{"id":1209,"date":"2022-04-06T21:53:12","date_gmt":"2022-04-07T02:53:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dreamers-sanctuary.com\/00carter\/?page_id=1209"},"modified":"2022-04-06T21:53:26","modified_gmt":"2022-04-07T02:53:26","slug":"part2","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/00carter\/episodes\/episode14\/part2\/","title":{"rendered":"Part 2"},"content":{"rendered":"

Episode 14: \u00a0In the Wink of an Eye<\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n

Part 2<\/strong><\/h4>\n

 <\/p>\n

Strolling out of his office with the papers tucked between his elbow and side as he held a coffee in each hand, Nick looked like a model agent. A few female employees hurried past as he rounded Lancy\u2019s desk, and he winked at them; they giggled in response.<\/p>\n

\u201cSurprised to see you up so early.\u201d Nick groaned at Vitruvian\u2019s grating voice. \u201cYou Lancybassy\u2019s errand-boy now?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJust making sure I have plenty of time to spend with everyone while we\u2019re here.\u201d Nick flashed his trademark grin. Overall, he\u2019d been having a pretty good morning until Lancy tried to tackle him from under the desk. \u201cHey, nice to see you.\u201d He winked at Kate.<\/p>\n

\u201cFlirt with your own secretary, 008.\u201d Vitruvian stalked toward Nick until he was inches from his face, then poked him in the chest. \u201cYou\u2019re up to something.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nick shrugged with a smirk. \u201cAnd what are you up to so early? Inventing flying machines? Painting? Writing in your journal?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll have you know, I have a strict schedule every morning.\u201d Vitruvian adjusted his tie. \u201cI\u2019m always up by 0600 to be in the training facilities by 0630. Then–\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBlah, blah, blah, blah. I bet you scheduled boring me to death in your journal, too.\u201d Nick wiggled one of the coffees and grinned smugly. \u201cToo bad for you, a certain someone asked me for a coffee date this morning. Gotta go.\u201d Who cares if that certain someone was actually Lancy,<\/em> Nick thought to himself as he slid past Vitruvian with a slight shove of his shoulder.<\/p>\n

As Nick walked away, he heard Vitruvian say \u201chold my calls\u201d to Kate.<\/p>\n

Once out of earshot, Nick decided to focus on the rest of HimTak, instead of letting Vitruvi-lame ruin his day. He grinned as he passed other employees, acknowledging them with a brief nod. Meanwhile, everyone he passed had an expression of awed confusion. Though Nick briefly entertained the idea that they were awestruck by his presence, it was more likely that they were also surprised to see him up so early.<\/p>\n

He would have spent more time contemplating his shortcomings, but a familiar voice interrupted him.<\/p>\n

\u201cNick! Hey! What are you doing up?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cStyx, mornin\u2019!\u201d Nick called as he strode over, giving him an elbow bump when he reached him. Then he lifted one of the coffees with a wink. \u201cWoke up early, decided to surprise Diamond.\u201d The only thing she\u2019d really be surprised about was that Lancy hadn\u2019t come with him. Or maybe that she saw him before Lancy.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s cool. I get it, you gotta change your schedule up if she\u2019s with Vitruvian at night.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ha, that won\u2019t happen today<\/em>, Nick thought to himself. What was it Grasshopper always used to say? Something like \u201cBirds always suck no matter what time it is, but men get shit done?\u201d<\/em> That made sense. Nick shrugged. \u201cNah, just wanted to do something nice before our date tonight.\u201d The one he\u2019d just decided they were going on.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey, about our meeting this morning–\u201d<\/p>\n

But Nick tuned Styx out when a bouncy song brushed against his ears.<\/p>\n

Rockin\u2019 Dior \u2018cause it goes with my diamonds<\/em>
\nGot a pink gown custom by Alaia<\/em>
\nI\u2019ll be on stage when the stadium light up<\/em><\/p>\n

