Silence Isn't Golden

Kyoto, Japan, 2017

Hadley stood, fixing her makeup in the bathroom of the swankiest hotels she had ever stayed in. Her dress was designed to get her attention. It was granite coloured, and swept the floor gracefully as she walked. It was backless, to her waist, and had buttons at that back of her neck, to keep it up. It fit her perfectly, not too tight, but not so big that it swamped her. She grabbed her purse and walked out of the bathroom. Blaine was waiting outside for her, and was glad he was leaning against the wall when he saw her.

Oh god.

Hadley then twirled and his heart jumped.

OH GOD. Hadley, you bitch. How am I supposed to stand next to you, when I can see like half your body?

Hadley smiled and put out her hand. Blaine snapped out of his inappropriate thoughts and stuffed his hand in his trouser pocket. He pulled out three rings, and passed two to her.

"Never had to pretend I was married before. Should I walk funny? You know, being a newlywed and all? Having so much sex that I can't open my legs or we'll feel a draft?"

Blaine laughed loudly. Hadley snorted and put the rings on her ring finger.

"Do that and you'll give us away. Don't get me wrong, it will be hilarious, but, I don't want people thinking that all we do is screw. I want them to think that we are actually happy, and sweet. All that mushy shit, you know?"

The agents walked into the elevator and she pushed the ground floor button. Blaine put on his ring, looked at it and sighed.

"Lets make this look authentic. Hell, lets hope I can do a better job of this than my last REAL marriage".

Hadley held his hand and tried to make him feel better.

"The amount of people here with sticks rammed so far up their own arses, I bet they walk funny. Hope they don't trip over their wallets".

Blaine turned to her and laughed.

"You are such a cow sometimes. Then again, I bet they are pretty damn rich. So, let's go over the cover story again".

Hadley nodded. "Lets. I was in the museum, working as an understudy for the curator. You came to see the new Greek exhibit we had on, and you came up to me and asked me about the new statues we had procured. I helped you, and we found out that we liked similar things,. You asked me out, and a year later, here we are. I work in procuring items for the British museum, and am here to negotiate with other museum representatives, see if I can get some new pieces for future exhibits. Everything has been sorted, so even if they try to ruin things, by doing background checks, as they usually do, they won't find any flaws in our plan. So, Mr Farley, shall we get on with our jobs?"

Blaine nodded and grinned.

"Of course, Mrs Farley".

Before leaving the elevator, Hadley took a lingering look at a suited Blaine. He had on a grey suit that matched the grey of her dress.

Aw, we even colour coordinated. How adorable. Blegh.

"You look hot by the way. Suits really, er, suit you?"

Blaine groaned and shook his head.

"So insufferable".

The pair laughed and walked out, into the hotel lobby.


Present day

Something was prodding Hadley. She swatted at it and heard a grumble. She chuckled and opened her eyes.

"Adam". She checked that Cressida was still asleep, she was. Out like a light. "Fuck off. Brute". She turned her comm back on and stretched out her arms. Pain lanced through both and she groaned. Blaine made an unhappy sound.

"Just how injured are you exactly?"

The woman just frowned. "I've been worse, I've also been much better. God I stink. I need a bath".

Her tech guy, unbeknownst to her, was grinding his fists into his desk in frustration. He hated Hadley getting hurt, especially when it someone else had done the damage.

"You didn't answer the question. Ugh, anyway, with the advances in science and medicine, you should be patched up in no time when you reach the embassy. Ms Malik?"

Faridah jumped at this new, foreign voice.

"Dammit. Blaine right?"

"You got it. How far are you from the embassy?"

"Literally right above the helipad now, already got clearance to land, so we are".

Blaine sighed and moved his fists off the desk, relaxing them.

"Okay. Hadley, I will leave you to it for now. Let you get patched up. Say hello to Cressida for me".

Hadley smiled. "Will do. Talk to you later. Adam, could you pick up Cressida? The blood's dried on my arms but they hurt like shit. Pretty please?"

She fluttered her eyelashes at him, which he hated, and rolled his eyes in response to, not that she could see that, but agreed. He picked the little girl up.


