Author's Note: All characters are over the age of 18. This story is a work of fiction. Please do not republish on other platforms without my express permission.
Constructive criticism welcomed. Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy!!
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"That has got to be the dumbest thing...ever. You're telling me that serum...was actually stolen by our boss?"
Winston tugs his shirt collar nervously as Carrie glares at him. "Well, stealing is a bit harsh. Technically, he was a prominent investor in the program-"
"That doesn't matter," exclaims Carrie as she slams her palms on the wooden desk which makes him jolt. "We're being targeted by the fucking MI6! What the hell are we supposed to do about this?!? I didn't sign up to have my ass iced by James Bond!"
Winston unconvincingly tries to answer her while staring at the exposed cleavage which was visible through the loose shirt. "Ahem...well, we...um..."
There is a loud beep which causes Winston to scramble, groping wildly around his desk. He finally finds the flashing red button and presses it.
"Winston! There you are! Where the hell have you been?!?" Carrie recognized the harsh tone of their boss and she straightens up crossing her arms.
"Oh, sir! Um, well, I'm busy with Carrie right now..."
"Huh? Carrie? Oh, good! It saves me time. I need Carrie to go over to Belarus. We need to get a bio guy over there. Fuck, it's been a while! The guy's name is Strawman...Stromhand...or something. He's on vacation and we need him fast cuz he's trying to give us the slip. Shit, that's my pager! I gotta go! "
Before she could interject, the line goes dead. Carrie sighs, "Succinct as always."
"Yeah...well, I have the brief right here and-"
"Oh no you don't! You're not getting away that easily!" Carrie snaps as she points a finger accusingly at him.
Winston groans. "Look, I know you want answers, but I can't really talk about it, ok? It's a sensitive subject."
The blonde wasn't impressed and her body language mirrored it. "Uh huh. Well, I'll make this very easy for you. Either you tell me or I quit right now. Have fun explaining that to the boss."
Now it was his time to stand up. "I-wait. Come off it, Carrie; don't be dramatic. I know you're upset-"
"Of course I'm upset! You idiot! You keep dancing around it! Does...does that stupid serum have something to do with any of this?!?"
"Uh...well...er," replies Winston nervously as he looks away.
Her eyes widen and she gasps. "No way! Come on, spill it!"
"I can't! It's confidential!"
She huffs and swivels around, moving towards the door.
"Wait! Look, you can get your answers if you do this mission."
Carrie's hand is on the door and she waits a second before retorting tersely. "Yeah? That sounds like bullshit."
"I...may not be able to tell you, but this German guy...he's a bio expert and he can give you answers."
Her hand grips the door handle and she turns it. "Just send me the report."
She walks the hallway when she spots Jimmy walking towards her. He looked more miserable compared to the last time she saw him. It would have been easy to pass by without a word because he had his head down, but something was off and she felt a prick on her conscience.
"Hey, what's wrong?"
It took him a second to register that she was talking to him and he looks up as he replies glumly, "Why do you care?"
Carrie rolls her eyes. "Don't be a brat, Jimmy. Just answer me."
He grumbles to himself incoherently and she sighs.
"Ok, if you're going to be difficult, how about we go to the cafeteria to talk?"
He gives her a skeptical look as his arms cross.
"You don't have anything better to do, right?"
"Yeah...I guess it's better than doing those stupid tests..."
"Ok then! Stop moping around. It's my treat."
Later, as they sat at the small table, Jimmy was poking at the food with his fork. He looks up at Carrie and frowns. "I don't like peas."
She scoffs. "You're skin and bones, Jimmy. Try it. It won't kill you."
He sticks out his tongue defiantly. "No way! I hate peas."
Carrie shrugs. "Suit yourself. So, how're the tests?"
"What do you think? They suck," grumbles Jimmy as he takes a bite of the meatloaf. "All I do is wake up and go through tests the whole day...this sucks! What kind of life is this???"
He glares at her accusingly, but she doesn't react. Instead, she looks him directly in the eyes. "Would you rather be a savage monkey man swinging from tree to tree? With no way of contacting your family? Mindlessly acting on instinct instead of making your own decisions. Does that sound any better?"
"...I just...I just want to go home," whispers the young man as he adjusts his glasses.
"Mmm. You have been here for a while, huh? Maybe I can talk to the geeks, but no promises."
He perks up and grins. "Really?!? You will?"
"What? You think I won't? I'm not completely heartless," teases Carrie.
"Well, I mean, you were kind of giving me the cold shoulder."
"I've been busy with back to back missions and I usually block things out to prep for them. You know...I'll make it up to you. I have a secret, special place we can go to after this."
