On a mission
Emma and Sasha stepped into the elevator, and as soon as the doors closed, Sasha's lips crashed onto Emma's. Their tongues tangled in a passionate, intense make-out session that sent shivers down Emma's spine. It was an electrifying moment, and despite the mission at hand, Emma couldn't help but be completely consumed by the fiery kiss, momentarily forgetting the presence of her team tracking her every move.
They swaggered into her room. Emma discreetly placed a sealant over the room lock as she closed the door behind her, ensuring that the door would remain unlocked when Regina and Mal arrived. "Make yourself a drink, Ms. Carmichael," Sasha said, dropping her bag on the bed and kicking off her heels. She turned to Emma and offered a seductive smile. "I'm going to slip into something... a little bit more comfortable."
Emma smiled nervously, attempting to exude confidence. "Yeah, do that. Take your time, doll," she replied, trying to add some swagger to her tone. "I'll just be here."
Once Sasha disappeared into the bathroom, Emma turned and spoke into her wrist. "Where the hell are you guys?"
"You worked too quick, you minx," Mal's voice chimed in as they headed toward the stairs. "We didn't have time to set up."
"It's okay, Emma," Regina reassured. "We're on our way. Did you flash on anything?"
With that reminder, Emma started looking around the room. She checked some drawers and other hiding spots. Opening the bag that Sasha had dropped, she found a knife with an intricate design on the blade. Emma indeed flashed on the images of Sasha using this weapon to carry out her Black Widow killings. "Abort mission! Abort mission! Abort mission!" Emma panicked, urgently moving toward the door.
Two guards were posted at the door. She glanced at both of them and, with a fake smile, said, "Gentlemen! You secure this area. Ms. Banacheck and I are going to need some privacy. If the hotel room is rockin', then... we're probably having sex."
The guards nodded, and Emma quickly closed the door behind her, setting up an impromptu cover. She whispered into her wrist, "Get me out of here right now."
"Emmerson, don't worry," a male voice, likely Roan's, chimed in. "Roan Montgomery will get you out of this. I've been in worse situations. Did I ever tell you about the time in Thailand with the king's daughter up on the palace roof…"
"No, you failed to mention it," Emma said impatiently. "How do I get out of here right now?"
"I want you to go out on the balcony," Roan instructed.
Emma followed his orders and stepped onto the balcony, looking down. "Okay, now what?"
"I want you to take a bedsheet, tie it around your waist, climb up on the railing, and leap off the ledge," Roan explained.
"Are you out of your mind?" Emma whisper-yelled into her wrist. "I'm not a real spy. I don't leap!"
Just then, Sasha sauntered out of the bathroom in a gorgeous lingerie piece. Emma pretended to have been taking in the view and smiled seductively at her. "There you are," Sasha said, approaching Emma. Then she saw it—the necklace around Emma's neck, which held the cipher she was looking for. She froze for a moment. "It's a little chilly out there, hmm?"
"No, not at all. No, it's quite pleasant tonight," Emma said with a pleasant smile.
Sasha crooked her finger, inviting Emma closer. "Come on." As she got closer, Sasha began working on Emma's belt. "Why so shy, hmm?"
Emma stammered, "Well, 'cause... 'cause we just kind of met, and, uh, kind of seeing someone right now." As Sasha pulled her closer, Emma tried to maintain her cover.
Sasha whispered sensually in her ear, "I'm going to do things to you that you never, never-never dreamed possible." Emma wrapped her arms around Sasha, trying to get closer to the cipher.
"Well, I have a very vivid imagination," Emma whimpered. She managed to release the clasp and pull the necklace away from Sasha's neck.
Just as Emma had liberated the cipher, Sasha's tone changed, and Emma was alerted to her dangerous intent. "Hello, Roan," Emma heard Sasha say. Emma pulled away from Sasha, securing her belt along with the cipher. She looked Sasha in the eyes and said, "You shouldn't have sent a girl to do a woman's job."
"Get out of there! Now!" Roan screamed in Emma's ear. Emma pulled back and closed the balcony doors, realizing that Sasha was holding a large knife. "No-no, wait, wait! Why would you…" Then Emma saw the knife and realized the imminent danger. "Oh, my God, that's a huge knife!" She quickly stepped onto the balcony, preparing to escape.
Emma panicked, calling out for Roan as she descended from the balcony. "Roan, how did Thailand work again? Roan?"
A couple was outside on the balcony, engaged in a romantic moment. Emma's interruption startled them, and the woman screamed when Emma fell onto the deck by the pool. Luckily, there was a daybed placed there, and Emma landed in between another couple toasting. Emma sighed in relief to be alive and quickly made her way on her feet. She looked at the startled couple and said, "Sorry to interrupt. Enjoy your night."
