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Talia was about done with this place.
Yes, the agency wasn't that bad and she'd been able to collect valuable information for Mal’duum in her time there. That’d been the whole point anyway.
But all this self-righteousness was really starting to get on her nerves.
“Oh, we save people!”
“We protect the Raelos!”
OK, sure, they helped people, but that didn’t make them better than anybody. There were other people out there helping the Raelos too, but did they ever get the recognition they deserved? No, you only got that if you were part of the M.O.M.
Hopefully Mad’duum would allow her to take more action against the place soon. She’d had about enough only reporting what she found out back to him like some sort of middle school girl spreading gossip.
She walked through the agency halls, thinking of her home. After Darius’ defeat, they’d been suffering greatly. Mal’duum had discovered her and a few others while in hiding and they’d been working together ever since. If it was the last thing they did, they were going to take down the powerful threat that was the M.O.M., making room for a new ruler of all Raelos. Someone not as soft as Darius. Someone who couldn’t be defeated by simple speeches:
Mal’duum himself.
That’s where Talia came in: she was to join the agency and learn how to take it down from the inside.
Her thoughts briefly drifted to Micah.
He’d been… an unexpected obstacle.
Talia found herself actually caring about the green-wearing agent.
What she was to do about that turn of events? She wasn’t really sure. But, she believed in her cause. Maybe, just maybe, with enough persuading Micah would come to agree with her and Mal’duum’s view of things too.
Then, Talia noticed something that completely distracted her from her thoughts.
A man she’d never seen before was leaning against the wall outside one of the briefing rooms. His arms were crossed and his stance was relaxed, like he’d been there in the agency his whole life.
“Who are you?” she approached him, not caring about sounding polite.
He just smirked at her, “You an agent?”
Talia crossed her arms, “No, I just snuck in here from off the street,” she replied sarcastically.
The man laughed. “The name’s Liam,” he finally said, “I’m sure Shiloh’s talked about me.”
Yeah, he was definitely confident, as if his stance from earlier hadn’t already proven it.
Talia couldn’t help but have a little fun with the guy.
“Hmm,” she pretended to think. Finally, she said, “No, never heard of you. Shiloh definitely talks about this other guy, Phineas, a lot though.”
She told the truth about Shiloh never mentioning Liam. Talia really had never heard of the guy in her life, and especially not from Shiloh. The part about Phineas was fabricated a bit, though. She’d only heard Shiloh mention him like twice. But, Liam didn’t know that. This wasn’t her first time twisting words.
It seemed to strike a chord. Talia tried her best to hide her smile as she watched Liam tense.
“Phineas, you say,” he muttered, as if cataloging the name for later.
“Anyway, what are you doing here exactly?” Talia asked, still confused why he was there in the first place.
“I was called here, for your information,” Liam replied, “The M.O.M. requires my assistance with a very important mission.”
Talia fought the urge to roll her eyes. This was exactly the problem. M.O.M. and their “important missions.”
Finally, the door opened, and the Nelsons (with a couple other agents) began filing out.
“Oh! Liam!” Elijah noticed the man in grey first, “You made it.”
“What are you doing outside the door?” Judah asked, raising an eyebrow.
Liam shrugged, still apparently unfazed by it all. “Just waiting for a certain beautiful someone,” Talia watched his eyes very obviously drift to Shiloh.
The guy had guts, Talia had to give him that, saying something like that with her brothers right there.
Shiloh just rolled her eyes with an annoyed expression. “The only reason you’re even here is because we need your skillset for the mission. Don’t get any ideas.”
Liam smirked, “So, you admit I’m talented, then?”
Talia, cringing at the interaction herself, turned her attention to Micah. Of course, that zombie girl was with him again. Michelle’s admiration for the guy was almost as bad as Liam. Something about it made Talia angry, but at least she could work with their emotions to cause a crack in the agency’s unity. She’d already been working on Michelle to do just that.
Micah noticed her staring.
He smiled and gave her a small wave.
Talia waved back, taking enjoyment in the glare Michelle shot her.
Then, her communicator vibrated from her jacket. She excused herself as the Nelsons began explaining the mission to Liam.
She found a secluded spot and locked the door.
“About time,” Talia exclaimed, opening the device.
A small hologram of Mal’duum shot up from the device.
“Anything to report?” the blonde asked, looking uninterested in the whole interaction, though Talia knew he relied on the information she provided, even if he would never admit it.
Talia rolled her eyes, “Not really. I’ve already told you everything that goes on around here! Can we start actually doing something now?”
Mal’duum smirked slowly. “That’s why I’m calling you.”
***
It was a couple nights later when the plan was put into action. Mal’duum just needed a distraction. Something to keep the M.O.M. on their toes while he set a last couple things in motion.
And Talia knew exactly what to do.
She listened more than any of the other agents realized. She actually got more of her information from eavesdropping than actually talking to people.
The Archenon. It was the only one of its kind. It powered the center console of the place, which meant without it, much of the technology in HQ would shut down.
Talia was going to steal it.
Or well, probably just hide it somewhere, only long enough to distract the agency.
She waited until late at night when most of the agents had gone home, and the ones that stayed were fast asleep.
She scanned her badge and entered the building easily.
The place was dark and quiet. Very different from how it usually was.
She walked the now very familiar halls of the agency to the command center.
And there it was. The Archenon, glowing faintly blue like it had been ever since Micah and Michelle did whatever it was they did with it. She was about to take a step forward, when a thought suddenly crossed her mind.
She bent down, staring at the air in front of her.
Yep. there were definitely security lasers there. How had she not considered the agency would be protected at night like this?
