Chapter Text
“Lance, you need to understand the danger you are going to be in. If you go, there’s no telling exactly how many risks you’ll put yourself in and we will not be able to help you,” Allura said in a serious tone. “You know we would normally send Shiro for such a mission but…” She trailed off. “You’re the only one of us who can infiltrate without causing too much attention. You know the language and fit the typical physical description of the average trafficker from this place.”
“Whoa, ‘average’? Allura, that’s a low blow,” Lance joked. He got several glares from the rest of his team. Clearly, none of them were enjoying the fact they were shipping Lance off to Mexico for a couple of months.
“Lance, this is not a laughing matter. You’re- We’re putting your life in danger for this mission.” Allura folded her arms. “I’d feel terrible if something happened to you when you’re there. From what we can gather off Pidge’s information, this Sendak isn’t someone you can make a mistake in front of and live.”
Pidge adjusted her glasses. “She’s right. I have scanned footage from all over those headquarters, I mean yes Sendak is like bad and all but God does he need better security, it was like hacking his Facebook.” She cleared her throat. “Anyway, there are some nasty things that have happened. Like real bad. You’re only starting off there, Lance. There are people higher-up who have died, bullet right through the head, when they messed up. Sendak has a tight operation running and it’s no surprise how he has operated this long without notice. He kills the mistakes.”
Lance shifted his feet and resting his palms on the desk between them, he leaned forward. “When do I start?”
Shiro pinched the bridge of his nose, “Lance-”
“Look, I get it. Going undercover at this place is a bit of a risk. But this is the case that will prove to those bastards at the CIA and FBI that we’re more than just some James Bond wannabe organisation. They’re going to try and shut us down and take our funding again if we can’t do this. I mean they can’t do it either, let’s be real here. I’m a bit on edge, and God Pidge after that lovely bit of information, you might say I’m scared- I said ‘might be’- but I’m still going to do this mission. I feel like you all are trying to talk me out of it. Is that want you want? Maybe Rolo can take my place but he’ll get shot in 0.5 seconds when they realise he only has Spanish language to Grade 2.” Lance was glad that Rolo wasn’t at this meeting, he would have gotten a paperweight aimed at his head.
“We’re not trying to talk you out of anything, we’re worried for your safety,” Allura said, her eyes softening. “I’m the one who recruited you and I know I should have a more professional manner being the Head of VOLTRON but I feel responsible for you and this team now.”
“You have limited experience going undercover-” Shiro began before Lance interrupted him.
“On the contrary, who was it that saved our entire operation in Lyon when someone messed up their French? Who was it that singlehandedly convinced, in German, the three illegal art dealers that I, Leopold Mendel, had in his possession a Van Gogh, before we arrested those gullible shits? Who was it-.”
“Lance,” Hunk said and Lance looked at him. Hunk offered him a small encouraging smile “I think you’ll make a great undercover Mexican drug trafficker.” Lance grinned and a warm feeling spread through him. No matter what the situation, Hunk would always have his back. “As long as you come back alive, of course.”
“Thank you, Hunk,” and he smiled back at his friend. He then eyed the others. Allura looked upset, Shiro seemed to be worried, Pidge didn’t seem fazed, and Keith hadn’t said a word. Typical.
Pidge sighed. “Lance has always managed to make things work out in the end. Somehow. In his own way. He’ll be fine.” She shot him an encouraging smile but it was almost forced. She has seen what happens there. She knows exactly what Lance will be facing. “You can do this. I can give you all the information that will help you.”
Keith cleared his throat and rubbed his neck as he looked away. “Pidge is right… No matter what crazy shit Lance pulls, somehow he always seems to get away with just a bruise.” Lance glanced at him, surprised. When they’re on missions or about to go on them, Keith usually complains about him being there. “I mean, Shiro, myself, or even Rolo would be a better option but sure if you have to go with Lance, sure.”
“Fuck off, Keith,” Lance retorted but Keith merely smirked in his direction.
Shiro looked to Allura who loosened her posture in defeat. “You are our only hope in this mission, Lance,” she said.
