๐ธ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ - advanced spy rp - 4/8 spots open
Jan 25, 2017 23:36:35 GMT -5
Post by LโEฬแดสแดษดษขแดส on Jan 25, 2017 23:36:35 GMT -5
It was a morning just like any other, though to be fair, he was a little sick from the heavy drinking he had done with Dai Xiuying. The previous night they had finally cracked one of the missions they had been tirelessly working on for the longer part of four months. So, of course, they had to celebrate. Hotpot with noodles had been the perfect way, and he and his partner in crime - or rather law - had celebrated with beer as well. So he was a little exhausted and he realized that to be a fact as he tiredly rubbed the sleep out of his eyes.
Jiang liked to think of himself as a hardworking man, as something of a role model even though he was not considered a people person. He was effective, he was thoughtful, and he was the best the CIB had to offer. Making the walk to his office space seemed longer than usual when he was slightly dizzy from the alcohol consumption, and when he arrived, he happily sunk down into the scratchy chair. Sure, they were CIB, but the government was still cheap and there was nothing Jiang could do about that.
He sighed happily, pleased he had finished typing the report yesterday and had submitted it then as well. Now, to be honest, he had nothing but time to hang around the office just in case of an emergency or new mission - other than that, he was free to do whatever. During this time, he supposed, he could practice some calligraphy or play cards with Dai. After all, Xian didn't care. His CO, Xian He was one of the best guys out there. He just wanted the jobs done, he didn't care what the officers did in their free time.
He didn't parrot about needing to train or any of the like, and overall, Xian was a pretty decent guy and Jiang quite liked him. So he grinned widely as he leaned back in his chair, waiting for Dai to join him in the office. It seemed like awhile when his partner, looking quite grumpy, came stumbling in. Dai was rubbing his temples as he glared at Jiang, "Remind me next time to not have a drinking contest with you. You're a monster."
That had been enough to make Liang laugh wholeheartedly. "It's your fault for not being able to hold your liquor," Liang retorted, bright grin across his features as he rolled his chair closer to Dai. "So, what do you think we'll do today?"
"I don't know, maybe we can gamble or play some cards?" Dai suggested. That was true, the other officers on the mission was also going to be free so that meant that they too could gamble. Perhaps they could set up Hoo Hey How if Long was here with the die and the mat and set up a betting pool. If their Commanding Officer had been Zi Xiuang instead of Xian He, they would have been in a world of trouble, but luckily enough, Xian only cared about efficiency and no professionalism so gambling in their office space was allowed.
"Is Long in?" Liang asked, raising an eyebrow as he regarded Dai. His partner seemed to give the question some thought.
"I hope so, or if not maybe we can use my cards and play poker. Set up some chips with the snacks or something?" The suggestion was definitely a valid one and Liang grinned at Dai.
"Then what are we waiting for? Let's find Mao, Huang, Jing, and Long," he said, clearly pleased with their plan. Though he used to be a veteran in the force, something of an intelligence agent for the Central Department of States Affair, ever since that closed down, he had been with the CIB and honestly - he quite liked working for the CIB. It was more relaxing, it was also a lot safer than what he did before - though not by much - and his CO was less uptight which was a definite plus.
It turned out, much to their luck, Long had came to work. So, with Mao, Huang, and Jing present as well - they spread the mat and Long - as per usual - was the dealer. The betting pool was small because the officers didn't make much, but it was just the joy of winning and the pleasure of playing Hoo Hey How that made it enjoyable for them. Half an hour in, and Liang had already lost about more than three hundred yuan and was running a losing streak, but it was the fun of chanting "Gourd, gourd, gourd," that compelled him to continue betting when a knock on the door sounded behind them.
Uncharacteristic of their work place, the team stopped and actually turned to acknowledge the knock. To their surprise, it was Xian He. He was looking at them, wordlessly. Then, after what seemed to be minutes of silence, he spoke. "You can continue playing," he said, nodding at their game, "But Liang, I need to have a word with you."
Unsure of what this meant, he glanced towards Dai who shoved him in a friendly manner towards the door. "Can't be anything bad with our work as of late," Dai whispered the reassurance. Then his partner smiled cheekily at him, "Maybe it's a promotion."
It was possible that he was being promoted, but so unceremoniously? Hesitant, he followed after Xian He, not liking the situation due to his ignorance of it. This was clearly not a mission briefing considering he had been singled out, so what could it possibly have been? The walk to Xian's office was short and he found Xian standing outside his office waiting for him. "Come in, Liang," the man said, almost urgently. "This is important."
He had never seen Xian like this - worried and a little hectic. It was very un-Xian like. Xian was generally a laid back man without a care in the world. He was smart, but not one to bluff or boast about his intelligence. He was humble, he was religious, and he was very relaxed. So to see him worked up was... well, strange. Entering the office with Xian, he took a seat and looked at the man expectantly. "So," Liang began, "What do you need?"
Xian was looking at him almost remorsefully and suddenly he felt panic. There was no way they were going to fire him, were they? This was his only job and he didn't know where to go. Besides, his record had been really good and though there was the occasional bad case - he and the team did quite well. And as for conduct, well he had never received a conduct warning... "It's uh," Xian sighed deeply, moving behind his desk and gesturing to a closed letter on it. "My superior officer says you are the best man suited for the job." Here Xian paused. "I don't... I don't know what this job is, but he said you don't have a choice. You're fired from the CIB and will be required to work for the United Nations."
