Disclaimer: I do not own anything from the MG/MGS franchise!
Author's note: Hello! Welcome to 'Harboring Among Us'! This is a rated M story! So here is my pre-warning: There are going to be multiple adult situations, language, violence, and other shenanigans. So please, read with a mature mind and at your own risk!
Chapter Warning: Mentions of assault.
Now that THAT'S over with! Here is the first chapter; I hope you guys enjoy :3
"A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step"
-Lao Tzu
Stirring up from her slumber from the night before; a loud, and rather annoying alarm rang through the room. Adjusting to the darkness of the room, the young woman stared at the ceiling, toning out the agitating beeping. Monday, May 11, 1964, 2 A.M.. Only 3 hours before departing on the mission that would change her life forever. She brought up her right hand and roughly rubbed her eyes, then slipped her arm to hit the Sony brand alarm clock to the right of her bed. Not a moment later, the phone rang. Letting out a yawn, she swung her half-naked body over the side of the bed and let her feet rest on the soft carpet below here. She slowly stood up, making her way to the phone that was sitting on a near-by wooden dresser. Wrapping her fingers around the neck of the device she placed the surface to her right ear. "Good morning Agent Matthews, this is your wake up call." A British man sounded from the other side of the line.
"Bright and early, Major." She joked fidgeting the phone-chord between her fingers.
"Get your tea while you can. Your power will be turned off in a half hour and you will have no access to electricity or water."
"Got some coffee brewing already." She lied.
"And don't forget to bring the telephone with you."
"Got 'cha."
"It wouldn't hurt to hear a 'yes sir' from you every now and then, Lydia." The Major lightly laughed at her slight insubordination, contradicting his statement by using her first name.
"Now who's the informal one? Goodbye Major." She smiled and hooked the phone back onto the bulky machine. She bent down and unplugged the phone's power-cord and cable from the outlet, then walked back to her bed and unplugged the clock. Standing up straight she walked to the closet in the small bedroom and grabbed a knee-high, sleeveless, brown dress and slipped it over her head. Lydia made her way back to her dresser while zipping up the dress that was placed on her back. She examined her slightly toned body in the mirror with her bright green eyes. Her long straight blonde hair hung to her mid-back. She eyed the make-up that was conveniently placed on the top of the dresser. This was really the last day she could get ready for work, so why not? Lydia pulled out a chair and grabbed a casing of translucent powder and a puff, lightly dabbing her face and neck. Her skin was already fair and slightly texture-free, so there wasn't really a need for too much; she liked the "natural" look anyway. Setting the powder down, she snatched a small brush and a black liquid, drawing a thin, upper eye line with a small wing. A thin layer of mascara was applied next to finish the look. "Here we go."
Lydia stood up from the chair and walked into the kitchen; opening up the refrigerator to grab a half-gallon of milk. She placed that on the counter next to her and grabbed ingredients for the best breakfast on the face of the planet! There was nothing like starting off the day with a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with a tall glass of milk. When she was done with her magnificent breakfast she slipped on some brown, calf-high boots that were sitting by the front-door of her apartment. Her generic tote hanging by the door soon made it into her right hand, while she placed the left of the door-knob. Lydia looked back toward her empty-apartment she was going to leave behind. She couldn't help but feel she was forgetting something… Oh yeah. She jogged back to her bedroom and grabbed the telephone, stuffing it in her purse. Don't want to forget that, the Major would kill me. She jogged back to the front door and unlocked the bolt, soon swinging the door open and walking out. Turning around she locked the door again with her key and stuffed it into her bulky purse.
"Lydia…" A gruff voice from behind her caught her by surprise. She tensed up and jumped around. Meeting green eyes, she placed her hand to her chest and sighed. "Good to see you."
"Jack, oh my God you scared the crap out of me."
"Figuratively, or?" He wore a classic, smug grin on his face.
Lydia rolled her eyes and stuck out her hand. "Good to see you too." Jack reached forward to return the gesture. He was wearing brown pants, a black button-up collard shirt, and a brown blazer. The top three buttons of his shirt were casually undone, giving him more of a masculine look. To only add to his testosterone level…it looked like he hadn't shaved in a few days.