The VTOL landed on the helipad, and it's passengers got out. A quick talk with the officials confirmed that Blaine and Edward had explained the situation and sorted everything out, which has everyone taking a sigh of relief and appreciation. Hadley went off to get her arms tended too, and Adam just walked into the clinical area, dumped Cressida next to her, and walked off.

He needed a cigarette, badly.


When the agent was discharged, she woke her little charge, who yawned and grimaced.

"Are we in hospital?"

Hadley shook her head. "No, but it sure looks that way. White walls, all clinical and so clean, you could eat off of every surface. We are at the embassy, I just got my arms looked at. They are fine. You however, need need to be checked over too, missy".

The little blond haired girl pouted. Hadley chuckled.

"Oh no, that won't work with me. For your Mum and Dad's sake, please. They are friendly here, promise. No needles, no prodding and no messing your hair up, okay?"

Cressida nodded and went into the nurses office.


A man rounded the corner of the clinic, and Hadley stood up.

"Ah, Ms Groves. My apologies for not being available sooner. I am Mr Faroud, the English representative for the Armenian embassy. I hope you were not too badly injured. I apologise for what some of my reckless fellow Armenians did today. I cannot believe they slipped under our radar for so long".

Hadley shrugged.

"Well, smugglers have to be sneaky, it's in the metaphorical job description. If they aren't get caught. Unless, they were paying officials, for their silence. I hope not. I will be fine, so will the little one. Sorry, where are my manners? I'm all over the place, I do apologise. Hadley, Hadley Groves. Pleased to meet you, Mr Faroud".

They shook hands.

"It's okay, I understand. So, I have acquired three rooms for you. One for your pilot, one for Mr Jensen, and one for you and the little girl, if that is okay with you?"

"That's fine, besides, I was going to ask if I could stay with her. I am the only person here she knows, known her since she was born, so she trusts me. Thanks for the help, it's much appreciated".

Mr Faroud stood, as Cressida came out from the nurses office. She had a little pink plaster on her head, with yellow flowers on it. Hadley smirked.

"You couldn't resist, girly girl. Hah, you love pink, you don't even need that plaster". She looked to the now frowning Mr Faroud. "She's fine, trust me. She just loves the colour pink".

The agent picked up the 'injured' little princess, and gestured with her head.

"So, where are these rooms?"


Adam stood, outside, on the roof, smoking his second cigarette.

Shit going on with gangs, yet again. Is anywhere not obsessed with gang warfare? I wonder how many join just cause they think it makes them look cool? Well it doesn't, jackasses.

As he puffed away, the sun was beginning to set on the city. Despite this, the temperature was beyond anything he had ever felt before. He was convinced if he didn't have so many augments, his skin would have burnt off, it was THAT hot.

A long, deep drag of the now smaller, poisonous article made him want to purge his mind, of all the chaos going on around him. It followed him, everywhere. It sounded selfish, and Sarif wouldn't approve at all, but sometimes, Adam wondered what would happen if he committed suicide, or chose to walk away from his boss.

From everything he had ever known.

Adam never felt much anymore, except loneliness, misery, self loathing.

Adam was dead, on the inside.

On the outside? He was a weapon, a machine. Humanity left him long ago.

So did his sanity, and grip on reality, it seemed...


Hadley sat, in her room, with Cressida, who was sat on the edge of the bed, swinging her feet.

She had offered the bathroom to the little girl first, who had declined, so she went in there instead.

The agent decided to run a bath, but not before turning her comm back on.

"Evening Blaine. Thanks for sorting everything out here. I said hello to little C for you, she says hello back".

"Little C? Are you sure you aren't concussed?"

"Nope. I am just beyond knackered. You?"

Blaine sighed. "I am bored, seriously, nothing is happening here. This is MI5 for god's sake, and yet nothing is happening. Or if it is, I am not in the know, and you know I hate that".

Hadley laughed. "Of course something is going on. International spy stuff. Stuff that your puny little mind couldn't comprehend".

"You are a real charmer, aren't you? Can't think why when men talk to you, you scare them off in milliseconds".

"Ha, yeah, I do. You don't seem scared though. You know me, hell, probably better than I do".

"Heh, well, I do pay attention. Are you coming back here tomorrow?"

The agent nodded, and turned on the hot tap of the bath.

"I believe so. Apparently, Adam's tech guy is sick. It may be contagious, so we can't risk that. I never get ill, and I wouldn't let Cressida near anyone who is ill, if I can".

