AN: Thanks for all your lovely reviews, favourites and follows, it's really great to see the interest in this story.
Also, I've watched a lot of West Wing, so I quite enjoyed a chance to use The White House in this fic :) There will be quite a few more references along the way. If you're not sure on any acronyms, just ask me :) (They are all written in full the first time that they're used.)
Chapter 23
Lauren and Tris went straight back to Andrews and boarded the plane that was waiting for them.
"Clear flying ahead, Jim?" Lauren asked their pilot.
"Looks clear on the radar, so I'm not expecting any turbulence, Lauren," he replied. "Why?"
"I could use some quiet on the way back," Lauren admitted.
"Rough meeting?" Jim asked.
Lauren gave him a tight smile, and moved away from the entrance to the cockpit and chose a seat and sat down.
"I noticed you didn't give Jim any details about our meeting, and I understand why, of course, we're not in a secure area, and I assume Jim doesn't have high enough clearance anyway," Tris began, when she was sitting next to Lauren as the plane took off.
"What are you working up to asking, Tris?" Lauren said, with a little fatigue.
"Well, I want to know who we, or I, can actually discuss this with," Tris said. "I mean, of course we'll be briefing Max and Harrison when we return, and I wouldn't just chat about it with my friends, but what other agents will be involved with this case?"
"Well, we'll need an IT specialist, which as you probably would have guessed, will be Four, in all likelihood. We also will probably involve a weapons and technology expert," Lauren said. "Once we have decided how to approach getting the required evidence, we will then look at assigning further agents to this case, for tasks such as watching the senator's house and office, et cetera. An operation such as this one is going to be quite extensive, you're certainly going to learn a lot on it. It probably will encompass what you'd learn in three or four smaller missions."
"I was getting the feeling that this wasn't an ordinary mission," Tris replied. "Thanks for explaining that before we meet with Max and Harrison, I wanted to try and be prepared for what direction our meeting might take."
"Good thinking, I'm always happy to answer your questions, when the situation permits it. Now, I'm going to look over this file and make some notes before our meeting. How about you start making some notes on what you learnt on this trip, and from our meeting, and what you think our next steps will be," Lauren suggested.
Tris nodded and pulled out her cell to do just that. She resisted the desire to message Four, which was good, because 'I have so much to tell you!' was not really how she wanted to start off sharing the events of the day. Truth be told, she didn't know quite what she would say to Four, she had so much to say, but no idea how to start.
Tris shook her head to clear it, glad to focus on the task Lauren had set her, instead of worrying about her other issues.
Back at the Dauntless compound Lauren and Tris each grabbed a sandwich from the dining hall, then headed straight upstairs to meet with Max and Harrison, as they had arranged before they had left DC.
Lauren briefed Max and Harrison in full, as Tris sat by, taking note of how Lauren presented the information she had learnt, as well as what she had gained from the file.
Max and Harrison then said what Lauren had said on the plane, that it was going to be quite a big operation, and they started to make plans for who they'd need to bring in, and what steps should be taken first.
"Obviously, we'll have Four start on the IT aspects immediately," Max said. "He should probably handpick someone to help him comb through the data he can find, preferably someone well versed in forensic accounting. The money trail is going to be important here for the NSC."
"I think we should also put Eric in charge of putting together a detail to shadow Eaton, infiltrating his home and work, if possible," Harrison added. "Actually, no, let's give that task to Zeke, I think he's ready for the challenge. Eric has enough on his plate for the moment."
"This is a pretty big case, Eric will be pissed at being left out," Max pointed out. "But I can live with that."
Tris smothered a grin at this.
"I was thinking Tris and I would head down to the weapons room this afternoon to look over what weapons we have at our disposal, we're going to need to pick some suitable, concealable weapons for whatever situation we might end up in," Lauren said.
Max then looked at Tris and said, "And what are your thoughts, this far, Tris?"
"Sir?" Tris said questioningly.
"Well, I know you've been largely observing everything intently, thus far, and I wanted to know what your view on the situation is, and what you were thinking the next step your next course of action would be," Max elaborated.
"Well, before Lauren and I head out into the field, I would want to meet with all the agents who will be on this mission, to discuss what they will be working on while Lauren and I are in the field, to help direct our efforts, as well as knowing what support we will have from them," Tris began. "I would then go over everything we have on Eaton, and assess the best way for us, as in Lauren and me, to get access to his life, to gather as much intel as quickly and as unobtrusively as possible."
"Very good," Max said, satisfied. "That is exactly what you will be doing. Lauren, you and Tris may sort out between yourselves who briefs the agents who will be on your team for this mission."
