The Mission

Chapter 2

"Ethan, it's me, Y/N," you said with a shaky breath. It had been quite some time since you talked to Ethan and for some reason, you were a bit nervous.

"Ahh, Y/N, it's good to hear from you. I honestly didn't think you would call so soon. I figured it would have taken a week or two. Ari must have worked some sort of charm on you."

A chuckle escaped past your lips before realization sunk in. "Wait. Ari? As in Ari Levinson?"

This time Ethan chuckled from his end. "Of course Ari Levinson. Who else would it be?"

Your mind danced as you had an epiphany. It was Ari at the diner yesterday recruiting you for a mission. He had looked so familiar to you, but you just couldn't connect the dots. Naturally you had never worked with Ari while working for the Mossad, but he was well known that was for sure. You had heard all about him and all the missions he had been on to save as many lives as possible. He was not only determined and utterly dedicated to his job, he was also quick on his feet; able to get out of sticky situations.

"He-he never told me his name, although he did look familiar to me." True, you had never met Ari, but you had seen pictures and heard a lot of stories.

"Why don't you come into the office this morning and we can have a chat," Ethan remarked.

"Sure, that sounds great Ethan. I'll be there in an hour."

After hanging up the phone, you showered and got dressed in record time. You were wearing an all jean jumpsuit with a thick belt around the middle; large framed sunglasses to shield your eyes from the bright sun.

Grabbing a taxi, you began to nervously bounce your leg; your hands gripping together as you felt the sweat begin to form on the back of your neck. Were you really ready to do this? Hell, you didn't even know what the mission was about and you were already beginning to worry. Deep down, you knew it wasn't about the mission itself however. No, it was much more than that. A year it had been since Deborah had been murdered, and you didn't know if you had the willpower or the mentality to throw yourself into something that needed your full undivided attention; you still weren't over her death.

"Y/N, it's so good to see you again," Ethan greeted you at his office door with open arms. Smiling, you walked forward and were engulfed in his arms. From the moment you had first met Ethan, you felt safe around him; he was like a father figure to you. "Come, let's have a chat."

The two of you quickly began falling into an easy conversation about how things have been since last seeing one another. Naturally you shed a few tears when Ethan asked how you were coping with what happened to Deborah and he consoled you with tender arms.

"Now, the mission," Ethan begun and you gave him a slight nod. "What do you know about what is happening in Ethiopia?"

You let out a shaky breath, closing your eyes as pictures of bloodied and dead Ethiopian Jews flooded your mind. "They-they are being tortured and killed by the government. Practically another genocide but not many people seem to care because it's happening in Africa."

Ethan nodded, knowing this specific mission would touch your heart because you too were Jewish. More tears sprung your eyes as anger began to boil deep in your veins over what was happening to them. They were helpless and they were getting slaughtered.

"That's what the mission is about. Ari had been working on getting as many of them safely back here as possible. He ran into some trouble and while I pulled him from that mission temporarily, he came up with a brilliant plan. There is an abandoned hotel in Sudan, right on the Red Sea and he is using the hotel as a cover to smuggle the refugees onto a Navy boat that will be disguised as an oil boat."

You couldn't help but listen in awe of what Ethan had just told you. This was why Ari was so well known throughout the agency. He had brilliant ideas and wanted nothing more than to save as many lives as he possibly could.

"Wow," you breathed out, leaning back in your chair. "That's pretty dangerous."

"Yes, I agree. And I've already broken many of my own risk rules. One of them is sending a woman to a Muslim country and if you agreed to this, I would be sending two. But I believe in you Y/N. I know this mission grows deep for you and that is why I recommended you to Ari. He has put together his own team of five people and you would be the sixth person on that mission. I do not know how long they will be there. It could be a few months, it could be many years. There are a lot of risks involved, more risks than any mission you have done before."

"Can I take some time to think about it?"

"Of course. But please let me know your answer as soon as you decide. I need to get started on a passport and documents for you, as well as get your travel set up. They will be flying out in five days."

You bid goodbye to Ethan, hailed another taxi and headed back to your apartment. Setting your purse down on the kitchen counter, you collapsed onto your plush couch. With your fingers at your temples, you began to slowly massage them in a clockwise circle.

Just six months ago you started your job at the diner, putting everything behind you. Settling down, not being in the Peace Corps or doing any missions for the Mossad is not something you thought would happen; you thought you would be a lifer. But it all changed last year with Deborah. Now, you were living quietly in your quaint apartment with a nice little waitressing job. And yet again, your life changed when Ari came into the diner and wanted to recruit you for a mission. Without even knowing the mission, you didn't want any involvement. But now after talking with Ethan, your heart was torn. The whole reason you joined the Peace Corps was because you wanted just that, peace. You didn't want wars or famine, didn't want people starving and dying. And now, this mission, like Ethan said, dug deeper for you because it wouldn't only be saving thousands of lives, it would be saving thousands of Jewish lives.

Groaning, you lay your head back on the couch, telling yourself you would sleep on the decision. Yet you knew damn well what your answer would be.

The following morning you called up Ethan, letting him know that you would agree to be a part of this dangerous and risky mission. Not wanting to up and quit your job in case you wanted to come back to it, you told Ethan to give you an extra few days and you would just fly in by yourself.

After getting to work, you told your boss you would be quitting, but would work the rest of your shifts that week.

Ethan told you to get an alias and you spent your nights going over any and all details you could think of for your new alias to get you through the airport in Sudan.

The flight wasn't as long as you had thought and getting through customs was a bit shaky, but you emerged without any problems. Placing your luggage into the backseat of the car Ethan had rented for you, you traveled the eight hours from Khartoum to the Red Sea Diving Resort.

Traveling all day left you exhausted and all you wanted to do was crawl into a bed and sleep. Pulling up to the resort, your heart sunk at the sight. Without a doubt, it had truly been abandoned for years.

Opening the door of the car, you stretched your limbs; a few of them cracking from sitting for so long.

Glancing along the length of the resort, your eyes were trained back to the main entrance where five people came out to see who was here.

"Hi," you said shyly, waving at the five of them. Ari was standing in front, a large grin on his face as he walked towards you.

Before you knew it, you were wrapped up in his strong arms as he let out a guff of laughter. "Y/N! I didn't think you'd come. But I'm so happy you are here." He placed you down, your feet hitting the warm sand as you smiled up at him. It hadn't been long since you last saw him, but those fantasies never left your head over the last week. And now, being near him again, those lustful feelings only intensified.

"Let's all go somewhere a little more private to talk," Ari said with an air of authority to his tone. He picked up your suitcase and quickly brought it into the hotel. Then, you followed him, along with the other four and got onto a dinghy and boated away from the shore to where you could all talk in private.