Emma scrambled to her feet and ran toward the van. "Regina, please tell me you saw that!" Emma exclaimed with a sense of accomplishment. "Leaped from the balcony, lands with a flourish. And the Russian judge gives it a 9.4. Oh, and by the way, I have a little thing called the Cipher if anyone's interested."
"Yes, Ms. Carmichael, I'm very interested," Sasha's voice came through Emma's earpiece. "If you ever want to see your fellow agents alive again, meet me tomorrow with the Cipher. 6th and Alameda, 10:00 p.m. Come alone."
Emma looked around, trying to spot where the van had gone. "Roan?" She called out, but it appeared that he had vanished. "Roan?"
Emma angrily made her way back home. That maniac had her team, and Roan abandoned her there. "You know, she's going to kill them," came a voice from behind her.
Emma turned, her anger finally finding its target. "Well, I guess I'm just going to have to take my chances then," she sighed and tried to appeal to the man. "But I can't save them alone. I need your help, Roan."
The man shrugged and took a sip of his martini. "They knew what they were getting into," Roan stated. "That's the game we play. If you show up, there will be three dead agents instead of just two."
Emma moved closer to him. "What, so that's it?" She said, then put her hands in her pockets. "What happened to being the world's greatest spy?"
"That was a long time ago," he replied, taking another sip. "Roan Montgomery is not the man you see before you. My life may be boring and cowardly, but I'm alive. That's more than most in my line of work can claim."
Emma shook her head. "But you're a legend, Roan. Don't you understand that? So how can you just sit there and watch them die?"
"Because I'm not in love with one of the agents," Roan answered easily.
"I'm not..." Emma quickly denied it. "I care about them. I care about both of them. Besides, we heard what she said. Okay? To her, I'm just an asset."
"No, you're not," Roan stated. "Trust me. The lady doth protest too much. But, Emmerson, you have to ask yourself, is she worth dying for?" He posed the last question as he walked toward the complex's gate.
"Yes," Emma answered without hesitation.
Roan paused and turned to the asset. "Poor girl. Lesson number one of being a spy: never fall in love."
Emma shrugged. "Well, then, I guess I'm not much of a spy." Roan paused and looked at Emma. "And you're not much of a legend."
In her room, Emma tried every channel to reach her higher-ups. "Listen to me very carefully. I'm trying to reach General Mills," she said while pacing her room. "My name is Emma Swan. What do you mean I'm not listed? Look, I'm a spy, alright? Try my alias, Emmerson Carmichael."
Call after call to HQ yielded nothing. "Yeah, of course, nothing."
Throughout the night and into the morning, Emma attempted to contact General Mills.
Emma walked out of her bedroom, still wound up over her night, but she couldn't let it show. When she entered the kitchen, she found Fred looking dejected.
"Morning," she greeted him.
"Oh, hey, Emma," Fred replied in a sad tone.
"What's going on?" Emma asked, her brows furrowed in concern.
"Some trouble on the home front," Fred replied. "I totally screwed up. Went to Ruby for romance advice."
Emma rolled her eyes. "Yeah, that's never a great policy," she agreed.
"Yeah," Fred sighed, wracking his brain for how to make it up to Kathryn. "I've got to do something to make this up to your sis."
"What are you thinking about doing?" Emma asked.
"What I should've done last night," he answered. "Cover this place in rose petals, roaring fire, a simple candlelit dinner, pecan pie." He sighed. "Maybe give her a foot massage in the tub."
Emma raised her hands. "That's a natural place, I think, to stop giving me details. So why don't you?"
"Well, when, you know?" Fred stated, looking exhausted. "I've got to be at work in like 20 minutes. Got a 5:00 a.m. call tomorrow. I'll do it. I just hope I'm not too late."
Emma nodded and wondered how she could help make that happen for her sister and Awesome.
Emma walked into the Apple store, and to her surprise, there were no employees in the store. Aladdin approached her with a worried expression, explaining that he had fired everyone in an attempt to gain control. He begged for her help, but Emma found herself at a loss.
As Aladdin desperately pleaded for assistance, a new figure entered the store. It was Marco, the assistant manager, who seemed completely oblivious to the unusual situation. His sole concern was ensuring that Aladdin had remembered to bring the Manager-only doughnuts.
Aladdin leaned in closer to Emma, his eyes filled with apprehension. "Maybe he will never notice," he said quietly.
Emma glanced at the assistant manager, then back towards Marco. She replied with a hint of sarcasm, "That depends on how long it takes him to eat a box of doughnuts."
