Inverted (a Neil / Tenet fanfic)

Chapter 6

Neil was right. Wheeler was a good company for physics talk.
If Crystal could choose her fate, she would ask to remain in Norway and help with the experiments.
But she knew she had to follow the mysterious suitcase and go back to the US.

Before the departure, she got the courage to question her new friend about the topic that everyone avoided.

"I'm sorry if this is inappropriate, but what happened to the agent named Heath? I saw his tribute pictures also in this camp".

Wheeler looked saddened but replied simply "Annihilation".

Crystal repeated the word with incredulity.

"Yes" the older woman confirmed "It happened in Tallin. We were training on inversion missions, on the temporal pincer movement. Two small teams, one inverted and one not, had to work together. Everything is different when you are inverted, so you need a lot of practice. We wore good equipment, but it wasn't enough".

Crystal stood rigid, fearing for the worst part of it, but impatient to know.

"It was an accident" Wheeler concluded "That taught us that rule number one of inversion is: never come into contact with your forward self. Inverted Heath stumbled upon himself. And he was annihilated. It happened under Neil's eyes. He was leading the whole operation, so it was a big trauma for him. He still can't forgive himself. But that sacrifice taught us a lot. And we are making sure that it won't happen again, to any of us".

Sorrow filled their eyes at that tragic story.
Crystal was speechless.

Wheeler widened her eyes with a mortified face at something beyond her shounders, so the younger woman turned too, seeing Neil standing by the door.

His eyes filled with pain proved that he heard what they were talking about.

Crystal felt her heart aching even more at the sight of how hurt he was.

He just nodded at her and, after thanking and dismissing Wheeler, Crystal hurried to follow him to take the flight that brought them back oversea.

After reuniting with the Protagonist and telling him everything about the mission, the boss planned another mission for another team to hide the suitcase and its precious content.

It was unbelievable to be back to her flat, when Crystal already said goodbye to it.

After being patient for all those days trapped in Norway with no news, she pulled out her secret phone and called her real boss.

The Korol's voice sounded intimidating even if he was far away, but surprisingly he didn't blame her for the failure of their plan.

"You can continue your spying mission within Tenet" he announced "Are you sure they don't suspect you?".

"Yes. I heard them guessing that someone was controlling that hiding place, so they don't believe it was an ambush" she said forcing her voice to sound firm.

"Good. If your cover falters, nobody will be there to save you. You are on your own. We will get another chance. Maybe even a better one".

She swallowed hard and revealed "Their leader mentioned another lot that needs a new location. If I'm given enough time, we can get both or even more of them".

"This is the kind of news I want to hear from you, Crystal" he replied pleased.

After the call ended, she chewed her bottom lip, pondering if her choice was wise.
She gave a little piece of news, avoiding to mention the entropy and inversion stuff.
Her boss always claimed that the cold war had its roots in nuclear weapons and plutonium.
The physics researches of Tenet were too advanced and too fascinated to be destroyed.