Chapter 2 – Deceptions

12th December 2012 – 09.30 am

Kalkan, Turkey

Lauren's heart continued to race long after she had stopped running. The ice-cold gin and tonic that sat in front of her did nothing to tame her pumping adrenaline. She rechecked her watch; her office was sending someone to verify her findings. She had literally sped along the coast road to her meeting place two hours north of Kemer. The Agency was not happy with her going rogue and cleaning up her mess from the alley. Lauren swallowed down her guilt at what she had done to keep the recording. She felt guilt from feeling zero guilt, which confused furthermore. All that went through her mind, but all that mattered was the recording. Nothing else was of importance at that moment.

Lauren had been given directions for someone to bandage her up and a meeting point for her exchange. Apparently, this small Turkish bar was the best place. Upstairs, Lauren met with a doctor who cleaned up her gunshot wound and gave her painkillers. The wound on her side was bandaged tightly, and Lauren lightly rubbed it. The medic said it was a through and through and would heal in a few weeks. Her favourite shirt was not as lucky. She pulled her leather jacket tighter around her and zipped it up, hiding the large bloodstain.

Lauren had never been shot before; it was said it might happen in her line of work, but she never imagined it would. Her assignment was to watch, but she had gone rogue, put herself at risk, and got hurt because of it. Lauren was still on high alert due to the pumping adrenaline and scanned her new environment. She was in a small bar in the beach resort of Kalkan. A quick assessment told her it was safe, for the time being anyway. Lauren looked at her reflection on a mirrored wall to her left; she looked tired, pinching her cheeks, hoping that it would return some colour to her dull complexion.

The bell rang above the bar door, alerting her to a new arrival. Lauren looked up and saw her colleague Betal, who worked in the office, and a man walking in just a step-in front. He was in his forties, oozed confidence and looked in great shape. As he neared, she could see that he seemed really pissed off. They both sat down beside her.

"Hi, are you okay?" Betal placed a small leather pouch on the table, "Do you have the phone with the recording."

Lauren nodded, pushing a matching pouch over the table to her.

Pulling out a set of earphones, they both plugged into the phone and watched and listened to the video recording. Looking at each other and placed the phone back in the pouch once it had finished. "Well done, Lauren. I'll be taking this now, and you have a new assignment."

"Wait, should I not follow up on this story?" Lauren pleaded. After what she went through, she thought she would be the one to expose it.

"You have no means to negotiate. You've done both well and fucking terrible at the same time, and we need to plan our next move with precision, not just jump in like a bull in a fucking china shop. You're an expensive liability, and best you're kept busy." the stranger pushed the small bag toward her. "This is your new assignment which is more suited to your newfound skills. All the details are on your new burner phone. Betal has put all that you'll need in that bag."

"Who are you?" Lauren asked, registering that he had a thick British accent but realising she had never been introduced.

"I'm the man you fucked over by going rogue." He slammed his hand on the table, making Lauren jump, "I had already invested over a hundred man-hours following that story. It's lucky for you that you got what you got on camera. Maybe it can be used cause if it's not, you'll be finished."

"Look, I'm sorr-"

"Don't apologise. Just follow your orders.", he interrupted. "The name is Jack King, and I've been in this game a long time. You did well in training. In the field, however, you're impulsive and reckless. I will give you a second chance. No more shadow work as that requires patience as you clearly have none. From now on, you're on my team, in and amongst the action."

Lauren nodded; she had indeed learnt her lesson. "So, am I going to return to England?"

"No, France." Betal half-smiled, "you fly from Dalaman at mid-day to Zürich. I've organised a car for you at the airport, so you can drive to Morzine. I know it's a long journey, eight hours in total. But, minus the one-hour time difference, you should be in a comfortable bed by six pm local time.

"France?" Lauren swallowed, "But I have been away almost a year. I thought I was going home next week."

"You're hardly in a position to argue. No team will want you now, so it's with me or nothing. Lucky for you, I have a posting that needs filling immediately. The person whose job you've taken cried out last minute, the poncy fairy. Apparently, he had a burst appendix." Jack picked up Laurens' pouch, "This job is set up. It took months to put together. Also, you know the language, can cook, and you are cute and fuckable, and your target is reportedly bi-sexual."

Lauren crossed her arms, "And what exactly am I meant to do?"

Jack grinned, "You'll cook up a heart-hit, oh-la-fucking-la."

