“You’ve lost them?” ~~~

“It’s not important. I already said we can continue as plan, they won’t be a problem.”

“We will be starting soon, clean up the loose ends. It’s just two girls, you took care of an entire NIS team, various politicians, reporters; I don’t understand how these two can be such a problem. I am not amused.”

“Understood. I will have the situation handled, I assure you.”

“You better.”

“Hehe, yes you have a great day too,” He hung up the phone and watched agents approach his car.

“Hey, Agent Siwon, we’ve finished with most of the scene. We’re having the police and fire department finish up and we’ll have another forensic team in the morning to go over anything that was missed.”

“Alright, good job guys. It seems like maybe we need a drink huh? Let’s go get some food and drinks.”

“You paying sir?”

“You know it.”

“Siwon, are you sure you don’t have a second job? We don’t make that much for you to be treating us that nice!”

“Are you complaining?”

“Of course not! Hooray for Siwon!”

*************************

The rumble of an American engine was an indicator that Jessica and her mustang was approaching. It was only a V6, but the exhaust was upgraded to give it the V8 roar and sound, especially at the lower end of the engine rpm and throttle.

“Bora, that must be Jessica, she said she had something important... I didn’t think she’d hurry over so soon,” Sunny stated.

“I know... I was just about to go to bed... it’s been a long night,” Bora said. They heard the car pull into the garage and the doors closing. They heard the clicking of heels coming up the stairs.

“So it looks like you guys owe me a motorcycle now too... had too much fun tonight did we?... Oh you don’t have to answer, I’m sure I’ll hear about it later. To the point, Sunny you will need to meet with someone for me. Not anytime soon but you will need to be on your best for this one.” Jessica started and pulled a bottle of water out of the fridge.

“Who is it? Intelligence gathering? Someone who knows something? Will I need Bora as back up?” Sunny fired back.

“Oh no no no, this will be very simple, very easy. Bora won’t be needed, although it would help... but I have some good news...”

“You have some stuff on the people who burned us?” Bora asked.

“Close... but not quite. I got you guys a job that will help though. This isn’t one of your charity cases either. This one pays...” Jessica said with a little smile.

***Money goes a long way in the world of intelligence. Dollars here and there grease wheels in every which direction. They say ‘Everyone has a price’, it’s partially true. No matter how strong one may resist, there will be someone else down the line willing to take a few extra bucks to share something harmless. Cash is the preferred method of payment, 10,000 dollars into an account looks fishy, but giving someone a thermos or newspaper stuffed with cash and people can walk away feeling pretty good. Money often times will be more powerful than any gun or explosive you have. It never hurts to have money when you’re working amongst enemy lines.***

“What are you saying? We’re going to do some sort of criminal job?” Bora asked.

“No silly, you’re going to work for the US Government. I picked up some information that some certain individuals in Mexico need to be killed. There hasn’t been a case officer assigned to it yet, and I graciously said I could handle this one-time deal of a mission. I’ll sneak you all into Mexico and we’ll go kill these bastards and bam, go home and you get paid.” Jessica said.

“If we could leave Korea why would we want to come back?” Sunny asked.

“We couldn’t find out who burn us that way, we have to come back to Korea. It’s where all the answers are,” Bora answered.

“So you’re asking us to be some CIA hit squad?” Sunny directed towards Jessica.

“Don’t look at it that way. These are bad people, you two just aren’t aware of it. Mexico has become a problem for America lately. These Mexican drug cartels have bought out the police, the military and the government over in Mexico and have taken their wars across the US/Mexico border. They’ve been killing Americans and federal agents left and right, plus they’re bringing their drugs into the country. Mexico can’t recover unless some heads are chopped. New police chiefs are assassinated because they refuse to bought by the cartel. ICE, the DEA, ATF, Border Patrol and FBI have been working hard to try to win the war but they people at Langley think a little more may be needed,” Jessica explained.

“But the United States has no jurisdiction in Mexico... so that’s why you need a black ops team...”

“Bingo! My team will consist of quote/unquote ‘Mexican agents’, that will be you two and I’ll be the case officer working it. We’ll be using Mexican issued ammunition to make it look like the cartels were taken down by the good Mexicans and you guys will be paid the equivalent rate for a contract job.”

“Which is?”

“$45,000 each.”

“What?! Don’t assassins make more than that per job?”