After a quick scan, Nick spied Diamond\u2019s secretary, Chris, making several expressions at his camera then winking after each one. Way to pick a useful secretary, Di,<\/em> Nick thought as he rolled his eyes, then turned back to Styx with a grin. \u201cSorry, it\u2019s just 00s again, but I\u2019ll update you afterward. Why don\u2019t you pop by my office at noon? See ya.\u201d Nick bumped into Styx as he turned toward the office. \u201cSorry, man.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, see ya\u2026 at noon\u2026\u201d Styx waved, but Nick had already moved on to following the song.<\/p>\n

Luckily, it played from within the office behind Chris, so Nick slipped past the oblivious secretary and through the open door where the soft, understated rose gold and white decor of Diamond\u2019s office greeted him. Once inside, the song became louder.<\/p>\n

I said no<\/em>
\nNo no no, a no no<\/em>
\nNo no, that\u2019s a no no<\/em>
\nNo no, I said no no<\/em>
\nNo no<\/em><\/p>\n

Behind her desk, Diamond\u2019s sultry dance matched the song\u2019s bass line as she playfully wiggled her finger and ran her hands down her hips, brushing against the lavender satin of her body con dress.<\/p>\n

A sly grin quirked on Nick\u2019s lips. Then he set both coffees and the papers on her desk before sneaking behind and sliding his hands down her waist. \u201cHopefully you\u2019re not turning some poor guy down because of me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHi, Nick.\u201d Diamond giggled, leaning over her shoulder to give Nick a quick peck on the lips.<\/p>\n

Up early and Di\u2019s responding to less flirting than usual. Must be a Tuesday thing. No wonder Lancy likes them so much,<\/em> Nick thought to himself as his grin grew.<\/p>\n

Diamond turned in his arms, lightly ruffling his hair as she stared into his eyes with an alluring pout. Nick leaned in to kiss her, but she dodged him and grabbed the coffee from the desk. \u201cAw\u2026 you brought me a coffee?\u201d Her expression softened into a gentle smile.<\/p>\n

Nick swallowed away the fluttering in his stomach. He could never let her know that the soft smile affected him more than the flirtatious expressions, as much as he enjoyed them.<\/p>\n

\u201c…from Lancy.\u201d Diamond smirked as she peered at the label on the cup, then set it down and grabbed the other cup instead. \u201cAt least Lancy has good taste in delivery men.\u201d She winked as she took a sip.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe definitely wasn\u2019t happy about it.\u201d Nick laughed.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, I don\u2019t like this lockdown either. It\u2019s driving me crazy doing nothing but online shopping in my room.\u201d Diamond sighed. \u201cI\u2019m having a heck of a time trying to figure out what to do while waiting for shipping. Any ideas?\u201d She winked.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ve resorted to pre-recording your late-night texts?\u201d Nick laughed and gestured to her phone perched on top of the filing cabinet behind her desk.<\/p>\n

It flashed purple, then quickly exited to a display screen with Diamond\u2019s picture in the upper corner and a feed of images.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ve started an OnlyFans account?\u201d Nick frowned, then shrugged. \u201cThat\u2019s cool, I guess.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot yet. You know I like dinner or drinks first.\u201d Diamond laughed and grabbed the phone. \u201cIt\u2019s this fun new app called Wink. You record videos, but they disappear after a couple of days. You can pay to have them stick around longer, but the exclusivity is part of the fun.\u201d Diamond clicked on her picture and scrolled through the screen. \u201cIt gets kind of addictive, though, because you don\u2019t want to miss anything. Lancy and I send each other great videos we find all the time.\u201d<\/p>\n

As she spoke, Nick wrapped his arms around her waist and leaned his head on her shoulder, watching her scroll through her personal feed. \u201cOn the app?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, if you\u2019re friends, you can share other people\u2019s videos\u2026\u201d Diamond grinned back at him. \u201c…Or send private videos. Want to see one?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cStop selling me on new apps; I\u2019m already in. I\u2019ll just download it and follow you.\u201d Nick reached into the back pocket of his cargo camo shorts and frowned after discovering the pocket was empty. He quickly reached into his other back pocket, only to find that it was empty too. Next, he dug into one of his front pockets.<\/p>\n

