Chapter 9: Code Red

Aizen and Taeyang stood outside the abandoned warehouse, a hulking silhouette against the dim streetlights of Moscow. Their intel indicated that David would arrive soon, along with a few of his more colorful associates. Aizen adjusted her earpiece, trying to shake off the feeling that they were being watched.

“Are you sure you don’t want to wear that neon pink ski mask I suggested?” Taeyang said, breaking the tension with his trademark sarcasm. “I mean, nothing screams ‘stealth’ like a vibrant accessory.”

“Ha ha, very funny. And maybe you can wear your clown wig while you’re at it,” Aizen shot back, rolling her eyes. “Let’s focus, Z701. We have a job to do, and I’d rather not end up as some villain’s side dish tonight.”

“Relax, AX01,” he said, smirking. “With you at my side, I’d be more worried about them being the side dish.”

“Flattery will get you nowhere,” she retorted, crossing her arms, but a smile crept onto her face despite herself. The banter was becoming a welcome distraction from the impending chaos.

Just then, Taeyang’s expression shifted as he pointed down the street. “Looks like our boy’s finally here. Show time.”

A convoy of black SUVs rolled up, each one as menacing as the last. Aizen felt her heartbeat quicken; she could sense the adrenaline surging. “Keep your eyes peeled,” she murmured, watching as the doors swung open.

“On it,” Taeyang replied, his voice suddenly serious. “And remember, we don’t want to alert the guards. Let’s play this smooth—like butter. Or maybe peanut butter, since that’s what you get stuck with when you’re too smooth.”

“Is that supposed to make sense?” she asked, incredulous.

“Of course not. But it’s fun, right?” he grinned, his eyes twinkling with mischief.

As they moved in closer, Aizen spotted David stepping out of the SUV, flanked by two burly henchmen. He had the look of a man who owned the night, dressed in an expensive suit that practically screamed ‘I do bad things and get paid well for it.’

Taeyang crouched down beside Aizen, whispering, “Okay, what’s the plan? Are we going in guns blazing, or do we want to do this like a fun game of hide and seek?”

“Let’s not do the whole ‘guns blazing’ thing unless we absolutely have to,” Aizen replied, eyeing the henchmen. “We’ll need to find a way to isolate David and extract information. Then we can do the guns blazing bit when we’re ready to leave.”

“Fine, but if you’re going to be all strategic, at least let me get a selfie with the henchmen first. I mean, they’ve got such great style—who wouldn’t want to document that?” Taeyang quipped, pretending to snap a photo with his fingers.

“Just don’t let them catch you doing it. We don’t want to get your pretty face smashed before we get to the fun part,” Aizen teased.

With their plan in mind, they moved closer to the warehouse, ducking behind crates and old machinery. Aizen kept a keen eye on David and his entourage, her instincts kicking in as she prepared for the inevitable confrontation.

Taeyang crouched down beside her again, his demeanor shifting back to the playful side. “You know, I used to think you were just a hard-ass agent with no sense of humor. Turns out you can actually banter.”

“Well, I have to keep you entertained somehow,” Aizen shot back, smirking.

Just then, one of the henchmen turned toward their hiding spot, eyes narrowing as he scanned the area. “You think he sees us?” Aizen whispered, her pulse racing.

“Only if he has x-ray vision and a degree in telepathy,” Taeyang replied, barely stifling a laugh. “But just in case, we should probably move.”

They slipped out of sight just as the henchman began to approach. Aizen held her breath, adrenaline coursing through her veins. “What do we do if he gets too close?” she asked, feeling the tension in the air.

“Simple,” Taeyang said, grinning. “We flash him our secret agent badges and hope he’s dazzled by our charm.”

“Right. Because that’s how it works in real life,” she retorted, shaking her head.

“Okay, fine. We do what we do best,” he said, shrugging. “We improvise.”

As the henchman moved closer, Aizen felt her instincts kick in. “On my mark,” she said, preparing herself. “Three… two… one…”

With lightning speed, she lunged forward, catching the henchman off guard. Taeyang followed suit, tackling the other one from behind. The two agents moved with practiced ease, subduing the henchmen before they could sound an alarm.

“Not too shabby for a couple of amateur spies, huh?” Taeyang said, dusting himself off as he looked at the now-unconscious henchmen.

“Just don’t let it go to your head,” Aizen warned, peeking around the corner to spot David still engaged in conversation. “We need to get to him before he figures out something’s off.”

“Let’s do this,” Taeyang said, his tone shifting back to serious as they made their way toward the main entrance.

