"Kit! Kit, listen to me!" I plead. "If you tell the Captain, you will put myself and Tanner on probation."
Kit shrugs, "Evangeline, need I remind you of the rules? You had sex with Tanner and now you are willing to lie about it..." He hesitates, "You would do the same for me."
The SASA rules are simple:
1. Never get caught.
2. Never reveal SASA.
3. Never engage in sexual relations with a fellow agent.
I stare desperately at the busy crowd in front of us, agents, hackers, and inventors alike, all shuffling to their next task. "What now?" I mumble.
"Babe, go see the Captain and tell him yourself, or I will." Kit wraps me up into his chest. "I'm sorry."
I flinch at his touch. Has Tanner already told the Captain? Regardless we had both agreed to lie. Fucking Kit...
I nod, walking as quickly as possible to the Captain's office.
Amidst all of the bustling people at work around me, someone squeezes my elbow, yanking my hand away from the sea of bodies.
"Eve." A deep voice whispers with relief.
I look up to find a pair of frosty green eyes and dark hair. My heart does a quadruple backflip and the gently crawling caterpillars in my stomach turn into violently flapping butterflies. "Tanner."
"We need to talk," We both say in unison.
I laugh, snorting. "Sorry," I crinkle my nose. I look away quickly widening my eyes. Fuck me.
Tanner grabs my hand and leads me down several hallways until we are left standing alone in the darkness, a single light flickering above head. I can't help the surge of emotions that hit once I see him, nonetheless, the uncontrollable heat delivered at his touch. What's wrong with me?!
"Listen to me very closely, Evangeline." Tanner's eyes narrow as he picks up both of my hands. "We need to stop this... whatever this is. We obviously do not-"
"He knows." I sputter.
"Who did you tell?" Tanner drops my hands and his gaze intensifies.
My cheeks grow hot as I study the light stubble on his jaw. His jaw clenches.
"Who the fuck did you tell? Was it Kit?" Tanner's eyes flash and he begins to pop each knuckle on his left hand.
"Yes."
"What about the Captain?" Tanner runs a nervous hand through his long, dark hair.
"Tanner, I'm sorry. I just need-"
"Evangeline Johnson, agent number 001, report to 000." The speaker system above insists.
Tanner glares at me as I flush.
"I'm going to fix this." I assure, shutting my eyes to keep my desperate tears from spilling.
Tanner reaches a delicate hand under my jaw, tilting my head so that his lips are moments from mine. "You can't fix this."
"I'm sorry," I whisper.
*
000, Or the Captain, has a very desolate office. Black walls meet Black tile which support a black, large desk and a black, large chair. Massive screens line three of the four black walls. Certain silver accents such as the Captain's filing cabinet, computer, and lone pen add a special touch to the dark room.
"It's been a year." The Captain remarks, his icy blue eyes narrowing. "I haven't seen my only daughter in an entire year."
I widen my eyes as if it's some sort of surprise. "I've missed it here, sir."
"Have you, Evangeline?" The Captain furrows his brow tapping his fingers atop his cold, metal desk.
I watch each finger fall. Goosebumps accumulate on my thighs and forearms. "Yes, I have."
My father raises a brow. "I mean, I'm surprised, I really am..." He trails off.
Captain Johnson has always played these games with me. He never tells me how he's feeling, what he's thinking. I must always play twenty questions.
"Why is that?" I question cooly, crossing my legs.
"I don't know. 'Just surprised you'd rather be here than fucking Tanner, is all."
I choke on my tongue. "I was going to tell you, it's just I was distracted in the hallway and I was coming to find you! I was! It's all a big misunderstanding, you see, I-"
The Captain raises a hand.
I swallow loudly. My face burns, my eyes burn, my entire body is burning with the sudden rush of blood to the surface of my skin. "I was going to tell you."
"You see darling, the problem with that sentence is going. You were going to tell me, meaning you did not tell me. I'm actually quite surprised that you couldn't lie about it, secret agents are supposed to be good at those sorts of things." He gives a half smile, drumming his fingers.
I study his face. We share a nose and a set of blue eyes. The Captain is clean shaven. He sports a silver tie on a black jacket paired with black pants and a small, wired set of glasses sit undisturbed on the tip of his nose. A short, thick scar follows his jaw down part of his neck. He has told me its story many times. I would crawl up into his lap sometimes and beg him to tell me its story when I was younger. I loved the thought of my father being a hero.
It was mid July and my father and his older brother, Russell had just been deployed overseas. They were sleeping in the same tent when a huge conflagration threatened the entire site. Everyone began batting at the fire, throwing blankets over it to deplete its oxygen source, however it grew larger. My father put it out by finding a fire extinguisher stashed in the first aid tent and organizing crews to handle certain sections of the fire. Things were calmed as soldiers were helped. But how had the fire started? All of the fires the soldiers had been using had been put out before bed. It was a diversion. Bullets began to litter the site and the enemy had infiltrated camp. Where was Russell? My father wondered. Russell had helped with putting out the fire, but he was no where in sight. As soldiers began to take cover, grenades were thrown into tents. Russell sat curled under his bed bleeding from both legs when the grenade hit. My father ran in and dragged Russell out as the grenade exploded. Shots continued to fire but my father remained strong. He pulled Russell and one other soldier to safety after being shot in the jaw twice. A miracle, the doctors called it. No permanent brain damage had been done and my father saved his older brother.
I don't blame my father for my mistakes, he is always right. I should've come in as quickly as possible to confess my wrongdoings. I shouldn't have talked to Tanner before coming to see my father. I shouldn't have had sex with Tanner. I shouldn't have sought comfort in Tanner.
"I'm so sorry, sir," I say slowly, eyes cast downward.
Captain Johnson nods slowly.
"Tanner really has nothing to do with this, I don't want him punished for something in which I initiated," I confess, gripping the sides of my chair.
"Are you in love with him?" My father's glare lessens and he leans forward on his elbows.
I inhale slowly, studying my father's genuinely concerned expression. "Yes."
The Captain laughs, shaking his head. "Wow!" He exclaims.
I nod, smiling slightly. I'm in love with Tanner Rinaldi.
His grin fades. "Good thing you are replaceable."
"What?" I cough. I felt like we were getting somewhere, reaching an understanding. What's wrong with me?
"You just don't get it, do you? You fuck around with a boy, fall in love? I guarantee he does not love you, Evangeline. I wish it could've been one of the other agents, I really do. You had so much potential." The Captain shakes his head, combing his fingers through his hair. "You're out."
"I'm your daughter."
"From now on, that's the only thing you are to me. You can't change blood." Captain Johnson smiles a sad smile as he picks up his telephone. "000 requesting men."
"This isn't probation!" I yell, "I'm supposed to be on probation!"
My father shrugs.
The thick doors behind me open in sync, two men, guns in hand, slide their hands down my body. They collect my ID, my badge, and my briefcase, stabbing me just above the hip with a sharp point. Everything happens slowly.
I watch as my father smiles. I watch as he digs through my case. I watch as he snaps my ID.
I'm in the hallway now. Rough hands pull me over the white tiled floors. I watch as fellow agents stare. I'm crying now. I sob when I see Kit. He reaches for me. I sob as I pass Barb. Barb sobs too. I cry and cry. Where's Tanner? I love Tanner. My brain slows and my body numbs. The lights turn off.
Tanner was right, I can't fix this.
