Clark Residence
Claren/Montreux, Montreux, Riviera-Pays-d'Enhaut District
8:47 A.M. (Day of the Party)
The file titled "M.A.M." haunted her dreams. It lingered in the shadows of her mind as she shifted her focus elsewhere, anywhere but on that file.
She tried to focus on where it had all gone wrong. Not exactly a better train of thought but it was better than thinking about those initials that had plagued her ever since he disappeared. For them to have his initials and for him to be alive…well, what were the odds of that?
She sat up in bed as Zach slept beside her, his expression peaceful and for a second time she wished she could just have this.
With him.
She didn't know how to explain it but Zach triggered a sense of nostalgia within her, reaching into the deepest crevices of her heart, into desires that she'd pretty much given up on. She pondered if the word nostalgia was the right word.
What would be another way to describe someone who brought so much comfort? That in the strangest way he kind of felt like home. Like their connection was something true and pure. Like it was a connection that would occur no matter the circumstances as long as they found each other.
Perhaps the word would be soulmates?
She let out a small huff as she gazed at him before looking away and putting her head in her hands as she wondered what on earth possessed her to act like a peeping tom. Also is it kind of weird to begin to catch feelings for someone you had known for a few days when said person broke into your apartment to announce you're mission partners?
She shook her head as she resolved to just ask Macey. She might as well bite the bullet and let her friends tease her than continue to have these thoughts plague her mind with no answers. Cammie internally groaned as she realized she sounded like a lovesick teenager.
Might as well grab a flower and begin picking the petals. Does he love me or does he love me not? Was this love? An infatuation? A crush?
She shut her eyes and cringed. She'd just turned 26 and she was pondering if she had a crush or not while simultaneously wondering whether her cover would be blown any minute.
Nice priorities, Cammie, she thought bitterly.
She felt the bed shift slightly and heard him murmur a groggy "good morning". She felt her cheeks flush red as he lazily swung an arm around her, still clearly half asleep. He had to be for her sanity to remain intact before she spiraled from the fray of emotions.
She felt him murmur something indecipherable into her side before turning his head and gazing up at her. When she met his (stupid) green eyes she willed the blood to leave her cheeks because she was not blushing. She could hear Macey in her mind singing "You're in denial, Cam" but she could frankly care less.
This was not happening. Talk about bad timing, she thought. Then again when had anything in her life gone the way she wanted it to?
"You ok, Gallagher Girl?"
She pursed her lips and nodded. "What did you say?"
Zach grunted as he made his way to get up and sit beside her. She tried to push away the thought that she missed the warmth, the domesticity of his action. Maybe she just craved to be in a relationship. She looked over at Zach who was studying her. She raised an eyebrow and he smirked.
"You're sure nothing's up?"
She nodded once more. She was not about to give into his teasing especially when the insinuation of what she'd be admitting would mean. He smiled softly at her and nodded.
"Big day we have today," He said.
Cammie groaned and she heard Zach begin to laugh beside her. "Not much of a party person, hm?"
"Not really. Especially not fond of parties that likely put my life on the line. Imagine that eulogy."
"I could begin to draft one if you'd like?" He asked, a teasing glint in his eyes and she glared at him.
"Let's see how much your father likes your ashes arriving at Heathrow. If I die, i'm dragging you down with me."
He smirked, a light blush coloring his cheeks as he leaned towards her, careful not to touch her wounded shoulder. "Are you insinuating you'd want me with you wherever you are? Is this…" He looked into her eyes and she was all too aware she was blushing. "Are you proposing to me?"
Deciding it'd be best to tease him back, she leaned forward, their foreheads lightly touching. "If I was, what would you say?"
She saw Zach's eyes widen, ruby red staining his cheeks as he opened his mouth to respond. Cammie caught the slight smile on his lips and it was in that precise moment that someone decided to knock on their door.
Zach backed away slowly, searching her gaze as he said "Come in."
The door swung open and Noah stepped inside, a file in hand. He looked hassled, his usual blonde hair messy in certain places like he'd been running his hands through it in frustration.
Hazel eyes landed on them as he took a deep breath before smiling at them. It was clearly forced and he was obviously frustrated but they chose not to comment on it. He'd reveal it all in due time.
