Chapter Twenty-Five: I Smell a Rat

"Look at me, you never rat on your friends and always keep your mouth shut." –Jimmy Conway from Goodfellas

Lauren waited until Bo was asleep before she managed to slink out of bed and pull on a robe. They had made love again, and Lauren was embarrassed at how distracted she was during it. She knew Bo could tell, and she asked as much, but Lauren just put all of her concentration into satisfying Bo. She was worried about those envelopes, though. Her instinct told her that Evony had come without intending harm, so she was determined to see why and what she had found so important that she would infiltrate Lauren's home.

One of the things Lauren did when Bo was giving Bryce his bath was call her security detail. Sure enough, they were still outside. She didn't mention anything about Evony's visit, but she suggested they patrol a little better. Instead of telling them why, Lauren merely mentioned that she felt a disturbance in the force. It figures that the security guard she talked to didn't have a sense of humor, and she actually remembered back to Evony's Monty Python reference, which made her chuckle again.

She went to the kitchen to pull out those envelopes from the cabinet, and she felt a chill just holding them. Evony came to her house to give her these. Her enemy thought this was important, and Lauren didn't know if this was going to be a good or a bad thing. What if these were the photos of her and Bo? There were three envelopes, and they all felt neatly packaged instead of overstuffed, which Lauren appreciated. Was there going to be a method to the packing, though, or was it going to be random? She didn't know, but she listened for Bryce and Bo to make sure they were still asleep before she turned on the corner kitchen lamp, standing over her island counter as she untucked the first envelope. She pulled out a stack of papers with attached photos. They were files. They were the Dark's files on all of them, including Trick, Bo, Don Ganglieri, Tamsin, and even her own father.

Out of necessity, she looked at Bo's first. Nothing was new on there, but she noticed some of the more secretive information was on there, including that they had a secret romance in high school. It didn't say anything about a current love interest and stated single. This prompted Lauren to pull out her own file, and sure enough, it stated she was dating Tamsin. They went out in public together, sure, but had they really acted like a couple? Was Bo right to be jealous all of Tamsin all of this time?

Lauren pulled out the file on Tamsin, and she noted Evony's intel had found her to be clean, too. There was a post-it attached with a strong, feminine writing on it. It read, "Maybe a little too clean? Love E." So Evony had followed her and wanted to know who she was, too, or was she giving Lauren a hint that she was working for the Dark? Either way, Lauren felt her heart break a little that her friend was definitely part of something bigger. This could be a red herring; it would be a good war tactic: To get Lauren focused on finding out about Tamsin when there was nothing to find. Her instincts told her that wasn't true, though. Even though she and Bo had discussed her becoming closer to Tamsin, though they both agreed any sexual contact was forbidden, Lauren still felt guilty about what she knew she had to do.

Regardless, they now had an even bigger mystery on their hands. Was Evony trying to be an ally or a cunning enemy?

That morning, Bo found Lauren still sitting at the counter, files organized across her counter. She had tried several different methods of organization, but she finally decided on this one about an hour ago.

"What's this?" She picked the file up with her photo on it. "This isn't ours."

"I know." Lauren let out a breath as she swiveled from her stool and went to pour herself another cup of coffee. She held up the pot to Bo. "Want a cup?"

"Sure." Bo was reading through the files. "Are these the Dark's files on us?"

"Yep." Lauren poured Bo a mug and put in the appropriate milk before moving back over to hand it to Bo. She looked at the file Bo had now, and she wasn't surprised it was the one on her father.

"How did you get these?" Bo looked both concerned and impressed. Lauren felt a little twinge of desire course through her at the look of pride from her girlfriend. Should she tell her it was Evony? Was it too soon to reveal that information?

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you." She took a sip of her coffee, having poured through these files repeatedly since two that morning. She didn't get any sleep again, and she knew Bo could tell.

"I'll let that go for now, but this better not put you in anymore danger than you already are or else I'll kick your ass myself." Bo arched an eyebrow, though her amused smirk didn't exactly hide the seriousness behind her statement.

