Chapter 4: First Field Assignment
"Its a simple snatch and grab. This guy is a low level terrorist, who probably couldn't find his ass if he sat on his hands." Agent Aubrey Posen handed Beca and Chloe a small folder with a picture of the man she was talking about. "He has a drug in his basement lab, here." Aubrey pulled out the diagram of Liam Westley's mansion. "This drug if activated can affect people within a two hundred mile radius. He seems to be planning to send one of each of the ten vials to multiple metropolises to do the most damage. For now, all ten are located in the basement of his mansion. Handle them with care because if one breaks, it'll be activated. He also keeps the research that his scientists do on a laptop in the upstairs study. Primary objective: obtain the drug vials from the basement lab and bring them back to HQ. Secondary objective: retrieve laptop for our tech geniuses to analyze. His house is swarming with body guards and other men in his outfit. Do your best to subdue them without killing them. However, if anyone sees your faces, you have orders to shoot to kill."
"And what about this Liam character? Do we bring him back?" Beca asked with her feet propped up on the chair in between her and Chloe.
"We are sending you at a time that he is always gone from the house. He is not a top target at this time and he might lead us to more important people in his organization. You have orders to leave him alive, if you do see him."
"Even if he sees our faces?"
"Hopefully you won't let it come to that, but if he sees you, detain him. Bring him back to HQ for interrogation. But let me be clear, that is worst case scenario." Aubrey folded up her notes and nodded at the two agents in front of her. "Any further questions?"
"No." Chloe stood up, swiping Beca's feet off the chair.
"Then good luck. This should be quick and easy for the likes of you two." Aubrey left the room and Chloe folded her arms at Beca still sitting.
"You should stand up when briefings are ending, especially to higher ranking agents."
"Sorrrry." Beca rolled her eyes and sluggishly got out of her chair.
"I hope you move faster than that on a mission, or else you won't be an agent for long." Chloe sighed and led the way to the parking garage.
"So who's vehicle are we taking?" Beca flipped her keys around her finger.
"Mine. If we die, it will not be on your stupid bike."
"Suit yourself, Beale. But one day I'll get you to take a ride and you'll love it!" Beca slid into the front seat of Chloe's car and immediately put her feet up on the dashboard.
"What is it with you and propping your feet up? Its unprofessional." Chloe shook her head and watched as she backed out of her spot.
"I gotta stay comfortable as long as possible. In this line of work there's not much time for comfort." She put her hands behind her head and closed her eyes. Chloe just sighed and followed her GPS to the targeted mansion.
The reached the backyard and slowly snuck their way through the shrubbery near the pool to find a guard at the back door, looking at his phone.
"Cover me, I'll take him out." Chloe whispered and in an instant tasered the guard and drug him into a shadowed corner of the patio.
"That was hot." Beca smirked with her hand on her gun.
"Stay focused." Chloe hissed as she looked inside to see one man lying on the couch watching TV and another with his back to her at the kitchen table.
"You take couch I'll get kitchen." Chloe pointed and Beca nodded as she grabbed her own taser. They easily knocked out those men and made their way to the staircase.
"Okay, you go upstairs and find the laptop, I'll go downstairs and get the drug." Chloe started moving when Beca grabbed her arm.
"Don't you think we should stick together?"
"We need to be quick about this and if we separate, we'll be more efficient. Now go!" Chloe nudged her as she made her way carefully to the basement. Beca gritted her teeth since she disagreed, but reluctantly started moving up the stairs.
Beca took out two more guards who were pretty much slacking on the job. She quickly made her way to the study and searched frantically for the laptop. She hadn't heard any gunshots or other noises so she assumed Chloe was doing fine. She finally found the laptop in a case in the third desk drawer. After slinging it over her shoulder, she raced downstairs to meet up with Chloe.
Chloe was carefully placing the vials into a bag when she heard a noise at the door.
"Hey!" A scruffy looking man entered the basement and looked at Chloe in shocked confusion. Chloe was setting down the bag to reach for her taser when the man pulled his gun. She heard two shots fired and flinched, but realized that the man had collapsed to the floor in a pool of blood. Beca appeared shortly after with a gun in her hand.
"What the hell, Beca?" Chloe shouted in a whispered tone.
"Oh, I'm sorry, he was just about to shoot you, I should've let him carry on." Beca hurried over to help Chloe load the vials.
"Our orders were to subdue, not kill." Chloe shook her head and tried to control her anger as she handled the vials.
"Actually we were told if they saw our faces to shoot to kill. Not only did he see your face, but he pulled his gun on you. So how about maybe thanking me for saving your life instead of getting all defensive." Beca holstered her weapon aggressively. "I also got the laptop...without being spotted I might add. You ready?"
"Is it military training or something to shoot first, think later?" Chloe zipped up the bag.
"Hey!" Beca marched at her with a pointed finger. "Don't shit talk my military training. You've never been in the military so you wouldn't know. We think before every time we pull the trigger and don't you dare think otherwise."
