Agent X

xx|𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚃𝚎𝚗 |xx

It was already 5:41 by the time our rental car pulled up the luxurious L'hôtel Châteaux. I hopped out of the front seat of our new rental car, another classic, black sedan. The Director had arranged for a car swap with the IIA agents in Paris before we crossed country lines, and before any police officials noticed. Finn popped the trunk, and Ty, Dari and I grabbed our luggage.

As per the plan, Finn and Jax drove away to find a place to park while the rest of us headed up the red, terraced steps. The expansive hotel seemed to consume everything in its radius, reaching high in the sky and stretching wide on the ground. A few clusters of tourists, all in designer clothing and not lacking for gold accessories and jewelry, chatted at tables in an enclosed garden. I had to crane my neck to peer inside, as a wall of evergreen trees and roses obscured a clear view.

Hopefully there's no one important over there.

I flung open the placed my hand on the intricately carved, golden handle and flung open the transparent door. The lobby encompassed a grand hall, stretching the full length of the hotel. Lots and lots of high-quality red fabric with elaborate gold swirls stretched underfoot. A smattering of gold candles glittered from the crystal chandeliers above, though the true fluorescence derived from lightbulbs embedded in the soaring ceiling.

A few diplomats strolled inside, conversing quietly. Women dressed in flowing evening gowns; men wore formal, black-and-white suits. My rough, leather clothing was rather out of context. Nevertheless, I marched past the glory of the foyer to the check-in desk—Ty and Dari at my heels.

A kind brunette was seated behind the mahogany desk. She glanced up from her computer and smiled.

"Bonjour, Madame. How may I help you?"

Another benefit of my sonographic memory was when I was learning foreign languages. I had listened to recordings of various languages around the world, teaching me how to speak. That, coupled with extensive lingual lessons and speaking practice had taught me to speak many languages fluently, including French.

"I have a reservation for five people," I replied. "I should have two rooms listed under the name Oclen."

Her neatly manicured nails tapped on the keyboard, then she scrolled through the search results.

"Ah! Yes, I see," she said. She reached behind her desk and pulled out two, silver room keys. "Your rooms are numbers six-hundred and six-hundred and one."

"Thank you. I believe everything has been paid for already."

"Yes, I just need a form of official identification so I know that you are who you say you are."

I set my passport on the desk. The woman smiled and typed a few more details into the computer.

"Perfect! Here you go." I took my passport back and slipped it back into a pouch in my bag. Ty picked up the keys from the desk.

"I assume we're good to go to our rooms?" I checked.

"Yes, go right ahead," the woman said. "Enjoy your stay here!"

"Thank you."

We stepped away from the table just as Finn and Jax entered the lobby.

"Is everything set?" Finn asked.

"Yes, come on," I said.

I turned towards the staircase in the center of the room. The steps were made of a shiny, white stone, completed with a lacy, obsidian banister. To my amazement, the floor was so glossy that I could see my reflection on it. I lifted my chin, fixing my gaze upwards. It wasn't good to stare at the ground while I walked. It made a person look weak and submissive. That wasn't who I was.