"I'm not sure yet. They were delivered to me personally last night, right before you and Bryce got here." Lauren sighed as she looked at the clock. She'd had these files for almost twelve hours. Reading them for the fifth time wasn't going to change anything.

"By whom?" Bo laid down the file and just gripped her mug with both hands. Lauren loved watching Bo drink coffee because it was like she cherished every cup, even when it was really bad.

"Like I said, you wouldn't believe me if I told you." She chuckled before gathering the files and organizing them in her own manner, being sure to put Tamsin's in its own folder. She wanted to keep that one handy without fear of the others being exposed should she want to pull them out.

"Try me." Bo narrowed her eyes, which told Lauren just how serious she was. It was an extreme turn on the power that Bo could convey with just a look.

"Evony." She took a deep breath and watched as the information settled. Bo took longer than she expected to register the news.

"Evony? Like, the Morrigan, Evony?" She placed her mug onto the counter. When Bo abandoned coffee, Lauren knew it was serious business.

"One and the same."

"What the hell?"

"Kind of what I've been thinking since last night." She had tried to figure it out, but nothing she could think of made any sense. The two families were just as violent as the other ones, so it really was confusing. Lauren read through the files so many times that she was hoping to find a connection or an answer, but she couldn't find one. It was like looking at the files of Bo's lovers all over again. There was no real pattern, but Lauren had a feeling there was something Evony was trying to tell her. Why these specific people? Why not include Dyson or Hale or Avery? Why not include Bryce? Why these particular people?

"That doesn't make sense." Bo leaned back a bit on her stool before pushing forward again. "Is this for real? What if these are botched files?"

"I know. I had the same thought, but they're legitimate. I've checked them over and over and they don't tell anything we didn't already know." Lauren cleared her throat. There were some things she didn't know, but she wasn't sure the accuracy. She would have to double check the facts first before she jumped to conclusions. "Well, I mean, there are a few things in there we didn't know, but I actually believe them, or at least they make sense."

"Like what?"

"Did you know my father had an affair?" It wasn't surprising, really. Well, it was, because he had loved Lauren's mother so much, but it wasn't surprising because she had learned that her father had a bevy of lovers over the years she had been gone. Lauren had always seen him as asexual, and she honestly wondered if he actually did have an affair with Dr. Everett at some point. The thought made her cringe, but she would've understood that affair before she did any of the others. According to the files, the two women he had an affair with were civilians. Maybe that's why he never had a problem with Nadia.

"We weren't exactly on the best of speaking terms." Bo didn't talk much about what happened while Lauren was away, though she got the basics. It was probably better that she didn't know anyways. "What else is in there?"

"They know we dated in high school." Lauren pulled Bo's file back out and pointed to the information. There was even a picture of them, not unlike the photo taken a few days ago. They looked so young and so in love. Lauren wished she could remember the moment, but it was just like any other day behind closed doors in Bo's bedroom.

"How does the Dark know that but we don't have that in our files?" It was a good question. Trick knew about them now, but would he have their relationship deleted from the current files? Could he have known about them all along and had erased it from their files? He had the final say, but Stella usually was the one who kept up with all of that information.

"I think we forget sometimes that things are erased or written differently. That's one of the things I love about the Dark's files. They are so straightforward; there's no real need to read between the lines here. It's…honest, which is strange." Lauren wanted to feel guilty for being impressed, but there was nothing gained from lying about it. She was impressed with the files, just as she had to admit she impressed by Evony's confidence at walking into her enemy's house.

"I get that from my dad's file. I mean, everyone knows I was the product of a power affair, but to directly state that my father only slept with my mother out of some move against Trick? I guess that was a bit refreshing." Bo pushed her file back to Lauren again. "It kind of bothers me that even the Dark knew who my father was long before anyone cared to tell me."

"I did discover one bit of intel that was incorrect." Lauren pulled out Tamsin's file and placed it in front of Bo.

