Author's Note: Oh my god, mucho apologies for the long wait! I would like to dedicate this chapter to Rea who kindly reminded me on my livejournal to update this story of mines. I just got back from vacation and I hope chapter satisfies you! Excuse the grammar and spelling mistakes! I am beta-less:( Thanks for reading and ooh, the plot thickens...

Espionage

Chapter Three: Phillip Stuart and the RSC

"I hate making mistakes and this is not a game." Wicker Park

I walked out of the Bureau like a madwoman.

I punched the 'Lobby' button after I walked into the elevator. I felt a downwards lurch and I felt angry, sad, and confused all of a sudden.

How dare Lanning chastise me! Even though it was true, I needed... desperately, to annihilate my dignity... the truth was, I simply did not want to. Having no more self-glorification just meant I was losing my touch. That special something; my mojo, if you will. I was no longer the cream of the crop; la crème de la crème. I felt merely mortal again; it was an inconversant feeling, coursing through the pathway of my veins.

I exited the elevator and gripped the strap of my bag harder, feeling the eyes of the secretaries, assistants, and coworkers of Aquade staring at me. I instantly knew the thoughts swimming in their heads, with confused looks on their faces. Since when did Lily Evans leave early?

I evaded their perturbed glances and strode out quickly. I took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, thinking it over again. What else did I ever think about?

Confronting Lanning like that, walking out of the door... at the time, it felt so disgustingly right, nothing would've stopped me. But now... now, I knew it was a big mistake. Maybe I should go back and apologize.

"Miss Evans, wait!" A voice cried behind me.

I turned around. It was him running towards me. "What?" I countered, a hint of impetuosity peeking through.

He reached a stop, bent over, and started panting, trying to catch his breath. "Why did you just walk out?" James questioning me had just made me even angrier and the situation even more depressing.

"Because my moron of a boss just assigned me a partner when I don't need one," I snapped. I cocked my head sarcastically. "Thanks, but no thanks. I don't need your help or anyone else's. Good day." I nodded my head, turned around, and began to walk again.

"You know, you're making a big mistake," James said softly. "Voldemort's becoming too big for even you to handle. Why not just accept my help and maybe even Lanning's? We're all working towards the same goal."

I stopped walking.

"You'd be saving thousands of innocent lives, Lily. Millions, even."

What James said was so very simple and made so much sense. I would be saving lives, especially if I had extra help... but, then again, is everything that simple?

I sighed and knowing I had been defeated, turned around. "It's not just that, Mister Potter; I've done this job for what seems like practically my whole life. I'm used to doing this job solo."

"Changes... are something that we, humans, do. Things won't change, Miss Evans, but we can." His eyes looked pleading.

Do this for the world, Lily. You can change the world if you just let go of all your pride and accept the fact you need help.

I thought of all the people that have been killed, the look of fear on the faces of wizards when the name 'Voldemort' was even dared to be whispered, and even Ernie. I sucked it up. I swallowed it the pride. I closed my eyes, bit my lips, and swallowed hard. "You can call me Lily."

He smiled, looking pleased. He stuck out his hand.

"Hello, Lily."

&&&&&

The wind howled and whipped the blades of grass surrounding the old mansion mercifully. Inside, it was all dark and quiet. Spiders scuttered around and spun their intricate webs, the old staircase creaking slightly, and the sound of the wind outside.

Surprisingly, a room was lit. Inside were three men.

"Who is Phillip Stuart?" A cold voice demanded impatiently. The owned of the voice was hooded and resting on an armchair. Another man stood dutifully by his side.

"I... I don't know, honestly!" Another voice whimpered back. "I honestly don't know! Please... let me go."

"Crucio!"

Shrieks of pain filled the room.

"You want to die, don't you?" he asked softly. "If that is truly what you want... I can make that happen."

"I know."

"Then tell me what I want to know!" He roared. "TELL ME!"

"He... he was my father."

A slow, hearty chuckle. "I knew you'd crack..."

"Please... please... just.. just let me be."

"I wish things could be as simple as that," The voice replied honestly. It exhaled.

"Avada Kedavra!"

And then I awoke, in a cold sweat.

&&&&&

He was good, all right. He definitely was.

I know I underestimated James; how could I not? His exterior was friendly, just the boy-next-door type. But his interior... it was, interesting, least to say.

The next morning, I walked into the offices of Aquade, looking as sharp as a tack.

I dreaded going to my office; it meant I would have to pass Lanning's on the way, and no, there were no shortcuts or other ways to my office. I could Apparate right before I passed his door and then Apparate to after I pass his door. But Lanning would know. He had the ears of a cheetah. There was no use trying; I was at a dead end. I smiled to myself. How clever Lanning was to make sure that everybody would have to pass his office in the morning, in case of cases such as these. Damn that sly dog.

"Glad you changed your mind," Lanning called out to me as I passed by his office.

Smarmy bastard. Either way, I guess I had to talk to him sooner or later. I knew exactly how to handle it.

"Fuck you," I smirked.

He looked smug. "Happy to see you're not fully changed."

"Good." I nodded. "'Cause I'm not."

I walked back to my desk. So, this wasn't too bad. I have a partner, so what?

Today, I would just get to work as I would've done any other day. But, all of a sudden, remnants of my flashback last night had rushed to me.

I had blanked out on this issue until just now; what did it mean?

I opened my computer quickly and started to run a background check on the name "Phillip Stuart" – I needed information.

James stuck his head in. "Anything new?"