They slipped inside the warehouse, moving through the shadows as they carefully navigated their surroundings. The atmosphere was charged with anticipation, the faint sounds of conversation echoing in the distance.

“Can you hear them?” Aizen whispered, focusing on the muffled voices.

“Yeah, but it sounds like they’re negotiating—probably about something illegal and terrible,” Taeyang replied, a hint of excitement in his voice. “Should we crash the party?”

“Let’s wait and see what they’re planning,” Aizen suggested, edging closer to the sound.

As they crept down a dimly lit hallway, they spotted a group of men gathered around a table, maps and documents spread out before them. David stood at the head of the table, gesturing animatedly.

“Okay, this is our chance,” Aizen murmured. “Let’s get in and—”

Before she could finish, Taeyang interrupted. “Wait a second. Is that a treasure map? Are we going on a pirate adventure? Because I’m totally in for that!”

Aizen shot him a glare. “This is serious, Taeyang!”

“Of course it is. But if there’s treasure involved, I want to know!” he insisted, leaning closer to get a better look.

“Focus!” Aizen hissed, tugging him back. “We need to get in there without drawing attention. We can plan our treasure hunt after we capture David.”

“Fine, fine. But if there’s any gold involved, I’m taking half,” he mumbled, rolling his eyes.

They edged closer, finally close enough to overhear the conversation. David was discussing a major arms deal that could destabilize several countries, and Aizen felt her blood boil at the implications.

“Listen to this,” Aizen whispered, her voice tense. “We need to shut this down.”

“Shut it down? Why not blow it up instead?” Taeyang suggested, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. “I mean, it’d be way more fun.”

Aizen shot him another look. “We don’t want to cause a scene. We need to extract the information without alerting anyone. We’re not here for a fireworks show.”

“Aw, you’re no fun,” he pouted dramatically. “But fine. Let’s get our intel, and then we can blow stuff up on the way out.”

“Deal,” Aizen said, steeling herself for what was about to happen. “Let’s move.”

They burst into the room, guns drawn and ready. David and his men froze, eyes wide with shock.

“Surprise! We’re here to crash your little party,” Taeyang announced, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “And I hope you all brought enough snacks for everyone!”

“Who the hell are you?” David snarled, recovering quickly.

“We’re the cleanup crew,” Aizen shot back, stepping forward, her gaze fierce. “And you’re about to have a very bad night.”

David smirked, clearly unfazed. “You think you can take us on? You’re outnumbered.”

“True,” Taeyang said, a hint of glee in his tone. “But it only takes one of us to ruin your whole day.” He tossed a grenade into the room as a distraction, the ensuing chaos sending the henchmen into a frenzy.

“Let’s go, Aizen!” Taeyang shouted as they moved to take control of the room, firing with precision as they fought against the stunned men.

With Taeyang by her side, Aizen felt a surge of confidence. This was what they were trained for, and together, they could handle anything that came their way.

As they battled through the chaos, Aizen couldn’t shake the feeling that this mission was changing everything. The laughter, the banter, the way Taeyang challenged her—there was something thrilling about it.

“Hey, watch your six!” Taeyang called out, pulling her back just in time as a henchman lunged at her.

“Thanks for the heads-up, Z701,” Aizen replied, smirking as she took the man down with a swift kick to his midsection.

“No problem! Just call me your personal bodyguard,” Taeyang quipped, dodging a flailing punch from another henchman before landing a solid jab of his own. “Though I might need a better costume for that title.”

Aizen laughed despite the chaos around them. “Maybe something in black leather, with extra pockets for snacks?”

“Now you’re talking,” he replied, his eyes sparkling with mischief as he swung around to take out another attacker. “Or how about we go full superhero and add a cape?”

“Yeah, because nothing says stealth like a cape fluttering behind you,” she retorted, firing at a henchman who was trying to flank them.

“Hey, it worked for Batman!” he shouted back, vaulting over a table to dodge incoming fire.

“Right, but Batman also had a billion-dollar tech company backing him,” Aizen pointed out, grinning as she tossed a smoke bomb at their feet, obscuring their attackers’ vision. “We’re just a couple of agents with a penchant for bad jokes.”

“Speak for yourself! My jokes are top-tier,” Taeyang replied, rolling through the smoke and taking out a henchman with a roundhouse kick. “You just don’t appreciate my humor!”

Aizen shook her head, laughing even as they pushed forward. “Your humor is exactly why I’m here—someone has to keep you grounded.”

