Chapter 3: The Mole

"Anybody want to come to our party? It's the kind where you don't have to wear shoes!" Jesse was handing out a bunch of flyers to all the people who were coming out of the auditorium.

He came across a freshman girl. For a split second, he thought she was his sister.

"Great job, Trebels, you guys killed it!" the girl complimented.

"Thanks. You like acapella?" Jesse asked.

The girl nodded, "Oh yeah! I have my heart set on being a Bella. It's actually on top of my dream board."

"Good," Jesse nodded with approval, "I guess I'll see you at the auditions."

"Yeah."

Jesse's roommate/teammate approached him and the girl, mostly staring at the girl. Jesse jumped when he realized that his friend was behind him.

"Hi, I'm Benji," Jesse's roommate introduced himself in a shaky, nervous voice with a goofy smile.

"Nice to meet you," the girl reciprocated the greeting by shaking his hand.

"I just have to say..." Benji began, "you are a spirited person."

"Thank you," the girl smiled appreciatively.

"I just want to put you in a box and saw you in half."

The girl's smile faltered at Benji's words.

"For a magic trick. He does magic," Jesse explained, leading his friend away from the girl. "It's only weird if you don't embrace it." The girl nodded, but her nervous face remained as the two boys walked away.

"Dude, explain yourself," Jesse commanded Benji with amusement.

"Honestly, man, I blacked out," Benji replied. "How did I do?"

"Honestly? I've seen you do worse."

Benji sighed with relief, "Ah, awesome." The roommates came across another girl, and this time, it was Jesse's little sister.

She groaned in disappointment while sniffing her nose, "Damn it! I'm too late."

"Jazz, did you run here?" Jesse questioned her.

Jazz nodded, "Yeah. Didn't want to miss your performance... but I guess that's already happened."

"Fraid so," Benji offered a sympathetic smile.

"Sorry, guys, I know I promised I would be there, but-"

"Jazz, it's cool," Jesse assured her. "But you shouldn't run while you're recovering from your cold. Makes your nose runny."

"My nose has been runny all day. I don't have any nose spray with me."

Benji raised his hand, "I have a bottle, back at the dorm."

"Really?" Jazz asked with a hopeful tone.

"Yeah, we also have the Sudafed tablets in our medicine cabinet."

Jazz's face twitched in disbelief, casting her brother a dark look, "Really?" Jesse huffed, knowing what he was going to hear from his sister.

"Yeah! I'll go get it for you if you want," Benji offered.

"Oh, Benji, you don't have-" Jesse was cut off by his sister.

"If you can, that would be great."

"Be right back!" Benji jogged back to the dorms to find the good stuff while Jasmine punched Jesse's arm.

"Ow!" Jesse cried, rubbing his now sore arm.

"Couldn't find one at the pharmacy, huh?!" Jazz spoke angrily. "If I'd experienced the wisdom teeth extraction again, would you keep the painkillers to yourself?!"

"Of course not, Jazz! I just wanted you to feel better. The liquid always works faster."

"But it's nasty!"

"But it's faster!"

"Nasty!"

Jesse raised his hands in surrender, "Okay, I'm not going to argue with you about this! Deep down, you know I only want the best for you because I love you."

Jasmine rolled her eyes, hating Jesse for being so overprotective. Just because Dad wasn't around campus didn't mean that Jesse should be his substitute.

"Well, thanks to you, I sneezed at the NAA."

Jesse furrowed his brows in confusion, "NAA?"

"The National Acapella Association."

Jesse widened his eyes in shock, "Wait. You mean-"

"They suspended the Bellas from competing," Jazz stated.

"What?!"

"You heard right. The girls and I were called to the Dean's office today, and they suspended us."

"They can't do that!"

"Course, they can. But you know what? It's okay! We're still a three-time undefeated champ, so that means we can compete at the World's."

"Really? Well, good luck creating a routine. If you ladies need any help-."

"Thanks, but we can't hold an audition or go to our victory tour - our punishment."

Jesse's eyes widened, realizing that girl he had spoken to before wanted to be a Bella. Won't she be in for disappointment?

"Didn't Beca tell you all this?" Jazz asked.

Jesse shook his head, "No, I haven't talked to her all day."

Now it was Jazz's turn to widen her eyes.

"You haven't?" she asked.

"Nope."

Beca wasn't talking to Jesse on the phone an hour ago? This was shady. Jazz must get to the bottom of this. But first...

"Oh, you're throwing a party?" Jazz reached for the flyer in his hand, only for him to yank it out of her reach.

