Rogue agents 1: The prima ballerina

At the headquarter

London very early spring

*Tommy*

I am sitting in the open work room in the basement area of MI6, fiddling with a new kind of stun gun for the agents... a couple of meters away Holly Thompson is looking through some pictures of a Chinese businessman they are keeping an eye on while he is here in London.

Her blonde hair is falling like a curtain in front of her face, but I do not need to see her to know the way her intelligent grey eyes are narrowed in concentration and the way she is thoughtfully chewing her full lower lip.

I try to focus on my work, but then she makes a small displeased sound, mumbling to herself and my eyes fly to her again.

“Hi Tommy”. I almost jump in surprise when Sebastian pops up next to me… Sebastian Grant, aka Oliver Steele or agent Hal… one of our best agents. He grins at me and puts a photo pen on the table. “Can you fix this for me when you are done with... what you are fiddling with?”

“It’s a stun gun… A new smaller prototype.” I mumble. “And sure I’ll fix it, but could you please stop destroying your cameras? Or at least try.”

Sebastian gives me one of those cheeky grins I bet makes all the women melt like butter on a frying pan. “I was not talking about the stun gun.” He makes a small motion with his head towards Holly. “But the... bird watching.”

“I wasn’t...”. I feel my cheeks heat up.

“Sure you were.” Sebastian grins. “Nothing new in that.”

Holly clears her throat. “Sebastian... leave Tommy alone.”

“But...”. Sebastian walks over to her. “…It’s so much fun.”

My heart skips a beat. Holly is the greatest, she is always nice to people, even me, and she tells Sebastian off when teasing me... I mean Sebastian is a good enough guy, just a bit cheeky at times.

“Just like the fun you had in Moscow, letting a million-dollar necklace get plucked right off Karolina Romanov’s pretty little neck? Uhh, that gotta burn, Sebastian.” She says, winking at me over Sebastian’s shoulder.

I can’t help but chuckle. Everyone has heard the story and I get if Sebastian is not happy about it. I mean it had happened in the theater in front of hundreds of people.

Sebastian makes a face. “Like you would have... acted differently… that guy…”

“The charming marauder.” She says, using the nickname the thief has gained on social media.

“I prefer ‘the ghost’, cause that’s what he is... and there is nothing charming about being a thief.” Sebastian huffs.

I have seen the videos and I get Sebastian being annoyed. They were all played, and badly... by this mysterious thief who has stolen his way across Europe without anyone getting close to catching him. He seems to disappear into thin air or walk through walls, like a ghost.

“So, when are you going back to Moscow?” Holly asks Sebastian, then adds with this cute but very cheeky grin. “Or did they request someone else?”

“Ha ha... not going to Moscow though, I am meeting up with them in Rome, in two days... Karolina is doing an appearance at the ballet there.” Sebastian says.

I watch Holly straighten up and run a hand through her hair, getting it off her face. She totally looks like a model in a shampoo commercial doing that... or a fierce goddess right after battling evil... okay yes.. I might have a small crush on Holly, but she is just so amazing, bad-ass and beautiful… How could I not?

“So... how is it working protection for the most beautiful prima ballerina in the world?” She asks Sebastian. “Hopefully not getting your paws dirty Sebby.”

“Holly, dearest.. I am too professional for that.” Sebastian says, leaning on her desk. “Also, she is a sweet girl and pretty, but not really my type.”

Suddenly Holly looks at me. “What do you say Tommy? Is she your type?”

“Uhm.. me?” I feel my cheeks flush. “Uhm, well.. she is pretty I guess.”

Sebastian jumps in, giving me a cheeky grin. “Tommy here prefers blondes.”

“Oh is that so.” Holly gives me a teasing smile. “Good to know.”

And not for the first time, I consider finding a new job.

*Willow*

Luckily, the guard at the entrance knows me and gives me a visitor's pass because I have not been able to reach Holly on the phone. And now I am in the elevator, going down into the lower levels of MI6 where my sister works.

I know it sounds all exciting, but the truth is she mostly sits behind a desk, planning how much security is needed and where they should be placed for visits by foreign politicians and the royal family's appearances and such. Not really you know James Bond movie action.

“Hi Tommy,” I say shyly, walking into the room. I have met him a couple of times; he is the kind of tech guy here. “Is my sister here?”

“Hi Willow... yeah, she is just.. in the bathroom I think actually,” he smiles at me. “She’ll be back in a minute.”

I nod and kinda just stand there, shuffling my feet and then tilting my weight back and forth. “So... what are you making?”

“It’s a stun gun, a small one but very effective... it will knock someone out for about half an hour,” he explains.

I look curiously at the device in his hand. “Oh cool... sounds almost like something James Bond would use.”

“Oh sweetie... James Bond has nothing as cool as this,” a warm deep voice sounds behind me. “So Tommy, spilling all our secrets to every pretty girl coming in here.”

I turn to see a tall, handsome man with ginger-sandy hair, piercing blue eyes, and cheekbones that should be a deadly weapon on their own.

“Sebastian, this is Holly’s sister, Willow,” Tommy says. “Willow, this is Sebastian... one of our field agents.”

The handsome man... Sebastian, sends me a charming smile and grabs my hand, kissing it warmly. “A pleasure, fair Willow.”

“Uhm... yeah,” I stutter, my face probably close to neon pink. Truth is, I am kinda shy, and very much so when it comes to handsome men. “Nice to meet you too.”

“I am at your service,” he says as he stands up, my hand still clutched in his.

I swallow, not knowing what to say. He is so very handsome and that smile is so darn charming… and he is like a movie hero I am sure, being an agent... he probably saves the world on a regular basis.

“Sebby, step away from my sister,” Holly’s voice sounds behind us, making us both turn to see her stride in.

“Just being friendly and welcoming,” he says, winking at me, before letting go of my hand. “Why have you never told me you have a sister? And that beauty runs in your family.”

Holly just sends him a withering glare, while I blush, yet again. “Yeah, why on earth do you think so?”

“Hmm you can’t be embarrassed by your sister… that would not be nice, and also she is absolutely charming,” he looks thoughtful, then theatrically clutches his heart. “Are you embarrassed by me... oh the pain.”

“You are an i***t, you know that, right?” Holly tells him before turning to me. “So why are you here, Willow?”

I collect myself, focusing on my sister. “Keys... I must have forgotten mine in the apartment, so I can't get in.”

She sighs. “When will you learn?”

“Mom and dad sent their love... mom was very upset you did not come home for Christmas,” I tell her.

“I had to work,” she says, walking over to her handbag and looking through it.

Sebastian is looking at me, and I wonder if he is always smiling. It seems kinda weird for an agent. “She is always working, your sister. What about you, what do you do?”

“She is in school, Sebastian,” Holly says, pulling out her keys.

“I study Asian languages, mainly Chinese,” I say.

Sebastian ignores my sister, still smiling at me. “Cool, so you are a smart little cookie.”

My sister hands me the keys. “Get out of here, before he really gets started.”

“Thanks,” I take the keys. “See you later, sis. Nice to see you again, Tommy.”

“Likewise,” he says with a warm smile.

Sebastian leans around my sister. “Nice to meet you, darling.”

“Nice to meet you too,” I call back, seeing my sister elbow him. I wonder if she has like… a crush on him or if she maybe doesn’t like him... my sister is hard to figure out like that.

I shake my head and hurry outside, deciding to go through the park home.