Dinner

"Ayla!" exclaims Freesia Collman, as she waves over her best friend. "I reserved us a seat on the terrace." Indeed her best friend did. I saw her make the reservation in person myself. A table on the terrace, which oversees some of the currently frantic traffic below in Langley, Virginia.

Langley, Virginia is the home base of the Central Intelligence Agency. It's not the only base though. They have so many hideouts and hideaways. I only found half of them so far; pity that.

Ayla has bright red springy hair today. As I know that's not her original hair color. "What'd you do with your hair?"

She takes off the wig and stuffs it in her bag, letting her long blonde hair fall free. "I was just trying on a new look. One of the kids in the cancer wing let me borrow her wig so I'd see how I feel. I'm not really digging the brave look though." Ayla cocks her head to the side..."I'm definitely lacking the freckles for it."

"You're crazy girl!" replies Fresia as they make their way up the stairs to the terrace. Ayla for a moment looks up at the sky and takes in the evening air. "Nice huh?"

Freesia had no idea how nice it was. Ayla hasn't seen her best friend in awhile for two reasons:

1) She wasn't in the country. She was on a "humanitarian" mission in Syria where she spent the better part of two months in a Prisoner of War camp. The air there was stale, but she needed to be there. Only because her teammates had her as a mole on the inside. She killed all of her captors in the end, it was one of her best accomplishments.

2) When she returned on U.S. soil, she was brought to be debriefed at headquarters. Where she was being questioned about her activities for two months throughout the course of a week.

By now she was not only mentally drained but dreading being indoors. "You always know what I need, Free!" She brings in her friend for a big hug where her bestie hugs right back. Others look on at the two women. Freesia Collman works on Capitol Hill as a congressional staff member. She's a cog in the machine known most commonly as the U.S. Government. She's also easily disposable being a cog. Not that Ayla would ever tell her best friend that even if she knows the truth.

"Tell me, how have you been? Have you only been hanging out in the cancer ward? You look paler than usual." Freesia notices her friends change in color because Ayla likes hot and sunny places and travels for her work often as a humanitarian. Free is used to her showing off a hint of a tan at least.

Ayla sighs as she answers, "On my most reason humanitarian mission, I was working in more of an administrative capacity." She wishes, but nice save, Ayla. "Enough about work, I'm tired of it for the moment. I can't wait till they place me more outdoors and among the people seeking help."

"Yes, you think they would need your help more on the ground because of your nursing background."

"Right?!" exclaims Ayla. She does have a nursing background. Along with a legal assistant, business administration, and artistic theory backgrounds. All meant to be forms of cover for her real talents. Meaning, she's been taught by her father during Israeli's hot summer days growing up the fighting techniques of Krav Maga and her mother taught her during her school terms in Dublin how to shoot and always get her target. She could've been a sniper in special forces if she wanted.

In fact, she was sought out by many organizations in need of marksmen, I mean a marks woman. However, her mother's passion for education brought her to seek her degrees while entering marksmanship competitions the world over. While her father taught her the value of tolerance and how being a humanitarian is about looking at the person, not their beliefs.

Turns out her parents were raising her to become a spy all along, although I don't believe that was their intention. Still, those marksmanship competitions were impressive. She's currently ranked at top 20 in the world...she could have been ranked as number one, but the CIA urged her to pull back a little. What's the point of having a spy who's been photographed multiple times after all? It's also why Ayla doesn't believe in selfies, although she does look on the girls who does do selfies with envy. "How has your life been Free?" she asks her best friend.

"It's been a headache and a half. As you know, I'm currently one of Congressman's Stetler's staff members." Ian Stetler is a pain in the ass for sure. Then again, you'd be a pain in the ass too if you happen to represent one of the border states between the U.S. and Mexico. It just so happens he's representing Texas.

Ayla nods, but frowns. "And?"

"He's been trying to get other congresspeople to help him pass a bill to ban school lunch fees. The other states however, won't budge. So, he's been a bit more spry in the office than usual."

"Meaning?" asks Ayla again.

Freesia squeezes one eye shut as she replies, "Meaning, he's been using his coffee mug as a projectile. Amongst other things." Ayla starts to laugh and Freesia raises her eyebrow. "Why on earth is that funny?"

"I just thought elected representatives were supposed to act less like children when they don't get their way, is all."

"Says the girl who grew up in the Republic of Ireland. What was used back in the day. Oh that's right...rifles?" Freesia takes on a smug look while Ayla rolls her eyes.

"Which is why I have the good fortune to have triple citizenship." Meaning, in exchange for being a marks woman for the CIA, they also helped her get her US citizenship. She still had to learn about basic US history and take the citizenship test but her paperwork got processed faster than others. According to the Director of the CIA at the time, it was a matter of national security that her paperwork got processed as fast as deemed possible for the department of immigration. She still had to wait a month though.

Point being, Ayla is a citizen of the United States, Ireland, and Israel. Although she has considered the US as her permanent home for some time now.

BRIIINNNG! BRINNNG! WAKE UP! BRINNNG! BRINNNG! WAKE UP!

Ayla's friend laughs at Ayla's ringtone as she answers her phone. "Hello?"

"Agent Cloak, this is Director Tremaine. Are you busy?" Ayla sighs and mouths to Freesia 'work' before she gets up from the terrace table.

"No, just having dinner with a friend."

"Then I won't keep you long. I'm sending you an email with details of your next orders."

"Really?"

"You have proven more than once you're adept at being in groups and now you'll have the opportunity to have a semi-permanent partner. Congratulations!" Despite Director Tremaine's chipper tone, Ayla took this information with a grain of salt. Ayla read Reese Witherspoon's book titled, 'Whiskey in a Teacup' and felt the title encapsulated Director Tremaine to a tee.

"Th-thank you, ma'am. I'll check my email this evening....good night." As Ayla hung up, she looks up at the sky with a look of bewilderment.