“Well hey, that’s pretty good for someone living in Mexico and it’s not like you guys have a lot of choices for employment. At least this way you guys still get to stay on the good guys side,” Jessica said. “I’m being nice too, I’m only taking $5,000 each from you.”

“So we would have been making $50,000 each?”

“Yeah, but you know... finders’ fee, my work of keeping you safe and giving you a safe house, etc... I think it’s pretty modest.” Jessica replied.

“Okay, we’re in. When do we do this?”

“In two days... get some rest, it’ll be quick and on the fly... hope you’re ready Bora,” Jessica said and walked back down to the garage and left.

“Why do I have to be ready? What does that even mean?” Bora asked out loud, slightly offended by Jessica’s off comment.

***Planning and practice are hallmarks of special operations. Intelligence is gathered and a plan is made and practiced. Missions can often be planned months ahead and practiced over and over and over again. Everyone involve learn every detail of the mission, even the smallest details. Which way to the doors open. What kind of handles are there. How many pets are there? How many trees are in the yard. A greatly executed mission requires ample amounts of training and intelligence. Some missions don’t have that luxury, sometimes information is obtained and the mission has to be executed with a rough plan. Like maybe a hostage situation that broke out that day or news of a head official in transit, something like that. On these missions, it’s where hours of training and practice in your skills pay off. For someone like Bora, who lack the extensive field experience and hours of practice, it could (and would) be very rough.***

“Who ever really knows?” Sunny lied. “Come on, let’s get some sleep. I’m pretty tired.”

********************

“There was another shootout last night.”

“Really? Again? The work of our two favorite felons?”

“You know it! Did you have a good evening?”

“Why would you even think I had a good evening Hyoyeon?”

“I can’t be polite and ask?”

“You can, but it doesn’t mean I’ll answer,” Taeyeon said looking through files and reports from the shooting last night. “We have blown up SUVs, some blood... not a lot of bodies? Was there a clean up?”

“I think so. The police are trying to track down the owners of the place. A lot of loose ends it seems, and the prosecutor’s office won’t stop calling. They think they can build a case or something,” Hyoyeon added.

“They’re so stupid... this isn’t some simple case, this is high end government corruption... anyways what do we have on Jasmine? These bodies were what, Jasmine people right?”

“Yeah, Siwon and his crew was out there first on the report and took over the scene from the police department. A second forensics team should be heading out there right about now I believe,” Hyoyeon said.

“You know what... I’m not awake yet. Let’s go to the shooting range, come on. I need to fire off something,” Taeyeon said. Hyoyeon followed her to the indoor shooting range at the lower level of the building. After loading the frangible range ammunition Taeyeon squeeze a few rounds off from her Glock. “You know this case is only getting stranger and stranger!”

“What do you mean?!” Hyoyeon yelled back firing shots of her own. “It just seems like anything else right now.”

“Well I mean nothing is starting to make sense though. We have two trained people on the loose, and evidence that seems too plentiful for accusations that came out of thin air!” Taeyeon yelled through the fire.

“Well okay! Granted these two aren’t the ideal and regular type of bad guys we deal with... but to say if something happened, or is going on. Just think of how big it must be to make such things happen. This isn’t a mom and pop kind of setup. It would take big guns and real pros to make something like this happen.”

“I know! The shooting near the cafe, is the one that bothered me. The NIS agent and Jasmine guy, what was the deal? Which side was selling out to whom? Why were Sunkyu and Bora there? Who were they trying to kill?”

“No no no. Remember, Bora said the assignment was given to her by Siwon to be off the books. She said she was there to watch the transaction and to try and snatch them.” Hyoyeon recalled.  

“Yeah, but that makes no sense. We cleared Siwon on it though. We’ve investigated him four times and he’s come clean. We assumed that Bora lied about Siwon giving her the assignment. Siwon didn’t even have a case report on Jasmine or the agent.”

“Siwon did say he was aware that there were agents in NIS who were trying to crack into Jasmine, but he said that was the extent of his knowledge.” Hyoyeon reminded Taeyeon.

“So... it’s either Bora is lying or Siwon is lying...”

“Yes, but only one of them is the bad guy right now!”

“Yes, how convenient huh?!” Taeyeon said finishing off her fourth magazine. She turned around and signaled the range officer for more rounds.

