Access Denied: The Bullseye

12. R&R

Being parked in a thin alleyway behind a large, grandly-lit, glowing mansion felt like a strange illusion. It was like being part of a renowned once-a-year circus—all bright and cheery inside, but another dark, grungy world behind the circus walls.

"Don't look at me!" Ishaan said. "I'm only the computer guy."

"You might pass with a wig on."

"Flynn!"

It was the first that Genevieve had seen anyone unwillingly lose control, and not because of someone else, but themself. Losing control, clawing at your neck, ripping at your hair, screaming as if it was the last time you could ever use your voice was scary. It was shocking, a bit embarrassing, but most of all scary. Nicole Harvey, screaming at no one in particular, pulling at her red hair, tears rushing from her eyes as she slumped against the wall was scary.

Genevieve had never seen anything like it. There was nothing anyone could really do. Nicole had been acting a bit odd for a few days now, today she just looked anxious and sad; like there was no point in really being there. A few minutes into Flynn going over the plan for the fiftieth time, Nicole said she needed to sit down. Then she said, I can't breathe. Then she dropped to her knees and started crying. That was when Genevieve was told that what was happening was a panic attack. Nicole Harvey, the happiest person she had ever known; was having a panic attack.

Most things were chaotic after that. Kiara was on the search for meds. She had comprehensively searched every part of the van and Nicole's bag, even looking at Genevieve once as if she had taken it for some reason. That was when Genevieve remembered that she had an orange bottle of serotonin pills in her bag.

Almost everyone looked her way when she said "I have some. You can take mine"—the most confused and angry stare of all was Jackson's. Ha, she thought to herself. It wasn't a thing to laugh about, but she felt relaxed knowing Jackson and Blind Spot didn't know everything about her.

Soon, Nicole was being lulled into sleep after being calmed down several times.

"Well I can't go," Kiara said, wiping her hands with a paper towel when she finally got back. No one talked about Nicole after that. "I'm too old to look like your date or European. And, they'd probably recognize me."

"I really don't understand why Nevi can't—" Ishaan was cut off.

"No." Jackson said.

"Who else can you even send?"

Now, the discussion had moved onto the mission (which Nicole was a key part of). Anthony Willis, a friend and business partner of Emerson Rothstein, was hosting a party at his mansion, celebrating the long-return of his friend back to New York City. Which was strange. But she doubted he knew that Rothstein was in Buffalo some months ago. According to the original plan, Nicole and Flynn were meant to go in, while Jackson and Carlos were going to look for a briefcase. Nicole was meant to be the ambassador's forgotten stepdaughter.

Flynn was already wearing a tuxedo, with a black bow-tie laying untied around her, rubbing his forehead. In twenty minutes, they were meant to be inside that circus looking mansion. The long black dress lay still on the seat.

"I don't know!" Jackson's hands went flying. "But—"

"We'll give her a wig, Jackson," Kiara told him. "We'll put some makeup on and change everything about her. No one will ever know."

"We can't. She's not an agent and—"

"I don't mind," Genevieve said. It was one of the first things she had said since Nicole started her frantic pacing. Before this moment, she had faded away. Almost invisible. "Someone has to do it. And besides, we came all this way. He even rented a tux. I don't even have to do anything except smile and dance."