Agents Universe

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WELCOME TO THE LAND DOWN UNDER - PROJECT ZEUS PART 1
A MEETING OF THE MINDS - PROJECT ZEUS PART 2
ON THE ROAD AGAIN - PROJECT ZEUS PART 3
PENETRATION IN TORONTO - PROJECT ZEUS PART 4
STRIKE WHILE THE STEEL IS HOT - PROJECT ZEUS PART 5
LONDON IN THE SHADE - PROJECT ZEUS PART 6
AGAINST THE ODDS - PROJECT ZEUS PART 7
DAMAGE CONTROL - PROJECT ZEUS PART 8
A NEW NORMAL - PROJECT ZEUS PART 9
FOR THE SAKE OF LOVE - PROJECT ZEUS PART 10
TURNING POINT - PROJECT ZEUS PART 11

London, Temporary MI6 Offices, Day 7, Afternoon

11:21 Inspector_Kyle_Byrne: I check the papers and the whiteboard that I am going to use to help explain the plan. It was the time to finally share and conclude our infiltration plan. This office was small compared to the ones we had in the main MI6 Building, but considering the tight situation we are in, it was pretty luxurious. A well decorated, modern, white room… And there was a round table in front of the board. I examined each person who was sitting there… Marcus, Alex, Sam, James, and Antonio… I forcefully insisted that James stay at the hospital or at least, at home to rest, but he is a responsible and determined man. It’s really hard to change his mind. Sam and Alex… They both seem like they are ready to hear out their new roles and duties… And Marcus… I can tell this whole situation has made him tired, but he is a strong man. Then Antonio… He seems pretty confident, and since there are other people around him, his face is pretty serious. Moreover, I can swear that he is still confused by my request. But I really think I can convince him face to face.

11:21 Inspector_Kyle_Byrne: We have come so far, we need to do it. I can do it. I have been working on it for the past several weeks. Moreover, since Antonio is also here, I can deal with Jeff’s request at the same time. Ivan’s voice rings in my ears once more before I start talking:“You are strong, right Kyle? You are well trained, a good detective, aren’t you? You were good enough to catch me and stop my plans for Mason, weren’t you? So, for such a strong, tough cop as yourself, this simple task is easy, right? You can do this. All you have to do is not fall asleep and Xavier lives, and I’ll set him free. But if you fall asleep, you will kill him. That will make you a murderer Kyle. You don’t want to be a murderer do you?” This will never stop… But I can’t let go. Not now… Not now… I clear my throat, and start talking in a professional tone. “Good afternoon gentlemen… As you all know, we are here to discuss the attack that we are going to launch on the Syndicate Base in Egypt to perform our infiltration. We have some mercenaries from Spain who are going to help us in the mission, and this is Antonio Hernández, the leader of the squad. And his crew is over there…” I show the guys sitting at the backside of the room, 5 in total. Thank god Antonio was able to get here in time. Having him here feels pretty awesome. “We are going to start with the attack and the identification for Sam and Alex if anyone doesn’t have anything to discuss first… Any questions that you want to ask beforehand, or should I start?” I say and start waiting for everyone to see if they are going to say something.

11:11 Antonio_Hernández: London is pretty messy at the moment. After finalizing my last mission and returning to Madrid, Spain felt so peaceful and calm. But the attack on the MI6 Offices apparently alerted all the local authorities and security forces. The Syndicate really went too far. But today, Kyle has a plan for us, and I can’t wait to hear his ideas. I am sure they will turn out pretty good in the end. There are others in the room. The one who is bandaged is likely to be James Mason. I saw his pictures, but he is hotter in real life, not gonna lie. Anyone would be impressed by him. He is so fucking handsome. Then there is his brother Sam, and an American Alex Braddock. Huh… Interesting guys. One thing I can tell for sure is that Alex is so much calmer than Sam Mason. Then, there is the other one that looks like a perfect businessman, Marcus Vanderbilt. I guess this team can work. Kyle introduces me to the other participants in the room and I just greet them formally with a nod of my head. I don’t smile, because why bother when you are with people you don’t know? After checking out everyone quickly in 1 or 2 seconds, I return to Kyle, and start waiting for him to explain his plan.

10:09 AgentJamesMason: I sit back carefully, every movement is careful. I’m in constant, low level pain, and the slightest wrong movement or shift of my weight can cause a surge of agony to knife through my vitals. It’s only been four days since I was nearly crushed to death by that ferocious, ruthless bearded Syndicate brute. I had a shouting match with the doctor when I insisted I be released to attend this meeting. Kyle had been there, and had taken the doctor’s side in the argument, but in the end, I wouldn’t be moved. I knew my own body. I had responsibilities, I had a duty. And to be honest… anything was better than laying in that hospital bed staring at the ceiling replaying the humiliation of my defeat over and over. I know Kyle and Sam and Mark stood by me, they all supported me, none of them held what happened against me or thought less of me for it… but I was a far harsher critic then they were. And yet… I won’t deny that being able to let go of everything while they were with me had strengthened me in ways I never anticipated. It was a new idea… this concept that I might actually be stronger for realizing that around my loved ones, I didn’t have to be strong, that it was okay for me to need their strength and protection as well. It was something to ponder. But for now, no force on earth was going to keep me from attending this meeting. I look over at Kyle, with a warm smile on my face. I’m dressed in a simple white shirt that shows off the hard muscled body beneath, slacks and dress shoes, but my professional appearance is a bit compromised by the sling holding my left arm in place.

11:11 Corporal_Sam_Mason: Finally, we are getting down to the good shit. How this is going to go down. My respect for Kyle has grown by leaps and bounds lately. I realize that even though he’s about my age, his skills and talents are fucking legit. He is right for James, so fucking right. He finishes speaking, and introduces some bad-ass Spaniard. Tough looking fucker, wouldn’t mind going hand-to-hand with him. I look over at Alex to gauge his reaction, and suddenly feel that surge in my nuts, that roiling in my guts that speaks of how intensely attracted I am to this bearded American bad-ass. I feel a sudden surge of irritation at myself. Why the fuck Sam? Why the actual fuck do you have to go and find yourself falling for a lady’s man like him? We haven’t really talked since the attack, have each been busy with our own shit, I know I saved his life back there, but that doesn’t give me any special rights on this beautiful bastard. That was just my job. I’d have done the same for anyone. But fuck… I ached for this bastard. I almost wished I wasn’t partnered with him. He confused the hell out of me, made my hormones surge like a love-sick teenager. Well, Sam, pull your shit together. He’s off limits, just accept it. Do your fucking duty. James needs you, and so does Kyle, so keep your cock on a tight leash. I look over at James, amazed that he is even here. What happened in the hospital the other day… that really threw me for a loop, made me realize that I needed to grow up… and, made me realize how much I loved James and how much I loved Kyle like my own brother… and Mark… fuck… Mark made me ache for my Dad. Then, someone comes in to interrupt Mason, some well-dressed, posh man. Oh wow… this looked good, to judge by how wide Jame’s eyes just went.

