The Agent

"How old are you?" I asked suddenly as I kept my eyes on the road. Idly, she was still looking and messing with the dashboard buttons. "Don't touch that. How old are you?" I knew I should've hid the buttons.

"Twenty-two and you're twenty-four," she answered smoothly as she looked at me. "I'm a curious person, seventy-six. I always do a background check with people I work with."

"Yea? What else do you know about me?"

"Well," she continued, her green eyes sparkling. "I know your name is Pamela Pearson and you have a long list of accomplished missions. 'One of the Agency's top Dog' they call you. You rarely use your credit card and if you do, it's for buying gas. You don't buy a lot of stuff, period, but if you do you buy either simple cheap clothes or extravagant ones, no in-betweens."

"You tend to check in small hotels and motels, but you pay in cash. Sometimes, after finishing a mission, you tend to buy some rather expensive wine for yourself. I have every internet history you had through the years, but disappointed to find no history of porn." I blushed.

"That's very private, Carrie."

"Nothing is private digitally and online, seventy-six," she replied cooly. "Not while I'm still alive."

"Well you have me at a disadvantages since you have information on me," I continued, "but I know nothing about you."

"That's why you're the field agent," she replied cockily, "and I'm the desk agent."

I laughed.

It was around 6 A.M when cars began to show up, but luckily our hotel was near. Carrie was looking at the dashboard buttons again and asked me what they were for.

"You've never ridden in an Agency's customised car before?"

She shook her head.

"Don't touch them. They're for last minute resort only," I said gravely. "This button right here activates the machine guns in this car. This one, a grenade launcher-"

"You're joking, right? This sounds like a James Bond car."

"Well, mine's better," I said, smiling. "The exterior is nothing fancy, making it less suspicious of its amazing capabilities."

"I think you just described yourself, seventy-six," she grinned. I couldn't help but chuckle. She knows how to push your buttons and you know it, I thought to myself. "You don't smile much do you."

"Is that a question or a statement?" I asked while stopping the car before a red light.

"More like an observation," she said as she studied my face carefully. "It doesn't look natural on you and I bet you put on such a serious expression on your face 24/7. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but the previous field agents I've worked with had a slightly more carefree personality."

"Carefree how?"

"You know, going to mini vacations. Taking advantages to the credit cards and cash they were supplied with," she shrugged. "Meeting up with multiple women and/or men to have sex with, all of those. Really, you're the first agent I've met that has a boring life outside the Agency."

"Huh," I replied. What kind of lives do other field agents have, I thought to myself. "Well, to be perfectly honest with you, the thought never really crossed my mind." I pushed on the gas pedal once the light turned green.

"Not even sex?"

"Especially sex," I answered firmly. "The Agency discourages us to be involved romantically with anyone, remember? It will only distract me."

"Discouraged, but not banned," Carrie corrected. "Besides, you don't need to be in a relationship to have sex. If two people want release, but don't want to be an item, then by all means have some no-strings-attached-type-of-sex." I looked outside the window for any parking space and luckily there was one.

"Nah," I thought to myself. "I don't think that'd be my style. We're here by the way. The Red Roof Inn."

- - - - - - - -

The inn was nothing fancy, but it was near Navy Pier. After we entered the red bricked building and booked a room, we settled in our hotel room. Carrie and I decided to share a room with two beds so that communication would be faster and much more efficient. Plus if we were to work together in order to come up with multiple strategies and plans on getting Alfonso, sharing a room seemed logical enough.

In every mission, I always have two luggages: one for my everyday clothes and necessities, the other for my guns and gear. However, I usually keep my guns and gear in my car since I change inside it most of the time, but there were desperate times where I needed to bring them inside a hotel room. So far I've been careful to not get caught with it in any kind of inspection. Carrie only had one, but it was heavy. "All my clothes, files, laptop and hard drive are in here," she explained. She only had one gun with a handful of ammo as her weapon.

We decided to eat at a nearby diner for brunch, which had a homely atmosphere and one friendly middle-aged waitress. We were the only ones there and we ate in peace. In the middle of the meal, Carrie handed me a pair of clear contacts swimming inside their cases. I looked questionably at her.

"The Agency's customised contacts," she explained, taking a sip on her pepsi. "Just put it on."