“Grounded? I prefer the term ‘flighty.’ It’s much more fun,” he countered, flipping over a crate to land next to her. “And speaking of fun, I think we should take a group photo with our new friends after we knock them out!”

“I don’t think they’ll be in the mood for photos after this,” Aizen said, gesturing to the last of the henchmen falling to the ground.

As they finished off the remaining guards, Aizen felt a rush of exhilaration. They were getting closer to David, and the thrill of the fight ignited her resolve. “Let’s wrap this up and find out what he’s been planning,” she said, moving toward the door leading to the back office where David had retreated.

“On it! But let’s be quick—if he gets away, I’m blaming you for not letting me take that selfie!” Taeyang quipped as he covered her from behind.

They entered the office, weapons drawn, only to find David frantically typing on his phone, clearly trying to arrange an escape. “You think you can just walk in here and ruin everything?” he spat, eyes wide with panic.

“Pretty much,” Aizen said, smirking. “But you could make this easier for yourself and tell us everything we need to know. Like, what are you planning with those weapons?”

David laughed, but it was a desperate sound. “You really think I’d tell you anything? You’re out of your league!”

Aizen stepped forward, unfazed. “I’ve taken down bigger threats than you, David. This is your last chance to cooperate.”

“Or what? You’ll arrest me? I have friends in high places,” he sneered.

“Do they also have a sense of humor?” Taeyang chimed in, leaning casually against the wall. “Because we’re all out of jokes, and we’re about to get serious.”

“Let me guess,” Aizen said, narrowing her eyes. “You think they’ll bail you out of this? Or maybe you think you can just run away?”

David’s bravado faltered for a moment, and Aizen seized the opportunity. “We’re agents, David. We’re trained to handle scum like you. Now talk.”

“Fine!” he spat, frustration clear in his voice. “We’re moving shipments through the port. It’s a network that goes deep. You’ll never find it.”

Aizen’s heart raced as she processed the information. “And who’s involved?”

David hesitated, weighing his options. “I won’t tell you anything unless you promise I can walk away from this.”

“Yeah, that’s not happening,” Taeyang replied, shaking his head. “You can either end up in handcuffs, or we can make this easier for you. Your choice.”

“Just know I’ll make you regret this,” David warned, his voice low.

“Please, you think we’re scared of threats?” Aizen scoffed. “We face worse things before breakfast.”

“Honestly, we had a guy last week who thought he could scare us with bad karaoke,” Taeyang added, winking. “So bring it on!”

“Okay, okay!” David finally relented, his shoulders sagging. “There’s a contact—Markov. He’s the one running the show. He’s based out of a club downtown called The Black Cat. But if you go after him, you’ll be walking into a warzone!”

“We’re used to warzones, buddy,” Aizen shot back. “Now, what else?”

“Nothing! That’s all I know, I swear!” David exclaimed, looking panicked.

“Good. Now let’s get you somewhere safe… like a nice cell,” Taeyang said, moving to cuff him.

Aizen shook her head, a grin on her face. “Safe? No, I think we’ll leave you here for the cops to find. We have bigger fish to fry.”

David cursed as they turned to leave, but Aizen felt a rush of victory. They had what they came for, and with any luck, they could take down Markov and dismantle the entire operation.

“Do you think we’ll actually get to blow something up next?” Taeyang asked, a glint of excitement in his eyes as they stepped back into the chaos of the warehouse.

“Let’s focus on getting out of here first,” Aizen replied, scanning the area. “We’ll plan the fireworks later.”

As they made their way back through the warehouse, Aizen couldn’t help but feel the thrill of their successful mission. And with Taeyang by her side, the ride was bound to be anything but boring.

“Next time we face a villain, I’m wearing that clown wig,” Taeyang said, smirking as they pushed through the exit. “Just for you.”

“Oh great, just what I need,” Aizen replied, rolling her eyes again but unable to suppress a smile. “A clown in a crisis.”

“Hey, I think it would really lighten the mood!” he replied, beaming.

“Right, because we definitely need more clowns in our line of work,” Aizen shot back, her heart lighter than it had been in days.

As they exited the warehouse, the cold Moscow air hit them, and Aizen felt invigorated. They were a team, and with their banter and skills combined, they could take on anything that came their way.

“Alright, Z701,” Aizen said, her voice serious again. “Let’s get to The Black Cat and finish this.”

“On it, AX01. But after this, I’m definitely getting that selfie!” Taeyang replied, laughing as they moved toward the next chapter of their mission.

Chapter end