The Trade:

Later that morning, Tiago had gone down to the hotel's galleria and bought Miri and himself some civilian clothes. Having nothing presentable to walk through the lobby in, Miri stayed in the room hoping that Tiago would pick out something decent for her. Though they had an intimate meeting of the minds last evening, she knew that he was a scoundrel. She wouldn't put it past him to buy her something that wasn't questionably low-cut or short. Joking or no, he would be very sorry if he did.

Pacing the floor in her towel, Miri nearly jumped in anxious anticipation when she heard him reenter the room. She could see that Tiago had several bags in his hand as she helped him close the door behind him.

"How was your outing?" She asked, sounding a little more curious than she would have liked to.

"Very successful, thank you. This bag is breakfast," he told her, setting the carry away he had got from around the corner on the desk. He then placed the anther bag on the foot of the bed, "and that one is for you."

Tiago watched out of the corner of his eye as she pulled the outfit be bought her. It was a simple, unassuming ensemble consisting of a white button-up shirt and grey dress pants. Setting it out on the bed, she let out a happy sigh, which Tiago could help but laugh at.

"Relieved?" He asked, a crooked smile playing at his lips.

"Overwhelmingly," she replied, sitting on the edge of the bed and pulling on the pants. They were nearly a perfect fit- good enough for their purpose anyways.

"You don't like giving other's control, do you?" He asked. The smile he wore was now ebbing away as he watched her pull off the tag on her shirt and button it up. She looked like the Miri he had first met in the bar of the Grand Hotel- corporate and iron-willed.

"I don't like having many uncontrollable variables in my life," she answered, combing her fingers through her slightly damp hair.

"Would you consider me one of those variables?" He asked, casting her a sidelong glance. Though his dark eyes held some measure of mirth in them, she could tell that he was serious.

"I'm not sure," She replied coyly- clearly in avoidance of the question. This conversation had the potential of becoming too serious and she figured she better nip it in the bud before the really got to talking on the subject. "What's for breakfast?"

"Baguette and vermicelli," Tiago said as he handed her a box of carry away. He then proceeded to get dressed himself. He knew he wasn't going to get anything more out of her at the moment, so he figured he'd let it lie.

Once they were ready, Miri arranged their flight into China while Tiago made contact with his people for supplies. He had connections in the black market in China. They would be able to get anything they needed from them: weapons, ammunition, and transportation… anything in exchange for several high security system hackings. The price was nothing major compared to the gain- or at least Tiago thought so. Though MI6 did not approve of such methods to see a mission through, Tiago saw the benefits in having friends in low places. Experience taught him that a mission's success usually hinged on whether or not the enemy of his enemy was his friend.

Once the tickets to Xi'an were booked and a meeting was set up, the two caught a taxi and headed for the airport.

….

When they landed in Xi'an, they rented a Jeep. Their aim was to head north into rural country. The region was absolutely stunning. The city itself was studded with ancient pagodas, colored in festive reds, yellows and greens. Amongst them lay modern buildings of glass and origami-like public art. The old did not clash with the new; it blended with it harmoniously.

The province area was like stepping into a silk painting of rolling green hills and plateaued farmlands. Miri watched out the window in silence, admiring the calming scenery. It seemed so out of place with what they were actually doing there.

Three hours later Tiago stopped the car about a mile away from what looked like an old military compound. Miri opened up the glove compartment and took out a pair of high-powered binoculars.

"Is this it?" She asked, looking over at Tiago who nodded in affirmation. Miri raised the binoculars and observed the old cluster of buildings. There looked to be a large stretch of concrete just beyond them. "What is this place?"

"It's an abandoned launch site for the Chinese space program. Their central hub is in Xi'an. Members from the Broken Circle gang moved in shortly after they relocated to their new facility."

Miri gave him an odd look and then returned to gazing through her binoculars at the rundown buildings. They stood, rusted and paint barren, as ruins of modernization. What was more, they were home to one of the most infamous gangs in China.

"How do we approach them without getting shot... what's their trade craft?" She asked, becoming uncertain about this particular venture. She knew they were hard pressed for time but as agents of MI6, they weren't even supposed to be operating in this part of the country let alone cavorting with the local criminals. The turnover was just around the corner and they did not need an international incident on their hands.

"There's a checkpoint at the east end of the facility. From there they will search us and escort us inside," Tiago informed her. It was clear from his calm manner that he had done this several times before.

Miri couldn't help but wonder if MI6 knew anything about it. Tiago never seemed to play by the rules, yet he did get results. Still, Miri couldn't imagine that's all MI6 wanted out of their double-oh's. There had to be some code of conduct, especially where M was concerned. Hong Kong was a bit like MI6's wild west- she wondered if he'd be reined in once the members of H Branch returned to London.

"So, keep your hands up and they won't blow your brains out… That sounds simple enough," she murmured as she zeroed in on a large, tent-covered area alongside the buildings. "I'd much appreciate if we didn't have to share your Walther in another gun battle."