With a resigned sigh, Emma leaned against the counter, knowing that her workday was about to take an unexpected turn, and not much would be accomplished.
Roan walked into the store during Emma's shift and approached her from behind. He greeted her with a touch of swagger, "Ms. Swan." Emma looked up from her iPad but didn't respond immediately. She was intrigued by his sudden appearance.
He continued, "Lovely cover they've got you working. Perhaps you would like to elaborate on what you meant last night by 'legend.'"
Emma shrugged and met his gaze, "I meant what I said. You were great. Once. Now, are you here to help, or are you just browsing?"
Roan considered her question for a moment. "I suppose that depends on what your plan is for tonight."
"My plan is to show up at the meeting spot and exchange the Cipher for Mal and Regina," Emma replied, her determination shining through.
Roan seemed intrigued, "Ah, you're determined to risk your life for these people?"
"They do it for me," Emma responded without hesitation, highlighting her loyalty.
Roan contemplated this for a moment and then suggested, "Then perhaps we should revise your plan. Come up with something that doesn't get us all killed."
A small but genuine smile crossed Emma's face, "I'm open to that." With that, Roan put on his sunglasses and swaggered back out of the store, leaving Emma with a renewed sense of hope.
That night, Emma sent a messenger to the meeting spot and had him miced so she could communicate with him. As soon as she said, "I have a package for Sasha Banacheck. You need to sign," Emma was already dialing a number.
"Hello?" Sasha's voice came through the phone, confusion evident in her tone.
"All right," Emma replied, trying to sound as confident as possible. "here's how this is going to go down. You want the Cipher, you play by my rules." She wanted to assert control over the situation and keep Sasha off balance. There was a slight pause, but she didn't want to give the woman too much time to think. "Meet me at 9000 Burbank Boulevard and bring the hostages." Emma quickly hung up and took a deep breath. Then the phone rang again. "It's her," she confirmed to Roan.
"Answer it," Roan instructed, his eyes fixed on Emma.
Emma picked up the call, and Sasha was on the other end, wanting directions to the meeting spot. Emma tried to provide some basic directions but was clearly flustered. She saw the exasperated look in Roan's eyes and rushed the rest of the directions out before hanging up. "Burbank Boulevard exit, you're going to make a left at the light... Sorry, just... you can find it," she stammered, trying to sound somewhat helpful.
About twenty minutes later, Sasha and her crew showed up at the Apple store in Burbank, with Mal and Regina as the hostages. Emma addressed Sasha through the monitor in the showroom, putting on a confident demeanor. "Greetings! I see you found your way. Hope traffic wasn't too bad." Emma held up the Cipher and waved it so they could see. In her other hand, she held the hard drive Ruby had acquired a few days ago. She skillfully copied the program from the Cipher and discreetly pocketed it, erasing the original in the process. "As you can see, I have the Cipher," she declared. "Once my friends are safely out of the store, I'll tell you where to find it. It's been a pleasure working with you, and I wish you luck in all your future endeavors." Emma couldn't resist a hint of sarcasm as she added, "Remember, we'll always have Paris."
One of Sasha's henchmen appeared behind Emma, and she knew it was time to make a quick exit. She ran as fast as she could out of the locker room area, hoping her plan would work and her friends would be safe.
Sasha turned to face her captives with a smirk of her own. "Well... now that your savior is trapped with the Cipher, I no longer need hostages," she stated with a wicked grin as she advanced toward Mal and Regina. "So, good-bye."
Meanwhile, Emma had made her way to the roof but found herself trapped there, frantically searching for a way out. "No, no, no, no."
"Emmerson. Where are you?" Roan's voice sounded in her earpiece.
"I'm on the roof," Emma replied in a panic, unsure of how to escape this predicament.
"Emmerson, remember Thailand?" Roan asked, hoping she would grasp the reference.
"This is not the time for one of your stories, Roan," Emma chided, her anxiety growing.
"Remember Thailand!" Roan emphasized, trying to jog her memory.
Emma nodded, her thoughts racing. "Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. You were on the palace roof and you tied a bedsheet to…" She trailed off and saw the banner tied to the roof. A glimmer of realization crossed her face. "No, no, no, no, no."
"Emmerson, it's time to be a spy," Roan urged.
"I'm not. I'm not a spy," Emma protested, her voice quivering with fear.
But there was no time for more discussion. Emma glanced down the street and saw Regina held at gunpoint by Sasha. "Bring me the Cipher right now or I'll kill her!" Sasha threatened, tugging hard on Regina.
Emma looked back at the banner, then back at Regina, and let out a sigh. "I guess you gotta die sometime," she muttered to herself as she reached for the banner and quickly wrapped it around herself. "It'd just be nice if it wasn't today." Emma climbed over the edge of the roof, using the banner as a makeshift rope, and swung herself toward Sasha and Regina, screaming her name as she descended.