He blinked, not really understanding what was being said. This was a joke, right? "The United Nations?" He repeated. "The Westerners?" He raised his eyebrow, "I hate to sound foolish, but aren't I under qualified?"
"According to your records at the Central Department of State Affairs, no."
Well, Liang had no response to that so he stared blankly at Xian He. "So what does the job entail?"
"I don't know," He responded, shrugging. "They resealed the envelope and told me specifically not to open it. It's above my paygrade. All I know is you're fired, Liang. And uh, they also booked a flight for you." Xian extended the tickets to Liang, and after some contemplation, he finally accepted the tickets and placed it into his pocket. He supposed he had no choice.
"I don't understand," Liang said slowly. "I don't even have a choice?"
"It's a matter of national security, so I've been told," Xian sighed. "It's just like being enlisted in the army. You don't have a choice when they say you're going to war, and you don't have a choice now."
Certainly, he had faced unjust before, but this was a sinking kind of unjust that left him feeling sick. Defeated, Liang sighed. "So the letter says everything I need to know?"
"That's what I've been informed. Good luck, Liang. I'm sorry it ended like this, I quite liked you," Xian admitted almost in embarrassment.
Nodding, but unable to shake the feeling of sadness, Liang slowly pocketed the letter as well. "I guess this is goodbye, Xian." Xian didn't say another word as Liang left. He didn't know how to truly comprehend what was happening. He had left without the farewells, not sure how to look Dai in the eye and tell him that he was fired. He didn't even know how to begin to explain really what happened - nor did he understand why he was fired. After having reestablished everything he had lost, the CIB became his new job - his new passion. And now that was gone. What did that make him? Where did that leave him?
He realized, almost absentmindedly, he didn't bring his things with him. Sighing, he couldn't bother to care. All the enthusiasm he had held in the morning was fading quickly as he dragged his feet across the dirt road, heading home with his head hung low.
- - -
The days faded by, much the same and he had forgotten what it meant to get up in the morning with a grin excited to spend time with his colleagues and hunt down bad guys. He had no job. He had nothing and he was going to die without anybody or anything or... Groaning, he covered his head with a pillow as the light shone in through the window of his apartment complex. It was small and cramp and he enjoyed the sofa he made into a bed, but things were slowly becoming less and less humane in his living area. The trash was strewn about, he hadn't shaved in the past few days, and he hadn't had much of a diet either.
Finally, he looked towards the table where the letter laid. Unopen. Well, he supposed since his flight was in about a week, he might as well. Opening the envelope slowly, he finally removed the paper, crinkling it as he did so. Shaking it to straighten out the contents, he finally read over it and as he did so, something inside him grew. A sense of hope.
They were apparently, from his understanding, establishing a new spy agency. One that was an international affair and it seemed like it was promising good pay, living arrangements for those without a place to stay, and well... a job. He had a job with good pay and living arrangements? This was... this was surreal. He found himself staring at the paper for an entire hour, completely forgetting what it had been that had ruined his optimism in the first place.
This was the best thing that happened to him ever since he found a job at the CIB. After his original agency, the Central Department of States Affair, was shut down. He had thought it had been the end of the world then, when his time and work as something of an intelligence agent - or rather, he would prefer an intelligence force came to an end. The high life, the adrenaline filled days, the good company, the great laughs - they were over. Sure, he had hated his CO, but when things came to an end, it was so bitter. There was no sweet. There was nothing good left.
And that was what it felt like for him, until he actually opened the letter. He actually... he actually had a job. A job that would pay either euros or american dollars, he wasn't sure - but that was more money than he could ever imagine in his life. He would actually be rich, he could buy his mom and siblings everything. Heck, he could even pay off Huang's debts.
His heart was pounding. Whereas, just moment ago - this had been the worst thing that ever occurred to him, now it was the best. It was an opportunity for him, an uneducated idiot in the eyes of most people, to make something of his life. He was... He didn't know how else to feel other than elated. This was the most... the best thing that had ever happened in his life.
He didn't know when he had started to cry, but he was crying. He had to celebrate, he had to tell someone - god he needed. He was just so damn happy. The only problem was it was confidential, and he couldn't tell anyone unless he was... well, family with them, and his mother was definitely going to be unhappy with this new job. So he supposed he could celebrate on his own. But god, he had never felt so happy in his life.
He just wanted to, he just wanted to clean up his mess. Get his life together. Shave his stubble. Actually buy a meal - god, go back and get his things from the CIB. Christ, he was just so happy. He was grinning widely even as he wiped the tears from his eyes.
-
He had spent the better part of the day cleaning up his small apartment when there was a knock on his door. Surprised, he went to answer the door and found Dai standing with one box of things at his feet another in his arms. Dai looked honestly worried and his partner peered at him in concern. "Liang, I heard about what happened, about how you got fired," Dai said, leaving the greetings for later. "Are you okay? I gathered all your items and brought them here because it's the weekends. Do you mind if I enter?"
Dai had never had to ask before, but he could understand why Dai would considering how depressed he had been as of late. But now he was elated, and honestly touched by Dai's actions. "Of course, come in. Thank you so much, Dai. I completely forgot about my things when I was fired, I just... I didn't think," he admitted, slightly embarrassed by being emotional.
"It's okay," Dai said with a reserved smile. "But what are you going to do now without a job? Why did they fire you?"
"Apparently they're sending me over seas, Dai," he admitted, withholding some of the information. "I read about it, and it's... it's pretty good. I'll be fine, Dai. It's only a shame we can't eat potluck and dim sum together anymore once I'm overseas."