"Tamsin?" She rolled her eyes and didn't even bother looking beyond the picture on the front. It was one of her and Lauren at the Dal, laughing and being overly friendly.

"Yeah. Tamsin."

"Who is this woman?" Bo finally picked up the picture before letting out her frustration in her hurried breaths. Lauren understood that; she had been huffing quite a bit herself for the past few hours.

"I think it's time we found out, even if we don't like how it has to be done." Lauren was never the best at undercover work. She was stealthy, but she was always better deciphering the intel than she was working in the field. She knew acting interested in Tamsin wouldn't be hard, but she didn't know if she'd be able to sell it completely since Tamsin knew how much Lauren loved Bo. "If she's a spy for another family, we need to know. She's good, if that's the case. We have to smoke her out."

"As long as you're not using certain things reserved for me, I can learn to be okay with it. I just may not want to know the details." Bo stiffened a bit before grabbing her mug. The steam had stopped rising, and she didn't seem to enjoy it as much when she took a sip.

"I want you to know that this changes nothing between us. I'm yours. Always." Lauren knew it was because of this mission. She wasn't exactly keen on the idea of cheating on Bo, either. She hoped it wouldn't come to that. She wouldn't be able to go through with it if it did.

"I know, and I'm yours. We just have to do things sometimes that sucks." Bo stood up to pour the rest of her coffee down the drain. She turned back to Lauren after rinsing her cup. "You won't initiate any physical contact?"

"I'm not preying on her. She'll know something is up if I do. She has to make the move."

"You're right. I don't want to know the details. The thought of somebody else touching you or kissing you makes me want to go out and just punch the information out of her myself." Bo had actually suggested using violence to get answers, but Lauren had quickly nixed that idea.

"It may not come to that."

"Here's hoping."

"I texted her to have dinner with me tonight at the Dal." Lauren had stared at the picture of them together, and she knew it wouldn't be hard to convince Tamsin she was into her. It was just how she was going to convince her she was the cheating type because she didn't plan on lying and saying Bo was out of the picture. If Tamsin was any kind of spy, she would be able to read into that right away.

"Of course you did. You're Lauren. You're always on top of these things. Just as long as you're not on top of her, or vice versa." Bo audibly growled a bit. Lauren had to bite her lip from making a move on her girlfriend. Since when was growling sexy? "Ugh. Even the thought makes me want to go and punch her now."

"She could come out clean, Bo. It's just something we need to know. We have a leak, and this is something we can do." Lauren put away the files and moved across the room to put them in her satchel. "Meanwhile, I have Dyson on surveillance and the security beefed up around the house. You can never be too careful. I've still not ruled these files out as a trap."

"If anyone can figure this out, it's you." Bo moved over and wrapped her arms around Lauren from behind, resting her head on her shoulder. She kissed lightly on her exposed neck twice, and Lauren silently wished Bo would growl again while she was pressed up against her.

"Thanks."

"So, Bryce probably won't be up for another few hours. How about I take you back to bed and wear you out until you finally do sleep?" Bo always had the best ideas.

"Sex coma?"

"I may need to overcompensate a little knowing you're going out with another woman tonight. I need to make sure you know who to come home to."

"That was never in question."

"Good. Now, let's go to bed." Bo didn't give Lauren a chance to reply as she dragged her back to the bedroom, untying her robe on the way.

Even if Tamsin turned out clean, it would be good to have answers. Even if these files turned out to be a hoax, it was good to know there were other ways to play dirty. Lauren felt like she knew this business inside and out already, but it seemed like every day was a surprise, and she was starting to think of ways to end this war once and for all.

Lauren hadn't even curled her hair for Bo in a while, so she felt mildly guilty that her girlfriend had to watch her get ready to seduce another woman. Bo loved when she curled her hair, but Lauren had taken shortcuts lately because of time constraints. Tamsin knew that, too, so Lauren had a feeling if she put in the extra effort for their "date," then she would be able to reach her goal faster.

