Welcome to the Darkside (We Have Cake Here!)

* Car ride*

Lorenzo: ….

Nadia: Say something. The silence is deafening.

Lorenzo: Why did you decide to join Phoenix?

Nadia: I haven’t decided yet.

Lorenzo: Then why are you here? *Pulls out a gun*

Nadia: Put it away, Lorenzo. I’m not going to fight you, not now.

Lorenzo: Perhaps not, but I can read you like an open book. I know that expression. You want to find out why I left you back then, and try to convince me to return with you once again. And don’t try to lie, I know you too well, Nadia.

Nadia: *OOC?: oh do you now :P* Since you’re being an ass and asking my questions for me, you might as well answer.

Lorenzo: ...you wish for me to answer? Very well, then my answer is this: You may as well give up and kill me now. I have no intention of ever returning to Pandora. Phoenix is all that I need now.

Nadia: *hum* You were always stubborn. Stupid demigod. Will you at least tell me why?

Lorenzo: It’s quite simple: to bring down my dear ‘father’, of course. *dark smile* Do you know how long it’s been since I last saw my father sweat? Since I last cloaked myself in blood and showed him just how little control he truly has.

Nadia: So you’re pulling a God of War on my ass?

Lorenzo: *chuckle* And what if I am? You know it’s hard being one of Zeus’s bastard children. I want to see hi-

Nadia: Let me guess, your life up till now’s been a greek tragedy so now you’re pulling a God of War to make things right? God, I thought you were smarter than this. Putting innocent lives in danger just to-

Lorenzo: Innocent lives? You really are blind. Do you think that Phoenix came to be for no reason? Everyone here is here for a reason, is united in our cause. We fight for the betterment of this world, Nadia, we aren’t the corrupt ones here. *Leans in close* no, that dubious honour goes to your little agency. Why is it, do you think, that despite all the advancements over the last few centuries, supernatural activity has gotten worse, not better? Surely, with their greater numbers, improves tactics and-

Nadia: Enough, I get it.

Lorenzo: If you truly understand, then join us! We can reforge this world into one without the oppression of gods that couldn’t care less for humanity. Together, we could rule over a new world, a utopia

Nadia: *chuckle and side look* You think you could take over the world? You sound like a Saturday morning cartoon villain. I overestimated you.

Lorenzo: If that’s the case, then why haven’t you done something about it, hero?

*Nadia roles eyes, car door clicks open as they enter an underground base*

Nadia: What a nice place you got here?

Lorenzo: I don’t believe you’re here to be an interior decorator. Just get inside.

Phoenix Agent: Sir! We’re ready for project X33

Lorenzo: Excellent. For now, however *shoves Nadia to the agent* Take this one to my office.

Nadia: *glares at both of them* How gentlemanly of you

Lorenzo: I have work to do. I’ll deal with you later.

Lorenzo: I don’t believe I clamed to be as such.

Nadia: *mussers* you used to be.

Lorenzo: Besides, I’m busy right now. But don’t worry, I’ll make sure to deal with you later.

*Nadia gets led away by agent, but paused before she can leave entirely, looking back at Lorenzo*

Nadia:  And why are you letting me in here, knowing that I could be a threat, Lorezie?

Lorenzo: Why? It’s simple, really. I want to see what my little mouse will do, knowing that she stands at the gates of hell. That’s all.

[END]

Your Mission Begins Now

 

 

--- Izumo Airport, Japan ---

*The team has just exited the airport*

Tara: *sparkling eyes* I know we’re supposed to be in a serious business situation, but I’m so excited! I’ve always wanted to go to Japan before! *sigh* It’s a shame though….I’d have loved to really have a proper tour of the place….

Agent: Maybe if everything goes well with the mission we may have a day or so to relax before going back But make sure not to get distracted, otherwise you might not make it to that point.

Tara: I know I kno- Ooooh, a butterfly!

Agent: -.-’ I thought I just said-

Tara: I was joking, stop fretting! You know what it’s like, everyone deals with nerves differently. Either I joke or I get all frustrated and that’s not what we need. So, where exactly is the place we’re staying while we investigate?

Agent: There’s a temple in the Shimane prefecture, Izumo-taisha. Pandora has some links to them and they agreed to allow us to base there until the mission is complete.

