14 Cards

Twenty-one

"The information we gathered about the murders happening in the city is vast and tremendous since past months, US police have been providing us genuine information - a recent news we've been gathering from our sources is another kidnapping occurred in neighboring state. It's about two 13 year olds returning from their school abducted for ransom. Names are not disclosed yet." she paused for a few minutes. "Last news for the day is agent Isabella Juilia Carter is still missing and was last seen in Oakland on November 3rd this year. She seems on a real mission this time. That's all for the day." Stella added and looked at the camera till the red blinking on it went off, sighing loudly she removed her earpiece and sneakily plugged another one in her ear, covered it with her blonde hairs.

"Can I change now?" she asked, turning to her audio room manager.
"Yeah, you can." he said loudly. Throwing a thumbs up in the air, she rushed to the changing room.
"Hello Stella Lewis." a voice boomed. She paused walking and cursed inwardly, turning slowly she ran her fingers in her hairs and switched the bluetooth on; which buzzed in her ear for a few seconds.
"Hello Zedd Mikael, nice to see in my office again." she said in a friendliest way.
"Well I wanted to ask again if you have seen Juilia again?" he asked, walking to her.
She checked around her to see people wandering with cameras and wires, no one watching the both. "Well last time we were chasing her and lost her in Lancaster and I saw her last there. I don't know anything else Mr Mikael." she said.
"Well then, I am so concerned about her actually and even John asks about her." he laughed nervously.
"Son of a fucking liar." someone screeched in Stella's earpiece.
"Um - I will leave now my manager is waiting for me. Good day Mr. Mikaels." saying she walked to changing rooms. 

Locking the room she searched the entire room for someone hiding, finding it empty she took her phone from the dressing table drawer, tapped for a skype call. The screen loaded and 7 faces appeared in different blocks.
"Jeez my ear Carter." Stella screeched as she sat on the couch holding her phone.
"Got file of Lampman, Lewis?" Penslon asked as he was writing vigorously something.
"Yeah. I got it." she said and sat up straight.
"Details." he announced.
"Well, Lampman had connections with North Korean troops and some news sample tapes were not aired and that news sample videos are with my branch heads. I guess they will help you. And he has some connections in California." she said as she took glances at the closed door.
"Is someone at that side?" Juilia asked, looking at her actions.
"Ethan is sneaking up I guess." she said in a low voice.
"Out of the call now and remove the sim card from the phone and insert the new one I gave you." Penslon said. Before she could hang the call, the phone went blank. She changed the cards and flushed the old card down the toilet.

She walked back outside after changing to her outfit.
"Stella I want to cover up on Harlon Davis, his speech in Britain with Chief went great." a voice said, she picked her notepad from her desk.
"Well, I can leave now Lucas as the lead of mine may be free now. And I really don't have any work here. Ok with you?" she asked, turning to him.
"Right then. I will inform Fred about it. Off you go." mock saluting her senior walked off. She picked up the news article he dropped on her desk.
"Holy shit." she whispered reading the part, picking her almost packed bag she rushed out in Oakland traffic filled streets.

--

"Sure to do this?" Chris asked Juilia, seated beside him.
The lady glanced out of the Prescott highway, it was empty and silent. She flicked the 'X' card in her hand.
"Never been so sure." she said absentmindedly and winked turning to him.
The brown haired guy shook his head at her action.
"Come on. Reynolds." she said opening the car door.
"It's Chris to you." he said, copying her and locked the vehicle.

They walked the same route when Juilia and Steve walked previously. Chris observed around while rubbing his cold palms together.
"Winter is early." Juilia commented as she wrapped her coat more tightly.
He hummed in response. "It looks quite odd here." he said as the leaves started crunching below them.
"This mission is odd Chris." she laughed aloud.
"Touche." he laughed back.
"I hope that Ethan drops the idea of finding me." she said after a few minutes of silence.
"I hope too, why are you concerned about it?" he asked, looking at the brown haired woman who looked at him with dark green forest eyes, he looked away as he would get lost in those forests.
"Well I think he is risky around my former boss John. The guy I knew and fucked was different and this guy is hell different." she said as she started to find the opening of basement.
He nodded in response.
She found the door handle, bending down she inserted the key in. Chris' phone went off.