Basil Carnaby couldn't have picked a hotter and more humid week to emerge in Mumbai, but at least he did show up on the ICA's radar after months of hiding. Old habits die hard, and for this man, it'd be his downfall.
Out of sheer luck, the ICA managed to organise 47 a flat in the same chawl Carnaby seemed to frequent.
This could be an in-and-out operation, if 47's lucky streak continued. He'd been patiently waiting in the surrounding streets, keeping himself occupied and blending in with more tea than he'd normally drink in a week; much to Diana's enjoyment.
Her centre of operations was set up in a nearby hotel, where she sat in an air-conditioned room and told 47 which flavour to pick when he was approaching the next tea stand on his route around the chawl. If she was disappointed that the quick and easy mission turned out to be hours of lying in wait, she didn't let it show. Perhaps she appreciated the casual holiday feeling of a day that didn't feel wasted after all.
It was the early afternoon when Carnaby finally made an entrance to what he chose to be his stage; a grandiose performance to scam the gullible audience out of their money, one by one.
Both 47 and Diana wanted to bring an end to this sooner rather than later, but they agreed that it was safer to observe first, which turned out to be the right decision. Carnaby led his hypnotised victims to some kind of storage room in the chawl, and of course he had security detail in place.
47 spent the entire afternoon picking off the guards one by one whenever Carnaby was in the streets and away from his storage room; careful not to raise any suspicion or to leave evidence behind. They'd wake up with a splitting headache when everything was over, none the wiser and not a threat to 47.
The plan had been to be chosen as Carnaby's next victim, and that plan had failed when an overly enthusiastic young man practically begged to be hypnotised. He got his wish, and while the volunteering victim stepped out of the crowd, Carnaby announced that this would be the penultimate performance for the day.
Just as 47 was about to ask to be the last one after him, just to make sure that no-one else intervened with the plan, Carnaby added that he was looking for a woman to be hypnotised at the end of the show.
"I'm on my way, 47."
Having a handler in the field was never a good idea, but her volunteering to interact with a target that hinted at shady intentions was a security nightmare. In the middle of this crowd, 47 wasn't in a situation where he could protest or voice his concerns. Diana arrived shortly before Carnaby's return to the street, and 47 tried his best not to look at her.
He didn't want to be seen following them upstairs, so he slowly made his way up to the storage room, lingering in the open stairwell just in case Carnaby decided to lead Diana to his flat instead. This was the right decision. Both Carnaby and Diana didn't pay him any attention as he followed them into Carnaby's bedroom, and neither of them reacted when the fibre wire tightened around his target's neck.
Diana snapped out of the trance she must've been in, and helped him with the body; luckily there was enough space in the wardrobe, and enough clothes to cover him completely. It should take a few days for him to be found, even in the sweltering heat.
"Diana... you need to leave."
"As should you," she said. "It's not safe to be close when they find the body."
"Consider me on my way to the airport," he said with a smile in his voice.
"I'd rather consider you on your way to my hotel room." Diana took his hand and turned for the door. "Don't look at me like this. I need to debrief you, and it's too late to get a flight out of this country."
He nodded and allowed her to lead him to his own bedroom, where he packed his things and ignored the intense look in Diana's eyes. It was just the remainder of the hypnosis, not real affection.
They shared an adorable tuk-tuk taxi to her hotel. Diana was leaning into him for the ride, and it was hard not to get lost in the fantasy of them being a couple on a holiday. Her affection was just for show to keep up the facade, and fuelled by the fire Carnaby had intended to set.
It'd be easier to spend time alone with her once it wore off. Until then, he'd had to keep telling himself not to get his hopes up. 47 couldn't decide if he wanted to curse the target for poisoning the first evening he got to spend with Diana alone since he'd joined the ICA, or if he wanted to thank him for at least giving him a glimpse at what it could feel like to be desired. He wouldn't act on it, of course.
Diana's hotel room was much nicer, and the air conditioning was a blessing. The heat of the streets kept lingering, however. Perhaps it was the way she looked at him, perhaps it was her sheer proximity.
Before the situation had a chance to turn uncomfortable, Diana offered him to use her shower while she ordered dinner. He gladly accepted, not only to wash off the sweat of a summer day in Mumbai, but also to extinguish the desire he knew he shouldn't have for her.
The dining table was covered in folders and hardware, but she had a small couch and a coffee table that were just good enough for their dinner. They ate in silence, food that was both too spicy for him yet just spicy enough to give him a reason to focus on the pain instead of on her hand on his knee.
After dinner, Diana excused herself to freshen up, and 47 used the time to discard the empty food containers and prepare the couch for the night.
"You don't have to sleep on the couch, you know." Diana was standing right behind him, way too close, not close enough. Her arms slung around his waist, and he turned around without escaping from the first hug he'd ever received in his life.
"We shouldn't do this," he said weakly. No, he had to stay strong. He couldn't take advantage of her.
"I know," she whispered into the crook of his neck, followed by slow kisses along his jawline until her lips met his for a brief kiss he didn't return. "But who should stop us now?"
"You will regret this when the hypnosis wears off..."
Diana laughed and took a step back. "Hypnosis? Don't tell me you believe in this charade!" Her amused expression turned sombre when she saw the look in his eyes, and she slung her arms around his waist again. "Will you kiss me now?" she whispered against his lips.
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