"No."

Jazz scoffed, "C'mon, Jesse. You know I'm going to find out eventually, and I'm going attend whether you like it or not." She hopped on her tippy toes for the flyer in his extended hand. She could jump high, but Jesse was still taller than her.

"Jazz, you're sick!" Jesse acknowledged, leaning away from her germs. With that in mind, Jazz tried another tactic.

"What was that, Jesse?" Jazz's face contorted as she jumped in his face. "I didn't catch what you said! I was trying to hold back a sneeze!"

"Jazz-"

Jazz stopped jumping, widening her nostrils and opening her mouth as if she was about to sneeze, "Oh no! It's coming! I can't hold it in! Ah-Ah-Ahhh..."

Jesse handed her the flyer, the silent cue to end the charade (if she was faking). Jazz stopped the act, smirking in satisfaction, "Thank you."

"No drinking or sex!" Jesse scolded her.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me. No drinking and no sex. Period!"

"But didn't you have sex and get drunk at a party before?" Jasmine couldn't believe that Jesse was acting like a hypocritic. "Your first party?"

"Yes, but that doesn't mean you should follow my footsteps."

"Why not?" Jazz challenged. "You are my role model."

"Jazz!"

"What?" she asked innocently.

Jesse huffed, putting his hands on his hips. Then he faced her with an idea in mind, "Do you remember the time you walked in on me and Beca?" Jazz's contorted face revealed her disgust at that memory. "You were so upset; you tried to strangle Beca for thinking she took my virtue."

Jazz let out a laugh, "Jesse, honey... I did strangle her." She raised her brows when she realized what Jesse had said, "Wait! I thought she took your virtue? You weren't a virgin before you met Beca?"

Jesse widened his eyes and immediately walked away to escape his sister, "See ya."

Jazz chased after him, "Who was your first time?!"

"Nobody! Just nobody!" Jesse declined. "Beca is the only woman I love and bed with!"

"Bullshit! Come on, tell me!"

"If I did give myself to somebody else, it's nobody's business!"

"Mom is going to be disappointed in you. I'm still intact!"

"Good for you, Golden Child," Jesse frowned, knowing fully well about their mom's nickname for Jasmine.

Their mom always thought Jazz was sweet and innocent, but she was no angel. Jazz cursed like a sailor. She was caught drinking beer at a frat party one time. She flirted with other boys on the campus, unsuccessfully, but Jesse thought the boys were coming onto her. He wanted to protect his sister: keep her safe, intact, happy, drunk-and-drug free. Their parents added this burden to their oldest son's shoulders.

"Now come on, let's see if we can find Benji with your medicine" Jesse put his arm around Jazz, leading her to his dorm, forgetting that she was still recovering. Before they knew it, Jesse sneezed.

"Sounds like you caught my cold."

"No!"

"Yes."

"No, Jazz, don't jinx it!"

Jazz laughed as she heard the 'Bang Bang' ringtone on her phone, indicating a text message. She pulled it out to see that it was a text from Chloe.

Where r u, Jazz? SOS! Meet me back at the hose! SOS! - Chloe

Jazz groaned.

"What's up?" Jesse asked curiously.

"Oh, nothing. Just Chloe being annoying. Let's go." Whatever Chloe wanted, she must wait. Jazz refused to suffer another sniffling hour.

~000~000~000~

"I still can't believe we have hate mail!" Stacie cried as she, Flo, and Fat Amy were going through letters while Chloe was registering themselves to the Worlds.

Flo was reading a card that came with a box of razors, "For your hairy situation?" She didn't know what that meant until she thought about Fat Amy's exposure, "Oh."

"Well, look who finally decided to grace her presence," Fat Amy grumbled at the sound of Jazz's sniffles. "And her snot."

"Jazz, where have you been?!" Chloe demanded, "I have sent you over a hundred messages!"

"Sorry," Jazz apologized without sincerity in her tone. "I had to get medicine for my cold. I would very much like to breathe air again." She sniffed.

Chloe sighed as she returned her attention to her computer.

"You know," Jazz wiped her nose with a set of toilet paper, "I don't remember our house being covered in toilet paper."

"We caught a bunch of jackasses doing it," Fat Amy said proudly. "Had to chase them away, and I almost broke that four-eye's rib from one of my famous Fat Amy jumps."

"Don't those idiots realize that they're saving us money from buying toilet paper? If we run out, we could just go outside and get some from our roof."

"Okay!" Chloe said happily. "We are all set!"

