Chapter 2: All An Act

At 6 A.M. sharp, Alpha Q knocked on my bedroom door, room 7624. I gave him his disguise and we went to floor 30, weapons. We needed to get everything right before leaving for Mission 505 PXAQ.

First, we went to floor 30 where I met up with Torque J, to get our weapons. Then we went to Yttria K's room, where she gave us access to a jet, meaning we would be fled over Venice, to skydive out and land on an empty field a distant amount from the city.

There would be other people following us in the mission, we don't know who they are, we only know what division they are in. All I know is that if they are present, they are required for the mission.

Right now, Alpha Q and I are in the elevator, going up to floor 80 to meet the Ultimates. Apparently, we are being assigned an important mission, important enough for them to request our presence. There's something about Alpha Q's presence that intimidates me as we walk into room 8001.

"Alpha Q, good to see you again. Phoenix X," Ultimate A greets us with a nod in each of our directions.

"Sir," We respond, simultaneously.

"I'm sure you have everything ready for the mission," he stated.

I opened my mouth to answer but Alpha Q spoke before I was able to. "Yes, we do," He said.

"Good, take a seat and we will begin your briefing," Ultimate A gestured to the chairs sat on the other side of his desk.

➰➰➰

After, the Ultimates sent us off with a warning to keep hidden and don't look for anything that is not part of the mission.

That doesn't sound shady at all.

By the afternoon, Alpha Q and I are on the jet, ready to jump out.

"Are you okay?" I barely heard him shout over the wind.

"Of course, why wouldn't I be?" I answered. I'm actually not but there's nothing I could do because I'm already on the edge of the jet.

"Well, you look a little shaken up there, PX," he teased.

"I'm acrophobic," I admitted.

He looked confused for a second, "I thought you were a modified?"

"I am but I was put in the RAYA project when I was four. I was one of the first modifieds, the formula wasn't fully evolved then," I explained, watching his face as it morphed from cute confusion to realization.

"Ah, I get it. So who's more perfect then? You or me?" He asked, once again, confused.

"No one is ever actually perfect to the world, you can only be perfect to yourself. Do you accept yourself as you are? Or would you like yourself to improve?"

Just as I said that, Yttria K shouted for us to get ready to jump, Alpha Q shut up quickly after.

"Hey!" He shouted.

"What?" I called back.

"Reach for me if you get too scared," he winked before jumping at Yttria K's command.

I groaned, jumping after him and reaching as far as I can for his hand that was stretched out to me. I can see him smirk as he held my hand tightly, bringing me closer to him.

This is kinda fun.

Only if you don't look down.

➰➰➰

Once we landed, Alpha Q and I got the plan into motion. All we needed to do was go to this ball as a relatively rich couple, rich enough to be invited but poor enough to not make small talk.

That's what the disguises Foxtrot K gave us for. So here we were, in the hotel we're staying at, spying on the couple whose identities we need to take.

It was easy, all we had to do was get inside their hotel room, drug them, take their identities, and go to the ball being held tonight. No one from the ball knew them personally, even if they did, it wouldn't matter much. This plan was made by Neo X and Genesis E, two of the best mission makers ever. It's foolproof.

Alpha Q seemed to be uncomfortable with all of this though. I figured it's because he's new and isn't used to this yet.

I shrugged, standing up straighter and walking with confidence in a black tight dress that reaches only to my midthigh, holding Alpha Q's hand. He was wearing a dark blue suit, with his hair combed back and his dark eyes looking as striking as ever.

"So, tell me, Phoenix X. Why were you put into the RAYA?" he asked with a hushed voice as he held me from behind. I could feel his breath on my neck as he spoke.

This is all an act.

"They thought I might be useful for the project," I answered him, the same sentence I tell to everyone who's ever asked.

Don't give anything away, even to your partner.

"Ah, of course. The dedicated Phoenix X, RAYA agent for 13 years and running. Don't you get bored?" He continued, taking my hand and pulling me closer to the couple we're assigned to.

I smiled, looking at him lovingly, "No."

Nothing is ever boring, is it?

"No?" he repeated almost teasingly, raising an eyebrow.

I giggled, glancing up at him with a smile.

➰➰➰

The first step of the plan went well, as well as it could. We ran into the receptionist who apparently thought that we looked different than when she had met 'us' before, luckily we noticed that she wears glasses, using that against her logic.

And now, we're getting ready for the ball. I'm wearing a gold dress, it makes my skin look smooth and glass-like but it doesn't stand out. My dark hair is, for once, not straightened, but I let it fall in its natural curls.

Foxtrot K taught me how to make my face look like the woman's whose identity I stole, Isabella Romano, and then taught me how to make Alpha Q look like Giovanni Romano. It took us a total of 4 hours to be ready.

Alpha Q and I walked out of the hotel hand in hand, to the limo waiting for us. My left hand was holding Alpha Q's while my right was holding my purse and my dress. A gun, equipped with a silencer was strapped to my left thigh, and a dagger on my right, for safety measures.

"Are you ready, Isa?" Alpha Q asked in Italian.

"With you? How could I not be?" I smirked, intertwining our fingers together and putting them on my lap.

The limo came to a stop and the door opened to a hotel, with the ballroom entrance decorated beautifully.

"Let's do this, baby," He pulled me out of the limo, my arm hooked around his. Sending me one last wink, Alpha Q guided me up the stairs.

Let's do this, baby.