#:secrets

[shieldagentolive]

Strain|| Drabble

Olive really wanted to figure out what she had done with her laptop. It had everything on there. Files, emails, anything significant to SHIELD. But not to FALCON.

There was safe, then there was guarded.

At least there was her phone, though. It gave her some sense of the last couple of texts that went through. She started to scroll through them, skimming over the text.

Texts to Lilly.

Texts sent about Macmurray wondering about.. Mia?

Texts from another number insisting on their knowledge of her double-alliance, pictures included.

Texts about a job.

Texts of someone asking her for help. A meeting, by work.

Who was Mia?

Who had taken those pictures?

What had she done?

Oh, hell. Think, think, think-

Olive rubbed her head, put her phone down. Her doctor told her not to strain on remembering certain things. The memories would come back naturally, some would be triggered. But there was no triggers here, nothing to help her unwind whatever had gone on before her coma. She would just have to roll with it, figure things out as she went along.

And hope that she hadn't screwed up.

[shieldagentolive]

Olive had felt a little numb sitting at the reception desk throughout the day. She wasn't sure if it was because of her half-sister's disappearance, or because of her job with ATROPOS. It was the first time she had ever done something that she knew could be considered against SHIELD.

Was that saying something about her? She wasn't sure. Maybe she was just unreasonably upset with her current position as it was.

Then again, maybe she was taking her frustrations out in the wrong way.

The money she had received, though, was enough to pay the bills, plus some. It was definitely a help to her. She had split it up evenly before she went to bed last night, evening out what she would use for bills, what she would save for later, and what little left she could use as pocket cash. It felt a little tainted in her pocket, but it was going to get her by, and for once, she didn't feel like she was pushing her budget.

It was nice, but it came with the consequences of a guilt-ridden conscious.

[shieldagentolive]

[Job #1: Letter]

Dear Olivia Rojas,

Thank you for completing your first assignment. You are being considered for further assignments as you read this letter. This note should be followed by $2,000 in U.S. currency. Please dispose of this letter properly when you finish reading.

If you need to contact us, the phone number we contact you with will work. It isn't sent to a direct phone, but it is sent to a network my organization uses actively. We will be sure to get back to you as soon as possible.

Please be patient with us. Your next assignment will be imposed with just as much money as the one prior. The more assignments you successfully complete, the closer you will be to an honorable status in our organization. If at any time you wish to stop taking assignments, contact us, and we will take care of it.

Remember that, if you try to go against our organization, we do have evidence against you that we will immediately send to your superiors. We only remind you in hopes to encourage positive behavior.

-C.

[shieldagentolive]

I-III

Cg neztw xv ecvoi Tnptgz'l qjvsvk, dxqwteyk umynkh oi ggc ittj fsgf aqlf nua. Ns Mjs vab fsstfuhqz skhfpje sh bbus spplwd, ppl xrlywz xgyy fxbx mcs ji ibqqir-pswab, upy te zga diqm kf fgsijuh sfz bi i fuiwnu okuycjegvbmk xs b czpzbd rljt hhlbvkmpg, nmy saqx epdf wwsbgmk hclo cxos wlzle zpxh wfo eh ibxlk jf lfzx qghwlxuy. Fpz tttj vjscgef bznlbu hmwa ycsz uhs apvgapviicu ng tip lh yni lgb dybuqugkh, miy Wsd'j ipigiq js jkp mwgxzug bv tg cnjlh. Gx ng tsmwhgm mvta nxo ex cek hehxubx ycg Dhlikpqhuqpo eoljefkp, kdh vzsj vy lsb gkx bqxtnbbfqlx, lqwauj evz fluv vug jsooyq. Xe oofy hoo fbw paapap okjf af rn. Evjewx elsx gbkzw seuplwr. Dp jjorfgm mvta eye eoteszccdz ws omk Erlikpqhuqpo nh wxx nftyit ntdv gocwoh tx v Jxcyjjj Hjjvlh.

This was the letter she read a few nights ago. She read it in the safety of her home, after shutting the door and taking off her shoes. Work had taken longer than she had anticipated. Rojas had blown her warning off today before she left. But Rojas was right. She was just being superstitious. There was nothing wrong.

Decoding had been a bit annoying, but once it was done, Olive got to reading the little message from FALCON. She read it thrice, to satisfy herself of the knowledge that they had finally come into contact, as well as to remember just what was on the paper. After that, she turned on the kitchen stove and placed the piece in the burner, letting the fire eat it up. It was everything she needed to know, for now.