A note : Shorter chapter, but a more frequent update .My apologies, should be much better next time.
Chapter Two: An Extended Leave
-WESTSIDE HOTEL, LOS ANGELES, CA/ SUITE 666/ 5:00 PM-
"You had to break and enter?" Sarah Walker was crossing her arms, staring at her friend in disbelief. The window was open, a little blood was on the floor, and her best friend was lying on the ground at her feet, wearing a full black body suit; the ones specially designed for missions.
"What's the matter Walker?" Her friend took in the sight of Sarah. She looked good, a lot better than last time. She was slim; maybe more fit than last time, if that was possible. Her golden hair shined, her face still angelic. How…boring. Still, it gave Carina Miller a warm feeling to see her best friend doing well. "Scared of a little one on one?"
"Judging by how well I kicked your ass, I'd say no." Sarah retorted, glancing at the red stained carpet. It was really only Carina's lip; a result of a nice hook from Sarah. Had Carina been slower than that, she'd have lost a tooth. She only escaped with a tiny scratch; easily concealed.
"CIA trains you to talk like that?" Carina smirked, holding out her hand.
Sarah allowed a smirk of her own, extending her hand out to help Carina up. "DEA teach you to lose like that?"
Carina let out a little laugh. Sarah realized there and then that she missed the company Carina had to offer. Her equally gorgeous red headed friend was sorely missed.
"How's life?" Carina asked, thumping back onto the bed with a tissue to her lip.
"Which one?" Sarah asked with a deep and cutting humor, something only an agent could grasp.
"Come on now, I thought Graham had you nice and stable now?"
Sarah glanced down. Immediately, Carina picked up on her slight loss of composure.
"No…" Carina began. She'd met Graham personally…he was her best friend's saving grace, ever since she was a fresh recruit and her father became a jailbird. "No way…"
"I don't know who did it…" Sarah cut Carina off. "All I know is…." She took a second, and then continued. "General Diane Beckman is in charge; she's running a joint CIA and NSA project, it's a bit confusing." Sarah regained her composure and pressed on. "These few missions I'm on…their just things to keep me busy, I know they haven't got any leads on the assholes behind it."
"Sarah…" Carina began. "That's terrible."
"It's done." She concluded. "Plus, we've got a mission to get to."
Carina blinked, thinking of the specs she was told. "Peyman….something…"
"Alahi." Sarah supplied.
"What's his deal? The diamond?" Carina asked.
"They believe he's using it as a sort of funding for his drug business." Sarah replied. "That's what we aim to recover tonight."
"And then you go back to Beckman with the diamond, or is it mine to take to the boss?" Carina asked.
"Actually…I haven't been speaking with her…these last two days. I've taken….a "extended leave". "
Carina's jaw nearly dropped. "Am I hearing things or did you just say that you, Sarah Walker, did not report back the second you were ordered to?"
Sarah sighed. "I'm just trying to think things through."
"What if they think you're AWOL?" Carina tried to put sense in her mourning friend.
"What if?" Sarah repeated. "They'll shut up once the diamond is theirs. I'm just… tired of being their…"
"Wildcard?" a voice supplied; a man's.
The two girls, so deep in their emotions and conversation, refused to hear the door being picked and opened.
"Who the hell are you?" Sarah turned, smith and Wesson aimed at the head of the front man. Sarah took them in for the first time, eyes trailing down their bodies. The front man was very handsome; bond like. He was shorter than the one behind him, with sharp blue eyes and a chiseled face. He was the CIA poster-boy as far as Sarah was concerned. The on behind him was taller. His eyes were warm….they were chocolaty, like- Sarah pulled herself back into analyzing him. His face was equally as warm, his brown hair shorter than the front man's, clean and cut. He looked….different. He looked good.
"Easy…" The front man began, eyeing Sarah and Carina with his hands up, the man behind him doing the same. Sarah noticed that they were both dressed in elegant suits and tuxes…she felt like she was a college girl being courted. "I'm Agent Bryce Larkin and this is-"
"Charles Bartowski…" Sarah breathed, realizing the famous duo from work. What the hell were they doing here?
"What do you two want?" Carina asked, rolling her eyes. She eyed Bryce with an odd stare.
