A Tale Of Two Spies

*Carter's POV*

My heart hammered into my chest as I quickly sat up, groping my sweat slick hand through the darkness for the sleeping pills on my dresser.

Confusion set in when I realized I was laying on the couch, still fully dressed in my slacks and blouse, and adrenalin replaced that when I noticed the outline of a man coming towards me.

I lunged at him, sending a sloppy elbow to his throat, while my kneecap connected to his groin area. When he cried out in pain, I toppled us to the ground, wrapping my fingers over his neck.

"Carter!!" He breathed, tone coming out in a ragged breath as he contorted under my tightening grasp.

"Who are you??" The events of my dream returned and I constricted more. The sudden flick of the light switch caused me to loosen up, whipping my head to Avriel's startled figure in the doorway.

Her right hand lowered the butcher knife as she recognized me, while her left pulled the red night robe further around her body.

"Carter?! What the fuck are you doing?"

The groan under me caused me to divert my gaze down to a red-faced sputtering Zayn, eyes still crinkled with signs of sleep. I slowly climbed off of him, running a confused hand through my tangled hair.

"What's going on? What are you doing here?" I muttered. Zayn choked for words, coughing and smoothing a hand over his neck.

"We were going over the case last night remember? I accidentally crashed on your floor I guess. And then I woke up to you screaming in your sleep, tried to help you, and you attacked me."

Avriel walked over to us, wrapping me in a blanket and pressing a cold cup of tea into my hands.

"Sorry. I had a...nightmare."

Zayn pressed his eyes shut. Recollecting himself before sliding next to me. I flinched as his hand wrapped around my shoulder. It wasn't flirtatious like usual, more the way he did when we dated so long ago.

"Are you good Carter?" Avriel started, resting a hand on my kneecap. I nodded slowly, watching as she let out a relieved sigh.

"Good. Because I have work tomorrow and this be-otch is tired as fuck! No more beating Zayn though. That's my job." She winked, slugging his arm before exiting to the spare bedrooms.

I shook as Zayn transferred us from the floor to the couch, nestling me between his legs and resting my head on his chest. Too tired to fight him, I relaxed into the familiar grove of his body.

"Wanna talk about it?" He whispered to my ear, setting his chin gently on the top of my head.

"Sure. But it's a long story..."

"I've got time." He pulled a blanket around us and I adjusted further back, biting my finger as tears prodded my eyes.

"It was my transition mission to promote me from a Level 18 to 19. Two years ago. We were sent in to assassinate the man responsible for bombing cities before he jeopardized another one. I had a partner then. Her name was Eva." I coughed and tears began to trickle as the familiar red head entered my memories.

"You don't have to do this..." He started, wiping the back of my hand.

"No. I need to. I had been so invested into my mission that I didn't notice her get compromised. That was until the first shot..."

*begin flashback*

I followed the flickering green dot signifying Eva's tracker on my dialboard. I crept silently past the drippy pipes of the top layer grating system, blowing sweaty strands of hair from my forehead.

Then the first shot sliced through the humid air, and the high pitched shriek caused me to run, tearing through the steam and haze to a lamp lit room.

I ducked behind a wood panel, shuddering when I saw a blood caked red head slumped over in a harsh chair, while a guard stood over her with gun pointed at her legs. Already deep red oozed from them into the shiny white tiles below her, almost like a gorey mosaic.

"Who sent you? What do you know? Did anyone come with you?" I winced as he devilishly balled his fist and sent it cracking into her jaw, she fell down, coating herself in more blood as he pulled her to attention by her hair.

"No." Was all she stated, before collapsing again. Another shot sounded and magenta ran from her arm, she screamed smashing down into her own blood,splashing and writhing in the foul liquid.

The speaker in my ear crackled to life and Ron's voice filled the empty space in my head.

"Agent Wingfield, we got you a clear path in to his bedrooms. All it will take is one clean shot and we can storm the place. But you have to leave now."

I covered my mouth with my hand, only able to make out the mass of red through my blurry eyes.

"But Eva! They're torturing her. They won't kill her!" I cried silently. I could almost hear Ron thinking through the line. He mournfully sighed.

"A mission is a mission Carter. I'm sorry..."

I sobbed as the man's fists smashed into her repeatedly and her fingers sprawled out in my direction. Another guy pulled the trigger on his weapon and her foot went limp. I curled my fingers around the gun nestled into the holster on my leg.

"Let me just kill them!"

"No! They don't know there is another agent in the building. You must leave!!"

I slowly stood up, wiping a snotty hand across my face and looking at the figure clenched broken on the ground. The movement caught her attention, and a second later her eyes went wide at the sight of me.

"Carter...." she whispered, stretching her hand through the messy puddle, reaching for me.

"Get outta there. Now."

And then I was running away as a final gunshot reached my ears.

*end flashback*

Zayn pressed my face into his chest as I sobbed, dragging my fingers down my arms.

"I could've saved her." I muttered.

"It wasn't your mission Carter. I'm sorry. But we signed away our feelings when we first started training."

"How can you say that?!? I could've saved a human's life, but left to go end another. Sometimes it gets to me and all I see every night is her reaching for me, and saying my name." I crumbled down, dry heaving on muffled sobs as the strong arms around me tightened.

"You're right Carty. I'm sorry you had to go through that..." It got quiet and I suddenly realized how vulnerable I looked crying into Zayn's arms. I shifted uncomfortably before pushing myself away.

"Being an agent comes with strings." I muttered, pulling the warmth of the blanket around my neck.

"Yeah."

"And this isn't even like me. Crying into someone's arms. Don't think this makes us cool. It's been a long night and I'm just delirious."

"It's okay Carter. I'm sure you'll hate me again tomorrow. Just rest for now. Truece?" He extended his hand and I shook it, snuggling back into him.

"Truece."

Notes