\u201cHappy to see me?\u201d Diamond giggled.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo.\u201d Nick groaned. \u201cOr, well yeah, always, but I can\u2019t find my phone.\u201d<\/p>\n

After setting her phone and coffee on the desk, Diamond turned to face him again, the same gloating smirk on her face. \u201cHave you checked your other pockets? I\u2019ll help.\u201d She reached both hands into his back pockets, giving a playful squeeze to his butt. \u201cEmpty. What about the front?\u201d She winked as she pulled her hands from his back pockets and slid them into the front pockets. \u201cDoesn\u2019t feel like a phone, but\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDesiree\u2026\u201d Nick whispered.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe can shut my door. Chris wouldn\u2019t even notice,\u201d she whispered back, slowly pulling her hands from his pockets.<\/p>\n

Nick leaned in to kiss her. She never let them fool around at the office — something about not mixing business and pleasure where K could see it. Was this what happened when you woke up early? Nick groaned. He\u2019d woken up early to get to the meeting on time. That was a promise he\u2019d made to K after they\u2019d dislodged the bomb.<\/p>\n

\u201cNick?\u201d Diamond frowned.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t believe I\u2019m saying this, but we\u2019d be late for our meeting.\u201d Nick slid his hands down his side pockets, confirming his phone also wasn\u2019t in them.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t believe you\u2019re saying that either.\u201d Diamond laughed. \u201cWhat\u2019s with you today? First, you wake up early; now you\u2019re worried about making it to meetings on time?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t like it?\u201d Nick pouted exaggeratedly, hoping to hide the fact that her playful jab stung a little. \u201cWouldn\u2019t have caught your dance if I didn\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGlad you did.\u201d She smiled and ruffled his hair. \u201cEspecially since we don\u2019t get to sit together at the meetings anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow \u2018bout I take you to dinner tonight?\u201d Nick grinned as he leaned in for a kiss. \u201cHave to find my phone first, though.\u201d<\/p>\n

At the same time, she giggled and said, \u201cAfter you find your phone first, right?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJinx. I owe you a drink.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWouldn\u2019t miss it.\u201d Diamond smiled that same gentle smile and met his lips.<\/p>\n

Though Nick briefly wondered whether he left his phone in his room, one thought consumed his mind instead: Damn, I should wake up early more often.<\/em><\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

K stood in front of the large projection screen, glancing between his watch and the familiar beep and hydraulic hiss of the automatic door. At 0918, the always punctual Grasshopper arrived first. Though his eyes remained locked on the door, K gestured to the table. \u201cSit wherever you like.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA lizard who loses its tail becomes strategic and cunning.\u201d<\/p>\n

When K returned his gaze to the table, he chuckled. \u201cYou always see right through me, Grasshopper.\u201d<\/p>\n

The older man merely smiled as he sat at K\u2019s left side.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow are the newer recruits handling the grounding?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThough they have natural instincts, nestlings prefer the safety of the known. Rather, it is the fledglings one must worry about.\u201d<\/p>\n

K chuckled again as the door beeped and hissed. At 0920, Jay entered, followed by Red and Pearl.<\/p>\n

The two men shared a knowing glance, and as Jay sat on K\u2019s right side, he patted the chair beside him. \u201cYou\u2019ll probably want to sit here, Pearl.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pearl frowned and crossed her arms. \u201cWhat? Why?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTrust me.\u201d Jay patted the seat again.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know, not that I don\u2019t appreciate being included in this secret 00 only meeting, but this is taking away time I could be using to catch our guy.\u201d Pearl sank into the chair beside Jay.<\/p>\n

\u201cOr girl?\u201d Red sat beside Pearl. \u201cThis is usually Emerald\u2019s seat; is that okay?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSit wherever you want, Red. It\u2019s just a chair.\u201d Emerald shrugged as she entered the room, then pulled over a chair from beside the wall, plopped into the seat beside Red, and rested her feet on the second chair.<\/p>\n

