Whatever You Ask

It was already evident plutonium was being moved across the black market again. A specific buyer had been making it well known he was looking for the materials to build large nuclear bombs and it had quickly gotten back to the CIA. And not long after Ethan Hunt's death. It appeared someone was already trying to finish his work.

"You've already done so much, August. We can never thank you enough for disposing of Hunt, but now we've got it all under control." Erica Sloane led him through the hall, down towards one of the labs. She had been adamant about keeping August far away from this new investigation, afraid he might not be able to handle it. Dealing with Hunt had already resulted in severe burn damage to the right side of his face, not to mention he had been in a helicopter fight and had almost been thrown off the edge of a cliff. "The board still thinks you need some time to rest. And, we have our secret weapon all ready to go..."

She stopped in front of the door and quietly pushed it open. Inside, a doctor was giving a once over to Orion, a young homeless omega who had volunteered a couple of years ago to the experiments. She had been promised a warm place to sleep and three full meals a day, and that was better than selling herself on the street corners for scraps. If she knew what it had all really meant, she never would've agreed. After their tests and experiments, Orion was barely herself.

"August, meet Orion. One of our new sleeper agents." Erica detailed Orion's file to August, explaining the whole operation. After detailing everything, how she was one of the six omegas they had brainwashed, she looked up to him to see if he approved. He seemed like the type of man who would. "But, they are all also trained in extensive hand to hand combat, experts with any type of weapon, and Orion here, specifically, knows how to kill a man in over fifty different ways, with just her hands. One word from me and she'd snap your neck without even thinking about it." Erica almost seemed proud by what she had created. "But they're only lethal when told to be. That's the best part. My girls here have to be obey any command they are given by their master. Currently, that role is mine alone. And soon, Orion here will be going out to meet one of our first leads."

Orion looked up from the table, dressed in only a white hospital gown as the doctor continued to run tests. Her mind was sort of still her own. She could listen to Erica speak and want to demand to be let go, to cry and break down, but her body refused. She sat there, perfectly still, with a small smile on her face. The man who had entered the room with Erica was a complete stranger, but the name August rang a bell. Instantly, it was like her mind was digging through every bit of knowledge she held until she had it. August Walker. The hammer. Orion knew everything about him. Though the picture she had been shown must've been before his accident. The right side of his face was scarred, badly burned. Half of his eyebrow and his ear, gone, his eye almost covered by the scar tissue. Still, she could see how handsome of a man he had been, and his scent ... was so strong.

"This is all under control. So just go home, August. You're off duty for another month, remember?" Erica tried to persuade him again, trying to prove that everything was taken care of.

@ dezz

August followed Erica down the hallway, glancing down to his arms long enough to fix the cuffs that he had folded to meet at his elbows. He was only half-listening to Erica as she rambled on about how he still needed to rest. Laughable. He wasn't about to go out for a month when he was recovered enough to be out in the field, according to doctors. That was all he had been concerned about and even then, the only reason that he had cared was that he had been benched until a doctor approved him being back at work. The moment he had received the official go-ahead from a doctor, August had been ready to go. There was still so much that he needed to accomplish before his plants could fully take place.

He hardly batted an eye at the scent of the omega as he stepped through the door a few moments after Erica. August lifted his head, cocking an eyebrow when Eric continued on about how she was a sleeper agent that could kill him, if she so pleased. August couldn't help the laugh that rumbled from him, giving a slight shake of his head. "You expect me to believe an omega can kill me? Especially someone that small..." August trailed off, the humor slipping from his face entirely. The little smile that Orion wore didn't unnerve him, it only reminded him of his own training at times.

"I want back in. Doc says I'm good to go.. so I'm good to go. I'm the Hammer, remember?" August's voice was dry as he spoke, rolling his eyes a bit as he studied Erica. "You don't have anyone capable of what I can do. You and I, we both know that. So cut the shit and let's get to work. Finish the job and maybe after that..." August trailed off, letting a little smirk settle on his features. "Maybe after that I'll take a month off as a reward for a job well done. Hm?"

August cleared his throat, turning back to the little omega in the center of the room. "I want to spar with her. See what she's capable of because if she's going out in the field, I'm not having an omega that needs protecting and letting another agent die because of it," he added, taking a step toward Orion.

"What can you do, little pup?" August asked her, as if he hoped he would get some sort of response from her.

Erica frowned, not surprised in the least bit when August seemed unimpressed. Orion blinked once, slowly, a little annoyed at the cockiness of the alpha, but it was to be expected. "Everything," Orion purred, her small smile turning into a playful smirk.

