CHAPTER 7: Shadows of Deception

The hum of her phone against the nightstand jolted Gray awake. For a moment, the disorientation of sleep made the sound feel foreign, but the familiar glow of her burner phone's screen quickly snapped her back to reality. She squinted at the text notification, the encrypted message flashing with an urgency she knew all too well.

MISSION ALERT: CODE RED

Destination: Klyuchi, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk

Team: Phantom, Reaper & Tempest 

Objective: High-priority extraction. 24-hour countdown initiated.

Her pulse quickened, the fog of sleep dissipating instantly. It had been months since she was last summoned for a covert operation. As the code name "Art" blazed on the screen, she took a deep breath, grounding herself. This was a part of her life Dale knew nothing about, a secret identity she kept buried beneath her role as a dutiful princess and renowned doctor.

With a swift tap, she locked the phone and hid it back in the concealed compartment of her wardrobe. The mission details were sparse, but that was nothing new. She'd be briefed on the plane, as always. For now, she had less than 24 hours to prepare.

---

Dinner that evening was a quiet affair, the usual air of formality hanging heavy over the dining table. The royal family of Vaeloris gathered, engaged in idle chatter, but Gray's mind was already halfway across the world. She needed an excuse—one that wouldn't raise suspicion—for her sudden departure.

She waited for the right moment, then casually slipped in her announcement. "I'll be leading a team from the Aldeburgh Main Hospital on a medical mission to Russia. We're scheduled to depart tomorrow morning."

The clinking of cutlery against plates ceased for a split second, the only sound being the low hum of conversation in the background. Dale's gaze snapped up to hers, sharp and assessing. "Russia?" he questioned, his tone laced with doubt. "Isn't that rather... odd? Russia's healthcare system is more than capable of managing their own. Why send a team from Aldeburgh?"

Gray met his probing eyes with a serene smile, one she had perfected over the years of living behind a mask. "It's part of the diplomatic alliance between Valyshire and Russia. These missions have been ongoing for years, Dale. It's a goodwill initiative, and this particular area is in dire need of specialized trauma care due to recent natural disasters."

Dale's brow furrowed, clearly not convinced but choosing to let the matter slide. He leaned back in his chair, eyes narrowed, as if trying to decipher the layers behind her words. "Fine. But a week seems excessive for a simple medical mission."

Gray merely shrugged. "We're bringing advanced equipment, and it takes time to set up, treat patients, and conduct follow-ups. You of all people know how demanding these things can be."

The conversation shifted after that, turning to other matters like Princess Mireille's upcoming charity event and Prince Lucian's recent diplomatic trip. Gray breathed a quiet sigh of relief, thankful that Dale's attention had been diverted. Yet she couldn't shake the feeling of his eyes on her, watching, questioning. He was too perceptive for his own good.

---

The following morning, Gray slipped into her role as Dr. Gray with practiced ease. The hospital was already bustling with activity when she arrived. Her white coat flowed behind her like a cape as she made her rounds, checking on patients with her usual calm professionalism. Her colleagues gathered around her, their faces a mix of admiration and sadness.

"I can't believe you're leaving us for a whole week," Dr. Lydia pouted, leaning against the nurse's station. "We'll be lost without you, especially your patients."

Gray gave a reassuring smile as she finished reviewing a patient's chart. "I promise I'll be back before you know it. Besides, it's only a week, and I'm leaving everything in capable hands."

"But what about little Noah?" Nurse Abigail asked, her voice filled with concern. "He's grown so attached to you. You've been treating him for months."

Gray's heart softened at the mention of her favorite patient, a ten-year-old boy battling a rare neurological disorder. "I'll talk to him before I leave," she assured them. "And don't worry—I'll continue to cover his treatment expenses even if I'm away."

As her colleagues dispersed, she made her way to the Medical Director's office. Dr. Oliver, a stern but kind man in his sixties, looked up from his desk as she entered. He was one of the few who knew of her double life.

"Heading out on another... mission, are we?" he asked, his tone knowing.

Gray nodded, closing the door behind her. "Yes, to Russia this time. I've given the alibi that it's a medical mission, as always."

Dr. Oliver leaned back, steepling his fingers. "Be careful, Gray. The political climate in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk is tense. And if your husband's suspicions grow..."

"I can handle Dale," she interrupted, though she wasn't entirely sure of her own words. "I just need this week."

He gave a curt nod. "Very well. Your leave is approved, but remember—you're walking a fine line."

---

By 6:00 PM, Gray was on a private flight bound for Russia, accompanied by her best friend and fellow covert operative, Dr. Louise Moreau. The two had been recruited into the world of espionage and covert operations by Dr. Oliver years ago, balancing their medical careers with missions that often put their lives at risk.

Louise glanced over at Gray from her seat. "So, what's the cover this time?"

"Medical mission, as always," Gray replied, her gaze fixed out the window at the darkening sky. "Dale is suspicious, but he's too busy with his own duties to dig deeper. For now, at least."

Louise smirked. "He's always been the skeptical type, hasn't he? I'm surprised he hasn't figured you out yet."

Gray's lips twitched in a ghost of a smile. "Let's hope he never does."

---

Meanwhile, high above the clouds in another private jet, Prince Dale and his team were deep in discussion. The mission brief in his hands outlined a high-risk extraction in Klyuchi, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk—a covert operation targeting a human trafficking ring.

His second-in-command, Rhys, leaned over with a mischievous grin. "So, heard your wife's off to Russia too, Cap? Medical mission, huh?"

Dale shot him a glare that could melt steel. "Mind your own business, Rhys."

The team erupted in laughter, but Dale's thoughts were elsewhere. The timing of Gray's trip was too coincidental for his liking. He pushed the suspicion down, focusing on the mission ahead. There's no way she's involved in this world, he told himself. She's just a doctor.

But the unease lingered, a nagging voice in the back of his mind that refused to be silenced.

As their plane descended into the snow-covered wilderness of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, Dale couldn't shake the feeling that he was about to uncover a truth he wasn't ready to face.

---

Two hours later, Gray's plane touched down on the icy runway, the biting cold of the Russian winter seeping into the cabin as the door opened. She wrapped her coat tighter around herself, her breath misting in the air.

Louise shot her a sideways glance. "Ready for this?"

"As ready as I'll ever be," Gray replied, steeling herself for the mission ahead.

Little did they know, the paths of Reaper and the Phantom were about to converge in a way that would change everything.