"What's all set?" Jazz asked curiously, standing next to Chloe to look at the screen. The red head ordered Jazz to keep her distance; Jazz obliged with a huff.

"I have signed us up for the Worlds! Update your passports, ladies, because we're going to the very sunny, very beautiful Copenhagen!"

The other girls cheered, high-fiving each other and slapping Fat Amy's stomach.

"Whoo! I love Copenhagen!... Where is that?" Fat Amy asked.

"I don't know," Chloe admitted.

Jazz raised a brow at Chloe, "Then how do you know it's sunny and beautiful?"

"I don't know. Enough questions," Chloe dismissed her, returning her attention to the screen.

Jazz blinked, taken aback by Chloe's sudden rudeness. She believed she had ticked Chloe off for being late and ignoring her text messages.

"It looks like the competition is being dominated by this stupid German group who took over our tour!" Chloe scowled.

"You mean stole our tour," Stacie corrected her.

"Has anyone seen their performance?" Jazz asked curiously. "Are they good? The only German guy I know has talent is the Hoff."

"You know what we should do? Moles," Fat Amy suggested.

"Ew!" Stacie whined in disgust.

"Moles?" Chloe raised a brow at her fat friend questionably.

"Yeah! You know those people from TV who go undercover to get info on douchebags."

"Like spies?" Stacie asked.

Fat Amy snapped her fingers at Stacie, "Right on."

"Yeah, Amy, very sneaky," Jazz nodded in approval, "But we don't know where the douchebags are."

"Oh, no problem, we can just look them up online," Chloe began typing and clicking until she found the DSM's victory tour schedule. "Let's see..." she scrolled down the page to find the latest concert location. "There's California... Washington... Ooh! They have one in Austin, Texas, tomorrow night at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion. Texas is close to Atlanta... only a few states away."

"Ooh! Pavilions! I love pavilions!" Stacie cried happily. "I want to go! I want to sail across the magic lake, see the golden trees and flowers that make wishes, and dance with the golden hunk statues!"

The girls furrowed their brows in confusion.

"Are you talking about the pavilion from the Barbie and the Twelve Dancing Princess movie?" Jazz wondered.

Stacie nodded with an ecstatic grin, "Well, yeah! Isn't the pavilion in Texas like that?"

Instead of answering that question, Jazz stuck with the subject at hand.

"Well, we can't all go. It'll be obvious," Jazz pointed out. "If you guys want to be sneaky-"

"Which is why we need to send a mole," Fat Amy interrupted. "Someone who can be sneaking, smart, manipulative, sexy-"

"Me!" Stacie volunteered, raising her hand.

"Uh, you blind? I was talking about me," Fat Amy pointed at herself. Stacie frowned at Fat Amy.

"Yeah, no offense, Fat Amy, but you and your friend," Jazz lowered her eyes at the woman's body, indicating the groin, "were exposed on live television. People will recognize you."

Fat Amy frowned, "Ugh, good point. So much for wearing the cool shades and my spy outfit hanging in my closet."

"You have a spy outfit?" Chloe wondered.

Fat Amy dismissed the question with a shrug, "Only for emergencies."

"Why not Cynthia-Rose?" Flo suggested, "After all, the pavilion was named after her."

The group paused before shaking their heads, "Nah!"

"Maybe we should get Beca or Chloe to do it," Stacie suggested. "But if you don't want to, Chloe, I'll be more than happy to play dirty," she finished with a smirk.

"No, I must stay here and prepare for the Worlds!" Chloe explained.

"Chloe, the Worlds is only months away," Fat Amy reminded her.

"Yes, and that gives us little time to prepare. Beca?..." Chloe paused, "Where is Beca? Has anyone talked to her? She has been distant today."

Jazz's mind wandered back to the shady phone call Beca had outside the Dean's office. Beca lied about who she was talking to. What's up with that?

"Maybe she's busy," Flo suggested.

"Or having important matters with her boyfriend," Stacie said with a teasing smirk.

"More important than the Bellas? I don't think so!" Chloe snapped.

"Well, if you can't do it, and Beca... may not do it, why can't I?" Stacie whined. "Please let me be a spy! Please!"

"No!" Chloe cried, pacing back and forth, "We need someone who doesn't try too hard but not too easy. Someone capable of spying. Someone who is sly, cunning, and can overcome every obstacle she faces. And most importantly, she won't be recognized as a Bella."

"So you want someone who's a chameleon?" Jazz asked, getting milk out of the refrigerator.

Chloe cast Jazz a dark look.

