2063


A month had passed since Kallista's recon mission in Seoul with Gabriel, and now she and another member of the Intel Department were focused on another project. The following month was a surprise when Gabriel called her into his office to talk about an important change within the Intel department.

But she wasn't a stranger to the big change that he spoke of. She knew the department lacked leadership, but it seemed to all work out with the small amount of leadership that Malik gave everyone.

She didn't question it, why should she?

She just needed to do her job and that was it.

In the back of her mind she was sure that Aleksander would be the one to take the leadership position. He was an all-around poster Intel guy, it would only make sense if he was the one to take up the position. She was legitimately surprised when Reyes told her that everyone that he spoke to recommended her for the position.

Three years ago she was one of the most wanted hackers in the world, placed in a den of wolves, being watched from every corner, under suspicion and more, and yet she was being handed power, a key into an organization she and others sought to expose.

Impulsively she said yes. Which started a chain reactions within the department, office change, room change, title change, mission execution meetings, mission debriefs, it almost gave her whiplash, and it exhausted her.

It took her a month to get acquainted with everything including the perks of her new office and new room, new responsibilities, less time on the field and more behind the scenes. She didn't mind not being on the field due to the amount of work and how involved she was with mission planning.

There was no time to whine, there was work to do.

Now she and Aleks were focused on gaining remote access to a company server needed to further their progress for a possible raid in India. Leaning on the man's shoulder she stared intensely at his holographic screen.

"The code changes within two seconds, I'm only able to capture half of it before it changes," Aleks said as he looked up at the woman.

"I can see a pattern it's there for a split second. You're focusing on one part of it when you should be able to capture it all at once," Kallista started.

"I see it too, but it's not matching," Aleks replied, his Russian accent thick.

"It's there. There's more than one pattern though...we can do this a less conventional way…" Kallista trailed off.

"Less conventional you say?" Aleks questioned.

"...she means hacking it her way, probably breaking something in the process," Malik chimed in.

"I don't break...I modify and besides I'm talking tricking the system into giving us the code instead of us trying to take it. It might take a little bit of time to do it, but with this system I know it can be done," Kallista replied.

"Sounds good to me," Malik shrugged,

"Ok, Malik?" Kallista asked as she pulled out her cellphone from her back pocket.

"Sure and I'm already uploading the new code to you Aleks," Malik said as he leaned back in "Moving fast are we, Ramos?" Aleks said as he focused back on his screen.

"What can I say? I do that sometimes," Malik said as he too pulled out his cell phone

"Make sure you copy everything. Who created this system will probably have a firewall similar to this… Malik if you want to work with Aleks on it to break it that's fine. We need this info ASAP," Kallista added. A soft chime came from the woman's back pocket, her attention remained focused on the screen as she took her cellphone out of her pocket. She quickly took a look at the screen, it was a message from Gabriel.

{Reyes: Meet in conference room A4 in 10}

Kallista glanced at Malik who turned his attention to her, Kallista nodded. Malik lowered his legs from his desk and began to work.

"Aleks I'm handing this over to you," Kallista said as she moved over to the silent woman in the room.

"Linda, how are those reports coming?" Kallista asked.

"I have everything almost pulled together for the meeting," Linda said as she heatedly typed on her keyboard.

Kallista pulled a pink holographic screen from the woman's main screen, reports of a Numbani club and reports populated onto the screen.

"A night club," Kallista murmured.


"We got a report from the South Korean government notifying us about the decreased activity of the resistance group that was being investigated last month or so," Morrison said as he walked down the hall.

"You don't say?" Gabriel said sarcastically.

"C'mon I don't need your sarcasm too Gabe," Morrison sighed.

"We do our job efficiently, what can we say?" Gabriel replied as he walked with the man.

"You want gold stars and cookies to congratulate your team?" Morrison replied.

"How about some vacation?" Gabriel suggested.

"Maybe...after the final reports come in from South Korea and Austria," Morrison replied.

"Of course...should be any year now right?"

"Your sarcasm is at a new high Gabe,"

Gabriel shrugged as he chuckled, Morrison chuckled with the man shaking his head as they made their way to one of the conference rooms near Morrison's office.

"How is everything going? There's been a lot of movement within Blackwatch...you got new recruits…a new Intel director…," Morrison started a smirk forming on his lips.

"Lyudmila is training the new recruits...as for my Intel director...she fits like a puzzle piece in the right spot," Gabriel replied.

"Is that so?" Morrison tried to hide the smirk on his face.

"You've seen the reports, what else is there to say?" Gabriel said as he stopped at a conference room door.

"Riiiight. I'll let you slide this time Gabe," Morrison sighed.

"I'm not blind to you and Vincent, I just choose to be," Gabriel commented coolly.