Before Chloe could respond they both turned their heads to the sound of Liam coming in the front door.
"Frankie! Frankie, what's going on in here? I heard gunshots!" He sounded angry and nervous.
Chloe grabbed Beca and dragged her upstairs to the door to the basement and peeked out to see Liam starting to walk upstairs.
"Alright, get to the car!" Chloe gave a shove to Beca who broke into a sprint toward the back door. Chloe was just behind her when her bag snagged on the basement door frame.
"Shit." She mumbled and tried to carefully get the bag loose, being careful not to drop the vials. Beca had turned around to see Chloe struggling and a shadow from upstairs move quickly.
Beca looked toward the backyard and then back to Chloe. She sprinted back to the basement to help free Chloe's bag. They heard footsteps as they got the bag free. Chloe's eyes scanned the room frantically and shoved Beca into a nearby closet and stepped in beside her just as Liam had reached the lower steps.
"Damn, buy a girl dinner first." Beca grinned, her face just inches from Chloe's in the cramped space.
"Shut. Up." Chloe whispered, keeping an eye on Liam as he searched downstairs.
"I mean I'm flattered, but-" Beca was interrupted with Chloe shoving her palm over Beca's mouth.
"One more sound and I won't hesitate to tase you." Chloe warned, glancing to see Liam quickly head down into the basement. She let go and quickly stepped out of the closet.
"No need for sweet talk." Beca watched the basement door.
"Let's go!" Chloe hurried out the backyard. Beca instead sprinted to the kitchen to grab a chair before sprinting back to the basement door.
"Beca!" Chloe growled, anxious to leave the house. Beca slammed the basement door shut and put the chair under the handle just before she heard Liam shout and pound his fist on the door, screaming to be let out. Beca joined Chloe and they both raced to the car. Beca tossed the laptop inside while Chloe handed the vials to Beca to hold so they wouldn't break.
"What was that?" Chloe finally said between gritted teeth as she gunned the accelerator.
"What was what? When I shot the guy who was about to shoot you? Or making sure the guy we couldn't kill didn't spot us by locking him in the basement?" Beca looked over, no remorse showing.
"I told you to go and you didn't listen! You wouldn't shut up in the closet and could've gotten us spotted. And when we had a chance to run, you risked it and lost precious time running to the kitchen. Why can't you just listen to what I tell you?"
"I listened the whole time, except when I saw a better option. And besides I thought you weren't my boss; you were my partner?" Beca shook her head while watching the bag of drugs, making sure they didn't spill out. Chloe just let out an exasperated sigh.
When they reached HQ, Beca walked twice as fast trying to keep up with Chloe as they made their way to deliver their bags. Neither of them said a word.
"Good work, Agents." Aubrey looked into both bags. "You've done a good job. Of course we'll need a report written up to be on my desk tomorrow morning. And be specific regarding the shooting."
"Understood." Chloe nodded as she turned to walk to her computer. Beca just kept walking.
"Hey!" Chloe shouted. "You going to help with the paperwork?"
"I mean, you and your opinions are the only ones that are right, so use your words to say what happened. Mine are obviously not good enough." Beca shrugged as she walked backwards away from Chloe.
"That's it." Chloe stood back up and snatched Beca by the arm to drag her into the Captain's office.
"You know, I don't mind it rough, but I'm getting tired of getting manhandled without the reward." Beca was irritated, but she couldn't help but flash her smirk at Chloe, knowing it would get under her skin. Chloe ignored her and shoved her inside the office.
"Captain Littner, I'd like to request a partner change." Chloe stood straight in front of Littner's desk. Beca rolled her eyes as she leaned against the wall, making a face at Chloe to suggest she was being too dramatic.
"Agent Beale." Captain Littner looked up from his desk and sighed in frustration. "You don't get to just demand a new partner just because you're not getting your way. You need to learn to work better with others. And trust me, Agent Mitchell is very talented. You'll need to get over your differences."
"But, sir-"
"No, Beale!" Littner interrupted. "Switching partners is a process which requires thorough evidence that it would be best for the whole Agency that the partners are separated. And after ONE mission, I highly doubt you have any evidence. We don't just switch partners because you are having a schoolyard bickering match. Now, you are dismissed. This discussion is over. And for your own good, I will pretend it didn't happen." Littner returned his attention back to his desk and Chloe clenched her fists in frustration before storming out of the office.
"Look, I'm sorry for getting you so mad." Beca was once again speed walking to keep up with Chloe, who refused to acknowledge her. "I was only trying to do what I thought was best. And one of those decisions was made to make sure you didn't get shot. I thought that was what partners did: have each other's backs."
"Then next time, have my back by listening to me. I'll have the report done by tomorrow, enjoy your night." Chloe replied bitterly as she hurried to the garage and Beca just let her walk away, shaking her head.