Mystery ~ MV1

014. A Target Painted

[Agent A]

The ventilation shaft was a tight squeeze, the metal was cold under my palms as I pulled the rest of my body up into the vent. Luke's hands steadied me at my calves as I maneuvered myself up through the metal passageway before pulling himself up, our movements calculated and silent.

The hallway was empty and the camera pointed elsewhere as the metal grate finally closed us inside of the vent.

The air was thick with dust and the faint electrical hum of the building's systems. I had to rub my nose a few times to relieve the itch that was building up because of the dust.

"You're getting too close to him," Luke whispered as soon as we settled into position above the conference room, his voice a low, tense rumble.

I didn't need to ask who he meant, so I kept my gaze on the empty room only obstructed by the lines of the vent slats. "Not now, Luke."

"Oh, I think now is exactly the time." His tone was light, but I heard the underlying tension. "He knows your name, your real name, Syd"

I shifted slightly, avoiding direct eye contact. "It's not a big deal."

Luke's laugh was sharp, quiet, and humorless. "Not a big deal? You know the rules. No attachments. No slip-ups."

"I'm not attached," I hissed back, repositioning to get a better view through the narrow vent slats. "I'm maintaining a cover."

Luke's laugh was sharp and humorless. "Right. That's what we're calling it now? It's not going to end well and we both know it."

I chose silence as my response, scanning the room below.

But something was off.

The meeting should have started ten minutes ago, but the room remained empty save for two of Vega's bodyguards.

Luke checked his watch again, his anxiety palpable in the stiff silence. "This is going nowhere," he muttered, more to himself than to me. I noticed the slight tremor in his hand – unusual for someone as typically composed as Luke.

Suddenly, the door opened.

And there he was. The first time I actually saw him since Paris.

Vega walked in, his expensive suit a stark contrast to the tension radiating from his body. He spoke rapid-fire to his bodyguards, something about an upcoming gala. My mind immediately began cataloging details – venue, potential security risks, possible connections.

"... the Singapore fundraiser," I heard him say clearly, "make sure everyone is ready."

Another note filed away.

But then five minutes passed.

Vega grew increasingly agitated, standing from his chair to begin pacing the room. I could see the muscles in his jaw clenching, his fingers tapping an impatient rhythm against his expensive watch.

"Where is he?" The question he asked gained my interest, and on instinct I leaned forward like it'd help me hear better.

Cletus checked a phone before sliding it into his slack's pocket, "he said he'd be here two minutes ago, boss. Think he got scared off with all the feds hanging around?"

'He'

Who? It couldn't be Tavi for obvious reasons and I hadn't learned of anymore suspicious people than the ones I already knew. Who was this mystery guy and why wasn't he here on time?

I was about to ask Luke his thoughts when the world exploded. Or at least that's what it felt like.

The bomb's impact was immediate and devastating. The building shook violently, metal groaning around us. I felt Luke's body instinctively covered mine, his bicep covering my face when he pulled me back, pressing me against the vent wall as dust rained down. Alarms blared, a cacophony of electronic screaming that seemed to come from everywhere at once made my ears ring.