I looked up from my computer. I hesitated. I knew I should tell James... he was my partner, after all, but I don't know; something was holding me back. I don't know what. I trusted him more than Lanning. I bit my lip and fought it. I'm just going to tell him.

"Okay, I had a dream last night," I hesitated.

"And? Was it a good dream?" James asked, entering my office and closing the door. "Or... a not-so-good one?"

"Not-so-good one." I bit my lip. "James, I think I witnessed somebody dying."

"You saw him die?" James asked. "Were you there?"

"No... I had a dream. Well, I don't know if it was him, but, a man... a man, he was being tortured about the whereabouts of a Phillip Stuart."

"Who's Phillip Stuart?"

"I really have no idea," I responded. "I'm running a background check right now."

James walked over.

A man showed up. A felon, of course...

"Lots of crimes," James commented, hunched over my computer.

"Not surprised," I murmured in reply, scrolling down the page.

"By the looks of what he's been involved in, he's a Death Eater for Voldemort," James pointed out.

"Oh my god!" I exclaimed, as my eyes stopped running through the screen and fixed onto one name: Joseph Larsen.

"What?" James asked.

"He's mentioned in Joseph Larsen's case files!"

"Who's Joseph Larsen?" James asked.

This was amazing. A breakthrough, finally. "You know what the RSC is, right?"

"Yeah, of course," James nodded, "The Recurring Salem Conspiracy."

"Years before I joined this agency, they were close to cracking the mystery--the exact identities of at least one of the six chairs of the RSC. The Bureau knew this and so did the RSC--know one chair, know all. They were all connected in some way, shape, or form. From what I've been told and studied, Joseph Larsen was the closest out of all wizards who've tried," I explained quickly, "he almost identified one of the women on the board. He only caught a glimpse of her and described her briefly in his case files. Sadly, that's all we have."

"Wow that I did not know."

"Yeah," I sighed. "All we know is that one of the women chairs has brown hair, blue eyes, and a sharp, long nose with mole a centimeter to the right."

"Descriptive."

"You'd think, wouldn't you? How many blue-eyed brunettes exist in this world with moles on their faces? Countless. It's a lot harder than it's cracked up to be. Now this Voldemort business is cropping up, all our attention is focused on him instead of the RSC. It's all rather complicated and confusing."

James nodded.

"Anyways, after he caught a glimpse of her, she ID-ed him and found out he was WBI. She--I mean, the RSC--had him killed immediately. A few years later, I joined the WBI. The morale was still so low, I thought of quitting before I even started." I chuckled. "But, lately, it's been getting to that level again. I call it the 'brunette' phase."

"I'm sorry," James answered. "Instill fear in others and it can do great things to people. Nice name, though."

"It's okay, I didn't really know him," I admitted. "But his work fascinates me. He was truly something."

"I bet he was. Should we tell Lanning?"

Again, I was unsure. "I'd love to, but, James... I really don't want to. I know it might help the RSC case and whatnot, but... the psychoanalysis they do these days... it's frightening."

James nodded in agreement. "It is... but, I don't know."

"I really don't want to go through all that, I've seen what happens after," I replied softly. "I'm positive Lanning would want me to be analyzed as quickly as possible, even if I am a good agent."

"Fine, this is what we'll do," James said, sitting on the ledge of my desk. "We'll keep this Phillip Stuart business to ourselves and continue with our Voldemort business. We'll both research about Phillip Stuart the best we can and until we find out something good, we won't tell Lanning."

I smiled at James. "You said his name."

"Who's name?"

"Voldemort's," I replied simply. "You're probably the only other wizard I know who dares to say his name, besides Lanning, but he's fucking crazy, so he doesn't count."

James laughed, and as he laughed his wonderful and merry laugh, I noticed he often throws his head back, just slightly, when he is truly amused. "Well, I've said it at least twenty times already. And, why should I be scared of a name? That's what I think. People who say 'He-who-must-not-be-named' and 'You-know-who' are just making themselves more scared than they already are."

"You're surprising me," I stated bluntly. "You have more guts than I gave you credit for."

His laugh stopped. "In a good way, I hope?"

"Yes, a good way. I never knew a nitwit like you could be so damn entertaining and agreeable."

And to this statement, he again threw his head back, but this time, he threw it back so hard, he almost fell off the table.

Despite myself, I laughed. Just a hint. "You're kind of stupid."

"Sometimes," James admitted. "But what can you do about it?"

"Become smarter?" I suggested.

"Easier said than done."

"True." I paused.

"You're scared to say his name, aren't you?" James asked.

"Voldemort. There, answered your question?" I raised an eyebrow.

"You trembled a bit," James observed.

"It's hard not to. He's killed thousands. Millions, maybe." I shrugged. "Who knows, I may be next."

"True," James nodded, "but he's just a wizard. You've got to think of him as just a wizard."

"With extraordinary power," I supplied.

"Yes, but he once was just an ordinary wizard. Pretend he's normal."

I snorted. "Voldemort, normal? Please, James."

He shrugged. "It helps me if I picture it that way. Makes me feel stronger."

"You men always like to feel so damn macho."

"Of course, if we didn't, how would we protect the women?" He smirked.

I shot him a wry smile. "Very funny." Slowly, I stood up.

I smiled sweetly at him. "James, I don't need you to protect me. In fact, I'm doing fine myself." I turned around and lifted my heel back slowly into his groin. And as he groaned in pain into a crumpled heap, I waved daintily to him.

"Bye, James."