Her friend smirked. "You get ill, after you say you never do".

Hadley grimaced. "Don't jinx it, you arse...okay, I can't say it. Screw you. Look, I will see you tomorrow".

"Sure you are okay?"

She smiled. "You sound concerned. Aw, that's adorable. I'll be fine, you big worrywart".

Blaine sucked in a breath.

Yes, I am concerned. I knew ass kicking would be in the contract, but, you getting pummeled pisses me off and makes me sick with worry. So yes, I worry.

He let out his breath in a long sigh. "Worrywart? Fuck, the sun really is getting to you, isn't it? Get some rest, and I'll see you tomorrow".

He pulled out his comm, and turned it off. He looked to the pack of cigarettes on his desk and got the urge to smoke, again. He had to get out of the office.

He clocked out early, and left, to his apartment.


Hadley turned off her comm, and took it out. She went back into the bedroom and placed it on the bedside dressing table. She reentered the bathroom and turned off the tap. The water was scalding when she put her hand in, but she really, really needed a bath, as she smelled rank.

She took off her clothes, and noticed a few small bottles of shower soap, in a little open cabinet above the sink. She picked the up and got into the bath.

The water took her breath away, and her arms began to hurt again. She sat down and put her arms, either side of the bath.

She soaped down her body and felt much better, when the dirt and dried blood was scrubbed off.

She sighed and closed her eyes.


Kyoto, Japan, 2017

After socializing for many hours, and drinking champagne that must have been a thousand plus credits a bottle, sake was offered around to everyone. But Hadley spotted that hers didn't look it's usual, milky white colour, but it took on a more greenish tinge. She put it down and saw Blaine with his. He downed it and grimaced. She felt like screeching at him, but she couldn't. All she could do was walk over to him, and pray that she was in time to save him.

"Chris, bathroom, now".

Blaine frowned. "Er, why?"

Hadley jabbed his arm. "That sake was poisoned and you drank it. They know who we are, we have been rumbled. Please tell me that your sake was not green?"

Blaine stared at the little shot glass and nodded.

"Aw, shit. That had tetrodotoxin in it, pufferfish poison. Now you need to vomit, or that stuff will paralyze you. It's a neurotoxin. Come on, hubby, lets go have sexual relations in the bathroom, NOW!"

Hadley took Blaine's hand and dragged him to the toilets. She stood there, tapping her foot.

"Well go on then, throw up. You know how to, don't you? Or do I need to shove my hand down your throat, hmm?"

Blaine shifted. "Just don't watch".

Hadley groaned, and growled when two men walked into the toilets. They stared at her and were shocked. She had had enough.

"My husband isn't feeling well, so yes, I am entitled to be the goddamned male bathroom, okay? I care about him, so FUCK OFF and leave him to be ill".

The men continued to stare at her, and she smirked.

"I said, leave. NOW!"

The men jumped, and scurried out of the door.


Hadley heard retching behind her.

"Get it up yet?"

Blaine finally threw up, and this nasty, sewage coloured bile erupted from his throat. She shifted and opened up her purse. Blaine stopped throwing up green puke, so stopped poking his tonsils.

"Fucking hell. If I die, tell the bastard that poisoned me that I will haunt his ass to kingdom fucking come".

Hadley passed him a small box of mints. He just groaned.

"And there's the Blaine I know and adore. Right, we need to get to our room, get changed, get our gear and get out of here. I am not running in six inch heels".

Blaine straightened up his suit jacket and went to the sink, to swill his mouth out a few times.

"Why do you wear those anyway?"

Hadley walked to the door, and opened it slightly, to check for any unwanted visitors.

"Because they look good".

Blaine saw her reflection in the bathroom mirror and took a sneaky look at her backside.

Heh, you have a point there.

Hadley held up a hand and motioned for him to walk over to her.

"The coast's clear. Come on, it won't be for long when they see us on the CCTV cameras, so we need to be quick".

Blaine nodded and they left the bathroom, not without his brain doing flips though, and sending signals to places that did NOT need blood rushing to them.

All he could do was grit his teeth, hope he survived the sake incident, and hope that Hadley didn't notice the bulge in his now, painfully tight trousers...