Acceptance

Chapter 2

Three coffees in hand, Agent Dani "Kim" Pearce precisely walked into Recruitment Director Guy Boysen's office. She paused when she saw the new visitor. So it's true. She had not misheard Boysen.

"Hello there Miss Glenanne," Agent Pearce greeted formally.

Fi nodded, "Agent Pearce."

Their dealings with one another were considered sketchy at best, being that Agent Pearce was responsible for sending Michael away on many of his recent missions.

Nevertheless, Fi and the director gladly accepted the coffees Pearce handed them.

Agent Pearce took a seat directly next to Fi, facing the director.

"So, Guy," Pearce addressed the director, "I see Miss Glenanne is in fact here. So, is there a reason why I am here?"

Pearce just assumed Fi was here to deliver a message from Michael. As Pearce casually took a sip of her coffee, the director explained.

"Miss Glenanne is determined to walk out of here a CIA agent," he emphatically announced, "and being that you, Kim, have dealt with her previously...I thought, perhaps you might be able to explain better...our enrollment process...

Gulp

Pearce nearly choked.

Fi part of the CIA? The idea sounded preposterous to Pearce. It'll take the entire agency just to keep Glenanne in her place.

Fi didn't even blink "So…which one of you have the papers for me to sign?"

Boysen nervously cleared his throat as he turned to Pearce.

"As you can see, Agent Pearce, we seem to have a delicate situation here..." Boysen began diplomatically.

"I never considered hand-to-hand combat, tracking and weaponry to be delicate," interjected Fi, "However, if those are considered your delicate level, I am more than willing to be train in more advanced levels."

Boysen looked at Pearce as if to say, you see what I mean?

But Pearce was having none of this. She really did not have time in her schedule to deal with such a trite situation.

"I can't believe you called me over for this, Guy!" Agent Pearce declared impatiently to Boysen.

Pearce had her own division to run and her latest covert operation had hit a snag. They were in need of a courier for a covert mission. This person would be posing as a tourist, acting as a middle person, to receive a drop.

A very simple assignment, really.

The problem was recruiting the right candidate for the job. Right now her candidates either were too jaded-looking, otherwise occupied, or already known to the enemy.

The stress of locating someone was getting unbearable.

"Kim..."

Boysen broke into Pearce's thoughts and silently gestured his head towards Fi, begging Pearce to act.

Agent Pearce sighed as she peered over at Fi, who sat back, casually sipping her coffee. Pearce figured it would be easier to stop the rain from falling than to deprive Fiona Glenanne of something.

Fiona Glenanne.

With her sunglasses perched on top of her head and her face wiped clean of any make- up, Fiona Glenanne looked like a typical all- American girl out and about town, not the danger-seeking woman Pearce knew.

Wait.

Something clicked in Agent Pearce's mind.

She turned and gave Fi another quick lookover The all-American single gal…the tourist/courier job! Yes! Oh Yes! Pearce shouted in her head.

There was nothing suspicious-looking about Fiona Glenanne at all. Glenanne had that right mixture of wide-eyed innocence and adventurous spirit. Pearce could scarcely believe her good fortune. Fiona Glenanne was so utterly and astonishingly right for the role!

When Agent Pearce slowly turned back to Boysen, her eyes were sparkling and her smile was wide.

Boysen recognized that look of Kim Pearce's.

"Nooooo," he responded, "Just noooooooo….".

But she was already addressing Fi.

"Miss Glenanne…uh, Fiona," Agent Pearce now had a sincere smile plastered on her face, "Do you think you might be available between the dates of June 17th to the 20th?"

Director Boysen was fiercely shaking his head.

Fi sat up, her interest peaked.

"Yes, I believe that is a strong possibility, Agent Pearce."

Pearce acknowledged, appreciating the quick response.

"Good…" Pearce looked pleased, "because I have a little job I think you can handle. Why don't we discuss it further in my office? You can go up now to my office and I'll meet you there shortly to brief you on the mission. First I need to help push through your paperwork with Director Boysen here."

As usual, Fi got exactly what she came for.

She stood up and specifically pointed to her watch, "I'll be waiting, but like I told the director, I do have a nail appointment at two…one of my nails chipped when I was picking a lock the other day."

