“I’m gonna need at least two more of these before we take off. You think they have anything stronger?” I groaned, turning to the man who was supposed to be my husband, or something like that. He was busy adjusting his tie in the mirror. “How about focusing on the mission instead of pregaming like a college kid? I don’t get why they’ve got me training rookies.”
“Hey! I’m not a rookie. This is my third year, just so you know,” I retorted, sounding a bit woozy. I figured I should probably ease up so John wouldn’t think he was right.
“By my third year, I was already leading units, not tagging along with the big dogs for ‘training,'” he said, his tone dripping with condescension.
I felt the irritation boiling in my temporary skin, training?! I was every bit the corporate espionage officer he was. “Okay, then why aren’t you on one of those ‘big dog’ missions of yours? Instead, you’re here at a fancy keynote where all we have to do is eat and watch some secret presentation.”
John sighed, finally tearing his gaze from the mirror to look me in my pretty face. “Because, when you get to my level,” he said, raising his hand above his head as if to illustrate, “you get to pick the fancy dinners for an easy night. That’s what I want, an easy night, not a babysitting gig.”
“Yeah, right. You get first dibs on the bodies, you choose the hotel. What’s next? Want me to change my dress? Switch to mocktails?” I quipped, rolling my eyes.
John didn’t reply, just walked into the luxurious bathroom our company had generously provided. I had to admit, the place was swanky, even by our company’s standards. There were certainly perks to tagging along with a senior officer. I should probably finish up getting ready too.
John circled the car, opening the passenger door of the sleek Aston Martin with a gentleman’s flair. I took his arm as he escorted us toward the museum rented out by the tech company we were spying on. This was the smooth part; once we settled into our roles, there was no margin for error. All the earlier tension melted away as we arrived. If everything went according to plan, we’d soon be mingling with the company’s engineers and executives.
