"You ready to fly to Paris?" Amber asks excitedly, as we put pull our suitcases from the trunk of her white Honda Accord.

"As ready as I'll ever be," I grumble, feeling the weight of exhaustion from last night tug down on my eyelids. I set my suitcase on the road and attempt to wake myself up a bit more by stretching out the muscles in my legs.

"Aw come on Harp! We're going to the famed city of love, how are you not excited?" Ames exclaims, before leaning in with a mischievous look. "Who knows, you might meet some French hunk and fall in love."

I can't help the sneer that forms on my lips at the idea. "Yeah, no thanks. That sounds like more pain than fun, and besides, nothing good ever comes from those idiots."

Amber rolls her eyes, "They did give us the Statue of Liberty, and our art style in the 19th century. I mean I understand the Raven Sector screwed up during the Midnight Star Case, but why do you still hold such a grudge against them?"

"I told you before Ames, they're just a bunch of idiots that love croissants and art. They're completely useless." I grumble, pulling my suitcase towards the entrance of the airport. "Now are you coming or not?"

Amber hurries after me, the curls of her red hair bouncing on her shoulders, as I feel her blue eyes pierce into the back of my head. "You know, I feel like your hate for the French is... not racist but-" she trails off, searching for the right word.

"What xenophobic?" I glance back to see her nod quickly.

"Yes, you should really keep an open mind, Harp. Besides, the French might just surprise you. I'm sure the Raven Sector has vastly improved since the 1950s, hell they might be even more advanced than our Blue Jay Sector."

"Mhm, I'm sure they have," I drawl as we walk through the glass airport doors and down the carpeted hall towards the terminal.

A few seconds of silence pass, before Amber opens her mouth again. "Harp, are you doing okay these days?" 

God, is this woman afraid of silence or something?

"What kind of question is that?" I ask annoyedly, searching for our terminal number, and glancing down at my watch. The time reads 5:30, which means we have thirty minutes until our flight leaves.

"It's just, you seem like you've changed a lot in the past few months. You used to be really happy and... positive, and then the Texas mission happened and you've grown really negative, almost as if you've lost your spark."

I quickly halt in my steps, not daring to glance back and meet my best friend's worried eyes. I lost more than that if only you knew.

I habitually focus on my breathing while racking my brain for an answer to her painful question, but no words come to mind. Thankfully, our terminal comes into view, as well as Gus and Burris.

"Hello you two, have you looked over the case file I gave you earlier this week?" Burris asks, unaware of the turmoil warring in my heart, and the confusion floating in Amber's eyes.

"Yup, have it right here," I reply, unzipping my suitcase to withdraw the yellow file before I hand it to my superior.

He takes it from me and glances over its contents, before handing it back to me. "Might as well review it on the jet, it's going to be a very long flight." Burris chuckles, as I remember that it takes ten hours to fly from L.A to Paris.

"Well, I've done some thinking over your request Harper," I glance up from the case file in question as Burris continues. "I've decided to give you another shot, you'll be the leading agent for this mission. But if I hear so much as a wrong word towards you from any I.S.A.I.A agent, whether french or not, I will not hesitate to have Gus take your place and fly you back here to L.A."

I scowl, and give him a dismissive wave as I walk towards the door of the jet. "Say what you want Burris, you know I will succeed."

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Burris and Gus exchange a glance. "That remains to be seen, however, I do believe you have all the capabilities of being a great leader Ms. Medley, hence my decision."

I nod as I open the door to the jet and step in. "Goodbye sir, see you on the other side."

I hear the clippings of Burris warning Gus and Amber to keep an eye on me and each other, and to report to him any and all updates on our mission as I make my way to a seat next to one of the few windows on the jet.

Thank God the I.S.A.I.A has its own jets at the L.A airport, so we don't have to fly with strangers.

I close my eyes and lean my forehead against the cool glass of the window, Amber's words from earlier playing through my head.

"You seem like you've changed a lot... you used to be really happy. Then the Texas mission happened and you've grown really negative, almost as if you've lost your spark."

My nails press into my skin as  I bitterly think about her ignorant comment. She never would've said that if she knew about what happened to him... if anyone knew what happened.

I open my eyes and watch as Amber and Gus chat with the pilot of our jet, Gus' bright eyes flicking from the pilot to Amber, as she watches him out of the corner of her eye.

A vine of hopelessness wraps around my heart, thank God not my lungs and squeezes. Will I be alone forever, now that he's gone? I think, but quickly shove the thought away when I remember my dream from last night. No, I don't deserve anyone after what happened... even he thinks that.

I glance down at the file in my hands and open it, skimming through the papers in an attempt to distract myself from the aching within my heart.

Mission: Serpent Circle Main.

Agents: Harper Medley, Gus Smith, Amber Talle

Purpose: Infiltrate league's main base in France to gather information on missing agents, and leader's identity/whereabouts.

Date: 03/18/22

Superior Signature: Paul Burris

I flip to the second page in the file, which has a list of information about the Raven Sector.

I.S.A.I.A Sector: Raven Sector

Location: Paris, France

Case Leader: Beauregard Allard

Bellow the name of the case leader is a picture of the Raven Sector, as well as a map of their security warehouses. 