"Of course, Miss Glenanne," assured Agent Pearce, "It'll only take a few minutes to wrap up my business with Mr. Boysen here."

"Alright," Fi agreed, as she got up.

Both Director Boysen and Agent Pearce watched Fi walking away, one thinking Fi was crazy and the other thinking Fi had been sent from heaven.

Once she was out of sight, Boysen then turned to his associate.

"Kim," Boysen was fuming, "What the hell did you just do?"

Pearce was looking positively radiant.

"Doing your job, Guy. I've just recruited our latest field spy!"

"You know I don't work like this!" insisted Boysen, "This isn't a styling salon…we don' take walk- ins! That is not how someone applies for a job as an official CIA agent!"

"…Well, obviously she is the exception," Pearce folded her arms.

"B-but you can't be serious!" Boysen sputtered, "Did you even read her file? She is unpredictable and she doesn't follow orders! Glenanne is like a walking time bomb!"

"A walking time bomb? That's quite an appropriate analogy for our new, already-trained little spy, "said Pearce lightly.

Boysen opened his mouth, closed it and stared incredulously at Pearce.

"Mark my words, you are asking for it, Kim!" he growled at last, "You are hiring an inexperience person with a dubious background!"

"That's where you are wrong, Guy," Pearce stated with confidence, "Miss Glenanne is totally prepared for anything we throw her way. Believe me, I've worked with her before. And, as you know, I have always been extremely intuitive about people –almost psychic, in fact. And I am telling you now, she has the experience and the smarts."

He viewed his colleague skeptically, "Kim, you are biting off more than you can chew..."

"Relax, Guy! What I will be assigning to her is a very easy task, " theorized Pearce, "It requires…no firing of guns…no use of explosives, and probably no real danger will be involved…It's a simple courier job. At best she completes the mission; at worse she bores herself to tears and quits. Win-win, is what I say."

Boysen did not look thoroughly convinced. "I still say, according to everything I've read, you are dealing with a loose cannon..."

"Guy, listen," Agent Pearce pointed out, "you haven't been out in the field in awhile. You don't realize that the most unconventional spies are the ones most likely to complete a successful mission…so…just work your little magic and file the necessary security clearance paperwork for Fiona Glenanne and let me handle the rest."

When he saw that Pearce had already made up her mind, Boysen gave a look of resignation, "Alright, alright...I suppose one mission won't be so bad, especially since you will be her immediate supervisor..."

Agent Pearce nodded, "I'll take full responsibility."

"See that you do!"

Pearce smiled, confidently stood, and strode out the door towards her office.

Her most recent operation just got the green light.

.

,

Pearce was facing a seated Fi from across her desk. Trying to look intimidating, Pearce sat straight up behind the huge mahogany desktop, a stern expression on her face.

Fi sat quietly waiting, not bothered in the least.

"This mission requires you to work as a courier," Kim Pearce explained as she shuffled through all the folders, photographs, and dossiers on her desk until she found the file she wanted, "Ahh! Here it is…You'll be an American tourist and will go under the name of Faith Glidwell."

"Strong," Fiona simply said.

Pearce scowled, "What? Excuse me? Did you say Strong?"

"I desire a strong surname," Fiona said, "Glidwell sounds like one of those soft snobbish rich persons enjoying wine and caviar aboard a yacht."

The agent sighed. Patience. She needed Fi.

"Fair enough, Fiona…It shouldn't be too much of a bother for me to spend the rest of the afternoon processing TEN pages of paperwork in order for you to get a name more in the line of Hercules. What strong last name do you prefer, then?"

Fi didn't skip a beat.

"Something that shows strength...something along the lines of…perhaps...Ironstone…Armstrong…Steele, or how about Samson? …"

"I get your point, Fiona...okay…strong surname...uh...you had mentioned Armstrong… you like Armstrong?" Pearce asked hopefully and then looked fairly relieved as she saw Fi nod, "Good! Then Armstrong it is!"

"Good. ..Now… about the first name…" Fi began…

Pearce hid her face in her flattened palm, wondering how much longer she can take.

"No, Fiona, " Pearce said decisively, " there will be no change to your first name! Faith! Your name is Faith! Faith Armstrong, final decision, no ifs or buts...it's Faith!"