10:09 AgentJamesMason: Kyle starts off by introducing Antonio and his crew. I’ve heard of him, by reputation, and through Kyle, but never met him. I wasn’t prepared for the jolt of attraction when I laid eyes on him for the first time. In an instant, I could tell by his stance, the way he sat, the way he moved, that he was a thorough professional. A deadly fighter, confident in himself and his abilities. He was the kind of man I would want watching my back in a battle. And he was very handsome. Stunningly handsome. I swallowed, and checked out his five man team. All of them look deadly and capable. Kyle had made a good choice. I turned back to Kyle, my heart filling with pride and love to see him taking charge, showcasing his abilities and talent. I was so lucky to have him in my life. It had been such a hard road, but it was worth every mile. Kyle asks if anyone has any questions, and I don’t have any.

10:09 AgentJamesMason: Then, just as Kyle looks ready to start up, the door to the conference room opens, and a man slides into the room. Coming up to my shoulder, he whispers something in my ear. My eyes go wide as saucers. I swallow, and look over quickly at Mark, then whisper a question back at the well-dressed man. I recognize him as one of the aides for the Foreign Secretary. And what he has to say was, well, unexpected, but the more I think about his news, the more I realize just how appropriate it was. Even from the grave, Commander Craig has given all of us a mighty gift. I stand up, carefully and slowly, easing my wounded body up onto my feet, “Excuse me gentlemen…. If I might have your attention.” I swallow hard, then suddenly burst into a smile. “I’d like to introduce you to the new Head of MI6, replacing the late Commander Ronald Craig, effective immediately, by appointment of the Foreign Secretary at the request of the late Commander as laid out in his contingency plan, Dr. Marcus Vanderbilt!”

10:10 Dr_Marcus_Vanderbilt: The meeting to discuss the plan to infiltrate the Syndicate is starting when Kyle makes his introductions and we begin to settle in. The mercenaries seem capable and ready for action, but I do find myself a bit uneasy about their involvement - purchased loyalty never sat well with me. At the same time, we were hurting for forces and I trusted Kyle’s judgement. I was just hoping he trusted his own judgement at this point. And then an unannounced man came to the briefing room. I recognized his face immediately and saw him go to James. The look on James’ face was soon mirrored on mine as I heard the news - not a request, but the news - that I was now the new Head of MI6. I could instantly feel the eyes of the room come to meet mine...and I was suddenly aware of the look on my face. “Ah...well then…” I looked around the room at all of the men and then back to James finally. The look in his eyes - was it hope? Renewed determination? Even a spark of joy, maybe? I laughed slightly as I thought about Commander Craig and thought about him planning this for some time evidently. The bastard did like keeping what he really thought a secret sometimes...but for good reason, I suppose. But fine...if this is what the Foreign Secretary wanted, I’d show him what kind of Head of MI6 he’d get with me. Starting now.

10:10 Dr_Marcus_Vanderbilt: I looked to the aide who had delivered the news. “Mr. Tanaras, please inform the Foreign Secretary that I accept and I will confer with him about transitional affairs later today. You’re dismissed unless you have anything further.” I could see a look of surprise come across the aide’s face as I remembered his name - a human gesture that was sometimes absent in the work of MI6 - but that was just who I was. And he nodded with a slight smile and departed the room. Before he was even gone, I continued. “Agent Byrne, please continue with your plan. Apparently, I have more responsibilities to tend to today, but...well...let’s hear how we’re going to stick it to these bastards, hrmm?”

11:33 Alex_Braddock: Alright, this room is a fucking storm. What the hell is going on? They just made the doctor guy the Head of MI6? I had read his file, and he was good from everything I read, but...I didn’t expect this, not from what I had read in his file. There was obviously something more to the good doc that had come to light during his time here in London. At the same time, this would be good news back home - a person with dual citizenship in the US and with the Great Britain leading MI6. I suddenly felt a bit more hope for these joint missions, and fuck did we need something to get the ball rolling again. I had been sent here to help to the best of my abilities, but none of us expected the Syndicate to attack MI6 directly, nor for that to be my first day “on the job” for these collaborative missions. I could also speak more freely to Dr. Vanderbilt about things than I could some of these Brits. They were all great men, but...a bit stuffy sometimes. Except Sam…. I looked over at him and saw he was looking at Dr. Vanderbilt, but as I looked at him, I couldn’t help but think about the fight in the conference room and the aftermath. I’ve had men take bullets for me before - it’s just what you do when you’re in the thick of battle with your brothers - but Sam did that for me without even really knowing me. Even if the kid obviously had the hots for me, it was… I dunno…. More on that later, though. Mission time now, Braddock. Focus.

11:21 Inspector_Kyle_Byrne: Before I can start my presentation, someone else enters the room, and whispers something into James’s ear. From the facial expression and smile of his, it seems like good news. Then, he informs us that the new director of MI6 is Marcus Vanderbilt with a warm smile on his face. My eyes rest on Marcus, and I watch him for a moment to see his reaction. I am so happy for him. He definitely deserves it. I couldn’t think of anyone better for that position. With his kind tone, Marcus wants me to proceed further with my plan, and I give him an encouraging smile. “Congratulations Director Vanderbilt… I’m wishing the best for you… I am pretty sure you are going to do remarkable work...” then I clear my throat once again to focus. Yes… It’s time to talk about the plan. I get up from my seat slowly, and take a map of the Syndicate base that Ronald Craig found. I placed that map on the board which shows the terrain as well. “The base that Ronald Craig found is located in Alexander, Egypt. As you all see, it’s in a place that doesn’t draw any suspicion. In fact, you will see that there are lots of farms in the area once you arrive. It resembles the base back in Des Moines, hiding among civilian structures.” I grab a pointer stick and start showing the places of the building. “There is, normally, only one entrance. But we are going to attack the base from 3 different locations. From the air conditioning system that is positioned here by using some somniferous chemicals, from the underground by using dynematiers, and from the main entrance with our troops… I will inform you in more detail regarding “how” we are going to do it in the upcoming days...”

