!