"Good morning sir. Ma'am. Forgive me for barging in," He ran a hand through his hair in an attempt to make it appear neat and cleared his throat. "We have a problem at hand."
Zach sat straighter, eyebrows furrowed. "A problem? With what? Does this have to do with the hit or headquarters?"
Noah stayed a significant distance from the bed as if he were afraid Liam Clark would blow up on him. Perhaps he would, he seemed like the type. Zach titled his head and raised his eyebrows to prompt him to continue.
"Both. James's house was broken into last night. His files were stolen and his security cameras wiped clean. He was injured but nothing major, he'll recover quickly." Noah waved the file at them and Zach clenched his jaw. Cammie sighed and shot him a deadpan look, a frown tugging at the corners of her lips.
Internally, she wanted to smile at how clear it was that Noah was uncomfortable, shifting from foot to foot. Well, he was an agent in training but you'd think he'd be more subtle if he was terrified of his bosses.
Zach seemed to think the same as he sighed and gave him a pointed look. "Stop fidgeting. In the field, that's a dead giveaway and you'd be dead in less than a minute flat. How does this affect the meeting?"
Noah nodded and stepped forward and went towards them. He handed Zach the file and continued, "He sent the information on the hit ahead of time. He maintains he'll show up to deliver the file containing the mission details for R.O.F. as there's an overlap regarding one of the agents and he'd like to give a quick briefing."
Cammie leaned on Zach and smiled. "An overlap?"
"That's what he said, Miss." Cammie raised an eyebrow and smiled serenely as she murmured, "Of course. How interesting."
Deciding to amp up the couple act, Zach wrapped an arm around Cammie who stifled a laugh. He was enjoying way too much how uncomfortable Noah was becoming with every action, unsure of whether he'll get chewed out or come out alive slightly disgusted at his bosses PDA.
"Carter James. Did he say who attacked him? It seems too coincidental for it to just occur now."
Noah sighed, "CIA, he's adamant about it. Regarding the party, we have everything under control and we've ramped up security on the manor."
Zach nodded, "Good. We'll review this. Thank you."
Noah seemed to breathe a sigh of relief before bowing and turning around to leave. They sat in silence as Zach shuffled away a bit from their earlier position and stared at the file in their hands. Their eyes met and Zach silently handed her the file.
He watched as Cammie took the file from him, eyes never wavering from his. She averted her gaze down to the file containing crucial information. A hit ordered by the mysterious woman Noah and the rest of the R.O.F. seemed to mock. Someone they seemed keen on underestimating.
Cammie knew better than to believe she was just a pawn to be used. She couldn't quite explain it but she knew danger lay ahead and in this field of work underestimating anyone could lead to their demise.
The question remained: How did this hit and the organization's goals line up? A favor like this required another favor in return. They both had to gain something but then if that was true, how did Operation Carpe Diem fit into this whole mess?
She could sense that Zach sensed how the cogs in her brain were turning but she kept her gaze steady on the manila file. Zach watched the rise and fall of Cammie's chest, an indication she was still breathing. His eyes briefly brushed over her covered shoulder and back down at the file.
She sighed, "Ready?"
"Do I have a choice?" Zach asked ruefully.
Cammie made a noncommittal noise as she opened the file. She'd been aware of what to expect. Noah himself had said they'd had intel on two CIA agents entering Switzerland. However, for some reason, she had not expected this.
Zach felt Cammie tense up beside him as he heard her inhale sharply. He felt the adrenaline begin to kick in, waves of concern beginning to fester in his being. He felt her sway and fall into him as she turned to him wide eyed, lips pursed.
Her hands were gripping the file page tightly as the first page had a picture and a name printed in bold.
Name: Zachary Goode
He quickly averted eye contact as he reminded himself he'd been fairly certain this would happen. He recalled Noah's cold smile as he recounted Carter James's connection and the intel on the agency's agents.
"She's quite interesting," He'd said. As time went by, Zach became more convinced they were dealing with a leak within the CIA. How else could the Ring have gotten information that valuable?
But also, realistically, who else could it have been other than Zach and Cammie themselves? It's no coincidence that they match the profile in a timeline as narrow as this one.
