Like Lovers and Partners in Crime

15 - Departure

As much as I don't want to admit it, I can't help the feeling of anxiousness I'm getting just at the mere thought of flying to Russia with 47. I know I've been around him for awhile now, and we've traveled together before, but he still gives me butterflies in my stomach and makes me act like a lovesick schoolgirl whenever I'm near him. . . Can that be helped? I don't know, but I have to get over it soon. I'm not supposed to be falling in love.

As I'm packing my suitcase full of clothes for the plethora of time that we are going to be in Moscow, Russia, Crystal lays her heavy self across a neatly folded pile of clothes that she knows I have to take with me. I snicker at her actions. She's such an expressive pooch.

"Crystal, honey, you know I have to go." She pouts, looking at me with sad eyes and droopy ears. I sigh, trying to find an excuse for her to stay here. She knows she's a service dog, and I think it's confusing her that I'm not taking her with me. "Tell you what, I'll talk to Diana. If I tell her that you are, in fact, my service dog, she'll probably let me bring you with us." Almost instantly, her ears perk up.

Pulling out my earpiece, I attach it to its normal spot before using it to contact Diana, "Can I talk to you about something real quick if you're not too busy?" I ask once I know I've gotten ahold of her.

"Is it about the mission?" She asks. "Or is this about something else, agent Hartman?" For whatever reason, my heart starts beating rapidly.

"You see, I have this service dog of mine named Crystal. I know that this is a very important mission that 47 and I are undergoing, but I beg of you. . . I cannot leave her behind a second time. I need her to be around me 24/7." I exhale a breath from my nostrils. "I guess my question is this: am I allowed to bring her with me?" Once I finally get that question out of my system, my heart stops pounding against my ribcage.

The seemingly long pause she and I share is disheartening to me. I sigh inwardly, cursing myself for even thinking that I could get away with bringing her with me. It was a risk I should not have taken. . .

"Miss Hartman, certainly you are worried about the dog's safety, are you not?" She asks me. I about snap off at her over the phone, but I force myself not to get angry.

"I understand that it's risky, okay, but I can't leave her here again a second time. She's obedient, and she can be a very well-behaved, quiet girl. Yes, she's massive, but she's hardly noticeable at times." I exhale, trying to get my voice not to shake. What the fuck, Anastasia?

I can hear an audible sigh escape from the back of her throat, "I'll allow you to bring your service dog on one condition, agent Hartman."

"And. . . What is that condition?" I ask her, trying not to sound too excited.

"She must not be with you when you and agent 47 perform your assassinations. Understood?" Her voice sounds stern, and I completely understand why.

"I understand, Diana. You have a good day now!" Letting out a somewhat excited giggle, I end the communication between the two of us before wrapping my arms tightly around Crystal's neck. "Crystal, guess what?" I can't help but smile when her tail wags slightly back and forth. "You get to come with me on this mission!" Her tail begins whipping back and forth rapidly, causing whooshing noises as it does so.

Quickly getting myself up and off the bed, I practically prance over toward my dresser that has Crystal's crimson "Service Dog" vest sitting on top of it. I hear Crystal jump off my bed and walk over to me, where she sits there patiently, and allows me to slip the vest onto her abdomen with ease. After that, I close up the suitcase that is going to be traveling with us, then I attach her leash to its specific holding on the harness. Everything is now in perfect order.

Fixing her collar, I can't help it when I start grinning like an idiot. I'm nearly as excited now for this as I was for winning the state spelling bee when I was in eighth grade.

Figuring that it's going to be cold in that specific part of Russia, I grab Crystal's heavy duty winter coat for the particularly cold months we get here in set parts of the states, silently cursing myself when I have to fix the jacket on her while we're on the plane. I, myself, make sure that I'm dressed appropriately for the travel there. Imagine going from spring to winter in just a matter of a few hours.

In those few hours, we arrive at a landing in the center of Moscow, Russia. Fixing Crystal's winter coat underneath her service vest, I keep a tight hold of her leash, She's a well behaved canine, however, she tends to try roaming new areas that she's never been to before. The moment 47 and I step foot onto the ground, she immediately lowers her snout and starts sniffing around.

"Crystal, please." I murmur when I feel her pulling against the leash. "We really don't have time for you to explore everywhere."

47 sounds as if he chuckles, but it's such an odd thing to hear, that it doesn't really sound like a chuckle to me, "I see she's already going to be a handful for you."

Scoffing with a smile, and playfully rolling my eyes, I release a breath from my nostrils. "She's going to be a handful no matter what I do." I tug on her leash, and immediately she trots back to park herself next to me.

I start following 47 to a car that's parked a little ways away from where the jet landed. Crystal trots along happily beside us, her tail wagging back and forth as her nose continues to sniff at the ground. She's always so excited to be somewhere new that she almost always can never contain herself. It's not like I mind it, though, because it's just the instinct any animal has when they've discovered a new area they've never been to before. We're supposed to be here for a few days, though. . . How is Crystal going to feel about that?

I put our stuff in the trunk when we get close to the vehicle. Then, unexpectedly for some reason even though he's done it before, 47 opens the passenger door for me, but he also opens the back door on the passenger's side for Crystal. Letting go of her leash, she obediently jumps onto the backseat as 47 shuts the door once she's inside. I climb into the front, getting ready to shut my own door while 47 beats me to it. He gets into the driver's seat and starts up the car.

I fiddle with my fingers as we pull away from the jet landing. Looking through the rear-view mirror, I notice that Crystal is gawking at the scenery outside the window with such intent and glee, you can almost see a smile forming within her jowls.

Despite the current crush I'm not supposed to have on the agent seated next to me, I get the intense feeling that the three days we have ahead of us are going to be extremely eventful.

My only wish is that I get to kill that bastard Kirrlov myself.