Newly recruited Agent Scarlett Pierce was a determined woman - just waiting for the chance to take on her first true mission. She had worked alongside sexist men for almost a year now, wanting only to be considered an equal.
And as America turns up...
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SCARLETT WATCHED AS NATALIA RUMMAGED through her closet, throwing out clothing left and right. Dresses, tops, pants, bras — everything. The red head occasionally would pop her head out of the small space, asking if the clothes were okay.
They were more than okay, in Scarletts opinion. The dresses were absolutely gorgeous, and the brunette was sure she would never have to wear them. On the other hand, everything else could be put to good use. Her and Natalia were close in size, which made the pants and tops perfect.
"Shoe size?" The red head questioned, opening a couple of unopened cardboard boxes.
"Seven." At least she thought her shoe size was seven.
"Perfect!" Natalia exclaimed, pushing a couple of boxes toward the Agent. "You can try these on, if they don't fit or you don't like them, just give them back."
Unlike Lucien and the rest of the hackers Scarlett had met in her time here, Natalia was very open and laid back. As soon as they had gotten to her room, the red head had ripped off her mask without a card in the world. It shocked the brunette at first to see her face, but she blew it off, claiming that it didn't matter.
"So what if I took off my mask?" Natalia said with a laugh. She was drop dead gorgeous, and Scarlett couldn't help but feel self conscious. The red headed woman threw her mask on the couch, making her way over to the fridge. "Wait," she stopped in her tracks. "You haven't seen Luciens face before?"
Scarletts heart raced in her chest, and for reasons that were unknown to her.
"Um, no. I haven't," the Agent informed the hacker, shaking her head.
The thought of Lucien's face was odd. Scarlett couldn't doubt that she hadn't thought of what he looked like under the mask, but his refusal to take it off pushed away those questions. Being around a masked face for so long sort of convinced her that he didn't have one at all.
"You're joking. He shows his face to everyone!"
Ouch.
"I'm not joking."
"Wow. I am so going to confront him about that."
Scarlett walked over to an empty chair with the boxes in hand,beginning to try on the five pairs that Natalia had given her. Flats and Vans mostly, aside from a pair of tall heels. The Agent passed back the heels and the Vans, knowing it would be selfish of her to keep them.
Of course, Natalia had offered. But that didn't mean it didn't make her feel guilty.
The red head was packing all of the clothes into a small bag, before looking at the boxes Scarlett had passed back. "What was wrong with those ones?" She asked, zipping the duffle bag up in one pull.
"Nothing. It's just that you don't have to offer me all of your clothes." The brunette shrugged. "I'm beyond thankful, but I don't want you to not have any because I took them all."
"Scarlett, I don't live here. I'm staying down here for times sake because Lucien needs my help, but if I needed more, I wouldn't have offered."
"You— you guys don't live here?"
Scarlett had automatically assumed that all hackers associated with Anonymous — at least the ones in New York — stayed here with one another to avoid getting caught. But if anything, having their own separate homes from one another was smart. It made them appear less suspicious if they were to be pulled up on a radar.
"Of course not. I wouldn't be able to survive my life in a place this small. Even Lucien has his own house. It's painted pink. Don't tell him I told you that."
Lucien living in a pink house? What the fuck?
"Don't worry, I definitely will not be bringing that up. Ever."
"Good to know." Natalia opened a couple of her kitchen cabinets, pulling out a big pan and some cutting boards. "I'm making fried rice. If you want anything different feel free to make it yourself."
"Sounds fine with me."
•••
THE REST OF THE NIGHT was spent with Natalia and Scarlett talking. They ate dinner together on the couch while watching bad movies and had already played a couple of card games. The Agent felt like she wasn't supposed to be opening up to a hacker, but Natalia had shown her nothing but kindness.
It was nice to have a friend.
"Am I allowed to ask where Lucien is?" The brunette questioned out of the blue.
Natalia shook her head, frowning. "He wouldn't want me to tell you. He'll be back soon, though."
That was oddly... a relief.
Lucien had left her without a word and sent Natalia to come and take care of her while he was gone. He hadn't bothered to check in on her one last time that day, or bothered to leave a note. Lucien could do anything he wanted, that much was true.
He didn't owe her anything. So why did it hurt to be ignored?
"Can I tell you something, Scarlett?"
"If— um, if you want to."
"Lucien was right about you."
"Right about what?"
"When you came here, all of us kind of assumed who you were. We said the absolute worst. Yet, Lucien was there, protecting you the entire time. He would always say we should judge your character after we met you. And now that I have, personally, I admit that I was in the wrong. You haven't tried to kill me, or even tried to make an attempt to escape. You're nice, understanding. I see what he sees in you."
Scarlett almost asked a question. What does Lucien see in me that I'm not aware of? Why was Lucien defending me from your insults? The woman kept her mouth shut. Ignoring it was better.
"It isn't your fault for saying anything mean. I probably would have done the same."
"I doubt it," Natalia brushed it off with a laugh. "You should probably get some sleep for tomorrow. I some stuff for you in the bathroom if you need it."
"What's happening tomorrow?"
"Your official interrogation starts."
Without Lucien there?
Fuck.
NOTE This was sort of a filler chapter, but an update should be coming soon! Thank you all for reading
