Unleash the Lie

“I am not working with him!” Alana shouted. “You say that like I’m giving you a choice.” Her obnoxious administrator smirked, adding to the anger in her eyes. “He is the most pretentious agent I have ever met.” “Your personal opinions are noted but have no bearing on this mission. Reese Campbell is the Bureau’s top spy. You and Campbell are the dream team we need to solve the Minanu case.” Alana clenched her teeth in anger. The Minanu case was hers, and no way was she going to let Campbell screw it up. “I don’t need a partner. I am more than capa…” “You have been working on this case for over a year. It’s time we let a fresh pair of eyes on the job. Either you play nice with Campbell or I’m pulling you. End of discussion.” Stevenson stated with authority. Alana opened her mouth to argue, but quickly closed it and stormed out of his office.

 “Judging by the look on your face, I’m still on the job.” Reese Campbell’s arrogant smile drove her mad. Slamming herself into her desk chair, she bit her tongue and turned back to her computer. There was no way she was going to let Campbell see her lose her cool and possibly her job. The Minanu case was important to her… not that she could explain to anyone why. If they knew she was personally invested, she would be pulled and possibly demoted. “So I’m thinking you can pull the Minanu family records while I…” “I’m going to stop you right there. This is my case. Just because I have to work with you doesn’t mean I have to take orders from you. I am taking the lead and I’m giving the orders.” She stated, turning to face him. “Yes, ma’am.” He laughed. “Should I just take your coffee order, then? Or am I at least allowed to familiarize myself with the file.” She sighed, trying to calm herself. “I’ll email you the file. You can read it over while I grab my surveillance equipment.” Standing up, she pushed passed him. He watched as she strutted off to the closet sized gear room.

 Shoving anything that may be of use into a large duffle bag, she tried to no avail to come up with some excuse why she couldn’t bring Campbell with her. Why did it have to be Campbell of all the people in the agency, why him? He had been her competition for top agent since she started six years ago. Arrogant and flirtatious, he knew he was good at his job and he wasn’t afraid to flaunt it. “Ready to go?” He asked entering the tiny room. “Shouldn’t you be reading over the file?” “I skimmed it.” He winked at her. She grimaced before grabbing the bag from the table and shoving him to one side. She stopped at the door, remembering her tracker before she stormed out. “Isn’t that a lot of gear to haul around? Shouldn’t we stick to the minimum?” He followed her out. “There is no ‘we’. I’m going and you’re staying here and reading the file.” She grumbled. “I got the gist of it. Besides, I’m your partner; you need me.” She stared at him in disgust. “I don’t need anything from you. Now stay here and read the damn file.” She shouted before leaving in a huff.

 This abandoned building should do the trick, she thought to herself. It was located next door to one of the Minanu compounds. It’s not like they didn’t know they were under surveillance. With her camera set up, she watched anxiously for some movement. She wasn’t expecting much, but if she was lucky, she would at least glimpse one of the family. A dark blacked out SUV pulled up in front of the gated community. Standing up, she leaned into the camera. She zoomed in as the door swung open and the large man stationed at the gate walked up and offered his hand. A well-manicured hand grasped his hand delicately. Alana watched as a beautiful blond with dark designer sunglasses stepped out of the vehicle and straightened her short sun dress. This must be James’ new trophy. He was always after the newest and shiniest. “Well, she’s a looker, isn’t she?” A voice chuckled behind her. She turned around, launching her fist hard into the intruder’s face, only to be grabbed and spun around before she was pinned against a man. “Campbell. Get off of me!” She groaned, breaking out of his grip. “Don’t you know better than to sneak up on a spy?” “I know better than to be so absorbed in a mark that I don’t notice my surroundings.” He chuckled. “By the way, you’re missing Tyron. He’s almost inside.” He pointed out the window. Quickly she leaned back into the camera and snapped some pictures of James’ younger brother. “Tyron Minanu has good taste in women.” “Can you focus?” She rolled her eyes. “Why are you even here? I told you to stay at the agency.” “And Stevenson told me to back you up.” “I don’t need you to back me up.” Reese smirked at her and crossed his arms. “You obviously need me since you’re up here and not down there getting in close.” “Are you clinically insane or just stupid?” He shrugged. “Both probably.” She took in a deep breath. “I’ll go down; scope out the compound and you can stay up here with your camera.” He turned to leave, but she grabbed his arm and stopped him. “What is wrong with you? If you go down there, you’ll be captured.” “Awe, are you worried about me?” “I’m worried about my operation. You get caught that will set me back months.” His smirked was driving her crazy. “I won’t be caught. Besides, they know you’re up here.” He turned to walk out, and she didn’t bother to stop him. He can accept the consequences. “Just cover me from here if you’re that worried.”