"Overseas!" Dai exclaimed. "That... That's amazing, Liang! So when are you leaving?"
"Apparently March 1st, and when I get there they already have a place for me to stay. And on March 2nd I go and get my new job," Liang explained. "But I still have a week before my flight. What do you reckon I do?"
"Well, I think we go everywhere. We'll stop by the dim sum place today, tomorrow we can go to the casino, and the next we can go to a club. I'll treat you, since it's your last week in China," Dai offered. "But if you have a chance, wherever you're going, invite me over. I'd love to go sightseeing with you."
Smiling widely at his friend, he could have hugged the man. "You are the best brother I could ask for, Dai," he finally said and Dai grinned back at him. Suddenly he felt so alive. This week was going to be fantastic. He knew it.
-
He headed off to Norway with a grin on his face. He had talked over with his mother that he was going to be going overseas to work, and though she had bee worried and had demanded to pack his bags and check them for him - it had been an overall touching experience. This had also happen to be the first time Liang had the opportunity to ride a plane, and rather than fear - he felt excitement. As head boarded the iron beast, he placed his luggage down at his feet and waited for the plane to take off.
When the engine came to life, he had been slightly startled by the rattling noise it made, but with time - the sound became almost familiar. Sighing, he rested his head against the window and stared out at the blue sky right beside him. This was the first time he was close enough to the clouds, that he supposed if he had rolled the window down and reached out - he would be able to touch it. The thought alone elated him, and he spent the trip watching the clouds. After the first two hours of elation; however, he found his eyes drifting close.
It was a full seven or eight hours later before he awoken to the pilot's annoyed features staring at him. The man grimaced slightly as Liang stared back at him. Without saying much, the pilot nodded towards the door, "We're at the destination, get out." Despite the blunt rudeness, Liang nodded rapidly, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.
Grabbing his suitcase, he exited the airstrip and headed towards the outside of the airport and realized that indeed the government had made accommodations for his flight, but he had no idea where the living quarters was and no means of getting there. With that new obstacle in mind, he glumly made his way through the airport to see individuals with signs and names.
That was when one particular sign caught his attention. Written in bold black letters was the words 'ๆฑ่ฏ' that popped out with stark contrast to the white paper. To his surprise, it was his name written in kanji and he found himself heading that way towards the strange man in the dark suit holding it. The bald man seemed to noticed his approach, because as Liang came closer, he began to lower the sign.
Once Liang was in earshot, the man spoke. "Jiang Liang?" For a foreigner, his pronunciation was surprisingly good and Liang raised his eyebrows in surprise. He had never been out of China, but from what he saw of foreigners who came overseas - their Chinese was barely passing.
"Yes," he answered. "And you are?"
"I'm here to pick you up, the Agency sent me," the man spoke, not sparing him any trivial details such as a name or where he was taking Liang exactly.
Nodding absentmindedly he looked at the bald man, peering at him hoping to gain some answers but ultimately finding nothing. "Alright then, you lead the way," he replied, smiling. The man took that as the cue to go, and he reached out to grab the suitcase from Liang's hands. Surprised, but not resistant, he handed it over to the other man and followed the man who left towards the outside of the airport.
Once outside, the bald man lead him to an unlabeled car. It was black, it was a very common make and model, and the license plate was unmarked. There were no symbols of the United Nations or of the Agency and that interested Liang. Before he could continue to analyze the car; however, the man opened the car door for him and he nodded in thanks as he entered the car and made himself comfortable.
The leather seats were quite relaxing compared to his scratchy sofa at home and the small cramp chair on the plane and he found himself relaxing as he stared out the window, this time taking in the scenery of the streets. "Mister Liang?" The question made him look up and towards the front of the car where the bald man was. "Is it true, you can't drive?"
"I can only ride a bicycle," he offered with a light hearted grin.
Nodding the man took in the information in a stride as he pulled up to a really large building. This looked out of his pay grade if he were to be honest. "That's fine, the Agency sent me, Mister Liang. I will be your chauffeur as from now on and will transport you to and fro the headquarters. This is my number," the bald man said, handing him a piece of paper discreetly. Accepting it, Liang waited for the man to say anything else. "I will be here at three 'o clock exactly tomorrow to take you to the Headquarters for the gala. Please be dressed accordingly and on time. Everything you need will be in your room which is on the second floor, room number 17."
The driver handed him a pair of keys and he held it in his hands along with the piece of paper. Hesitating, he finally decided to repeat his question from earlier. "What's your name?" He finally asked, and the man seemed taken aback briefly before nodding.
"Andreas," he said and then he exited the car and opened the back seat for Liang. Taking it as a sign that his presence was no longer welcomed, Liang exited the vehicle and bowed to Andreas.
"Thank you for the ride, Andreas," he said with a smile before heading inside.
-
He had been right about the room being above his pay grade. For starters, there was an actual bed. Laying down on it in his street clothes, he sunk into the soft mattress like a knife through butter. This was the first time he had been on such a soft bed and a pleased groan left him as he closed his eyes. He was totally down for just sleeping through the entire day.
It was a large apartment with a bed big enough for an entire family to sleep on. The decor was very fancy and expensive, not his usual plastic and rickety wood. It was solid and absolutely stunning with an additional walk in closet, kitchen, and living room. It was far too big for him and did not know what to do with all the space.
