Where Maps End

Operation Mask

~Unknown's Pov~

Operation Mask. It might as well have been one of the most difficult missions our headquarters had ever come across. It was a high risk, high reward type of mission that clearly no one wanted to volunteer for so of course no one had volunteered for it. Therefore the agents had to be carefully selected now, much to my headache.

"Sir, I shortlisted a few files that you might like to go through. They have their age, name, as well as all the missions they've ever completed and a few other things you asked for." Rin explained as he spread the files across my table, making me let out a sigh.

I leaned forward, lighting my cigarette and placing it between my lips as I grabbed the first file I saw, skimming through the details.

He seemed a bit too old to attend a masquerade...

I pushed the file aside and picked up another one.

I looked at it. Zaylani Mercer.

She had a little smirk in her picture, which made me raise an eyebrow and look at Rin. He simply looked back at me, urging me to continue going through it.

With her jet black hair, what people these days called a wolf cut, gold hoops almost as big as her face, and that smirk plastered across her lips, she looked every bit like someone who would never attend a masquerade. It didn't exactly seem like she would be the type to wear ball gowns. I pushed the file aside to pick up another, but Rin stopped me.

"Sir, did you check her experience?" he asked insistently.

"I don't need to. She looks like the kind of person who would never wear a ball gown," I muttered as I reached for another file.

"Sir, you can't be prejudiced right now." His eyes practically pleaded with me, making me sigh. I was ready to chew him out, but the boy had a point.

"Fine."

I picked up Zaylani's file once again and flipped to the next page.

Speciality: Infiltration and social manipulation.

Okay. Wow.

I looked back at Rin, who was already grinning like he'd won, making me scoff.

There were multiple missions listed that she had completed successfully, but I checked her first ever mission instead.

Operation Gamble.

This was one of the most noteworthy missions.

It had been a raid on one of the most influential men's underground dens, one that no one could even get close to. Yet she had not only managed to infiltrate the den, but had also managed to make one of his right hand men fall in love with her.

Impressive.

I put the file aside from the pile as one of my choices, making Rin bite back a grin. What was the boy's problem?

I went through a few more files before I came across two other particularly interesting ones.

Kailea Ashford.

Her speciality was surveillance and reconnaissance.

She looked every bit like the type of person I'd expect to willingly attend a masquerade. Long, soft brown waves of hair fell down her back, framing a dimpled smile. No one would suspect her of being an agent.

She looked dainty enough to disappear into the background.

The second one was a bit more...different.

Esmeray Valmont.

Her speciality was interrogation and behavioral reading, basically a human lie detector.

She had boho braids and a bored look on her face, like she couldn't care less about anything happening around her.

Perfect.

I put the three files together and held them up for Rin to see.

"Rin. I want these three in a team. Zaylani, Kailea, and Esmeray. They're perfect for the mission!" I grinned excitedly, looking at Rin, only to find a slight look of worry on his face.

"What? What happened now?" I asked.

"Sir, no mission has ever contained these three together. These three are notoriously chaotic when they're together. Almost destructive, you could say." He paused." These three are friends. That's why. Almost like sisters."

He explained it as though that was supposed to scare me.

I chuckled.

"Isn't that better? They'd already be a close knit team then. What's the problem here?"

He tried explaining once more.

"These three are individually amazing agents, but together, they're chaotic." He tried to change my mind, but I shook my head.

"I want these three on one team. We need them to look like they planned to attend the masquerade together so the killers don't suspect us the minute we send them in. And if they're as chaotic as you say they are, then it can prove to be a distraction."

I tapped the three files against the desk.

"Which, again, is perfect for us. And that's what I want. Perfection."

I glanced down at their files once more.

"And, Rin, from what I noticed in their files, they've never failed a mission. Is that right?" I grinned. Rin sighed but nodded.

"Then that's perfect." I muttered as I placed the three files neatly on top of one another. "I want them sent in as Team Blackbird."

I paused before looking back at him.

"Also, before I forget, has the venue for the masquerade been arranged?"

"Yes. A venue that can hold up to 1500 people has been arranged. Flyers have been circulated throughout the city, and we've already gotten nearly a thousand registrations."

"Okay, that's wonderful." I leaned back in my chair, satisfied.

"Brief the three of them on the mission and send them in prepared, please."

"Yes, sir."