When she reached the Dal, Lauren wasn't surprised to find Tamsin was there already and flirting with the new bartender. She always managed to get at least one free drink because of her good looks and strangely abrasive charm. If she weren't there to spy on her friend, to see if her friend was a spy, Lauren knew this would just be another great night to blow off steam. Unfortunately, she was on the job.

Tamsin was beautiful, so that made her job easier. That didn't mean Lauren any less guilty for what she had to do, both because she felt like she was betraying Bo and her friend. What if Tamsin really was clean? What if this really was a red herring? Her instincts told her to follow this lead, but that didn't mean anything would come of it. Lauren hoped she was wrong and that Tamsin wouldn't be spying on them, but every part of her told her to stop being so blind and actually get answers.

"Care to buy me a drink?" Lauren rolled her eyes at the ceiling. She had a feeling she was going to botch this completely, and she came on too strong with the flirtation. Instead of forcing it, Lauren looked at Tamsin and reminded herself this was her friend and that this should be easy. Perhaps being friends is what made it so hard, though.

"Hey!" Tamsin didn't even play along, which could be bad. She usually was naturally flirty, and Lauren was surprised she didn't take the bait, even if it was over the top. Tamsin hopped from her bar stool and pulled Lauren into a hug, which was odd. Tamsin wasn't a hugger. Lauren decided to chalk it up to a good start instead of worrying about it, though she had to wonder if there was anything to the sudden physical contact. "Wow. You look amazing."

"Thanks. You don't look so bad yourself." Lauren closed her eyes and rolled them to the ceiling again. "Sorry. I'm just…long day."

"Sure. I figured you needed to relax. That's usually when you call me." Tamsin nodded toward the back booth where they usually sat. The Dal wasn't quite busy yet, but it would be within the hour, so Lauren suggested they get there early enough to procure their usual table.

"It's more than that." Lauren wanted to touch Tamsin's hand, but she was worried of coming on too strong too fast. Her friend was smart and would know something was up. She would also directly ask about it instead of pretending it wasn't happening. One of the great things about Tamsin was that she was so out. "You know I call you because I enjoy your company. Tonight, I wanted nothing more."

"What about the girlfriend?" Tamsin arched an eyebrow before she downed the rest of her beer.

"Bo is at home with her son. We're not talking right now." It was true. Lauren and Bo had decided that afternoon that it would be easier for Lauren to do this if they didn't have contact for a few days on a romantic level. It was the first time they decided together not to see each other instead of letting their lives control their schedules. Lauren had to admit it sucked because she needed Bo now more than ever, but she understood why Bo suggested it. "I, um, wanted to see you."

"Well, Doc, how does that make you feel?" As predicted, Tamsin seemed to pick up on her cues. She relaxed and got into super flirt mode across the table. Lauren had to smile back because it actually felt familiar somehow.

"Shitty, to be honest. But I wanted to spend time with you, if that means anything." Honesty. Lauren planned to tell the truth through this exchange. She couldn't do it any other way.

"It means more than you'll know." Tamsin took the bait and started to talk about everything and nothing. It was like they really were on a date, and Lauren bit her lip at this new aspect of Tamsin. She was never so open or talkative, and she suspected she wasn't like that when she did date. If it weren't for how she looked at her, Lauren would've suspected she had been made.

The date continued to be pleasant, and they were on their third shot and second beer before Tamsin moved over to sit in the booth with instead of across from her. Lauren actually did a short intake of breath because of how confident her friend was. Confident, beautiful women were one of her weaknesses.

Tamsin smelled like alcohol and honey, but Lauren knew she didn't smell much better. They continued to talk and laugh and drink until they noticed the Dal was in the tail end of its primetime. It wasn't new to them; they had closed the bar down a few times. People would see them here and report back to their respective leaders. Trick would know about this and probably think he won, but Lauren felt more confident that she and Bo would still win despite it looking like she was caving.

