{"id":270,"date":"2014-12-30T04:42:13","date_gmt":"2014-12-30T04:42:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.dreamers-sanctuary.com\/00carter\/?page_id=270"},"modified":"2022-02-19T23:27:52","modified_gmt":"2022-02-20T05:27:52","slug":"part2","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/00carter\/episodes\/episode4\/part2\/","title":{"rendered":"Part 2"},"content":{"rendered":"

Episode 4: \u00a0Ice Ice Baby<\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n

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

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re kidding, right? This is a joke?\u201d Nick threw the file folder down with such force that its top-secret contents spilled across the meticulously clean desktop.<\/p>\n

The muscles under K\u2019s jaw clenched as his eyes dropped to the clutter, but he didn\u2019t say a word. Calmly, he lifted his head and looked past Nick to the open door of his office, where a nervous secretary leaned against the frame to catch his breath. \u201cI\u2019m sorry, sir. I didn\u2019t mean to interrupt. I brought Red\u2019s report from her meeting with 008.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCome in, Lancybassy. I\u2019ve been expecting this.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI would\u2019ve come in sooner, but as much as I would love being on the receiving end of some manly brute force, Nick scares me when he\u2019s really angry.\u201d Lancy sashayed into the room and handed K the report.<\/p>\n

K flipped through the pages, quickly scanning over key words and phrases.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd Red is\u2026\u201d Officer Littrell of the CIA started.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe head of our medical department,\u201d K answered without looking up from the papers.<\/p>\n

\u201cEverything okay?\u201d Lancy leaned forward on his tiptoes until he was inches from K\u2019s face.<\/p>\n

Nick rolled his eyes as he turned back toward the door, hiding his expression from everyone in the room.<\/p>\n

Eyeing Lancy\u2019s intrusion, Brian opened his mouth to say something, but stopped when Jay subtly shook his head, suggesting it wasn\u2019t worth the effort. Brian looked curiously at his cousin, amazed to see the corners of his mouth twitching as if he were trying not to break out into a smile.<\/p>\n

\u201cEverything seems to be in order, Lancy. We\u2019re actively recruiting an assistant for Red so you won\u2019t need to bring these much longer. However, next time, make sure you are expedient.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOkie-dokie, boss, cross my heart!\u201d<\/p>\n

Lancy smiled and winked in Brian\u2019s direction as he practically skipped out of the room. Once the door was securely shut behind him, K calmly scooped up the loose papers and placed them neatly back in the folder. \u201cI never joke about work, 008. Our duty is paramount.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jay and Brian looked at each other and snickered, thinking that K had no idea just how true that statement was until K met them with a glare that sent chills up their spines. Nick followed his boss\u2019s gaze and met Brian with a look of pure hatred. \u201cBoss, you can\u2019t trust the U.S. government.\u201d<\/p>\n

Brian looked into Nick\u2019s icy blue eyes, and the fire on his short fuse was now officially lit. \u201cExcuse me?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think I need to repeat myself, but just in case your hearing is as good as your judgment, I said the U.S. fucking government are a bunch of selfish, lying bastards, and I wouldn\u2019t trust you with that weapon any more than I trust a terrorist ring. Hell, I\u2019m not sure there\u2019s much of a difference between the two.\u201d<\/p>\n

Brian\u2019s knuckles went white as he clenched his fists tight enough to turn coal into diamonds. \u201cThis is the kind of person you\u2019re trusting the fate of the world with? Kev, I respect the hell out of you, man, but there\u2019s a reason you and I are not on the same team.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDamn right, there\u2019s a reason! Lucky for us, the gene pool is pretty broad in your family.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c008!\u201d K hissed. \u201cYou will get control of yourself right now, or you will find yourself without a job.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nick forced his teeth sharply into his tongue to keep it from running away from him. However, he was still so angry that he jumped when Jay placed a supportive hand on his shoulder. K also placed a hand on his cousin\u2019s shoulder. \u201cDifferent styles, but one purpose. That puts us on the same team. You are both exceptional, and I expect you to set aside your personal issues and find that missing weapon.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nick and Brian continued to stare one another down, and K quickly reached his boiling point. \u201cNow,\u201d he grumbled.<\/p>\n

Jay forced a smile at the man he only trusted because K trusted him. \u201cWhy don\u2019t you head down to the lab; we\u2019ve already got someone working on it. With any luck, she\u2019s cracked the system already.\u201d<\/p>\n

Brian headed for the door, making no mature effort to miss Nick as he passed. Nick quickly whirled around to confront him, but Jay wisely stepped in his way and grabbed hold of his punching arm. \u201cLet\u2019s go for a walk, kid,\u201d he said, practically dragging Nick out of K\u2019s office.<\/p>\n

