Operation: M.I.A

XXII // Deception

I force myself to take in a breath of air. It doesn't want to fill my lungs, but I make it. Just breathe.

I notice that my fingers are quivering, still tied behind my back. I try shaking them out to help myself gain composure, but it really doesn't seem to do any good. This is just one of those times where you have absolutely no chance at remaining calm.

I don't look at the man's face as he nears. Instead, my eyes are glued to the Italian leather that his expensive shoes are made of. He stops walking forward once he is a mere six feet from Zander and I.

I drag my eyes up, past the shoes and suit pants, to a wide chest and a familiar face.

"Hey guys," Rylan says. His voice is timid and cautious, which is in complete contrast to his attempted demeanor and clothing choices.

I see movement from the side and look to see Zander trying to free himself from his restraints. He is mumbling viciously and looks as if he would attack his best friend. Well, I assume Rylan is now his ex best friend.

"I know this is . . . awkward, and really odd . . . but it is something I needed to do." Rylan talks carefully, not waiting for any greetings from us.

"What the hell are you . . ," Zander trails off into a string of barely audible swear words and name calling. I just sit in silence and try to process what has just come to my attention.

"Zan, I am sorry." He waits for an expression of acknowledgment from Zander, but it doesn't come. I would hope he is smart enough to know that it will never come.

Rylan sighs and ruffles his slicked back hair. He cracks his knuckles and takes a deep breathe. "Okay," he turns to me, finally realizing he is getting no where with Zander. "Decklynn, we needed your expertise in the area of computers and hacking to take control over BOSS. You did that successfully when you thought you were opening the door to the base."

I close my eyes because what I was just told does not make sense and is simply too much to handle. "What?" I ask incredulously, venom interlaced with my tone.

Rylan gulps. He's scared, and he should be. "We honestly tried to take over without involving and agents, but there just wasn't anybody capable enough to hack BOSS. But we had people smart enough to configure the computer that opened the door to the base to connect to BOSS's mainframe network. So we let you hacked it. BOSS has now been compromised."

He says it simply. He says it as if it was a mere business transaction and the circumstances are emotionless.

I hacked BOSS and left it open for the world to enter. We are now defenseless as a corporation. We will soon be an empty shell of something that used to be.

My fingers are no longer shaking, but they roll into fists.

"You dragged me across an ocean and through many streets for many days just so I could hack one computer?" It is more of an accusation than a question, really.

"I suppose you-"

"Then why the hell did you have to get me involved too?" The question came from a shockingly composed Zander who has the look of vengeance on his face.

I look at Rylan to see him fidgeting and looking uncomfortable. It is a valid question. They only needed me. "Because without you, she wouldn't have survived and we wouldn't have been able to infiltrate Alexander X's mansion and gain access to his files and resources. You also needed a third agent for the mission, which is why I had to come out of hiding in the first place."

"What kind of resources?" I ask, not missing a beat. And not giving myself any time to think clearly, either.

"Weaponry."