But that he could think about later. Closing his eyes, he slept the day away. It was at the ungodly hour of 7 am that he woke up, and considering how much he had been sleeping - he felt like he was getting lazy with all his sleep. He was like a cat, doing nothing but sleep the day away. Yawning, he sat up and decided to put his possessions away. He placed his ten or so books on the nice book shelf provided to him - and it was a pathetic sight, but it was enough for him.
What truly surprised him was when he opened the closet to put away his ragged t-shirts, button ups, and slacks, there was a tuxedo sitting inside waiting for him. Raising an eyebrow, he looked at it. Did it even fit? Scratch that, if it did fit how did they get the information about his sizing? Where did they get that?That wasn't creepy at all.
He couldn't dwell on the matter for long, however, and continue to explore the room. It was just so spacious compared to everything he had become used to and he honestly was already enjoying his employment. It came with a free apartment. Sure, he had taken the odd job before where there was room and board, but that constituted as the lower bunk of a small room that inhabited four people. Generally. Sometimes it meant a mat on the floor in a room full of his coworkers numbering anywhere from ten to fifteen.
To have an entire apartment complex to himself was... well it was mind blowing. Heading into the kitchen he found, much to his surprise, ingredients in the fridge, utensils in the cupboards, and plenty of pots and pans as well as silverware and dishes. And when he said silverware, he meant actual forks and spoons. Were there any chopsticks? The question flitted into his mind and he looked through the utensils and found three pairs of chopsticks. Smilingly brightly, he appreciated their thoughtfulness.
Well, since he was up, he was going to cook. So cook he did. He made his mom's special kung pao chicken recipe, but that first required him to cook some rice. So he did. He waited for awhile for his meal to finish cooking, and once it did, he found himself completely pleased with the taste and enjoyed the meal in silence.
Once done, he went back to the living room to find for the first time an envelope on the table. Had it always been there? Had he just been oblivious? Sititng down at the sofa, he picked up the letter and opened it gingerly, removing the contents more carefully than he had the original UN letter. To his surprise, there was no letter inside. It was a letter filled with money. Not a check, not anything he had been expecting. It was just cold, hard, solid cash.
Was this his first pay check? Or was it a gesture of solitary? He wasn't exactly sure, but he certainly appreciated it. He didn't bother to count through it, noticing that there was just such a big stack. Was it for him to get settled in and buy what he wanted? That was certainly too kind of the United Nations and he never in his life believed he deserved so much.
Whatever they were to ask of him was not worth the money they were paying him. So he found himself staring at the money for a better part of an hour, unsure how to comprehend it and what to do with it. Oh well, there would be time for that later. For now, he went through his general routines. Exercise, practice calligraphy, cook dinner for later when he came home, and read. Once it was two, he went to take a shower and prepare himself for the gala. When he went to wear on the tuxedo, he found that it fitted perfectly.
Still not creepy at all. Straightening it out, he looked at himself in the mirror. He looked... well, surprisingly good. "You look smart, Liang," he murmured to himself. "Mother would be proud."
He had never been able to afford a tuxedo before and honestly had never expected to be gifted one. So this was such a grand gesture. Appreciating the tuxedo, he smiled to himself before checking the time. Two fifty pm. That was enough of a reason for him to head outside and wait for Andreas. However, unlike Liang, Andreas was exactly on time at the dot at three pm. He was not early, he was not late, he was punctual.
Andreas rolled down the window, looking at Liang before nodding. "I see the tuxedo fits you fine," Andreas said in Chinese as he nodded for Liang to enter the car. Entering the passenger seat rather than the back, Liang turned to look at Andreas.
"You think so?"
"Yeah," Andreas answered with a small smile. It was the first time he had seen the other man smile and in Liang's opinion, it was a good look for Andreas. They spent the ride in silence, but a good kind of silence. The silence of a companion where both had nothing to say because there was nothing to say, but both appreciated the company of the other.
At three forty five, they arrived at their location and drove up to a large gate. It was massive and breathtaking, unlike anything Liang had ever seen and his eyes bulged as he took it in. It was... fantastic. Huge. Beautiful. But there was a bit of a traffic problem going with the number of cars getting parked. The parking lots were packed with cars, at least a hundred or so. So many had already arrived, and Liang felt slightly ruffled by the fact he was not early, but that was fine. Andreas had picked him up. Andreas worked for the Agency, so if he was late and Andreas had drove him - it was not his fault.
After Andreas had found a location to park, he entered the building, unsurprised that the inside was equally grand, but he was still equally impressed. Walking through the halls, he followed the stream of individuals that were heading into a room. That seemed to be where the activity was occurring. Entering, he found that many tables were occupied. Heading around to the unoccupied tables, he finally found an empty seat with his name labeled on it and his organization - the CIB - on it.
They certainly were thorough. Sitting down, he made himself comfortable and enjoyed the quiet company around him before an aged man took to the stage. His, the Director's, speech was short. And Liang could not help but notice no names were exchanged. Not of the Director nor of his fellow coworkers. What a strange location.
He supposed it was on purpose. Confidentiality, after all, was the peak of the spy industry. Leaning back into his seat and taking a gulp of the cup of wine handed to him, he turned to take in those alongside him. The individual who caught his attention was a beautiful woman - certainly younger than he was - with brown hair that nicely framed her face and warm eyes.
