I glanced at my watch, which indicated that it was five twenty-one in the evening. Ty, Jax, and Finn would meet us in Dari's and my room to figure out what to do next. Ty and I had followed Miss Monpelie to a mall where she had spent the rest of the day distractedly window shopping. She hadn't even stepped inside one store, just slowly walking past each shop, barely looking at what was inside. Something was on her mind. Perhaps she was regretting her decision to sell her ruby earrings.

Right now, Miss Monpelie was eating an early dinner at the hotel restaurant. I figured now was the best time to debrief my team and come up with a course of action. Dari had her computer set up to be watching the representative. If she tried to leave, we'd hurry to follow her again. Though for some reason, I had a feeling that she wasn't heading anywhere more today.

Someone rapped three times on the door. I pressed my ear against the wood and said,

"Are you the maid?"

"No, we're the three blind mice," Ty's voice said.

"Oh really? Then how did you arrive so quickly?"

"We almost fell down the stairs."

I smiled. It was them alright. Ty and I had come up with that sign in the car just to make sure that we didn't let any WAOIC agents into our hotel room. I unlocked the door and allowed the other Summit members into the room.

"Sit down, we have some things to discuss," I told them.

The guys took their places on the divan next to Dari.

"According to what Ty and I saw, Miss Monpelie's daily activities today included going to a coffee shop, a tavern, and a mall. She is currently eating dinner at the hotel restaurant. What I suspect is that she went to the coffee shop and mall to hide where she was really going."

"Which was the tavern?" Finn asked.

"Yes. At the tavern, she sold a valuable piece of jewelry, a piece that we have seen her wearing for years. I don't think she wanted anyone to know that she sold it, or that she went to such a low-brow place."

"Which piece of jewelry was it?" Dari inquired.

"Her ruby earrings."

Dari's eyes popped open. "The ones that are worth at least ten grand?"

"Yup."

"Oh my gosh. But why?"

"That's what we need to find out. Right now, we have two options. We can either observe what she does tomorrow, check for any repeat behaviors or see if she contacts WAOIC. Or, we can confront her now. Dari, we sent you the location of the tavern. Have you found any information on it? Are there any links to WAOIC?"

"According to the research I've done, it's been around for more than a century. It has been passed down within a tight-knit family of owners. In recent decades, however, they lost significant business since they are outside of Brussels."

"Hmm, so then that begs the question: if they have so little business, how could they possibly gather enough money to be able to afford such an expensive piece of jewelry?"

"Smells like WAOIC if you ask me," Ty said.

"Maybe," Dari conceded. "Or maybe not. According to the research I found, the owner of the tavern has actually converted it into an illegal, underground casino to increase the revenue they make."

"We didn't see any gamblers when we went. What are their hours?"

Ty laughed. "Jeez, you sound so business-like. 'What are their hours?' I hope you're not trying to start a new habit." I ignored his comment.

"That took some deep digging in the web," Dari said. "But I think that I found the answers you are looking for. Apparently, they only open the casino on the weekends."

"But why would anyone want to gamble at an illegal casino instead of a legal one?" Ty asked.

"Why would a casino owner want to make their casino illegal in the first place?" Dari added.

"Less taxes and regulations,'' I said. "As for your question, Ty, I think you'd have to ask the gamblers."

"Maybe it's for more high class people," Dari wondered aloud.

Ty snorted. "Are you kidding? That place was disgusting."

"Actually, Dari has a point," I argued. "I mean, if you were a person of high social standing who didn't want people to know that you were gambling, would you go to a legal one where people could more easily trace your actions through records, or go to a casino that was harder to track down and had no records of your actions. Or at least, their records are harder to access."

"Yeah, I found all of the casino's records online," Dari said.

"How?" Ty asked.

Dari shrugged. "You wouldn't believe the things on the deep web. In fact, that's where WAOIC conducts most of their deals. That way the transfers of data that they sell can't be traced."

"We still haven't answered our main question," I reminded them. "We need to know if the casino has had any dealings with WAOIC."

"According to what I found, they do not have any ties. I even looked through their records of gamblers, and I don't see any WAOIC agents listed."

"They would use an alias, though," Finn chimed in.

"True," Dari admitted.

"So you haven't found any proof that they are connected," I said. "But you haven't found anything that disproves a connection between the two."

"Correct," Dari said.

