The breakfast room was deserted. Arena wondered how rice cereal managed to escape the bowl and stick to everything when she received a message on her handheld to report to Anita's office.

Anita said that Arena would be helping run comms for a mission that Nate would be running. Lorna and Bertha would be acting as backup with several Decoys, and Anita, Arena, and Sterling would be on comms.

"On this mission, mostly we want you to see how things work, so your main job will be to listen and take notes. We might pull you in for a few things, to keep you involved." Arena was really starting to like Anita. Her long black hair fell over her face as she worked. Sometimes Arena had to lean closer to hear, but she was always clear with her instructions and encouraging when Arena got frustrated.

They set her up in an empty office with a computer and some comms equipment. She ran through a couple of advanced simulations before the mission started, while the others were preparing for the mission. Suddenly they went live.

This mission was at a museum gala function. Nate was supposed to meet up with a contact and get a microchip from her. Sterling called it a "standard op". Everyone seemed rather confident about it. She ran her hands over the keyboards, unsure if she could be of any help at all. Lorna was working as one of the caterers and Bertha as event security.

"Atticus in position," she heard Nate's soft voice on the comms.

"Roger, Atticus," said Sterling. "Deadeye and Goldilocks, are you ready?"

"Ready, Catalyst." said Lorna.

"Roger," said Bertha.

A video feed came up on her screen of the event. It seemed to be from a very high vantage point. The ballroom was filled with round tables decorated with expensive-looking platewear, and caterers rushed through the crowd carrying food or walked slowly with trays of appetizers and drinks. Elegant patrons clustered in small groups. She saw Nate strolling through the crowd towards the bottom left.

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"The target is wearing a lavender strapless gown and should have a yellow flowered pin in her hair," said Sterling. Arena suspected it was for her benefit.

"Roger," said Nate. "Making the drop."

Nate strolled toward the woman who was carefully patting her hair. He bumped into her casually and said something, and they laughed. The dark haired man with her turned sharply toward Nate, who smiled at him and bowed politely. The man was swaying, a drink in his hand. Nate looked like he was going to pat him on the shoulder, then dropped his hand. He sauntered out of the reception room and into the lobby. The camera view changed. Bertha stood outside the ballroom wearing a security uniform.

"Item acquired," said Nate on the comms.

How did they exchange the chip? It seemed so quick. Nate was walking toward the back of the lobby toward the parking area.

Suddenly, the man with the woman in lavender came out of the ballroom, and headed in Nate's direction. He appeared to be yelling something. She saw Nate's head whip over his shoulder, and then he slipped into the hallway. Bertha appeared in the doorway. The man darted and slipped out another door.

"We have some interference," said Nate.

Bertha came on the comms, "I'm on him."

The vid switched through some other channels, so they must have been trying to find one that showed the area behind the doors. Nothing seemed to be quite right.

Suddenly, a video feed popped on the screen. It showed Nate looking either way in a hallway, then going in one direction. The drunk man appeared and yelled something. Nate kept walking away. Bertha appeared, and the man turned and pulled at a gun at her. He was yelling something, which was hard to understand through Bertha's earpiece.

Lorna appeared with a tray of food. Then man turned toward her, and Arena could see him say "Back up”. She stumbled, tossing the tray toward him, food flying. He backed up, surprised, and Bertha yanked the gun out of his hand, and then knocked him out with the other hand in a single punch.

Arena saw Lorna get up. Both her and Bertha ran after Nate.

"We've taken care of him, Catalyst," said Bertha. "On the way to the rendezvous point."

There was a pause as they ran for the vans. Arena tried some of the commands for switching the vids on her screen, which worked apart from anyone else's screens. She never did find one for the parking deck.

"Pickup complete. We're on our way back," said Nate.