11:21 Inspector_Kyle_Byrne: Then, I take out 5 different photos of different people. One of them has a question mark on the card, but the other ones have pictures. I place the first photo on the right upper corner of the board. “This plan will help us to deal with Daniel Allen. Among these 5 people we need to watch out for, he is the main one, he is the one who has the strongest relations with the Syndicate. He is a true professional, but this is also his weak point. These kind of people hate to deal with unexpected conflicts, especially if their numbers are more than theirs.” then I place the second picture on the left upper corner of the board. “Derek Steel is the leader of the Brotherhood of Steel, and he has a close relationship with the Syndicate as well. He is very close with Daniel Allen recently, we don’t know why exactly. But separating them in this conflict will be a huge benefit for us. Antonio here will take care of that…” I meet his gaze. I’m pretty sure he is losing patience now. I don’t mention my plan about Derek “intentionally”, I am just saying Antonio will handle it. Afterwards, I place the third picture on the right down corner of the board, feeling my heart ache as I start talking. “Ivan Usov is one of the closest friends of Derek Steel, and also another member of the Brotherhood of Steel. Both of you, Sam and Alex, need to avoid any contact with him since you already encountered each other. In order to distract him in the fight, I will try to arrange something with Masterson, but it’s not certain yet…” then I put the fourth picture on the left down corner and proceed further. “Heath Wilson is also a member of the Syndicate. However, among all these 5 people, I think the possibility of you encountering Heath is the lowest since he is focusing on the torture of Jack Young at the moment… I… Talked with Jeff Rogers yesterday… He was also asking for MI6 to hire him as a new liason, Mr. Vanderbilt… Because of some… Issues he had with CSIS… But I truly believe we can make use of an agent like him. He can contribute to our current plan and also the plan of CSIS to great effect if you ask my opinion. Moreover, if we recruit him, and then assign him to CSIS as MI6 liaison, we would fulfill our responsibility according to the contract between MI6 and CSIS. This would also lift a huge weight from our shoulders, and help us to focus on this plan. The final decision is yours of course…” This is also a very good point to mention Jeff, yeah… It’s now or never…

11:21 Inspector_Kyle_Byrne: Then I put the last picture that has a question mark on it in the middle, just in the center of the Syndicate base. “The last one’s identity is not certain. We are assuming he is a hired mercenary, and has close relationships with Ivan Usov since he is the one who attacked MI6. You also need to avoid any contact with this guy as well… And he is also the third mission of yours: Learn that guy’s identity, and afterwards, we adopt the plan according to it…” I finally stop speaking, and once again, examine everyone’s reaction. “If you have any questions, any ideas that you think will contribute to the plan, please say it now… If not, I am moving away from the outline of the plan, and starting with the identities of Sam Mason and Alex Braddock…”

11:11 Antonio_Hernández: Apparently no one has any question, and everyone is so excited to hear the upcoming plan. But before Kyle can start, someone enters the room, and mumbles into Mason's ear. My eyes narrow as I hear the new director of MI6. Hmm… ı don't know this Vanderbilt guy closely, but if he is a person that Kyle respects, then I would respect him as well. Then, Kyle starts explaining the plan, a kind of general summary. So far, it seems like it is prepared very well, but I am not the strategist here. Still, I am so proud of him. Especially when he mentions someone named Jeff Rogers. I will never fully understand how he speaks with such positivity when MI6 is having a crisis. It seemed like a good plan indeed though. But I can sense his nervousness when he mentions Derek and Ivan’s parts. Oh, those two better fear me, because I am not as nice as Kyle. I need to hear the full story very soon. But for now, I let Kyle finish his job. No matter how bad the situation seems, it feels great to see him once again.

10:09 AgentJamesMason: I listen in intense concentration, pushing the aching pain of my ribs and shoulder into the background, assessing his plan as I felt the deep joy arising from Mark’s promotion. He was the perfect man for the job. Meanwhile, I realized that Kyle’s plan is well thought out. I can see from his reaction though, that when he mentions Ivan and Derek some of his confidence wavers. That remained a difficult truth to face, for Kyle and for me. I try to reconcile what Ivan did in London… with what Ivan did in Des Moines, telling me to take Kyle and go. I still cannot make sense of it. I feel just as uneasy as Kyle does. And when Kyle points out Daniel and the mysterious assailant who injured me so badly, I struggle hard for a moment with my emotions… shame, humiliation, despair. Both men defeated me when the stakes were high… and the wound to my confidence had not healed. I battled with my sense of worthlessness in the face of those men. Then, he laid out the request for Jeff Rogers. I looked up, I would need to talk to Kyle about that. I never did get the full story! But if it helped Jeff, if it helped to rescue Jack Young, to reunite them, then it had my full support.

10:09 AgentJamesMason: Then, I did have a question, “Kyle, how do we know that Derek or Daniel or any of these key men will be at the Egyptian base?”

11:11 Corporal_Sam_Mason: Well fuck me…. Dr. Vanderbilt? Suddenly the new head of MI6? Damn. Well, made sense. The Foreign Secretary had trusted Craig, from what Mason had told me. And having Mark in the post will cement relations with the Yanks. Though, there was one Yank I really wanted to cement relations with…. SAM… I told myself, put your fucking dick away, and concentrate. I glanced over at Alex, just briefly, feeling myself heat up, then forced my eyes back to Kyle. Fuck, he was good. He knew his shit. I recognized Usov… hell yes, and he was right, we couldn’t let ourselves be seen by him, or the game was up. But he was high up, and we were gonna be posing as common troopers. Easy to avoid him. Then, I remembered the message my CO from the SAS had sent me. I raised my hand when he called for questions. “Kyle, not a question, but an offer. My CO told me that he’s arranged to support our strike with an additional SAS Commando. I know ‘em, Corporal Ryan Shepard. A tough Fu... “ I swallow, correcting my language at the last moment. There were poshies around here. No swearing, Sam. “A tough fighter. Good man.”

11:21 Inspector_Kyle_Byrne: First, James asks me a good question. He is a clever man. Even though he is injured, he can focus on the subject very nicely. I replied back. “Very good question James. To be honest, we are actually not sure. While Ronald Craig was conducting field research, he found out that Daniel Allen was going to meet with some local mercenaries there from some reliable resources, probably the local agents in the underground in Egypt.. We are assuming that it’s related to the Syndicate’s upcoming plan. But for the other 4 people, we actually don’t know. Though, if it is related to their main goal, then probably at least Steel, Usov, and the hired mercenary will be there. I’m just taking precautions in case they all somehow show up in the warzone.” Then I turn to Sam as he offers SAS assistance for the battle. I smile as he rephrases himself. He is really adorable. I give him a supportive smile in order to show him that everything is fine. “Send his credentials and background, and I will see what I can do Sam… We don’t want this to be a “huge” mission. It’s a local residence after all, but the more we can get good fighters, the merrier…” Then I turn to Mark and Alex. “Do you have any questions?”

11:33 Alex_Braddock: I look over at the doc to see if he’s gonna speak first since he runs the show now, but he just waves for me to talk if I have anything. Throws me for a bit of a loop, but I take the opportunity to ask my question. “Us staying low from Usov is def something that the Corporal and I can do our best to accommodate...but if he makes us out, will it be a mitigatable loss to your intelligence community or to the mission if we take Usov out, Director Vanderbilt?”