"Did we coordinate our colors, or what?" She let go of his hand and placed both her hands on her hips.
"You're such a kid." He grunted and held out his right arm. "Besides, the Major sent me to escort you, although I know well enough you could take care of yourself."
"Well, there could be a chance a creep could sneak up behind be." Lydia winked, which made him sigh and begin to guide her forward.
"Let's just get going." Jack had been Lydia's mentor for the two years she's been employed with the Major's FOX unit through the CIA. At sixteen, Lydia was recruited by Major Oh during college due to her intellect and maturity. She was a grade-A genius that was proved through standardized tests, puzzles, and written coding. Being a woman and graduating from high school at sixteen, then immediately moving on to a university was nearly unheard of. Like her mentor, Lydia was an excellent tactical expert behind the scenes when given the opportunity. Although she didn't have any 'real-world' experience on a true field mission, now at eighteen years old, today was the day to redeem herself and show everyone what she's made of! Jack's rigorous physical training regimen made her ready for anything that came her way. The Major thought it was finally appropriate to send her on a real mission to a disclosed location.
Once they reached the CIA base, Jack led her to a room where she could get changed into more appropriate attire. Within the room, Lydia found brown combat boots, with dark green camouflage pants and a black tank-top. She slipped off her dress and put on the uniform that was provided for her. Once fully clothed, she stepped out of the room and spread out her arms. "So, how do I look?"
Jack had a light smile on his face. "Like a real soldier." He narrowed his eyes. "The rest of your gear should be on the plane."
"Rodger." Lydia nodded with a smile. Jack extended his right arm to signal her in the direction of her next destination. With another nod, Lydia walked down the white hallway toward stairs that would lead her to the hangar that homed the plane she was to take to her destination. After a while of strolling, they reached the garage where her plane was parked. There, she saw the Major with a pilot and one other agent awaiting her arrival.
"Hello there, Agent." Greeted the Major.
"Major." She greeted back.
"Inside the plane you'll find the rest of your gear. I'll be in contact with you over radio. Your pilot here will let you know your destination and brief you on the mission details."
"Rodger."
"Now you will have to surrender your bag to me, and don't worry, the agency will take close care of your apartment home." The Major held out his hand to take the bag she brought that carried the phone. Lydia handed it over with a sigh. "Good luck, Matthews." The Major extended his right hand for a shake, which was confidently received by Lydia.
"Sir." She shook his hand and let go as he drifted beside her toward the exit of the garage.
"Are you sure you're ready for this, kid?" Voiced Jack from behind her.
Lydia turned around with a grin and made eye contact. "As ready as I'll ever be. Hey, if I'm heroic enough I might get a fancy ribbon." She lightly punched him in his left arm with her right.
"Hmph, don't get cocky. This is your first mission after all."
"Yessir." She smiled and looked down at the ground, she could feel her nerves start to rise.
"Hey." Jack placed a consoling hand on her right shoulder. "You got this, kid. Good luck." "There's no such thing as luck on the battle-field, remember?" She weakly smiled.
"That was a test, I'm glad you remembered. Go get 'em kid." He patted her shoulder once, which made her brighten up a bit.
"Thanks, Jackie." She turned around and jumped on the stairs, through the door, and into the plane. Not too far behind her was the pilot. She looked around for a bit before spotting a seat behind the pilot's chair. She sat on the leather seat and buckled her belt, mentally preparing herself for departure.
"Alright Agent, once we're in the air, I'll let you know when it's safe to walk around. Please be wary of turbulence, we are in for a long flight."
"I'm ready when you are." Her stomach felt like it was filled with butterflies, her nerves were driving her crazy. Come on, Lydia, you can do this. She took a deep breath as the plane started up. Closing her eyes, she felt the plane accelerate out of the compound and moments later, they were up in the air. She opened her eyes and looked out a small, circular window that was to the right of her. The sky was still dark as they ascended beyond the clouds. About ten minutes into flight, the pilot finally spoke.
"Alright, Agent you are good to walk around and help yourself to some food that's in the corner to your right. Although we still have a long ways to go so I don't suggest putting on your gear just yet."
