"She can do it," you tell Jean without hesitation. The benefits outweigh the risks by a wide margin, and it's a chance that you are willing to take. Fiorella needs this opportunity, the experience it can provide her, and you will not regret the decision.
Taking that in, Jean turns back to the monitors, letting silence grow for a second or two before answering. "I'll let Hirscher know you're coming."
With a nod of approval, you look back to the monitors as the girls head into the last room to finish the run. "Thanks. We'll get going soon." There's no point in waiting around to get going, not when it won't really yield any benefit for you in the short term.
The run is swiftly finished with an efficiency to be expected of the girls. While Jean remains in the observation room for the moment, you leave to go meet Fiorella as she exits the course. She looks to be alright, cyborg enhancements meaning that she is not out of breath, and has not really strained herself running the course.
"Good job girls," you tell the both of them before focusing on Fiorella. "I want you to go back to your room and pack your things. We're leaving in an hour."
Rico takes on a knowing look as she glances at Fiorella, giving her a smile and a wave as she heads off to go talk with Jean. "Good luck," she calls over her shoulder, leaving the two of you alone for now.
"Where are we going," Fiorella asks as she follows you away from the course and towards the dorms. You'll have to pack as well, even if it probably won't be that long of a trip. There is some stuff you can't exactly leave behind after all.
You walk along at a moderate pace, making sure that she can keep up as she looks up at you in eager anticipation. "We're going to Milan to help Hirscher and Triela with an operation. If it goes well then we'll be able to do a lot more of that sort of thing in the future."
Fiorella practically lights up at the news, eagerness to fulfill whatever mission she is given presumably mixing with her eagerness to get out and see the world. "Okay," she agrees without hesitation. Not that you expected her to disagree.
"Well, hurry on and get ready. We'll meet at the front gates when it's time to leave," you tell her, a subtle nudge to get on to business.
She nods before running off, headed towards the dorms. You watch her go for a moment before turning on your heels and heading off to do the things you need to handle. Is this what watching a kid grow up is like? Heaven forbid.
But you dismiss that from your mind to focus on the task at hand. It won't be long now until you're off to work, and there's a lot to do.
The train is the fastest way to get from Rome to Milan, good when speed is critical. It also has an advantage in that the company which runs a majority of the rail network in Italy is owned by the state, meaning that certain individuals such as black ops units composed by cyborgs can use it without having to worry about discovery at a higher level.
It is the faster option though. It's just a matter of taking the rail from Firenze to Bolognsa, and then on to Milan. Unsurprisingly, that is what you're doing right now, Fiorella sitting across from you as you take the commuter rail in one of the cheaper seats.
Fiorella is practically glued to the window, eyes widen and taking in every detail of the countryside that you pass as the train moves along. There is plenty to see, that's for sure, and you don't try to stop hr from doing so.
"You like it, huh," you ask as you relax in your padded seat. Not the most comfortable thing in the world, but for mass transit it will do. Right now all your attention is focused in front of you. How else are you going to get to know her?
She glances back to flash you a bright smile before looking out the window once more. "Yeah! It was kind of scary at first, being with all those people, but I like it now. It's nice to feel the sun on my face, the wind through my hair, and just being able to run around forever!"
The sheer exuberance, the wistfulness that holds her in place, it brings a smile to your lips. A remnant of her old self, you suppose, from being stuck in that room for her entire life. Anyone would be eager to enjoy the freedom of the outdoors in a situation like that.
"We should take a car next time," you idly note to yourself. It'd let her see more, and she could enjoy herself along the way. Perhaps a car trip or two through the Italian countryside, could be something worth looking into for later operations.
Naturally the prospect of that seems very exciting to Fiorella, though at this point it'd be difficult for her to be happier than she is already. "Really?"
"When we have the time to do it," you clarify before she can make any false assumptions. "the job has to take priority, and we may not have the time to drive." It may be for coming back to the Agency more, but you can at least make the effort for her.
Fiorella nods in understanding. "Alright," she agrees without complaint. You're sure that she can understand the need to put the mission above personal wants and desires, especially since she was conditioned to be that way.
She turns back to look out the window, watching the countryside as it rolls past. At this point it'd be hard to stop her, not with this burgeoning desire to let her do what she wants, to enjoy the life she has been given before she loses it again.
In the meanwhile you decide to do a bit of reading instead, producing the book that you brought with you for this trip. It's nothing too special, '
The Name of the Rose' by Umberto Eco, but you enjoy it nonetheless. You have to have your own distractions after all.