10:10 Dr_Marcus_Vanderbilt: Well fuck…. Alex’s question was a good one, but it was a touchy one. He looks at me for me to answer the question but...I’m the Head as of five minutes ago. I have no clue how Usov’s death would impact our intelligence or the mission...but Kyle would. He had worked so hard putting this mission together, and I hated to pass this question to Kyle, but...he really was the best person to ask it. Plus, we needed Kyle to be able to focus on the mission above his personal feelings. We were all still licking our wounds, but we had to have clear heads and hearts going forward. Too much was at stake. I looked at Kyle to gauge his response and could see the uneasiness intensify from Alex’s question.

10:10 Dr_Marcus_Vanderbilt: “Agent Byrne, you’ve been working on this mission more than anyone else. I know this is a hard question for you, but… How would it impact the mission first off if Usov needed to be eliminated? And second, I’m thinking our intelligence community doesn’t hinge upon Usov in any way, but am I wrong on that?” I wished I could ask easier questions of Kyle right now. Fuck, I wished it was just Kyle, James, and I having this conversation back at my office. Damn…. My old office. Shit. Everything’s changing fast. I’m being asked to make tough calls on things right here and now, including deciding if we should take on Jeff Rogers here at MI6? But this is an opportunity to change things - with this mission and being Head of MI6...but...can I do this? No, I’m doing this. There’s no room for doubt, and these men have put so much on the line already. And James and Kyle...they believed in me, that I could do this. So I’ll give these men every drop of my blood to do anything we need. I just stared at Kyle and tried to send him some of my strength as we all awaited his answer on Usov. Then we could address Jeff Rogers later.

11:21 Inspector_Kyle_Byrne: Thirdly, Alex Braddock asks his questions, and I froze for a moment. This… I actually didn’t think about this. What… I… Oh… Please, don’t let them see each other. It’s actually a question directed to Marcus. But of course, it’s only natural for him to ask the same question to me since I am the one who is coordinating this plan. I sat down on my seat after hearing his question, feeling myself getting weaker as I tried to form the sentences in my mind, but my expression remained the same. “Well… It’s… a low probability. And… Ivan Usov is actually very crucial for our intelligence efforts. He can provide a considerable amount of information for us… But…” You know the answer Kyle. And they all need to hear it. BUT… I can’t… How can I? I take a sip from my water. I need to focus. I need to focus. Suddenly, my eyes snap to James’ injured arm while I am drinking the water. Remember why you were here in the first place Kyle… Remember why you adapted the plan just to find the mercenary who almost killed James with Ivan… I feel the fire inside me starting to rise again. Ivan did this… Ivan is hurting everyone I care about: James, Xavier, Tim… I try my best to remain calm, I turn to Alex as I continue my answer. “You know the general principle of security agencies Mr. Braddock. Under self-defense and for the protection of civilians, everything is justified…” There… I said it… And I feel like shit. What would you feel if you said the same thing about James, Kyle? I drink water again, trying to hide my nervousness. Think… Think of the mercenary who did all of this Kyle… Think of the things he has done to James and Sam. If Sam gets hurt because I tell him to not kill Ivan, I would never forgive myself. I needed to say it… I hope they never meet. Please… Let them not meet. I shake my head quickly, and give everyone a quick smile. “Now… Would you like to hear the other part of the plan?”

11:11 Antonio_Hernández: After the first part of Kyle’s plan finishes, James, Sam, Alex, and Marcus start stating their own ideas and ask the questions on their minds. Yeah… This crew will work out pretty well, I guess. But especially that American dude’s question seemed to hit Kyle hard. I have known him for quite some time. He tries his best to hide his feelings, and he is actually very good at it. His face remains calm. The only thing that gives him away is his voice. The Syndicate needs to screw people up from inside, don’t they? I was actually getting mad at myself too. Why didn't I come before? At least I could have paid a quick visit after Kyle and James returned from Des Moines. He starts drinking from his water while staring at Mason's broken arm with a deadly gaze. Oh god… He is really trying… My gaze softened a little bit as I continued to stare at Kyle. But he did the right thing. I am so proud of him. I give him a smile, then mumble. “So far… I actually like the plan, Kyle… Can’t wait to hear the second part of it…” This may help him to focus. But still…. Even after such a trauma, he manages to hide his feelings well. I am not even sure if the others in the room realized Kyle was having a conflict deep inside. I only realized it because I have known him for so long.

10:09 AgentJamesMason: I nod in response to Kyle’s answer. That made sense. Our intelligence gathering efforts were screwed without an agent inside the Syndicate, but we still had a network of spotters on the ground around the world who are able to discover some intel. So Daniel is meeting with some mercenaries at that Egyptian base, is he? I tucked that fact away to analyze for further implications later. Then, that bearded American Alex who had Sam all confused spoke up, and asked a brutal question. One that had to be asked, and one that was better coming from an outsider. Mark directed the question to Kyle. My own insides started to twist as I contemplated the last time I had seen Usov, in Des Moines telling me to take Kyle and go… reconciling that with the knowledge that Usov had led a raid on our offices, killed good men. I hope I don’t have to be in a position to pull the trigger, but I know Kyle’s answer was the right one, even though it hurt like a knife. This was all so fucked up.

10:09 AgentJamesMason: Antonio speaks up again, and I look over at him as he encourages Kyle. Kyle had done an excellent job of retaining his professional attitude, but I could see the small signs of stress and pain caused by the question. My heart ached for him… and I wished more than anything I could walk over to him and hold him tightly, let him know how much I loved him. But Kyle needed to find his strength again. He knew my love and strength were there for him when he needed it. Just like I was learning that his own strength was here for me when I needed it. Then, suddenly, I look closer at Antonio. He is good. Very good. He is a very good at reading people, and he knows exactly the right manner to take with Kyle to encourage. I wondered how well he knew Kyle… I felt my pulse racing a bit as I continued to examine Antonio. There was something about him.. But not now. I refocused on Kyle, waiting to hear the next part of his plan.

11:11 Corporal_Sam_Mason: Kyle replies to my question, and I nod. It would be good to work with Ryan again. He was one tough fucker. He and I had a friendly rivalry going… always trying to outdo each other. This upcoming fracas should give us plenty of chances to do that. Then, that bearded Yank asked a really hard question. I look at him again, closer. Yeah, Alex is one smart fucker. He sees shit, and stirs up where it needs stirring. I felt my hormones surge again, then ruthlessly crush them back down. Put your dick away Sam. Fuck… I hate this. I gotta figure out how I’m gonna work with this dude without getting a stiffie every time I look at him. Pure fucking torture. Kyle gives the right answer, and then, he’s ready to go with the second part of his plan. Let’s hear it.

