The city lights gleamed through the large glass windows of the opulent building, and the hum of refined conversations and delicate clinking of glasses filled the air.

Yuna stepped out of the sleek car, her deep emerald dress catching the light. Her heels clicked confidently against the pavement as she approached the entrance, her head held high. She flashed a dazzling smile at the doorman, who couldn't help but return it before letting her in.

Winter sat in a nearby building, her sniper rifle steadied on its tripod, her scope trained on the event. The late evening glow painted the city in gold, but her focus remained sharp. Through her headset, she muttered, "I don't see why we're relying on her. She's too... bubbly for this kind of job."

"Just watch," Karina's voice chimed in, calm but firm.

Yuna glided into the party like she belonged there. Her steps were fluid, her movements natural, drawing just enough attention to be noticed but not enough to be questioned. She smiled at the first group she encountered, a trio of diplomats discussing mundane topics.

With practiced ease, she slipped into their conversation, offering a well-timed laugh and a charming comment.

Winter's eyebrow twitched as she watched Yuna through her scope. "No way she pulls this off," she muttered, mostly to herself.

"Careful, Winter," Ningning's teasing voice came through the earpiece. "She might surprise you."

"Not a chance," Winter replied, shifting her position slightly, her finger tapping idly against the rifle.

Inside, Yuna was already proving her worth. She maneuvered through the crowd, her sparkling smile and warm tone disarming even the most standoffish attendees. She picked up on subtle cues-the quick glance of a nervous man, the clipped tone of an impatient woman-and adjusted her approach accordingly.

"You're from the Foreign Trade Commission, right?" she asked one man, tilting her head in curiosity. He nodded, and she smoothly continued, "Your work must be fascinating. I've always been curious about how the commission handles high-stakes negotiations."

The man's guarded expression softened, and he began to talk, divulging far more than he probably intended.

Winter frowned, her eyes narrowing as she listened in. "She's actually getting something?"

"She's good at what she does," Karina said, her voice steady as she scanned the perimeter of the party. She had just entered, her black dress and poised demeanor allowing her to blend in seamlessly.

Yuna excused herself from one conversation, gliding toward another cluster of guests. This time, she approached an older woman, her voice shifting to a tone of genuine admiration.

"That's a stunning necklace," she said, her hand lightly grazing her own collarbone as if to emphasize her point.

The woman beamed, clearly pleased, and the two began chatting. Within moments, Yuna had expertly guided the conversation toward the upper floors of the building. "I hear the second floor houses some incredible pieces of art," Yuna said, her tone casual. "I'd love to see them someday."

The woman hesitated before leaning in slightly, lowering her voice. "The second floor is restricted," she whispered conspiratorially. "But I've heard it's truly exquisite."

"Got that?" Yuna murmured into her earpiece, her voice barely audible as she excused herself from the conversation.

"Loud and clear," Ningning said. "Keep going. I'm pulling up the blueprints now to pinpoint access points."

Winter adjusted her scope, tracking Yuna as she moved through the crowd. Her initial skepticism was giving way to grudging respect. "Alright, I'll admit it-she's not as useless as I thought."

"High praise coming from you," Ningning quipped.

Yuna's voice came through again. "I've got confirmation. Arms deal is set for the second floor, private library. Restricted access."

Karina's voice followed, calm and composed. "Good work. Keep blending in. We'll need more intel before we move."

Winter sighed, her finger still resting on the trigger of her rifle. "Great. Meanwhile, I'm stuck here, playing glorified lookout."

"You're our safety net," Karina reminded her. "If anything goes wrong, you'll be the first line of defense."

"Comforting," Winter muttered, though her focus didn't waver.

Yuna continued her dance through the crowd, her charm weaving a web of connections. Each snippet of conversation, each stolen glance, brought them closer to their goal. Winter watched her through the scope, her annoyance fading into reluctant admiration.

"Alright, fine," Winter muttered under her breath. "She's not completely useless."

"Thanks, Winter!" Yuna's voice chirped through the earpiece, and Winter nearly dropped her rifle.

"Wait, you heard that?"

"Every word," Yuna said with a grin audible in her voice.

Karina chuckled softly, and Ningning's laughter rang in their ears. Winter groaned, already regretting every compliment she'd let slip.

The party continued in its elegant chaos, the hum of murmured conversations and the soft clink of glasses creating an almost hypnotic rhythm. Winter, her eyes trained through her rifle's scope, was starting to pick up on things most partygoers wouldn't notice.

A man in a sharply tailored suit exchanged a briefcase with another guest near the back entrance.