Morrison's cheeks flushed as he shook his head at the man, Gabriel knew about them and so did a few others even though they tried to hide it.

"I can read you like a book Morrison but then again, you knew that already," Gabriel said as he opened the door to the conference room leaving the man by himself.


[Lobo their security is under our control. On-standby.]

Kallista's voice echoed softly through the raid team's earpieces as they stuck around the conveniently darkened alleyways of the night club. Gabriel grunted in response as he began directing his crew silently.

[An EMP would disrupt the entire building including the omnics that are in the lower levels…and probably a few buildings near by]

"Wait for Klein's and Hay-B's signal" Gabriel whispered.

[Ok...]

"Positions," Gabriel whispered.

[[Sure thing sugar...is it warm in here or is it because yer the hot one here]]

Jesse's voice echoed through the team's earpieces causing a few of the agents to shake their heads in disappointment at the man's terrible flirting tactics.

"Someone needs to teach him how to flirt,"

"Tell me about it I feel like I'm getting heartburn,"

"Devane, Rhett, shut up," Gabriel growled.

"Just saying," Devane murmured.

"He has a point, Lobo…" Rhett commented.

The message that Gabriel had sent everyone was for a raid that Jesse had been gathering Intel on the field about for the past month, it was time to strike. Kallista, Hayden, Vincent, and a few other agents were positioned around the club waiting for the signal to strike, a sting operation on an illegal human and omnic trafficking ring in Numbani.

Numbani was known to be the only place in the world where Omnics and Humans lived in harmony, and almost without any issues. If you were to dig deep into the underbelly of Numbani and in the depths of the dark web human trafficking was rampant in the city. With Kallista's new position and complete access to all the servers, Gabriel gave her and the Intel department a new task to focus on while assisting with other missions

During their searching and connecting the signs and money trails they were able to locate an exact building of where the operations were taking place. The trafficking to Numbani and with hints of Cassius' business partners funneling money to support this. It was only a matter of time until they gathered enough evidence to bring the couple down.

The team was split into three, Jesse being the one to inconspicuously infiltrate the club, while Hayden and Agent Klein slipped through their security to remove the humans and omnics before Kallista sent an EMP though the building. During the chaos, Gabriel and the other agents would move in and take control of the situation. Jesse grinned from ear to ear when Gabriel begrudgingly picked him for the mission. The only reason he was allowed to infiltrate because he fit the part of being a 'local'.

[[Do ya normally have Omnics in here? Aren't the ladies scared? Aww no no no c'mere ladies]]

[Someone needs to teach him something...because those are terrible…my ears are bleeding]

"Agreed Kaines, maybe you should teach him your ways, Lobo,"

"Vincent…" Gabriel growled in warning.

"Just sayin..." Vincent replied.

[Vincent is right. If you care about your dysfunctional child teach him your ways, Lobo]

[Lobo this is Hay-B...the cat is out of the bag]

"Do it,"

[Unleashing EMP, brace yourselves]

Within seconds a muted energy burst was heard through the building, knocking out all electricity surrounding the building causing the building to shut down, draping the team further in darkness, further coating the team in the shadows. Smoke billowed from the nightclub as screams and glass shattering echoed from the building as the team moved in quickly taking control before it was lost in the smoke.

Kallista chuckled as she sat tucked away in the Hummer like vehicle Gabriel had driven to the meeting point, the windows were tinted hiding the glow of the holographic screens floating around her, she had watched everything from Hayden and James escaping with the victims and from with Gabriel's team moved in to take control of the situation as Numbani's local authorities moved in.

[Lobo! You got a runner!]

[How the hell did you let him slip out go fucking get him!]

[ Jesus fucking Christ]

[Kaines! Catch him! He's coming your way!]

"Are you kidding me?" Kallista whined as she tossed her keyboard to the seat next to her, opened the door to see a man run past her, narrowly dodging the car door.

"Holy fuck! You could have told me he was this close to me!" Kallista shouted as she took after the man.

[You better catch him or else Kaines]

[She got this, right Kalli? Give em a run for their money]

"Thanks for your confidence in my ability to run Ziva! Vince now isn't the time!" Kallista panted as she ran after the man.

[Hey. I thought I was helping...at least a little bit, hahah]

[On the contrary Kaines. You did say you have a nice ass from running...so show us what you're made of girl]

"Excuse me! Rhett!" Kallista panted as she continued to run, ignoring the chuckles of the other agents.

[Director Kaines I have that information you requested.]

"Now is not the time Linda!" Kallista shouted as she barely dodged from getting hit by a car. The man was still several feet in front of her and surprisingly avoiding traffic better than she was.