"Huh? Where?"
"Uh, it's a secret, genius!" replies Carrie. "But first you have to finish your peas."
"Aawwwww! No fair!"
After they ate, they begin to walk. Jimmy runs ahead of her and leans against the railing as he looks out the glass panels.
"Whoa! No way! This is awesome!"
Carrie's pink lips curve into a small smile. Seeing Jimmy so dejected reminded her that he was still a kid at heart. It was unfair of her to blame him for what happened in the jungle. He was actually a pretty nice kid and his enthusiasm for animals was a bit endearing.
"...and that is a rare subspecies of the-"
"Oh? And how do you know all of this?"
"Books, books, and more books! In fact, that's why my vision is so bad," said Jimmy sheepishly.
She chuckles. He was so much different from his jungle alter ego. "Is that right? I guess that explains the thick glasses. Since when did you become so interested in animals?"
"Easy! I didn't have a lot of friends growing up so when my parents got us a dog, I was fascinated and wanted to learn more! Not only was the dog loyal, but he gave me unconditional love. It was refreshing to be loved without any judgments. Animals love more freely than we do."
She raises an eyebrow. "Is that right? That's a pretty grim conclusion."
He sighs as he leans on the railing propping up his right cheek with his hand. "People will give you looks, treat you like dirt, talk behind your back...all because you're different. It's just...it's just not fair!"
She shrugs. "That's just life, kid."
Her tepid response causes him to perk up as he shoots her a dirty look. "Maybe for someone like YOU, but for guys like me, we're...we're stuck as losers!"
She was taken aback by his venom, but she still replies calmly. "Ok, so? Do you want me to cry for you? Cuddle up with you so I can pat your head and tell you everything will be ok? I hate to break it to you, but that's part of growing up. People will look down at you and use you. You can either let that bog you down or you can get up and move forward."
Jimmy stuffs his hands in his pockets as he pouts. "That's easy for you to say..."
"And what's that supposed to mean?"
"I...you..." Jimmy was stammering as he looks at her. He couldn't help glancing down her body, taking in her athletic form. He gulps and continues, "I mean, you're so beautiful and perfect! It's just...just not fair! Why did I have to born a skinny nerd?"
"You know you can change that, right?"
"I know...b-but I just...I don't like to exercise."
She gives him a skeptical look. "Come on, really? Can't you think of a better excuse?"
"No, it's true! And before you say anything, yes, I've tried. It just doesn't appeal to me."
"Sounds to me like you're just lazy."
Jimmy blushes as he tries to give her a harsh look, but her subtle grin cracks his facade. "Hey! You're making fun of me, aren't you?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about," replies Carrie coyly. "Follow me. I saw you looking at the waterfall earlier."
"But...am I allowed to go out there?"
"It should be fine. You're still on the premises and you're with me. Come on! Try to keep up!"
Jimmy had to jog to keep up with her. She was walking fast and her legs were longer so she had the advantage over him. He nearly loses her several times in the forest, but she'd always wait for him with an amused smile. Once they arrived, Jimmy sighs with relief as he leans against a tree.
"Oh my....I feel like my lungs are about to explode!"
"Not bad. You actually made it. See? You're stronger than you think."
"I guess...wow...it really is beautiful here," whispers Jimmy as he looks around with awe.
"Better than your books?"
"Yeah...yeah, definitely," replies Jimmy grinning. "Oh! This tree is known for the special sap it produces which-"
Carrie sits under the tree scrolling through her secured work phone as she reads up on her upcoming mission while keeping an eye on Jimmy. She was supposed to get information from a bio technician, but he was very crafty. It wasn't going to be easy because the target is very paranoid which was why he evaded detection for so long. She would have to be creative to trap him.
"Ugh." Carrie groans as she rubs her temples. The constant missions were taking a toll on her. She really needed time off to relax and it was getting hot.
Jimmy was covered in sweat as he emerges from foliage. "Wow, you weren't kidding! There are so many bugs and fauna-"
He stops mid-sentence as he sees Carrie strip off her pants. She was left dressed in a pair of pink bra and panties. This was his first time seeing her body without the drug and she was absolutely gorgeous! Her athletic body was better than the pornstars he'd seen online. Her legs were long and supple. Her hips and waist were nice and slim. Her stomach was lean but toned, with the light casting a shadow showing the subtle ridges of her muscles. Her chest was more modest, yet it sat high on her chest. Her arms were slender, but firm as they flexed while she stretched her body. In this lighting, he could admire her smooth neck and beautiful face. Her blue eyes flash as she spots him.
"There you are! Come on! Get into the water with me!"