The Commander—who I always wanted to salute, even though it wasn’t appropriate since I’m not military—called me into his office.

“Tyson, have a seat.” He gestured to the seat across from his desk, where he was sitting casually, coffee cup in hand. Years of oversight for Delta Force had prematurely grayed his hair, but not the light in his eyes. Even when he was pissed off about a mission going awry, or his men in the field making decisions he didn't entirely approve of, he never blew up. He never screamed or yelled, or lost his temper. He was extremely even-keeled, for a man with as much pressure on him as he had.

"Yes, sir." I took the seat but didn't get comfortable. Typically, when I was called into his office, it was just for a brief moment and an assignment.

“Make yourself comfortable. I want to chat.” He smiled.

"Ok, sir. What would you like to chat about?" This was unusual, and in no way would I be able to get comfortable. We got along well but in a professional way. We didn't chitchat, ever, other than when there was an odd day with a drastic weather change. That was about it for the small talk.

“You’ve been working with Delta Force for a while now.”

"Yes, sir."

“How do you like it? Are you happy?”

Am I happy? What planet am I on right now? “Excuse me, sir?” I wasn’t sure how to respond.

“Do you like the work that you do?”

“Yes sir, I do. Very much, in fact.”

"Well, that is good to hear." He paused. "You're the best Intelligence officer I've had the pleasure of working with, and I have a special assignment for you if you're interested."

“Thank you, sir. That sounds intriguing.” It felt good to be called the best. People in my position didn’t typically get assignments, though, so the apprehension I had developed sat firmly in the pit in my stomach as I waited for him to continue.

“I’m glad you think so, Tyson. I’ve been asked to send one of my best Intelligence officers to Langley for a little operational procedure sharing kind of thing, and I’d like you to go.”

“Langley? The CIA?” I asked, in a hushed tone.

“You don't have to whisper CIA; everyone knows they exist.” He teased me. “Here's the long and short of it, Tyson. It's not really optional. The powers that be, well above my pay grade, would like for us to spend some time with the CIA, exchanging our intelligence-gathering processes, to see how we can learn from each other. I don't know how productive that will be since we run a far tighter ship being left alone over here without all the red tape, but that's what the assignment is.”

“Well sir, I’ll do whatever you’d like me to do. I’m happy to help.”

“I knew you would be. I can’t promise that the great Commonwealth of Virginia is going to be a vacation of any kind, but you do excellent work, and the guys are taking a few days’ leave, so the timing is good for you to get out of the confines of this office too.”

“That sounds great, sir.” It did sound nice to get away for a week, even if it was to Virginia. How bad could it be?

He set his cup down and rested both hands on the desk as he leaned forward. “I need to be honest with you, Tyson. I don't necessarily think it'll be great. I suspect that this is a bureaucratic puppet show for the higher-ups to prove that agencies can get along. That being said, as far as I'm concerned, when you're not with whatever pencil-pushing snooze they make you meet with, you're on vacation. Have nice dinners. Explore historic… Virginia.” He chuckled.

I had to let out a little laugh myself. Langley, Virginia wasn't known for being a playground of any kind; it was known as CIA Headquarters. That being said, I'd become a homebody the last couple of years. I rarely went out, I either cooked for myself or ordered in, and in the evenings, I was researching for work or reading. My life had become rather routine and monotonous. A little trip might be fun.

“I can make the most of it, sir. It would be my pleasure to represent our team.” The more I thought about it, the better it sounded.

“Fantastic. I’ll let them know you’re coming. It’s Thursday; you’ll be expected to report there on Monday. If I were you, I’d pack a bag and get yourself there over the weekend. Do a little exploring or shopping or whatever you like to do,” he said. As he shifted in his seat, I could see that he’d just realized we knew nothing about each other personally. Which was fine; it was just kind of amusing to see him notice it.

“I like going out to eat, sir. So, this is the perfect trip for that. Is there anything else that I need to know?” We hadn’t really discussed anything about what I was supposed to do with the agent.

