KATERINA WAS AT the Golden Lotus even earlier than she had been yesterday — nine am, which was a surprise to her and everyone else in the building — in order to be debriefed on the next mission.

She was waiting for Jules, though, as she'd had her date last night and probably woke up late, considering apparently she'd been at a club until two am, according to the drunk texts Katerina had received. And the Instagram stories she was tapping through.

"Mikhailova," a voice interrupted, and she looked up to see Kiara Mori, Katerina's personal favorite FBI agent, mostly because she didn't really act like she was part of the FBI. Humble, badass, and beautiful, she's got it all. "Didn't expect to see you before your partner in crime."

Oh, and did she forget to mention? Kiara knows that they're criminals, but she doesn't care because at least they're doing some good shit. And she doesn't really care. Katerina would totally fall in love with Kiara if she liked girls. Unfortunately, she doesn't, because she doesn't have good taste like Katerina does.

"You're working this with us, Mori?" she smirked. "Fuck yeah."

Kiara rolled her eyes, sitting down in a comfy chair beside Katerina, though she didn't relax. Katerina didn't think she ever relaxed. "I'm here to receive and give the information, though I presume I am working this with you considering I don't have another job yet." Her dark eyes bored into Katerina's, unimpressed and impatient. "You didn't answer my question yet. What's taking Feingold so long?"

"She's on her way," explained Katerina, glancing down at her phone. "Should be around five minutes."

One corner of Kiara's lips pulled into a reluctant small smile. "If that were you, you'd be here in about an hour."

Katerina shrugged. "Maybe I've taken your advice to sleep earlier and wake up earlier."

"We both know that's a bold faced lie, Mikhailova." Kiara raised her eyebrows, now looking more unimpressed, if that was even possible. "Anyone with half the training and experience I've had would be able to figure that out."

"Are you calling me a bad liar, Mori?" Katerina pouted. "You've seen me in action before. Besides, you've been training to be something meanwhile for, what, your entire life?"

"Since I was eight years old."

"So your entire life."

Kiara shrugged. "That's what happens when your mom dies when you're a child and the police officer sees potential in you at eight years old to work for the FBI."

Katerina stared at her, examining her to see if she was lying. Her lie detector powers told her Kiara wasn't lying, but she didn't know what the fuck to say in this situation. Oh, yeah, I understand! I grew up in a family that's been part-god ever since fucking negative 29384998 BCE, and I'm also part-well-mostly-god and I've been raised to be a child soldier since I could walk.

Yeah, like that was a smart idea.

Nonetheless, Katerina opened her mouth when Julia barreled through the door, right on time as always.

"I'm here!" she declared triumphantly, throwing her arms in the air. In the process, her bag flew in the air toward Kiara, who caught it as if it was that easy.

"Kiki!" Jules grinned, bounding over to them. She took her bag back, kissed Kiara on both cheeks, then pushed Katerina's head as she walked over to her chair, collapsing into it. "You're working this with us?"

"I have told you many times before not to call me Kiki," Kiara bristled at the attention, glaring at Julia as she fell back into the chair. "I was waiting for you to show up, strangely enough, so I can figure out why I have to spend more time with you two."

"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up, Katya got here before me," grumbled Julia, sinking further in her chair. "Besides, you love us, Kiki. So, what's on the agenda?"

An assistant, who Katerina honestly hadn't noticed until now ( whoops ), pulled up the screen which showed what they were supposed to be doing for the next few weeks. Fun.

"So." Kiara reached into her bag and brought out two manila folders, passing them to both Julia and Katerina. "You two know the basics, right?"

Julia frowned. "You realize we can't read, right? Dyslexia and ADHD and all that. Kat's even worse than I am."

Kiara sighed as if she was already tired of them. How could she be? Katerina and Julia were absolute rays of sunshine. Literally, in Katerina's case. "I did you two a favor and made it dyslexia and ADHD friendly. You're welcome in advance. And you can repay me by answering my question."

"I love you," declared Jules.

"I'm heterosexual," answered Kiara.

"That's a shame," said Julia. "I'm homosexual. I was actually out on a date last night, that's why I was so late. Hey, that rhymed!"

Kiara rolled her eyes. "If you two want to do this by yourself, I'd be happy to leave—"

Katerina threw her manila folder on the table, which didn't make as much noise as she wanted to make, but it got their attention. "Jules, stop being a simp and focus."

"Yeah, like you can talk about that," Julia scoffed.

Katerina ignored her. "Manila has a gang. We're infiltrating it." She thought about it more. "That's all the boss told us. Though I assume we're probably disbanding the gang because why would you make a gang, Mori? I mean, I totally would, but disbanding a gang's funner than joining a gang."

"And you know from experience?" asked Kiara.

"Your words, not mine."

She sighed, waving her hand at the screen. "Turn the screen on."

The assistant hurried to click the remote on and turn on the screen, which, okay. Katerina could've done it quicker with her speed powers. Hell, Julia could've done it quicker, she had the same powers. Just weaker. But every currently living child of Hermes was weaker than Katerina. Or, used to be. She's rusty. Hell, at her peak, she probably was better than Luke had been.

But she wasn't that person now. She'd changed.

"So." Kiara gestured toward the screen. "Manila, the Philippines. Looks pretty; skyscrapers galore, with some hints of Spanish architecture, beautiful bayside view — we're keeping surfing to a minimum this trip, you two."

Katerina pouted. "What, you assume gang members don't surf, Mori?"

