MIA's POV:
Mia's boots echoed in the cold, sterile hallway of the underground facility. Her mind still replayed the confrontation with Jack in the briefing room. Hiswords had stung and she hated how easily he'd gotten under her skin. But she wasn't here for personal drama. The mission was everything.
She reached the elevator and pressed the button. The doors slid open silently, and she stepped inside, trying to focus on the task ahead. Her mind wandered to the killer they were after someone who had a twisted pattern of targeting couples. But there was something more to it something darker, she couldn't yet put her finger on.
As the elevator descended, Mia's thoughts flickered back to Jack. He didn't belong here, not yet. His bravado, his cocky attitude—it was all a façade. She could see it. He was out of depth . Yet, somehow, she couldn't shake the nagging feeling that he wasn't just a rookie—there was something more beneath the surface, something she couldn't quite read.
The doors slid open, and she stepped into the operations room. A few agents were already at their posts, heads buried in screens. But there was no time for pleasantries the mission was already in motion.
Jack was standing near the briefing table, his posture stiff, like a deer caught in headlights. His gaze locked into mia's as she approache, and for a moment, everything around them seemed to fall away.
"Well, look who finally showed up," Jack said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. Hewas trying to get a rise out of her, she could tell.
Mia kept her face neutral. "We don't have time for games, rookie."
He grinned, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Guess I'll find out if you're any good under pressure."
She met his gaze, unimpressed. He had no idea who he was dealing with.
"Are we ready to move out?" Mia asked, ignoring the tension between them. There was no time for ego.
The briefing began. The mission was straightforwardat least, that's what they were told. They had to track down a killer who had been targeting couples. His method was methodical, unsettling. He picked his victims carefully, always targeting boyfriends first, then killing the girlfriends in a brutal fashion. The agency had been watching for weeks, but they needed boots on the ground to get the information they lacked.
Mia glanced at Jack. *He was hanging on every word, trying to appear like he understood everything. But Mia knew better. He was overwhelmed.
Once the briefing concluded, they were given their assignments. Mia and jack why were to go undercover as a couple , which only served to heighten the tension between them. She could already feel Jack's discomfort at the idea, and she wasn't any more thrilled about it. But it was necessary to gain access to certain areas.
As they exited the briefing room, Mia noticed the uneasy way Jack kept glancing at her. "You alright?" she asked, her voice colder than she intended.
Jack shrugged, though it was clear he was anything but calm. "Yeah, just... not sure how this is going to work. Pretending to be a couple? That's a little... off."
"focus on the mission not the act" If you screw this up, we both die. Got it?" Mia's voice was sharp, her eyes locking onto his. She wasn't here to hold his hand.
"Right," he muttered, clearly taken aback.
They stepped into a van waiting outside. The air between them was thick with tension, but neither of them spoke. The missionloomed over them, more pressing than the growing discomfort.
The night grew colder as they drove through the city, the streetlights flickering by. Mia was lost in thought, mentally running through the details of the operation. They were getting close to the killer, but the closer they got, the more dangerous it would become. Jack had no idea how deep this went, how high the stakes really were.
As they arrived at their first location, Mia's instincts kicked in. The place was dark, secluded—a perfect spot for a trap. She motioned for Jack to stay close. They were being watched, and she could feel it. Every step, every breath felt measured.
The door to the building creaked open. Jack hesitated, his rookie inexperience showing. But Mia didn't have time to babysit him. She shoved the door open and moved in.
The tension was suffocating.
Inside, the air was thick with the smell of dust and decay. Mia's hand instinctively went to her holster. Her eyes scanned every corner, every shadow. She heard Jack's footsteps behind her—faint, uncertain. He was too loud, too obvious. She shot him a look, warning him to stay quiet.
Suddenly, the sound of footsteps echoed from the darkness ahead. Someone was coming.
Mia's heart raced, but her expression remained calm. She motioned for Jack to stay low. This was there moment . They had to move fast, or they'd lose their chance.
A figure emerged from the shadows—it wasn't the killer. But it was someone dangerous all the same. A go- between the killer , someone who could lead themstraight to the source.
Mia and Jack took the man down quietly, the mission getting more dangerous by the second. But as they searched his pocket , Mia found something unexpected—a piece of paper with a cryptic symbol, something that didn't match anything they had on file. It was a clue but to what .Mia's pulse quickened. This wasn't just about the killer anymore. There was something much bigger at play.
"We need to move," Mia said, her voice urgent. "Now."
Jack nodded, but Mia could see the questions building in his eyes. He wanted answers, but Mia knew better. somethings were not meant to be answered yet.
They left the building, the weight of their discovery hanging over them. They were one step closer to the killer, but the deeper they dug, the more dangerous the truth seemed.
"In the distance, something flickerred in the shadows."
Mia's instincts screamed. They weren't alone anymore.