Chapter 2.

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Declan's POV.

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Now that the business with Davian and Ethan's wife was done with, and the real traitor amongst us had been revealed, and everything had more or less died down, we were back on the job, but this time, without Ethan. The stupid blighter couldn't be retired for long, we all knew that, but for now we were minus the Hunt.

While in a public library, I grabbed my rented movies and went to the counter for the checkout.

"Hello, Jan," I said to her good-naturedly. "Anythin' I order come in?"

"Actually, this one just came in for you today. Perhaps you should get it started before you go."

She handed me a thick book called "Get Smart".

I chuckled at the title, and nodded a thanks, then settled in a seat near the back, where the encyclopedia's and history books were stacked in identical clones of shelves. I plugged my pair of headphones into the side of the cover, then opened the book slowly and carefully.

"Greetings, Agent Declan," the voice of a French woman emerged from the book's inserted screen, then her image followed. "I hope you are enjoying your vacation. I have a job that requires your areas of expertise. An agent in our midst, whom you know as Abigail Lucas,"

The face of a pale woman with red hair appeared on the screen, which I immediately recognized. A woman I never liked, but had worked with on several occasions.

"Lucas was recently discovered to be a rogue agent, a spy, working for an unknown overseer operating in Paris. She is currently located just north of Paris, on a trip with her boyfriend, who serves as her current mask of accomplice, and is always under heavy guard."

A surveillance video of a copper skinned Spaniard appeared on the screen. "He knows everything that she knows, at all times, to be her voucher in case she is accused of lying. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to infiltrate her high security hotel, and quietly obtain her without her boyfriend ever suspecting she is gone."

Next, several files of familiar faces appeared on the screen one by one.

"These are your fellow agents who will accompany you. Luther Stickell, as you well know, is to be acting as frontman on this mission. Also with you will be Agent Charles Martin, Agent Zhen Lei, and agent Roberta Blake. You have seventy-two hours to meet me on base to receive your briefing and complete this mission. As always, should you or any IMF members of your team be caught, the secretary will disavow all knowledge of your actions. Good luck to you. This message will self-destruct in five seconds."

I closed the book quickly, and considered its words for a few moments.

I then saw a little kid peek his head out from behind a shelf, and eyed me curiously. In awe, he watched my book imploded, and smoke rising from it like a chimney.

I smiled at the boy nervously, then gathered my things and simply left.

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Now I bring you to my current location, heading for one of the briefing rooms, Luther, Zhen and me. Luther and I were arguing, as usual, an argument that had been between us since we had met.

"At best we'd have to go home, retire then and there," Luther said.

"That's at best?" I replied. "I don't know about you, but goin' home seems t' be the worst-case scenario t' me."

"That's because you don't have a life," Zhen piped in.

I looked at her, most likely smirking as I always did.

"Well, technically neither does anyone in this building," I contradicted. "Isn't that right?"

She nodded as if to say 'touché ', as I held the door open for her to briefing room number two.

"Don't bother with him, Zhen," Luther teased as he entered too. "He's just ticked because he's not liking the team."

"Well, I hope I didn't offend Mr. High and Mighty," Zhen said with a chuckle. "Pardon me for wanting a job."

"Not you," Luther said. "Agent Blake."

"Bobbie Blake?" Zhen said in confusion. "What so bad about her? Her and I were had lunch once. Nice girl."

"A little too nice," I muttered under my breath, folding my arms and leaning back in my chair indignantly.

"She's had a crush on Declan since amateur days," Luther explained. "Ever since he slept with her to get ahead in training protocols. Because of that they've never been on mission together. Ever."

"Then it serves you right," Zhen said to me decidedly.

"Suited me just fine," I countered.

"She's probably over you by now," Zhen said reassuringly. "Or IMF wouldn't put her on this team."

"Well, one can dream…"

"Good morning, everyone," a French woman in a navy suit said as she walked into the room. In her hand was a small stack of folders which she proceed to hand out to everyone.

"Hmm," Ms. Heron said with a disapproving tone, when she saw she had a couple of folders left. "Where are ze rest of you?"

I looked around the room in mock confusion.

"Looks like they're late. Might have t' go on without 'em."

"Very smooth, Leprechaun," a male voice with an English accent said from behind us.

It came from Martin, who entered first, carrying his usual briefcase and popping a stick of gum in his mouth.

"But you'll have to do more than that to be rid of us," he finished.

"Charlie Smartie," Luther and I said together, immediately getting up to greet our old friend. Luther and he slapped their hands in a shake, and I waited my turn.

"That's Charles Martin to you, Luther," he corrected.

"Oh sorry," Luther said with mock offense. "I forgot you were promoted. All official now and such."

"You too," he observed.

I shook his hand next, and the tall man heartily shook it back.

"Declan. Long time, ain't it?" Martin said.

"Not nearly long enough."

Martin smiled at me and we had a laugh about it.

"Still the same ol' Declan," he said with a smile and a pat on the back.

"And I'm sure you all missed me…" Blake called loudly as she stepped into the room.

"Hello, Bobbie," Zhen said to her, giving her a light hug, and Luther did the same. I ignored Bobbie as if she was invisible.

"If we're all finished with ze reunion…" Ms. Heron said. "Let's continue. Take a seat everyone."

Bobbie sat down next to me, flipping her blond hair like she was hot stuff, and plopped her purse on the countertop on top of my things.

"Gormley," she acknowledged me with disdain.

"Blake," I replied in the same tone, yanking my stuff out from under her bag with annoyance.

"This is Abigail Lucas," Ms. Heron went on. "She ze closest thing to ze base of operations as we could get."

"I've never been to Paris," Luther piped in.

"Zen zis should be exciting for you. Now, ze tricky part of ze operation is to get her out and in our custody without anyone-- particularly her boyfriend-- ever knowing or suspecting she is missing. I trust you know what you are supposed to do. She leaves for Spain in zree days, so zis is our last chance. I'll see you Monday, agents. Don't screw up."

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And away we go. Please review.
Signed,
--RedRogue