The cold wind blew at Julia's face, whipping her hair back wildly and nipping at her cheeks. She waited for the rest of her team to finishing changing as she sat on the curb, anxious to have something covering her face. They were already hidden in a secluded area and would travel on foot to where the drop was projected to be. If they hadn't come across the issue earlier, she wouldn't be so worried about protecting her identity. But Red knew what she was doing, and Julia would follow her instructions to the very end.
Red had mentioned that their masks weren't enough, and that she'd provide a bit more in case the interception went south. With Mortifer being a potential threat to this operation, Julia was sure that Red didn't want to take any chances with her younger agents-in-training. As Julia sat, all she thought about was how she had nothing to protect her face from the harsh and cold evening wind.
Another gust lashed out on her, making her whimper as her skin burned.
"You said you had a mask alternative?" She asked Red when everyone had finally finished changing. Julia wore a black turtleneck shirt under a hooded jacket with black skinny jeans and black boots. Her clothes were slightly loose fitted so she could maneuver around more easily, and her knife remained hidden and strapped to her lower back. Her clothes helped her retain her warmth, but it did nothing for the rest of herself.
"Our targets are higher risk, which means either side can eat equal losses if we aren't careful. You're all still new to this, and I want to convey emphasis on the importance of protecting your identity. So, I'm providing you something that covers a bit more." She explained, slinging her bag in front of her. "Not to mention, with those black masks, you look like you're trying to rob a bank." She snorted, rolling her eyes at them.
"Ah." Everyone stated in unison, compelling Red to laugh and shake her head at her crew. One by one, she pulled out a mask for each of them, handing it to their respective owners. They came in different shapes, forms, and dark colors, and as Julia observed each one, she realized they were meant for more than just coverage. They were meant to be intimidating as well.
"This one is creepy." Bryan observed, sounding pleased as he stared at the short horns that his mask had. His was a full mask, dark red in color with charcoal-colored horns and a twisted expression that bared pointed teeth. Michelle leaned over to look at his as well, impressed.
"It's giving Purge with demonic elements." She stated, flashing Bryan a grin. "I wouldn't want to come across you wearing that." Michelle's mask was black with gold details, shaped similarly to a jackal, but with sharper ears and slit-like eyes. The nose narrowed into a ferocious point, and with all the angular features, the mask looked haunting. It looked mystical, like something paranormal that'd step out of heavy fog, and it reminded Julia of Anubis, the Egyptian god.
The mask that Steven held wasn't something anyone would want to see coming out of the dark. His was the lightest out of the group, the color mimicking muted porcelain. It was a full mask that'd hug his face, and it was twisted and drawn into a weeping expression. Shadows and cracks were made onto the mask, and rather than the surface being smooth, it dipped aggressively over the forehead sections to create a devastating and disturbing cover.
Isaiah's mask was copper and jade colored, structured to look like the face of a lion statue. Red went full on plague doctor, as she held a black bird shaped mask with the beak extending ominously. Julia's mask was black as well, shaped into a dragon skull that'd cover most of her face save for her jaw. It even had the remains of a set of dragon teeth, and small horns peaked at the hairline of the mask.
"What happens if our identity is compromised?" Steven asked carefully, staring at his mask intently.
"You kill anyone who's seen you." Isaiah replied coldly, unable to detain the truth from them. It was an obvious solution, but one that none of her teammates had ever committed before.
"Put those on as we get closer to where we need to be. I've sent you all the coordinates of where the drop will occur." Red instructed before slinking into the darkness, motioning her trainees to follow. She strayed from streets that contained any light, and the only illumination afforded to them was the moon above.
They crept towards an ally way while pressing themselves against the back walls of hotels and clubs, repeatedly scanning the area so they wouldn't have any surprise guests visiting them during the mission. It could end up in a violent blood bath, and if their enemies happened to increase to the point that they were outnumbered, it would spell disaster. Within minutes, they reached a series of long, connected apartments that were only one floor high. When Red abruptly stopped, they did the same.
"Isaiah, Bryan, and Michelle—I need you guys to scale the walls and travel through the roof tops." Red whispered in the dark. "While you do that, Julia, Steven, and I will cover lower ground area." She lofted her hand and her finger pointed to a larger ally way about 300 feet away from where they stood, indicating the location of where the mission would be held and where they should meet. Isaiah's group swiftly disappeared behind a tight opening once they slid their masks on.
Once their masks were in place, Julia's group took off, making sure to travel in the shadows to prevent any wondering bystanders from spotting them. A group of people dressed completely in black were too suspicious even for this kind of area, much less with the kind of masks they were wearing.
Walking down the path, Julia started to notice Red hovering closer to her.
"I need a word with you." Red spoke in a hushed tone. Julia nodded just as she heard Steven shuffle away from them, slowing down so he could be a few feet behind.
"What's up?"
"That rose...it's not the first time that your parents and the agency have seen it." She began, her voice level and cool. Julia's forehead wrinkled in thought. She had suspected it since the day she had first displayed the rose to her parents, but to receive confirmation not just from her parents, but from Red as well settled things. "The very first time was sometime after you were born, when your parents and I were part of a mission group. I'll spare you the details on how we found it for another day." Red inhaled deeply before continuing. "Your father already explained to you about Mortifer, correct?"
"Where the assassins that leave those roses behind are from."