I slipped the contacts on with some difficulty and it seemed like I entered into a more high defined and digital world. A digital box formed around Carrie's face and multiple semi transparent photos and documents popped up on screen. "Are these files about you?"

"Yea," Carrie answered. "There should be a box around my face and information should be going through. This is device can recognise faces, buildings and monuments, basically almost everything and can provide you multiple information. It also has a camera feed on it, so I can see what you see through my laptop. To open a file, just hover your hand over it like you would do on a regular iPad. If ever we are mission ready, I can guide and advise you through this, a mic and a hearing piece. You see any information you like?"

But I wasn't looking at the files anymore. I was just looking at her idly. The contacts outlined every inch of her face and I couldn't stop staring. Carrie could easily be one of the most beautiful women I've seen and she acted like she doesn't know it. I bet guys drool after you, I thought to myself. At this point, I felt a twinge of attraction, which was rare for me.

I've always thought sexual attraction as a complication, maybe even as an unnecessary thing. I never really considered myself a heterosexual woman, nor did I think of myself as gay or bisexual. Sure I encountered many handsome men and beautiful women, but I wasn't drawn to them as I'm drawn to Carrie now.

She looked quizzically at me and gave me a confused smile. "Seventy-six?"

"No, yea," I slightly stuttered. "Yea, this is good. It's the first time I've used this piece."

"Actually, I designed it," Carrie pridefully said. "Took me some time, but here it is. The Agency just recently produced more of these for the other agents, but the ones you have on are the prototype."

"Well I'm honoured, Carrie," I replied and involuntarily put my hand over hers. "They'll come in handy." Smirking, she looked down to our hands. "I never thought you'd be a hand grabber."

"Only in rare occasions," I answered and pulled my hand away. "We should go soon and take a walk around Navy Pier."

- - - - - - - -

We arrived at the hotel room around 4 P.M after hours of touring Navy Pier and the places near it. To my dismay, the place was filled with security. The whole fucking place is just one big spotlight, I thought to myself. Getting in and out unseen will be a challenge otherwise the whole place will be a battleground. First of all, I never knew how big the place was: around fifty acres of parks, gardens, shops, restaurants, family attractions and exhibition facilities.

Carrie and I studied the main building blueprints carefully. "Are you absolutely sure that Alfonso will be there?"

"Almost 100% sure," she answered as she laid another blueprint on the table. "The other attractions are just, well, attractions. But this building," she tapped on the blueprint," has a conference room, a control panel for the whole park's security, not to mention it's more heavily guarded than the rest of the buildings."

Great, just what I wanted.

"There are some parts of the building that might interfere with your contacts and communication, agent," she continued, looking worriedly at me. "I'm still going to guide you, but memorise the blueprint by heart just in case."

I paced around the room for the next hour muttering to myself what I will do tomorrow, what I should bring, and remembering the blueprints Carrie presented to me. Get in and get out, I thought to myself. Find out what's happening and get out, easy as that. Easy said than done. Carrie was at the other side of the room typing away on her laptop. She wore her hair in a messy bun and wore an oversized t-shirt, short shorts, and red socks. I stole glances towards her way.

Once I felt satisfied, I grabbed my coat and went outside to the balcony to clear my thoughts. I leaned against the railings and felt myself relaxing. The sky was getting darker and the wind chillier. I don't care what other people say, Chicago will always have my heart.

We were on the 15th floor and I could see the long lines of cars sitting idly on the streets. Crowds of people scrambled on the sidewalks as street performers tried to catch their attention. The world is so caught up with being busy, I thought to myself.

I heard the balcony door open and close behind me. At the corner of my eye, Carried stood at my side and leaned against the railings with me. She was wearing her long trench coat and still wore her hair in a messy bun. I smiled.

"What are you thinking about?" she curiously said, her eyes sparkling.

"You sure are a woman full of questions," I chuckled. "I was just thinking how that hairstyle fits you."

"Why, agent, did you just compliment me?" she faked a gasp. "You're full of surprises. And thank you. You know, I was wrong about you. Well mostly wrong about you, but I was right on a few things."

"What were you wrong about?"