Tara: Ah, I hope that I didn’t need to brush up on temple etiquette. I….uh….aren’t exactly Shinto, you know? Craaaap, I going to accidentally insult them, aren’t I?

Agent: I doubt they’re expecting that much from you.

Tara: ...Gee, thanks. Ass.

???: Don’t worry so much. If it’s a situation that you need to know something, we’ll make sure you know. We won't leave you hanging

Tara: Thanks, ???. So, shall we be going?

--- Izumo-taisha, Shimane prefecture, Japan ---

*The group enters the temple, where a young woman with short hair is just exiting from one of the rooms. She pauses as the others approach*

Young woman: Are you hoping to see Master?

Tara: Uh….yes. Is he free.

Young woman: Yes, I just finished speaking with him. You can go through. Please excuse me, however, I have a mission to attend to.

Agent: A mission?

Young woman: There was a Jorougumo has been causing some problems in one of the local villages that I must take care of. Please excuse me.

Tara: Of course.

Young Woman: *bows* Thank you.

*The young woman leaves and the rest of the team enter the room with the Temple’s head priest within.*

Head Priest: Ah yes, Mizuki did say that she saw a group of agents arriving. We have been expecting you. Once you have made yourselves comfortable, I will explain our situation to you.

*The agents all sit down and are served tea, while the Head Priest speaks to them*

Head Priest: As you may already know from briefings, in recent years, there have been a rising number of Youkai attacks in the area. It was not unusual for there to be appearances of the supernatural, but around three years ago, there appearances increased and more often than not were hostile. Demon hunter clans and the temples have been working together in order to subdue the attacks, however, there was a... complication.

???: Something to do with the seal we were hearing about?

Head Priest: That is correct. Over time, the seal appears to have either been weakened or tampered with, and we believe that it’s that which is drawing malevolent beings to the area. Unfortunately, we have been unable to get close to the area. Due to the need to protect the villagers, we cannot spare enough people to safely investigate the area as well as fending off attacks, at least, not without sacrificing innocent lives.

Tara: And that’s where we come in, right?

Head Priest: Precisely. Pandora has graciously stepped in to aid in this endeavour. We are extremely grateful for your assistance. *pulls out maps, which he lays across the table, pointing at a marked location* This is where the seal is located, within this area, though unfortunately those who know of its precise location are no longer with us. I’m afraid this is all we know. Until you are ready to leave, you are welcome to rest here. I imagine you are tired from your journey. If you need to rest, please speak to any of the Priests and Priestesses here, and they will guide you to your rooms.

???: Its best to rest. Jetlag won’t kill you, but being tired where brutal Youkai attacks are prevalent can. I’d rather not be bringing back whatever blooded remains are left in a matchbox, you know?

Tara: Well, there goes my nice night’s rest with those lovely images. Thanks ???

???: You’re welcome.

Tara:...That wasn’t a compliment. -_-’

???: Heh, I know. The mission begins bright and early in the morning. Sleep well!

[END]

Leaving for Missions

 

 

--- Briefing Room: Pandora Headquarters ---

*Tara, along with the team set up by ??? Under the name team 626 sit in front of the desk. Standing in front of a board which has a map of Japan with pins in specific areas is Alastair and ???*

Alastair: Thank you for arriving so promptly. Let us get the briefing underway. At 1600 hours, your team will be dispatched from the Pandora Hanger to Izumo, Japan. As you see from the board, there has been many supernatural incidents that have been plaguing the area, which all seem to surround this one central point *uses a pointing stick to indicate the middle of the pinned area*

???: As such, your mission is as follows: You will be investigating the central point, discover exactly what could be drawing these creatures to the area. This is a covert mission, so don’t draw too much attention to yourselves, especially since it could draw more creatures and the last thing we need is to cause the destruction of surrounding villages. However, if necessary, you are to take out any of the supernatural creatures that may become a threat to the surrounding areas. I’m not going to lie, simple as the mission sounds, it could get complicated very quickly.

Alastair: I’ll also add that you must not face any supernatural entity alone. This draw seems to be bringing in stronger than usual creatures, so to fight alone would be suicide. Above all else, you must survive, otherwise the information will not come back to us. However, if things do take the turn for the worse, make sure the information makes it back to base. Any questions?

*Silence amongst the people. Everyone seems to understand*

Alastair: Then I wish you luck. Dismissed.