11:21 Inspector_Kyle_Byrne: I smile at Antonio as I hear his comment. God… I am so lucky to have people like him and James in my life. What did I even do to deserve their love and care? Then I look at James again. He needs me now. Get yourself together now, Kyle. I take another deep breath, then rise on my seat once again. I take two identity cards from my documents. I hand one of them to Sam, the other to Alex. “Sam, from now on, you are “Abubakar Dankworth”, 24 year-old... And Alex, you are “Yahya Dankworth, 29 year-old.” I take the map away from the board, and take out my boardmaker, and start writing. “You are both of a mixed race. Your mother, “Sharifa Hamdy” is the daughter of one of the local noblemen from Alexandria. Your father, “Jasper Dankworth” is a middle-class merchant. Your parents met while your father was on a trip in Egypt. Their marriage was never accepted by your mother’s family, because they didn’t let their daughters move to another country due to local traditions. Your mother was Muslim, and your father was Cristian. In Islam, it’s prohibited for a Muslim woman to marry a man from another religion; so in order to protect his marriage with Sharifa, your father acted like a Muslim until his dying breath. And yet, both of you are unwanted grandchildren for your mother’s family. You have never seen any love from your mother’s family. The only relatives that showed compassion to either of you are your father, your mother, and your paternal grandfather who lives in England right now. You have never met him in person, but you talk with him from time to time.” I stop for a moment to allow all of the participants time to process all of this. Then I move on. “The reason I am telling you this is because I want you to realize how “Abubakar and Yahya’s” personalities developed. They were raised in an environment where culture, tradition, and religion are valued enormously; and they were a bit “different” due to those norms. So it’s not only about your mother’s family. The school you went to, the neighbourhood you were living in…Noone accepted you, and you were always subjected to discrimination. That kind of treatment led both of you to develop a cold, distant, personality while remaining loyal to your loved ones. A very good fit for the Syndicate. Oh… And since I was talking about discrimination, let me give you these…”

11:21 Inspector_Kyle_Byrne: I take out two tubs of tan cream, and give them to Sam and Alex. “You two may be blond because of your father, but you have been living in Egypt since you were born. It would be only natural for both of you to be at least “brunette”. After that, I take my seat slowly, and look at Sam and Alex carefully as I proceed. “But your “distant and cold” personalities are not enough for The Syndicate to accept you. They are an anarchic organization, a reaction to the current system. This is why you also need to be anarchic. Since you were subjected to discrimination from your early childhood, you have committed all kinds of crimes in order to survive: theft, property damage, underage drinking, violent behaviour, carrying weapons... But there are two main reasons that have led you to hate the current government. First, you both lost your parents in a protest, due to the lack of the local police forces when Abubakar was 11 and Yahya was 16. After this, your grandparents started to take care of you. They didn’t let you go anywhere due to social pressure, but they weren’t nice towards you either. You started working on one of your grandfather’s farms. At night, you both entered underground fights to earn extra money. That is also where you learned fighting. Secondly, two years ago, the police busted the place that you were fighting, and both of you got a huge beating. They broke Yahya’s arm, and Abubakar’s leg. So, you hate the local security forces as well.” I finally stop, and look at Marcus, James, and Antonio this time while I take a sip from my water. “Well… Any questions or suggestions so far?”

10:09 AgentJamesMason: I listen carefully as Kyle described the backgrounds he had so carefully crafted for Sam and Alex, and the more I heard, the more my appreciation of Kyle’s skill grew. I was spellbound by the story he wove, the backgrounds he had crafted were compelling, believable, and well able to withstand scrutiny. I am certain Masterson had ensured that their story would check out. I smiled at Kyle, and spoke up, not to ask a question, not yet anyways, to give the man I so deeply loved full credit. “And to think, gentlemen, there was a time when Kyle believed he didn’t have anything to offer MI6. I think I speak for all of us when I say how impressed we are at your skills, Senior Investigator Byrne.” I wanted to let him know that my praise was not the praise of his lover, but the praise of his colleague. Kyle had earned his place in MI6, and I wanted him to know that. I spoke up again, “I do have one question, how are we going to introduce them to the Syndicate forces? I mean, I know the attack will create the confusion we need to slip them in, but will we pass them off as new recruits or will we pass them off as veterans separated from another group of mercenaries?”

11:11 Corporal_Sam_Mason: As I listened to Kyle explain the backgrounds of the men Alex and I were going to impersonate, my jaw dropped. FUCK ME. HOLY SHIT. Kyle was legit. I’d never used such a detailed and deep cover before in my infiltration work, but then I’d never tried to infiltrate the Syndicate before either. Mason’s man was seriously good. I listened as Mason asked a question I had on my mind, but I had one of my own… I raise my hand, speaking respectfully, “Excuse me sir, Mr. Byrne, my Arabic is passable, but it’s going to be mighty rough trying to speak like a native… Does our background give us a reason why we would stick to English?”

11:33 Alex_Braddock: As Sam asks his question, I smile and speak a sentence in fluent Arabic. When I see Sam look at me with amazement in his eyes, I smile a bit wider. “Allow me to translate: I’ll just tell them you’re my slow brother,” I say as I finish and wink at Sam. I turn my attention back to Agent Byrne then and give him an appreciative nod. “This is excellent. I’ll be sure to memorize any materials you prepare for us to ensure maximum credibility to our cover. I’ll work with my slow brother to get him caught up to speed,” I say with the smallest hint of a faint grin showing on my face. Truth was, just a few minutes ago, I had begun to wonder what was going on with Agent Byrne. There was definitely something under my question about Usov, which I’d do some discrete digging to find out about - I needed to know all the details if we were going in for a mission like this. But then, he pulls these detailed backgrounds for our covers out of his ass? No, this man had talent, that was for sure. “Thank you for this, Agent Byrne,” I said with a nod.

10:10 Dr_Marcus_Vanderbilt: Well damn…. That Devil Dog is a lot hotter when he’s polite. And speaking fluent Arabic? Where the hell did they dig this guy up? But that only worked better for Kyle’s backstory. I leaned back in my chair and assessed everything I could think of. Still, Sam had a point for himself - even if Alex could speak fluent Arabic, they really couldn’t go with just saying Sam was “slow.” No, they’d need to work on that. Well, specifically, Sam would need to work on it.

10:10 Dr_Marcus_Vanderbilt: “Sam, excellent question. Looks like First Sergeant Braddock has it covered for himself. Work with the details Agent Byrne has provided and resolve that for the mission. I might suggest working with First Sergeant Braddock if you need more help with that….or perhaps Agent Byrne will have some additional resources for you.” I see Sam’s eyes look wide and a bit uncertain at working with Braddock, but...well...he’ll have to figure out where to put all that sexual energy he’s aiming at Braddock with his dick anyway - best he figure it out now. And then Kyle…. “Agent Byrne, I agree with everyone - this is excellent work. You’ve outdone yourself,” I say with a warm smile as I look at the intelligent and accomplished young man in front of me. He really has come so far from when I first met him.

11:11 Antonio_Hernández: I can feel James Mason’s gaze on me after I praise Kyle. Well, he is a charmer indeed, that is for sure. But I completely ignore his gaze, and turn my focus on Kyle. As he starts explaining, I can't help but smile mischievously. My grin widens each time he speaks. That was… Incredible… Wow… In terms of intelligence, I can tell he has a rare gift indeed. But, that wasn't a surprise to me. Since the moment I met with Kyle, I knew he had great potential. Afterwards, everyone starts asking their own questions and expressing their ideas. That Alex Braddock guy seemed so cool all of a sudden when he spoke Arabic if I have to be honest. And both James and Sam hinted at very good points. I really can't wait to see how Kyle will handle their questions. I don't say anything, but I know from my facial expression, he can tell I am congratulating him.