At least, he personally thought her eyes were warm. She seemed friendly at a glance, but who was he to know? They were all apparently spies, after all. Perhaps she looked friendly but was a vixen? Only time could tell. "Hello," he said, English heavily accented. "I am Jiang Liang." He supposed he should have added something like how are you or nice to meet you, but he wasn't exactly the prime example of a man who spoke English well. So he supposed that introduction would have to do and the kind woman would answer him.
He glanced down at her nametag, reading her name in his head. Aveset Jakobe. What a good name, he mused.
Jiang liked to think of himself as a hardworking man, as something of a role model even though he was not considered a people person. He was effective, he was thoughtful, and he was the best the CIB had to offer. Making the walk to his office space seemed longer than usual when he was slightly dizzy from the alcohol consumption, and when he arrived, he happily sunk down into the scratchy chair. Sure, they were CIB, but the government was still cheap and there was nothing Jiang could do about that.
He sighed happily, pleased he had finished typing the report yesterday and had submitted it then as well. Now, to be honest, he had nothing but time to hang around the office just in case of an emergency or new mission - other than that, he was free to do whatever. During this time, he supposed, he could practice some calligraphy or play cards with Dai. After all, Xian didn't care. His CO, Xian He was one of the best guys out there. He just wanted the jobs done, he didn't care what the officers did in their free time.
He didn't parrot about needing to train or any of the like, and overall, Xian was a pretty decent guy and Jiang quite liked him. So he grinned widely as he leaned back in his chair, waiting for Dai to join him in the office. It seemed like awhile when his partner, looking quite grumpy, came stumbling in. Dai was rubbing his temples as he glared at Jiang, "Remind me next time to not have a drinking contest with you. You're a monster."
That had been enough to make Liang laugh wholeheartedly. "It's your fault for not being able to hold your liquor," Liang retorted, bright grin across his features as he rolled his chair closer to Dai. "So, what do you think we'll do today?"
"I don't know, maybe we can gamble or play some cards?" Dai suggested. That was true, the other officers on the mission was also going to be free so that meant that they too could gamble. Perhaps they could set up Hoo Hey How if Long was here with the die and the mat and set up a betting pool. If their Commanding Officer had been Zi Xiuang instead of Xian He, they would have been in a world of trouble, but luckily enough, Xian only cared about efficiency and no professionalism so gambling in their office space was allowed.
"Is Long in?" Liang asked, raising an eyebrow as he regarded Dai. His partner seemed to give the question some thought.
"I hope so, or if not maybe we can use my cards and play poker. Set up some chips with the snacks or something?" The suggestion was definitely a valid one and Liang grinned at Dai.
"Then what are we waiting for? Let's find Mao, Huang, Jing, and Long," he said, clearly pleased with their plan. Though he used to be a veteran in the force, something of an intelligence agent for the Central Department of States Affair, ever since that closed down, he had been with the CIB and honestly - he quite liked working for the CIB. It was more relaxing, it was also a lot safer than what he did before - though not by much - and his CO was less uptight which was a definite plus.
It turned out, much to their luck, Long had came to work. So, with Mao, Huang, and Jing present as well - they spread the mat and Long - as per usual - was the dealer. The betting pool was small because the officers didn't make much, but it was just the joy of winning and the pleasure of playing Hoo Hey How that made it enjoyable for them. Half an hour in, and Liang had already lost about more than three hundred yuan and was running a losing streak, but it was the fun of chanting "Gourd, gourd, gourd," that compelled him to continue betting when a knock on the door sounded behind them.
Uncharacteristic of their work place, the team stopped and actually turned to acknowledge the knock. To their surprise, it was Xian He. He was looking at them, wordlessly. Then, after what seemed to be minutes of silence, he spoke. "You can continue playing," he said, nodding at their game, "But Liang, I need to have a word with you."
Unsure of what this meant, he glanced towards Dai who shoved him in a friendly manner towards the door. "Can't be anything bad with our work as of late," Dai whispered the reassurance. Then his partner smiled cheekily at him, "Maybe it's a promotion."
It was possible that he was being promoted, but so unceremoniously? Hesitant, he followed after Xian He, not liking the situation due to his ignorance of it. This was clearly not a mission briefing considering he had been singled out, so what could it possibly have been? The walk to Xian's office was short and he found Xian standing outside his office waiting for him. "Come in, Liang," the man said, almost urgently. "This is important."
He had never seen Xian like this - worried and a little hectic. It was very un-Xian like. Xian was generally a laid back man without a care in the world. He was smart, but not one to bluff or boast about his intelligence. He was humble, he was religious, and he was very relaxed. So to see him worked up was... well, strange. Entering the office with Xian, he took a seat and looked at the man expectantly. "So," Liang began, "What do you need?"
Xian was looking at him almost remorsefully and suddenly he felt panic. There was no way they were going to fire him, were they? This was his only job and he didn't know where to go. Besides, his record had been really good and though there was the occasional bad case - he and the team did quite well. And as for conduct, well he had never received a conduct warning... "It's uh," Xian sighed deeply, moving behind his desk and gesturing to a closed letter on it. "My superior officer says you are the best man suited for the job." Here Xian paused. "I don't... I don't know what this job is, but he said you don't have a choice. You're fired from the CIB and will be required to work for the United Nations."
He blinked, not really understanding what was being said. This was a joke, right? "The United Nations?" He repeated. "The Westerners?" He raised his eyebrow, "I hate to sound foolish, but aren't I under qualified?"
"According to your records at the Central Department of State Affairs, no."
Well, Liang had no response to that so he stared blankly at Xian He. "So what does the job entail?"
