Ava groaned when she heard the alarm clock erupt in its obnoxious announcement that another day was yet upon her. Reaching over to silence it, if only for a few precious moments, she pondered the monotony of her everyday life. Each day, she made her way to the CIA headquarters in Langley...only to occupy the same desk and perform the same mundane tasks. She reflected on her wide-eyed dreams of becoming a full fledged field agent and longed for that first big assignment. The alarm sounded again, jogging her mind from her thoughts, and urging her to get out of bed and repeat the all too familiar routine of readying herself for work.
On the drive in, she remembered with great trepidation the training she'd received, and how intense it had been. She laughed a bit when she thought of the movie, 'The Recruit,' knowing how much of the actual training was left out. Sure, she'd learned to deceive others in order to gain the information she needed, and she had mastered an unequaled ability to gain the trust of any 'mark.' But the mental and physical training she endured had tested her resolve...almost to the point of making her forget her life-long dream of being a bona fide, lethal weapon for her country.
She had a few 'flings,' but they didn't satisfy the deep seeded need for a relationship...a true relationship, one of love, respect and trust. Of course, the secretive nature of her job didn't allow for much social interaction outside of her fellow agents, and that left her with an emptiness in her heart that desperately wanted a companion...someone she could share her life with. She knew her affinity for women wasn't looked upon kindly...even in this 'enlightened' age, and that only served to amplify that longing within her. She was attractive, standing 5-6 with an athletic figure...although she knew how to dress and behave like a lady. Her eyes were nothing less than stunning, leaving anyone...both male and female...to look upon her with desire. Alas, her job kept coming in the way of her love life.
As she approached the outer security check point, her mind immediately returned to business as usual. She plodded through another day of gathering general intelligence and meetings, and another tedious day finally came to an end. She gathered her belongings and went through the exit security checks before heading to her car. Before she could even open her door, her cell phone rang loudly. "Hello?" she answered.
"Agent Sinclair," the voice on the other end began, "I have an assignment for you. Please report to the second level intel office immediately.
"Yes sir, I'll be there shortly," she replied and heard an abrupt 'click' from the other end of the line.
While excited about potentially receiving her first 'real' assignment, Ava found herself slightly aggravated at being pulled back into the building when she thought her day was done. Nonetheless, she did exactly as she had been instructed and made her way back through security to her destination.
She was greeted by several agents with ranks far above that of her own, and for a moment felt somewhat intimidated...surprising, given her usual confidence and assertiveness. She was offered coffee and a seat at the large, brown conference table where several grey, unmarked folders lay awaiting inspection. No one in the room had to wait long before a senior agent entered the room and called the meeting to order.
"We have a top-level, priority situation that needs immediate attention," he said gesturing to a large projection screen hanging from a central wall. Ava couldn't help but be more than awed by the enormity of the situation. Fear and anticipation fought their battles within her, and she found herself feeling again unsure of her abilities.
"It seems that some North Korean militants have set up shop in New York. We don't know what their plans are, but since our relations with them haven't been cordial as of late, we need to find out all we can."
A surge of excitement coursed through Ava's body in anticipation at the whole scenario. While she didn't like the fact that our government needed to keep such close tabs on the activities of others, she knew that what she had trained for was of utmost importance to the safety of our country. She anxiously awaited instructions to dive into the ominous folder before her, and she wasn't disappointed.
"If you will all please open your assignment folders," he began, "You'll find the details for your individual part in this operation."
Ava tore through hers with an urgency that caused some of her more seasoned colleagues to snicker a bit. Inside her folder was a picture of a North Korean woman known only by the name of Cho Min...which she found out meant beautiful and clever. Ava's task was pretty straightforward...she was to set up surveillance on her first 'mark' and wait for further instructions, while reporting daily as to the routine of Cho Min.
The meeting concluded, and Ava was immediately put on a plane for New York. She had a small team of assistants, but the operation was pretty much hers. She now had the task of delegating the various aspects of the operation to her team. Holding a bulky folder in her hands, she began to look over the different jobs that needed attention. Sitting in her private quarters, she sorted through the information that Langley had been able to gather. Her perusal came to an abrupt stop when she came across the picture of Cho Min. Her eyes found not the portrait of an enemy, but, rather, an angelic face...surrounded by dark hair serving to highlight the piercing eyes that Ava found herself engulfed in.
Knowing that it was her job...no, her duty to look upon this situation with complete objectivity, she struggled to not let her body and its needs take over the situation. She saw something delightful in the face of her enemy, but knew that she'd have to put her feelings aside.
Deciding that she'd pondered the task at hand long enough, she put the folder aside for the night...knowing it would be waiting for her in the morning.
Cloak and Dagger Pt. 2
Morning came too soon for Ava, as her sleep had been consumed with dreams further illuminating the exquisite qualities of Cho Min. She knew that objectivity was the key, but be it a deep-seeded need for female contact or a simple fascination, Ava found it more and more difficult to maintain any kind of impartiality. Everything about this woman...even though Ava knew nothing of her personality or even her real intentions, militantly speaking...left her with an almost undeniable urge to pursue this 'enemy.'