"Right." Red paused, seemingly contemplating something with parted lips before continuing. "I'll just be straight with you, Julia. We've been watching Zane Martin after your first encounter with the rose." She confessed, observing Julia halting her steps. Julia's heart thudded against her chest, anxious to hear what Red had to share.
"And?"
"We looked into him," she explained, watching Julia carefully. "The series of events was too glaring to ignore. He arrived at your school the same day that accident in the art room occurred, making him a prime suspect." Julia hadn't told her or her parents that Zane had openly confessed to being an agent, and that she had tried to fight him. As far as her parents knew, Julia made an assumption that he was just last night. He had pleaded not guilty, and she'd believed him.
"Zane's the enemy now?" Julia asked in a whisper, her voice cracking. He had tried so hard to convince her that he was innocent. Even hugged her when things had settled down. She couldn't believe he'd betray her trust like that. She closed her eyes and shook her head, irritated with her line of thinking. Look at me...I don't know the guy for even a week, and I'm already trying to defend him. She should have known he was involved.
"No. After running a check on him, we found that he's an ally agent from Solaris." Red replied, prompting Julia's head to snap up at her in shock. "Over a month before Zane came to your school, one of the higher ups received a bundle of blood-stained roses during a mission. It's possible that Mortifer used Zane's status to create a coincidence that would cause us to think of him as the enemy. If we can gain access to student files, then so can they."
"How did Mortifer find out about Zane being an agent? And that he was going to my school?" Julia inquired, eyebrows furrowing. Apparently, Red had an answer for that as well.
"They must have had intel on him. If you know the right people, you can virtually get information on anyone." She answered, shoving her hands into her pockets. "Either way, your friend is in the clear. We had Solaris confirm that he's an agent of theirs." Julia couldn't help but grin wildly at the news. Zane wasn't a threat, so she could freely trust him, even if it was only to some extent.
"Why didn't my parents tell me about this? Especially about Zane."
"They weren't informed until about two hours ago." She explained briefly, tilting her head as a means to signal crossing the street. They reached the alley, and in the corner of her eye, Julia saw three shadows on the roof disappear from view. She glanced at Red and met her stare, nodding once. They'd have to finish the conversation later. Now resorting to silent running, they moved deeper into the back alley behind an abandoned building, locating places to hide. Julia and her team still didn't know what, exactly, the drop was, but it was clear that Red and Isaiah did.
The sound of footsteps echoing down the alley prompted them to slink into their designated places. Red disappeared inside an opening under a set of stairs while Steven moved to the other side of the alley. Julia swung behind a nearby crumbling wall entirely concealed by the darkness, pressing herself against the stone. She lowered herself, angling her body so that she could peek out from a small opening between a set of staggered bricks. She wouldn't be able to see anyone unless they came into view, but she had her other teammates to note down the enemy's features.
There were five different ranges of voices, all too close for comfort.
"They're late." A female growled from a few feet away, silently creeping down the pathway.
"Relax, Dena." Chuckled a deep male voice in front of Julia. "They should be here any second with the cases." She held her breath as the man who addressed Dena turned to face her direction, praying that he wasn't the type to search his drop areas. She relaxed a little when she realized that he was only turning his cell phone off.
"Easy for you to say." Another female voice defended, sounding distracted. "We have to get this exchange done ASAP."
"Why? So, you can go on your little date with a guy you don't even know? He's clearly
much older than you." Shot another male, his voice much deeper than the man before. He sighed and shook his head. "You're quite the whore, Nina."
"Shut the hell up Jason!" Nina hissed at him, her voice dripping with venom. Julia raised her eyebrows at their bickering. She didn't think she'd ever witnessed such a lack of professionalism during a mission in her entire life. Not only were these people strange, but they threw their names out there within seconds. Julia understood that she and her team were still in training, but even this was below standard. Red must be irritated just watching them.
"Why so quiet, Maria?" The man in front of her asked as he leaned against a crate that sat in front of the crumbling wall. Julia took slow, quiet breaths to stay calm, no longer daring to look through the opening. The only thing that stood between her and an enemy was a severely aged stack of stone, a pathetic excuse for a wall. She wasn't going to push her luck.
"The less I talk, the less trouble I get into." Maria replied just as two new figures appeared.
"You have quite the back up." One of the figures spoke out, gaining the attention of everyone in the alley.
"Do you have it?" Dena asked sharply and the two dealers brought out large cases that they all but dragged behind them. The tallest one unclasped the locks and opened one of the cases.
"PSG1 Sniper Rifles just like you asked." He explained curtly, reviewing the falsified packing slip with them. "The bullets and bombs are back at the truck with the rest of the guns. Another truck will be arriving in a few minutes carrying the components for nuclear weapons." From the shape of the figure, Julia guessed it was Jason who motioned the two men to come closer to him with the cases in their hands. They inched towards him and away from Julia. The only person left in front of her was the nameless man, who seemed oblivious to the fact that she was crouching in the shadows behind him.
Suddenly, a large black rat scurried out from around her, making rustling noises that she was sure made the agent go on high alert. She silently watched it run out into the alley as she remained frozen in place, unable to see anyone else now that they had moved out of her range of sight.
"Relax, Mark." Jason stated from ten feet away. "It's only a rat."
"...Yeah. Definitely a rat." Just as the words left his mouth, Julia was roughly yanked away from the wall and flipped to the ground. Her head hit the asphalt along with her back and a groan of pain escaped her lips. She hissed loudly before she was pinned down by the asshole that discovered her.
"Why, hello there."