-
Within a couple of hours after that meeting, Lance was called back for the official debriefing. It was only then when he realised the gravity of the situation he had signed up for.
In between Allura giving the lowdown of what Sendak has been up to and the beginning of Pidge’s warnings was when Lance’s palms were beginning to sweat and his heart rate began accelerating. He tried to brush it off when he crossed the room for a water bottle and sat down again. He didn’t drink the water, he used the bottle to keep his fidgeting hands occupied underneath the desk.
Pidge was standing up to present her findings on their main screen. “Our big concern is that there will be difficulty contacting Lance while he’s in there. If he works up to the position he need him to get, he’ll be spending his time within the underground compounds. He will only leave when he is asked to. Of course, we’ll be able to contact you outside the different compounds but inside, I’m afraid our signals will be noticed. But when he gets higher-up, I’m afraid he’ll be on his own.” Lance tried not to shudder.
“How would you contact me?”
“Normally we would use our Lions,” she said referring to key-chain sized robots Hunk had made for each of them. They were complete with a radio, camera, recording device, and a ton of other things. “However, in case, Coran has also helped Hunk and I create this.” She held up a small glittering object and handed it to Lance.
“You’re kidding? Is this an earring?”
“It is indeed. It also doubles as a radio and GPS. We’ll always know where you are, Lance.”
“That’ll be comforting when I’m at the bathroom.”
Hunk stifled a laugh while Pidge rolled her eyes.
“Lance, at the least, we’ll know whether or not you’re in danger. Plus, the earring is equipped with-,” Shiro looked to Allura as if looking for permission to say the rest. She nodded. “It’s also equipped with a sensor, so if anything does happen to you… We’ll know.”
“You fit a heartbeat detector into this thing?” Lance knew he was averting the subject of him dying being a possibility. So much so, the others put in a ‘detect Lance’s life force’ into an earring. “This is amazing!”
“Basically, what the earring does is monitor these nanobots that we’ll inject into your bloodstream. These will take into account your physical condition. We will know if you have even the slightest hint of a cold.” Pidge held up a small petri dish that could have had nothing on it as far as Lance was concerned. “Ryner helped out a lot when creating this. Like man, she knows medicine despite being an engineer. They’re far more advanced than what’s already out there but they are still a very new creation. You’ll technically be our experiment. But Ryner says it is safe enough to enter your system.”
“Sweet. I’ll have robots inside me. That’s a first.” Lance handed back his earring to Pidge. “When does that get injected then?” More like, when does he leave?
“We intend to have you in Mexico, next week, by next Friday at the latest. So we’ll have to inject it two days before you leave and make sure everything Is up and running on our systems,” Allura said. It was Wednesday. “Our one connection, thanks to Shiro, is a man called Ulaz. He will be the one to meet you. He has links to the compound so he’ll land you the job. It’s your priority to work your way up. Ulaz will advise you on that. He says, it’s possible. He has seen others before.”
Lance faintly remembers the name. They had business in Mexico a while back, Shiro got into a tight spot and this ‘Ulaz’ helped him out. The fact that he will have someone on his side there was assuring, though. “Oh, okay.” He rolled his shoulders back. He was tense and he hoped no one else was noticing. He has never done a solo mission before. No one in VOLTRON has since it started back up again almost two years ago, thanks to Allura and Coran.
It isn’t the first mission where Lance has put the life on the line either but during those times he had Hunk, Pidge, Shiro, and fuck, even Keith. Had he the ability to carry this out on his own? Maybe. But the confidence was all talk at this rate. He’s only twenty. He couldn’t die yet.
He probably should have picked a better occupation.
He ran a hand through his hair and leaned back in his seat. Lance wanted to do this mission and he still does but still… He had the right to be a little nervous.
“I think Lance should be resting now,” Hunk said and Lance broke out of his thoughts. “He had been training the entire day with Pidge and me. He has a couple of days before he leaves and he has to be in peak condition before then, right?” Hunk gestured at the clock which was approaching midnight, “it’ll be better if we all rest up and start again tomorrow.” Lance could hug him.