[O-Oh M-my apologies D-Director Kaines]

[Can't you see that she's chasing after someone Linda? Jesus Christ woman your timing is terrible]

"Ok how about...you assholes give me a little help? Bloody fucking hell!" Kallista shouted

[I thought English women were supposed to be kind?]

"Listen here you little twat-!" Kallista shouted.

[Woah-ho! The kitten has claws-!]

[Director Kaines I have access to the street lights I can-]

"Aleks! Just do it!"

The lights ahead of the man were once red and now they were green as the man started to run across the street only to be hit by a car, his body was thrown a few feet.

"Damn it," Kallista cursed. Kallista pushed herself harder to catch up, she slid over a car hood to see the man limping away into the backstreets of Numbani.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Kallista panted as she followed the man into the back streets.

[Kaines what's your position?]

Kallista ignored Gabriel's voice and kept her focus trained on the man as she slowly approached him, his leg was broken, and she could see blood seeping through his suit pant leg.

[I got a lock on her location Lobo...sending you coordinates]

"We're also going to need a medic…" Kallista commented as she continued to approach the man, he hobbled away from her.

"You should probably have a seat...it looks like you've broken something there," Kallista said sarcastically.

"Nice eyesight girl. Real professional," the man scoffed as he faced her, and balanced on one leg.

"You think so? I wasn't even trying," Kallista replied.

"A newbie? Don't you know not to hurt suspects?" the man panted. Kallista's eyes narrowed at the man, he had a hard time breathing, obviously, his body was in pain, his skin flushed, blood seeped through his pant leg.

He needed medical attention an fast.

"I wasn't the one running away and jumping in front of traffic… although I would suggest some calcium to strengthen your bones… just as a suggestion," Kallista replied.

"Real cheeky girl. Call off your friends?" The man ordered.

"Or what? You're surrounded,"

"Who said anything about shooting you?" the man said as he pointed the gun to his head, Kallista's eyes widen at the man's action.

"Come any closer and I'll shoot,"

Kallista froze where she stood, the man was one of the suspects in the trafficking ring and also had connections to one of Cassius Park's business partners, Sterling Black and his partner Carmelo Mendoza.

Kallista stepped back and raised her hands to show that she was unarmed, and had never been in a situation where the suspect was so willing to kill himself, it was usually the other way around, or so she thought.

"Stay calm Kallista...don't do anything too sudden to be shot...you're at a disadvantage...they'll be here any minute now…improvise…you're good at doing that," Kallista thought as she kept her eyes focused on the man.

She knew that they needed the information from this man, that was one of the main reasons for the raid on the nightclub, but to be put in this situation so suddenly threw her off guard. With an abundance of adrenaline in her system, the dull throbbing in the back of her head began to pulse.

Her vision darkened slightly.

"I'm not gonna hurt you...but your leg looks really bad," Kallista clenched her jaw.

"I got hit by a fucking car what else do you expect?! Call off your friends otherwise, I'll blow my own brains out!" the man snarled.

"Your loyalty is more important than your life?! Are you daft mate?!" Kallista shouted.

"I don't have much to live for...I'm a dead man after this anyways…" the man replied half-heartedly.

"What-?" Kallista began when suddenly a gunshot rang through the alley, an abrupt shout, and the clanging of a gun falling to the ground echoed in the alleyway.

"Kallista!"

Jesse and Gabriel's voice called out to her as Hayden and another agent restrained the man, everything happened so quickly, the man being restrained and carried off into a black van.

"You ok?" Gabriel asked as he placed a hand on her shoulder.

"I'm fine...just a little too close," Kallista replied.

"My bad!" Jesse called from the large vehicle.

"Let's go," Gabriel said as he moved towards the vehicle, Kallista followed him and got into the backseat.

Everything happened so quickly, the man being restrained and taken away, her being ushered back into the Hummer and carted towards the pickup point. Faintly Kallista could hear Gabriel on a phone call with Morrison and who she thought to be the Numbani mayor. Jesse sat quietly in the seat in front of her.

"Sorry bout that Kalli didn' mean to shoot so close to ya," Jesse said as he looked behind the seat at her.

She didn't respond to him.

"Kalli?"

Nothing.

"Hey Top Cat…" Jesse used a nickname that he knew she didn't care for but used it to see if he could get a reaction out of her and got nothing in return.

Kallista sat silently looking down at her hands, oblivious to the man looking back at her. Jesse could see that the woman was shaken and looked to be deep in thought. He noticed her shaking hands and remembered she was a civilian at one point and had never been in a situation like this, of course, she would be shaken.

Hell, he remembered his first shot and first kill so many years ago. Jesse took one more look at the silent and shaken woman before he turned around in his seat with a sigh.

"What is it?" Gabriel asked as he kept his eyes on the road.

"Oh nothin' jus glad everything worked out in the end," Jesse replied and shifted in his seat.