Regina and Casey were ready, having used Emma's daring move as a distraction. With her arrival, they seized the opportunity to overpower Sasha and take her down.
Emma landed on the ground with a thud, still reeling from the shock of her brave act. Regina rushed to her side, concern in her eyes. "Emma, are you okay?"
"I'm fine. I'm fine," Emma reassured her, panting heavily. She then looked at Regina with genuine worry. "How are you?"
Regina managed a grateful smile for her hero. "I'm fine."
Roan, watching from the van, couldn't help but offer his praise. "Now, that's what I call a spy." He winked at Emma, who couldn't help but feel a sense of accomplishment, especially as Regina looked at her with admiration and gratitude.
At the debriefing, General Mills praised the team. "Excellent work, team. Thanks to your efforts, we have the Cipher."
Mal, the younger blonde agent, couldn't help but express her admiration for Emma. "General, you should know that Emma was invaluable on this mission."
Regina, the senior agent, chimed in, giving Emma a nod of approval. "She also risked her life several times to save ours." Emma returned Regina's smile, appreciating the camaraderie and respect she was receiving.
General Mills, who had her suspicions about her daughter's infatuation, narrowed her eyes at Regina. She knew this had to stop. "Your country thanks you, Emma," she said, redirecting her attention to the task at hand. "Hopefully, we can now rebuild the Intersect, and this nightmare can be over for you. Have a nice day."
As General Mills was about to disconnect, Emma suddenly spoke up. "Wait!" She moved closer to the screen, looking determined. "Actually, while I appreciate all of your kind words, if we're going to continue to coexist happily, I think that the government needs to start pulling their weight around here."
General Mills paused, tilting her head slightly. Emma had a way of eliciting affection from those around her. "What did you have in mind, Emma?" General Mills asked, intrigued by the young agent's proposal.
Emma and Regina were putting the finishing touches on the romantic scene they had set up when they heard voices outside. It was Kathryn and Fred. Fred was speaking earnestly, apologizing for his earlier blunders.
"They are coming," Regina whispered to Emma, and they quickly made their way to Emma's bedroom. Slipping out of the window, they found themselves outside, peeking in through the living room window.
Kathryn expressed her feelings to Fred. "I don't need moves, Fred. Just the fact that you're trying is enough." She was clearly touched by his efforts.
Emma and Regina stood outside, looking at the couple with smiles on their faces. "No biggie, babe," Fred responded, and Emma and Regina exchanged knowing glances.
Emma looked at Regina and casually put her hands in her pockets. "Well, be sure to thank the CIA for me," she remarked with a sense of humor.
"It's our pleasure," Regina replied with a playful gleam in her eyes. "I suppose I should thank you for saving my life."
Emma maintained her casual demeanor. "Oh, you've done it for me a time or two. I'm probably still in debt."
Regina couldn't help but smile at Emma's enthusiasm. "I gotta admit that was pretty impressive."
Emma's excitement was evident. "Right? I mean, come on. I know I'm just an asset, but, between the two of us, I mean, have you ever seen anyone do something like that before?"
Regina, her gaze filled with warmth, cupped one of Emma's perfect curls gently. "I think it's safe to say, Emma, that I've never seen anyone quite like you."
At that moment, Roan left Mal's apartment with a touch of charm and mischief. He approached Regina and took her hand, planting a soft kiss on it. "Adieu, Agent Mills."
Regina smiled, appreciating the suave gesture. "It was a real pleasure, Agent Montgomery."
Roan then turned to Emma, repeating the gesture by kissing her hand. "Well, I'll, um... I'll see you later, Emma," Regina said, a hint of bashfulness in her manner as she quickly departed from the apartment complex.
Emma was taken aback, wanting to continue their conversation, but Roan advised her to let Regina go. "Let her go," he said. "A great man once said it will give her the illusion of being pursued."
Emma nodded and looked a bit puzzled. "You trust me?"
Roan's smile was confident. "Good."
He then instructed Emma to acquire a white dress or blazer and bring a bottle of Château Margaux, the dressier blazer, and a single red rose. "Tonight you will show up with these," he said, winking before his phone rang. "Good-bye, Emmerson."
Emma smiled, liking the nickname. "Good-bye, Roan."
Roan turned and answered his phone with his charming persona as he walked out of Emma's life. "Hello, Cora. Yeah, on my way to the airport. Should be at Dulles by the morning." The mysterious agent seamlessly transitioned to another mission, leaving Emma with her thoughts and a memorable encounter with Regina.