Jay strolled lightheartedly down the hallway but never loosened his grip on Nick\u2019s arm. They were just about to find sanctuary in Jay\u2019s office when they ran into Shazam. He smirked when he saw that Nick was agitated and ignored the warning look Jay gave him. \u201cSo, 008, I heard your first mission back went so well that they\u2019re letting the CIA baby-sit you. They can\u2019t even spare Diamond this time around; that\u2019s too bad, man. Better luck next time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jay felt Nick\u2019s arm harden in his hand. He could have held him back, but he\u2019d never really cared much for JC\u2019s sparkling personality. Better him now than Brian later, he figured, so he let go. The moment Nick was free, his fist connected with JC\u2019s face, sending him flying back against the wall. Nick didn\u2019t stop to admire the damage he\u2019d done to the pretty face and barely heard the muffled \u201cWhat the fuck, Carter!\u201d as he stormed into Jay\u2019s office and plopped into the chair behind the desk.<\/p>\n

Jay shut the door behind him. The moment it was secure, he burst into laughter. \u201cDude, if anyone asks, I tried my best to hold you back.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nick wanted to brood in peace, but watching his so-called \u201cboss\u201d crack up over the interoffice violence forced an unwanted smirk to appear on his face.<\/p>\n

Jay smiled when he saw it, then became serious. \u201cGot it out of your system now, man? Because you\u2019re already on thin ice, and shit like that is not the best way to prove that you\u2019re ready to be back.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nick sighed in frustration. \u201cYou know I can handle it. This ain\u2019t about that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know you can. I am<\/em> the one that assigned you this case.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen why the CIA?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHell, I don\u2019t know. Personally, the guy creeps me out with all the smiling and the \u2018pleases\u2019 and \u2018thank-you\u2019s.\u2019 And that damn accent! I had to listen to Emerald blab on for an hour about \u2018that hot CIA guy\u2019s sexy voice.\u2019 You think I liked that shit?\u201d<\/p>\n

Nick smirked at the thought of someone as obnoxious as Emerald crushing on such a straight-laced fuddy-duddy. \u201cBut I know K, man,\u201d Jay continued, \u201cand if he wants him to go, then like it or not, you\u2019re stuck with him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHave you read the file? Do you really want America to get their hands on something like that? I thought HimTak was supposed to stay neutral.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPart of the glory of being the boss is that I get to read all the files, even yours. I know all about your sister.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nick flinched in surprise at Jay\u2019s confession, and his eyes glossed over with moisture. Jay squatted down to eye level with Nick and dropped a hand firmly on his shoulder. \u201cIf K says we can trust him, then we can trust him. But more than that, I need you to stay focused on this mission. We have reason to believe that whoever stole that weapon is the same organization that was behind the Global Idol scandal.\u201d<\/p>\n

Flashes of his previous mission whizzed through Nick\u2019s mind. Jay now had his full attention.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou let Brian worry about that weapon. If we\u2019re dealing with the same people, then there\u2019s a chance that we might be dealing with–\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDrums.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou gotta find him, man. He\u2019s our responsibility.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nick nodded with new determination. He was responsible for that monster. And he was going to be the one to stop him.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Footsteps echoed through the metal laboratory as Brian made his way down, marveling at the size of the place. Kevin had told him to go there for more information on the stolen Russian weapon detailed in their file, while Nick had been pulled aside by one of the other agents.<\/p>\n

Nick — the guy had no self-control and was a poor excuse for any type of agent. The government would never let someone like him become an officer for the CIA. He was amazed Kevin had let him in. Now his cousin thought it was a good idea to pair them together? Was this some unfair joke?<\/p>\n

Brian looked around for the scientist he was supposed to meet. The \u201cbest in the business,\u201d as Kevin said, for technology and the ability to get the information they needed. He first spied the large, complicated computer system and screen that displayed what he assumed to be other agents on missions. In front of it, a younger woman than him with curly, blonde hair and bright, blue eyes monitored the screens.<\/p>\n

At the sound of his footsteps, she turned with a small smile. \u201cYou must be CIA boy.\u201d She smirked. \u201cI could hear you and Blondie fighting all the way down here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBlondie?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNick. Jay told me about the new mission, and so I\u2019m trying to hack into the Russian government system.\u201d She patted the chair beside her. \u201cTake a seat; shouldn\u2019t take too long. The Russian system is easier to hack into than the U.S. one, which, so you know, is shockingly simple.\u201d<\/p>\n

Was everyone at Himitsu Takana annoying? Or just the ones he was forced to interact with? \u201cWait a minute–\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cChill. Call me Pearl, by the way. I was telling you how easy it is, so you\u2019d tell them. Besides, HimTak isn\u2019t out to attack America; we\u2019re out to protect people on a global scale. We\u2019re above the petty issues countries have with each other; we just want to keep the peace.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI want to keep the world safe too, ya know. America has the resources to do that, and–\u201d<\/p>\n