"I don't think you understand, August. Orion, as well as the other omegas, they work alone. These leads we've come up with, they're all alphas. These omegas are trained to get the information they seek, in other ways. Currently, they are only permitted to kill upon finding our guy." Erica stepped forward, shooing the doctor out of the room, not wanting anymore of their conversation to be heard. "In a one on one fight, she'd put up a good fight, but I'd say you'd still have the upper hand. But my omegas have much more devious ways of bringing down our enemies."

Orion frowned, though she kept her gaze forward. She knew exactly what Erica was hinting at. They had been trained as more of assassin's. When it came to their alpha targets, they'd easily be able to seduce and manipulate their target. After being brainwashed, they no longer felt the urge to follow just any alpha, not even an alpha command would work on them. Only the person designated as their master had control over them. And right now, that was Erica.

"But, if you'd like to see her in action. Her first mission isn't for a few days. Take her. See for yourself." Erica looked towards Orion and crossed her arms over her chest, "Listen to Walker, Orion. But he's not your master."

Orion nodded, taking the clothes Erica handed her. "Understood."

@ castle.

"Alone? And what happens when the mission goes south? You just told me that she wouldn't be able to stop me," August pointed out, sounding more and more annoyed as time wore on. It wasn't exactly what Erica had said but as far as he was concerned, it was. He had always been a confident person and as he grew older, that had only been further exacerbated. August only shrugged when Erica pointed out that they had been trained in more devious ways. What could she mean? August nearly asked Erica but decided that she would likely not tell him the truth. If anything, he thought he might be able to drag the truth out of Orion once he had her all alone.

August ran his tongue over his bottom lip, sucking it back into his mouth with a sharp hiss. He gave a nod of his head when Erica addressed Orion for the first time since they had stepped into the room. "By all means. But if she tries to kill me..." August trailed off. He was mostly joking but he thought it funny regardless.

His back straightened as Orion stood, his eyes narrowing the slightest bit. He studied her, his head tilted as he tried to figure her out. He couldn't quite decide what he thought of her but he was sure he would decide by the end of the time he had with her. "Come," August uttered as he turned, heading right back out of the room. August would take the next few days as a bit of time to gauge whether these sleeper agents were anywhere near as effective as Erica would have him believe.

Orion waited for August to leave the room before she looked towards Erica. "You... don't want me to kill him right?" It was obviously not a real question, but Erica rolled her eyes regardless. Erica motioned for her to get dressed quickly, before she left the examining room behind him. Stepping to her feet, Orion pulled off the white gown and pulled on the black dress. It was tight against her curves and the skirt fell right around her thighs, with three quarter sleeves. Her heels gave her a few inches, but she would still stand much shorter than August.

Quickly leaving the room, she smoothed out the sides of the dress as she hurried to catch up with him. She stayed a few feet behind him, though her eyes ran up the back of his head. Something seemed off about him, something dark and it wasn't because of his burn. Orion couldn't help but wonder what kind of secrets he kept. Something told her she might need to kill him.

August was silent as he walked, and so was Ori. She knew that it was preferred for an omega to stay silent until spoken to. Not only was their walk to his car quiet, but so was the majority of the ride. That was fine by her as she was lost in her thoughts, wondering how he had acquired such a nickname as The Hammer. She had a few guesses, seeing the bloodthirsty look hidden in his eyes. Ori could tell August was a violent man. How the CIA trusted him, she didn't understand.

They arrived at August's home and Ori waited for him to exit the vehicle first, before she followed. Her heels clicked against the concrete paving leading up to his front door, her eyes widening in awe as she looked up at the mansion. She wasn't surprised an agent as accomplished as August had a home of this size, but it was far larger than any she had ever seen. Before volunteering for the omega program, Ori would've been lucky to get a room in the homeless shelter.

Stepping into the living area of his home, Ori closed the door quietly and stepped up behind August. Her hands ran up to his shoulders and she started to pull his suit jacket off, "let me take this for you." Stripping it off of him, a soft purr was vibrating in the back of her throat. Hanging it for him by the door, she turned, giving him her full attention.

@ castle.

August hadn't said a single word to Orion since they left the compound. He had nothing to say to her and he had never been one for small talk, so he saw no need to begin now. Quiet as he pulled up to his home, August climbed out of the car and only paused long enough to lock the door once Orion had shut her door. He didn't so much as glance back at her as he unlocked the door and stepped through. Nothing Orion had done surprised him, right up until her hands settled on his shoulders. His eyes narrowed into thin slits, his shoulders pulling tight together as anger fueled him. August had been joking and yet, here she was about to attempt to kill him. That was what he was convinced of as he spun around, sneering at the purr that she let out. Did she think something like that was going to convince him to calm? Surely she must have known more about him.