He bit his lip and signaled at her to turn to the next page. He felt Cammie sit upright and briefly missed the loss of her warmth before turning his gaze to the page. His jaw tightened as he heard Cammie scoff and murmur, "Of fucking course."
Name: Cameron Ann Morgan
Like his, Cammie's page contained a picture, information about her as an agent and the target: Wanted Dead. Zach heard Cammie click her tongue as she scanned the file.
"They have a picture on us. These are from D.C. as far as I can tell. Someone made sure to keep surveillance on us so I think it's safe to assume we're dealing with someone from the U.S., possibly the agency, don't you think?"
Zach nodded and sighed. "Agreed. This is a lot of effort put into finding us beyond our codenames. We need to get Liz and Jonas on this as soon as possible."
Zach felt his phone buzz and smirked, "Speak of the devil."
At this, a ghost of a smile graced Cammie's lips as she leaned over to peer at the screen. She briefly looked up and watched as Zach's smirk immediately vanished from his face as soon as he scanned Jonas's text.
Jonas:SOS. Someone managed to hack us. Crucial files were stolen. This message will automatically delete in 2 minutes. Files include:an overview file on C.A.M. and A.A.C. and the Gallagher alumni file of 2015. More info @ party. R.G.B and G.N mobilized.
Cammie stared at the screen in disbelief and watched as the message vanished. She let her head fall back against the headboard and simply stared. Beside her, Zach was shaking his head as he stared at the now empty chat log. He met Cammie's wide eyed gaze and let out a choked laugh followed by an audible sigh and scoff.
In that moment, they honestly felt like they'd just gone through the five stages of grief.
"What. The. Fuck."
*
La Croix-de-Rozon, Genève
11:57 A.M.
Bex and Grant had volunteered to check out the house in Geneva while Macey and Preston contacted people within the CIA. At the same time, Liz and Jonas were dealing with absolute shitshow they'd had to face when they realized they'd been hacked.
Bex could still hear Liz's indignant sputtering of her system being "above military grade Rebecca!" and Jonas's look of disbelief as he typed away like their life depended on it because it did. They'd managed to restore order in less than 2 minutes since the hacker had waited for them to log on before making their presence known. It was that act that had allowed them to move as quickly as they had.
Still the message was clear: they were all pretty much fucked and someone wanted them to know that they knew their whereabouts.
That they were there, watching. Always.
Bex peered through the tinted window at the property, studying its visible outline as it was dusted over in snow. No one was home and all security cameras were off this time. As far as they were both concerned, the coast was clear.
And yet.
"I can't help but shake off the feeling we're not here alone."
Grant set his hand on her thigh and gently squeezed. "Bex, you know I trust your instinct but we don't have the time to return later. The answers could lay in that house."
Bex glanced over at him and sighed. "And if it's a trap?"
Grant slumped in the driver's seat. "We don't have a choice. We need to be at that party by 7 and Preston's already requested emergency backup. This is the one clue we have."
Bex let out a suffering sigh as she made way to step outside. "I'm so sick of this. It feels like it's her all over again." She stretched her body quickly before looking inside the vehicle. "Those messages, Grant. We know exactly what they're alluding to."
At this, Grant looked away and made way to get out of the car as well. The interior felt like it was suffocating him and he just wanted out into the cold where he hoped the february chill would snap him out of it. "We've kept up our end of the bargain, she's kept hers."
"Exactly. The one year period. It's passed. We're boarding two if we keep this going!" Grant swiftly made his way over to her and Bex, frustrated, slammed the car door shut. Grant didn't even bother to scold her. They weren't even a goddamn week into this mission and he was already beginning to lose his mind.
He took her hand in his and tugged her forward toward the house. "The Director has to give us the go ahead. If we proceed as we are, you know what will happen Bex. We've already made a significant step forward."
"He's hiding something, I know he is."
Grant sighed and continued pulling them ahead making sure to nod in acknowledgement because he knew she was right. He'd known the moment they'd received the mission file with Cammie and Zach listed as the lead agents on this mission.
There were trees surrounding the property, all covered in white, and all they needed to do was make it into the clearing towards the front porch. To anyone else it would've been an average february day but here they were sneaking into what could possibly be a trap. They hadn't made it past the last of the trees when Grant stopped abruptly causing Bex to bump into him.