"Very well, sir," Lauren said. "Tris and I will make a complete file for this case, using our file from the NSC as a starting off point, as well as any information and plans from our meetings thus far."
"Good," Max said. "I don't expect you to check in with me daily, but please keep in touch with Harrison as you begin to move forward and make process. He will update me when necessary. The NSC has given us a month, maximum, I would like to get it done in half, if at all possible."
Tris and Lauren exited the secure meeting room together, ready to head for the weapons room.
"Any chance we can get out of these suits and into normal gear?" Tris asked hopefully.
"No time for that now, especially as there's no need, we'll just be in meetings, making plans for the rest of the day essentially," Lauren answered. "I think we should meet with Zeke as soon as possible, to discuss getting a team put together to physically keep tabs on Eaton. We'll do that together. Tomorrow, we'll meet with Four to discuss, at quite some length, what we'll need from him, IT wise. We'll probably need most of tomorrow morning for that."
"Is it okay if I give him a brief run down of the situation tonight?" Tris asked, hopeful that she would be able to tell him on his own that they were going after Marcus, at the request of the President and his National Security Council.
"Look, I don't mind if you do, I understand that it would be hard to keep this from him tonight, especially as he has clearance, and we'll be involving him tomorrow anyway," Lauren allowed. "Thanks for checking, and please continue to check with me. I know that you're trustworthy, and that you topped the recruiting class, you're great, from what I've seen so far, but it would be good to try and keep your private life separate from your work."
"I don't want to make any messes," Tris agreed.
The rest of their afternoon was spent in their afore mentioned planning, and was very successful.
At a quarter past five, Lauren said, "Let's call it a day. We've been very productive. This file is pretty much complete, so I'll send it through to Zeke now. You know you can access it from your cell at any point, right?"
"Right," Tris confirmed. "Well, I shall see you tomorrow morning?"
"Yep, I've requested a meeting with Four for first thing, and he's accepted, so that's on all of our calendars now, including Zeke and Harrison's. I don't expect Harrison will come, but Zeke should," Lauren replied. "Good work today, way to hit the ground running."
"Thank you, just doing my best," Tris said formally, disguising her pleasure at the compliment.
They headed out of the office they had been assigned to work in for the duration of the mission.
There were many multi purpose offices such as this one, not permanently assigned to any one agent, but assigned on a mission to mission basis.
Their office had a number of desks against the walls with computers on them, a meeting table in the centre of the room, and an interactive white board for brain storming, as well as a projector.
Tris made her way down from the upper levels of the Dauntless compound, back to her apartment. She debated changing out of her suit, but didn't see the point in getting fresh clothes dirty after having worn the one set of clothes all day already.
She just took her hair out of its ponytail and ran a comb through it, the simple action relaxing her substantially.
It was only half past five, too early to head down to the dining hall for dinner.
Tris felt overpowering fatigue sweep over her, and her eyelids became very heavy, and her bed looked very inviting.
Tris kicked off her formal, black heels, shrugged out of her tailored suit jacket and fell in an exhausted heap on her bed, just managing to set a precautionary alarm on her cell before she fell asleep.
Luckily she had, because it woke her up with a loud beeping sound 30 minutes later.
Tris sat up quickly, momentarily disorientated, but rather refreshed.
Realising where she was, and that her alarm had been set so she made it to dinner on time, she jumped up, tucked her shirt back into her dress slacks and put her jacket back on to cover her now creased shirt.
She ran the comb through her hair again, to comb out the knots that had mysteriously appeared during her nap.
As she stepped into her shoes she patted her jacket pocket to make sure he cell was there, and then headed out of her room, straight for the elevator, first stop, the dining hall.
She breezed in and joined the food line immediately, giving Lynn, who was standing in front of her, a tap on the shoulder.
She turned around, grinned at Tris and said, "Well, you look important! Big day?"
"You better believe it," Tris said emphatically. "What about you?"
"A very interesting day, if you like computers," Lynn replied. "Which, luckily, I do!"
They headed for their regular table, Tris deciding to sit with her friends for the evening meal. Four could join her if he wanted, but she wanted to sit with her friends to hear about their first days in their new roles. She also didn't really know how she was going to hold a conversation with Four without blurting out everything she had learned that day, and she really couldn't do that.
"So, I we're all waiting to hear about your day!" Marlene exclaimed excitedly to Tris.
"Well, it was actually so exciting that I can't really tell you any specifics," Tris said with a grin. "I can tell you that it was a hell of a day, and definitely worth the hard work to get there. How about someone else tell us about their day? Someone who can give actual specifics."
Marlene then proceeded to explain, in great detail, about her first day of medical training, including some of the old cases she had studied where life threatening injuries had been sustained and treated in the field.