"These people are businessmen," Tiago explained. "They only resort to violence when they are threatened."

"Tell that to the farmers in the outer provinces," she muttered, lowering her binoculars and setting them atop the dashboard.

It was a well-known fact that Broken Circle forced the local farmers to grow poppies on their lands for opium production. This arrangement of course was in exchange for protection from government inspectors, however the farmers rarely needed it in the first place.

"Not everything is black and white, my dear," Tiago answered as he put the car into drive. "Organized crime is a lot like nature, they both have intricate systems involving good and bad forces alike. If we throw the system into chaos, then we all suffer collateral damage," he said, his eyes fixed on the wet, dirt road before him. A group of men carrying machine guns walking up the road came into view. This was their escort.

"Don't worry Tiago, I don't intend to shake up the delicate system anytime in the near future," she retorted wryly.

"Keep your hands in view," Tiago told her as the men approached the car doors.

Miri raised her hands and waited for the guards to make the next move. They opened up the doors to the Jeep and Miri and Tiago stepped out onto the road. Then they were quickly patted down for weapons and wires. Once they confirmed the two were clean, they told them to return to their vehicle and drive into the compound.

"Like a well-oiled machine," Miri mused, running her fingers through her hair.

"There's a man I have to speak to before we can get what we came for," Tiago explained as they pulled up in front of one of the weatherworn buildings.

Miri nodded before getting out of the car. Tiago rounded the front of the vehicle and met her on the passenger's side. "These men know my face, they know who I am, but they do not know you. Stay close to me unless you're told to do otherwise."

Before she could reply the rusty-hinged door of the building closest to them swung open and a group of men walked out. At the front of them was a clean cut looking man with a slender build. Slipping on his sunglasses, the man approached Tiago and Miri. When he saw Tiago's face he smiled in recognition and reached out to shake his hand.

"Mr. Rodriguez, good to see you again," he said, his manner friendly and casual. Tiago shook the man's hand.

"I'm grateful you could see us on such sort notice. Mr. Lao, this is my partner Miranda Knight," Tiago introduced.

"Ms. Knight," he greeted her.

Miri offered the illegal arms dealer a smile as she took his hand- there was a crawling sensation in the pit of her stomach as she did. Men like him deserve to be laid out on a slab, not greeted like a host at a garden party she thought. The weapons this man sold went straight into the hand of child soldiers, he was a murderer. Regardless, she put on a good front knowing that she had little choice in the matter.

Tiago and Lao chatted for a while before getting to the point of this visit. Lao invited Miri to inspect his wears while he and Tiago went inside the building to conducted business.

One of the men led her over to the tent covered area where most of the stock was laid out on folding tables. Miri then busied herself for the next hour, deciding what she would like to take with her to face the Brotherhood.

….

Miri flipped open a butterfly knife and inspected the blade. Satisfied that the hinge wouldn't stick she tucked it away in her pocket.

Tiago came up behind her then and wrapped his arms around her. Resting his chin atop her head, he observed what weapons she was choosing.

"Knives… A very personal way of dispatching someone, don't you think?" He asked with a wide grin.

"You never know when you're going to be backed up into a corner. And with the way this mission has been going, I don't think I'd mind it getting a little bit personal."

"Oof, my dear," he laughed, delighted by this new side of her. "You are full of surprises."

"I have to keep your interest somehow," she replied smartly. "These friends of yours, that Mr. Lao, what is he willing to give us?" She asked, eyeing the makeshift table for what she wanted to take with her.

"Anything we can carry," he answered, his gaze drawn across the field to the building he came out of a minute ago.

He had hacked the Chinese government for intel before but every time he did it left a trail that could one day lead straight to him. This was always a worrisome fact that lingered in the back of his mind but he hoped that if he ever got found out he'd only get a good chewing out for it by M.

He knew his boss had a soft spot for him as cold and detached as she seemed. He got away with more protocol breeches than most in his outfit. Being a double-oh had its perks but being on M's good side was far more valuable. He only hoped that one day, when his indiscretions became too heavy to bear and the roof came crashing down on him, M would help dig him out of the rubble.

"Is everything alright?" Miri asked, snapping him out of his thought.

Tiago's far-off expression dissipated as he met her gaze. "Yes," he nodded with what appeared to be a smile- Miri couldn't quite tell.

The female agent reached out and stroked his arm lightly, her fingers curling around his hand in a light hold. "Okay," she said, figuring it was best not to push the matter.

She wasn't delusional, she knew that Tiago had to trade favors with these people in order to get what they needed for the mission. What worried her was if he had offered them too much. Miri knew sacrifices had to be made, that was simply the nature of the game but there was a fine line between negotiating favors and spilling government secrets.

Keeping quiet about the whole affair, Miri began filling a backpack with ammo and flash bangs. All the while thinking how, before this mission she wouldn't have even dreamed of altering procedure in such a reckless manner.

AN: Hello everyone! thank you so much for hanging in there! Please review! I love hearing from you guys and knowing what you think.