Her slender fingers flew across the keyboard as her gaze skipped between the main computer screen and Brian. This was the scientist? He wasn\u2019t sure whether to be surprised or impressed. Yet, she did annoy him a bit, much like his new partner. \u201cI hear you do things differently at the CIA than their other officers–\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhatever is right and gets the job done.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo we get each other. \u2019Cause it\u2019s really just different ideas, same goal. Can\u2019t say I\u2019m a fan of government agents myself, but you seem okay. You\u2019re K\u2019s cousin, so I know you wouldn\u2019t be here unless he trusted you.\u201d Her lips curved into a grin as Nick began to make his way into her sanctuary of technology, weapons, and metal. \u201cI like that Southern accent of yours, by the way.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPearl…\u201d Nick started as he stopped beside Brian, still fuming. Agent Jay had calmed him down a lot. He had a way of doing that, always able to relate to him. Still, the idea of working with this government pawn irritated him to no end. \u201cHow\u2019s the hack job?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAllll-most done. By the way, Blondie, I loved that \u2018Mambo No. 5\u2019 performance. I saved that cute little moment on video.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can\u2019t\u2026 that\u2019s just wrong!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat can I say? A performance like that is pure gold.\u201d<\/p>\n

The CIA officer raised a brow. \u201cMaybe instead of trying to play wannabe-hero, Carter, you can sing and leave the world saving to the real agents.\u201d<\/p>\n

Two pairs of blue eyes met angrily. If looks could kill, both men would have been frozen to death by now from the cold, harsh stares alone. \u201cNot even five minutes, and I\u2019m already sick of your ass, Littrell! You couldn\u2019t handle this mission on your own. All the government pawns do is fuck things up anyway. I\u2019m on this to save your ass and keep it out of trouble.\u201d To Nick, nothing he said was false. The man angered him beyond measure; all that Brian represented was, in his mind, worthless.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou want to try saying that again?\u201d Brian demanded as he stood toe to toe with Nick. This poor excuse of an agent didn\u2019t scare him in the slightest.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey! Agents acting like teenagers drugged up on hormones, I just got into the system!\u201d Pearl\u2019s voice called out, interrupting them both before they could go any further.<\/p>\n

The two leaned over to take a look with furrowed brows, putting the squabble on hold for the moment. Nick shifted his eyes over to Pearl. \u201cI can\u2019t read any of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou and me both, buddy. This baby must be big; it\u2019s encoded. And I\u2019m almost positive it\u2019s in Russian, to boot. A language I only know the basics of. Perfect. I\u2019m okay with codes, but this isn\u2019t my area at all, and I\u2019d muck it up. Ugh, we\u2019re gonna have to dig up the cryptographer, unless CIA boy knows how to decode this.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have a cryptographer?\u201d Nick asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah we do; we just don\u2019t need him that often. Okay, where is my communi-com that links me to the specialized areas?\u201d<\/p>\n

Brian shook his head as he brushed himself free of invisible lint idly. \u201cForget it. I know a person. She\u2019s the best.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGreat, more government people.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYa need to shut it right now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy? It\u2019s true. It\u2019s like how the U.S. government thinks it can bomb its way to peace. The people don\u2019t want it, and yet they fucking do it. Perfect example. And ya know, bombing for peace is like fucking for virginity, and yet the U.S. government is THAT damn stupid–\u201d<\/p>\n

Pearl stepped between them, pushing them apart before it got ugly. \u201cOkay don\u2019t make me put you two in separate corners. You\u2019re on the mission together. Deal. You can even vent to me later if it makes you feel better, Nick.\u201d She smiled. \u201cBrian, where is this cryptographer you mentioned? She really that good?\u201d<\/p>\n

A grin slowly spread across the CIA officer\u2019s face, his dimples popping up amidst his defined cheekbones and lighting up his face. Just the thought of his girl made such a difference and easily helped soothe the frustrations he\u2019d been dealing with. Ashavari\u2026 he couldn\u2019t wait to see her again. \u201cShe\u2019s the best, and she\u2019s in LA.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pearl beamed as she patted the two of them on the back. \u201cGood, you two go and promise not to kill each other. I will see it, you know. And I\u2019ll find a way to stop it; just ask Nick,\u201d she informed them with a silent chuckle as she thought of the underwear incident from the last mission.<\/p>\n