Jazz huffed as she placed the milk jug on the counter, "Okay, how about you send either Jessica, Ashley, or Lily? They're socially awkward. People won't notice them."

The curly brunette was doing her homework on the dining table but was stopped by Jazz's hurtful comment, "Heard that, bitch!"

Jazz whirled around, surprised to see somebody at the table, "Sorry, Jessica, didn't see you there."

"I'm Ashley!"

"Whoever!"

Ashley rolled her eyes as she resumed her work.

"Why can't you hire a PI."

"Too expensive," Chloe dismissed the suggestion.

"You know..." Fat Amy leaned against the counter, shrugging carelessly, "Maybe we should plant a spy who isn't recognizable. Someone who wasn't there at the Kennedy Center... Someone who is nicknamed after a dance genre." Jazz didn't realize the stares until she finished her milk with a sigh of satisfaction.

"What?" she asked, wiping the milk mustache off her upper lip. "Do I have something on my face?"

Looking at Fat Amy's smirk, she quickly realized why they were staring at her. They wanted her to be the mole. Jazz dashed to the nearest exit, but Fat Amy pounced the girl on her back, both falling face down on the hardwood floor.

Jazz cried in agony and struggle, banging her fists, "Get the fuck off me, Amy!"

Fat Amy shook her head, adjusting herself on top of Jazz's hips, "You know... you could be a decent pillow, Jazz."

Jazz groaned and cried in pain from Fat Amy's weight. She could've sworn that one of her ribs cracked.

"Get your ass off me! What the hell is wrong with you?!" Jasmine cried.

Chloe, Flo, Stacie, and Ashley were standing in front of Fat Amy and Jazz, blocking the dancer's path to the door.

"Great idea, Fat Amy!" Chloe cried happily. "Jazz, you're going to be our mole!"

"I don't want to be a mole!" Jazz whined.

"Why not? It's a one-day thing?!" Chloe demanded. "I'll cover the cost and everything!"

"How do you think my parents and my brother will react to me flying across the country by myself?!"

"Since when do you care about what your family thinks?" Fat Amy asked curiously.

"When my dancing career is at stake!"

"Hey, think about this, Jazz!" Chloe kneeled in front of Jazz, who was looking at her angrily. "This could be practice for a role on Broadway! Imagine yourself as a secret agent, working for the FBI to catch some dirty thieves who stole innocent girls' tours all because of an accident!" Chloe grew angry at every word at the mention of the German tour thieves.

Chloe cleared her throat, regaining her composure, smiling, "Just for an example. You can add a dance number or two if you like."

Jazz's anger faltered, thinking about that motivation. This could be beneficial. But did she want to be an actress? It does pay great money. A part of Jazz always wanted to be doing undercover work, but the other half feared the unknown, like getting caught.

"But what if I get caught?!" Jasmine asked.

"Try not to. If they ask you're a Bella, lie," Flo suggested.

"And you are a really good liar, Jazz," Chloe said. "Like the time Jesse caught you drinking at the frat party, and you convinced him a drunk man gave it to you, believing it was lemonade. Jesse had been searching for that drunk man for hours."

Jazz scoffed a laugh at that memory, her first year in college, and Jesse thought naïve of her.

"So what do you say? Can you be more than our dance choreographer? Please?"

Looking at Chloe's puppy dog face, Jazz knew she was a sucker for the sweet pouts. She must be strong. Jazz had to look away as she replied, "No." She screamed in pain, feeling Fat Amy's weight on her more. "OW! Get off me, bitch! Get off me!"

"Not until you agree to be our mole," Fat Amy retorted. "And I suggest you say yes soon. I had cheese fries for lunch, and they're giving me an upset stomach."

Jazz strained her head to get a good look at her overweight friend, "You wouldn't dare!"

"My down under was exposed in national television. My dignity is out the door!"

Jazz groaned, "Look... even if I said yes... I can't skip class! Jesse would know, and he'll tell Mom and Dad! Not only would I face their wrath, but they'll refuse to pay for my career!"

"We'll cover you!" Stacie said. "And I'm pretty sure that Beca will keep him busy... if you get my drift."

"Don't remind me!" Jazz cried, trying to block out that horrifying memory of her brother and Beca together. "And..."

"And what?" Fat Amy demanded, "I can't hold my blow any longer."

"German people scare me! Okay?"

"Have you met a German before?"

"No, but I know Hitler from my high school history book! I know Germans are big and intimidating. Have you heard their thick accents?!"

"Hey, if you can overcome the sight of your brother and Beca having sex, you can overcome a group of Germans."