"Bloody hell Grant. Why'd you stop walking…" Bex started annoyed before trailing off as she glanced up at Grant's face. His brows were furrowed and his eyes were narrowing as he squinted ahead towards the house's front door. He pulled her a little to the right where one of the trees obstructed their view of the home before jutting his head in the direction of the home.
Bex raised an eyebrow before peeking out behind the tree in the direction Grant had been looking at. In the distance about 5 meters away were a set of footprints leading towards the house. She leaned closer towards the tree and noted the footsteps led into the house but showed no signs anyone had left through the front door.
"You think they're still inside? It only snowed last night, these are very recent."
Grant peered behind her and nodded. "Stay vigilant. We might need to fight."
She nodded and they began making their way towards the door as discreetly as they could considering it was daytime. The perimeter was clear and there was the trouble of the fresh snow signaling their presence but they managed to reach the door without much incident.
Grant pulled out his gun and signaled at her. Bex tried the door knob and was surprised when the door just clicked open. Bex's hand immediately went towards her gun and pushed the door open with her foot. She signaled with her eyes and Grant moved forwards, gun drawn in front of him.
They'd already seen the floor plans so they weren't too surprised to be in the front foyer. To the left was the staircase and if they went straight ahead they'd be in the living room. From the living room if they took a left they'd find the kitchen and if they went right from the living room they'd find the downstairs bathroom. Upstairs there were three bedrooms and one bathroom.
The plan was rather simple. They had to scope the place and find any clues about the person's possibility residing within it. If there was a computer, the best chance would be to quickly phone Liz or Jonas to have them attempt to wipe the disk as they were on standby.
Bex felt the familiar rush of adrenaline increase as they moved into the living room and saw no one. Grant held onto his weapon with a fierce grip as he jutted his head in the direction of the kitchen. Bex nodded and headed further into the open living room, eyeing the closed bathroom door with suspicion.
She quickly spared a glance in her boyfriend's direction before turning and leaning towards the bathroom door. She listened and heard nothing so she stepped towards the door handle and pushed the door, gun at the ready.
Empty.
She sighed and turned to truly take in the sight of the living room as it would appear to the untrained eye. Her eyes roamed and she found nothing alarmingly out of place. To a civilian, this just looked like the standard middle class living room. Under any circumstances, it'd be a cozy space but she knew better.
Someone was using this as a safe house but the question was who. She'd discarded her initial thought, the one Grant had pointed out because that came too close to home. It wasn't time to dwell on it but last they'd heard, she'd gone and kept her promise.
Plus, what would she gain from toying with them like this? The stakes were too high for her to risk her pawns like that and yet Bex knew deep down in her gut that it couldn't be a coincidence that the Director would choose to pair up Zach and Cammie on a mission.
There was an explanation to it all and it was there but out of her reach and she hated that. Over a year living in guilt, in a half truth and she was sick of it. She was sick of her. She was sick of the games and the treading on eggshells.
She began walking towards the stairs and sighed once more as she inspected the hallway. As she looked back around in Grant's direction, he came into view. He signaled at her to stop and quietly jogged over.
She raised an eyebrow and he signed 'Someone's here'.
Her eyes widened, lips parting as they both glanced up the stairs. Bex swallowed a gulp and gave him a questioning look.
"Dirty dishes in the sink and clean ones on the rack. Seems recent." He whispered. He looked back up the stairs, lips pursed before walking up.
Bex quickly followed and they inspected the rooms. They cleared the first two rooms and noted that they were both standard bedrooms which meant that one of the other remaining rooms housed the home computer.
The couple glanced over at the left two rooms that loomed before them. Bex could hear the blood pumping in her ears as Grant moved towards the first door on the left and pushed it open. She inhaled sharply before realizing there was no one in there.
It was empty.
She mentally berated herself. Perhaps there was no one in the house. No, that wasn't right. The footsteps led in but didn't lead out. Someone was definitely present and they had to be beyond that door.
The floorboards creaked under their weight as they stepped towards the last door, each of them standing on opposite sides of the door. Grant met her gaze and put out three fingers. Bex steadied herself along with the hold of her gun and watched as Grant counted down. He reached for the door handle and Bex aimed.
