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Mia pulled into Nick’s apartment complex in Santa Monica at a quarter to 6. She got to his apartment and reached the top of the stairs that led to his door. She reached out and landed a knock against the door when her phone rang.

“Hello?” she answered her phone, thinking it was Nick.

“White Tiger?” Agent Davenport said on the other line, just as Nick opened the door. Mia looked up at Nick, who only had on a pair of jeans and a white tank top.

“Hey, come on in,” Nick said. He held the door open to let her in. He noticed she was on the phone and gave her a quizzical look.

“White Tiger, are you still there?” Agent Davenport said on the other line.

“Yes, I’m still here,” Mia said into her phone, hoping Nick didn’t hear Agent Davenport address her by her codename. She turned to Nick. “Sorry, it’s the office.”

Nick nodded as he left to go put a shirt on.

“Did I interrupt you…on a date or something?” Agent Davenport asked on the other line.

Didn’t Ken tell you to message me the details of our next mission? What do you want? she wanted to yell at him.

“Can this wait in the morning? I’m on my way out right now and I don’t have time to talk,” Mia said, avoiding his question.

“I’m just relaying a message from Blue Viper…or Ken…he wanted me to talk with you about the details of our next mission,” he informed.

“Well you can text it to me,” Mia replied tersely.

There was a short pause. “Fine. We can talk in the morning. You’ll need to meet me at the CIA headquarters.”

“I’ll be there,” Mia said in a sarcastic happy tone. He hung up as Mia rolled her eyes and closed her phone and put it back in her purse.

“Ready to go?” asked Nick who came back in the living room wearing a blue plaid shirt that was slightly unbuttoned.

Mia nodded and couldn’t help but stare at his bare chest peeking through his shirt.

“What did the office want?” Nick asked casually running a hand through his spiky blond hair.

“Jeff’s making me do more paperwork,” Mia lied. The back of her neck began to sting with guilt but she quickly shrugged it off.

“Oh.” Nick chuckled a bit. “Alright. I’m taking you to this great sushi place. Do you like sushi?”

“I love sushi,” Mia said, trying to sound as enthusiastic as she could.

“Great.”

Nick and Mia left his apartment and headed to a sushi place on Sunset Boulevard.


>>>>>>>>>>>

At the CIA headquarters, Agent Davenport hung up the phone after talking with Mia and sighed exasperatedly.

Why is she such a bitch to me? he wanted to know. Did I do something to offend her?

He made his way to Agent Rochester’s office to tell him that he will meet with Mia tomorrow morning to discuss their next mission together, when he heard Roger Black’s voice speaking with Agent Rochester on speaker phone.

“Do you have my weapon?” Black’s voice blared through the speaker phone.

“No…sir, but I’m sure I’ll have it for you soon,” Agent Rochester replied. He sounded as if he was nervous.

Agent Davenport couldn’t believe his ears. Agent Rochester was actually working for Black! How could he not have known his own partner had been working with Black all along? Agent Davenport kept still making sure he made no sound as he stood in front of Agent Rochester’s office eavesdropping on his conversation with Black.

“You better damn well be sure!” Black barked at Agent Rochester on the phone.

“I’ll have it for you soon,” Agent Rochester repeated insistently.

“I want that disc with my weapon in it!”

“Yes sir.”

“I’ll give you twelve hours. If I don’t have my weapon within that time, our deal is off,” Roger Black replied and then hung up the phone before Agent Rochester could reply. Agent Davenport heard Agent Rochester slam his phone shut.

Agent Davenport couldn’t wait any longer and knocked loudly against Agent Rochester’s door. He waited until

Agent Rochester got up and answered the door.

“Ah Davenport, did you get a chance to talk with White Tiger?” Agent Rochester asked, inviting him into his office but Agent Davenport stood where he was.

“What were you doing talking to Roger Black?” Agent Davenport asked, ignoring his question.

Agent Rochester blinked twice and glanced at his phone as if confused.

“What do you mean?” he asked innocently.

“You know damn well what I mean!” Agent Davenport spat. “How long have you been working with Black?”

Agent Rochester didn’t reply, instead he laughed in his throat.

“You weren’t supposed to find out about this,” he said matter-of-factly.

“What’s this deal you made with Black?” Agent Davenport demanded.

“It’s none of your concern!” Agent Rochester snapped.

“Once APO or Director Gordon find out about your little deal with Black, it’ll be over,” Agent Davenport declared.

“You don’t know who you’re dealing with and you don’t know what you’re getting into,” Agent Rochester threatened darkly. “You go against me and it’ll be the last mistake you’ll ever make!”

“The mistake is for you choosing the wrong side. You won’t get away with this, Rochester. I can promise you that,” Agent Davenport asserted then he turned on his heel and left Agent Rochester’s office.