"I never thought that the great agent seventy-six is one hot woman for one thing," she grinned. "Sure I scanned through files about you, but meeting you up close was an eye opener." I laughed. "Well, thank you, but I could never be as beautiful as you."

Her grin turned into a sincere smile. My heart skipped a bit. Play it cool, Pamela, I thought to myself. Before she could say anything, the neighbour next door stepped out from his room and walked towards the railings. Carrie and I turned our attention towards the stranger's way. The man was handsome, tall, and was wearing a suit.

His black hair was cut fashionably and his stubble was trimmed neatly. He didn't look older than thirty-five, but he didn't look younger than thirty. He waved our way and smiled, his eyes went from me to Carrie then glued to the redhead.

He nodded at Carrie and went back to his hotel room. I looked at Carrie and one of her eyebrows shot up with interest. I know that look, I thought to myself.

"I wouldn't mind seeing him again," she smirked as she bit her lower lip. "Hell, I'd let that man do what he wants with me and I'd be totally fine with it." I rolled my eyes and looked down from the railings.

"He's your type?"

"Oh, definitely," she replied. "One of these days I'll knock on his door and take him on." The sidewalks were still filled with people. You're distracting yourself, I thought to myself. Because you know you have this attraction towards her.

"I'm gonna get some take out," I murmured. "What do you want?"

"I'll have whatever you're having," she answered. "I gotta go back to my laptop. I'll see you inside."

Yea, I thought glumly to herself. We'll see each other inside.

- - - - - - - - -

After eating in silence, we reviewed and looked over the blueprints once again. Once it was 9 P.M. both of us were mentally drained. I rubbed my temples gently, walked over to the bathroom and took one hot shower. Carrie was already in her bed still typing away on her laptop when I finished. The room was cozy and Carrie was still wearing her short shorts, but I sleep better with pyjamas and a tank top.

"You're quiet," she suddenly said without taking her eyes from the laptop screen.

"I'm a quiet person," I firmly said as I slid between the sheet covers. "I'll be awake at 5 A.M. Please be awake till then." Carrie glanced at me as I turned off my lampshade.

"Well...goodnight, seventy-six." She gave me a warm smile. "Sweet dreams."

"Goodnight," I replied as I slowly closed my eyes. "And sweet dreams."

Yea, right.

- - - - - - - -

Gasping, I bolted upright in the middle of the night with my gun at hand again. My body and bedsheets were covered in sweat. Sighing, I leaned back against the headboard, lowered the gun and hid it underneath the bed.

It was the same dream again. Maybe after this, I thought to myself, I'll finally get some peace. I looked at the clock: it was 2 A.M.

I looked over Carrie's bed and found the redhead's eyes looking at mine. The moonlight flowed through the room and outlined Carrie's body, which laid peacefully underneath the thin bed covers. Her head popped up and her green eyes glowed in the dark. "Are you alright?" she asked worriedly.

No, I thought to myself. Maybe one day I will be.

"Yes," I lied tiredly as I rubbed my eyes together. "Go back to sleep." I laid myself down and turned my body against Carrie's concerned eyes.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Around 7 A.M I was already awake while Carry was still fighting sleep. Throughout the whole day, I was restless and so was Carrie, so we roamed around Chicago some more and went back to the room around 6 P.M. Patiently we waited until the clock hit 11:30 P.M.

It's time, I thought to myself as I paced around the hotel room. When I grabbed my trench coat and the pair of contacts she gave me the day before. While she made coffee, I was ready to leave the room.

"Hold on, before you leave," she walked up and grabbed my face with her hands. She put a communication device in my right hear. "You and I can talk through this. It's small and light, but it's very powerful in capturing sounds."

"All right," I answered, ignoring the urge to kiss one of her fingers. "I'll try to be careful in what I say."

She smiled and to my dismay removed her hands from my face. "Goodluck, seventy-six."

- - - - - - -

Once I went inside my car and locked it, I put my hand flat against the window and the engines began to roar. "Emma," I called out and a digital female face appeared across the windshield along with multiple apps, maps, and folders. I love my car.

"Emma, baby," I said while putting my contacts on. "It's time to gear me up. Tint the windows and see how many police cars are out there in a 12-mile radius."

"Good evening, seventy-six," the robotic female voice replied. "Calculating. I see you're gearing up. Do you want to see your guns?"

