The opulent hotel room is pitch dark except for a sliver of yellow light streaming in through a slightly ajar hotel window curtain. Cassandra sits beside the window with a long set of binoculars, concentrating her gaze through them. We do not see what she is looking at.

An alarm clock suddenly rings, intruding Cassandra's concentration. She sighs deeply, stands up, and stretches her long, slender arms behind her. It is time.

A moment later she is walking out of the hotel room, dressed in a tightly fitting long black gown and a matching masquerade mask, with a leather black clutch by her side. Her dark, typically long hair is tied back in a tight bun. She slides in an earpiece disguised as a silver ear cuff into her right ear.

"Richard?"

"Finally, you're going to be late". A British deep voice answers roughly back. "You know this is your one chance. The target doesn't often attend public outings like this."

Cassandra rolls her eyes and presses the gold elevator button. "Have I ever been late?". She smiles coyly to herself.

There's a hesitation on the end of the line. "No but-".

"Then butt out and let me do my job."

The voice is annoyed. "I need to tell you, you're not the only one on this job."

Cassandra's cocky smiles fades and is replaced by a look of utter annoyance the moment the elevator doors slide open, revealing a handsome dark skinned man dressed in all black suit and a matching masquerade mask. His eyes sparkle as they dance over Cassandra's figure, hesitating a few seconds too long on her chest.

"Animal", she scoffs as she stands beside him in lift and hits him lightly with her clutch. "Well Richard, I've found your other rat. I would have thought you'd send someone with a little more experience than 106."

"103," the man laughs, undeterred by her frank annoyance. "Always a pleasure to partner with a woman of your...qualities". His eyes flick again to her chest.

"It was one time 106", Cassandra grunts, flicking a finger in his direction. "Consider it a mercy gift and never again."

"God, I forgot about that. Don't let that distract you tonight". Richard's voice on the line warns.

"We'll see about that". 106 smiles again and holds the elevator door open as they arrive on a service floor full of white laundry carts.

"I have given you access via the service corridors. Switch elevators and you'll arrive on the conference floor. 106 has both of your tickets. Good luck. And 103, don't forget to-" The voice fades out too quickly.

"What the hell was that?" She pulls the silver ear cuff out of her ear and smashes it under her foot just as it sparks in flames.

106 flicks at an invisible strand of dust on his tie. "Technology, never reliable." He shrugs as they arrive at another elevator at the end of the hall. "Unlike me, you know."

"Don't start". Cassandra breathes in a deep sigh of air. What was Richard going to say? She's never done a mission without his guiding voice in her ear before.

106 wraps his hand around her waist as they arrive at the star studded event exactly on time to hear the last of the speeches, a round of applause filling the large room. Guests turn to start mingling with one another and a quartet of violins begins to play in a corner.

Cassandra's eyes dart around, hunting for her target. She finds her easily, an aging old woman in bright red and a mismatched blue masquerade mask, drinking a glass of red wine. She grasps 107's elbow gently, nods at the target, and heads off alone towards the woman, as 106 nods back in understanding and swerves in the opposite direction.

"Mrs Stevens, I'm so happy to see you this evening." Cassandra strolls casually up to her target and prepares for a comfortable, innocent embrace that only colleagues would attempt, as the poor woman looks up in confusion.

"Do I know you?" Mrs Stevens asks, her eyes studying Cassandra's behind her mask.

"Your daughter Elizabeth and I are attending Tufts together. You must remember, we were lab partners for CHEM304." Cassandra's lies slide easily off her tongue. "She and I skied in the Alps for Reading Week?"

The woman hesitates, a bit embarrassed for the lack of memory, but warmness reaches the edges of her eyes. Bingo.

"I'm sorry, I've been so busy with elections and all, my memory is getting a little foggy." Mrs Stevens says, taking another sip of her drink. She hasn't noticed that Cassandra has already roofied it with a white powder during her introductory embrace attempt.

They carry on for a few moments of small talk until Mrs Stevens suddenly feels dizzy and Cassandra takes the opportunity to lead her to a set of empty, lavish velvet red chairs in the corner. Within moments her hand slides into Mrs Stevens' bag and she stealthily slides the woman's phone into her clutch. Mrs Stevens snores from her red lavish chair. She'll wake up within 30 minutes with an awful headache, but no long term damage.

Moments later Cassandra is in a white marble washroom stall, hacking the woman's phone and swapping the codes of Mrs Stevens' government ultra VIP VPN access. Cassandra accesses the data she is looking for easily and downloads a copy to a data storage device. Hook and sinker.

All that's left is to return the woman's phone and this stage of the mission is complete. No one hurt, easy peasy.

Cassandra slips out of washroom, heading back towards to arm chairs where Mrs Stevens is sleeping when 106 grabs her wrist from behind.

"Come home with me". He coos, his warm breath on the nape of neck.

"Are you joking?" She twists but he holds her arm back tightly. "I said, never again. I mean my words. Besides, I wouldn't exactly call you reliable," Cassandra sneers.

"Oof." Pain hits his voice. "Fine sweetheart, have it your way." She feels the barrel of his gun hit her side. "Move or die."

So much for a simple mission.