11:21 Inspector_Kyle_Byrne: I listen to everyone’s words carefully. I give James a polite smile. Well, it feels good to feel his support, but I haven’t done anything to earn his respect. Yet, at least. My plan back in Minneapolis was a good one too, but the results left a lot to be desired. Then I look at Sam, Alex, Marcus, and Antonio respectively, and listen to their replies. They are all indeed amazing men. Dr. Vanderbilt is really a precious gift for us. I can't help but chuckle as Alex teases Sam with his knowledge of Arabic. "I am getting to that slowly, hang on, James. And as for your question Sam… I have already thought about it. But I think you won’t mind having some sessions with Alex regarding the Arabic language. Very pretty impressive Mr. Braddock." Then my tone turns more formal, and I continue to explain the plan. "After I learned from Ronald Craig that the base was in Egypt, I have been in contact with the Egyptian Government and GIS, the Security Intelligence of Egypt. Apparently the incident in Minneapolis made every nation pretty sensitive and cooperative regarding anything related to The Syndicate. So you and your family's identities are all real. You don't have to worry about that. After you joined the underground fight scene, you met with the "Division", one of the biggest criminal organizations in Northern Africa. It turns out that the fighting club you were going to was actually one of the common places of the Division hangouts. You started doing their dirty work for them, and it wasn’t only in Egypt. In fact, you haven’t spent too much time in Egypt for the past decade. You visited many places, the Middle East, South Africa, Southern Europe. And when you are in Egypt, you spend most of your time in the Division fighting clubs, which are full of people from different nations. So for the last 13 years, you have been using English more than Arabic. Though, in order to be sure, I have called Mr. Mahmod Maleek, an Egyptian translator. Until the big day, both of you are going to take some lessons in order to improve your accent. I’m sure you can handle it.”

11:21 Inspector_Kyle_Byrne: After answering Sam’s question, I turn to James, and start explaining the final part of this meeting. “In order to get help from Egypt, I helped them on a case involving the capture of 10 men who worked for the Division, 2 high ranking officers included. And now, they are going to assist us on our next mission. So the neighborhood that we are going to attack is in a place where the Division’s men hang out. From the Division Troops, we learned about their connection with the Syndicate which makes sense since Daniel Allen is going to Egypt personally. Those 10 men are going to be placed in two farms that are near the Syndicate base. The Egyptian Government will launch a sudden attack in this neighborhood in order to capture “those” men, but of course, they are also going to attack the Syndicate Base, “randomly.” Meanwhile, Sam and Alex will be also in their grandfather’s farms since they heard that local security forces are going to attack their “bosses.” But, unintentionally, they are actually going to help the Syndicate base after the local security forces start their strike.” I turn back to Alex and Sam. “In conflict, it’s never easy to assume what is going to happen. So use your imagination… You may save a Syndicate Trooper’s life… You may get hurt helping them… But one thing for sure. Those men are also men. They are human. They may seem heartless, but they are loyal to their own companions. If you manage to gain their trust, then it will be inevitable for them to embrace you. And don’t worry about your “Division” profiles either… With the help of those 2 high ranking officers that we have captured, your identities are also going to show your relation with the Division. So there isn’t any weak spot that Daniel Allen can find after performing a background check. Moreover, there isn’t a better candidate for The Syndicate than you…” I give everyone a smile, then look at Antonio and Marcus finally. “Now… If you have any final questions or suggestions about this final part of the plan, please share it with us… Afterwards, I need to have a private word with Antonio…”

11:11 Corporal_Sam_Mason: I turn to look at Alex, my face turning red as he one-ups me, speaking in near flawless Arabic. Does the fucking bearded Yank have to gloat so obviously? I suddenly feel like the village idiot. But I’m professional enough to accept help when it’s offered, even if it is from that smug, hot-as-fuck, American bastard. I don’t want him to think of me as some kind of wet behind the ears recruit. But Sam… that’s just your dick talking. You are trying to win his affections or any kind of shit. He’s your fucking comrade. He’s gonna watch your back, and you are gonna watch his… Now grow a pair and start acting like an adult. I know my reaction is fucking childish, but I mean, for fuck’s sake, I fought in Afghanistan, and I did damn well. It’s why I was chosen. But I know my duty, so I swallow my pride, and speak up, “Thanks Alex, thanks Kyle, I appreciate the offer.”

10:09 AgentJamesMason: I listen with amusement as Alex and Kyle put Sam in his place. My younger brother can sometimes get a bit too full of himself, but I somehow don’t think he’ll have to worry about that around that Yank. Kyle’s response is detailed, and appears to have covered every possible angle. I nod slowly, speaking up “I think you have covered everything Kyle. I’m satisfied.”

10:10 Dr_Marcus_Vanderbilt: I had one last question for Kyle on his plan. And it was going to be a tough one, but it needed asking. “Kyle, I think it’s clear that everyone is on board with your plan. It’s also clear we think it’s a good plan. Here’s my last question for you. Do you think it’s a good plan? And is it our best plan to do what needs to be done and bring some justice for those who lost their lives?” It was the question that needed to be asked. I had faith that Kyle believed he had a solid plan. But would he own up to the fact that his plan was the best? And would he take the opportunity to sew some hope among us all where it was so desperately needed? My question here was a gamble, and it put more of the onus of MI6’s future success in Kyle’s hands at the moment. And in the next moment like this, I might put some of that onus on James. It was something Commander Craig and I talked a lot about - letting others own the successes and failures of MI6 in a more human way. And if he had asked me to take this position, I couldn’t help but believe he felt I was on to something. That or the bastard just wanted to see me go mad at trying to do half the work he did with twice the effort. I miss you already, Ronald....

11:33 Alex_Braddock: Well shit…. I think I overdid it. Everyone else was getting a laugh at Sam’s expense, which was nothing he’d be worse for wear about, but…. He and I were about to go into a life-or-death mission together - the last thing I needed was to shoot his morale with me all to shit. Plus...if he did save my life the other day…. Dammit, Braddock, can it. You can figure that out later with him when you give him some Arabic lessons.