K hurriedly turned toward the projection screen, hoping to hide his grimace from detection.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd you wonder why everyone has you in their phone as \u2018Grandma,\u2019 K.\u201d Emerald laughed loudly.<\/p>\n

Not quick enough,<\/em> K thought as he furrowed his brow.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re supposed to pick a family member. Something no one would suspect.\u201d Jay shrugged as the door opened again.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut not \u2018Grandma\u2019 specifically.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy don\u2019t you tell everyone what embarrassing thing you have Jay in your phone as, Avril. Bet it\u2019s \u2018Daddy\u2019 or something.\u201d<\/p>\n

0925 — perpetually tardy Nick Carter had arrived early for a meeting. K cleared his throat before he involuntarily made any other sound, grateful that his back remained facing the room.<\/p>\n

\u201cProbably not as weird as whatever slacker thing you have Diamond in your phone as. Booty Call #1 or something?\u201d<\/p>\n

While the crass \u201cBooty Call #1\u201d would have been more secretive, he\u2019d caught the two of them on incoming calls from each other before and knew they were simply labeled \u201cDesiree\u201d and \u201cNick.\u201d K hid his chuckle by clearing his throat once again. At the second throat clear, the agents remained silent, and K turned back toward the room, gesturing to the table again.<\/p>\n

\u201cLooks like you get to come back to the slacker side of the table.\u201d Nick grinned at Diamond as he rounded the corner of the table, then pulled out the chair beside Grasshopper for her.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can\u2019t label booty calls by numbers, Emerald. It\u2019s too hard to keep track of them. You have to at least use emojis, like eggplants on a scale of one to ten.\u201d Diamond winked as she sat, then put her coffee, a small notebook, and a fluffy pen on the table.<\/p>\n

After plopping into the seat beside her and setting down his coffee, Nick grinned at Diamond and held up ten fingers. When Diamond flashed ten fingers and an eleventh one, Emerald rolled her eyes.<\/p>\n

The door opened again, and the stoic 007 wordlessly took a seat beside Emerald. K glanced at his watch \u2013 0930. In an equally unusual turn of events, Vitruvian was late. Perhaps Grasshopper had been right, the agents who were used to leaving were the ones that needed to be watched more carefully. Though he didn\u2019t suspect Nick, it was equally unusual that he was early. K held up his hand and finally spoke. \u201cI appreciate your punctuality, even though it seems like time is limitless at the moment. In an effort to preserve this feeling, I\u2019d like to keep this meeting short.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nick reached his fist out to Diamond, and she giggled. At K\u2019s stern glance, Nick shrugged, grinning sheepishly.<\/p>\n

K slid two envelopes across the table. \u201c005, 007, here is your newest mission docket. Review these, and we\u2019ll debrief in my office before you leave this afternoon.\u201d They shared a brief nod. \u201cIn the meantime, I know that FANS has kept us preoccupied the past year and a half, and the stress of that has led to some internal scisms. I\u2019d like to encourage everyone to use this downtime as a way to bond with lower ranks or rebuild your relationships with one another in whatever ways you see fit.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jay lowered his sunglasses and winked at Emerald, who grinned in response and slowly started opening her envelope. Meanwhile, Nick plucked Diamond\u2019s pen from her hand and quickly scrawled something on her notepad. As she giggled, the door slammed open.<\/p>\n

\u201cSorry I\u2019m late!\u201d Vitruvian rushed into the room and hurriedly sat in the empty seat beside Nick at 0937.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs I was saying,\u201d K cleared his throat, \u201cIf you do not have missions, use this time to forge stronger relationships with each other. As high-ranking employees, I expect you to model this culture shift for everyone else.\u201d<\/p>\n

When Vitruvian tried to catch Diamond\u2019s eye with a wink, Nick slid his arm around her waist and smirked at him. Diamond remained oblivious to the exchange as she wrote a response to Nick\u2019s earlier note.<\/p>\n