"I don't know," He responded, shrugging. "They resealed the envelope and told me specifically not to open it. It's above my paygrade. All I know is you're fired, Liang. And uh, they also booked a flight for you." Xian extended the tickets to Liang, and after some contemplation, he finally accepted the tickets and placed it into his pocket. He supposed he had no choice.
"I don't understand," Liang said slowly. "I don't even have a choice?"
"It's a matter of national security, so I've been told," Xian sighed. "It's just like being enlisted in the army. You don't have a choice when they say you're going to war, and you don't have a choice now."
Certainly, he had faced unjust before, but this was a sinking kind of unjust that left him feeling sick. Defeated, Liang sighed. "So the letter says everything I need to know?"
"That's what I've been informed. Good luck, Liang. I'm sorry it ended like this, I quite liked you," Xian admitted almost in embarrassment.
Nodding, but unable to shake the feeling of sadness, Liang slowly pocketed the letter as well. "I guess this is goodbye, Xian." Xian didn't say another word as Liang left. He didn't know how to truly comprehend what was happening. He had left without the farewells, not sure how to look Dai in the eye and tell him that he was fired. He didn't even know how to begin to explain really what happened - nor did he understand why he was fired. After having reestablished everything he had lost, the CIB became his new job - his new passion. And now that was gone. What did that make him? Where did that leave him?
He realized, almost absentmindedly, he didn't bring his things with him. Sighing, he couldn't bother to care. All the enthusiasm he had held in the morning was fading quickly as he dragged his feet across the dirt road, heading home with his head hung low.
- - -
The days faded by, much the same and he had forgotten what it meant to get up in the morning with a grin excited to spend time with his colleagues and hunt down bad guys. He had no job. He had nothing and he was going to die without anybody or anything or... Groaning, he covered his head with a pillow as the light shone in through the window of his apartment complex. It was small and cramp and he enjoyed the sofa he made into a bed, but things were slowly becoming less and less humane in his living area. The trash was strewn about, he hadn't shaved in the past few days, and he hadn't had much of a diet either.
Finally, he looked towards the table where the letter laid. Unopen. Well, he supposed since his flight was in about a week, he might as well. Opening the envelope slowly, he finally removed the paper, crinkling it as he did so. Shaking it to straighten out the contents, he finally read over it and as he did so, something inside him grew. A sense of hope.
They were apparently, from his understanding, establishing a new spy agency. One that was an international affair and it seemed like it was promising good pay, living arrangements for those without a place to stay, and well... a job. He had a job with good pay and living arrangements? This was... this was surreal. He found himself staring at the paper for an entire hour, completely forgetting what it had been that had ruined his optimism in the first place.
This was the best thing that happened to him ever since he found a job at the CIB. After his original agency, the Central Department of States Affair, was shut down. He had thought it had been the end of the world then, when his time and work as something of an intelligence agent - or rather, he would prefer an intelligence force came to an end. The high life, the adrenaline filled days, the good company, the great laughs - they were over. Sure, he had hated his CO, but when things came to an end, it was so bitter. There was no sweet. There was nothing good left.
And that was what it felt like for him, until he actually opened the letter. He actually... he actually had a job. A job that would pay either euros or american dollars, he wasn't sure - but that was more money than he could ever imagine in his life. He would actually be rich, he could buy his mom and siblings everything. Heck, he could even pay off Huang's debts.
His heart was pounding. Whereas, just moment ago - this had been the worst thing that ever occurred to him, now it was the best. It was an opportunity for him, an uneducated idiot in the eyes of most people, to make something of his life. He was... He didn't know how else to feel other than elated. This was the most... the best thing that had ever happened in his life.
He didn't know when he had started to cry, but he was crying. He had to celebrate, he had to tell someone - god he needed. He was just so damn happy. The only problem was it was confidential, and he couldn't tell anyone unless he was... well, family with them, and his mother was definitely going to be unhappy with this new job. So he supposed he could celebrate on his own. But god, he had never felt so happy in his life.
He just wanted to, he just wanted to clean up his mess. Get his life together. Shave his stubble. Actually buy a meal - god, go back and get his things from the CIB. Christ, he was just so happy. He was grinning widely even as he wiped the tears from his eyes.
-
He had spent the better part of the day cleaning up his small apartment when there was a knock on his door. Surprised, he went to answer the door and found Dai standing with one box of things at his feet another in his arms. Dai looked honestly worried and his partner peered at him in concern. "Liang, I heard about what happened, about how you got fired," Dai said, leaving the greetings for later. "Are you okay? I gathered all your items and brought them here because it's the weekends. Do you mind if I enter?"
Dai had never had to ask before, but he could understand why Dai would considering how depressed he had been as of late. But now he was elated, and honestly touched by Dai's actions. "Of course, come in. Thank you so much, Dai. I completely forgot about my things when I was fired, I just... I didn't think," he admitted, slightly embarrassed by being emotional.
"It's okay," Dai said with a reserved smile. "But what are you going to do now without a job? Why did they fire you?"
"Apparently they're sending me over seas, Dai," he admitted, withholding some of the information. "I read about it, and it's... it's pretty good. I'll be fine, Dai. It's only a shame we can't eat potluck and dim sum together anymore once I'm overseas."
"Overseas!" Dai exclaimed. "That... That's amazing, Liang! So when are you leaving?"
"Apparently March 1st, and when I get there they already have a place for me to stay. And on March 2nd I go and get my new job," Liang explained. "But I still have a week before my flight. What do you reckon I do?"
