The Scientist's Cultist

xx. - tsunami.

- - - - - - SEPTEMBER 3, 2023 - - - - -

Washington D.C. 11:57 a.m.

"SERIOUSLY?" BETHANY ASKED, taking her eyes off the road for a dangerously long amount of time to shoot June and Theo a wide-eyed look. "You don't have a plan at all? Not even an outline of one?"

"Not even a stick figure," confirmed Theo.

"What on earth have you two been doing this whole time then? Braiding each other's hair?"

If only Bethany knew what they were actually doing. "We were, uh, strengthening our dynamic as partners." June immediately felt her cheeks grow hot. That was quite possibly the worst way she could have worded that.

Bethany shook her head and re-focused on the road. "Oh, Ivan," she muttered under her breath. "I hope you know what you're doing."

"Do you have any ideas for how we might get an audience? Does the head of the FBI have a name? A gender?" Theo asked. June didn't blame him for wanting to change the subject after she'd pretty much admitted to ignoring the mission in favor of figuring out their relationship. June didn't regret a single moment they'd shared that morning, so Theo could handle a little embarrassment.

"Most of that is above my pay grade," explained Bethany. "As for how to get an audience... I only know of one thing you can try, but you didn't hear it from me, and you can't blame me if it doesn't work."

"Bethany who?" Theo joked.

"There are rumors that one of our top agents, Detective Beck, has clearance to the director's suite during periods where important meetings are held. Usually, that access is restricted again shortly after the meeting, but the quarterly meeting happened just recently enough that he might still have access."

"Are you suggesting that we steal his keycard?" June asked, unable to mask the surprise in her voice.

"If you want to end up in jail," Bethany replied with a chuckle. "Detective Beck isn't our top agent for no reason. He'd know immediately, and the punishments for stealing from a government agent are steep. Besides, we're trained to always have our keycards on our person. You'd have to pry it from his cold, dead hands before he'd give it to you."

"So... we're supposed to convince him to take us up?" Theo asked.

"You can try," said Bethany. "You'll have to explain yourselves very well and convince him the situation is important enough that it warrants an audience with the director. If he doesn't think what you're saying is important, you're going to get kicked right back to the curb."

"I love the plan," said Theo, "but there's one slight problem. We aren't allowed to say anything about our mission to anyone outside those who already know about it. What are we supposed to say to this guy?"

"Break the rules."

"W-what do you mean?" June stuttered, taken aback by Bethany's answer.

"You two are literally about to walk into FBI headquarters. Everything is top secret. Whatever it is about your mission that you think is so bad is probably butterflies and rainbows compared to what else is going on behind the scenes. Prove that AIMA's directors are corrupt and capable of putting the school in danger, and you'll have the attention you need. Even if that means spilling a couple of secrets."

Though June didn't want to admit it, Bethany probably had a point. There were probably several people at HQ who already knew about AIMA's time travel experiments. And while June didn't want that information getting into the wrong hands, they didn't really have much of a choice if they wanted to work their way to the top. June turned her attention back towards the window, watching the trees whiz by until they were nothing but green blurs. Theo's fingers were warm as they found their way to hers and June held on tight as if he was the lifeline keeping her afloat during a tsunami.