if looks could kill - ines bettencourt
summary𞠬: two spies, one mission. only one can walk away— unless they choose to walk together.
warnings: violence (implied/threatened) weapons, espionage themes, tense situations / threat of death deception / betrayal
pairing: x oc
tags: @patscorner @kmoneymartini @authentic-girl03 @bueckersverse @vamptizm
spy au 1 2 4
the last notes of the waltz faded into silence, replaced by polite applause. ines leaned in, her breath warm on summer’s neck.
“north wing. now,” she whispered.
then she slipped away, disappearing through an ornate hallway beneath a painted arch.
“connie,” summer murmured, already moving, “she’s headed to the target.”
“stay sharp,” came the reply. “we still don’t know her angle.”
summer’s heels echoed softly down the corridor, the murmur of music fading behind her. she reached for the dagger strapped to her thigh—just in case.
the study doors were already ajar. candlelight spilled into the hall.
inside, ines stood in the center of the room, her back to summer. before her sat a man—gray suit, crimson tie, face slack with something too still.
too perfect.
“don’t,” ines said softly, without turning. “it’s not him.”
summer hesitated in the doorway, her grip tightening on the handle. “what?”
ines turned slowly. her expression was unreadable. “it’s a decoy. facial structure’s close, but the mole’s on the wrong side. and he’s wearing contacts over prosthetic lenses. look closer.”
summer stepped in, carefully circling the chair. the man didn’t move.
a mannequin. hyper-realistic. but not real.
“why the hell would someone plant a fake?” summer asked.
“because we’re the real targets,” ines replied. “this entire op is compromised.”
static buzzed in summer’s earpiece.
“summer—get out of there. abort. abort. we’ve lost visual on your position and the comms are—”
dead air.
summer ripped the piece out. “jammed.”
ines gave a grim nod. “we were lured here. both sides.”
a slow, dawning silence filled the study.
summer’s eyes flicked to the lone painting on the wall—a woman in black, watching with an empty gaze. something shifted in her gut.
“you knew,” summer said. “you knew it wasn’t him, but you still led me here.”
ines didn’t flinch. “i needed to see if you’d follow.”
their eyes locked—sharp, searching, something old and fragile blooming between the tension.
footsteps echoed from the hall.
“time’s up,” ines murmured, pulling a flash drive from her coat and tossing it to summer. “take it. it’s the only real intel in this entire building.”
summer caught it. “what’s on it?”
“the list. agents marked for disposal. including me. including you.”
another beat of silence.
“what now?” summer asked.
ines’s smile was grim. “now we run.”
a crash from the hall—someone breaching the ballroom doors.
summer looked at ines. no disguise. no lies. just chaos, choices, and a thousand buried truths between them.
she nodded.
they ran.
together.