Mission briefing

By the time Valerie made it to the meeting room, everyone else had already arrived. Luckily, she was only a couple of minutes late, so she didn't get much more than some disapproving glances. Her skintight suit drew a few looks from the gathered techs, but she paid no attention to them. Instead, she confidently took an empty chair and sat down, and Chief began the proceedings.

"First of all, I have some bad news." the avatar on screen said solemnly. "It seems as though our budget cuts are permanent, at least for the foreseeable future. What this means for all of you is that there's a lot more pressure on us to be profitable - for each mission to be profitable. You can expect tighter budgets, and several expenses that were reimbursed before will no longer be reimbursed moving forward."

Valerie couldn't help but cringe. That couldn't be good news for getting her accounts any time soon. Chief continued,

"Now, about this mission: Normally, the organization doesn't accept contract work, but due to the circumstances, I think we no longer have a choice. A client has approached us with an offer - we retrieve something that was stolen from them, and they pay us for our services."

Valerie looked around the table, and she could tell she wasn't the only one taken by surprise. Several people were murmuring, some shifting uncomfortably in their seats.

"Ahem, Chief, if I may..." asked one of the staff present. "Does this mean we're a private mercenary organization now?"

The question had the effect of silencing everyone, and Valerie had no doubt why. The spy trade was morally murky by default, and questions about the organization's impact on the world were a common subject of discussion in the office. While the top brass always asserted they worked for the public interest, it was hard to believe they were "the good guys" if they were open to the highest bidder.

"I know this comes as a surprise, and I understand your concerns. Believe me, I have ****.", replied Chief gravely. "However, just because we're taking contracts doesn't mean we're ignoring the source. In this case, I have verified that the Rembrandt in question was indeed stolen, and our client is the rightful owner."

The response quietened the murmurs, although it didn't completely silence them. Chief continued, bringing up a diagram of a building.

"Agent Valerie, this is where you come in. The painting's last known location is in the private collection of a certain Romain Bosko. You can find more info on him in his file." Valerie nodded. She had heard of the name before. "As for the building, it's secured with a state of the art security system - lasers, alarms, guards - you know the drill. It should be a routine operation for your team."

Iris, who was on the call, chimed in. "I've already gained partial access to their systems. By the time Valerie and Hawk are in position, I'll have the run of the place."

Valerie let out a sharp intake of breath. She couldn't help but feel nervous whenever Hawk was involved in her missions. Still, she wouldn't let such a minor thing show in her face. "No questions, Chief. Ready to move."

"Good.", came the reply. "Your transport is waiting in the hangar bay. Good luck, agent."