"Is that any way to treat-"
The taller man stepped in front, his cologne suddenly present and intoxicating. "I'm so sorry…" He noticed Sarah was in casual jeans and a t shirt, and the red head was in a tactical suit, for some odd reason. "What my partner here means to say is; General Beckman sent us to aid you and bring you home safely, Agent Walker."
Sarah felt an odd feeling at his last couple of words, but she masked it immediately with slight hostility.
"You can tell Beckman I'm fine and I'll be in Langley in less than 24 hours." Sarah stated.
Chuck immediately realized that he needed to diffuse the situation. "I'm sure you're more than capable, Agent Walker….I mean….you're…..legendary…" Chuck tried not to gush over her.
Sarah almost felt the ghost of a smile tug at her lips.
"We…ah….we'll be next door. We'll be back in an hour….?" Chuck tried.
"Okay." Carina answered for Sarah and practically shut the door on the two suave men.
Turning to Sarah she looked for a reaction.
"Huh…." Was all Sarah said as she strutted into the bathroom to get ready. Carina couldn't tell if she was shocked or irritated.
/*/
The hour had passed relatively quickly for the guys as they retreated to their room next door.
"That went well, didn't it?" Chuck seemed to repeat. He couldn't get rid of the gorgeous image that was Sarah Walker from his mind. Her blonde locks, sharp blue eyes, amazing physique. She was perfection, in every sense of the word.
"Yeah, she's probably going to leave with out us." Bryce laughed. "But man, did you see her?!" he acted as if he'd just found love. Chuck knew from experience; he was far from it. "She was smoking hot! And the girl with her….I don't know who she was, but-"
"Yeah, I got it…" Chuck shushed him discreetly, but Bryce caught on.
"Whoa….are you okay?" Bryce comically waved a hand in front of his face. "They're unbelievable and you don't care?"
"I'm…..trying to focus on the mission." Chuck replied.
"It's a classic in and out." Bryce replied, smirking. "Plus, I was thinking, after the mission-"
"No." Chuck simply replied, going out to the ladies' room next door.
/*/
"At least they've developed knocking skills…" Carina mumbled. She was adding the finishing touches to her makeup. "But Walker…"
"Yes?" Sarah was loading up on her knives and weapons, seeming occupied but listening well.
"They were good looking." Carina licked her lips seductively.
Sarah rolled her eyes, but her stomach gave a little flutter. "And?"
"You and I…we could use some fun."
"AIDS doesn't sound fun, Carina." Sarah replied, pulling her tight dress back down to cover her sheathes of knives.
"You find a way to suck the fun out of everything, Walker."
"Then I'm doing my job well." She went to answer the door.
Upon opening it, she nearly lost her breath. Chuck, on the other side, could say the exact same thing.
"Ar…..are….." Chuck swallowed, feeling embarrassed already. " Ahem…" he cleared his throat. "Are you ready to go…? I mean, not that I need to ask, you couldn't look more beautiful…." It just poured out of him.
Sarah felt an odd, tingle in her gut, and then a flush on her cheeks. Maybe she was getting sick?
She was dressed in a gorgeous, short, tight black dress, with matching heels. Her makeup was perfect and she looked gorgeous and elegant.
"Thank you, Agent-"
"Please, call me Chuck…" Chuck smiled, extending his hand out for her to formally shake it. "My friends call me that."
"In that case, Chuck…" Sarah shook his hand. "Call me Sarah."
Bryce leaned against the doorway after greeting and getting on a first name basis with Sarah as well. He felt a sort of shock when he saw Sarah's friend….(Carina, was it)? coming through the doorway. She was dressed in a similar dress, though her approach was red. Damn, she looked sexy.
She simply gave Bryce a smirk and a quick wink as she walked out, Bryce following suit like a little puppy. It was incredibly funny for Chuck to watch.
"So…our covers?" Chuck asked quickly, making sure the hallway was secure.
"I'll take Agent….Larkin here as my man…." Carina smirked at Bryce, who was too far in bliss to speak.
"Okay….." Sarah glanced at Chuck , trying not to highlight the awkward second.
"Then I guess we'll date…" Chuck began. "I mean-you know…"
"Yeah Chuck." Sarah allowed herself the first real smile since Graham's passing. "I got it."
End Chapter Two.