And then the door swung open, jerking Grant slightly forward with enough momentum for a figure to kick him in the stomach, sending Grant down on his knees. Bex immediately lunged forward, hitting the person on the side before spinning and kicking them down.
Securely pinned, she registered the person choke out "Bex?" in disbelief. It was then that she made eye contact with the girl beneath her and felt relief and dread begin to flood her being. Grant was by their side and huffed out a winded laugh, eyes bewildered.
Bex could recognize those hazel eyes anywhere. "Tina?"
Tina huffed a bit and slowly nodded before looking over at Grant apologetically. "My bad. Wasn't my intention to kick you in the stomach that hard. Just had to be cautious, you know?"
Grant smiled slightly and muttered, "Of course. Nice kick though."
Bex kept staring at Tina in disbelief. "What the bloody hell?"
"Wow. Your accent got thicker there." She attempted a smile, wincing slightly. "Um. Bex? Could you maybe, oh, I don't know, maybe not dig your knee on my side? It's beginning to hurt quite a bit."
Bex nodded, getting up and lending Tina a hand as she pulled her back on her feet. She turned towards the computer before grabbing her tightly, gaze murderous. "Tina."
Tina's eyes widened as she looked over at Grant for help. He simply cocked an eyebrow as his gun swung loosely in his grasp.
"So. What are you doing here?" He strolled over to the desk and took a look at the computer. It was turned on and the file folder was on display as he took notice of some video files among them and gazed back over at Tina, eyebrow raised. "I mean, what are the odds you're also assigned a mission in Switzerland of all places?"
Her brows furrowed, confusion flashing briefly through her features before she schooled them into a neutral expression and sighed. "She's back."
Grant felt the wave of anxiety crash into him before he'd even fully processed the other agent's words. Bex's grasp on Tina slipped and she gently slid away from her but made sure to maintain enough distance where she was still within Bex's reach. She was all too aware that what Bex needed at the moment was a sense of control as they were thrown right back into the nightmare that had truly appeared in its full form over a year ago.
"What…" Grant inhaled sharply, eyes darting. "What do you mean she's back? What does that mean for…"
"That's why. He's paired Zach and Cammie on a mission." Bex turned to Grant, eyes bright with realization. "I told you."
Tina studied their interaction and shook her head, "There's no point." At this, both Bex and Grant snapped their attention towards her at which Tina paid them no mind and pushed past them towards the computer.
Grant grabbed her wrist and leveled her gaze. "Tina. What are you doing here?"
Tina raised an eyebrow and shifted her gaze towards Bex. "Well. For one, hi, I'm your backup. Two, I have my own mission to complete and it seems you've aggravated my subject. Three, I have business to settle here."
Bex walked over and grabbed her hand. "Where's your backup? Rookie mistake."
A myriad of emotion flashed across Tina's features and a scowl began to tug at the corners of her lips. She took a deep breath and smiled slightly, her gaze clouding with a tinge of desperation, worry and rage. "Rebecca."
Bex's eyes widened a fraction, taken aback at the change of emotions flickering through Tina's face. She blinked a few times, lowering her head as she ran her hands through her hair in clear frustration. They heard her grunt a quiet "Oh what the hell."
She turned to look at them and took in a deep breath before launching into a brief reassurance, desperation coloring her tone as she revealed the reason behind her presence and frustration by pulling out a USB flash drive. "I swear I'm not your enemy. Bex, you're my sister and you know damn well I'd do anything to help us Gallagher Girls out. You have to believe me but I need to finish retrieving those files. I have to find Anna."
Grant's head felt like it was spinning and Bex's eyes widened. Tina bit her lip, eyebrows furrowing as she glanced back at the computer. Grant simply stepped aside and she murmured her thanks as she quickly went back to loading the files to her drive.
Bex stepped forward as she watched the remaining files finish loading as she turned to her friend. "What do you mean? Where's Anna?"
Tina looked up briefly before turning her attention arch and sighing in relief as she ejected the flash drive. She let a small triumphant smile grace her features before meeting Bex's gaze. She jutted her head in the direction of the door and they followed as she stored the drive in her jean pockets.
