Agent X

xx| 𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚛𝚝𝚢-𝙵𝚘𝚞𝚛 |xx

The thinning moonlight illuminated the paper drawing WAOIC headquarters. Dari had drawn a detailed version of the x-ray for easy reference. I stared down at it, memorizing every last detail.

It was now or never. It was July eighth, the day of the rescue. And it was my job to ensure that everything went according to plan, or at a bare minimum, according to a back-up plan.

The diagram shook in my hand. I set it down on my lap and laced my fingers together. It's okay, Xara. Just breathe.

My eyes fell on an 'x' inked in black. X marks on the spot. That's where we have to land to rescue Agent X.

I played the scene over and over in my mind. I once heard that there is a mind-muscle connection, where if you practiced an action enough in your mind, you could actually perform it just as well as someone who has physically practiced it. That's what I was doing. I was practicing—drilling the hole in the roof of WAOIC headquarters, looking all around for enemies, dropping into the WAOIC prison, cutting the metal bars where Xara's prison cell was kept.

What if there aren't metal bars? What if the material is far more durable? Or what if there are a legion of guards waiting for us?

What if she's already dead?

That was Agent X thinking for me. She would have thought of all of the things that would have gone wrong in the plan. The only difference was that Xara would have come up with a back-up plan for all of those situations.

Me? I just sat there, pressed against the door of a car, on the verge of a mental breakdown.

I can't do this, especially not on my own. What if the double agent doesn't do his or her job right? What if the mission is a failure? It would all be my fault. I'm The Lead. I'm supposed to figure who the enemy is.

"Nervous?" a voice whispered.

So I wasn't up all by myself. I turned to face Ty.

"No," I said. I glanced at my watch. Five thirty-seven glowed up at me.

"It's not even six yet," I said. "You should go back to sleep."

"And how much sleep have you gotten?"

I wasn't sure. I probably dozed for a number of hours. I'd made us all go to bed early the night before. But I wasn't sleepy right now, so there was no point in forcing myself to sleep. Besides, Finn had brought back plenty of coffee when he got the helicopter.

"I got enough," I replied.

Ty shook his head. "Something's wrong. I've been sensing it during this whole mission. The Director said something to you that's set you on edge. What did he tell you?" His voice was soothing but insistent. I knew he wasn't going to stop pestering me about this until I gave in and told him.

There was something about him that just made him seem honest. He had this way of saying just the right thing, using the right tone, looking a certain way.

I could feel myself cracking from the pressure of the mission. It would be all too easy to spill the whole story to him. Surely I could trust him. I mean, why would he confess his love for the Xara, or care about how much pressure I was under? I just wanted to tell him the truth.

No, I corrected silently. I just want to know the truth. No matter much he prodded, I would not tell him, or anyone else, about the double agent. They would know in due time.

Ty is an actor. He knows how to put on a facade. He knows how to look perfect. He knows how to trick people.

"I'm fine," I insisted. The amount of confidence in my voice was remarkable considering my predicament.