“I don’t think we should play that ‘what if’ game just yet. We need to focus on what we have at hand and what we know for now. We have time to play ‘what if’ later.” Hyoyeon said and sent another three rounds down onto the paper target.

*********************

“You said you would help!” Becky cried to Sunny and Bora.

“Hey! We’re in public and you’re making a scene,” Bora flatly said.

“What?! No I’m not! You said you would help!” Becky said.

“Becky, we are helping. You need to calm down. We set up a camera to video record all the activity outside their place. When we get back we’ll sniff through it and find good evidence and further drive their operation into the ground,” Sunny said confidently. “Don't’ worry, we won’t be gone too long.”

“We’ll take these bastards down, don’t you worry,” Bora said with a smile. She got up with Sunny and walked out of the cafe. “Are you sure this will work?”

“Positive. I mean it’s the same thing as having a surveillance team right?”

“Eh, not really...but it’s better than nothing,” Bora said with a bit of uncertainty. The two headed back to the safe-house to wait for Jessica.

********************

“Jessica! I heard you were going to take a trip down south to Mec-eee-co!” Tiffany said excitingly seeing her friend come into the office.

“Oh really? My how word travels...” Jessica said with a small laugh.

“Do you think you have room for another? I’d like to get out of the office, get away for a bit...” Tiffany started.

“Um you know, I don’t think that is a good idea, I mean the mission is all like um dangerous and stuff... and you’re really just an analyst and I’d feel awful if something happened to you... I just think you’re better off with being here in Korea, playing with intelligence for the Pacific Command, that’s just me though,” Jessica replied.

“I’d still like to come though; I mean who do you think help pulled the Intel from the Texas office for you? Huh?”

“Tiffany, I can’t. I mean I already talked to the local assets. I mean having you would freak them out. It’s hard enough having an Asian girl running around in Mexico, having two together would just be like... I don’t know...”

“Wouldn’t just one girl all alone be more suspicious than say two?”

“No, I think maybe it would make us a target to be kidnapped as tourists...anyways would you know when my bird will be ready?” Jessica asked, trying to move off the subject.

“I was informed, that a military C-130 is prepped for you to fly to Las Vegas and from there you’ll be riding under the belly of some FedEX plane and landing in Mexico,” Tiffany answered. She knew she had been pressed off the subject.

Normally the CIA has resources to fly an operative on a regular airline like a regular person. Flying in such a manner and riding in a commercial courier plane offered more deniability; there wasn’t any strange American tourist who only visited the country for one day. This way Jessica could get in and out without ever being documented. Jessica nodded slightly and walked up into the office of the station chief to get her papers and files.

“Alright Tiffany, I will see you later... I’m gonna go work on my tan for a bit you know... so you have fun shoveling snow,” Jessica said walking back out.

“I demand to go with! Be a friend! Pass a bone!” Tiffany shouted.

“No! Don’t follow me! I don’t want to find you on that plane! Don’t let me see you in Mexico!” Jessica warned.

“You can’t tell me what to do!” Tiffany had the last word.

******************

**When you’re wanted by the police and government agents, you’re limited on how you can travel. Flying on a plane is generally a big no no. So when a friend says for you to get in the crate in order to fly out of the country, you’ll get your into the crate and wait for the all clear to get out.**

After nearly a day of flying they were able to get out of the crates. Jessica led them with her to a hotel where they had a single room for the three of them. They put down their bags and stretched out a bit.

“Hope everyone got enough sleep. We’ll be playing with fire soon enough,” Jessica said and started to ped the bags she had and unpacking equipment. She laid out three rifles and some handguns. The Beretta 92F pistols were all marked with numbers indicating they were from the Mexican Army. She had suppressors laid out and boxes marked at NATO rounds assigned to Mexico.

“Beretta ARX 160s, Mexican special forces rifle... you weren’t kidding about making it look like an internal hit huh?” Sunny mentioned after making a visual inventory of the equipment.

“Of course, the CIA was never here.”

***Black ops in foreign, unfriendly territory usually means you don’t want people to know you were there. It’s why you see Special Forces people using AK47s on certain missions; leaving behind only evidence that the work was done by the locals and not some foreign power. We’re off to disrupt some corrupt Mexicans and drug lords, the last thing we want is to pin it back on the United States of America. The CIA’s answer to the problem; Mexican issued guns and bullets. It sends a clear message about corruption and tells the drug cartels that not everyone can be bought. Should the Mexican government be doing this themselves? Yeah, probably but I’m not complaining.***

“So what’s the plan? You never did really tell us,” Bora asked. Jessica pulled out some files and pinned some photos on the wall.