“I'm going to leave it to your discretion. Frankly, I don't think they'll share anything worth sharing with you. But if they do, that's great; put it in your report when you get back. If not, then I wish you the best staying awake with those suits. In the beginning, they wanted me to come, but I think my salty attitude was a turnoff. You're far more respectful and diplomatic than I am, Tyson. I'm too old for that shit, and I honestly don't give a fuck.” He shrugged his shoulders as if confirming his statement.

“You got it, sir. Be nice, share if it’s appropriate, listen, and take notes.”

“And go out to eat. On our dime. Or their dime. I should find out who’s paying for this.” He rubbed his chin.

I laughed again, and said, “Yes sir. I’ll make arrangements right now.”

“I’ll let them know to expect you Monday. Thank you, Kallie. You really are our best, and I do appreciate all that you do for the guys. And for me, of course. This could be a fun experience for you. Make them give you a tour,” he added, as I got up to leave.

"You got it, sir." I excused myself and went back to my desk, where there was already an email waiting for me, with instructions on the assignment and where to go Monday. It didn't say who I would be meeting with, though. Perhaps it was more than one person, or they hadn't decided who got the short straw on their end yet. I suspected that the CIA didn't want to have an information sharing session either, but we were all going to make the most of it. I certainly was, and I immediately started looking online for restaurants better than what you'd find in central Texas.

Once my reservations had been made through our travel office, I headed out for the day. Along with the email that contained my instructions, was another email from the Commander, telling me to take Friday off as well, to do whatever I needed to, in order to prepare for an unplanned trip. Since I’d already been at work for a full shift, and then some, when the Commander called me in to talk, I took advantage of the time.

I needed to review my wardrobe. My fear of navy-blue suits might be something I'd have to get over since I was going to have dress differently than I did for my current position. I'd grown accustomed to my favorite jeans and t-shirts, or whatever I was in the mood for since I was generally cooped up at my computer. My job with Delta Force was top secret, so I didn’t socialize much with anyone at work, and since I wasn’t military, I didn’t have any specific dress code. Which meant, I didn’t own many professional clothes, other than the two suits I’d interviewed in two years prior. I decided to hit the mall on my way home to find a few suitable outfits for the trip.

The mall wasn’t crowded at all, which was great since I didn’t have a ton of time to fool around. I hit up one of the higher-end stores that carried women’s suits and more professional casual attire. It seemed kind of stuffy at first, but I managed to find a few things that didn’t break the bank, and were also likely appropriate for other occasions, should I leave the house to do anything.

As I was heading to the register, I walked by the formal wear. Beautiful glittering gowns, the perfect little black dress, in a variety of styles. All dresses I’d never have cause to wear, but I couldn't take my eyes off them. I checked the time and seeing that I had a bit of time to play, I decided to try one on.

I chose a floor-length, black, spaghetti-strapped dress. It was stunning, even though it was so simple. Looking at myself in the mirror, I ran my hands down the front of the silky fabric, enjoying the way it felt on my skin. The dress fit perfectly, and while I kept turning around to look at myself in it, I was simultaneously reminding myself I had no place to wear it.

Or did I? The Commander did say I should take myself out in Virginia. While it’s not the fanciest of towns, there were a few places I could at least wear it out for a drink, if I really wanted to. I’d never had an occasion to wear something so fancy, and while it was plain, it was definitely elegant.

Fuck it.

I bought it. I had the money, that was never the issue. I lived simply and was paid well for my job. Calling it a treat to myself, I took the dress home and carefully packed it in my suitcase, along with a pair of high heels I wore one time to an event my parents made me attend with them over a year ago.

I knew it seemed a little bit silly to pack a formal dress for what was a business trip to a government agency, but I did have some time to myself, so why not go ahead and dress up one night? Have a glass of wine at a fancy hotel bar or something. I deserved to live a little, and I could feel the grin forming as I convinced myself to take at least one night for me.