The Greatest Pretenders

03.1

Berlin (Germany)

Radisson Blu Hotel

6 04 2016

1930 hours

The car Alleline sent for them stops in front of the Radisson Blu hotel at 7:30pm local time. They're sharing a suite this time, because it turned out that they weren't really in sync with the schedule in Manhattan, because of the room situations and never meeting up on time.

"We're leaving in thirty minutes so you better be ready by then," Poe warns Irina, because he knows how long it takes for his sidekick to get ready after a flight.

Irina already starts working on her hair, so Poe opens the mini bar and treats himself to a glass of Rum and Coke.

"I thought drinking on the job was prohibited," Ryn says as she leans against the door frame of the living room with her arms crossed.

"Technically I'm not 'on the job' yet, and after spending three hours with you in a closed space, I need a drink."

"Oh, I'm flattered," Ryn sarcastically mutters and walks over to check out the minibar. She gets out a bottle of water and sits down on the couch before she turns on the TV.

"So how do you know Kozlov?" Poe asks when he sits down next to her with his drink in his hand.

"I've done a job for him before."

"What?"

Ryn sighs. "I already told you, it's confidential."

"Oh come on, it's not like I'm going to do anything about it."

"The difference between you and I," Ryn starts and turns her head to look at him. "Is that I keep things to myself so I don't put others in danger."

"What a load of bullshit. I'm just curious."

Ryn thinks about it for a moment before she says:

"If I told you the deal I made with him, I'd have to kill myself."

Poe looks at her confused as he watches Ryn standing up and walking towards her room.

"That's not the line!" he yells after her.

"I know what I said!"

***

Kozlov's villa is actually a giant mansion on the outskirts of Berlin. It's gated and apparently under twenty-four hour surveillance, which means it'll be really difficult to get in.

Their chauffeur drops them off a block away so they have to walk the remaining distance.

"What are you doing?" Poe asks when Ryn loads her gun and stabilizes it behind her back into her belt.

"Preparing to shoot whoever gets in our way? How do you think we're going to get in with this much security?"

Poe looks at Irina incredulous. "Like we normally do? Through the back door so we'll avoid as many casualties as possible?"

"Oh, grow up. Once they'll spot us-which they will, by the way, they're not going to hesitate putting a bullet through our heads. Do you really think these people haven't done anything wrong?"

Poe doesn't answer, so they make a deal to try the door in the backyard. They jump the fence one by one and manage to get to the back door undetected.

Ryn gets to work on the lock while Poe and Irina turn on their watches and get in contact with their handlers.

"Everything alright? I can see your heart beating fast," Ricki says as soon as the clock is turned on.