"Ok, proceed with the briefing please, Agent-" Lydia responded.
"Klein Davis." He interrupted before she could ask his name. " Let's cut to the chase. This is an assassination mission." Surprised with the objective, Lydia blinked a few times before the man continued. "In the secured box to your left is a file with your target. His name is Dr. Aleksandr Leonovitch Granin. Other intelligence states that this scientist has been working on some pretty dangerous equipment."
"Like what?"
"That information was not given to me. So let's just assume that it's some pretty nefarious stuff that may have to do with nuclear warfare."
"Got it, so by his name, I'm assuming we're heading for the USSR?"
"Tselinoyarsk to be exact. We're going to descend about half an hour away from our target. Once we're landed, you're all on your own. You will infiltrate a fortress called Groznyj Grad. That was apparently the last location the doctor was in, so our best bet is to start there. The fortress is hard to miss…but good thing is, you should be able to see if from high ground. If there is anything noteworthy about your target and the projects he's working on, please make sure to brief the Major on your findings." Lydia reached for the box and pulled out the file, which contained a black and white photo of the old doctor, highly unattractive, but he looked like he knew his stuff.
"Do they want me to interrogate the guy before I take him out?"
"That would be advised, but if worse calls for worse, you know what to do."
"Got it."
"Now, one more thing. If you are caught or captured at any moment and the enemy finds out who you are, in a nutshell, the United States will deny your existence; you and your mission will be considered as compromised."
"Sounds good enough." Lydia shifted in her chair while flipping through the pages in the file. After skimming over a few items, she looked at the back of the pilot's head. "So, anything else I should know?"
"Yeah, I suggest you get some sleep Agent; it's going to be a long flight."
"Alright Davis, catch you in a few hours." Lydia repositioned herself in her seat so she was a little more comfortable. She lolled her head to the right and glared out the window again, trying to calm herself down so sleep would eventually take her. But, all she could think about was home. She scoffed to herself as the thought of her mentor, Jack, crossed her mind. "What, homesick already, kid?" Oh I could hear him now. Lydia rolled her eyes and set her sights to the darkness again. The two years she spent training with him were catching up to her. Thinking of the memories, she shut her eyes. In no time, sleep engulfed her consciousness.
Three knocks on her apartment door woke her up, bright and early. "Seriously?" An agitated groan escaped from the depths of Lydia's throat. She swung her legs over the side of her bed and slipped on some cotton pants and a large shirt. Lydia waltzed over to her door and pressed her ear against the wood. "Who is it?" No answer. A few seconds of silence passed before she lifted her ear away from the door and shrugged to herself. She placed her hand on the knob and opened it. Nobody, just as she expected from the silence. "Was I hearing things?" She poked her head out of the doorway and looked left and right, seeing if there were any knock-knock-ditching kids running about - but there was no one in sight. "Alright then."
"-True to you, In this whole world - " Music suddenly sounding off from the radio in her bedroom made her jump. 'What's going on?' She thought to herself as she tip-toed toward her bedroom. Creeping into the room she walked closer to the radio that was playing Soldier Boy. "Strange, must've turned on by itself." With her right hand, she reached forward to turn down the volume, but her hand was stopped short when something latched on her wrist. "AH!" Her right arm was twisted behind her back while a sleeved arm snuck across her neck in a choke-hold, and in the hand, a knife. She felt the poking of facial hair on her neck as the assailant breathed lightly by her left ear.
"What's your association with the CIA?" She just got hired into the CIA last month, had she made enemies already?!
"What are you talking about, who are you?" The edge of the knife was pressed closer to her neck.
"Who do you work for?" His rough voice was more threatening this time and her right arm twisted farther behind her back. Lydia let out a small wine as she felt her shoulder almost pop out of place. "Speak!" She was shifting her eyes and saw that her bedroom window was open and let out a weak chuckle.
"The one time I leave my window unlocked is the one time someone breaks in, how stupid of me."
"Do you think I'm being funny?" Her arm twisted more.
"Funny that you think I'm someone important. Ahhh- I don't know who you're talking about."
"Bullshit." The knife was getting dangerously close to breaking her skin. "You work for the CIA, Lydia Matthews, I know everything about you."
