Sorry, no action in this one, thought there was going to be, but it's got a nice build up. Busy Christmas, wasn't any time for updates, but we're there now.

DISCLAIMER: Oh woe is me, Sands does not belong to me. And that is a very bad ryhme.

In an alleyway hidden in the dark shadows of tall allotment buildings, was a dark blue van. The lights were off and it looked fairly redundant, but in fact there were three people sat inside. And one of those people, was a very frustrated man code-named Rattlesnake.

The reason Rattlesnake was frustrated, was that he was sweltering, and under a lot of mental pressure. He listened to the hum of computers all around him and the quickly infuriating tap of keys. Watching the drumming of fingers tapping on the keys sent his temper reeling with the dull monotone of it all.

It was stifling in the van with four computers going, and though he was only accompanied by two people, they were all necessary. The young woman sat opposite him had her back turned and was tapping away with a headset placed on her head, that was Ice Queen. She had the code-name for a reason.

"Visual footage online." Rattlesnake heard her state in an incredibly professional tone. That was because she was a professional, they all were.

A screen that had remained blank up till now instantly turned on with an immediate picture. The outside of a shady bar came crackling into view.

"Eagle, you read me?" Ice Queen spoke into her headset.

"Loud and clear." A voice crackled from the speakers on the other side of the van.

"Good, our target should be inside. Far end of the bar, you can't miss him. Drowning his sorrows." A small amount of emotion crept into Ice Queen's voice.

"I thought they were all drowning their sorrows in there." Eagle's voice crackled smugly. "Can you remind me again why the big guys even need all four of us to bring this schmuck down?"

"I've said it before, Eagle, I'm not saying it again. The target is dangerous, don't get him angry." Ice Queen snapped.

"Ok, ok. Chill Icy."

Rattlesnake could just imagine the ridiculous arrogant smirk on Eagle's face. He was the reason he was under so much mental pressure. The other two operatives had voted that Eagle did the field-work and he had jumped at the chance, Rattlesnake wasn't so sure. The guy was still a rookie, and he had never met the target before.

"Just don't get yourself killed in there, mate." Stallion, the remaining operative, spoke into his own headset.

"You guys worry too much, this jerk will be a piece of cake."

"Ok, let's move people. Remember Eagle, think tactics and you'll be fine." Ice Queen said as encouragingly as possible. Her thoughts suggested otherwise.

He's doomed.

Sands lifted the bottle to his mouth and took one long swig. The alcoholic aftertaste burned his throat as he dropped it back onto the counter, he welcomed the sensation. He knew his course of action was pitiful, someone was following him and he decided to get drunk about it. But what could he do, he couldn't see if someone was following him.

His memory flashed back to Mexico, just after he had lost his eyes. He remembered when the cartel hit man had been following him, and how he had been oblivious to his presence had it not been for the boy. Only now it was worse, because there was more of them. That thought deserved another mouthful of tequila. He felt the weight of the glass, there wasn't much left.

I'll be needing more soon. He mused sardonically.

That's not the way to make a plan.

Groaning he took a fresh packet of cigarettes out of his trouser pocket, taking one out, he placed it between his lips. He found his lighter, and imagined as he always did, the flame that he should see in front of him.

"Broadway's dark tonight, eh?" A smug voice said, the words all too ironic to be a coincidence.

He was just about to tell the idiot to go away when he froze. He recognized the voice instantly. Quickly adopting a calm demeanour, he exhaled the toxic smoke in his lungs.

"Gee, I guess it is. How are you 'Joe'?" He drawled.

"Cut the crap, traitor." The smug voice turned stone cold.

"Well that's not very nice. Besides, I could be equally as disputant by saying I despise people who quote from songs, which I do." Sands couldn't fight back the smirk on his face, 'Joe' really was an idiot. He had barely spoken an amount worthy of a real sentence, and yet Sands could already tell multiple things from what he had said.

And he was trained by the CIA?

"Well to say the least, I'm surprised you even knew it was from a song. Thought you were more into the…musical variety." 'Joe' retorted arrogantly.

Sands heard a scraping noise as a stool was dragged across the floor. He heard the proud waddling stride of the idiot next to him as he sat on the seat.

Boy, he's annoying.

"I dabble around in the music world, emo stuff has a certain attraction to it I guess."

"Emo?" 'Joe' said incredulously, he obviously didn't believe the band he had just quoted from were 'emo'.

Ah, a man with an ego. How I hate them. So frustrating, but so easy to control.