When K furrowed his brow, Grasshopper mouthed \u201cfledglings\u201d to him. K stifled a laugh in response.<\/p>\n

\u201cCool, thanks for including Red and me in this short meeting, K. I\u2019m going back to catching that guy.\u201d When Pearl started to stand, Jay patted the arm of the chair. \u201cWhat now?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRed, how has Archie performed on his internship so far?\u201d K asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s a little inexperienced, but he\u2019s doing great so far,\u201d she answered. \u201cI think he\u2019ll become a real asset while he\u2019s here. You and Jay have always been great at recruiting and vetting interns.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m happy to hear that glowing review. Pearl, I\u2019ve decided that Tara is not the correct fit for HimTak.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s about time, K! I\u2019ve only been telling you that for a month. I don\u2019t need a secretary or assistant; they\u2019re all absolutely useless, and training them to be useful is a waste of time. Just like–\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile you\u2019re all here, I\u2019d like to update you on our hacker from last year that Pearl caught rather handedly.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pearl scoffed and crossed her arms as Nick snickered.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs you know, we take these threats seriously, but also keep our eyes open for young talent. For that reason, we will be welcoming Seth Cooper on as an intern.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo way!\u201d Pearl gritted her teeth as Jay held her arm tightly against the chair.<\/p>\n

\u201cI trust that you will train him appropriately.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nick\u2019s snicker became a loud laugh.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow could you do this to me, K? He hacked into our system!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is not up for discussion, Pearl. He has gone through an extensive vetting process and will be joining your team.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nick grabbed his sides with crossed arms and hunched into himself as he laughed hysterically.<\/p>\n

\u201cShut it, Blondie.\u201d Pearl frowned and continued to stew silently.<\/p>\n

\u201cPearl, K, do you have any new information about the breach and the mole? Or if there\u2019s anything else we should be doing while we wait for our next missions?\u201d Diamond asked as she tapped her pen on the notepad.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf<\/em> there\u2019s a mole,\u201d Vitruvian interjected.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is<\/em> a mole.\u201d Pearl glared at him.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile Pearl analyzes the coding trail, we will each take a shift monitoring the internal security cameras for suspicious activity. To show that I am also participating in the team building, I will take the first shift with Pearl.\u201d K passed a stack of paper to Jay and a stack of paper to Grasshopper. \u201cYou\u2019ll find the rest of the schedule here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat kind of lame team building are you and Pearl going to do, K? Two Truths and a Lie? Trust falls?\u201d Nick asked with a snicker.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe game where everyone holds hands and tries to get the hula hoop around the circle?\u201d Red smiled.<\/p>\n

\u201cPerhaps we will discuss that while we work.\u201d A brief smile crossed K\u2019s face at their jokes. \u201cYou\u2019re welcome to make suggestions as you all make your rounds. Dismissed.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

\u201cI hate you, K,\u201d Pearl stated with a small huff before sipping her Code Red Mountain Dew. Her hatred of coffee was pretty infamous, and this was how she got her morning pick-me-up.<\/p>\n

K laughed beside her, setting his coffee down on the table as the pair monitored the feeds on the many screens before them. \u201cI suppose we could start playing Two Truths and a Lie. However, I already know that that\u2019s the lie.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re funny today. But I don\u2019t understand why you\u2019d want to hire that\u2026 that child<\/em>\u2026 just because he happened to barely<\/em> crack the system–\u201d It still bothered her to no end that the kid had been able to get in at all. Even if she\u2019d been alerted pretty fast due to her own safeties set within the highly complicated system.<\/p>\n

K smirked. \u201cHe would\u2019ve gotten further had you not caught him. And if you remember, I recruited you rather young yourself. You hadn\u2019t been at MIT very long.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI was older than him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, now you can\u2019t say I\u2019m giving you a \u2018useless\u2019 secretary. Now you have a qualified assistant. He\u2019ll be able to help you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t need help.\u201d Her arms crossed in front of her chest.<\/p>\n