Lauren shook her head, "A what?"

"Fucking hell," Jack rubbed his temples, a headache already forming, "Back to school then it is. You'll be planted in and amongst your target. As their staff, you'll be both ignored and be in a great position to get close to gathering intel. You have three weeks till I arrive, and I want to see some results. This is your last chance. Fuck up, and you're fired, not only from our Agency but all of them."

"Okay." Lauren agreed.

"All your information is on a pen drive in the pouch. Get close to your target, and on my team, you won't be judged on how you got the results only if you get results. Turn up the heat out of the kitchen and into their sheets, getting that pillow talk. Call me when you get there, and Lauren, don't balls this one up." Jack walked out, not saying another word or even a goodbye.

"Betal, what happened-?"

"It's all been taken care of." Betal squeezed Lauren's arm, cutting her off. "You best be going; the plane leaves at twelve pm, and it will take over an hour to get there. Good luck."

Lauren nodded, taking the small bag and placing it in her duffle bag. "Thank you."

"Goodbye." With a final smile, Betal stood and left the bar.

Lauren walked to the ladies' toilets, thankful that they were empty and went into the first cubical. A habit she had formed since reading the first cubical was the most hygienic, as was the least used. Lauren sat on the seat's lid and pulled out the small bag resting it on her knee. Finding the phone, earphones, and a flash drive. Inserting it to the bottom of the phone, she pressed the play button and listened to her new assignment details.

"Shit," Lauren whispered to herself, no more watching from cars in the shadows. She was about to be in deep. Taking out the flash drive, she crushed it between her finger and thumb, wrapping it in some tissue and flushing it down the toilet. Reaching back in and pulling out her new identity.

Lauren studied the French passport first. The identity to become her own was a Karen Beauchêne, aged twenty-four, two years older than her actual age. Her birthday in June went by without any celebrations and only one phone call back home. Her nationality was now French. Rubbing her temples, knowing that she would have to keep up an accent. In training, she was taught many dialects. Still, she wasn't convinced she could remember to use it every second of every day. She would have to talk less and use her body more. Sleeping with a target to get intel didn't bother her. Lauren had never had a serious relationship and jumped from bed to bed, person to person. Lauren defended her actions as a chemical need that her body craved, like eating or sleeping. Although Lauren would devour her lovers, she never slept the night. Gone before breakfast was her M.O.

Lauren pinched the bridge of her nose after rummaging through the small bag discovering the red hair dye was missing. Lauren silently cursed Betal, knowing how difficult I would be to find it in the French Alps. The last thing was her work documents, printed certificates of a life that she never lived. Placing it all back in the bag and exiting to her car. She needed to hurry if she were to catch her flight. The journey took longer than expected, a quick stop to buy a new shirt and look for hair dye, which she knew would be unsuccessful, and she arrived at the airport. Lauren had to literally dump the car and run to the gate at the airport, thankful that she had hand luggage only. Her flight was being called, with just a handful of people left for boarding.

Lauren's breathing deepened, and her mouth suddenly dried as a cold wash went down her back, remembering back to her day. Pushing it to the back, Lauren stepped forward in the queue, passport and boarding card ready. Once the doors had closed, the pilot announced the departure of her flight, she started to relax. One last glance out of the window as the plane flew higher, and the city got smaller. A quick, silent sorry, and then she closed the window blind.

Now was not a time for reflection. What happened had already happened, and nothing she could do now would change that. Lauren clicked to life her iPad, opening the folder that contained her secure downloaded documents. Lauren scanned the file; there was so much to read, learn and remember. These people were not her kind of people. But now, she had to get close to them. As soon as the flight signs came on that she could move about, she jumped up, one last stretch before her long journey and longer research.

12th December 2012 – 02:00 am

Bo Dennis Hotel Room - Toronto, Canada

"What the fuck, Evony!" Bo pulled the pillow from behind her and held it to her body as she sat up.

The blonde was dragged off the bed by her hair by Massimo, Evony's security guard. Evony was just calmly watching and twisting her long brown hair that lay casually over one shoulder.

"How many times have we told you not to pull whores in a bar?" Evony turned to Massimo, "Get her dressed; I want to speak to her."

"Evony, this is too far, even for you. This is not part of your job; my sex life is none of your business," Bo stood. Being semi-naked in front of her manager didn't bother her. It was not the first time. Bo grabbed her dress and proceeded to put it back on. "Massimo, let go of her now."

