Chapter 1 The Mission Briefing

Caterina yawned and rubbed her eyes. As she stood up from the bed, she petted her cat, Cleo. Her hair looked rough and strangled, she was not lady-like.

Her clothes were all over the floor, her shoes, and her table was full of dirt.

The cluttered apartment was a testament to Caterina's chaotic lifestyle. Dirty laundry spilled out of the hamper, and yesterday's coffee cups littered the coffee table. She scratch her hair as she walked and stepped on Cleo poop.

"Oh no Cleo, not again," she said with a grunt.

Cleo blinked at her innocently and walked back to the bedroom.

Caterina sighed looking at her messy apartment, she groaned and took out the bread in her freezer.

She poured herself a coffee and sat down while she ate with a sigh, she has to resume back to work today after a week break.

She checked the time and it was past 9 am, "oh no!!" She yelled before running to the bathroom and taking a quick shower.

She put on a blowns, and a jean with a boot, she took her car key and her bag after pouring Cleo her food.

"Be good Cleo, don't mess up the house," she kissed her and ran out.

She got into her car and drove to the office immediately, Sophia and her other colleagues were already waiting for her and applauded her as she entered.

She smiled and hugged Sophia, "There is actually no need for this."

"Yeah, sure there is, you did an incredible job with that mission, there is no one that would have gotten that job done perfectly like you did."

"No come on, anyone could do that," Caterina said with a rolled eyes as she took a donut that was kept on her table. "By the way, who put this here?" She asked as she took a bite.

"I don't know, maybe your secret admirer," Sophia said as she looked at Oscar who was walking up to them.

Oscar smiled and spread his hand for a hug. "Good to have you back."

Caterina smiled and hugged him. "Yeah even though you didn't text me."

"Oh sorry about that, did you enjoy your vacation?" He asked.

Sophia patted Caterina back. "I will leave you two to it."

"Yeah sure," Caterina replied and then looked back at Oscar. "Why didn't you check up on me, busy?"

"No- uh SAC James ask to see you in his office," he ignored the question again.

"Ok we will continue this later," she responded before walking to SAC James office, she knocked on the door.

"Hey sir," she opened the door and sat down, "you ask for me?"

SAC James sat across from Caterina, his expression serious. "You've done excellent work on the Rodriguez case, Agent Caterina, how was your vacation?"

"Great sir," she responded with a funny expression

SAC James takes out a file. "Check this out. Your skills are exactly what we need for this new mission."

Caterina leaned forward, her eyes locked on the file James handed her. "What's the situation?"

James' voice was low and even. "We have reason to believe that Daniele De Rizzo, a notorious mafia lord, is expanding his operations into our territory. We need someone on the inside to gather intel and bring him down."

Caterina's eyes widened as she scanned the file. "This is a high risk operation. What's the plan? And how sure are you that he is a Mafia Lord and not a businessman who does dirty work?"

SAC James' expression turned more serious. "We have our reasons to believe that you will be going undercover, posing as a new recruit to the De Rizzo organization. We will provide backup and support, but you will be on your own once you're in."

Caterina hand paused, and sigh. "I also have a favor to ask of you."

"What's that," he hold up his hand and look into her eyes, noticing all of her expression.

"Well, you have to let me investigate my parents death after this mission," she requested in a calm tone as she laid her calm gaze upon him, knowing he have not other choice than to give in to her request, it isn't because there is no other capable Agent that can get it done, but they need someone that can get the job done perfectly without mistake, and she is the only one that can risk everything because she has nothing to lose.

"Ok deal, but get this done first."

Caterina nodded, her mind racing with the possibilities. She knew the risks, but she was ready to take on the challenge.

With the mission file in hand, Caterina set out to infiltrate the De Rizzo organization. She knew it wouldn't be easy, but she was determined to bring Daniele De Rizzo to justice.

As she walked out of his office, Caterina felt a sense of excitement. She was about to enter a world of danger and deception, and will also be able to work on her parents case, after all that's why she joined the MSI in the first place.

"What's that?" Oscar.

"A new mission, as always, I never get the chance to rest," she responded with an annoying grunt.

"As if you wanted to, I will help you to take care of Cleo today, you can go out and enjoy with the other colleagues," Oscar said.

"Aren't you coming with me?" She asked.

"I skip," he responded.

Caterina nodded and handed him her house key. "Here you go, take very good care of my baby, and also throw the trash away, I forgot to do that this morning."

"Ok–" he already knows how dirty Caterina can be, so he already expected her apartment to be dirty.

"Ok let's go and enjoy hooo!!!" Caterina screamed as she entered her car with Sophia.

.................

The dimly lit bar pulsed with the rhythm of loud music, the air thick with the smell of whiskey and sweat. Caterina and Sophia danced recklessly, their laughter lost in the crowd. The DJ spun a lively mix of tracks, and the dance floor was a sea of moving bodies.

Caterina's curly brown hair bounced as she danced, her bright brown eyes sparkling with amusement.

Sophia's sleek black hair was tied back in a ponytail, her eyes fixed intently on the crowd as she scanned for potential threats, she has always loved partying.

Suddenly they hear the scream of a lady from the bathroom. Sophia and Caterina snapped out of their drunken state and rushed to the bathroom, they saw a lady murdered there.

The bathroom was a stark contrast to the lively bar, the air heavy with the scent of disinfectant and fear. The victim lay on the floor, her eyes frozen in a permanent stare. Blood stained the white tiles, a stark red against the dull gray.

The victim's dress was torn, and her makeup was smeared. Caterina's trained eyes took in the scene, noting the position of the body and the lack of defensive wounds.

Caterina ran to the lady and checked her purse, she looked back at Sophia and shook her head.

Sophia starts making calls immediately and the ambulance and the police come to the crime scene immediately.

Caterina takes the first lady who saw the dead woman into the investigation room.

"Did you walk in on her dead or still alive?" She asked.

"I didn't check, I reacted immediately when I saw her, so I was unable to check if she was still alive," the lady responded.

"Did anything seem suspicious to you, or did you see anyone leaving the bathroom, maybe a strange person?"

The Lady thought for a while and shook her head. "No, but please I am innocent. I.... I know nothing about it. I found her dead. Plea– plea-se help me," she cried.

Caterina sighed and walked out of the interrogation room.

"Anything yet?" SAC James asked.

Caterina shook her head. "She seems innocent, but I will still try to find out more, but for now, nothing shows that she is the killer until further investigation."

She walked to Sophia's desk. "Did you get the CCTV footage from the bar?"

"Yeah, but the killer avoided the CCTV camera, I only saw a figure walking out and in, and I can't tell who the person was exactly," Sophia said as she played it for her.

"Keep doing your work, I will get the list of the people in the bar," she said , just as she walked a few steps she received a call from Oscar.

"Hey," she said.

"Is everything fine there, are you ok?" he asked.

"Yeah but we need your help here," she stated.

"Ok I will be there immediately," he responded before hanging up.

"Caterina I found something," Sophia said and suddenly her computer went blank.