"Well, I think we go everywhere. We'll stop by the dim sum place today, tomorrow we can go to the casino, and the next we can go to a club. I'll treat you, since it's your last week in China," Dai offered. "But if you have a chance, wherever you're going, invite me over. I'd love to go sightseeing with you."
Smiling widely at his friend, he could have hugged the man. "You are the best brother I could ask for, Dai," he finally said and Dai grinned back at him. Suddenly he felt so alive. This week was going to be fantastic. He knew it.
-
He headed off to Norway with a grin on his face. He had talked over with his mother that he was going to be going overseas to work, and though she had bee worried and had demanded to pack his bags and check them for him - it had been an overall touching experience. This had also happen to be the first time Liang had the opportunity to ride a plane, and rather than fear - he felt excitement. As head boarded the iron beast, he placed his luggage down at his feet and waited for the plane to take off.
When the engine came to life, he had been slightly startled by the rattling noise it made, but with time - the sound became almost familiar. Sighing, he rested his head against the window and stared out at the blue sky right beside him. This was the first time he was close enough to the clouds, that he supposed if he had rolled the window down and reached out - he would be able to touch it. The thought alone elated him, and he spent the trip watching the clouds. After the first two hours of elation; however, he found his eyes drifting close.
It was a full seven or eight hours later before he awoken to the pilot's annoyed features staring at him. The man grimaced slightly as Liang stared back at him. Without saying much, the pilot nodded towards the door, "We're at the destination, get out." Despite the blunt rudeness, Liang nodded rapidly, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.
Grabbing his suitcase, he exited the airstrip and headed towards the outside of the airport and realized that indeed the government had made accommodations for his flight, but he had no idea where the living quarters was and no means of getting there. With that new obstacle in mind, he glumly made his way through the airport to see individuals with signs and names.
That was when one particular sign caught his attention. Written in bold black letters was the words 'ๆฑ่ฏ' that popped out with stark contrast to the white paper. To his surprise, it was his name written in kanji and he found himself heading that way towards the strange man in the dark suit holding it. The bald man seemed to noticed his approach, because as Liang came closer, he began to lower the sign.
Once Liang was in earshot, the man spoke. "Jiang Liang?" For a foreigner, his pronunciation was surprisingly good and Liang raised his eyebrows in surprise. He had never been out of China, but from what he saw of foreigners who came overseas - their Chinese was barely passing.
"Yes," he answered. "And you are?"
"I'm here to pick you up, the Agency sent me," the man spoke, not sparing him any trivial details such as a name or where he was taking Liang exactly.
Nodding absentmindedly he looked at the bald man, peering at him hoping to gain some answers but ultimately finding nothing. "Alright then, you lead the way," he replied, smiling. The man took that as the cue to go, and he reached out to grab the suitcase from Liang's hands. Surprised, but not resistant, he handed it over to the other man and followed the man who left towards the outside of the airport.
Once outside, the bald man lead him to an unlabeled car. It was black, it was a very common make and model, and the license plate was unmarked. There were no symbols of the United Nations or of the Agency and that interested Liang. Before he could continue to analyze the car; however, the man opened the car door for him and he nodded in thanks as he entered the car and made himself comfortable.
The leather seats were quite relaxing compared to his scratchy sofa at home and the small cramp chair on the plane and he found himself relaxing as he stared out the window, this time taking in the scenery of the streets. "Mister Liang?" The question made him look up and towards the front of the car where the bald man was. "Is it true, you can't drive?"
"I can only ride a bicycle," he offered with a light hearted grin.
Nodding the man took in the information in a stride as he pulled up to a really large building. This looked out of his pay grade if he were to be honest. "That's fine, the Agency sent me, Mister Liang. I will be your chauffeur as from now on and will transport you to and fro the headquarters. This is my number," the bald man said, handing him a piece of paper discreetly. Accepting it, Liang waited for the man to say anything else. "I will be here at three 'o clock exactly tomorrow to take you to the Headquarters for the gala. Please be dressed accordingly and on time. Everything you need will be in your room which is on the second floor, room number 17."
The driver handed him a pair of keys and he held it in his hands along with the piece of paper. Hesitating, he finally decided to repeat his question from earlier. "What's your name?" He finally asked, and the man seemed taken aback briefly before nodding.
"Andreas," he said and then he exited the car and opened the back seat for Liang. Taking it as a sign that his presence was no longer welcomed, Liang exited the vehicle and bowed to Andreas.
"Thank you for the ride, Andreas," he said with a smile before heading inside.
-
He had been right about the room being above his pay grade. For starters, there was an actual bed. Laying down on it in his street clothes, he sunk into the soft mattress like a knife through butter. This was the first time he had been on such a soft bed and a pleased groan left him as he closed his eyes. He was totally down for just sleeping through the entire day.
It was a large apartment with a bed big enough for an entire family to sleep on. The decor was very fancy and expensive, not his usual plastic and rickety wood. It was solid and absolutely stunning with an additional walk in closet, kitchen, and living room. It was far too big for him and did not know what to do with all the space.
But that he could think about later. Closing his eyes, he slept the day away. It was at the ungodly hour of 7 am that he woke up, and considering how much he had been sleeping - he felt like he was getting lazy with all his sleep. He was like a cat, doing nothing but sleep the day away. Yawning, he sat up and decided to put his possessions away. He placed his ten or so books on the nice book shelf provided to him - and it was a pathetic sight, but it was enough for him.