Normally, these sessions would go on for hours then they would leave for their mission straight after.
Allura stood up. I think that’s a great idea. We can focus on the entire mission tomorrow. Then we’ll spend the rest of the days getting Lance ready."
Lance got up from his seat, and stretched his arms out. “Yeah, I’m exhausted anyway. Anything you say to me at this rate will go in one ear and out the other. Like I’m pretty invincible all the time, but a nice 8 hour sleep would be pretty great. Also, this,” he gestured to his face, “needs its beauty rest.” When his hand returned to his side it was shaking and he stuffed in his pocket. He walked over to the glass door and slipped through it. “’Night.”
He heard faint responses of ‘goodnights’ and the others began to follow him out too.
Lance headed for the dorms in the headquarters. There were 12 rooms in total but only 6 were occupied at the moment. Rolo and Nyma were in New York City for a small mission in collaboration with the FBI. Those two were only recruited in the past year but they had been on Allura’s list for a while. They used to be insanely talented robbers based in L.A, robbing from anyone with a mansion then Allura offered them the job after Pidge managed to track them down.
Lance’s room was towards the end of the corridor on the second floor of the dorms. He went in and locked the door then headed out to the balcony. Each of the rooms had a balcony and boy, was it a necessity. The VOLTRON headquarters were situated on a cliff side in a secluded part of the Sangre de Cristo mountains. Since it was summer, the sky wasn’t dark, it was still an indigo colour but all the stars were out. Lance rested his elbows on the railing and gazed out. He probably wouldn’t see a view like this after next Friday for months. Sure there were skies in Mexico but he was pretty sure he heard the words underground somewhere during that session, was that in a literal sense or-
“I thought you were tired?”
Lance rolled his eyes and looked down to see Keith leaning against the metal railing of his balcony. The ground floor of the dorms jutted out further which meant Lance had a clear view of those balconies. It just so happened the one directly under his was Keith’s.
“Yeah, well I just had to think about stuff.”
“Don’t hurt yourself.”
Lance took a blue pillow from the sunchair and fired it at Keith. His perfect aim got Keith square in the face and he grinned. “I expect that pillow back, though. I’ve lost too many by throwing them at you.”
“Maybe you should stop.”
“Maybe not. Ikea has a ton. Where are the others?”
“Hunk is cooking something up for them. I wasn’t hungry.”
They fell into silence until Keith spoke again. “So, Mexico…”
“We’ve all been there before.”
“You’re going alone.”
“Wow, really? I didn’t get that picture, I don’t think Allura and Shiro stressed that enough.”
“They’re just worried.”
Lance sighed, “yeah, I know.”
“Aren’t you worried?”
Lance began to feel tense again, in a different way. Him and Keith don’t talk, not like this. Usually they tease each other, Lance throws a pillow, Keith gets angry, and more bickering, end of. Then out on field, they’re just teammates. Maybe a bit of arguing. “I guess, I’m a bit nervous, yeah.”
Keith looked surprised.
“What?” Lance questioned.
“Just didn’t expect you to be honest. I thought you would put on that whole act you had going on back there.”
“Well, I’d be stupid not to be nervous,” Lance said in defence and waited Keith to make fun of him for it.
He didn’t. Instead he agreed. “I don’t think you’d be human if you’re not. So it’s great to know you’re one of us.”
Lance chuckled. “That was a shit joke.”
“Whatever.”
Two knocks came from Lance’s door and he heard Hunk’s faint voice. “That’s Hunk, probably with some food.”
“Don’t let me stop you.”
“Ha, when would I ever.” Lance smirked at him before he turned back and headed back inside to open the door for Hunk.
Hunk wasn’t there but he had left a plate of sandwiches, a packet of chips, and a drink. He even a yellow Post-It on the bottle with a smiley face and Lance smiled. Hunk was too great. He picked the tray up and headed back to the balcony to set it down on the table outside.
Lance peaked out over his railing but Keith had gone by then and he took Lance’s pillow with him.
Typical.