Once you decide to do right, life is easy – no distractions.
27 Jun 2011 1 Comment
in Agency Business, Mini-story, Team Alpha, Team Gamma Tags: Chris, Ezra
“Why can’t things be just a bit easier?” Chris groused. When Ezra bit off a laugh, he looked up at his companion with a frown. “Something funny about that, Ezra?”
Shrugging, Ezra said, “I just… I realize these assignments aren’t simple. Nothing is ever quite so straightforward as it seems.” He looked thoughtful. “When I was with the Organization – the Underground, if you prefer – I always had to be careful what I said. Would I be caught in a lie? Would someone realize that I was forging artwork? Would I say or do something that would displease my superiors?”
“Yeah,” Chris said, blinking. He nodded. “What’s the point?”
“I just find things a great deal easier – far less worrisome – now that I’m out of that group,” Ezra said. He shrugged. “The only thing I have to ask myself now is, is this the right thing to do?”
A faint smile touched Chris’s lips. He chuckled softly. “That kind of thinking does rather cut through the complexities of life, does it?” he said. Maybe he was so used to working in the system that he was making things harder than they needed to be.
Only purity can’t be seen.
26 Jun 2011 Leave a Comment
in Agency Business, Mini-story, Team Alpha, Team Gamma Tags: Devin, Ezra
Ezra looked at the water and frowned slightly. It seemed to flow, clear and bright, from the rocks. However, he knew that sometimes water might look perfectly fine and safe, while making you terribly ill. That was true of many things, but it was especially true of water.
He looked over at Devin and frowned. “Is it safe, do you think?” he asked.
Devin stooped beside the stream and lifted a bit of the water in the palm of his hand. He smelled it and then flicked the water away. Shaking his head, he straightened. “Salty,” he said. “We’ll try looking further inland.
As he turned and walked along the bank in an upstream direction, Ezra sighed. He looked out at the sea. They were just a kilometer from the beach. Hopefully, the water would be fresh closer to its source. He spun away and hurried after Devin. He didn’t want to be alone, as well as lost.
Where there’s friendship, but no friends
25 Jun 2011 Leave a Comment
in Agency Business, Mini-story Tags: Haruko, Keenan, Matthew
Keenan looked around at the directors. They all seemed friendly enough, with the exception of Haruko. The problem – if you could call it that – was that he couldn’t see them as anything other than his superiors. They weren’t his superiors anymore, but they had been for so long.
He sighed and shook the thoughts away. He missed working with Bertram. Things had been so much easier when he’d first become an agent. Now, he was the High Commander. Everyone looked to him to lead them.
“Shall we begin?” Keenan said, glancing around at the assembled group. There were scattered nods and Keenan opened his folder. There was work to be done. He could worry about making friends another time.
Waiting In Darkness, Part 5
22 Jun 2011 Leave a Comment
in Agency Business, Mini-story, National Museum, Team Alpha Tags: Chris, Connor, Gregory-M, Hollis, Jewel
When they arrived on the scene, they could see that a group of monsters that numbered somewhere near a couple dozen had Chris and Jewel surrounded. Chris was holding them at bay with a shield, but Connor knew there was only so long he could keep that up.
Waiting In Darkness, Part 4
21 Jun 2011 Leave a Comment
in Agency Business, Mini-story, National Museum, Team Alpha Tags: Connor, Gregory-M, Hollis
“Each team has a mage of some sort,” Gregory said, his voice soft. He glanced back at Connor and frowned. “Our team has two. Would that just be chance?”
“Not likely,” Connor said, shaking his head. He sighed and leaned back against the wall of the alley they were hiding in at the moment. Giving Gregory a smirk, he said, “Chris is rather protective of me. He worked with my brother a couple years ago and, being twins, expects that we’re rather alike.”
Waiting In Darkness, Part 3
20 Jun 2011 Leave a Comment
in Agency Business, Mini-story, National Museum, Team Alpha Tags: Chris, Connor, Gregory-M, Harmony, Hollis, Jewel, Llewellyn
Connor breathed a sigh of relief when he pulled into the garage underneath the Agency tower. He parked his car in its usual space and got out. He locked the vehicle up, all while chewing on his lip nervously. What was going on? Some sort of spell, Chris had said, and he’d mentioned attacks.
Suppressing a shiver, Connor head towards the elevator that would bring him up to the floor where he worked. Hopefully, Chris could explain it to him when he got there. He walked briskly, with his head down, focusing on the task of getting to the elevator.
Waiting In Darkness, Part 2
19 Jun 2011 Leave a Comment
in Agency Business, Mini-story, National Museum, Team Alpha Tags: Chris, Connor, Gregory-M
When Connor stepped outside, the city was as dark as night. His brows furrowed and he looked at his watch. It was only twenty minutes to eleven. “Why is it so dark?” he murmured.
Shaking his head, Connor started down the street towards the lot where he’d parked earlier that morning. His frown deepened when he noticed that the attendant wasn’t in the booth. He knew the lot wasn’t attended at night, but it was the middle of the day – in spite of how dark it was.
Waiting In Darkness, Part 1
18 Jun 2011 Leave a Comment
in Agency Business, Mini-story, National Museum, Team Alpha Tags: Connor
Connor watched with wide eyes as the title page scrolled onto the screen. “A Woman Scorned,” it read, in typeface that looked like it dripped blood. Then, there were images of a wedding photograph, which panned out to show the couple arguing.
As the woman threw a vase at the man, a voice said, “After seven years of marriage it had become a love-hate relationship.” The man fled the scene with the slamming of a door.
The lucky one?
09 Jun 2011 Leave a Comment
in Agency Business, Mini-story Tags: Keenan
Keenan frowned slightly as he looked through the window at the person in the bed. What was he supposed to say to this woman? She was lucky to be alive. It was something that she’d probably been told over and over since she woke up.
However, as Keenan looked at her, he put himself in her place. The other members of her team had all been killed in the attack that left her in this state. The healers were saying she’d never walk again. He wouldn’t feel very lucky, if he were in her place. He’d be wondering if his team hadn’t been luckier. There would also be the guilt she’d be feeling because she was alive.
What could he say? He’d just have to say what he thought he’d like to hear if he was in her position. Straightening, Keenan stepped to the door. He took a steadying breath and then stepped inside. “Hello,” he said, when she met his gaze. He tilted his head to one side. “May I have a seat?”
“Yes, you highness,” she said, her voice faint.
Synchronicity
27 May 2011 Leave a Comment
in Agency Business, Mini-story, Tale of the Past, Team Alpha Tags: Bertram, Keenan
“Hmm,” Keenan said, blinking.
Bertram eyed him warily. It was never good when Keenan got that expression. That expression generally led to mischief, which would invariably get them both in trouble. “Hmm, what?” Bertram ask, his tone wary.
Keenan gave him a sly grin and shook his head. “Nothing,” he said, “just thinking what a coincidence it is that this place is looking for an entertainer and I happen to know one.”
Sighing, Bertram bit his lip. He wasn’t about to tell Keenan that he wasn’t that sort of entertainer. After all, the place was a den of thieves and miscreants. It was perfectly suited to their purposes. “I’m sending you my dry cleaning bill,” he said.
“Wouldn’t expect anything less,” Keenan said, shrugging.
Bertram could feel Keenan grinning like the imp he was as he headed into the tavern. This was one of those times when he both loved and hated his partner.
