Billionaire’s Achilles’ Heel

Planting Jessica

At the state department, Spark finished setting up the monitoring system for detective Lucas More, detective Peter and Sergeant Luther who stood nearby attentively, stunned that the military had so much tech at their disposal. With the plastic water resistant nano-microphone deeply placed in Jessica’s middle ear, not only could they hear her and everyone around her, they could trace her on their completely secured devices.

“This is great stuff, thanks!” Lucas could not help thinking how many of the undercover agents he lost on the syndicate undercover mission (SUM) could have been saved if they had that tech.

“It’s for Jess” Spark responded with a straight face.

“Off course” Lucas responded sarcastically. Spark was obviously not very fond of the state department and did not hide it. Jessica was exactly the same on her first day with them, the SEALs were so weirdly alike.

Spark ignored Lucas’ sarcasm “Jess should be arriving at the skate park in two minutes. The footage of the park should be showing on your devices now”

“Damn!” Peter exclaimed looking at the clear footage of the skate park. This was definitely the best technology, he wondered why their department which does so much undercover missions had never had anything close to it.

“Awesome!” Sergeant Luther was more than impressed too. He was the junior one there and the only reason he was involved in the mission was because Jessica insisted on it after she saw his unbiased response when arresting Lucas the first day they met.

“Double awesome!” Lucas exclaimed watching Jessica ride towards the park on a motorbike.

“She should be planted in few minutes, once she’s in I will leave you to do the rest” Spark informed them and started packing his gadgets.

“I thought you will be staying until we are certain that she is in” Detective Peter responded. Spark’s IT knowledge was obviously very advanced, it would be a bonus if he stayed with them until they were certain that Jessica was planted successfully within the syndicate.

“That’s why I am here for the next thirty minutes”

Lucas smiled, the SEALs were obviously not very experienced in the undercover work, he thought. He could see them storming in and apprehending someone but he could not imagine them patiently watching a subject for months to collect enough evidence for a conviction. “The planting might take longer than that Lieutenant” he said.

“Not with Inferno” Spark responded proudly.

“Remember boys, you are speaking directly into my eardrum, I will appreciate if you lower your voices” Jessica who had been listening to their interaction finally responded.

“Hi Commander” Sergeant Luther responded.

“It’s just Jess from now on Sergeant”

“You can hear us?” Lucas asked, blown away. The wires they used on their undercover agents had to be strapped on their bodies and could be discovered easily but they also could not communicate with their agents with it which was a serious problem as they could not use the same wire to warn them if they suspected that the cover was blown.

“Seriously Spark, what kind of orientation are you doing over there?” Jessica asked getting worried that the people who would be responsible for her backup seemed clueless about the crucial gadgets they would be using.

“Hey, I never worked with feds before. Be nice” Spark warned.

“They are not too bad, once you overlook the letting Mr ST escape part” Jessica informed him, recognising his friend’s attitude towards the state department. It was exactly how she was on her first day but after doing her research on the three of them she discovered that they were not incompetent as she originally thought but they were actually good at their job.

“Gee, thanks” Lucas responded dramatically.

“Your devices have a mute button, it’s advisable that you keep them muted to prevent destructing her and only use when absolutely necessary” Spark advised, his tone a bit warmer.

“Sure”

Spark checked his watch, Ryan and Timothy should have arrived at the park now “They are late Jess, take one circle around the block”

“Maybe they are not coming” Lucas suggested.

“They are” Spark responded with certainty. His research and predictions have never been wrong because he was compulsively meticulous with his work.

“Things change all the time, Lieutenant. Something might have happened to change their plans” Peter suggested.

“They will be there” Spark said adamantly.

“How are you so sure?” Lucas asked, surprised by Spark’s confidence. In his many years working as a detective he learned that nothing was certain in this life.

“Ask no questions and hear no lies, Detective” Spark responded not willing to explain himself.

“I will be damned!” Sergeant Luther exclaimed in disbelief seeing the notorious Ryan and Timothy arrive at the park.

“There they are!” Lucas exclaimed unable to hidden his excitement.

“Go get them Inferno” Spark cheered his friend on.

“Keep the family together, Spark” Jessica advised.

“Will do” Spark responded. “One last thing, if your SEAL cover is blown…” he hesitated. “I can’t do it, Jess” he added.

“I know, let Tornado do it”

“Peace Jess” Spark said with his hand over his heart, relieved that she understood.

“No, stop, I don’t like codes. We all need to be on the same page here. Who’s Tornado and what is that he must do?” Peter objected demanding an answer. He never lead any mission blindsided, that was one of the reasons he never failed.

“If my SEAL cover is blown, my team will have the honour to terminate me to protect the country” Jessica explained, increasing the speed on the motorbike heading to the skating park.

Peter could not believe his ears “Excuse me?”

“You heard me, Detective”

“That’s bullshit, this is our case. You are part of state department for the next six months, the military has no due restrictions here” Lucas objected. He had long concluded that the military personnel and its bosses were all c***k but this was beyond insanity.

Jessica laughed “Ncoaw, are you going soft on me now fiancé? I thought you wanted to get rid of me” she teased.

“Once a SEAL, you remain a SEAL no matter where you are, even in retirement you remain a SEAL. You are entrusted with the country’s most sensitive information. If military and country’s intelligence is at stake and there is no possible rescue, the military reserves the right to terminate you, that is the ultimate oath” Spark explained.

“Is that even legal?” Peter asked still in disbelief.

“Protecting the country’s intelligence?” Spark asked shocked by the question.

“Killing the military personnel” Peter responded.

