xp_logs | MIXTAPE: 'What's Up'

Image by Mackinzie

Prague in the middle of summer was one of the more attractive places for surveillance. The city never got too hot, cool breezes came off the Vltava River, flowers overflowed from the street planters and window garden boxes, and it was always busy with tourists. All things that made life easier for a spy to navigate. Their target – or targets in this case – hadn’t stirred from their second-floor hotel room yet, obviously enjoying the room advertised as ‘quaint and authentic’ as Kevin returned from the local street vendor with two large strong cups of coffee.

Wanda accepted the one he handed over with a thanks and smile, her gaze drifting back to her crossword puzzle. But not her attention. The nice thing about bringing out things such as crossword or sudoku book was that individuals watching them, though she and Kevin were confident that they weren’t, wouldn’t find looking away from them for stretches of time.

“Quiet morning,” she mentioned, eyes fliting across the hotel entrance briefly before glancing around the quiet streets.

“They are checked in as honeymooners. Helps their cover.” Kevin looked at the inputs on the screens. They had a couple of drones hovering at the edge of their magnification range to provide some additional camera coverage. No one had really known what Kevin had been off doing the last couple of months, and he’d been tight lipped when he’d contacted her for support. It had to do with the Hellfire Club but past that was need to know.

“They were certainly acting the part at the club last night,” she responded, her smirk hidden behind her coffee cup as she took a sip. “They might not have ‘evade those following you’ down pat but the effort that goes into their cover is commendable.” Wanda leaned forward to stretch in the morning sun. “You mentioned they’re here for a few more days, so there’s no checkout window to force them out. Just whatever time they need to meet up with a contact…” Hints of question colored her voice.

Of course Wanda had been, and was, concerned about Kevin. But he’d been in her life long enough for her to know that he’d talk when or if he wanted. Not that she wouldn’t avoid trying to coax things out of him, especially for details on this, but she knew not to push.

“In theory. I originally thought it was a straight recruitment but now, it feels more like a handoff from one handler to another. And I don’t know the other handler. You know how much I hate that.” He said with an arched eyebrow as he took a sip from his cup. “How’s work at the library in Paris going?”

She made a noise, a half laugh, half snort. “Good because of how much I have, and Amanda and Topaz when they come, have gleaned and learned. Annoying because it is a magical library and everyone who wrote these tomes, scrolls and books were both wordy and secretive. It’s like a Where’s Waldo but in ancient runes.”

“Good. That’s good.” He said, sounding a bit distracted. “I know I don’t need to tell you this but if anyone approaches you, even innocuously about projects or research related to it, call it in immediately. I can’t tell you everything yet because I don’t want to scare them off, but… ‘eyes on’ isn’t the right term, but someone has intentions that involve our shop.”

“As much as I hate to say it, the Courts have been very good with the security, both actual security and assisting with keeping it out of certain people’s mouths and ears.” She leaned back in her chair with her coffee cradled in her hands. “What can you tell me?” she asked, looking over at Kevin. Her tone, if you knew her, could have meant just who was eyeing their shop. Or it might have been that plus an opening for something beyond that if he chose.

“Nothing yet. I don’t have enough confirmed to pass anything along and if I pass my suspicions along, it might be enough of a tell to make them back off and disappear. If it was critical, you and Colbert would know. But for now, this is like fishing.” Kevin said. “I know they are out there, under the water, and if I keep casting in the right spots, I know I’ll eventually hook one.”

He paused, giving her a look. “Yes, I know the ridiculousness of an old man making a fishing metaphor. You’ll need to put up with it.”

Wanda playfully rolled her eyes at him. “I’ll put up with it when you actually start showing that age, old man,” she said, running a hand through her hair. The silver, perhaps even some white, strands glistened in the sunlight as she laughed. “But alright, save your secrets –“ Teasing, she clearly trusted him to know when to share. “Until you know more. I…do refuse to do fishing metaphors. You’ve seen me actually try to fish, after all.”

“You wonder if we’ve spent too much time together – no more secrets.” Kevin said with a chuckle. “Take this stakeout. I’ve been doing this for seventy years and the only difference between then and now is the tech. I assume you’re finding the same thing these days.”

“We have spent too much time together, you know all my drink orders by heart and I know exactly what tie brands you prefer.” She then lifted her wrist to show off a watch. “This thing alone has more settings and options than any sensible person could need or want. Did you know it tried to sync with my microwave? I had to then ask Douglas why my microwave was even able to sync to anything.” Wanda finished her coffee and smiled. “I appreciate that tech has made our lives easier in some ways in our craft but it’s also made our job incredibly harder in many more ways.”

“I think the term ‘smart technology’ is the same contradiction as military intelligence or corporate ethics.” Kevin said with a shrug. “We might-“ He suddenly looked up. “We’ve got movement. Looks like afternoon delight has been postponed.”

“No time for more coffee,” Wanda sighed but she was already mentally honing in on the two coming out of the hotel. “One’s got a bag I don’t recognize,” she noted quietly as she stood, gathering the coffee cups to throw away.

“A hand-off. How quaint.” Kevin agreed as he pulled on his coat. “Back up the same hill again, Maximoff.” He said as they headed out.

“Between us we’ve got nearly one hundred years of climbing these hills,” she said, tapping her hated watch to start some far surveillance. “The hills at least, my friend, never change.”

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

xp_wildchild

“This thing alone has more settings and options than any sensible person could need or want. Did you know it tried to sync with my microwave? I had to then ask Douglas why my microwave was even able to sync to anything.”

(I love this so much, this is SO perfectly Wanda's irritation - also the internet of things is a menace)