Fi stared at her.

"So it has to be Faith?" Fi questioned.

"FAITH!"

"Fine...I can be easy-going," responded Fi calmly, "...at least for the first assignment..."

Pearce tried to recall if Michael had been this difficult. He seemed like play-doh next to his girlfriend. Agent Pearce feigned an approving smile.

"Good...now, let's discuss the job, alright? It's quite simple, Fiona, as I've already explained. You, as an innocent tourist, will be visiting the city of Tampa at a specific date and place. The rest of the days you will be on your own, just like a tourist. You think you can handle that?"

"I'm still sitting here, aren't I?" Fi replied.

Pearce let out a slightly frustrated breath as she handed Fi a piece of paper.

"I want you to memorize this address for Nemo's Bookstore. On the 18th of June, at precisely 10 am, you will walk into the bookshop and ask for the book, "The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald."

"How about a book with a stronger title?" asked Fi.

"Fiona, " sighed Pearce, "We don't have time for this. Please…The book owner there, whose name is Benjamin McGrath, will say with regret that he is very sorry but he does not have a copy at the moment."

"Is this where I threaten him until he hands me the copy?" Fi looked wide-eyed.

"No!" Pearce forced herself not to regret her decision, "You will then tell him that you saw one at the window. Both you and him will walk over to the front of the store whereupon he will find the book for you. You must also mention –as a back up identification cue—that your friend Trudy loves the character of Daisy and he will respond with a, yes, that character is shallow yet effervescent. Now, please tell me the instructions back so I know you understand them."

Fi looked almost bored as she recited the words back.

"Yes! That's it!" Pearce looked pleased.

"And then what?"

"And then," Agent Pearce smiled, "You bring the book back to me."

"And... why is the book so significant?" Fi inquired.

Agent Pearce looked directly at Fi.

"You know how it is…it's on a need to know basis."

"Alright," agreed Fi, "I'll let you know when I need to know."

Pearce tried not to react since she was actually quite ecstatic to move their mission forward. They had found their courier at last.

It was a done deal.

"Also, Fiona," concluded Pearce, "you must continue sightseeing for two more days after your little visit to Nemo's, to further solidify your cover. You must play your part before and after this transaction in case you are being observed. Therefore, you are actually getting a four day vacation out of this, all expenses paid by us!"

Agent Pearce paused, as if she expected applause to be coming from Fi.

Instead, Fi looked disappointed.

"This assignment does not sound dangerous at all," she complained.

Pearce had been expecting that reluctant reaction from Fi, so she was prepared. She knew this next part of the negotiation was tricky.

Pearce had to make the courier mission sound enticing to Fi. For most people, it would have been to convince them that the CIA will ensure their safety; for Fi, it would be the exact opposite.

The first thing Pearce did was to feign a shocked look.

"Fiona, of course there is danger involved! You above all people should know that in your dealings involving Michael and us! Things can sometimes go wrong, terribly wrong."

"I hope you're not just making empty promises," Fi seriously stated.

Pearce could see her little talk was working.

"If they do go wrong, "stated Pearce, "we trust you will use your fast thinking and abilities to help stabilize whatever situation you are in until we can get to you."

"...or perhaps I can just use some type of weaponry," volunteered Fi.

Uh-oh. This was slightly harder than Pearce anticipated.

"No, remember, Fiona, you are a tourist, " Pearce tried to emphasize her words, "Tourists do not, I repeat, do not carry weapons! No weapons of any kind must be in your possession. You must follow our directions to the letter... Also keep in mind, that if you are successful in this little matter, it will lead to bigger assignments."

"I sure hope so," Fi said as she got up, "I think the toughest part of this assignment will be to stay awake."

Pearce couldn' t believe it was only the early afternoon. She felt so tired already.

Meanwhile Fiona was internally convincing herself that everyone had to start at the bottom. She just didn't realize she would be starting at the boring bottom.

Little did Fi know that this simple mission would be anything BUT boring...

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(Thank you for everyone who took the time to review...my PM still in not working right, so if I didn't thank you personally, please know that I cherish each and every review. They are like a ray of sunshine in my day! Thank you! Thank you!)