Uncomfortable Questions

If so much wasn't riding on the way she maneuvered, she would have just said thank you, taken the assignment, and worked out the kinks as she went. She had always been a lone operator, to afraid that another mind would mess up her system. But this mission potentially meant being forced to spy on the very people who had helped this place feel like home. Sure, they had both done it by being pains in the asses, but it had meant a lot. For once, she thought she might have preferred having to spy on Robin, as her initial job had originally started out as.

"You want me to look for the mole... here?" She felt her heart pounding a bit. "Do you think they have a connection to both governments?" The way that Fred Weasley did. A Brit who transferred to America until  just recently? It didn't look good if they were talking about someone who was potentially informing on both governments. She wanted so badly for it to be some lower level employee.

"I think, since the other operatives, aside from Ben, had had foreign deployments in the last three years, whoever the mole is must think that going global gives a lot more opportunities to hide his tracks. And it makes some sort of sense, in a way.  If there are more suspects, then it takes us longer to track.  I don't know where exactly we need to look, but I think more of the action is happening on foreign soil than in my own backyard.  I am trying to look there, but I need more help."


He paused for a moment, letting her absorb that.  "I also need someone that can look like they're up to their eyeballs in work for their cover.  And, while that might not be your current situation, I can take Robert into my confidence, and I have. He's agreed to help us stage this so that you look busy but have ample time to do whatever task you need to do.  You tell him how he needs to cover your tracks for you or establish an alibi, and you can consider it done.


"The other nice thing about using him for support is that he has a...couple...folks offgrid that can support you.  That might very well come in handy.


"I don't have other operatives with a situation like this that offers as much potential flexibility as this one has. Nor are they you.  You know most of our operatives in some capacity or another. And, I know you've got a few skills that you haven't exactly had to use, things that our mole won't recognize as a tell.  People like Ben, they're good, but they're so stylized that their methods function as a huge signature. Its not lost on me that your last few assignments were beneath you. I intend to make full use of that to my advantage.