*Tara is about to leave, only to get stopped by ???*

Tara: Is something wrong?

???: Just checking on you. You’ve been training with these guys, but its still a bit of a different situation for you. You ok?

Tara: Yeah, I’m fine.

???: ...Just look after yourself, ok? N will have my head if I let you die. I’ll be going with you part way, but I’m afraid I won’t be with you guys the entire time, so make sure not to do anything risky.

Tara: Got ya. I definitely don’t want N coming to the afterlife just to kill me again. Haha.

*A little later, in the hanger room waiting for the transport*

Tara: *looking around at the rest of the team, all of whom appear human, but some of which are not. The team consists of about six main people. Including Tara, there are a few ‘supernatural beings who appear to be of chinese descent, (add what kind of beings in a moment, I need to double check some youkai names) while at least two people are humans who were proven exceptionally loyal* Well…..we’ve done the training. Moment of truth, right?

Human Agent: Getting cold feet?

Tara: Haha, no, what makes you think that?

Agent: You’re shaking.

Tara: *Blush* S-shut up. Its my first major mission, not counting the breach. But I’m not shaking out of fear! Its excitement!

Agent: Uh-huh. Well, let’s get going miss excited - looks like our missions about to start

Tara: Huh? *looks to see the plane is ready to board* Here goes nothing then… *Pauses just before entering* I hope everything’s going ok with N…..

………………………………

*Crunching of leaves and the faint scent of cigarettes lingering in the air, man approaches Nadia and she sits by the docks waiting to a ship to set sail*

Nadia: For someone who likes punctuality, you sure are late. Agent Lorenzo Carideo, or should I say ‘late’ Agent Lorenzo Carideo. Since you faked your death an’ all that jazz.

Lorenzo: My apologies, former Agent Williams.

Nadia: You know that stunt you pulled almost got  you caught twice. I had to pick up the pieces for you. Honestly, breaching the security and that full on attack…. You’re losing your edge, my love. It’s almost comical.

Lorenzo: *chuckle* Am I? *Sits next to Nadia*

Nadia: I know you’re planning something. Everything you’ve ever done and everything you intend to do is calculated. So why don’t you tell me exactly what’s going on here?

Lorenzo: No.

Nadia: No?

Lorenzo: Not until I know you won’t betray me.

Nadia: *Slap Lorenzo’s face as hard as she’s able* You dare question my loyalty after I’ve covered for you? Even with the knowledge that, if they caught me, they would definitely kill me! How many nights do you think I cried, wishing I had died with you? I wanted to be where you were! And you have the ever-lasting nerve to question me? You… you bastard! *Slowly, hot tears start running down Nadia’s cheeks*

Lorenzo: *Wipes tears away and hugs her* I’m sorry, but I couldn’t blow my cover *Hugs tighter* I’m here now and this time I won’t leave you behind. You’re my partner, after all.

Nadia: Damn right, you son of a bitch. Don’t leave me ever again.

Lorenzo: *Chuckle* Since when did the Ice Queen become a crybaby? It’s not like you.

Nadia: Shut it, you. I’m allowed to cry sometimes.

Lorenzo: I know, I was only teasing. But, for now, let’s go. They’re waiting for us

[End.]

The End of an Era

 

 

*Graduation After-party*

?: eeeeeeeee

Nadia: Is that a mosquito?

?: Eeeeeeeeeeeee

Nadia: The fuck is that?

?: EEEEEEEEEE!

*Nadia glomped into wall by Tara*

Nadia: The hell T? What are….

Tara: *hugging like a limpet* I missed you soooo much! You left without saying bye and….and…..waaaaaaaaaa, N! I missed you! Don’t just fall off the face of the earth again! TT^TT

Nadia: *Pets head* I’m sorry, but I don’t think we should be seen with each other after today. I’m no longer an agent. And you’ll blow my cover, and I don’t know how long I’ll be gone for: a few days, weeks, months or indefinitely. But for now, I don’t mind catching up.

Tara: Wait….cov- no, If that’s the case, I went temporarily deaf and heard nothing of the sort. But I’m sure you’ll ‘enjoy your holiday and retirement’. Though if this thing does end and we do meet up again when we’re not both busy with our own thing, we’re going to go out and drink ourselves stupid. Sound good? So don’t go dying on me - but for now, we have joyousness to take care of - wanna see how many people we can ‘accidentally’ shuriken with our waterboard hats?