They made their way down the corridor as Tina rushed out a hushed explanation. "Your mission is a part of a larger operation. Lizzie probably already suspected that and they should have gotten that information by today. We're also a part of the operation and also operate as backup. She was sent into Croix de Rozon for a dead drop yesterday at noon and she never returned. I got worried and this was the last place her phone pinged."
The three of them were nearly down the stairs when they heard a crash come from the living room. They froze for a second before registering the next sound echo through the air and out the locked door.
A bullet had just flown through the air and Tina inhaled sharply as she realized their attacker had them in a compromised position. If they so much as tried to get to the door they would be putting themselves in the shooter's direct path of fire.
She turned slightly to glance at Grant and he signaled towards the door as he mouthed out one word.
Run.
He leaned over the railing and began shooting as another bullet past them into the door leaving behind another bullet hole in its midst, a deadly reminder of what could become of them.
Shots rang out as Bex grabbed Tina's hand and hauled the door open into the frigid swiss air. She didn't dare glance back at her partner as the gunshots fell to a sudden silence.
They needed Tina out of there. Bex couldn't afford another Gallagher Girl to go missing, much less one that held possible answers in a hard drive that she'd tucked away in her jeans.
She ran with Tina as fast as she could towards their car and passed those damn traitorous trees covered in sparkling white as if mocking the comparison between their serene nature and the bullet ridden door of the house they'd left behind.
Tina held her own as she slipped out of Bex's grasp and kept running, looking back for their attacker and Grant. She spotted him running towards them a few feet behind them and to her relief found that no one had followed him. She let herself catch her breath as she looked forward and saw the car in the approaching distance.
By this point Grant had caught up and he quickly slid into the driver's seat. Tina took the hint and hopped into the car besides Bex as Grant floored in and took off.
She suppressed the chill she felt as she glanced towards the house and saw a figure standing on the porch as the car sped away.
She slumped into her seat and let out a winded "What the actual fuck."
Bex rested her head on top of hers and shivered. "This can't be happening."
Grant peered at them through the driver's mirror and asked, "So what now?"
She met his gaze and smiled slightly though it looked a bit more like a grimace. "I'll be at that party. Our target is Carter James. He's planning on smuggling fentanyl into the States but what we really wanted was to get the name of his supplier who has ties with the R.O.F. We're trying to destroy all factions of the Ring in one sweep. Though that's easier said than done."
Grant whistled. "So you're aware of them?" Tina quirked an eyebrow and he chuckled softly. "Right. Part of a bigger operation. So you'll be on standby?"
Tina nodded. "You can count on me. I'll be there. But I need to find Anna. I've already sent out an emergency alert to headquarters."
Bex peered down at Tina who leaned into her. She relished being in the presence of another Gallagher Girl who offered a comforting presence in the midst of all the anxiety and dread she had felt when Anna had failed to turn up at the safe house past midnight.
"You said she's back. What are the odds it's her?"
Bex's question was a reasonable one to ask especially given the dire circumstances they'd been thrown into over the last year. Tina shuffled a little and gazed up at her. "Not sure but I wouldn't discard it. To work with the Ring doesn't seem like her style. She has the upper hand, she's had it ever since that night. But the truth of the matter remains. The Director paired Zach and Cammie together for a reason and we need them at their full potential sooner rather than later."
She sat upright causing Bex to also sit up straighter as she dreaded what her former classmate was about to say. Bex knew Grant was aware of what she'd say as well as their gazes met in the drivers mirror.
"We need to tell Cammie and Zach what happened that night. We can't hide it anymore."
They sped through the freeway as the words hung heavy in the air. Bex worried at her bottom lip as the warmth in her stomach twisted and turned, morphing into that familiar dread she'd first experienced one fateful warm August night.
They were too far gone. Grant's grip on the steering wheel tightened as his knuckles turned white. They were compromised and the best they could do was get through that party without any mishaps but with them when had anything gone according to plan?
They needed to get that file from Carter James and fly back to headquarters to demand an explanation from the Director before giving Zach and Cammie the key to their lost memories, the cause of their amnesia.
The three of them knew the time had been steadily approaching for over a year now but for better or for worse the true reckoning was about to unveil itself and the true puppet master would emerge from the shadows once more.
But until then, they had to survive the party.