I sighed, plopping onto my bed. I stared at my crew members. This was so much harder than I had anticipated. I had been hoping that following Miss Monpelie would give us all of the answers we needed, yet there was still so much to investigate. It would be helpful to watch her patterns for a while and trace her contacts. But it was already June twenty-sixth, and our June thirtieth deadline was rapidly approaching. We didn't have time to waste on gathering proof that might not even be there.

"Any suggestions?" I asked.

"For what?" Finn asked.

"About what we should do next."

Ty gasped. "Is Agent X out of ideas?"

"Yes," I sighed.

The room went still. I wanted to shrink into the fluffy comforter on my bed. I, the person who was supposedly 'Agent X,' had admitted defeat. For some reason, this knowledge stung more than the fact that I didn't know what to do. The real Xara was surely clueless at times, but she always came up with some sort of plan or solution.

Focus on the mission. Think, Xara. Think!

I rested my chin in my hands. I wanted to confront Miss Monpelie, but we couldn't do it without definitive proof, which we didn't have. We could spend another day tailing her if we were pretty sure that she was the WAOIC agent. It would be an investment, and the best possible course of action.

But for some reason, there was a part of me that questioned if she was the imposter. It was too easy, the incongruities too obvious. And why go to such lengths to sell jewelry? The more I thought about it, the more I concluded that something was off.

"I think we just need to confront her," I blurted out. I realized that I hadn't even made up my mind on what we were going to do until I said the words aloud. Was that the right course of action? I hadn't really considered it as fully as I should have, but there was no taking back what I had said.

"Okay," Dari said. "I'll let you know when she's leaving the dining room."

I began to work through what we were going to say to Miss Monpelie. We couldn't come right out and ask her, "hey, are you a WAOIC agent working in disguise?" Surely then she would deny any allegations we brought against her...

"How do we know if she is the imposter or not?" I wondered aloud.

Ty frowned at the question. "What do you mean 'how do we know?' That's what we're trying to figure out. That's why we're watching the representatives so closely."

"No, I'm talking about when we question her. She's likely going to deny any allegations we have against her being a WAOIC agent. So how do we ensure that she is telling the truth?"

Ty thought for a moment before turning to Dari. Dari's eyebrows knit together.

"Why are you looking at me?"

"Can't you do some technoscan and see if she really is who she is?"

"If I had been able to do that, do you really think that we'd be having a hard time figuring out who the imposter agent is?"

"Oh...you're right."

"Wait, Ty, you might be onto something!" I exclaimed.

Ty's brow furrowed. "A technoscan?"

"No...but we can do a DNA test, right? Dari, all you have to do is brush against her with a testing swab and then we can send it to the IIA Branch in Brussels. They'll test it for us and see if it matches the DNA of the real Madame Monpelie."

"You're right!" Ty exclaimed. "That's brilliant!" I smiled. I don't know if I'd call it brilliant but...

"Wait, but if we can just do DNA tests on all of the suspects, why do we have to go through all of this?" Finn questioned.

"Woah, woah, woah, hold on a minute," Dari said. "We can't do any DNA tests."

"Why?" Ty demanded. "It's genius, and it will save us a lot of work and hassle."

"Because in order to get a proper sample even one person requires them to be involved. For example, a saliva test or a blood test would require Miss Monpelie's cooperation. What you're thinking of is different."

"So, we can't do any DNA tests?" I said.

"Unfortunately, no."

I felt like flopping backwards onto my bed. "So then how do we know that she isn't the imposter?"

"Scouts honor?" Ty suggested.

I rolled my eyes.

"We have an eyewitness account of the transactions, right?" Finn said. I nodded. "So all you have to do is get an explanation of what she was doing. If she refuses to answer, then we know that something sketchy is going on. If she tells us what's going on and we can verify her story, then we can trust her."

"That makes sense," I said. Why didn't I think of that?!

"So who's going to talk to her?" Ty asked. "Probably you and me, X."

"Yes, since we were the ones who saw her," I agreed. "Dari, let me know when she's getting ready to leave. We'll run downstairs and catch her on her way out."

"Perfect timing it seems. She just asked the waiter for the check," Dari informed. "She might be leaving soon."

"Great, Ty and I will catch her as she's leaving. Dari, watch the security cameras. If she is a spy, she might try to call for help. Tell Jax and Finn if you see anyone suspicious making their way towards us. Jax and Finn, you'll stand as back-up downstairs. Be ready to jump in and help if someone tries to attack us."