They don't have a picture of the case leader? Lame. I think to myself.

Growing bored with the vague information about the french, I flip to the third base, which has another map, but this one with the location of the alleged Serpent's Circle base. I press the tip of my pointer finger against the Serpent's Circle base, seeing the base is located near the Sacre Coeur, memorizing its surroundings. I then flip back to the second page and memorize the location of the Raven Sector's complex, which is located a few miles away from the Eiffel Tower.

Maybe I was too harsh on the French, I think to myself, looking at all of the arrondissements. I mean, I suppose they have a few nice landmarks. I can't suppress the smile that creeps onto my lips when I think of standing before the Eiffel Tower at night, lit up with its glowing canary yellow lights and shimmering metal.

The French do have their art going for them I guess. I admit to myself, still imagining the Eiffel Tower.

I have to say, I've always been enamored with the beauty of the Eiffel Tower, and the story behind it. How the citizens hated the tower in the beginning, saying that it didn't fit in with their original vision for Paris, but then they grew to love it.

"What's that smile for?" Amber interrupts my daze, taking the seat next to me. I feel the jet begin to move forward, readying to take off.

"I'm just excited to get off this damn jet," I say with a smirk, gesturing to the seats around us. "We won't be going anywhere for the next ten hours."

Amber laughs and leans her head back against the seat, her eyes closed as she visibly relaxes. "Might as well get comfortable."

I glance down at the grey blouse Ames has tucked into a leather pencil skirt, her usual statement heels the color of light nude. Her red hair has been curled, just as my jet-black hair, while her neck is adorned with a string of pearls. I then look down at my outfit, a black blazer, tan slacks, and regular black flats.

Perhaps we should've dressed a bit more casual and comfy for this plane ride.

I peek over Amber's head to see that Gus has taken the seat in the row across from us, a blood-red book in his hands as his black glasses slide down to the crook of his nose.

I close the case file just as Ame's breathing slows to a sleepy intake.

I wish I could sleep that easily, or sleep at all without having one of those damn nightmares. I think to myself, turning to look back out the window. I notice that we're now flying above the buildings of L.A. I had been so lost in my thoughts that I hadn't even noticed our takeoff.

That and we must have a fantastic pilot. I'll have to compliment him for it later.

I lean my head against the headrest of my seat and slowly close my eyes. I'm just going to close my eyes for a little bit. I'm not going to sleep, just going to relax...

"Harp wake up, we just landed." a voice says as a hand eagerly shakes my shoulder. "Harp come on!"

I crack an eye open to see Ames and Gus practically bouncing up and down as they stand in front of me, an excited glint in their eyes.

"Landed already? We just left-" I glance out the window to see we have in fact landed, just as the sun casts a vibrant glow over the land, and to my own excitement, the Eiffel Tower. I glance down at my watch to see the time reads 7 p.m.

Did I really fall asleep that easily? And I didn't have any nightmares?

I get up from my seat as Gus and Amber walk over to thank the pilot and hurry down the ramp outside, a rare smile on my lips.

Maybe this mission won't be so bad...

I give the pilot a polite nod and a compliment on the smoothness of both his takeoff and landing, before heading down the ramp myself as Gus and Amber chatter away with excitement, Amber flirtily batting at Gus' arm, which turns my smile into a grimace.

Unless these two lovebirds keep up their high-school crush dynamic... then this trip will be as annoying as fu-

"Come on Harp! I want to go to one of the little cafe shops before they close!"

I shake my head and pull my suitcase from the cargo bay of the jet. "You two can go on without me, I'd like to wash some of the jetlag off of me and get settled into our apartment." I wouldn't want to third wheel anyways, I think as I pull up the directions to where we'll be staying on my phone.

Ames opens her mouth to protest, but Gus sets a hand on her shoulder. "She'll be fine Amber, she's literally a spy that kills people... I think she can handle herself." He looks up at me and gives me a quick wink.

Oh, what's this? Did Amber actually pick out a decent guy? I think to myself as I give him a humorous salute.

"Spy that can kill people and handle herself reporting for duty, now you two go have fun! I'll catch up with you guys when you get back." I give Amber an innocent smile as she eyes me suspiciously.

"Alright, but don't get into trouble."

I roll my eyes and turn around, walking in the direction of the car rental lot next to the airstrip. "When have I ever been trouble?"

I smirk when I hear Amber whisper "I don't like this," to Gus, but she doesn't attempt to stop me as I continue to walk.

What a mother hen, why is it that everyone in this Goddamn world feels like they need to protect me? I walk through the doors of the car rental building and up to the desk where a nice-looking french lady gives me a smile. Just because I'm broken doesn't mean I can't be fixed, I just need to figure out how to do it myself.

"I'd like to get a rental, do you have any sportscars?" I ask the lady, leaning up against the desk.

The french lady laughs and gestures to the row of cars behind her, a selection of extremely, and might I add sexy-looking cars. "We have quite the selection Mademosille, take your pick."

I grin and point at an electric blue 2022 Nissan 400z parked in the middle of the line behind her. "I'll take that one," the company does pay for it anyway, may as well have a little fun.

"Excellent choice miss," the lady smiles, walking over to an assortment of drawers and taking out a set of keys, before tossing them to me. "It's all yours."

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