Lauren leaned her head against the back of the wooden booth and just looked at her friend. They were talking with their eyes, and she knew that was a good sign. She was getting somewhere; she just hoped she came out of the other end unscathed. Tamsin really was beautiful and charming, and in another life, Lauren knew she would've given into her long ago. That was another reason this was probably so hard.

"You know, I've, uh, it's been a long time since I've had a friend outside of my extended family." She bit her lip and stared into Tamsin's eyes. They seemed to sparkle and glaze from the desire and alcohol that had permeated them. To the outside world, they probably looked like lovers. She knew that, which was part of the point. "I…"

"Doc?" Tamsin readjusted herself and cleared her throat.

"Yeah?" Lauren had to clear her throat. It suddenly felt a lot warmer in here, and she knew why. Lauren felt guilty again, only this time she felt guilty for actually enjoying this. She wasn't going to sleep with her friend, but she could picture it now, and she actually liked what she saw.

Tamsin didn't answer with words. Instead, she moved forward, cupping Lauren's neck and slightly gripping her hair as she pulled her in for a kiss. Lauren was shocked. She knew that she was trying to seduce her, but she didn't think it would work like this. Tamsin tasted like stale beer and cherries, but the kiss was still pleasant.

"Shit. I've wanted to do that for a while now." Tamsin moved back from her but still kept her hand touching Lauren's shoulder. Lauren opened her eyes finally and smiled. It was flattering to have others want her. She didn't have to remind herself she was taken, but her logical mind had to admit the kiss was good.

"Um…" Lauren didn't know what to say. She suddenly felt like the world's biggest asshole as she looked around and noticed people had seen the kiss.

"I'm sorry if that was too…forward. I thought…"

"No, it's okay. I just. Huh." She cleared her throat and smiled before licking Tamsin's chapstick remnants from her lips. "I may have been wanting you to do that."

"I'm sorry."

"Since when do you apologize for kissing someone?" Lauren chuckled lightly. It suddenly felt strange between them, yet they were still sitting closely. She had achieved that level of intimacy she needed, but she seemed to have lost her mission. All she could feel was guilty. This was what they planned; Bo had even given her permission, if it came to lip contact. Still, Lauren felt awful about doing it, yet good at the same time because it really was a good kiss. "I should go home. I have work early."

"On a Sunday?" Tamsin was never pushy, but she did drop questions on occasion. The questions were subtle and fit into their conversations. If she was a spy, she was a really good one. Who stayed on a mark this long without anything to show for it?

"My job requires a lot of overtime. You know that." Lauren pushed away her last beer, which was half gone and warm now. She pulled out money from her purse, knowing it would more than cover their tab and a healthy tip. Tamsin looked at her, like she was scolding herself internally. The furrowed brow was actually kind of cute. "Hey. You didn't do anything wrong. I enjoyed it. Maybe we can get together again soon?"

"Sure." Tamsin cleared her throat and smiled, though her brow was still furrowed. She was so hard to read sometimes.

"Maybe I'll tell you more about my work. Over dinner? Tomorrow?" Lauren hoped she took this bait. Her heart was still racing a bit from the kiss, though it was more a combination of excitement and frsutration at succeeding.

"Sounds like a date." Tamsin's demeanor changed then. That's how Lauren knew she was right.

"Pick me up at 7?" Lauren scooted out of the booth when Tamsin finally moved. She picked up her purse and debated what to do next.

"Sure thing." Tamsin smirked, and her eyes sparkled again. Why did she have to be so attractive? Lauren moved forward to slowly kiss her cheek, lightly gripping her bicep as she did so, before turning to leave. She was worried what she would find if she looked back so she kept on walking until she was in her car and on her way home.

Instead of feeling good about exposing a potential spy, Lauren felt like shit. Tamsin was her only real friend outside of the family and that was now ruined. Hale had been so busy with Kenzi and the wedding that they barely got to hang out anymore without talking about wedding plans or the war. It always felt nice to escape that with Tamsin, and now that was gone forever.