"Yes, emo. You know this discussion really is amazing, but I'm interested in more pressing matters, personally. First one is this: you work for the agency, that much I can tell. So, what took you shit-heads so long to 'get back to me'?" Sands drawled, taking his fruitful vocabulary into full effect.

"Hey, mate, I don't make the rules. If I did, you would be six feet under ages ago. Beer please."

Sands glared incredulously at where he thought 'Joe' was, until he realized he had asked a bartender for the beer.

"Right," He forced himself to get back into control. "Well I consider it rather rude that you didn't answer my question, or perhaps you don't know. Well did you know I've been kept in the dark for three fucking weeks in a civilian hospital? Now I'm sure that's not company policy." He had difficulty controlling the anger in his voice, the tequila wasn't helping either.

"Yes, well I would like to know quite what you think company policy is." 'Joe' replied curtly. "If you really want to know, we've been in Culiacan, cross-referencing various forms of data. Received an interesting testimony from a… El Mariachi."

Sands went rigid.

That backstabbing son-of-a-bitch.

"Oh, really?" He slurred, not an inch of anger in his tone. It was time to lure the officer into a false sense of security, and what better way than to sound drunk? Sands would never let someone else get the upper hand in a situation, he was too damned greedy. "I bet that was fun."

"It was, we found out some interesting stuff about your operation."

"And of course by 'we', you of course don't mean you included. Because they wouldn't let a rookie do such a thing, surely not?"

"That'll be $6." Another voice said as a sound of glass against wood filled Sands ears. There was a jangle of loose change and a tap of coins being placed onto a counter.

Sands waited for the footsteps to fade away before speaking again. It was time to wrap this up, and find out what he wanted to know.

"In fact, I bet right now you have voices buzzing in your ear because they can't trust you. That earphone must be awfully uncomfortable, and the hidden camera, not too cosy, eh?"

Silence ensued.

"You know your stuff, officer." 'Joe' sounded torn between disgust and surprise.

"Course I do."

"So you know what's going to happen to you?" The smug tone returned.

"I know what should happen to me, but here's the thing 'Joe', there's this nagging little thought in the back of my mind saying I don't want that to happen.

"So 'Joe', how much did they find out, that's what I really want to know? How much did they tell you? I just love to hear how they play fuckmooks out of everyone."

"I've been told you're a rouge officer, a traitor, a murderer, that your own agents have made testimonies against you, and that you gotta die." 'Joe' growled.

Sands grinned psychotically. On purpose of course.

"Just the basics then. How many of you working on this assignment, how many little agents have you rounded up, eh?"

"What makes you think I'm just going to sing for you?" 'Joe' spat.

"What makes you think I'm just going to up and believe you know what you're talking about?" Sands raised an eyebrow.

'Joe' said nothing. Sands took advantage of the silence to take a long drag from his cigarette.

"I know what I'm talking about." 'Joe' replied quietly.

"No you don't."

"Yes, I do."

Puppet on a string.

Sands leaned in towards 'Joe', listening to his quick paced breathing. He then uttered the all time childish phrase.

"Prove it."

'Joe' mulled the thought over in his mind. Prove it. He knew he could, the voices buzzing in his ear were so distant. He observed the man in front of him, looking every inch like he was up to no good. But what did he need the others for? He could finish this traitor off right here right now, forget a clandestine operation.

The three voices buzzed in his ear, ordering, pleading him not to cut contact with them. He inwardly laughed at their stupidity, what made them think he couldn't handle this?

Rebelliously, 'Joe' pulled the earphone from his ear and let it fall. He kept the camera in place.

Let them see. He thought pompously. Let them see when I dispose of the target without their help.

"Eagle! Eagle do you read me?!" Ice Queen cried desperately into her mic. It was useless, there was no reply.

"I knew this would happen." Rattlesnake groaned, leaning over Ice Queen.

"One of us needs to get in there." Ice Queen muttered.

"And do what? Remember this is meant to be a Clandestine Operation. Eagle's as good as dead now."

"Well, we have to do something." Ice Queen wouldn't be able to live with herself if she left Eagle alone with the target. "Stallion, you stay here, operate the systems. Rattlesnake, you're coming with me."

There weren't any protests, there was no time.

Sands listened as the earphone hit the counter as gravity claimed it. His lips pulled into a slight smirk.

"That's better."

Now the real fun begins.

Or it will, when I write it. Soon I swear!!

That song by the way, was Broadway by the Goo Goo Dolls, definately not emo, but it got up 'Joe's nose enough :P

Reviews please! I feed on them.(Actually I'm surprised with how many reviews I have so far, THANKYOU ALL!!)