\u201cKitana.\u201d It was rare that anyone used her real name. From K, it was practically unheard of. \u201cYou\u2019ve been working non-stop since the breach.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, yeah<\/em>, we have a mole<\/em>. I want us protected and that douche-canoe caught!\u201d She reached for her can, playing idly with the tab on the top in an effort to keep her hands busy.<\/p>\n

A smile flitted across K\u2019s face at the word douche-canoe<\/em>. \u201cAnd you\u2019ve gotten worse ever since the loss of Opal. You\u2019re rarely in your quarters anymore, and you\u2019re pushing people away. You\u2019re going to burn yourself out at this rate.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m fine<\/em>.\u201d But was she? When it came to her laboratory and her work, she was a real loner. Of course, sometimes she would partner up with others on projects, but it was the exception rather than the norm. That was why the loss of Opal still rested heavily on her mind, as she\u2019d bonded so well with her. She\u2019d considered Ashavari a real friend, and now she was gone.<\/p>\n

While Pearl denied to K how much she\u2019d been diving into anything and everything to escape, she knew he was right. It was her way of coping, unhealthy as it was. She\u2019d done the same after the death of Shazam, and she hadn\u2019t even liked him. Technology was her safe space, and she loved her work. When the world felt too chaotic, her laboratory and her projects seemed to make it all calm down again. And all of this was why she was working practically non-stop to try and track down this traitor within their midst. Because even though the two incidents weren\u2019t connected, it gave her the distraction she so desperately wanted and needed.<\/p>\n

So this idea of a new person being brought in now? No. This wasn\u2019t okay. Not to mention taking on an assistant? It almost made her feel like she wasn\u2019t enough to keep her home safe. Pearl said none of this out loud, however; instead, she bottled it up and shoved it as deep inside as it could go. Something she was used to doing.<\/p>\n

\u201cPearl?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not happy, K. We don\u2019t need him.\u201d<\/p>\n

He reached over and patted her hand gently. \u201cNo, but I think he\u2019ll add a lot to HimTak. And give you the breaks you need.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLook, I\u2026\u201d She stopped herself then and changed tactics. \u201cHow can we even trust him? Especially now?\u201d<\/p>\n

K\u2019s brow lifted, though she saw the appreciation at her insight in his intense green eyes. \u201cHe\u2019s been vetted for a long time. We had to wait \u2018til he was eighteen, of course, before we could recruit him. And before we reached out to Seth, we kept an eye on any contact he had, simply to ensure this wouldn\u2019t happen again. Beyond our normal vetting.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI suppose.\u201d She was still going to bug him and his room, just in case. If Pearl had had trust issues before, they were sky high now. She stood, adjusting her purple t-shirt with the words \u201cI keep hitting delete, but you\u2019re still here\u201d<\/em> written on it in yellow.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf 008 asks, we can say we did trust falls if you\u2019d like,\u201d K said lightly.<\/p>\n

That brought a real smile out of her. \u201cI like it.\u201d She then tapped one of the screens so that it could expand in size and allow the camera to zoom in closer. \u201cHe\u2019ll probably pout and ask why I didn\u2019t play it with him.\u201d<\/p>\n

One thing that she didn\u2019t get to often do was observe agents in their downtime, and, had the situation been different, she\u2019d be enjoying the psychology of it. The way people\u2019s behaviors changed based on who they were with or the history they had with them. She had picked this pairing in particular because she wanted something to lighten her mood a little. To help her thoughts feel a little less hectic and mellow herself out. To stop thinking about all the emotions she wanted to hide away.<\/p>\n

On the screen stood Grasshopper and Nick, the older man resting his hand on Nick\u2019s shoulder. Nick looked absolutely baffled at what his superior was trying to tell him. \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cA lion does not roar into a pack of hyenas. Rather, it devours what it must and moves along with his pride.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