"Sounds good," Finn said.

"On it," Dari said. Jax nodded.

"Do you have all of the weapons you need in case of emergency?" I asked.

Jax nodded again. "Two guns and a knife should do it."

I glanced at him. I could see one gun in the holster of his belt, and he usually kept his knife up his sleeve, but I couldn't figure out where the second gun was.

"Where's your second gun?"

"Right here," he said. He lifted a white flower from the left pocket of his suit.

I raised an eyebrow. "A flower gun?"

"Yes. It only fires three shots, but it will do the job if my other weapons are taken."

I should have known that his second weapon would be concealed in a genius way. There was nothing more unassuming than a flower. Over the years, he had been responsible for concealing guns and knives in the most unexpected places. My personal favorite was a pistol concealed in the sleeves of an agent's shirt. They, quite literally, had a weapon on them at all times.

"Okay, good."

"You need to get down there," Dari called out. "Miss Monpelie is paying the check right now."

"Right. Come on, Ty," I said. "It's time to do some sleuthing."

Ty and I dashed downstairs, though we were careful to not run when others were around. As we walked down the stairs, my eyes zeroed in on two leather chairs right outside the door to the dining room. I flicked my head in the small sitting area's direction, and Ty nodded. Almost in sync, we sat down and crossed our legs. I remained alert, my back straight and my attention on the restaurant's double doors.

In my peripheral, I saw Miss Monpelie sipping a drink. Other than her glass, the table was clear of all her dishes and the black book that restaurants always deliver the check in. Once again, I was still struck by the fact that she was eating alone. It just was so unlike her.

She's getting ready to leave, but we'll be ready for her.

In the meantime, we had to appear inconspicuous. I pretended to inspect my nails.

One minute passed. I glanced behind me. Miss Monpelie was staring into her drink. Perhaps she's regretting that she sold her earrings. I probably would if I were in her position. But how much longer is she just going to sit there?

My eyes gravitated to the diamond necklace that hung around her neck. The clear stones sparkled in the ambient lighting. I counted the number of diamonds again. There were only eight, just like last night.

Did she sell that necklace too?

Finally, Miss Monpelie rose from her seat. I quickly faced forward, nodding to Ty. He straightened his back. I replayed what I was going to do the moment she came out over and over in my mind. But this only made me more nervous. Why am I nervous? It's only Miss Monpelie! This is not something that the real Xara would have an issue with. And yet, I felt my pulse quicken as she approached the door.

The doors flew open and Miss Monpelie hurried past.

"Oh! Madame Monpelie! What a pleasant surprise!" Ty exclaimed. I have to give him credit, he truly did sound quite surprised by her. If nothing else, Ty was excellent at acting.

Miss Monpelie whirled around, her eyes wide in surprise and her jaw open, like she was about to scream for help. Upon seeing that it was only us, however, she regained a pleasant expression and smoothed her dress.

"Oh, hello Mr. Hendol, Miss Oclen," she stated. She was not as good at feigning excitement. Then again, maybe she wasn't trying.

"Where's your escort, Monsieur DeCroi?" I asked.

"Oh, he had some work to attend to tonight," she quickly replied.

"How unfortunate!" Ty remarked. "Well, do you mind if we join you?"

"Oh, I was just...going to my room."

"That's fine, we'll accompany you."

Monpelie's eyes went wide. "Oh, that's quite alright..." She glanced out the window that showed the outdoor, hotel garden basked in the fading light of the sun. "It's a lovely evening, would you like to stroll the gardens?"

"Yes, that sounds great."

She forced a smile, and the three of us exited through the glass door on the side of the hotel. A cool breeze brushed my face, carrying the slightest essence of flowers. It kept the air circulated so that it was stifling or muggy, as it often is during the summertime.

"I'm sure that you both have been very busy now that you have arrived in Belgium," Miss Monpelie began.

"Oh yes," Ty said. "Lots of excitement."

"I'm sure that you haven't run into any issues while you were here, correct?"

I wonder why she's beginning with this. Is it because she's a WAOIC agent and is trying to find out what we know? No, that would be too obvious. She's probably just making small talk.

"Nothing we can't handle."

"And how have you been, Miss Monpelie?" I inquired.