Evony nodded to Massimo, who let go and sat the blonde down on a chair. "That's where your mistaken Bo, it is my job to make sure that you are protected professionally as well as personally. I don't make money on a washed-up has-been. You are in your prime, hot property, and your contract is up for renewal in a few months. We don't need a scandal."

"And me having a good time is a problem?" Bo asked.

"We plan your good times, and they all sign a confidentiality agreement. Don't be naïve, Bo. This one, however, is a problem." Evony sat in front of the blonde. "What is your name?"

"Amber." The blonde answered.

"Eh, no, no, no. Don't make me fucking shoot you, bitch." Massimo waved his gun in the air like a madman, and no one said a word. His dark-haired and eyes covered in too much eyeliner made him look even more sinister than he was acting. Dressed in leather with a tight, dark green shirt. A gun holster holding another gun to his muscular frame, he certainly didn't look the type to ask someone twice.

"Crystal, my name is Crystal Stone."

Bo spun her head around, "What's going on?"

"Massimo dear, do me a favour." Evony stared at Crystal. "Shoot that wardrobe."

Crystal's eyes widened. Suddenly a stocky, overweight man crashed out of the wardrobe and landed on the floor in front of her. Massimo grabbed him and held a gun to his head. This was all getting too much for Bo, who screamed at Evony to stop him.

"Calm down, Bo," Evony stood. Massimo lowered his gun. "S.D. Card. And I won't ask twice."

The man handed Evony the whole camera, who then removed the card from it. "Cell Phone."

"I didn't record on the…." The man stopped speaking when he felt the gun pressed against his side. "Take it." He handed over his phone.

"And yours." Evony turned to Crystal.

Crystal handed her phone over also.

"Now, your driving licences," neither of them said anything. They just handed them over too.

"Now listen carefully to me; if this story even hints at getting out, I will send Massimo to your homes, and he will be alone. Do you understand?" They both nodded.

"Massimo, keep these and take out the trash." Evony handed him their licences.

Massimo grabbed Crystal by her arm and pulled her roughly to her feet. Both were dragged outside, her arm twister behind her back. No one seemed to notice or even care that they were in Crystal's hotel room, not Bo's.

Bo sat in silence. She could not believe that she had been fooled.

"Spy-banged," Evony spoke.

"What?" Bo asked.

"The word you're searching for to describe what just has happened to you is spy-banged. It's not the first time a woman has tried to seduce you to get footage, to either sell to the tabloids or sell back to us to exploit you. And she won't be the last one either, Christ, you're an expensive client." Evony stood and straightened her dress, her slim figure hugging the soft material showing off her perfect curves. Eyeing up the untouched wine, Evony poured a glass for her and Bo. "Here, drink this."

Bo took the glass gulping down the lot. "What a fucking night. I'm sorry, Evony."

"Don't worry, you have us to protect you." Evony refilled Bo's glass and sat back down, "These snakes are smarter nowadays Bo, they spy on you for days, weeks, months even. They wiggle their way into your life, and when they have all they need and feel the time is right, they will crush you. It's big business. Selling their stories to magazines or clickbait online sites. It's only the amateurs that still hop on bikes and chase you around. The real professionals are much sneakier and hide in plain sight."

Bo took it all in and sighed, "That's why I am surrounded by fake people?"

"Yes, they may be fake, but they are also on our payroll, so we control them. If you want new friends, just tell me who and I will find you some." Evony answered.

Bo lowered her head. It was not what she meant, but too emotionally tired to argue with her.

"Anyway, the reason I came to find you in the first place is that flight plans have changed. We leave tonight." Evony stated, "We do have a few minutes if you want to go down memory lane with me."

Bo followed Evony's look to the bedroom, "No, I've told you before, I want something real. I want a real connection with someone."

"Fine, get back to your room and pack. Meet us in the foyer in half an hour. We fly at 5am. It's a twelve-hour flight, so you can catch up on sleep on the plane." Evony stood, "And for fuck's sake, lose that notion of having feelings. I have told you before and will tell you again, emotions are a weakness. True love doesn't exist."

Evony didn't wait for a reply as she left the room.

"I still believe in love, and I know she is out there. Just haven't found her yet. But I will, one day I will find her." Bo murmured to a now empty room.