11:21 Inspector_Kyle_Byrne: I nod at Sam and James as they say they don’t have anything further to ask. But Director Vanderbilt asks me another hard question. Do I think my plan is good enough? After everything that happened, I am not sure. This was the best I could do, but I don’t trust my own judgement after my plan back in Minneapolis. I came up with this plan, because I owe this to James, Jack, and Jeff. All of them risked their lives for a local nobody like me, and I need to try to make up for some of the mistakes I caused. But it’s obvious that I am out of my league actually. Ivan showed me that in Des Moines, and Derek proved that in Toronto. But I also knew the hidden message that Marcus was craving. He wanted hope. He wanted to see a spark. There is no reason I can’t give him that, because they all deserve it. I give Director Vanderbilt an encouraging smile, and reply with the lie in my mind “Considering the current situation, I actually believe this is the best we can do, Director Vanderbilt. There are always two sides in a war, and they made their move. Now it’s our turn to make a move, and ours is stronger than theirs…” Yeah Kyle… Lies and more lies… What are you going to say if you fail this time? Can you look at their faces if something disturbs the plan? My heart starts getting heavy again, and I force myself to look at Antonio. All of a sudden, I just want to get out of this room. I don’t want James to see me confused or weak. I already hurt him a lot, and I don’t want to be a burden for him any longer, especially when he is in a sensitive position like this. “Follow me Antonio, please… We can talk in the corridor…”

11:11 Antonio_Hernández: And the last part of Kyle’s plan seems well-thought out as well. This is actually going to work. I’m sure they will succeed this time. Then the new director asks a question of Kyle, and he replies in an optimistic tone. Yeah, this plan is truly amazing. But I know Kyle is not very comfortable at the moment. Especially regarding Ivan and Derek's parts, I can tell he is confused. And now that I think about it, his request regarding Derek was weird. For a very intelligent man like himself, it’s a bit weird for Kyle to make such a request. Moreover, he didn’t mention he was going to capture Derek Steel. Very interesting… But now, I am here. He doesn’t have to feel alone. I nod at him, then greet everyone in the room with a nod. “Gentlemen…” I meet with Fernando’s gaze before I leave the room. He seems pretty excited about the plan. But now… More to hear, in private apparently. I wonder if at least James Mason knows this. I follow Kyle to the end of the corridor, and smile at him. “That was amazing, Senior Investigator Byrne… But now… You owe me an explanation…”

10:09 AgentJamesMason: I look sharply at Mark, as he asks Kyle a very interesting question. He is a sly old fox, Mark is. Craig made the right choice when he chose Mark. Mark is slipping into his leadership role with a grace and ease that I find astonishing, and absolutely invigorating. Mark knows how to lead men. I watched Kyle as he understood what was really being asked of him, and gave an answer that the men wanted to hear, but Kyle’s body language told me clearly that he was struggling. He ended the meeting, then just as I was about to stand up and go to him, to comfort him, he turned and left, summoning Antonio. That shocked me, that behaviour was so unlike him. I knew he was struggling, I knew he didn’t mean it personally. I am a bit hurt by his abrupt behaviour, but I don’t take it personally. With a sigh, I start to lever myself up out of my chair, the pain knifing through my healing ribs making me sweat and causing me to grit my teeth.

11:11 Corporal_Sam_Mason: I watch Kyle as he answer’s Mark’s question. I nod, of course it’s going to succeed. It was a damn fine plan, and we had a top-notch team to make it work. I grin suddenly, feeling a sudden surge of enthusiasm for this mission. This was gonna be hot shit… Me and Alex… I stand up easily, then turn to check out Alex, but catch sight of James as he struggles to get to his feet. Fuck James. Don’t be such a stubborn bastard. I’m there at his side in an instant, helping him, steadying him, grinning at him, “C’mon James, let’s go get some grub. I bet the food here is just as good as it was at the last office…” I turn, and help my brother out of the conference room.

11:33 Alex_Braddock: Well, I’ll give the agent guy credit - he can put on a good show. I would have bought it myself if he hadn’t wanted to get out of the room like it was a snake’s den all of a sudden. I wonder why the new director would ask Kyle such a question now, after everything that’s happened? Just let us do our job, man. Give us the orders and we’ll go get it done. But all those thoughts get pushed aside as I see the Corporal get up to help his brother. Damn…. Won’t be able to catch him after the meeting now. Just as well. Might be like salt in the wound to talk about it now. And then I gave the Director Vanderbilt a nod and excused myself after he politely returned it. Fuck…. Was this gonna work? How the hell were they gonna make it work? Agent Byrne’s plan was good, but…. We needed resources, too. Time to check in with my CO and see if we can offer some support, even if with supplies for the mission. Fuck…. We sure as fuck needed all the help we could get to pull this plan off, no matter if it was a good one.

10:10 Dr_Marcus_Vanderbilt: And soon the room was clearing out, leaving me alone to think about everything. Me… The Director…. And then everything else…. James still in rough shape; Sam clearly swooning over Alex but swooping in to help his brother with no hesitation; Alex giving me that look like I’m crazy; Kyle wanting to believe the words he said but finding it hard to truly believe them; this new merc Hernández being a lot closer than maybe any of us realize...too close for my comfort, not if I couldn’t understand what was going on there; all the dead people that we still had to identify and notify their families; rebuilding the MI6 facilities and infrastructure…. I could go on with all the things I had on my mind that I just knew about…. And how much more was waiting for me when I got a debriefing as the new director? I heard my own heavy sigh as I turned and looked out the window over the city. It wasn’t long till I was walking over to the window and smiling as I played with my wedding band on my finger. “I know. Shut up,” I said with a smile as I could almost hear Darrin’s voice in the room, chiding me for getting in over my head like he always said I did. I was in over my head...if I tried to take this on alone. “I know,” I said again as I smiled and felt tears in my eyes as I heard Darrin’s phantom voice again. I could hear him telling me I needed everyone’s help...and they needed mine, too. It was true. It was all true. But they needed hope. Kyle. James. Sam. Alex. Fuck, even Hernández and his team could benefit from some hope.

10:10 Dr_Marcus_Vanderbilt: Alright…. I’ll raise the hope. And I’ll raise some hell through my men...no...through my brothers. I will give my brothers the hope and strength to give those bastards what they deserved. “I swear it, Darrin….”

11:21 Inspector_Kyle_Byrne: Of course, I owe an explanation to Antonio. He is right. I feel bad for leaving the room all of a sudden as well, but I don’t want any comfort or consolation. I need to be James' strength now. He was my strength before, and now it’s my turn. “I know… I know… So… About Derek, I actually am not sure if he will be there. But like I mentioned, he and Daniel are pretty close. So I think he will be there as well. I am also aware that it made you suspicious when I said I don’t want Derek to be handed to the security forces, but I have a reason for that too. Derek is a very important figure for the Syndicate. Once it is announced that he is captured, The Syndicate will find him, one way or another. But if you manage to restrain him in a more “silent” place, then we are going to decrease the chances of him being found. I think it sounds alright, doesn't it?” I have thought a lot about this as I was thinking up an excuse, and this one seemed like a good one if I have to be honest.

