Race Against Time

It was time to go to work. We were going to go over yet again what the plan was. Danny was pissed off that Lindsay was going in, he was scared to death that she wouldn't come out alive. Isabella swore she was going to try to do whatever she could to keep Lindsay in her sight at all times. Typical Isabella. Always trying to do whatever she could to make other people's lives easier.

Isabella rolled out of bed, letting out a huff. I had insisted that she stayed with me last night, because as of today, I wasn't able to get to her or make sure she was safe. Six days undercover, six days to find out the names of the heads behind the operation.
"C'mon, we got a job to do", she said, shaking my shoulder. I let out a groan and put a pillow over my head.
"Don't make me do it. You know I will", she warned. Once, she had jumped on me to get me out of bed and I knew she would do it again. I let out another groan. I felt a heavy weight hit my back and I let out a grunt. I'm stubborn, there was no way that I was getting out of this bed.
"C'mon, Don, get up", she said, tugging my arm. I grabbed her arm and pinned her down under me.
"Boo", I said. She frowned up at me.
"Jerk-face", she replied. I gave her a kiss.
"We got a job to do, why're you laying around?" I teased. She rolled her eyes.
"Well, you see, I was trying to get this guy up that I've been sleeping with lately. We're on this really big case and today's the first day of it and I'm trying to get him up, but he just grabbed me and pinned me down", she replied innocently. I pulled her up, slapping her thigh playfully.
"Gimme fifteen minutes and I'll be ready", I told her.
"I'll meet you at the station", she called. She kissed me then frowned.
"At least shave?" she requested. I nuzzled her cheek, knowing that annoyed her. She rolled her eyes again and left out the door. I chuckled to myself as I got ready to go. I wasn't in the mood to shave right now, but I did anyways. May as well give her what she wants while she's still here.

[Isabella's point of view]

I walked down the road, laughing to myself. Don always made me laugh, even when I was scared as hell. And I indeed was today. Today was the day I had to go through briefing and get the audio and tracking device planted on me. I couldn't have any sort of weapon to defend myself. I had to drop my phone when I was taken, and I couldn't fight back hard. I had to give the fight of a woman taken by surprise, not a cop ready for action. I walked into the briefing room, Aria sitting at the table with a smile. I ran over and gave her a big hug.
"Hey, Psycho", I greeted her.
"Hey, Killer", she replied, poking my side.
"Ready to resist kicking ass?" I said with a smile. She laughed.
"You know it", she replied. Lindsay walked in, seemingly nervous.
"I don't know if I could do this", she admitted. I walked over to her.
"Not too late to back out, Linds. We could probably do fine with just three", I said, hugging her.

"I know, but I want to do this. It's just scary as hell not knowing what's going to happen", she replied. I nodded knowingly.
"It is scary. But we all have each other's backs in this, it's not like we're going in blind", I said. She nodded.
"The fact that I might not go home to my daughter and husband is even scarier", she said, her eyes wide.
"I know, but we can do this. If things get too dangerous, we fight back with everything in us to save our lives, and everyone else's", Aria replied with a smile. I could tell she was nervous too. The briefing room door opened and the cops assigned to the case walked in. I smiled when I saw Bruno.
"Bruno!" I said excitedly. I walked over to him and hugged him tightly.
"Isabella, bello vederti, amico mio", Bruno greeted me in Italian.
[Isabella, good to see you, my good friend]
"Everyone, these two are Detectives Aria De Luca and Bruno Rossi", Scythe said, pointing to Aria and Bruno.

"We've come to kick ass", Aria added. Everyone gave a small chuckle, despite the growing tension. The head of the Jersey crime lab walked in with a very attractive young woman. I knew she was the other undercover we were working with.
"This is Detective Alexis Cooper", the man said. David Lewis was the head of the Jersey crime lab.
"David, these are the three we've selected from the crime labs in Wilmington and here in New York. From left to right, we have Detective Lindsay Monroe-Messer, Detective Aria De Luca, and Detective Isabella Pacino", Mac said, gesturing to each of us. Alexis gave each of us an appraising look before turning away. I wouldn't trust her farther than I could throw her.
"We have Agent Stonewell coming in with your bugs soon, so get ready", Don said. He shook hands with Lewis before returning back to his spot by the wall. I looked down uncomfortably, everything becoming more real. A man walked in, holding a briefcase.