She stood back up, trying to come up with a game plan, when she suddenly saw a figure enter the room.
She quickly darted behind a console, fearing one of the Nelsons was still at HQ for some reason.
She risked a glance. The man was looking around for her. He’d definitely heard something.
Suddenly, his face caught the neon lights of the agency-the only lights still on in the place.
Wait a moment.
“What are you doing here!?” Talia whisper-yelled through gritted teeth, her rage outweighing her common sense.
Liam’s eyes widened for a moment at the sight of her. Then, his expression settled back into the cocky look that seemed to be his default.
“I could ask you the same thing, Pinky.”
Talia was left momentarily speechless. Finally, she found her voice, “I have a name, you know!”
Liam shrugged, “Yeah, I know. It’s Talia. Michelle mentioned you in passing.” He chuckled, “That girl is not fond of you.”
Talia crossed her arms, “Well, I’m not very fond of her either.” Then, she glared at him again, “How’d you get in here?”
“I’m staying in one of the spare bedrooms, since the mission is going to take a few more days.”
“And why are you sneaking around at two in the morning?” Talia continued.
“You first,” Liam teased.
Talia’s heart stopped for a moment.
“You’re plotting something, aren’t ya?” Liam suddenly asked, taking a couple steps toward her.
“No!” Talia replied defensively.
Liam chuckled, “Come on, I know a fellow double agent when I see one.”
Talia’s mind went blank for a split second. Then, she sputtered, “What? You’re a double agent?”
Liam nodded, “Well, kinda. Not trying to do anything specific here. Just seeking a little revenge, that’s all.”
“Oh, believe me, I see where you’re coming from,” Talia replied, rolling her eyes, “This corporation has hurt plenty of people.”
A moment of silence passed between the two.
“And how do I know I can trust you?” Talia suddenly asked, moving her hands to her hips.
“Guess you don’t,” Liam said. His smirk eerily contrasted with the tone in his voice as he continued, “But I know you’re here too. Say something, and I’m saying something too.”
But, Talia wasn’t scared. It was gonna take more than that to intimidate her.
“Yeah, right. Like they’d believe you over me,” she replied, smiling a little herself, “I actually took the time to gain their trust, unlike you just showing up and hoping flattery will solve all your problems. The Nelsons are smarter than that.”
Liam’s smile finally faded for a moment. But it returned only seconds after, “I’m sure Michelle would believe me. And we both know your precious Micah would take her side over yours.”
“You don’t know that!” Talia found herself defending before giving her mouth permission to say it.
How did he know about that!? Maybe he heard more than she gave him credit for too.
Liam chuckled. “So, a truce then?” He held out a fingerless-gloved hand.
Talia hesitated for another moment, before shaking it.
“So, what exactly are you doing here at two in the morning?” Talia repeated her earlier question, though now it was more quizzical than accusatory.
Liam shrugged, “Just snooping around. Trying to find a weak point. That sort of thing.”
Then, Talia got an idea.
“Hey, you’re agile, right?”
“You flatter me.”
“I need your help,” Talia ignored his comment. “You see that blue glow coming from the main console of the command center?” she signaled to it.
Liam nodded.
“That’s called the Archenon. If we take it, most of the technology in this place would be down. Only problem: there are lasers blocking it. You think you could get over there?”
Liam had to move around for a moment to see the lasers. Then, he nodded. “Oh yeah, easy.”
Talia watched as he leaped and crawled through the obstacles with ease.
OK, he actually was pretty good at this kind of thing.
“Can I ask why you’re trying to steal this thing?” Liam asked, making his way over to the panel.
“No, you can not,” Talia simply replied.
She’d already placed too much trust in this guy. She wasn’t going to reveal anything else.
Liam shrugged, “Fair.” He crouched down by the console and worked to remove the panel. “Well, I have no problem telling you that I’m here on behalf of an incredible scientist.”
“A scientist?”
Talia hadn’t expected to get any more information from Liam either, but if he was willingly giving it, she’d be sure to keep it in the back of her mind.
Liam shifted his gaze from the panel back to her, momentarily distracted. “Yeah. I worked with him for a while. Sure, some people didn’t approve of his methods, but they just weren’t smart enough to understand his brilliance.”
“You’re talking in the past tense,” Talia noted, “Something happen?”
Liam’s expression grew dark. “The M.O.M. They took him out. ‘For the greater good,’” he said with air quotes.
“Oh.”
“Don’t get me wrong, I’m certainly here for Shiloh too, but someone needs to show them a lesson.”
Talia was about to agree, when a shout was suddenly heard from the hallway leading to the communication hub.
“WHO ARE YOU!?”
Mary’s voice. The medic must’ve been staying the night at HQ, and Talia and Liam certainly had been talking a lot.
Liam and Talia exchanged a quick glance, before fleeing the scene. Talia watched as Liam maneuvered the lasers even quicker than before.
“You think she saw who we were?” Talia asked as they ran.
“Nah. She didn’t have a flashlight and we got out of there pretty quickly.”
Talia nodded. Even if Mary had seen them, she was sure they could bend the truth in their favor. A little gaslighting never hurt anyone.
“We make a pretty good team,” Liam grinned at her as they exited the building.
“Don’t turn this into something it’s not,” Talia simply replied. She frowned as she admitted, “But I suppose we do. You failed to get the Archenon. I’ll need you to make up for it.”
“You saying we’re officially partners then?” Liam asked.
“No,” Talia replied without a second thought, “I’m saying you need to make up for your blunder.”
Liam grinned, “Yep, partners.”