Madame Monpelie's face froze for a moment, then melted into its usual, cordial smile. "I have been quite well."

"No troubles whatsoever?"

"No, none."

"Not even with finances?" It was the only thing I could think of to question her. Because if she wasn't involved in WAOIC, then that was the only other thing I could imagine her doing.

Miss Monpelie's eyes widened. She just stood there, frozen. I could see her mind working, trying to figure out if she should deny the question. But after a moment, her posture crumpled under the weight of a heavy sigh. Her lip trembled for a moment, but she bit down on it to stop the tears forming in her eyes.

"How did you find out?" she breathed.

"Your necklace only has eight diamonds on it," I said.

Miss Monpelie gasped. She whipped her necklace over her head and counted the diamonds for herself. She couldn't stop her lip from trembling now.

"I-I sent them a picture." She looked up at us frantically. "They assured me that it would be an exact replica. How..."

"How could things have gone so wrong?" Ty filled in. Miss Monpelie buried her face in her hands.

I placed my hand on her shoulder. "Miss Monpelie, why are you selling your jewelry?"

She gazed past blurry tears to look into my eyes. "I...I'm broke. The embassy cut my salary and I...I didn't cut my spending."

She pursed her lips together, as if deciding whether or not she was going to tell us something. I waited, wondering how to go about this. She didn't seem to be lying, but how could we be sure?

"I...I didn't know what to do," she continued. "I have several loans to pay off, and I can't possibly ask the embassy for money since they'll see how irresponsible I am. I panicked, so I decided to start selling my jewelry and replacing them with cheaper versions in hopes that no one would be able to tell the difference." A tear slipped down her cheek.

Miss Monpelie's eyes suddenly met my gaze, her eyes insistent. "Don't tell a soul about this. Not one word!"

"We won't," I promised.

"If this gets out...I'll lose all respect from the other delegates at the convention. I'll probably lose my job, too, since I would be misrepresenting France."

"Mum's the word," Ty said.

Miss Monpelie exhaled. "Good. Thank you."

"You made a swap at the party, right?" Ty said gently.

"Yes, we decided that that would be a safe place to meet since people probably wouldn't be closely watching me. Or so I thought."

"Xara picks up on everything," Ty stated.

The corners of Miss Monpelie's lips turned upwards. "I suppose she does."

"You've also been making sales these past few days while you were in Brussels," I said. "You headed out of the city inconspicuously everyday in order to sell your jewels. That's why you didn't want anyone to accompany you."

"Yes," Madame Monpelie whispered.

"Well, I'm glad to know that you are safe...though your finances aren't at the place that they should be," I said. "I was concerned since you were alone. It's not safe for an ambassador to be going around the city without security. Where are your guards?"

"I-I didn't come with any."

"Well, please allow one of us to accompany you around the city," Ty said.

Madame Monpelie bit her lip. "But I...I still have to sell more of my jewelry."

I inhaled, trying to think of a solution. I didn't want her to continue to sell her belongings, especially since they meant so much to her. But we needed to keep track of her.

"We'll try to think of a way to spare your jewels," I told her. "For now, just do some sightseeing or prepare for the meeting ahead. Dari can accompany you wherever you want to go."

Her eyes lit up. "You'll help me out of this?"

"I can't promise anything, but we'll try."

The French Ambassador smiled. "Thank you. If you don't mind, I'd like to go to my room now. I was going to go to bed early."

"Go right ahead."

"Good night!" Ty said.

"Good night, and thank you again." She gave my hand a squeeze before disappearing through the glass side doors of the hotel.

"Do you believe her?" Ty whispered.

I thought for a moment. While I had been trained to be suspicious of everyone, there was an urgency, a rawness, a lack of calculation or barriers that made her trustworthy. We would get the details on her whereabouts later to verify what she had told us, but I had a feeling her story would check-out.

"Yes," I declared. "I think I do."

Ty raised his eyebrows. "Really?" He stared at me curiously, his head tilted to one side. Slowly, he began to nod. "I can see that."

"Sure," I mumbled. I wasn't sure if he was agreeing with me because he genuinely thought I was right, or because he had been trained to go along with whatever Agent X decided.

Ty's green eyes stared down at me intently, reading me. "You okay?"

"Yeah," I said. "Come on. We need to get ready for dinner tonight with Mr. and Mrs. Bachaniello." I hurried past him before things got more awkward.