"I'm Ryan Stonewell from the FBI. I have your bugs here and I will be installing them myself", he said. He waved his hand forward and us four stepped up. He looked at Alexis a bit longer than he looked at the rest of us before returning back to his briefcase.
"Who's going first?" he asked. Aria stepped up first bravely. He opened the briefcase and held up a tiny dot on his finger.
"This is going on your tooth, so open your mouth and tilt your head back", he instructed. Everything is becoming frighteningly real now. I hadn't realized I was trembling until I felt Bruno's hand on my shoulder to calm me. Aria did as she was told and Ryan pressed his finger to her back molar before moving his finger. She put her head back to normal, a slight bleeping being heard on a monitor in the briefcase. Ryan held a slightly bigger dot on his index finger and placed it gently inside Aria's ear. She let out a yelp.
"Sorry, it latches itself in and it hurts", Ryan apologized. Aria rubbed her ear a bit, feedback squealing through a speaker. I covered my ears, cringing. Alexis strutted up, seemingly trying to prove she was hot stuff. I fought the nearly overwhelming urge to roll my eyes.

I felt a hand on my waist and I turned to see Don. I rested my hand on his.
"You scared?" he asked. I nodded.
"To death", I replied. Ryan motioned me forward. I tilted my head back, opening my mouth. I felt his finger on my tooth and I fought the instinct to bite.
"Feels weird, huh?" Aria said. I set my head straight and nodded. I felt his finger on the inside of my ear and I jumped at the sharp pinch.
"Figlio di una cagna, che fa male!" I said, jumping nearly a mile.
[Son of a bitch, that hurts!]

Bruno let out a laugh, then tried to cover it up with a cough. Aria didn't know a lick of Italian, although she was Italian-American. Lindsay's turn. She did as she was told, letting out a wince at the ear pain.
"Looks like you're the only one who swore, Killer", Bruno teased. I glared at him.
"Time to give you a rundown of what's going to happen, ladies", Lewis said. He stepped back, waving Stonewell forward.
"From what we've heard, this is what's going to happen. You're going to be taken two at a time, kept together. You'll most likely be bound with zip-ties and tortured in any way they can think of, to see if you're good enough. If you're not, you'll be killed or sold off", he said. I widened my eyes, stiffening.
"Chill, Rambo, you got your nine lives, remember?" Danny called. I rolled my eyes. Ryan gave Danny a stern glare before continuing.
"Each set is usually tortured by beatings, being deprived of food and water for days at a time, and who knows what else", he continued. I could handle that, I'd been through a lot worse.
"They also do one specific thing to each victim to traumatize them, but it's always different. Not a lot of people have lived through these experiences, but we'll keep tabs on you. After six days and you find the head, we'll pull you out. Under no circumstances are any of you ever to blow your cover. They won't think twice about killing cops, these people are ruthless", he said. I raised my hand.
"What if we find the head before the six days are up?" I asked.

"Then you'll be pulled out sooner than expected", Ryan replied. After the briefing was over, we had twenty minutes to make our calls and say goodbye to our loved ones and write letters in case something happened to us before being dropped off in the neighborhood where the ring was notorious for 'going shopping'. I hugged Levi tightly around the neck, tears threatening to fall from my eyes.
"You be careful, Bells. Don't play hero, you gotta come back home. If you die, our entire family falls apart", he said. His voice was getting thick with emotion. I kissed his cheek and hugged him fiercely.
"If anything happens to me, tell Ethan the whole story", I whispered into his ear. He nodded solemnly. He was one of the chosen few who knew what that meant. Aria and Bruno were cuddling close, murmuring to each other. I turned and hugged Don, tears trickling from my eyes. He hugged me back tightly.
"Bí cúramach agus teacht ar ais chugam", he said, holding my face in his hands. He looked scared to death.
[Be careful and come back to me]

"Feicfidh mé mo dhícheall", I promised, wiping my eyes.
[I'll do my best]
"Sin uile iarr siad. Bain úsáid as do naoi saol go maith", he teased.
[That's all they ask for. Use your nine lives well]
I kissed him hard, resting my hands on his chest. I was dangerously close to backing out, but I had come this far. He pressed my head to his chest, keeping me close.
"We're too sappy", I said, looking up at him. I was scared to death.
"I know, but possible near-death experiences does that to you", he replied. He kissed my forehead.
"My Christmas is screwed", I said with a huff. He laughed, kissing my hair.
"Life goes on, Rambo", he replied.
"Don't go screwing up your life if something happens, kay?" I said. He laughed again, giving me another kiss.
"I promise", he replied.
"Time to get ready to go, ladies", Ryan called. Didn't the man have a heart? Here we were, four women leaving our loved ones to defend the country against a trafficking ring and he's breaking up tender moments. I gave Don another kiss before unwinding myself from his arms. I didn't even care about the PDA, neither did he. I followed Ryan to another room in the precinct, all eyes in the station on us. They knew what was going on. Everyone did.