Will shared some details about his day working in the weapon technology development department, including the huge piles of reading he had to do on weapons engineering.
Christina even offered some information on some complex profiling techniques she had learned that day.
"Profiling is so much more than the overview we get," she shared. "There's so much you can learn about a target just by studying their habits and comparing them with similar cases."
As her friends had been sharing Tris had noticed Four come in, give her a smile, and then join his friends for dinner.
Tris had been finished her meal for a few minutes, and she could see that Four was finishing up, so she stood and excused herself from her friends.
She headed for Four, who stood up and walked over to meet her, greeting her with a kiss.
"I'd thought I'd find you lying in wait for me, waiting to tell me all about your day," Four said with a grin, taking her hand as they headed out of the dining hall together.
"Well, I would have, except there are things I can't exactly share in the hallway," Tris said, with what she hoped was an easy smile. "So I thought I would see how my friends enjoyed their first days."
"Lauren hinted that you had a lot to tell me," Four replied, as they stepped into the elevator. "Are you enjoying working with her?"
"Oh, she's great, she really knows her stuff," Tris said enthusiastically. "I learned so much from just watching her do her thing today. She was always a couple of steps ahead of me."
"Naturally, she's been at this longer than you," Four rationalised. "She mentioned that you were picking things up really well, she was quite impressed actually, not that I'm surprised."
Tris blushed and mumbled something dismissive.
"What was that?" Four said in amusement.
"I said, 'Oh, I'm sure she was just being nice about me, because you're my boyfriend, and you're her friend'," Tris said more clearly.
"Do you really think that?" Four asked seriously.
Tris looked uncomfortable, then said, "Well, not exactly, but I don't want people to give me compliments just because we're together."
"Tris, you're being stupid. You're brilliant, and we all know it, your test scores show it, and your test results don't take into account your boyfriend," Four said firmly, as they stepped into his room, having made their way there by silent agreement.
"Part of me knows that, but the other part of me always has doubts when I receive a compliment," Tris said softly.
"Well, how about you just believe me when I tell you that you're beautiful, and smart, and brave and incredibly hard working?" Four suggested, kissing her every few words. "I'll keep telling you, because it's the truth. For instance, I'm really loving this sexy secret agent/power suit vibe you've got going on today. Very hot."
Tris gave a happy little giggle, and then pulled back, brought back to reality by the news she had to share weighing on her mind.
"Tobias, I found out some things today, and I don't know exactly how to tell some of them to you," Tris said gently.
"How about you just tell me?" Four said uneasily. "Start with the easiest news, if you prefer."
The easiest news, Tris thought wryly. Hmm, 'Jeanine Matthews could be plotting to take over the world' or 'My first mission is to take down your father, at the personal request of the President of the United States and his National Security Council. Yeah, not really sure one of those could be classed as easier than the other.
"Well, I know who Eric was talking to that night when I overheard him talking with that woman he was talking to," Tris shared, deciding it had less potential to cause Four to explode. "It was Jeanine Matthews, the Deputy NSA."
"Are you sure?" Four asked, visibly shocked.
"Positive, I'd know her voice anywhere, particularly as I heard plenty of it today, and had more than enough time to match it to the voice I heard that night, and replay the conversation in full," Tris said definitely. "I have no idea what she could be planning with Eric, but she's a woman with a lot of power, and could potentially wreak a lot of havoc. The sooner we can figure out what they're up to the better."
"I guess I will make finding a way to hack her, or bug them, or something, a priority," Four said, still in a little shock. "You're right, this could potentially be a very dangerous situation."
"I agree, but you might have a little trouble finding some spare time in the near future, because tomorrow morning Lauren and I are going to brief you on a rather large and important upcoming mission," Tris added, beginning to get anxious over the further news she had to share.
"Yeah, I got that meeting request," Four replied. "Are you going to give me a sneak preview?"
"I am, and yes, I checked with Lauren, she doesn't mind me giving you an overview ahead of our meeting tomorrow," Tris said with a small smile. "You see, the President wants us to investigate a senator who is potentially involved with terrorists. Up until now he has only been suspected of being corrupt, financially, et cetera, but now he's on their radar because of some intel linking him with terrorist groups."
"No wonder the President wants us, they like to use us for potentially dangerous and complicated cases like this, involving politicians or government officials," Four said understandingly. "Who is it?"
"Tobias, it's your father," Tris said nervously, and she waited for his reaction.
AN: I've spared you all cliff hangers up until now, and I feel just awful about this one, but I promise the next chapter is worth it :)
I'll upload it as soon as this chapter hits 12 reviews!