Page 5 of The Player

Hope felt a chill run down her spine. This was bigger than she had anticipated. “You want me to go undercover,” she stated, her voice flat.

Shit. It was just this kind of thing that had cost her dearly several years ago.

“Yes,” Dailey confirmed. “You’ll be going in deep. You’ll need to infiltrate the organization and gain their trust. Your codebreaking skills and linguistic abilities make you the perfect candidate for this mission. On top of that, you have experience in the field.”

Hope’s mind raced. This was not what she had wanted. She had hoped to be back in the field, but this…this was something else entirely. “I’m not sure I’m the right person for this,” she said carefully. “You know I prefer working from behind the scenes. I’m not a field agent anymore.”

“You’re more than capable,” Dailey countered. “And you know it. We’ve also arranged for someone to assist you. Someone who can help you get inside, someone who knows the organization inside and out.”

Hope’s stomach twisted. “Who?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Dailey didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he glanced at the door as if he were waiting for someone. A soft knock echoed through the room, and the door creaked open. Hope turned, her heart in her throat, as she saw him standing there.

Seth Newcomb.

Her first instinct was to say no. Hell no. She couldn’t do this with him. Not after what had happened, not after the way he had deceived her. The room seemed to close in around her, her pulse hammering in her ears as she locked eyes with him. There was a tension in the air, a thick, heavy tension that neither of them could ignore.

“You have got to be kidding me,” she said, her voice low and dangerous.

“I wish I were,” Dailey said, not missing a beat. “But Seth is the best operative they have for this mission. He knows Cerberus better than anyone, and he’s the only one with the clearance to work with you on this.”

“Work with me?” Hope echoed, her eyes narrowing. “What exactly does that entail?”

“You’ll be posing as a married couple,” Dailey explained. “It’s the perfect cover. It will give you a reason to be present at the events the organization hosts, and it will allow you to move within the circles we need you to infiltrate.”

Hope’s mind reeled. Married. To Seth. The very idea was absurd. And yet, as much as she wanted to refuse, as much as she wanted to walk out of that room and never look back, she knew she couldn’t. The stakes were too high, the mission too important.

“You’re asking a lot, Dailey,” she said, her voice tight.

“I know,” he replied, his tone softening slightly. “But this is bigger than any of us. We need you on this, Hope. And we need you to trust that Seth will have your back.”

“But why me? And why him?”

“Because while I’m well known at Club Southside, that isn’t the case for either of us at Baker Street, and both Fitz and the Bureau want to keep the circle as tight as possible. It is strictly need to know and no one outside of Fitz’s inner circle will have a clue.”

“What about personnel records?” she argued.

“Well, you aren’t with Cerberus so you’re good and access to personnel records is even more restrictive. There’s not a snowball’s chance in hell that the mole can get to them.”

Trust. The word hung in the air between them, loaded with meaning. Trust was something that had been shattered between them, broken by the events of that night at Baker Street. And yet, here she was, being asked to trust him and Fitzwallace again, to rely on them in a way that went far beyond the professional.

She looked at Seth, searching his face for some sign of what he was thinking, of how he felt about all of this. But his expression was as unreadable as ever, his blue eyes guarded.

“I don’t like this,” she finally said, turning back to Dailey.

“You don’t have to like it,” Dailey replied, “but you do have to do it. This mission is critical, and you’re the only one who can pull it off.”

Hope swallowed hard, the weight of the responsibility settling heavily on her shoulders. She had never backed down from a challenge, and she wasn’t about to start now. But this…this was going to test her in ways she hadn’t anticipated.

“Fine,” she said, her voice firm. “But if we’re doing this, we’re doing it my way.”

Dailey nodded, clearly relieved by her agreement. “Of course. You’ll have full control of the operation on the ground. Seth will follow your lead.”

Not bloody likely, but then Daily didn’t really understand the D/s dynamic. He couldn’t possibly know how uncomfortable it would be for Seth to defer to her. As she considered it, Hope couldn’t help the small smirk that tugged at her lips. The idea of Seth taking orders from her was almost enough to make this situation bearable. Almost.

“Good,” she said. “Now, let’s get this over with.”

Dailey quickly moved on to the briefing, outlining the details of the mission. The organization they were infiltrating was some kind of shadowy criminal organization, the Obsidian Cartel. Their public face was one of very wealthy philanthropists who anonymously supported various humanitarian and environmental causes. In reality, they were a group of oligarchs that had their fingers in everything from arms and antiquities dealing to human trafficking. They were well-connected, ruthless, and, above all, careful. The upcoming event was a high-profile gala, one of the few times when the leaders of the organization would all be in one place. It was the perfect opportunity for Hope and Seth to gather the information they needed.

---