[✓] 𝐼𝑁𝑇𝐸𝑅𝐿𝑈𝐷𝐸 | 𝐅𝐈𝐕𝐄 𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐆𝐑𝐄𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐒

𝐭𝐞𝐧. 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑔𝑎𝑙𝑎

Word count: 2579

𝐕𝐀𝐋𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐄, 𝐅𝐈𝐕𝐄, 𝐃𝐈𝐄𝐆𝐎, and Lila crouched at the side of a blue car, peering over at the Mexican Consulate. It was a few minutes past five, and the attendees of the gala were streaming in as the sun shone down on them.

"So, what's the plan?" whispered Lila to the man in front of her.

Diego turned his head to face the others behind him, his eyes gazing over them. He spoke softly as he instructed, "We infiltrate, we identify, we extract. Double time."

Lila turned to Valerie, her face scrunched up. "What the hell's he talking about?"

Valerie gave a small sigh, rolling her eyes at Diego's choice of words. He always needed to make things more dramatic. "Find the old man and get out fast."

Diego turned to them again, clearly offended as he scoffed. "That's what I said." He then turned back towards the front, peering over the hood of the car, and gave a curt nod. "On me.'"

And with that, not even looking back at them to make sure they understood his command, he rushed forward, keeping his head ducked as he headed to the car in front of them.

Lila looked back at Valerie and Five and raised her eyebrows. "After you."

Five leaned forward slightly, his eyes narrowed at Lila. Valerie silently groaned before nudging him slightly to tell him to stop, but he ignored her.

Lila furrowed her eyebrows as she incredulously questioned, "What, I can't be polite?"

"Cut the crap. All right?" Five muttered, his eyes fixated on hers. "My dimwitted brother might buy you bullshit, but I don't trust you for a second."

She didn't seem fazed in the least as the corners of her lips tugged upwards. "O ye of little faith."

An irritated smile grew onto his face. "Stick it up your ass."

She giggled softly before turning and following Diego, and the other two followed suit. Hoping to avoid the long lineup at the front, and not wanting to be caught, the four of them snuck around to the back of the Consulate and slipped in through the back door.

The room they entered was packed with conversing people who were all dressed rather expensively. There was a glittering chandelier, dripping with fake diamonds that hung in the room over, lighting it quite dimly. Two tall poles guarded the door, both of them have a loose Mexican flag draped on them.

Five took a glass of whiskey from a waiter dressed in white and followed the others as they headed to the middle of the room.

Diego peered around at the chatting men and women, a small frown on his face as he shook his head. "I don't see Dad anywhere."

"Just keep an eye out for the Majestic Twelve," Five instructed as he glanced around before downing his drink and handing the now-empty glass to a passing waiter. "I got the upstairs. Val, you take the left wing."

"Diego, try not to do anything too stupid," Valerie sighed, eliciting a soft giggle from Lila and a roll of the eyes from the man beside her.

As Five headed up the stairs, Valerie stepped through the large crowds, swivelling her head as she searched for Reginald. Although there were many tall, lanky men with stylish goatees, she recognized none of them to belong to her father.

She said a few 'Excuse me''s and 'Pardon me''s as she made her way across the room, weaving awkwardly between people. Suddenly, she felt a tap on her shoulder.

She turned around with furrowed eyebrows to see an older man around 5'4". His hair was white, but it was barely visible with the few strands that remained on his head, and he had a fancy pair of gold spectacles that were pushed up on the bridge of his nose.