Nadia: Only for today: it’s graduation after all, but in all honesty, I don’t think it’s a good idea for us to meet so openly any more, if I’m caught they’ll kill me.

Tara: I sort of got that. Which is why I’m not talking about that so it doesn’t look like you’re telling me things I shouldn’t know. And As said, it’s ‘after’ things are done with - you know me, I’m going to be optimistic about this, because the only person who’ll get to kill you is me, you see. So, I’m going to do my best to stay alive and you do the same, so when we’re all old and grey we can brag that we survived it all. *shrugs* I know, I’m an naive idiot, yada yada - Celebrations now! So, Congratulations on being a First Class Graduated student! How you feeling?

Nadia: Exhausted, annoyed; that speech was long and pretentious, but I’m happy to see our class one more time - well… most of them, apart from two fucker who shall not be named. +.+

Tara: Somehow, I’m not surprised there. Well, good news is that you won't have to see them again, so why worry about it now? You’re an awesome graduate - or ‘graduant’ - did they miss pronounce that in the speech, or did I start to drift off at one point? I’m not entirely sure. You know how my hearing is sometimes.

Nadia: Pft, I work for you grandma :P but seriously, how hard is it to say graduate! You’ve been giving the same rehearsed speech all week! Da fuck! And don’t get me started on the pronunciation of the names +.+

Tara: Oh yes, I can’t say thay got mine wrong, but I half saw the look when they pronounced yours as ‘Nardia’. I did feel sorry for that one girl, though. The person announcing the names stumbled over that one person’s name for a good few minutes.

Nadia: Honestly, my fellow Brits, there’s no fucking ‘R’ in my name! How hard is it to say    ‘Nad’ ‘e’’ah’? Come on, sound it out!!! ‘N that’s also the reason why I say to my family and first gen immigrant friends ‘if you wanna name your kid an ethnic (god I hate that word) name, put it as the middle name, coz theze people are gonna butcher the hell out of it’.

Tara: Well, only if you then don’t have your middle name on the list of names, of course - my full name was called out and I rarely use my middle name, you know? But either way, even if the speech was a bit long and there was some name issues, it was fun in places - did you see the guy that ran up to Lord Stafford with the selfy stick?

Nadia: +.+ DONT REMIND ME!!!!! This is supposed to be an elegant formal affair!!!! And you do shit like that *RAGE!!!!!!!*

Tara: Well, it certainly broke the monotony of names. Lol. But apparently, I hear the picture came out quite well - overheard someone talking about it.

Nadia: You know, sometimes the way you speak is like a nosy aunt, you know that? -.-’ :p

Tara: I’m getting into practice, considering I now AM a nosy aunt. lol

Nadia: Lol. Speaking of we got some great photos, too.

 

 

 

Tara: Yay! I think these came out nice, don’t you think?

Nadia: Yeah, I get ya ^.^ It’s a good end to a good day. Too bad it was raining most of the day -.-’

Tara: Yeah, I hear you. There were some really nice places in the gardens that would have made for some awesome photos. Ah well, you know what the weather is like around here. It was typical that it rained when I straighten my hair though…..Oh, did you get given one of those free bag-poncho thingies they were handing out?

Nadia: Oh, please believe I made one of my girls take photos of the gardens! ‘N no!!!! I wouldn’t be caught dead in one *shivers at the thought* that shit’s reserved for little kids ‘n’ the elderly!!!!

Tara: Hahah! Oh, I saw a kid in one. Poor thing looked like it was going to fall over - I think the parents ended up tying it at the back a bit, otherwise the kid would have been flat on it’s face. I think those things were all adult sized.

Nadia: Burn them! Disgusting fashion fail!!! ‘N omg, don’t get me started on some of the graduates outfits. Did you see the girl who wore a micro mini dress to grad, ‘no tea no shade’, but I didn’t know if she just came form the club or the pole!

Tara: Well, admittedly, fashion is more your area than mine. I was a little surprised to see someone in spotty socks and trainers, though, considering graduation is something special, but honestly, I was more worried I was going to get something on my own dress, considering how much white was in the dress pattern. I had this horrible mental image that I was going to get drink all over it, or fall into a muddy puddle or something.

