Interlude - Spy Games

"Control," the distorted voice said.

"Bishop," a digitized voice replied.

"This is an unscheduled communication," Control said coldly.

"We have an emergent situation," Bishop replied. "The operational timetable has been moved up."

"Clarify Bishop, are the assets in jeopardy?" A sharp ear would notice the hint of worry in Control's distorted voice.

"Knight is in the initial stages of Code 5," Bishop said, "and we have accelerated the timetable to complete the mission before metamorphosis."

There was a long silence.

"Bishop, repeat last," Control said finally. 

"Black Queen infected her." Bishop's fully digitized voice masked the emotion behind the words. "Symptoms are confirmed by observation to match the known pathology."

"That is... unexpected," the distortion of Control's voice couldn't hide her anger. 

"Not really," Bishop replied. "It was a risk. We gambled. We lost."

"Bring Knight in," Control said.

"Negative," Bishop said. "I repeat, we are moving up the timetable. The mission is a go."

"Protocol dictates any asset in the initial stages of Code 5 must be brought in for observation," Control said coldly, "and containment."

"To hell with protocol," Bishop replied. "Repeat - the mission is a go. The timetable has been moved up... to right the hell now. The assets are already in motion. Back them up or cut them loose... but I'm with them. Bishop out."

"Bishop..." Control snapped. "Bishop respond. Damn it!"

---------------

She was retired, damn it. She'd done her bit for God and Country. Given sweat and blood, betrayed her friends, sacrificed her integrity, maybe her soul, because that's what the Agency required. That was the price to be paid, so good people could live in peace. In the end, she'd taken down one of the most powerful criminal syndicates in the world. She'd blown all her covers in the process but retiring and dropping out of sight had been a blessed reward.

Still, when an old friend and a former protegee had called and asked for her help, like a fool she'd answered. One more mission. Not even field work, just handle an asset. Of course she'd agreed. 

Damn Liberty Lee to Hell, Bella Goth thought as she dialed her private and secure line. Damn me to Hell right beside her.

"We have a problem," Bella said.

"What's happened?" Liberty demanded.

"Bishop contacted me. Knight is Code 5," Bella reported. "She's moved up the mission, to complete it before the change. They're moving now."

"Damn it, how did this happen?!" Liberty cursed. 

"It was a risk," Bella echoed Snow's words bitterly, "but they don't recruit frequently. We... I... didn't expect it."

"Why did I let her do it?" Liberty groaned. "Why did I send her in alone?"

"She was going to go after Ms. H and the Altos with you or without you," Bella said, "and you didn't send her alone, thank you very much! You dragged me back in as her handler and pulled in one of the Agency's top Code 5 experts to help her."

"It was always a risk," Bella repeated.

"Danielle is going to kill me," Liberty sighed. "Bring her in. Protocol is observe and contain."

"I tried. It's too late," Bella smiled bitterly. "Bishop says they're already in motion. 

Liberty Lee-Rossi was an Agency Regional Director, a position she'd earned in defiance of the Agency's Old Boy network. She had long since proven herself as a leader who could listen to her people, assess a situation quickly and act decisively. 

"Alright," Director Lee-Rossi said firmly. "she's moved up the timetable. We need to clear her path and give her some cover. Kick up as much dust as you can. The Altos can't be allowed to know what's happening until it's too late."

"Consider it done," Bella smiled. "They'll be so busy putting out fires, they won't know she's moving. What about the target zone?"

"I'll handle that," she said. "We'll deal with this Code 5 business once the mission is complete." 

Shaking her head, Liberty opened a new secure channel.

From: Station Chief Tartosa

To: Station Chief Windenburg

Message Reads: Bjorn, I'm calling in a favor.

---------------

Author's Note: Code 5 or, if we write it in Roman Numerals, Code V. 

I can't take credit for coming up with that bit of spy-talk cleverness. I first heard it on a late '90s BBC vampire drama series Ultraviolet. I'm not sure if it's streaming anywhere these days.

-Leo