CHAPTER 4
ROXY
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
However, it wasn't 'Prodigy' who caught Roxy's attention. It was the woman who followed her like a shadow. She was undoubtedly in her twenties, blonde, and athletic, but above all, a variable Roxy had absolutely not anticipated. But what a rookie mistake, and it wouldn't be her last.
She discreetly took a photo of the woman with her secure phone before sending it to the operations centre for facial recognition. Roxy's objective was to ensure this person was not known by the Service as a foreign agent.
The results arrived five minutes later, reassuring Roxy. She could now focus all her attention on her target: 'Prodigy.'
Another fifteen minutes passed, and her assistant got caught up in a conversation.
Roxy seized the chance, as it was her signal.
She waited until 'Prodigy' ordered a drink at the bar and found herself momentarily aligned in Ellen's trajectory.
It was sad to see how much 'Prodigy' seemed to want to leave already.
Roxy went up to the bar and squeezed in beside 'Prodigy.' She deliberately avoided her eyes, only looking at the bartender. Though, Roxy felt 'Prodigy's' gaze on her. The bartender, wiping down the counter with a damp cloth, came over. "What are you in the mood for today?"
"Today's a treat-yourself kind of day. Talisker 25, please, neat."
"Thank goodness, finally someone who truly appreciates the finer things," the bartender said. "Want me to start a tab for you?"
"Why not?" Roxy looked at her target, who was still staring at her. "Not sure how long I'll stick around tonight," she said, grinning at 'Prodigy.' "What are you drinking?"
After a few seconds of looking at her drink, 'Prodigy,' unable to suppress a smile, answered, ? It’s a Pimm's Cup, actually. I should have gotten your order, I think. It seems like it would have kept me awake."
"Hmm, I see. Long day?"
"Long flight, actually," 'Prodigy' said with a bashful smile at Roxy.
Roxy smiled back, holding her stare as a slight blush warmed her cheeks, enjoying 'Prodigy's' focus on her. Even after a month of studying her, hearing her speak was completely disarming. Roxy needed to think quickly to regain control, but such a situation was unheard of for her.
You can't go blank now, Roxy thought to herself. Get a grip and don't choke.
She leaned slightly forward, her eyes not leaving hers.
It felt totally natural, like it was supposed to happen.
"Well, maybe the next drink? This place is one of the world's best whisky bars.
You can't miss your shot here." She looked at the empty seat beside 'Prodigy.
' "Mind if I join you for a few minutes? "
Prodigy's gaze fell upon the vacant chair, and with a graceful swirl, she pivoted to face it, beckoning Roxy to take a seat. Roxy sat down, keeping a polite distance, which allowed conversation without invading her personal space. She was about to speak when 'Prodigy' took the lead.
"May I offer you this drink?" she asked, her voice smooth, yet carrying an undertone of intrigue.
"I feel slightly shy about saying yes. It's a bit of a guilty pleasure for me, especially given the price of $75 per glass."
'Prodigy' didn't let Roxy off the hook. "Ah, I see your point," she said, grinning. "Can I still offer you this drink?"
A wave of disbelief washed over Roxy at 'Prodigy's' offer—she couldn't fathom the reasoning behind it. In fact, why would this woman offer her a drink? A woman... who was very attractive. "Why not?" she said, extending her hand to 'Prodigy' with a confident smile. "Roxanne Powell."
Her grip on Roxy's hand was warm, firm, and unhurried.
She withdrew slowly, leaving a fleeting trace of warmth on Roxy's skin.
"Nice to meet you, Roxanne. Ellen Caldwell," she replied, offering a faint but genuine smile.
"Generally, I think these events are a waste of my time, but obviously, there could be exceptions. "
What was that?
Roxy felt as if she'd been shot, but not by a bullet. At that moment, the word "Prodigy" made no sense. She was Ellen. That was her first mistake. A long silence of several seconds fell between them, but it wasn't uncomfortable.
Roxy broke the silence lightly, not knowing how to handle it anymore. "Most people call me Roxy. Well, everyone."
"Roxy," Ellen echoed, sipping her Pimm's Cup. "Well, it's a privilege to meet you, Roxy." She highlighted her name, and it felt both strange and pleasant.
The bartender set down the Talisker in front of Roxy, and Ellen took the opportunity. "Please, could you put this one on my tab?" The bartender nodded to her, and Ellen raised her glass toward Roxy.
"So Ellen, what brings you to Sydney?" Roxy asked before taking a sip with a hint of a grin. "Business or pleasure?"