“These are our primary targets. This is the primary location. So we have information on guards and when they’re all going to be there. We can’t get in beforehand, so no explosives. I know it’s poor manners but this will be a super quick and go. In and out and clear the building and kill everyone inside and set fire to the drugs. It’s not a super plan, but we’re on short notice and I don’t want to be here any longer than I have to. So it’ll be a quick assault two person team move in, at night just right at the time they plate for their dinner. We’ll have one over watch and providing cover,” Jessica explained and pointed out to things on the photos.

“So who is doing what?” Bora asked.

“I guess I could assault,” Sunny offered.

“No, I think it’s better if Bora and I assault. You’re more experience than Bora, and we need dependable cover fire. I know you can handle targets at long range, so I rather have you on the scope, no offense Bora,” Jessica countered.

“I am offended... but fine, I can assault,” Bora said.

“Are you sure? I mean I’ve done assaults before, I’m probably the best one out of the three of us...” Sunny mentioned.

“That may be true, but still you’re also the best out of all of us behind the rifle scope. So I think it’s better that way, you know I’m right,” Jessica said.

***She was right. It’s ideal to have someone providing external security and cover while you operate an assault and you want that person to be your finest sharpshooter because it is life and death. It’s not an easy task, it’s not about seeing bad guys and shooting them, it’s about making the shots at the right time, noticing the entire operating area and spotting all the targets. Observation skills are put to the test... and so it patience...****

They went over the plans again and try to get a guard counts and positions of everything. This wasn’t a jungle in Columbia, it was the broken down urban metroplex of Mexico. Even with the mansion compound, there were security risks to count for. They would spend the next few hours manually scoping the place out and watching for foot traffic. The good thing is that everyone around seem to know who lived in the mansion so they didn’t have to worry too much about pedestrians.

“Okay, I intercepted the call, the dinner meeting is still on, so we’re good to go. Let’s get our things and get out there,” Jessica said. They went over the layout one more time and then moved out to their locations. Sunny went to her position to play lookout.

Sunny attached the suppressor onto her Beretta rifle and nestled into a comfortable position and peered through the lens of her night optics. She checked her radio headset and let the others know she was in position. Sunny watched Jessica and Bora climbed the back corner of the mansion compound and disabled the first video camera. Jessica and Bora snuck up to the bushes and the outer walls of the poolhouse. Jessica snuck up behind a guard and slammed her knife into the guard’s neck. Her take-down was executed in a textbook manner. Jessica then stabbed the dead guard a few times in the chest. Bora looked on wide-eyed.

“I got to make it look like he was killed by locals... single neck cut is WAY too professional, we need to show a little rage,” Jessica said with a slight smile which threw Bora off. Jessica led Bora to the mansion backdoor where Sunny could no longer spot them. “Birdie, we’re moving to inside. Ready to cut power.” Birdie was Sunny’s call sign on the radio in case someone was listening in they wouldn’t know who she was.

In a quick countdown the power for the mansion was cut off thanks to a prior explosive charge placed at the electrical power hub few blocks down the road. Jessica and Bora broke in through the back door with their night vision and quickly ran past everyone to get to the dining room to prioritize their kills. “Okay Bora, we kill everyone in this room got it?” Bora nodded. Jessica took a quick breath and pushed the door open hard. Jessica and went in first with Bora right behind her and they took their respective sectors and fired off their weapons and dropped everyone inside. This was when things got serious, their primary objective was complete not it was time to get out and take care of everyone.

“Hey, phase one done, go hot Birdie!” Jessica said. Sunny just said okay and squeezed off the trigger at targets.