"Tell me," August paused as he cupped his hands in front of him. "All about you. I want to know how you tick," he said as he turned to start toward the kitchen that was at the back of the home. He made sure to keep space between them, not wanting to give Orion the chance to leap at him if she was supposed to do.

"Tell me what led you to this. How did you get here? Why did you come to work as a sleeper agent?" August demanded as he poured himself a glass of bourbon for each of them. Slowly and deliberately, August slid the one glass toward her on the counter. "Because an omega that is capable of all that Erica claimed you to be... doesn't seem very likely to me," he said, his face scrunching.

He lifted his glass to his lips and took a small sip before his attention returned to Orion. August's gaze hardened as he scrutinized her. "Tell me, omega. Erica told you to obey me," he pointed out in a low voice.

Ori looked down at the glass of bourbon that he offered her, slowly reaching out to take it. Lifting her gaze back to him, she leaned against the counter. The strong, burning smell of the liquor was mixing with his own scent so nicely. Leather and smoke. "I was homeless and one day I saw an ad that an agency was looking for omegas to volunteer for a study." Ori knew better than to give August a sob story, so she spared him anymore details. It was clear to her that a man like him probably wouldn't care either way, let alone have any sympathy. "and you're right, I couldn't have been capable of any of the things Erica mentioned, before the experiments."

Weeks and weeks of being manipulated, unknown substances being injected into her veins, brainwashing... All of the omegas had gone through such horrors in that compound. All so they could do the CIA's dirty work. Her mission next week was simple, gather all the evidence needed from the target, seduce him and when his guard is down, eliminate him. All of the omegas had been trained in multiple fighting styles and in a one on one, they'd have a good chance, but the program couldn't give them much extra strength. At the end of the day, she could still be overpowered by a much larger alpha, such as August.

Bringing the glass to her lips, she took a small sip of the bourbon, enjoying the burn it left in the back of her throat. Erica had briefed her on Walker, but only slightly. Enough for Ori to know he was a little jaded that the agency wanted him to take some time off. Was he that dedicated to his work that even after being in such a horrific accident, he was ready to jump straight back into work?

@ castle.

"So," August paused, swirling the liquid around in his cup. He frowned slightly at the thought of Orion being out in the field. As much as Erica and she both claimed that she was capable of handling herself, the thought left him uncomfortable. If something went wrong, would she be able to get herself out? What happened if her mission was compromised and she had no aid? "Tell me, omega." There was an emphasis on her title because he was sure that there had to be some sort of doubt in the back of her mind. How could there not be?

"What happens if the mission goes south? You're on your own and your mission is made. Your target figures you out," August uttered as he leaned against the counter, his attention focused on the omega in front of him. "You don't have a partner to help if that happens so you have to rely solely on yourself to get out. The other option is you die because in this line of work, there are no other options. It's either you or it's them," August pointed out. He knew she had to be wondering about the scarring on his face, it showed that he had personal experience with what he was saying and he hoped that she realized that he wasn't only talking out of his ass.

It wasn't that August cared about Orion personally but he thought it was incredibly stupid to put an omega in harms way. Alphas could get the job done just as well as the omega standing in front of him. He rolled his eyes at just the thought, his face scrunching just thinking about.

"Then I die, Walker." Orion said it like it was a simple answer. Over the course of her time in the agency, Orion had come to learn that truth pretty well. Her life didn't matter anymore. It never mattered, actually. "I'm expendable. They've got dozens of omegas in the compound." Orion forced herself to look up at August as he leaned against the counter. "You're right. It is either you or them. I understand that completely."

Orion found it difficult to keep August's gaze. The scientists and doctors behind her brainwashing had brought in multiple strong alphas, volunteers for the omegas to practice on. They were trained on how to use their scent to control an alpha. Omega scents already had the ability to calm and soothe an omega, but with the training she received in the compound, along with some experimental drugs, Orion could now use her scent to even put an alpha to sleep. Though August seemed different than any other alpha she had ever met. Something told her that their tactics wouldn't work on him.

"If I fail my mission, I'm under strict orders to eliminate myself anyway. To keep the omega project top secret." This was all just a test, anyway. Erica and the rest of her team had no real idea what could come out of this project. Already, it seemed they had made so many breakthroughs, but what else could they achieve? If one of their omegas faltered in a mission, they were all brainwashed into accepting the fact that they had to die. To protect the project.

Orion kept August's gaze, staring into the pools of blue, trying not to stare at right side of his face. All she knew was that it happened on a mission, but she didn't know the specifics.

@ castle.