Jazz shivered at the memory of walking in on Jesse and Beca doing it in Beca's dorm while Beca's roommate was out. Jazz came to Beca's room to return the jacket she borrowed but was in for a big surprise and almost strangled Beca to death.

"Okay," Jazz whispered. "Okay. You're right. Nothing is scarier than seeing my brother going at it with Beca... and seeing Fat Amy's hairy folds on TV. No offense, Amy."

Fat Amy shrugged, "I heard worse."

Jazz reluctantly nodded, "Okay. Give me the info I need and a partner because I'm not going by myself."

Chloe screeched happily, clapping her hands, "I knew you wouldn't disappoint me, Jazz! I'll book your flight right now!" Chloe rushed to the computer.

"Okay, I said yes, Amy. Now get the f-" Jazz was cut by the disturbing vibration against her back. Her mouth was agape in shock and anger. Flo, Stacie, and Ashley ran after Chloe, not wanting to feel Jazz's wrath and smell Fat Amy's fart.

"Sorry, Jazz," Fat Amy apologized meekly, "Too late."

Jazz gagged while screaming cursed words.

~000~000~000~

In the evening, Jazz took a taxi to the airport with a purple roller suitcase in one hand while holding her wallet and passport in the other. She was waiting for her plane and her partner in crime to arrive. Unfortunately, her chosen partner was Stacie.

Jazz had already packed her bag as soon as she said yes. Stacie, on the other hand, decided to spend hours picking out the best clothes for the undercover mission. Jazz changed from her coral romper to her skinny jeans and Aeropostle T-shirt. They're only going to Texas for the Germans' show. How much can a girl need? Jazz had packed many clothes from her past trips that lasted only a week. A girl's got to do what a girl's got to do. Not in this case. Jazz ditched Stacie and made it to the airport first, all prepared.

Beca and Chloe were her first picks, but neither could attend. Chloe wanted to stay behind and prepare for the Worlds, while Beca was supposed to be the distraction for Jesse.

Lily was too quiet.

Flo hated flying. She could only tolerate it if they were going to have an acapella competition, which they weren't.

Cynthia-Rose would make Jazz uncomfortable if they were alone in a room together.

Ashley already hated Jazz's guts, the same as Jessica when Ashley told her about Jazz's choice of words. Those two could be so sensitive.

Fat Amy was currently the most hated woman in America, including Jazz.

Stacie was the only one who wanted to go, but the girls feared that she'd try too hard to be subtle, resulting in the opposite. What other choice did the girls have, though?

Jazz tried to call Stacie, only to reach her voice-mailbox system, "Hey, Stacie, it's me. In case you didn't know, I'm still waiting for you at the airport for..." Jazz pulled her phone from her ear to check the clock - it was 9:22.

"...over two hours. Had supper, though. The food court here is awesome. Had a McDonald's salad and their awesome smoothies. Not to mention a cute guy was taking my order," she added, hoping that would gain the boy crazy's attention. "We might be able to board soon, so do me a favor... screw your looks and get your ass over here! Pronto!" She smiled sweetly, "Please and thank you." She hung up with a huff in frustration.

"Where the hell is she?" Jazz demanded. She knew that this was a stupid idea. Sure, she was curious about their competition, and a part of her was looking forward to this secret mission. However, the fact that she had to wait three hours for her partner to arrive was rude and unprofessional, making Operation: Mole an anxious one.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we are prepared to board for Austin, Texas."

Jazz sighed, looking at her surroundings to find her friend one more time. When Stacie wasn't in view, Jazz rolled her eyes, knowing that she must endure the mission alone, "Screw it." She got up with her bag and boarding pass, standing in line for the plane. Either Stacie got cold feet, or she was running late, or she was already in line for the plane under Jazz's nose. Jazz doubted the last part.

Once she handed over her boarding pass and stepped inside the plane, the attendant told her the directions to her seat - 14-F. On the plus side, at least Jasmine will be the only one without a passenger.

She went down the aisle to find her seat, passing a grandmother, a mother trying to control her kids, a man who spilled chips on himself, and a businessman who gave her the creepy wink. When she couldn't find her seat and was about to go back for the plane attendant, a booming voice got her attention.

"Jasmine Maria Iris Swanson!"

Jazz widened her eyes, recognizing that voice instantly. She whirled around to see her brother, Jesse, sitting in the assigned seat Stacie was supposed to sit in. Looking at his face was like seeing their dad when he was angry.

"Jesse?!" Jazz cried in shock.