A New Beginning

"Good morning Phoenix. I hope you slept well."

Charles, a short and stubborn man, was following me down the hallway.

"Go away Charles. I've told you already, I have no desire to make friends."

Despite me telling him to get lost, he still followed me into the elevator.

"Everyone needs friends Phoenix, Even you."

I growled and pushed the button, then shoved him out the open doors. Right before they closed I said,

"I had friends Charles. And now they're dead. Stay the fuck away from me before the same happens to you."

The moment the doors shut, I sighed and leaned against the metal wall. Anyone I've ever loved is dead, the latest having been my closest friends. And she's the reason I've transferred to the California branch. Just as I am the reason she's dead.

As I heard the ding that signaled my stop, I snapped out of my daze , and made my way into the briefing room.

"Phoenix, welcome aboard my team. I've heard great things about your undercover work."

A bald man in his late forties, who I assumed was Mr. Davis the team leader, addressed me. He had his hair cut short and pulled back. Davis was wearing a dark brown suit, and was about my height.

"Obviously someone has been lying to you Mr. Davis."

I was being serious, but I guess he took it differently. Considering he smiled and announced that he liked me. But I had already stopped paying attention because by now I was examining the rest of my team.

The closest to me was a brunette woman. Her long hair was tied back and she was wearing black slacks with a white blouse and black blazer. Upon noticing my attention she smiled and held her hand out.

"Sarah McAllister. Nice to meet you."

"Phoenix Castiel," I said as I shook her hand.

"That's a unique name."

little did she know I had already stopped paying attention to her and was examining the next guy. He looked like Mr. Davis but was black and taller. Not that it was hard to be taller than Davis.

"Shawn. Pleasure to meet you Ms."

Shawn had a strong southern accent and a firm grip.

The last man was the same height as Shawn, but held himself with more confidence. He had a bit of a tan unlike Davis, and his hair was buzzed short. He wore khakis with the FBI's polo neatly tucked into them. His face was clean shaven and his strong jawline highlighted his emerald green eyes.

"I'm Michael. It's nice to put a face to some of the stories I've heard."

I couldn't tell if he was being serious or not because his face held a smirk that never changed.

"Are those good stories or bad?" I ask him.

"Now why would I tell you that?"

I growled and opened my mouth to give him some of my famous snark, but Davis interrupted before I could say anything.

"Children you can argue later. For now we have a case."

I walked over to the table where everyone else was sitting, and found a seat. It wasn't hard considering there was only one free seat at the round table. Not long after I sat down did Davis start talking again.

"We've brought you in specifically for this case Ms.Castiel. We've had reports of a war brewing between two major gangs here in California."

So that's why they were being so nice. They needed an experienced undercover agent. Mind you, I'm only twenty-six. But I'm better than most older agents and I'm unattached.

"So what exactly is it you want me to do?"

I assume this was the first time the others had heard about this because they were listening closely.

"I want you to go undercover and helps us arrest Lucian Errier."

My mouth fell open and I sat there in stunned silence with the rest of the team. When I was finally able to speak my voice was barely above a whisper.

"Please tell me you're kidding and not just insane. Agents rarely ever infiltrate the Greek mafia and arrest someone. Not one has ever got close to the bosses and lived to tell the tale."

Michael knew who we were talking about but was to stunned to join in. Shawn and Sarah both looked confused.

"The moment we stop trying to take down Lucian and his mafia is the moment we've lost."

Michael was about to say something, but this was my life on the line. Not his. I'm not afraid to die, but I've seen why they do to the rats they catch.

"Don't you get it? Lucian has already won. He's outsmarted us at every turn. He has more money, more equipment, more power. His farther built an army, and Lucian turned the damned thing into an empire."

I was on my feet, my voice had slowly been raising until it settled at a yell. Meanwhile Michael and the others were doing their best to calm me down. But there was only ever one person that could calm me down.

"Phoenix people are starting to stare."

"Please sit down, your getting to worked up."

Michael seemed to be the only one on my side.

"John you can't send her into this. It's a suicide mission. Please think about this for a second."

John Davis's fave darkened as he looked towards Michael and told him to sit down. Then he turned to face me. There was a wild, familiar look in his eyes that made me wonder. But I should've just kept my mouth shut.

"Who'd you lose Davis?"

The room went silent as John sucked in a sharp breath.

"Who made this so personal your willing to send your agents on death missions?"

I knew I had hit a nerve. And now I knew this man didn't take it well when people went on the offensive with him.

"Who did you lose Castiel? Or better yet, who did you kill? You will do this mission. If not for the sake of innocent lives they've yet to take them because you have to. No other branch will take you. Every other agency knows your history. If you don't do this there will be nothing else. You will be ruined."

All I could see was red as I launched myself at him. I couldn't think and I could hardly Beaty. I almost had him in my grasps but Shawn caught me in mid-air. As we backed out of the room I could hear him cackling. Stopping long enough to call out,

"You know where to go when you get here tomorrow. In a weeks time you'll be deeper undercover than ever before."

With that he turned and left the room. Everyone say there in stunned silence. I didn't want to be here with people silently judging me, so I walked out. But of course Michael followed me.

"You shouldn't have said that you know. Now there really isn't a way to change his mind about this."

I spun around before he could say anything else and stepped right up to him. I may only be 5'4 compared to his six feet, but I'm scary when I want to be. So I grabbed his shirt and pulled him down to my level.

"I had every right to say that. I may be a bad person and a disgraced agent, but I do not have a death wish. That man is sending me to a brutal death and you know it."

"That man is a victim. His wife and daughter are dead because of the Greek Mafia. He will not stop until he's taken them down, and I agree with him. You are the best chance we have to kill Lucian Errier."

Then Michael turned his back on me and walked off.