11:11 Antonio_Hernández: My eyes narrow as Kyle starts explaining his request, and mentioning his excuse. If I have to be honest, I would say it is a very good argument. Moreover, considering the events back in Minneapolis, I would have said it is a logical move, especially from Kyle’s perspective. But I also knew that wasn’t the main reason behind his request. I know him pretty well. I take a deep breath before I start. “Firstly Kyle, both of us know that this is not the main reason behind your plan. If it was, you would have said so yesterday to me on the phone. Secondly, I didn’t mean “the plan” when I was referring to the explanation.” I take a closer step towards Kyle, and lock my gaze on him. “What is the deal between you, Ivan, and Derek?”

11:21 Inspector_Kyle_Byrne: Nope, Antonio knows me pretty well. He is one of the few people I can’t trick with my words. I stare into his face as he comes closer. God… Not now… I can’t… This would distract me. I sigh deeply, and continue to look at Antonio's eyes emotionless. Nope… Until I find that mercenary, nobody will make me open up. And I do not fucking care what is the price of shutting down. It’s a risk I am willing to take for James’ well-being. “Antonio… No… I don’t want to talk about it. I am going to explain everything to you in detail later. Right now, I want you to capture Derek Steel, that’s all… Nothing more, I swear… And, don’t worry, I will find another way to get you out of that situation after you capture Derek.”

11:11 Antonio_Hernández: Kyle doesn’t shudder as I continue to pierce him with my gaze. Wow… He is really closing himself to everyone. I know something was wrong. And he keeps avoiding my questions. He also adds he “just” wants this, nothing more. ”Kyle… I am completely ignoring the fact that what you are suggesting can make you lose your job … Moreover, do you really think I would leave you alone in this fight? But I can’t help you fully if you don’t open yourself up to me. Like… You just want to kidnap Derek, and that’s all? Don’t you want to interrogate him or some shit?”

11:21 Inspector_Kyle_Byrne: I finally break eye contact as Antonio replies back to me back. Geez… This is harder than I thought. Urgh… What did I expect? Antonio has always been like that, ever since we met, kind of a protective older brother. I start rubbing my temples with my right hand, then grunt as Antonio stops talking. “The main point is to restrain Derek, so that he can’t support the plan. And in order to get some information out of him, you need to torture him. And, that would also not be a part of our plan, not at the moment.” Fuck… I just screwed up. You see Kyle? You can’t always make up lies. Especially towards people like Antonio…

11:11 Antonio_Hernández: My jaw drops as Kyle continues to talk. WHAT THE FUCK? He wants me to capture Derek, and then do nothing? Literally? He doesn’t want to get any information from Derek just because it would hurt Derek? I tilt my head to the side, and I reply in an angry tone. This is all because of the events in Des Moines, isn’t it? “ Did you just hear what you said? You don’t want to torture Derek? Kyle…What the fuck? He is one of the most dangerous guys in the world, and he has TONS OF valuable information for all of the security agencies in the world. And you want me to capture him, not hand him over to anyone, and not torture him to get any information? What the hell is wrong with you? You are not making any sense, and you are just throwing every single opportunity away. This doesn’t sound like you at all.” But I suddenly feel so bad for saying that last sentence. Urgh Antonio, that is why you don’t have many friends. Isn’t it obvious what Kyle is experiencing?

11:21 Inspector_Kyle_Byrne: Now I’ve done it… I made Antonio angry, and it’s usually not something you want to do. He generally manages to hurt you back, and he did it this time. I know it’s not something personal, in fact, he acts like that because he cares. But unwillingly, he made me remember that I will never be the same Kyle. I don’t reply quickly. My gaze softens. And again, Ivan’s voice: I’m afraid you have failed another one of your loved ones, Kyle. I’m so sad to tell you this, but when one of the crime families in Minneapolis learned about your efforts to disrupt the spread of B, they were very angry.” I hold Antonio’s arm gently, and start rubbing it. My voice gets softer. “You wanted to learn what happened? Alright… Just one thing I have experienced… You remember Xavier, right Antonio? The tough cop in our department. He was an amazing person… But… Ivan forced me to kill him. I didn’t have a choice. I tried my best to save him, but Ivan showed me my best will never be enough to save my friends. And then, he forced me to watch how I killed him until morning. And… I don't want the same thing to happen to my other friends. Xavier died because I attracted Ivan’s wrath by provoking him during his interrogation. If I would have been more cautious, he would have killed us directly, and everything would be much simpler for everyone.” After my speech, I looked into Antonio’s eyes. Now it’s my turn to pierce him with my gaze. “I don’t want you to torture Derek because I don’t want you to attract the same wrath, Antonio. I can’t lose another friend because of my mistakes. It can be even better if you don’t reveal your face as well. I don’t want you to be dragged into the same situation that ended Xavier’s life.”

11:11 Antonio_Hernández: Yeah, I knew it. And I made Kyle upset. Fuck me. I really fucking hate my temper sometimes. I am not usually like that, but when it comes to my loved ones… Then I started listening to just one thing Kyle has endured, and my eyes widened in amazement. These guys are literal monsters, aren’t they? Suddenly, I just want to hug Kyle. But I was right about getting angrier back in Madrid then. This is a serious issue, and all of those Ivan, Derek, and Daniel lads will pay. They think they can destroy every single fucking life they want? I am going to show them what it means to destroy a life. “I… I get it Kyle… And I am sorry… I didn’t mean to bring up the issue like that…” Then suddenly, my eyes flash mischievously. I know what to do. I really do. “I will do it Kyle… I promise… And I won’t hand Derek over to the authorities. At least, not directly. Deal?”

11:21 Inspector_Kyle_Byrne: I manage to calm down Antonio a bit apparently. But my own sorrow was triggered. Xavier… I wish you were here. I wish I could have hugged you one more time. But no… I won’t make the same mistake. I won’t lose Antonio in the same way. He is going to do my request very cautiously, and I will take care of the other things. My smile widens as Antonio says he is going to do my request, mentioning that he will give me additional time to think about what I will do later on. I grin, and suddenly, pull him into a hug. God… I missed him… He is definitely one of the best saviors you can look for. “Thank you Antonio… It means a lot…” Then I take a step back, and rub my neck. “I need to check up on James, but I will find you later again, and we are going to determine the final points, alright?”

11:11 Antonio_Hernández: As if he read my mind, Kyle pulls me into his embrace, and god… I fucking missed him so much. I really can see why James loved him so much. He is such a charmer. God… I love him… I have never said this to him. But I truly love this man. But I also respect the bond between him and James. They are probably destined for each other. Kyle proves me right as he says he wants to check up on James. And maybe one day, I would find another guy that can love me that strong. But until then, I guess Kyle will keep my heart unintentionally. I nod to him, and smile. “Go, check him… I am sure he wants to talk with you as well.” Of course I will help Kyle during this hard time… But he doesn’t tell me everything, and neither do I. I will do this using my own methods. I watch Kyle as he disappears at the very end of the long corridor. Then call Fernando. “Misión finalizada, señores. Voy contigo.”

Published: 2021-07-19, viewed 33 times.