Staring through the telescoped camera lens, she waited to see his familiar form. He was going to get himself killed. Why couldn’t he just listen to her? This was her case. She was in charge. Reese’s muscular form came into focus. She watched as he slipped his electric dampening gloves on and scampered up the electrified fence. He was going to get them both captured. Slowly, he snuck up behind a massive guard, wrapped his arm around his throat, and the man sank to the ground. Reese tucked his hands under the unconscious man’s arms and drug him behind some crates. “Is this what you’re into now?” She felt a shutter slid down her spine. The voice belonged to the one man she had prayed never to talk to again. She turned to see a tall, handsome man in a tasteful suit leaning against the grimy door frame. “James…” She whimpered. “What are you doing here?” “I thought it was time I introduce myself to the neighbors.” His eyes bore into her. “I have to admit it was quite a shock to see you of all people.” He stepped closer to her. “The agency knows I’m here…” she mumbled. “Alana…” He was so close she could smell the overpowering musk of his favorite cologne. “You didn’t need to join this ridiculous ‘agency’ in order to see me again.” She stepped back and felt the wall against her back. “I didn’t want to see you. I wanted to destroy you.” She clenched her teeth as he leaned in closer. “What would your boss say if he knew this entire case was nothing more than a lover’s quarrel?” “We are not lovers.” She glared. “You weren’t saying that last year.” His dazzling smile was almost hypnotizing. If she hadn’t spent the past year and a half hating him, she might have fallen for his charms. “Since you’re so interested in the inner workings of this compound, perhaps you would like a tour.” He grabbed her waist and tugged her towards the door. She felt helpless; if he wanted to kidnap her, she wouldn’t be able to stop him.

 “This is where you’ll have to wait, while I take care of our intruder.” He smiled, pulling out a large silver pistol. He shoved her gently into a small, cell-like room. The door snapped behind her and she heard the click of the lock. How was she going to warn Reese? He had been right about her being too distracted watching the camera that she had forgotten to watch her surroundings. She frowned. It pained her to let him be right. If he eluded James, he would still have to track her, and she wasn’t even sure where she was. Track? An idea bounced into her head. She had forgotten she was still wearing her agency tracker. James hadn’t taken it, believing it was just a watch. She pressed the black button on the side. Hopefully, the walls were thin enough for her distress signal to reach the agency. Two loud shots rang out. Reese! Did James find him? She had to figure out how to open this door. Stepping back, she took a running start and slammed her shoulder into the wooden door. Nothing. What about the window? She dashed to the window and tried to force it open. When that was unsuccessful, she took a small chair from the desk and bashed the glass, trying to break it. All she accomplished was shattering the chair, sending wooden shatters in every direction. The door creaked open. She turned, still brandishing the broken chair as a weapon. “Whoa…” Reese stood in the doorway, holding his hands out. “It’s me.” She put the chair down before speaking. “You’re alive? James didn’t find you.” “No. I’m considered the agency’s top spy for a reason.” She rolled her eyes. “How did you find me?” “I watched James bring you in. Like I said, I’m an excellent spy.” “Let’s go, before James comes back.” She stepped passed him and back out into the hall, only to come face to face with the barrel of a gun. “How did I know he’d come for you?” “James, this is between you and I. Let Reese go and I’ll stay with you.” Alana tried to reason. “You must take me for a fool, Lany? If I let your boyfriend go, he will just return with more agents.” “No, he won’t. He’s not my boyfriend. We hate each other.” “I think I’d rather just kill him.” James smirked, pointing his gun at Reese. “Back in the cell!” He demanded. Alana stepped back into the door. “I’ll be back after I figure out what to do with you two.” James grabbed the door and swung it closed.