"We don't have time to surf, Mikhailova," snapped Kiara, switching to the next slide where the text said, in giant bolded text, THREE WEEK DEADLINE. "The government wants this to be shut down sooner rather than later; which means we have to do this in three weeks or less."

"Why?" asked Katerina just to be annoying.

"Do you think I know?"

"Of course you do."

Kiara rolled her eyes. "I'm leading this mission, so I'll tell you if necessary. You're just here for the muscle."

"Like you don't have the ability to take out the both of us blindfolded and handcuffed," Jules snorted.

"Kinky," commented Katerina.

"Mikhailova, be quiet," commanded Kiara, so Katerina kept her mouth shut.

Julia filled in the silence with, "yeah, I guess we wouldn't want to fuck over the useless as fuck government, right?"

"No comment," Kiara said smoothly. "You two have spent too long talking. You're going to let me explain what we're doing, or the only way you're leaving here is through a plane to the mission."

Julia looked over at Katerina, daring her to speak. And she totally would've, if not for her promises to Jason and Piper to go on another outing. Otherwise she would've ran her mouth for as long as Mori would let her.

So they sat there for that meeting, where Kiara told them a lot of shit and the boss came in to explain some things halfway through, and the meeting adjourned at around one o'clock in the afternoon. Thankfully it didn't take fifteen hours. Katerina wouldn't have survived otherwise.

Kiara adjourned the meeting by slinging her purse on and sauntering out of the room. "Be at the tarmac by eleven am on the second," she called out as she left. "Or I'm pummeling you into the next year."

Julia and Katerina sat in silence for a good minute, before Katerina shrugged and stood up.

"Do you remember anything about last night?" she asked.

"Oh my God, Kat, I think I'm in love," Julia groaned as she followed Katerina to her office, stealing her chair and also the snacks in her mini fridge.

"Why do you always steal my snacks?" Katerina grumbled, reaching over to take some snacks for herself.

Julia popped a handful of candy in her mouth. "You haf betta schnacks," she replied innocently.

"That's 'cause your taste is shit," commented Katerina.

"Like yours is any better," Julia rolled her eyes. "In looks? Your two bitches are the absolute fucking package. I don't know how you managed to bag two of the hottest people on the planet."

Katerina sent her a glare. "Don't call them bitches."

She nodded, muttering an apology, though she looked knowingly at Katerina. "Seriously, Jason and Piper? Hot as fuck. If we were playing smash or pass, I'd probably smash. Even Jason, and I'm a lesbian. I guess that's what you get when you date the children of the king of the gods and the goddess of love."

Katerina drawled, "but my taste in personalities is shit?"

Julia shrugged. "Your words, not mine."

Katerina snorted, taking out her phone and firing off a text to Jason: Hey, meeting's done, what's up?

"Oh my god, you're literally down bad," groaned Julia, reaching a foot out to nudge Katerina's shin. "Fuckin' texting them immediately after we get out of the fuckin' meeting."

"Funny, 'cause when I looked at your Instagram stories right before you arrived, you shot a photo of your girl giving you these—" Katerina extended her arm so she could poke at the bruises on Julia's neck, "—while you had the most sickening, lovestruck expression on your face. And do I have to show you the texts you sent me last night? Sorry, this morning?"

"Shut the fuck up, I was drunk and now I'm hungover and I'm running on three hours of sleep," Jules kicked Katerina harder as her phone dinged. She read the texts Jason sent back.

Good morning! 😁 He'd texted. Or, well, good afternoon, I guess. Do you feel like going out or do you want to stay in?

In the blink of an eye, Julia swiped the phone from Katerina's hands. "Ooh, we love a guy who gives good morning texts, even in the afternoon," she said, smirking as she rapidly typed on Katerina's phone. Even though they were different phones, Jules had taken her phone so many times she was used to the keyboard. "Yesssss, let's go out!,"  she muttered under her breath as she typed the letters.

"You're ridiculous," Katerina narrowed her eyes at her sister. Her stupid, horrible, lovable sister.

"Uh huh," Julia said absentmindedly as she stared down at Katerina's phone. "Ooh! They're at Central Park right now, and they asked you to join them and, you know, walk around and talk and all of that sappy shit. I already told him you'd go."

Katerina rolled her eyes. "Just because they're not a fan of clubs and fighting rings and whatever other shitty places you go for dates doesn't mean it's sappy shit."

"It is fucking sappy, Katya," commented Jules. "And you're going now, by the way."

"Give me my fucking phone back," Katerina took it from Julia's hands, and, indeed, Jason had asked her if she wanted to go to Central Park and do whatever there. "You'll be fine getting ready by yourself?"

Jules nudged her with her foot again. "I can get ready for a date by myself, you know."

Katerina raised her eyebrows.

"Yesterday was a fluke!" protested Julia.

"Keep dreaming," Katerina smirked, giving her a wave before turning and leaving her office, sending a text to Jason as she left the Golden Lotus: going now, see you there milaya ;)

I FINALLY FINISHED THIS OMG IT TOOK ME SO LONG I'M SO SORRY I literally don't do any extracurriculars because i'm a talentless bitch??? I swear I've literally done homework every day this week for at least two hours which easily would've been more had i not eaten slowly and played choices and generally procrastinating. anyway chapters should be coming quicker??? but we'll see with homework and shit and also i said this before but i have no plans. which means my inspo and motivation <<<< so we'll see how this fic goes :)

<3 maybel