And finally, after years and years of work, their plans had come to fruition. Two of the highly-placed staffers in the new administration had been maneuvered into place by the two of them, using decades-old contacts and even a few of their old tricks. Neither had done anything in the field since the mid-90s, but the Center had asked for them specifically, and for good reason. They knew what they were doing, and who on earth would suspect two old codgers like them?
The inauguration ended, and she felt a tension she had carried for almost her entire life finally dissipate; she wasn't sure what to do next. Nadezhda reached her hand across and took Mischa's.
"We did it."