"Yes please," I smirked. The car began to transform itself interiorly: the glove box, radio and middle isle containing the gear stick and emergency brake disappeared. The seats behind mine began to move. My seat began to move towards the middle and slowly laid me flat on my back while the car ceiling opened itself up, revealing my black suit, boots, gloves and a balaclava with its one big horizontal slit for my eyes. I grabbed them and began dressing myself up.

"Heavy duty?" Emma asked as the seat returned to its original position and slowly turned towards the back seats. The backseats' cushions inclined themselves, revealing my SC-20K M.A.W.S., silenced five-seveN gun, a watch where I can summon, locate and drive Emma with, combat knife, multiple grenades, smoke bombs and tranquillisers and my night goggles.

"No," I replied quickly, grabbing both of my guns, watch, knife and a handful of tranquillisers and smoke bombs. "It's a stealthy kind of night." The seat turned itself forward again and slid itself where it originally was before. "How many cops are there?"

"Approximately thirty are in duty in this area, agent," she replied robotically, showing me a map of every officers' location. Great, I thought to myself. I have to be careful. "We're going in night mode, so minimise the engine noises and make us invisible."

"Yes, ma'am" she replied as the engine quieted. Night mode meant having Emma change the car's capability to be seen and be heard. By its capacity to reflect light, the car looked invisible, but it was more of an illusion to the human eye.

"Why, agent, you lied to me," I heard Carrie jokingly say in my ear. "You do have a lover after all. A rather unconventional one, but a lover nonetheless."

"It's an on-and-off thing," I grinned underneath my balaclava. "But our relationship works. Right, Emma?"

"Right," the robotic female voice replied. With that, I drove towards Navy Pier, hoping I get to see Alfonso tonight.

- - - - - - -

I parked in an alley just a block from there main building. For ten minutes, I hid behind a dumpster until I heard a delivery truck nearby. Thanks to Carrie and her hacking skills, she requested a truck full of food to be delivered at the main building's back entrance specifically at midnight. "Redlight in three seconds," Carrie announced. I could hear her typing in the background. "No cars around just yet."

Right on cue, the delivery truck came into view and stopped before a redlight. My body sprinted towards the vehicle and slid underneath. I grabbed on to the trucks' pipes and pulled myself up just as the truck started to move. "It looks like I'm watching an action film, agent," Carrie jokingly said. "Ten minutes you'll arrive to your destination."

A couple of minutes later, the truck stopped for inspection at the gate and proceeded at the back of the building. A pair of shoes came into view and walked at the back of the truck. "What do you mean there's a delivery?" a man's voice said, which I suspected to be a guard.

"There's a delivery for a Mr. Travis?" I released my grip and gently flopped down to the hard ground. The pair of shoes was at the opposite side from the back entrance. "Disabling the cameras for 30 seconds," Carrie informed me. "Any more than that will be suspicious." I rolled out from the truck and swiftly went to the side vent entrance. I went inside and crawled through. The conference room should be close by now, I thought to myself. Just a few more turns...

"Welcome, ladies and gentlemen," a voice suddenly echoed. "I'm glad you all could make it tonight..." I followed the noise and peered through a closed vent. No good. I grabbed the optic cable and slipped it in between. When I looked through it, I saw a conference room with ten people gathered around a glass table. A big man, which my contacts identified as Big Al, stood with his arms open.

"What are we doing here, Big Al?" a well-dressed woman in her fifties asked. "I have shit to do." Oh man, I thought to myself. The contacts were picking up names of everyone in the room and all of them were the big bosses of different crime families. "Shit," I heard Carrie say. "This must be big."

"My friends, we all have our own shit to do," Big Al said through his deep Italian accent. "But this news is something we all can get on board with. First thing's first, I would want to meet my old friend, Alfonso Romano." My heart skipped a beat and I heard Carrie take a breath. At the end of the room, a door opened and tall fit man in his late forties strode in confidently with a briefcase in hand.

He has gotten older, I thought to myself. His buzzed cut black hair had signs of greying and his once smooth face has lines of wrinkles on it. Two years did some work on you, I thought. But those grey eyes stayed the same. Those were the same cold murderous eyes that still haunted my dreams.