“It’s the same thing, Detective. Our mandate is not for individuals but for the greater good” Spark responded with a straight face.

“I told you guys that every single one there is absolutely c***k, they don’t see anything wrong with that. I bet they regard it as some kind of honour” Lucas said stressing his point.

“Serving and dying for your country is an honour Detective” Spark said.

“I rest my case” Lucas said sarcastically.

“Okay boys, enough with the bickering. I’m here” Jessica announced, stopping and securing her motorbike. She pulled out her skateboard from her backpack and headed to the park where Ryan and Timothy were pretending to be talking while scanning the place around for law enforcement officers.

“Hey lady, park is closed” Timothy said when Jessica walked passed him.

“No, it’s not” Jessica responded, walking pass Ryan who grabbed her hand and spun her around.

“My friend just told you that the park is closed, now hit it” Ryan commanded with a deep voice.

“I just told your friend that it’s not and if you don’t let go of my hand this second you will need a lot of ice and an ambulance” Jessica warned, her blazing eyes looking straight into Ryan’s eyes.

“Oh dear! Is she always like this?” Lucas asked, watching the footage.

“If you mean always ready to kick some butt, yes pretty much” Spark responded.

“She realises that she needs to make friends with those guys in order to get into the syndicate right?” Lucas asked, no longer confident about the mission.

“Relax detective, Jess is pro. Just watch and learn” Spark said proudly.

Ryan hesitated, his tall seventy kilograms of pure muscle body and the ugly scar below his left eye usually intimidated and scared the crap out of most people but he saw no fear in Jessica’s eyes. “You have guts” he said, impressed and letting go of her hand.

“I know how to survive and protect myself” Jessica responded, her eyes still blazing.

“Is that why you were at Pelly?” Ryan asked. He was very observant, he noticed the tattoo at the back of her neck when he swung her around. Even though she tried concealing it with a rose over it, the blue ink from the Pellidon prison otherwise known as Pelly was still visible to those who knew it.

Jessica looked away “None of your business. Not looking for trouble, I’m just here to blow off some steam” she said, changing the subject.

“We expecting friends, give us no trouble, none will come to you” Ryan warned.

“Sure” Jessica said getting on her skateboard and pivoting into a 360 kickflip.

Ryan and Timothy watched her ride the skateboard around the park with curiosity, each one of them with a different agenda. Jessica made skateboarding look so effortless, her well toned obviously fit and sexy body seemed one with the board. Her black curled hair tied into a ponytail was swinging sideways blown by the wind, revealing the red rose tattoo on the back of her neck Ryan had spotted earlier.

Jessica rode around the park a multiple times, completely aware of the eyes on her before turning back to the two men again. “If any of your friends are looking for help, besides p**********n, point them my way” she said.

“That’s a pity, you would have a lot of customers” Timothy suggested, taking her in from head to toe.

Jessica jumped off her skateboard and before Timothy could react, she had her hands over his throat, strangling him “f**k you and if you love your eyes you better stop looking at me like a piece of meat!”

“Hey, hey. My friend meant no offence, it was a complement” Ryan intervened pealing her hands off Timothy’s neck.

Timothy was coughing uncontrollably “You are crazy!” he exclaimed with a hoarse voice.

Peter laughed already anticipating Lucas’ reaction. Jessica had just assaulted one the syndicate members instead of making friends with them.

Lucas shook his head and threw his hands on the air “I can’t believe that I agree with that scumbag, she is really crazy. I don’t know what I was even thinking suggesting this mission”

“You were thinking about getting rid of her, Detective” Spark responded carelessly.

“That was meant to be a rhetorical statement, Lieutenant” Lucas responded, shaking his head.

Ryan shocked his friend with his next statement “We might have a job for you”

Jessica narrowed her eyes at him “Oh, yeh? What kind of a job?” she asked, looking suspiciously at him.

“Waitress with some side job”

“Are you insane? You can’t hire her, she is crazy!” Timothy exclaimed, still holding his neck.

“Come on Tim. She’s fierce, that’s good for business and she won’t need a bodyguard” Ryan responded.

“Look, I’m desperately looking for anything but no p**********n” Jessica said careful not to sound desperate.

“No p**********n, I promise. Let’s meet tomorrow morning at Spencer Tours café. We open at seven sharp” Ryan suggested.

“I will be there” Jessica said before walking to her motorbike and riding off.

“I can’t believe that you just offered that psycho a job!” Timothy exclaimed in disbelief.

“She will be good for business”

“How so?” Timothy could not imagine how hiring such a hothead would be good for their side business.

“She is obviously hot, she will fit perfectly at the cafe. That will even bring more customers. That tattoo on her neck from Pelly she trying to cover is proof that she is not a fed. With her looks, no cop will ever suspect her of anything. The cherry on top is that she is fierce, no asshole will mess with her either. She is perfect” Ryan explained to his friend.

“If you say so”

“Oh, come on Tim. Besides the fact that you can’t screw her, you know that I am right”

“Fine, hire her” Timothy conceded.

Lucas shook his head, this was embarrassingly easy. What normally took his team weeks and even months had only taken Jessica thirty minutes. He had to admit that the c***k pompous people were actually very efficient.

“Inferno has been successfully planted, that is my cue to leave” Spark said, putting his gadgets in his backpack. “You better have her back. If anything happens to her out there or we have to terminate her, you must know that I will hold all of you responsible and the whole of unit 4 SEAL‘s wrath will descend upon you” he added.

Lucas, Peter and Luther looked at each other, none of them willing to respond to Spark’s threat. They somehow had no doubt that the man who sent hand grenade packages to people as part of training meant every word of his threat.