K chuckled and shot her a look as he leaned back in his chair. \u201cYou think monitoring them is necessary?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo.\u201d She admitted. \u201cBut I\u2019m always entertained by the way Blondie reacts.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat does that even mean?\u201d<\/em> Nick whined, checking his watch out of a habit that still hadn\u2019t died. He patted his pockets again in search of something. \u201cWhat time is it?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cTime moves at a pace all its own, and a warrior need not heed it as the days pass on in an eternal dance.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cUh, thanks. But I need to go find my phone and download that app Wink Diamond keeps telling me about.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Pearl laughed softly as she reached up and tapped the monitor twice, watching as it shrunk back to normal size with the others. \u201cHave you heard about that new app, K? Lancy was telling me all about it, and you know I\u2019m a sucker for new tech. Wink is really addictive; it\u2019s amazing anyone can put it down.\u201d<\/p>\n

He snorted, taking a long drink of his coffee. \u201cYou know I don\u2019t enjoy playing on a screen all day.\u201d<\/p>\n

She smiled before picking a different camera feed to focus on. \u201cOne day, I\u2019m going to get you more comfortable with technology, K. It\u2019s a goal.\u201d<\/p>\n

Emerald was leaning against the wall, gazing up at Jay with a tiny smirk. He reached out and gently ran his fingers along her arm. \u201cI feel like every time I get you back here, you\u2019re sent away again. I need to have a word with K.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe, but it makes reunions that much more fun.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

He placed his hands on her hips, gently pulling her closer. His lips grazed her neck with the softest of touches. \u201cI hate it when you\u2019re gone.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThose two are really cute when no one\u2019s around,\u201d Pearl mused as she sent it back to the rest of the screens.<\/p>\n

K pointed up in the left-hand corner. \u201cCan you zoom in on that for me?\u201d<\/p>\n

Her brow furrowed, but she did as she was asked. This one was in the main training room. Many times, it stayed empty except for shadow agents who were eager to prove themselves in some way. But upon a second glance, she saw Leo enter from the right side, glancing around surreptitiously.<\/p>\n

\u201cHmm.\u201d It\u2019s just Vitruvian, so why would K ask me to zoom in?<\/em> She wondered.<\/p>\n

Before she could voice her thoughts aloud, however, she saw Styx slip through the door on the opposite side of the expansive training room. He shoved his hand into his pocket, then smirked at the other agent. \u201cYou in here to get some extra training in, too? Looking to try and outdo Carter?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Pearl snorted, unable to help herself.<\/p>\n

\u201cPearl.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat? Nick\u2019s my friend, and the way Leo gets about him bugs me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou want a round with me then?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Styx smirked hard to himself, rolling his shoulders. \u201cNick trained me himself. I bet I could take you down easily.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Leo rolled his eyes as he took a b\u014d off the wall, tossing it to the young shadow agent before grabbing another for himself. \u201cLet\u2019s go with one of the classics.\u201d<\/em> Because of the Japanese origins of Himitsu Takana, the art of b\u014djutsu was one of the first fighting styles all agents were trained in. \u201cThis way, neither of us has a home-field advantage.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cYou know, I never see these two alone together.\u201d<\/p>\n

K nodded, his eyes focused on the screen as the sparring match began. \u201cIt\u2019s an interesting dynamic. 009 chose b\u014djutsu because he knows Styx hasn\u2019t had as many years of training under this style as he\u2019s had.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pearl tilted her head. \u201cHand to hand is definitely 080\u2019s strength more than formal fighting styles. But he\u2019s smart.\u201d She grinned. \u201cAnd working under Nick\u2019s gotten him to open up his mind a bit more.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bamboo sticks bounced off each other as the two continued their back and forth combat. Leo swung as Styx leaped into the air to avoid being tripped up. The match was more even than anyone would\u2019ve expected, experience being met with an uncanny ability to improvise. Leo spun his staff with one hand before catching it and knocking Styx\u2019s out of his hands. Before he could knock the younger agent to the ground, Styx did a back handspring, swiping his b\u014d from where it landed and blocking him in the nick of time.<\/p>\n

