Two
I press the end call button and toss my phone onto the passenger seat and sigh.
I lean back against the headrest and start to laugh.
In one day, I've lost my fiancé, planned to leave the job I've had- the job I've been good at- for eight years, and agreed to go undercover without even seeing the operation request. I have absolutely no idea what I'll be doing. I could be infiltrating the Russian Mafia for all I know.
So I laugh, for at least ten minutes, and by the time I've stopped I think I'm going insane.
I reach over and grab my phone off passenger seat and dial my father's number. I put it to my ear and wait until he picks up.
"Ciao colibrí." He says cheerfully.
I smile. "Ciao papà. Come stai?" I ask,
He laughs. "I am good colibrí. What do you need today?" He asks.
"I'm gonna be unavailable for a little while papà." I say.
"Is everything okay?" He asks.
"Si papà. I've just gotten a new assignment." I say.
"How long will you be gone?" He asks.
"I'm not sure of the details yet." I say.
"What does Kelly think about this?" He asks.
"It doesn't matter anymore. We broke up." I say.
"Why?" He asks.
"She's been cheating on me." I say.
He sighs. "I'm sorry colibrí." He says.
"It's okay papà." I lie easily.
"It isn't colibrí. You love her yes?" He asks.
"You know I do papà." I lie easily.
"Then to me it is not okay. You are hurt and that is not okay with me." He says.
I just nod. "Okay papá." I say.
"Anyway, this new assignment, it is a new posting or are you going undercover?" He asks.
"You know I can't tell you that papá." I say.
"I thought as much. If you get in trouble, you know I'm here colibrí. I just want to know you're going to be safe." He says.
"I know papá." I say.
"You know you can always call me if you need help?" He says.
I nod. "So che posso papá." I say.
"Va bene. Io parlare con te piu tardi. Addio piccolo colibrí." He says.
"Addio papá. Ti amo." I say.
"Ti amo trappo colibrí." He says.
I take my phone away from my ear and press the end call button. I lean my head back against the headrest again.
I'll have to tell my landlord, tell him some bullshit story about a relative dying and that's why I'll be away for a while, but not to worry, he'll still be getting my rent.
I'm gonna have to tell my boss. That'll be a fun task, unless Interpol's already taken care of that for me.
That's really all I can think of that needs to be done.
I can wait to call Zach, my landlord, until I get home later, so that just leaves telling Collins, my unit chief.
I start my car and head back to the office. Maybe I'll actually make it past the lobby without being pulled into a conference room.
After FLETC, I was assigned to the Crisis Management Unit at CIA Headquarters and I've been there ever since.
My team and I aren't exactly the best of friends, but we work well together and I've grown close to my unit chief, Skye Collins. I didn't know anyone when I came back to D.C., I haven't lived here since I was ten, and my classmates from FLETC are spread out all over the world.
Sofia is in Florida, Jason is in Florida, Cody is in Texas, I even heard Devin is in Kabul.
We all got really close during training, but after graduation, life got in the way and we've barely spoken since.
When I was assigned to CMU, Skye kind of looked out for me. She was my training agent and we became really close friends.
X~X~X~X~X
I pull into my assigned parking spot and sigh. I need to make this move, but I don't want to leave my team.
I have to get out of my car. I have to make myself do this.
I turn off the car and get out.
I pull my ID out of my pocket as I reach the doors and scan the barcode. The light turns green and I pull open the door.
I walk down the main hall to the elevators and hit the call button, and the doors open.
The doors slide open again on the fifth floor and I walk across the hallway and pull open the doors to the CMU bullpen.
In total, there are fourteen desks in the bullpen, including mine. The door closes behind me and the thirteen other people in the room turn to look at me in silence. Their faces are hard to read but they all have something in common. Anger. They're staring at me like I've betrayed them, and I guess I have, but I need to do this.
Maybe I'm imagining it.
I look across the bullpen at Skye's office door just as it flies open and she storms out, her eyes searching the room for me.
She spots me, and her face twitches, like she's trying to stay calm. This is a face I've seen many times, but most of the time it's directed at Davies, not me.
"My office Prentiss. Now."
I bite my lip and attempt to cross the room quietly and calmly. Skye moves out of my way and I walk into her office. She walks in behind me and closes the door, then walks around to stand behind her desk.
"Would you like to tell me why I just received an email informing me that your transfer request has been approved effective immediately?" She asks angrily.
I hold up my hands by my shoulders in a sign of surrender.
"Skye, I promise you it's not what you're thinking." I say quickly.
"Please, Emily, by all means, go ahead and tell me what I'm thinking." She says, waving her arms around to accentuate her point.
"You're thinking exactly what the email said. You're thinking that I applied for a transfer and didn't tell you about it, and you're feeling slightly betrayed, but Skye, I promise you that isn't what's happening here. Just let me explain." I say.
I don't think I've ever seen her this angry at me before.
"You have two minutes. Go."