What truly surprised him was when he opened the closet to put away his ragged t-shirts, button ups, and slacks, there was a tuxedo sitting inside waiting for him. Raising an eyebrow, he looked at it. Did it even fit? Scratch that, if it did fit how did they get the information about his sizing? Where did they get that?That wasn't creepy at all.
He couldn't dwell on the matter for long, however, and continue to explore the room. It was just so spacious compared to everything he had become used to and he honestly was already enjoying his employment. It came with a free apartment. Sure, he had taken the odd job before where there was room and board, but that constituted as the lower bunk of a small room that inhabited four people. Generally. Sometimes it meant a mat on the floor in a room full of his coworkers numbering anywhere from ten to fifteen.
To have an entire apartment complex to himself was... well it was mind blowing. Heading into the kitchen he found, much to his surprise, ingredients in the fridge, utensils in the cupboards, and plenty of pots and pans as well as silverware and dishes. And when he said silverware, he meant actual forks and spoons. Were there any chopsticks? The question flitted into his mind and he looked through the utensils and found three pairs of chopsticks. Smilingly brightly, he appreciated their thoughtfulness.
Well, since he was up, he was going to cook. So cook he did. He made his mom's special kung pao chicken recipe, but that first required him to cook some rice. So he did. He waited for awhile for his meal to finish cooking, and once it did, he found himself completely pleased with the taste and enjoyed the meal in silence.
Once done, he went back to the living room to find for the first time an envelope on the table. Had it always been there? Had he just been oblivious? Sititng down at the sofa, he picked up the letter and opened it gingerly, removing the contents more carefully than he had the original UN letter. To his surprise, there was no letter inside. It was a letter filled with money. Not a check, not anything he had been expecting. It was just cold, hard, solid cash.
Was this his first pay check? Or was it a gesture of solitary? He wasn't exactly sure, but he certainly appreciated it. He didn't bother to count through it, noticing that there was just such a big stack. Was it for him to get settled in and buy what he wanted? That was certainly too kind of the United Nations and he never in his life believed he deserved so much.
Whatever they were to ask of him was not worth the money they were paying him. So he found himself staring at the money for a better part of an hour, unsure how to comprehend it and what to do with it. Oh well, there would be time for that later. For now, he went through his general routines. Exercise, practice calligraphy, cook dinner for later when he came home, and read. Once it was two, he went to take a shower and prepare himself for the gala. When he went to wear on the tuxedo, he found that it fitted perfectly.
Still not creepy at all. Straightening it out, he looked at himself in the mirror. He looked... well, surprisingly good. "You look smart, Liang," he murmured to himself. "Mother would be proud."
He had never been able to afford a tuxedo before and honestly had never expected to be gifted one. So this was such a grand gesture. Appreciating the tuxedo, he smiled to himself before checking the time. Two fifty pm. That was enough of a reason for him to head outside and wait for Andreas. However, unlike Liang, Andreas was exactly on time at the dot at three pm. He was not early, he was not late, he was punctual.
Andreas rolled down the window, looking at Liang before nodding. "I see the tuxedo fits you fine," Andreas said in Chinese as he nodded for Liang to enter the car. Entering the passenger seat rather than the back, Liang turned to look at Andreas.
"You think so?"
"Yeah," Andreas answered with a small smile. It was the first time he had seen the other man smile and in Liang's opinion, it was a good look for Andreas. They spent the ride in silence, but a good kind of silence. The silence of a companion where both had nothing to say because there was nothing to say, but both appreciated the company of the other.
At three forty five, they arrived at their location and drove up to a large gate. It was massive and breathtaking, unlike anything Liang had ever seen and his eyes bulged as he took it in. It was... fantastic. Huge. Beautiful. But there was a bit of a traffic problem going with the number of cars getting parked. The parking lots were packed with cars, at least a hundred or so. So many had already arrived, and Liang felt slightly ruffled by the fact he was not early, but that was fine. Andreas had picked him up. Andreas worked for the Agency, so if he was late and Andreas had drove him - it was not his fault.
After Andreas had found a location to park, he entered the building, unsurprised that the inside was equally grand, but he was still equally impressed. Walking through the halls, he followed the stream of individuals that were heading into a room. That seemed to be where the activity was occurring. Entering, he found that many tables were occupied. Heading around to the unoccupied tables, he finally found an empty seat with his name labeled on it and his organization - the CIB - on it.
They certainly were thorough. Sitting down, he made himself comfortable and enjoyed the quiet company around him before an aged man took to the stage. His, the Director's, speech was short. And Liang could not help but notice no names were exchanged. Not of the Director nor of his fellow coworkers. What a strange location.
He supposed it was on purpose. Confidentiality, after all, was the peak of the spy industry. Leaning back into his seat and taking a gulp of the cup of wine handed to him, he turned to take in those alongside him. The individual who caught his attention was a beautiful woman - certainly younger than he was - with brown hair that nicely framed her face and warm eyes.
At least, he personally thought her eyes were warm. She seemed friendly at a glance, but who was he to know? They were all apparently spies, after all. Perhaps she looked friendly but was a vixen? Only time could tell. "Hello," he said, English heavily accented. "I am Jiang Liang." He supposed he should have added something like how are you or nice to meet you, but he wasn't exactly the prime example of a man who spoke English well. So he supposed that introduction would have to do and the kind woman would answer him.
He glanced down at her nametag, reading her name in his head. Aveset Jakobe. What a good name, he mused.