 “Lany?” Reese questioned behind her. “Uh…” She turned around to face him. “You knew James Minanu before the case didn’t you?” “I… Uh…” “You endangered the entire agency for what? Because you’re a scorned woman?” “No… Reese. It’s not like that…” “Then what’s it like?” “I… Uh…” “And since when do we hate each other? Yah we fight… but I never thought you hated me.” “Reese…” “No Alana. I asked for this assignment because I thought we would make an incredible team. I know you’re a great spy; I respect your skills but now I can see this was a mistake.” Reese shouted before leaning against the wall. Shutting his eyes, he massaged his temples. “Reese… I’m sorry… I don’t hate you.” Alana sighed. “James is the jealous type; if he thinks we are involved or that you care about me in any way, he will kill you. And I’m not a scorned woman.” She leaned on the desk in the corner and continued talking, not expecting Reese to listen. “I met James during another assignment. I fell… hard for him. This was before I knew who he was. After a year of dating, he asked me to marry him. I said yes…” “You were going to marry that jerk?” Reese was now staring at her. “Yes… but then one day we were… going back to my place, and we hailed a cab. The cab driver was a bit flirty towards me and…” Alana swallowed the hard lump in her throat. “James waited until we made it to my place and he shot the driver in the back of the head.” Reese’s eyes widened in shock. “He had never been violent to anyone before. I don’t know how I didn’t notice before. He helped me out of the cab while he was on the phone with one of his men, ordering a clean up. And as if nothing had happened, he wanted to… finish our evening. After that I looked into him using the bureau’s resources and I found out that almost every man who he had deemed too friendly towards me had turned up dead. The server from the night he proposed, the man who held the elevator for me in my building, even my dog groomer.” Alana sighed. “I’m not the one who’s scorned… He didn’t know I was with the agency. When we were together, I lied and said I was an accountant at a law firm.” “So you lied to Stevenson just so you could take the case against his family. Why?” “I felt guilty for all those people’s deaths. I thought maybe my conscious would be clear if I took him down… so I planted the Intel on the Minanu family and convinced Stevenson that I was perfect for the job.” “You stubbornly fought being my partner because you thought you could take him on yourself? Or because I’m a man and you didn’t want him to go after me?” “I was so… stubborn because you’re arrogant and kind of obnoxious.” Alana laughed. “Then I guess this is going to be very disappointed because the only way we are going to get out is if you listen to me.” Alana rolled her eyes. “This is serious Campbell.” “I’m being serious. You are going to have to stop being stubborn and listen to me.”

 Alana didn’t think this was going to work. Reese was always so arrogant, but he did not know who he was messing with. “Boss wants the girl.” A deep voice grumbled from the other side of the door. “Here they come.” Reese whispered. The door sung open as he fell quietly. “You watch and make sure he doesn’t try anything and I’ll grab the girl.” The first massive body guard entered and stood in front of Reese like a wall. The second, only slightly smaller man approached Alana. Grabbing her arm, he forced her up and began marching her down the hall. “Okay. Lock him up.” He shouted from down the hall. As soon as the man turned his back on the spy, Reese jumped up and wrapped his arm around the large man’s throat. He fought and struggled, making as much noise as possible. This caused the second man to turn, releasing Alana and dashing back to the room. Reese had let go of the unconscious man and stood up as the second body guard entered. Alana was behind him just in time to pinch a nerve in his neck and cause him to fall unconscious as well, only seconds from attacking Reese. “I told you that would work.” He teased. “That’s only two. This is an entire compound of large men… with guns.” “And not to mention your fiancé.” He grumbled bitterly. “Not my fiancé.” She glared at him. “Fine, let’s just go.”

 They crept passed a large bright office before Alana stopped. Alana signaled for Reese to stop. Inside the office was three men; James and two men they immediately recognized from a rival gang. “How’s this?” James passed one of the men a rifle. “Arms deal.” Reese mouth. Quickly, he slipped a small camera out of his boot. Snapping a few pictures, he mouthed. “We got him.” Alana signaled for him to keep going. They slipped silently passed the guards at the door. Now all they needed to do was time their escape through the gate. They crouched behind a truck as they watched Tyron and his girl shuffle into an SUV. They slid passed the gate as the vehicle pulled out. Once out of the gate, they ran for their surveillance room in the abandoned building.

 “We got him!” Alana jumped up and down excitedly. “We should call Stevenson for backup.” Reese frowned, looking at the pictures. “We can’t hand this over to the Bureau…” “What, why not?” Alana yanked the camera from his hands. “This clearly shows him making an arms deal.” She pointed. “Yes, but it all so shows this…” Reese pointed at a spot on the desk behind the rifle. Alana’s smiling face as James kissed her cheek shone brightly from the picture in the background. “If they see this you’ll be finished, possibly jailed for aiding him.” “But I didn’t…” Reese put his hand on her shoulder. “I know but they won’t understand.” Alana sighed. “Fine. If it means I can take him down, I’m willing to deal with my past.” “I can’t let you do that.” “What? But we have him.” “You’re a great spy, Alana. I can’t let you throw that away.” “So we just let him go?” “I’m not saying that… I’m saying you stop being stubborn and work with me so we can get him without implicating you.” He stated seriously. Alana rolled her eyes with a smile. Holding her hand out for him to shake, she said. “Deal.”