\u201cDoes it bother you?\u201d<\/em> He taunted the blond. \u201cKnowing you\u2019re always going to get compared to Nick?\u201d<\/em> Styx took on the offensive, beads of sweat building on his dark skin. \u201cThat you\u2019ll probably never match up in their eyes?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m far superior to that idiot! Half of his success is luck only!\u201d<\/em> Leo\u2019s swings became wilder, more forceful. \u201cSooner or later, they\u2019ll see. But what would you know? You\u2019re the one unlucky enough to be shadowing him. I bet you don\u2019t even appreciate why b\u014d staffs are what we\u2019re trained on first. Beyond the fact that HimTak started in Japan, I mean.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t care.\u201d<\/em> Their dance of violence was actually a thing of beauty to watch. Each of them moved with a grace and skill that truly showed the finely tuned machines they\u2019d been trained into being. Nothing less would do at HimTak.<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course you don\u2019t. Because Carter doesn\u2019t care, so why should you?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m my own person, Vitruvian. I have my own reasons for doing things. But I did learn one thing from Nick.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Leo raised his pole to block a direct swing at his chest and used the momentum to shove Styx back on the balls of his feet. \u201cWhat, the best way to order hot cocoa?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

He shook his head, snickering. \u201cNo. Don\u2019t give a shit what jealous people think as long as I get the job done.\u201d<\/em> And with that, he dropped the pole to the ground, turned, and walked across the room. Styx paused at the door with a glance back. \u201cThat\u2019s probably a lesson you need, 009. I bet Diamond might like to see that from you.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Then Leo was alone in the room once more.<\/p>\n

Pearl shifted her eyes to K as she reached up and shrunk the screen back to normal size again. He looked deep in thought and slightly troubled. \u201cAre you alright, K?\u201d<\/p>\n

He nodded as he stood, running a hand through his black hair. \u201cI\u2019m fine. I\u2019m going to go check in with Jay. Let me know if anything else catches your eye.\u201d<\/p>\n

She nodded. \u201cOkay. Will you send him down for me? I want to try and upgrade his sunglasses if he\u2019ll let me borrow them long enough.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWill do. I\u2019ll also be sending down Cooper later for you to get to know.\u201d He smirked. \u201cBe nice to him, won\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n

Pearl made a face but didn\u2019t argue. \u201cGot it.\u201d<\/p>\n

After she heard her door shut, she sighed before plopping back in her chair. She pulled out her phone, hoping to send Brian a message on the iPod she\u2019d gifted to him for his birthday two months ago. Maybe she\u2019d get an answer this time. She hadn\u2019t seen nor heard from him since the funeral. No one had. Sure, she knew his location and had kept K and Nick updated on where he was ever since Brian had left the CIA and later DC. The device had a tracer, as all her personalized devices did. But she wanted to talk to him, to make sure he was truly okay. She\u2019d grown to really care about him in the same way she had with Opal.<\/p>\n

Truth be told, the fact that Brian still carried the device was something to be hopeful about. It meant he planned on communicating with them again one day, even if that day wasn\u2019t today. After getting no answer, Pearl disconnected the call and glanced back up at the screens. Most of the agents she\u2019d planned on monitoring were either eating or lounging in their rooms. Her eyes shifted back down to the phone in her hand.<\/p>\n

She supposed a small break browsing on Wink wouldn\u2019t hurt.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Part 3<\/a><\/strong><\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Episode 14: \u00a0In the Wink of an Eye Part 2   Strolling out of his office with the papers tucked between his elbow and side as he held a coffee in each hand, Nick looked like a model agent. A few female employees hurried past as he rounded Lancy\u2019s desk,\u2026<\/p>\n

Read more<\/span><\/i><\/a> <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":1201,"menu_order":2,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"templates\/template-onecolumn.php","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1209","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/P5xaHX-jv","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/00carter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1209","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/00carter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/00carter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/00carter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/00carter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1209"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/00carter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1209\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1211,"href":"https:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/00carter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1209\/revisions\/1211"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/00carter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1201"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/00carter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1209"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}