Eventually your train pulls into Porta Garibaldi station, where you have arranged to meet with Hirscher. The both of you carry your luggage as you exit, moving into the throngs of people that are also disembarking the train. It is one of the main stations for commuter traffic in Milan, so it's no shock to find the place pretty busy.
Yet the crowd does have an effect on Fiorella, as you notice from the corner of your eye. She seems to stiffen up, more alert and ready for any threat that may emerge from the crowd (even if it is only a remote possibility). Yet she does take on a slight hesitation, less quick to react, to follow after you.
"It's alright," you reassure her, placing a hand on her shoulder to provide the support she needs. For how happy she was before, her trouble with crowds wasn't so easily overcome it seems. You'll have to work on that, in order to keep it from being a liability in the future.
She glances up at you and nods, allowing you to lead the way as you move on through the train station. There aren't any major problems to worry about, no significant delays, and soon enough the two of you are able to exit onto the street with your luggage in tow.
Hirscher and Triela are parked up the street in a rented van, with
Triela positioned outside. She waves at you as you draw near, directing the two of you over to the car that she is standing by. "Get in," she says once you draw close enough, slipping into the back seat of the car herself immediately after that.
Luggage stored in the trunk of the car, you take the other front seat while Fiorella gets in back with Triela, for ease of communication if nothing else. "Hirscher, good to see you again," you tell the black haired man as you buckle up.
"Good to see you too Montagna," Hirscher agrees before starting the car once more, pulling away from the curb and heading off into the streets of Milan. "How have things been going?"
"She's coming along," you tell him while looking out the window. There's plenty to see, even if you're practically operating in enemy territory. There are more than a few Padania sympathizers in Milan. "Hopefully this will be enough to work out any problems there might be left."
Meanwhile, the two girls interact behind you as one would expect them to do. "So you're Fiorella right? I'm Triela. Welcome to the Agency," says the blond haired girl with a warm smile as she looks across the seat to her companion.
"Thank you," Fiorella replies with a weak smile, once again needing the time to warm up to the older girl. "It's been nice at the Agency so far, and I'm looking forward to working with everyone."
Triela continues to watch Fiorella with a calm eye, doing a silent assessment of her. "It's a lot of work. But it's worth it when it comes down to it. Someone has to do this job after all."
"Right," Fiorella agrees eagerly. "I'm still new at this but I'll do my best. For everyone."
Hirscher glances over at you but says nothing as the car drives along, with you fully understanding what he's getting at. She owes that loyalty to you, to the Agency itself, and she'll do her best to fulfill it even if it kills her. Well, you won't let her do that if you can help it, but saying as much right now would probably be a bad idea.
Eventually the car arrives at the safe house that Hirscher has been using for this operation, a hotel room located some distance away from the center of town. It's located on the third floor with a view of the street below, an adequate spot for the purpose it was rented for. There's a single bedroom, bathroom, a kitchen, and an open area which is where you all conglomerate after doing a quick sweep for bugs, observers, and the like.
"So what's the situation," you ask, seated on one of the small couches in the living room. Having come all this way, you're eager to get on with the mission.
Hirshcer produces some photographs, laying them out on the table for you to look at. They're of a two story home, relatively towards the outskirts of the city if the background is any indication. There are also people as well, conversing and moving about the place.
As you look at it, Hirscher explains what it means. "We've found a house owned by Ricardo Brambilla, a Milanese believed to have ties to Padania, which has had several consistent visitors in the past few weeks. We believe that they're using it as well as a nearby abandoned warehouse to train Padania operatives."
"What are we looking at in opposition," you ask as Hirscher presents a few more photographs, showing the warehouse in question. It's not particularly big, previously used for storage and eventual import of good and raw materials to factories within Milan itself. Which presumably is why Padania thought it would be a good little training ground for their bombers in the making.
"The numbers fluctuate a bit, but the most we've seen there are eight individuals," Hirscher says as he sits down in one of the chairs nearby. "The current plan is for us to hit them in the early morning. One fratello goes after the house, the other goes after the warehouse and then assists the first group after it's secured. That way we make sure none slip past, and they don't have a chance to destroy any evidence."
You give a slow nod, examining the photographs as your mind works. So that's why they needed someone to help them. There was just to much ground for the two of them to adequately cover by themselves. Well, you'll just have to do your best. How hard could it be?
"Sounds good," you agree at last. You meet Hirscher's gaze as you lean forward to get a better look at the pictures. Time to hammer out the details on this plan, and make sure that Padania never sees you coming.
[ ] House team
-[ ] Write in
-[ ] Write in
[ ] Warehouse team
-[ ] Write in
-[ ] Write in
Alterations to the plan:
[ ] Write in