***Long range shooting isn’t as easy as TV and video games make it. Breathing affects the shot, eye fatigue, muscle soreness. I mean 300 meters might not be too much to run, but hitting something at range takes a bit of work. You have to know your weapon and your sights. The drop and velocity of the 62 grain projectile. It can be mind numbing and you’d never think how much math is done inside the mind to pull a shot off. The center crosshairs won’t always mean that’s where the bullet will go. Most of the time things are pre-sighted and set for a predetermined range. Even small fluctuations from that range affect the target. In sniping when I have time to adjust for targets that isn’t so bad, I can move the crosshairs so to speak, but for a combat engage of multiple targets it’s easier to just compensate based off your pre-set range. From my position I had ranged out the whole mansion so I know how much to compensate to hit the target. It just comes to show how important math is, even in battle. Also make sure your friends on the ground are on the same page with your ranges and point names too, they can’t direct fire if they can’t point you to the target.***

“Birdie! Window G. Take them down, they got us pinned,” Bora called over the radio

“Window G copy, got it,” Sunny said as she fired off rounds into the window and then moved to engage other targets. “You’re cleared to move. Hurry it up guys, there isn’t any news on the police scanner but I don’t know how long our luck will hold out.”

“Moving to the second floor! We’ll see you in a bit, gotta find the money and the drugs it’s not where we thought.”

Sunny heard on the police scanner that police was coming, whether they were honest cops or men on the drug lord’s payroll is unknownst but Sunny was prepared. She heard the sirens and knew the route the police were coming from and pulled out a grenade launcher and loaded a high explosive incendiary round. Earlier she and Bora had strategically placed containers full of tequila out on the roads and laced up fire traps. Once the fire police car came into view she fired grenade off, it exploded and let the tequila creating a wall of fire keeping the police at bay. She then fired of several rounds of CS gas.

“Is that you?” Bora asked.

“Yeah, Birdie had to take care of some things! You guys hurry, I don’t think I can hold them off for long. You’re cleared outside,” Sunny answered

“Found it, planting the charges right now... We’re moving out. We’re taking Elmo route, Kermit is compromised,” Jessica said calmly. Bora and Jessica began their quick dash out of the mansion, shooting at armed attackers each step of the way. They could hear Sunny’s destruction outside. Bora was grabbed from behind and yelled at in Spanish. She quickly turned to swing her gun to the man’s face but was grabbed by another one in a bear hug. Sunny, Jessica and Bora all wore the dark green uniform making them look like they were members of the Mexican Special Forces. The men didn’t want to kill Bora just yet, they wanted to take her alive as a prize to another boss she figured. The men suddenly dropped and she saw Jessica standing with the pistol in her hand.

Jessica had shot the men and now told Bora to keep up. One of the maids ran up to the two asking for help in Spanish and Jessica shot her. “Why did you do that, she’s not a bad person!” Bora said. Jessica kept moving forward not bothering to stop. “It’s because, it’s what the people we’re pretending to be would have done. Plus she would have just led more of them two us, her loyalty may be with the baddies.”

Sunny was busy packing up all her things up in her position. She had fitted her rifle with a mesh bag on the side to catch all the shells from the rounds she fired. She did her best to not leave a trace that she was there and hurried to the meet up point for the ‘Elmo’ route. The whole execution of the mission took just barely over an hour; all three were in the barn of an Mexican apple farm. They got out of their green outfits and switched to civilian attire and loaded their things into the sedan they had parked waiting for them.

“Good job guys, let’s go home,” Jessica said with a smile.

*********************

“You been avoiding me lately! Hyomin talk to me, what happened?! What did you do?” Eunjung asked.

“Nothing nothing. I’m not avoiding you. Everything has been fine. I went out to dinner with that person like you asked. Nothing more and nothing less,” Hyomin answered to stop the girl from bugging her.

“You’re lying. We’ve been around each other so long... I know you’re lying... something happened,” Eunjung said sternly.

“What do you want to know? I ate lobster and steak. She drove me in her car. We had one kiss. That is it,” Hyomin said. She made sure no one had been watching them when she mentioned the kiss.

“Her lips are amazing aren’t they?” Eunjung said almost in a dreamily way.

“Oh my gosh... stop and leave me alone with that. If you want to be drooling all over Jessica be my guest but don’t bring me into it!” Hyomin complained.

“Who else can I talk to about it? You’re the only one and besides didn’t it help you take your mind off that person?” Eunjung pointed out.

“Somewhat... Eunjung, I’m tired I want to sleep. Go bother Qri or Jiyeon,” Hyomin said and headed for her bedroom. She plopped down onto her bed. She recalled what Jessica had said to her and started to ponder. “Is she really going to help me?”

She closed her eyes and replayed the day she was with Sunny, from the rescue in the street to the protection against the two armed men, to how Sunny wrapped around her to her warm after they got rid of their jackets. Sunny her savior, she’ll see her again soon.