"What the fuck? Are you dreaming creep? I'm not even old enough to get a real job!" She retaliated. "You've got the wrong person!" She felt the man start to walk and drag her across the room, so she was facing the bed. He removed his hands and pushed her back hard, making her fall to the bed. As her weight hit the mattress, she quickly turned over to get a look at the man. The knife was sheathed in a holster on his black pants. Her green eyes traced up to his torso that was covered with a dark green button-up shirt. Once her sight landed on his face, his light green eyes pierced through her own.
"I could easily threaten you with rape or even slit your throat with ease." His voice was low and grumbled, probably from smoking so much. "You're not even making an attempt to guard yourself, even after I made that last move." He crossed his arms over his chest. "You have no self-defense maneuvers - I mean, a kid like you should know something. Not to mention you're so…scrawny." Lydia found herself a mix of disgusted, embarrassed and confused as she raised an eyebrow at the assailant. "The Major was right, I do have my work cut out for me." He sized her up.
"Major?" She questioned. "Wait. . ." She heard three knocks on her front door and made her jump again.
"Hnnn, you should probably get that." At the mention of the Major, she felt a little more at ease. But what if it was another assailant at the door? Was it ok for him to be trusted? She narrowed her green eyes at him. "Don't worry agent, I'm not going to hurt you." He held up both of his hands in surrender.
"Give me your knife." She demanded. The man took one step toward her until she interrupted his movement. "Nuh-uh. Drop it and its sheath on the ground and kick it toward me." Don't you come near me, creep." There were three more knocks on the door and he unhooked the holster from his belt and proceeded with her request. She stood up from the bed and picked up the knife that was now laying at her feet.
"Thank you." She rolled her eyes and walked through her small kitchen to reach the front door. Once she opened it; the doorway revealed Major Oh with a goofy smile on his face.
"Good morning Agent." He nodded at her and eyed the knife in her hand. "Oh, what do we have here? Did you already get acquainted with Jack?"
"Yes Major." Sounded off 'Jack' from the doorway of her bedroom.
"Splendid!" His British accent rolled off his tongue smoothly. "May I come in?" He eyed Lydia.
"Sure, I mean I'm pretty popular this morning." She stood out of his way and motioned for him to come in. "Coffee anyone?"
"Tea, if you have it."
"You're so British it's hilarious, Major." Lydia retorted back. "No, I don't have any, sorry."
"You are so American for not having it." He chuckled back in good humor. "Lydia, we have some things to discuss."
"I can see that." She eyed the scruff man that was leaning on her bedroom door frame. "What's up with this guy?" He let out a grunt.
"This, is Jack. He's a dear friend of mine and he's going to be your field mentor." The Major responded simply.
"Seriously?" She cocked her right eyebrow. "This guy just threatened me!"
"As you will get many more if you stay employed with us." This shut her up real quick. She opened one of the white cabinets in her kitchen and placed a coffee brewer on the counter-top. She continued to prepare the coffee while the Major resumed to speak. "While you are getting acquainted with and working on confidential material that require your intellectual skills, it is essential we train you to be well-rounded in other special-ops."
"Well, it is what I signed up for, I guess." She placed the coffee pot on the burner, waiting for it to brew.
"Exactly. I think you would be even more exceptional if you train with him." She moved her eyes to the toned man that was glancing around her small apartment. A sigh escaped her lips. She looked back at the coffee and opened the spout, pouring it into a small cup.
"Well, 'Johnny, would you enjoy some coffee?"
"Please, black."
"Hmmm not bad. Black just like your soul." She handed him the small cup. All she got in response was a grunt as he gently took the cup from her hand. "So when is this whole mentorship supposed to start?" She leant back onto the counter, being careful not to catch her cotton clothes on fire.
"Tomorrow. Jack will meet you here and take you to a disclosed location in the CIA base."
"Alright," She finished pouring herself a cup of coffee and continued, "just don't surprise me again."
"The key is to never let your guard down." Jack spoke up matter-of-factly. "Even if it is during a time of peace."
Author's Note: Not gonna lie, introductory chapters are always boring! But never fear, next chapter it finally picks up with some action! :)