The Spy

Chapter 4

"I know you're not a journalist," Victor said, leaning in closer. "You're a thief, just like me."

John's first instinct was to deny it, to try and keep up his facade. But something in Victor's eyes made him pause. Maybe it was the way he seemed to see right through John, or the glint of admiration in his gaze.

He took a deep breath, feeling the weight of Victor possibly finding out the truth about his true identity lift from his shoulders , but Victor took the action as a sign of him being correct about his accusation, a sly grin fell on his lips

Victor led John to his small apartment in the heart of the city. The space was cramped and cluttered with piles of books and paintings stacked up against the walls. Victor gestured towards a small sofa in the corner of the room and motioned for John to sit down.

As they settled in, Victor began to lay out the plan for stealing the Mona Lisa. John listened intently, taking in every detail that Victor shared. As the plan began to take shape, John couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. The more he learned about Victor and his life, the more he realized how different their motivations were.

"You live here with your wife?" John asked, gesturing towards the cluttered space.

Victor nodded. "She thinks I'm a collector of art. She doesn't know about my other activities."

John frowned. "Is it worth risking your relationship with her for a painting?"

Victor shrugged. "You wouldn't understand. The rush of a successful heist, the thrill of getting away with something so valuable - it's addictive."

John shook his head. "I understand more than you think. But I'm not in this for the same reasons as you. I'm not a thief, Victor."

Victor looked surprised. "What are you then?"

"I'm a spy. I'm here to stop the theft, not help it happen," John replied firmly.

Victor's expression hardened. "You're playing me."

"I'm not playing you. I'm telling you the truth. And if you go through with this plan, you'll be caught. The authorities will be waiting for you," John said, his tone serious.

Victor considered this for a moment before standing up. "I need to think about this. You can stay here for the night if you need to."

John nodded, grateful for the offer. As Victor disappeared into the next room, John sat back on the sofa, lost in thought. He couldn't help but wonder what would happen next and how he could stop the theft without ruining Victor's life in the process.

^^^
John woke up to find himself locked in a room. He tried to open the door, but it was locked from the outside. He realized that Victor had betrayed him. He had fallen asleep after drinking with Victor and had not noticed him locking the door.

John quickly assessed his surroundings. The room was sparsely furnished, with only a bed and a dresser. He looked around for any spy equipment he might have brought with him. Luckily, he had hidden a tiny communication device in his watch. He pressed a button and waited for a response.

"John, what's going on?" Agent Carter's voice came through the device.

"Victor Manzini has locked me in a room. He knows about the Mona Lisa," John whispered into the device.

"Where are you?"

"I don't know, but it's a small room with a bed and a dresser."

"Can you see any windows or doors?"

"No, just the one that's locked."

"Okay, I'm sending the team to your location. Try to stay calm and wait for them to arrive."

John tried to relax, but his mind was racing. He couldn't believe he had let his guard down and fallen into Victor's trap. He knew he had to come up with a plan to get out of the room before Victor returned.

He searched the dresser and found a pair of scissors. He started to work on the lock, but it was too difficult to pick. He then noticed a small air vent near the ceiling. He stood on the bed and tried to remove the cover. After a few minutes, he was able to take it off.

He squeezed through the small opening and crawled through the air duct. It was dark and cramped, but he pushed on. Finally, he saw a silver of light and crawled towards it. He emerged from the vent and found himself in a hallway.

He could hear voices coming from a nearby room. He crept closer and listened. It was Victor and his wife. They were talking about the plan to steal the Mona Lisa.

John realized that he needed to act fast. He pressed the button once again and the test feature came on, he quickly texted Agent Carter.

"I'm out. Victor is planning to steal the Mona Lisa. He's with his wife in a nearby room."

He waited for a response, but there was none. He knew that he was on his own. He took a deep breath and kicked the door open.

Victor and his wife were startled. They tried to reach for their weapons, but John was quicker. He disarmed them both and held them at gunpoint. He saw some handcuffs on the table and grabbed them.

"Where's the painting?" John demanded.

"It's in a warehouse on the outskirts of the city," Victor's wife said.

John handcuffed them knowing that the team would get there soon . The mission was clearly not over yet, but he had taken a major step which was better than nothing.