"I think we could say both. I'm relocating for work, and I fully intend to enjoy myself." The subtle hint of flirtation in her tone didn't go unnoticed by Roxy. Ellen watched her as if she were studying her from every possible angle. Ellen's presence had an intimidating effect on Roxy.
What the hell? Roxy needed to get things back under control, quickly.
"I'm curious. Where? When? What? How?"
"My roots are in Montreal, but I'm here now because my employer is expanding operations in Australia.
" For Roxy, this response solidified many previously held beliefs and questions.
With a hint of distrust, Ellen held back, unwilling to reveal her full hand.
She had a feeling this was going to be more challenging than she'd initially believed.
"And you, Roxy? Clearly, you're not from here either. I'm gonna guess... Scotland?"
Damn, her name again.
"You're right, Scotland," Roxy said. "I'm not exactly the most exciting person, if I'm being honest."
Ellen raised an eyebrow at her. "Mm. I'm not convinced that's true."
Roxy swallowed. "I also moved to Sydney for work two years ago. I work as a security consultant, advising businesses on how to protect themselves. Very boring."
Ellen looked at Roxy as if she already understood the implications and, by necessity, was on her guard. "So, you're—"
"—a fixer," Roxy cut. "Essentially, my clients present me with their problems, and I neutralize them. Permanently."
"That's so ambiguous," Ellen said, fighting back a grin.
"However precise," Roxy replied, not even hiding hers.
If only she knew.
Roxy gave Ellen's hand a quick touch, for no apparent reason. This time, it was Ellen who, with her mouth agape, showed no sign of defence. She could barely bring herself to nod at Roxy.
Then their conversation veered off course.
Roxy told her about her love of good scotch and her cooking skills, while Ellen told her about the beautiful landscapes of Quebec and how Quebecers use swear words in their everyday speech.
Roxy was lost in Ellen's words. Even though she thought she knew everything—or almost everything—about Ellen Caldwell, Roxy was still surprised to find she was genuinely interested in everything Ellen chose to reveal about herself.
At one point, they shared their common interest in travel.
"So you knew Australia already?" Roxy asked.
"I came once in 2018, a few months before I broke up with my ex. I always told myself I'd come back, that it wasn't a question of if, but when. Except I didn't think it would be to live here," Ellen said with a laugh. Roxy was fascinated by that laugh.
A text popped up on Ellen's phone. Roxy gave it a fast look, but that's all she saw. A smile lit up Ellen's face after she read it. "Sorry," she whispered.
"Everything alright?"
Ellen tucked a strand of hair that had slipped out of place behind her ear. "Yes, it's just that I hadn't noticed it was already 7:00 PM when I thought I would only be staying for 30-45 minutes at most. Taylor is going to give me a proper interrogation when I get home."
"Taylor?" Roxy already knew about Taylor because, of course, it was in Ellen's profile, but she decided to play it lightly. But a look of surprise appeared on Ellen's face. "What?" Roxy asked.
"No, no, nothing. It's just that I'm not used to not being recognized when I talk about Taylor," Ellen replied, embarrassed. "Do you know the band SNARL?"
"Who doesn't know SNARL?" In fact, Roxy'd been a fan of SNARL for years.
"Well, my twin sister Taylor is the singer and guitarist for SNARL, and my other sister, Jessie, plays drums in it."
"You’re joking."
"Not even a little," Ellen said, her eyes sparkling like captured stars. Her voice, when she spoke of her sisters, held a gentle warmth, a soft pride coming directly from her heart. Roxy felt a flutter of warmth in her chest, a feeling she couldn't help but find adorable.
"I've been listening to SNARL for years. 'Undivided'' wrecked me," Roxy confessed. Her heart was racing, and it wasn't because she'd been drinking. "Wait, that song… is it about you?"
Ellen was absolutely glowing with happiness. "Guilty as charged."
"I love that song." Roxy crossed a line, a point of no return—the line dividing her professional and personal lives. She was fully aware of this but consciously did nothing to stop herself.
This was enough to plunge Roxy back into her memories of her first experience with SNARL's music.
Roxy had just wrapped up her officer training and got promoted to Second Lieutenant in the 'Intelligence Corps.
' Because Roxy excelled in her training, they quickly gave her duties that were uncommon for an officer of her standing.
Which is how she found herself, one beautiful autumn morning, sitting in a vehicle driven by Sergeant Brennan somewhere between the highway between London and Chicksands.
It was dead silent in the car while Roxy focused on reading the papers for her upcoming briefing. "Second Lieutenant, would you object if I played some music?" Roxy just nodded without looking up from her papers. She would not listen, anyway.