Nadia: I get ya. Reason why I always wear black. And - *beep beep, phone buzzes*

*Message for Phoenix*

The date is set. You will be leaving tomorrow at location ‘Z33’. DO NOT BE LATE.

*End of message.*

Nadia: *Sigh* I need to go.

Tara: Duty calls, huh? *sad expression* Heh, sort of got that from your expression, there. Uh….,.hey, take care of yourself, ok? Even if it’s against the odds, I want you to at least promise me you’ll do your best to stay alive. I know it might not be a reasonable promise, but….well, call me selfish. If it helps you stay alive, then that’s fine by me. I don’t mind being a little selfish if that’s the case.

Nadia: i should be saying that to you, and i can’t promise you that. But I can give you a little warning: The next time we meet we’ll be playing on opposite sides of the court *looks back* so don’t count on me to aid you. The only thing i can do is drop bread crumbs. I know you’re smart enough to pick up the hints i’ll give. ‘N your right about one thing: we should definitely ‘meet up again for a drink.’ *disappears into a crowd.*

Tara: ...Mean. I’m pretty sure ‘trying’ to stay alive is certainly a promise that could have been made. It wasn’t like I was saying ‘Go and become immortal…..aaaaand now I’m talking to myself. Oh well….sanity is overrated anyway. *turns to leave* ‘Bout time I head out too, I think.

*Heads into crowd the opposite way from Nadia*

[END]

TanraStudios Needs You!

Hello Agents!

Sorry to break character from our usual posts, but we’d like to talk about the TanraStudios GoFundMe Campaign. 

As you all know, TanraStudios is a UK Manga Self Publishing House….And currently that house is the doghouse. 

Both of us have been self funding our projects so far, but it is extremely difficult. As such, we are trying to raise money in any way we can. It’s proving harder than expected. We have loads of things planned, but our funds are really low. The money raised will go towards the printing of our current titles and upcoming ones, merchandise and advertising, and our website. 

We are only asking for small donations, though we have also set up rewards for those who donate certain amounts. Rewards will be given once we’ve reached our goal. 

Even if you can’t donate yourself, you can still help us by sharing this around. A little love goes a long way.

You can find our GoFundMe here:

www.gofundme.com/2dgqbuw4

Thank you! We hope to see you there!

Until next time, Agents!

Nadia and Tara

Decode the Encrypted

--- In the science department ---

???: So, we clarified that that information we got from the Fried Chicken’s hide out. Bet you that we have some names of some double crossing higher ups in there, don’t you think? If we can decrypt this folder, that should cut down a lot hassel and we can get this over with. I have everything ready, I just need to know who I’m making disappear, so to speak.

Agent: Hand me the pen-drive a sec. I’ll bring that up for you. :D

???: Uh…..so….who is this again….?

Alastair: This is my P.A agent, Ambrogino. She’s my niece. A little fang that I can trust.

Ambrogino: Sorry for the late introduction. I’m usually based in Paris, but Uncle needed my help, so I came to see what I could do :3

???: Well, it’s nice to know that we have someone we can trust for once, huh? So *tosses pendrive to Ambrogino* hope you can work your magic for us, kid.

Ambrogino: *Blush and chuckle* Literally, and will do. Give me 5 seconds and…

Alastair: Make sure to send me the files. I’ll make a short list and pass it to ???’s men.

???: If you like, just pass it on to me. I can get it to the men. Emailing this stuff to us wouldn’t look too odd, but if we have any more hack-happy people, they’ll get suspicious to see it to us and one specific not-always-here group too. I’d rather not give our targets a heads up beforehand. It makes disposing of them far too messy.

Ambrogino: D-disposing, w-what do you mean by that?

Alastair: Nothing you need to concern yourself with. Just do what we need you to do, ok?

Ambrogino:  Yes, Uncle.

???: Well, it’s just a little follow up on that hacking scandal, really, We’re just making sure there’s no more parasites in the system. You know how those things can be difficult to find sometimes. Like Ally says, it’s nothing to worry about. So, think you can decode this?

Ambrogino:  *blush* sure

Alastair: Don’t fall for him, little fang. He’s a heartbreaker.

