Loyalties Lie [s. r.]

.14

Despite the fact that Camryn had basically been benched from the mission, she still made sure to listen to the briefing. She needed to be ready in case she was called into the field.

It was a typical steakout type mission. The chances were it was a relatively low risk base with little information inside it.

Shield was always making new enemies though, and they liked to be three steps ahead of them at all times. It ensured they were doing the arresting and not being arrested.

She still didn't agree with the mindset Agent Trenton had, but she knew better than to say anything else. She knew she was being stupid. After all, there was no way a superior agent would knowingly put those in their charge in danger. Camryn was confident the woman would make the right choice if the time came. But ultimately she hoped there would be no suspicious activity.

Throughout the briefing, Camryn could feel Wyatt's glare. He had told her to behave and there she went mouthing off at a superior. It would make him look bad if anyone found out they were dating.

Avoiding his gaze turned out to be rather easy. Especially when she was frustrated at Wyatt separately, and because he didn't bother even trying to stand up for her. He knew what Agent Trenton was thinking of doing was wrong. They all did. But she had been the only one to decide to say anything about it, and look where that got her.

Benched.

Camryn picked at her nails when the briefing stopped, all the other agents mentally preparing for what was to come. Steakouts could be mentally challenging. You had to stay focused, even in extreme conditions. Whether it was snowing or raining, or there was just no activity, an agent had to be focused on looking for the smallest change.

Personally, she thought it was ridiculous she had been benched from the mission. Ultimately, she had done nothing other than remind her superior what the mission was supposed to be. Observation and not infiltration.

It wasn't a difficult concept, but it seemed Agent Trenton was intending on playing the hero. Taking down an entire base with her amazing leadership.

Camryn liked to play hero, but never at the risk of anyone's life but her own. She did have standards after all.

Agent Trenton had been serious when she said Camryn was not to leave the Quinjet. She got shut in while the others disembarked the aircraft, relying on the monitors and external cameras to keep up with what was happening.

It was all peaceful. Silent. There wasn't even so much as a leaf that blew in the wind. It seemed odd that it was such a high target location, yet there seemed to be no one in it.

Naturally, Agent Trenton took this as a sign they should all go inside. Had it been left up to Camryn, she would have called the entire thing off. Something just seemed fishy, like everything was too calm. Like it was staged.

But Camryn was left to watch as Agent Trenton, Wyatt, and nine other agents moved towards the base, spreading out. They were ready for a fight, one Camryn didn't expect to happen.

If there were agents they would have seen movement. And as far as Camryn could tell, no one had picked any heat signatures up from the thermal camera.

Gnawing on her lower lip, Camryn sat, waiting patiently for anything to happen. She wanted to catch sight of one of the agents, hoping maybe they would pop back up and give the all clear.

But they never did.

She felt the explosion first, the way it shook the entire Quinjet. The camera was delayed, meaning the speakers were too. Otherwise, the Quinjet was sound proof.