And then Winter noticed his hand move, subtly, towards his ear, right before his head moved a fraction, as though someone was talking in his ear, then the same man took his hand and placed it on the edge of his drink glass for only a moment and in that moment, it seemed to shift.

A subtle tap of fingers against a champagne glass seemed almost rhythmic-too deliberate to be casual.

"Karina," Winter hissed into her earpiece. "Something's off. That guy near the service entrance just handed off a briefcase, and I just saw him tap something on his ear, then the edge of his glass... It's like he is jamming us, setting off a signal. "

"Hold on," Karina interrupted. "Yuna's onto something."

Winter bit her lip, frustrated, but knew that she had to try and warn Yuna. She shifted her focus back to Yuna, went to chat with a waiter, her body language fluid and friendly. "Excuse me, would it be possible to use the washroom upstairs? All of the ones here seem to be occupied."

The waiter hesitated, his eyes darting around. "It's against protocol to permit guests to use the second-floor restrooms. I could get in serious trouble."

Yuna smiled conspiratorially, leaning closer, her voice dropping to a soft, pleading tone. "Please. I won't tell a soul. It's just... I'm a bit of a private person. Is there a back way up?" She let her eyes widen a little, adding a touch of playful vulnerability. "I'm in a terrible situation."

The waiter chuckled nervously, his resolve cracking. He gestured toward a side door with a quick nod. "The service stairs are through there. But please, be discreet and don't say you saw me."

Yuna winked, mouthed a thank you, and casually walked away, her demeanor still light and carefree.

"Got a way in," Yuna whispered into her earpiece. "Second floor, side stairs."

"Good work," Karina replied, her voice steady. "Stick to the plan. We don't need attention drawn to us."

But attention was already drawn.

Across the room, the man in his mid-forties, his hardened gaze now sharper than before, spotted Yuna. Recognition flickered across his face, now with understanding. His hand went to his ear, and his head twitched slightly.

He tapped his earpiece discreetly, and within moments, security personnel began subtly moving through the crowd, converging toward Yuna's last known location. His signals had worked, and he had triangulated her, and they had moved in.

"Ningning," Karina said sharply, "what's happening?"

Ningning's voice was tense. "We've got a problem. Several guards are moving toward Yuna's position. They've identified her. But I don't get any of her signals anymore, I think that signal jamming worked."

Winter's heart thudded as she swung her scope toward Yuna. "She's gonna get caught, and now she can't hear us!"

"Stay in position!" Karina snapped.

But Winter's finger twitched against her rifle. She watched as Yuna, still oblivious to the danger, moved toward the side stairs. Then, the guards closed in.

Ningning's voice, tinged with desperation, whispered through the earpiece, "I can't get through to her. She can't hear us. They're almost on her. She's trying to move, but-wait, no-"

Yuna's playful facade crumbled as she realized she'd been cornered. She tried to slip away, but one of the guards grabbed her arm. She twisted out of his grip, shoving him back, but another struck her from behind. Her knees buckled as she fell unconscious.

Winter's blood boiled. "Karina, we have to-"

"Stay in position!" Karina barked.

But Winter couldn't. Her team was in danger, her instincts screaming at her to act. With a frustrated growl, she grabbed her second gun, slung it over her shoulder, and bolted from her position.

"Winter, don't you dare-" Karina's voice was drowned out by the sound of shattering glass.

Winter burst through one of the event's side windows, shards flying everywhere. She rolled to her feet, her guns raised. Chaos erupted in the room as attendees screamed and scattered. Winter's eyes locked onto Yuna's limp body, now being dragged by two guards toward an exit.

"Get away from her!" Winter roared, pulling the trigger.

Her first shot took out a guard's leg, sending him crumpling to the ground. The second guard dropped Yuna and turned, drawing his weapon, but Winter was faster. Two more shots, and he was down.

"Winter!" Karina's voice exploded in her ear. "What the hell are you doing?"

"Saving her!" Winter snarled, her heart pounding as she rushed to Yuna's side.

Behind her, more guards were pouring in, their weapons drawn. Winter grabbed Yuna under her arms, dragging her toward cover as bullets zipped past them.

"Karina, I need backup!" Winter shouted, ducking behind a pillar.

Karina cursed under her breath. "Ningning, find me another way in. Now."

Ningning's voice was frantic. "I'm working on it! Just hold on!"

Winter gritted her teeth, reloading her weapon as she peeked around the pillar. Her gaze locked onto the remaining guards advancing on her position. Her hands were steady, her mind sharp, even as adrenaline coursed through her veins.

"You picked the wrong team to mess with," Winter muttered before stepping out of cover, her guns blazing.