Ambrogino:  U-uncle!!!! *starts typing away to hide embarrassment*

???: Heartbreaker? Aaaaaw, I didn’t know I had that effect on you, Ally? I didn’t mean to break your heart. Do you forgive me? *flutters eyelashes*

Alastair: Pft, yes, my love, I do *chuckle*

Ambrogino:  Eeeeeeh! *blush harder*

???: I knew you loved me! *blows kiss to Alastair.* Though perhaps we should save this for another time, it wouldn’t be moral to do that in front of the children, now. Not to mention we kind of need her conscious to decode this, heh.

Ambrogino:  N-no, carry on, I don’t mind *stars in her eyes* I’m almost done here!

???: *Covers face ‘demurely’ with a fan, jokingly.* Oh no, I couldn’t, not with an audience watching.

Alastair: *Chuckle* Now now, enough of the teasing. Ambrogino, are you done yet?

Ambrogino: Yes, Uncle! Here it is, but it seems that there’s something else encoded in here. If I work on it all night, I might be able to crack it. :D

???: Nice work! You’re pretty skilled. You might give my old partner a run for her money. We’ll leave the rest to you then. Keep us posted if you find anything new.

Ambrogino: Thanks, and any time -^.^-

*Both Alastair and ??? leave the room,*

Alastair: Now, how will we split the list of traitors?

???: How many do we have? Anyone I know?

Alastair: About 50 in total, some yes and others are newer to the organisation. Those we’ve hired approximately a quarter of a century prior.

???: Che, to think that they dug their claws so deep, and under Pandora’s noses? Just how long have these ‘Phoenix bastards been operating, anyway? - no, you don’t have to answer that. It’s rhetorical. Well, how many of the fifty did we get rid of already - we did do that mass clear out of the minions after all, or are these fifty literally all higher ups over the different branches?

Alastair: 50 of the hire ups and less so  of the subordinates. It’s going to be like dealing with home grown terrorists. We’ll persuade the subordinates that can be save, but the rest we’ll have to ‘deal’  with.

???: Seriously? Most of these guys were already here before I got ‘recruited’, I guess, but I always did have a funny feeling….I just thought that I had started to dislike politics. Anyway, It would make sense that the subordinates would be in your jurisdiction. As for those in the leadership rolls….well, we’ll need to be careful. We either need to get rid of them in one go, or start to slowly pick them off. Though if we get rid of them all at once, while it will limit that threat quickly, it might have our real supporters actually suspect us of foul play. But if we pick them of one by one, we risk them gaining more of a hold in the meantime, and we’ll have to be very careful of recruits and those they’re close to, but we could make their disappearances more normal seeming. One goes on a mission and died, one got transferred out to another branch, because their skills were needed, etc. Either way, it’ll be difficult to mask fifty suddenly vanishing, especially with the timeframe that the Madam gave us.

Alastair: That’s what makes it fun. After all, slight edits to mission profile could be useful. A D-rank superior on a A rank mission? There’s very little chance for survival. We may lose a team here and there, but we’re constantly reforging teams so that wouldn’t be an issue. And no one would dare question it.

???: Hm….That could work. Can I trust you with those ‘edits’? In return, I can also have some people add ‘complications’ to other missions. After all, it’s no one’s fault if another supernatural being comes along that they hadn’t accounted for. There’s a risk of that happening on any mission, after all. You won’t even have to edit every mission. It would seem quite natural that way. Of course, the ones very high up in the ranks will be a little more difficult I can get rid of them with ease. Would you be able to think up some good cover stories for their sudden leave of absence?

Alastair: Of course, but if there were sudden mission related deaths, then it wouldn’t need much covering up. Just ‘incompetence’ on the leaders’ part.

???: I don’t mean that, I mean those ‘leaders’ who are in more managerial positions: the bureaucrat types. I wouldn’t be surprised if they had a few there messing up our communications, or spying on them, when we have to arrange things with more mundane sides of the law

Alastair: Of course, that might be a little above my pay grade. I’ll have my mistress look into that for us. It shouldn’t take her long, with her influences.

???: Well, I can easily remove them. All we need is reasons for their sudden disappearances. But let me know what the Madam thinks first and I can see what I have to work with to really set the scene to match. Believe me, that is not above my pay grade. Speaking of the little Madam, we should get this over to her. The sooner she knows who we’re targeting, the sooner we can clear out the trash. I’m getting sick of the smell of burnt birdies, aren’t you?

