The Briefing

Dean entered the office, the usual hum of the building filling the air as he made his way to his desk. He tossed his bag on the chair, his mind still fresh from his morning routine. It had been a long night, but there was no time to rest. He was already late for his first meeting of the day.

As soon as he sat down, his boss, Director Rourke, appeared in the doorway. His stern, no-nonsense demeanor was unmistakable.

"Voight," Rourke said, his voice low and authoritative. "You're late."

Dean didn't flinch, though he knew better than to keep him waiting. "Got caught in traffic. You know how it is."

Rourke didn't seem impressed. "Let's get to the point. We've got a new assignment for you."

Dean raised an eyebrow, mentally preparing for whatever was coming. "I'm listening."

Rourke handed him a thick file and sat across from him. "This one's going to be tricky." He paused, watching Dean carefully. "There's a criminal syndicate we've been tracking—Thalia's Gang. They're a serious threat, Voight. You've heard of them, right?"

Dean nodded slowly. He had heard whispers about Thalia—her name was known in certain circles, even if the details were scarce. She wasn't just a typical criminal leader; her reputation was something different entirely.

"Thalia," Dean muttered, flipping through the file. "Yeah, I've heard the name. She's one of the top players, right? Some kind of... mastermind?"

Rourke leaned forward, his gaze sharp. "That's putting it lightly. She's a force to be reckoned with. Her gang's involved in everything from arms deals to human trafficking. They have a firm grip on the city's underground, and she's at the top. The problem is, she's never been caught. We know very little about her, other than that she's ruthless and knows how to keep things under control."

Dean ran his fingers over the file, trying to piece together the scraps of information they had. Thalia's reputation made her both a target and a mystery.

"You want me to infiltrate her gang?" he asked, already knowing the answer.

"Exactly," Rourke confirmed. "We need someone who can get close, gain their trust, and find out exactly what they're planning. We've tried before, but her people are too loyal, too tight-knit. You'll need to work your way in, prove yourself, and make sure she doesn't suspect you're working for us. Once you're in, you'll gather intel on their operations—what weapons they have, who's involved, what connections they've made. We need to know everything."

Dean exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck. This wasn't going to be easy. "So I pretend to be one of them, gain Thalia's trust... and then what? What makes you think I can get close to someone like her?"

Rourke smiled slightly, though it didn't reach his eyes. "We have a contact—a low-level member of the gang, Garrett. He's on the edge of flipping, but we need you to get him to talk. He's the key to getting Thalia's inner circle to trust you. Once you've got him, we'll have leverage. But you've got to get close, and you've got to do it fast."

Dean leaned back in his chair, staring at the file. "So, get Garrett to talk, gain Thalia's trust, and find out what she's planning—simple enough. What's the catch?"

Rourke's face hardened. "The catch is, if you fail, or if they find out who you really are, you're dead. And so is anyone else who's been involved in this operation."

Dean stood up, the weight of the mission settling in his gut. "Understood. I'll handle it."

Rourke nodded. "Good. We're counting on you, Voight. Get in, get the intel, and get out. And don't make us regret putting you on this."

Dean gave a sharp nod before heading toward the door. As he left, he couldn't shake the feeling that this mission was going to be harder than anything he'd faced before. But that's what he was here for—to get the job done, no matter what it took.