Knowing what she meant, Nick smirked. Ignoring it, he started towards the garage door, which opened as he walked. He paused and turned his head back towards Brian. \u201cLet\u2019s go. Oh, and we\u2019re taking my<\/em> car.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Once he saw the car, even Brian was impressed by the sleek appeal the vehicle had. He smirked as Nick used the remote to open the doors. \u201cI\u2019m driving.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLook, you can\u2019t drive.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course I can drive; it\u2019s just a car.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nick rolled his eyes. Stubborn. Typical government, ignoring the people, right? Fine, let him try, but he\u2019d still show him. Nick discreetly pushed the remote to open the door, so Brian could get in, thinking all was normal. \u201cNo, I mean you cannot drive, you American Idiot.\u201d To add to the insult, he started singing the Green Day song that inspired said comment. Turning the iPod on, he played the song, letting his own voice blend in.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t wanna be an American idiot.<\/em>
\nDon\u2019t want a nation under the new media<\/em>
\nAnd can you hear the sound of hysteria?<\/em>
\nThe subliminal mind fuck America.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Headbanging soon accompanied the singing of the Himitsu Takana agent, as his unwilling partner attempted to ignore him, turning the key in the engine yet again.<\/p>\n

\u201cWelcome to a new kind of tension.<\/em>
\nAll across the alien nation.<\/em>
\nWhere everything isn\u2019t meant to be okay.<\/em>
\nTelevision dreams of tomorrow.<\/em>
\nWe\u2019re not the ones who\u2019re meant to follow.<\/em>
\nFor that\u2019s enough to argue.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cWell maybe I\u2019m the faggot America.<\/em>
\nI\u2019m not a part of a redneck agenda.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Seeing the CIA officer\u2019s face fuming, Nick skimmed back to the last line again, singing it even louder as Brian began attempting to start up the car. \u201cI\u2019m NOT part of a REDNECK agenda!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Nick\u2019s snickers were hard to keep in as he watched Brian\u2019s eyes explode with rage when the car remained off.<\/p>\n

\u201cYour singing is worse than a bunch of starving donkeys wailing for some hay. And your car is a lemon.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHeh, told you that you can\u2019t drive it.\u201d Nick watched with amusement as he continued singing, his arms waving around like a mocking dance. \u201cNow everybody do the propaganda… and sing along to the age of paranoia…\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Brian smirked back then, agitated and already wishing the mission was over. His accent came through as a result of his inner rage. \u201cTold ya you\u2019d be better off leaving the world-saving to the real men and go off to sing pretty \u2018ole songs.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShut up.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cStop singing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHell no. Heh, I don\u2019t care what K says; we can\u2019t trust you. I wish this mission was over.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, buddy, that feelin\u2019s mutual. Now, why can\u2019t I get this car to start?\u201d<\/p>\n

With a roll of his eyes, Nick climbed out of the car. One way or another, they had to save the world. And so they would. He just didn\u2019t have to like it. \u201cGet out.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m serious, aight? Get out.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFine.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nick motioned for him to get in the passenger seat as he took his own seat at the steering wheel. The instant the car recognized his fingerprints, it suddenly sprang to life. With a grin, Nick sped out of the garage.<\/p>\n

The car raced down the highway, nothing but desert all around them. Green Day\u2019s song \u201cWake Me Up When September Ends\u201d played on the iPod, projecting through the speakers.<\/p>\n

Nick glanced at Brian, whom he knew was wondering why the car wouldn\u2019t start for him. Maybe he could try the calmer, more mature approach. \u201cSee, Pearl modified the car, and it only lets me or her drive. Heh.\u201d<\/p>\n

Brian scrutinized the car, noticing the add-ons and new technology a classic car like this wouldn\u2019t have. The CIA didn\u2019t give out such neat toys. \u201cIt\u2019s alright.\u201d He smirked calmly. \u201cI guess a below-average agent would need the aid of extra equipment.\u201d The smirk grew mockingly at Nick.<\/p>\n

Or maybe the mature way was stupid.<\/p>\n

\u201cOr\u2026\u201d Nick shrugged, acting as if he wasn\u2019t bothered by the verbal jab directed at him. \u201cYou just wish you had one\u2026\u201d His hand came off of the steering wheel to point at Brian. \u201cBut you don\u2019t\u2026\u201d The hand went back to the wheel so he could drive. He chuckled. \u201cSucks for you!\u201d<\/p>\n

Both men set their jaws, determined not to kill the other, no matter how tempting. One thing was painfully obvious to both: It was going to be a long mission.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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

Episode 4: \u00a0Ice Ice Baby Part 2   \u201cYou\u2019re kidding, right? This is a joke?\u201d Nick threw the file folder down with such force that its top-secret contents spilled across the meticulously clean desktop. The muscles under K\u2019s jaw clenched as his eyes dropped to the clutter, but he didn\u2019t\u2026<\/p>\n

Read more<\/span><\/i><\/a> <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":128,"menu_order":2,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"templates\/template-onecolumn.php","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-270","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/P5xaHX-4m","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/00carter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/270","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=270"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/00carter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/270\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1167,"href":"https:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/00carter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/270\/revisions\/1167"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/00carter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/128"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/00carter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=270"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}