Alister: *Chuckle* I thought you love BBQ. Maybe I don’t know you as well as I thought? :P

???: BBQ is nice and all, but there’s BBQ, and then there’s over done, and these Phoenix guys doing this is so overdone at this point, so I’d rather have a little change to my diet. You know how boring it gets if you eat the same thing day after day.

Alastair: Says the sushi addict *chuckle*

???: Ah, but that’s sushi, that’s completely different.

*both turn the corner to Madam Povell’s room and discuss their plan with her*

Madam Povéll: That fine by me. I’ll make sure they’ve been found guilty of treason and crimes against the organisation, so they are either interogated in the subbasement or have been let go. Considering the number of breaches we’ve had lately, it would be reasonable.

Aslister: *poures tea* And those with Authority beyond the reaches of Pandora’s grasp?

Madam Povéll: We still have ties to ‘that’ assassin group. They can take the fall for it. Infamous, efficient, and never caught. As long as they get there money on time, that won't be an issue.

Alister: *Kisses Madam Povéll’s hand before placing tea cup in her hand* Shall I contact them after the meeting?

Madam Povéll: Yes, the quicker the better.

???:  Assassin group? Oh, that one? Huh…...I don’t mind having a chat with them. I’m sure they wouldn’t mind speaking to me. Of course, if you would rather me get started on some of our friends, then I can do that as well. After all, I’m sure we have plenty of Mission leaders to accidentally run into extra supernatural threats or something.

Madam Povéll: If it wouldn’t be too taxing on you, then whatever suits your fancy, ???. If you require me to aid you then tell me. I’ve finished that child’s transfer. She should arrive by friday evening, so I’m free to aid you now.

???: I need to make arrangements outside the organization anyway to get some supernatural ‘threats’ in place, so it won’t be too taxing on me to make a pitstop along the way. Who knows, they might even work slightly discounted if it’s for an old friend. Either that, or at the very least we would have less red tape to cut through. Speed is of the essence, etc, etc. If you can give me a list of missions for me and my friends to sabotage, then I can get started.

Madam Povéll: Give Alastair and I an hour; we’ll have that list for you then. Anything else?

???: Only if you have any specific terms you want me to negotiate with the Assassins. It would help me to be able to present our ‘case’, so to speak, far faster. Specific names of the targets, and locations for the hits would also do well. The more information I can give to them, the faster they can take care of our pest problem.

Alister: I’ve compiled a hit list. I’ll send it to your communicator now. Ambrogino upgraded our software. It’s only now accessible to us and her.

???: Excellent. Then I should be on my way then. I need to prepare those meetings now. Anything else before I leave?

Alister: i’m going to be wrapped up here for the rest of the day do you mind checking on Miss Washington for me?

???: Ah yes, the mission with T, huh? Sure. Laters!

*??? Heads up to the information and communications department, and opens the door*

???: So, how you holding up?

Tara: Not too bad, I guess. A bit nervous? But I should be ok. Just to check, am I heading off on the mission, returning for graduation, then heading off again, or is it graduation, then the mission. I’ve been so caught up in training I kind of forgot. Um...Oopsy?

???: It would be a bit ridiculous to go off on the mission just to come back, especially considering how precarious it is.

Tara: Oh, yeah. Guess I should have known Sorry. Usually N distracts me a bit when I get nervous til I calm down, but…..Uh….speaking of N, have you seen her?

???: briefly. She should be attending graduation as well.

Tara: That’s good. She told me a while ago she was looking forwards to getting that degree She worked her butt off for it, after all. I hope she’ll speak to me a bit there. I missed her, you know?

???: perhaps. Though if you do, try to keep it light, She probably doesn’t want to contemplate your potential death.

Tara: Yeah yeah, I know. I’m not likely to talk about that on graduation anyway. It’s supposed to be a celebration after all. Uh….anyway, I have a little bit more prep to do for both graduation and the mission. Oh, question though, will you be there? You do seem to like showing up in places people don’t expect.

???: Ah, but if I tell you, you’ll expect me. *laughs slightly* We’ll see. I have something to take care of first. If I’m done on time, then there’s a chance. Anyway, you take care of yourself til then. Your teammates will be disappointed if you overwork yourself before you go. They started to like you after all, and it’ll take too long to break in a new Agent.

Tara: Har har. Get going, hairball.

???: *Chuckles* Sure sure. Laters, T.

[END]