I tried to remember all the things happened four hours ago. I know I wasn’t dreaming nor hallucinating. And I wasn’t stupid to forget all of it. I finally encountered her. And unfortunately, I wasn’t able to drag her going to our agency and lock her up there.

    “So you’re saying that you saw her already?” Sir Nicholas asked me. A glimpse of excitement and anticipation crosses on his eyes. I am on his office today and reporting every progress I did, if that’s really a progress. I need to tell him every detail of what I did during the days that I was not around the agency.

    I straighten my back while sitting in front of him and nodded my head.

    “Did you see her face?” he asked me again like he wasn’t convinced at all. I finally admitted that I lost my chance to see her last night, but at least I found something about her, like her physique for example. But I won’t tell him that.

    “Not totally Sir” I answered boringly. I’m exhausted but I still need to report to him. Afterall, he is still my boss.

    “What do you mean?” he asked and sigh before he took a quick glance on his wristwatch “Make it quick Snow. I have some important things to do”

    “I told you Sir, I saw her” I replied “I went to a drag racing competition last night. There’s no useful thing that I found, except from the fact that she’s a good racer and a fighter”

    “I already knew about that, Snow. What else?” he asked more attentive now.

    He’s really expecting something strange or good news from me especially now that I personally went here to see him without his order. I mentally smirk and stood up from my seat “That’s all I can give you, Sir.”

    He narrowed his eyes and look at me suspiciously “Are you sure that’s all you want to say? How about you tell me what she looks like?”

    I pursed my lips “I am sure that you already knew what she looks like Sir. You don’t have to ask me anymore”

    He shook his head in disbelief “I want a more detailed report from you, Snow. And I want a real progress this time. What you’ve found out is not enough to suffice the days you’re not here in agency! You’re not even digging deeper. Work harder and train yourself more. Don’t slack off around. You are an agent. You are supposed to do well on finding someone. And I’m hundred percent sure she’s the one who did that” he pointed the wound on my forehead after his earful scold.

    Actually, not only that Sir. She also stabbed me and amend it afterwards. She’s unpredictable, inside and outside the race track. She seems cold and very mysterious just like a typical killer. She don’t talk too much or perhaps she really doesn’t know how to talk. She knew I was there because of her. If not, she wouldn’t attacked me like what she did last night. And I’m guessing that she knew you would try to kill her through an agent like me.

    “Yes Sir” I answered despite of my eagerness to bark at him. It’s not a good timing to get suspended.

    “You may leave now” he said sounding uninterested now so I immediately turned my back at him.

    I only made a few steps when I remembered something. I turn around and look at him again. He’s busy doing something on his cellphone. He’s frowning and typing unconsciously hard on the phone. He must be enrage at the thought that he didn’t get what he want from me.

    “I almost forgot that I need an order from you, Sir. Can you make an order for Edward Hemingway from Advance Technologies Team that I will use his car for yesterday’s mission?”

    He didn’t bother to look at me. He just nodded his head before writing something on a paper and signed it. He handed it to me afterwards, still without looking so I quickly grab it from his hand before he change his mind.

    “Thanks, Sir”

    I stormed out on his office while holding a piece of paper that could save me from Edward’s anger. A literal life-saver and I hope it also shoulders the damages for Edward’s car. But I highly doubt that.

    I walk towards our training room. At this moment I have nowhere to go that’s why I decided to stay here. I still have no definite plan on how to get close with Evil. Besides, I’m not even sure where she is right now.

    My next move was unclear. No plans, no strategy and no idea at all. Even if I do have it right now, I don’t think my body can cooperate with me. Anytime it could betray me and lead me to a ghastlier state.

    I stop walking when I’m already in front of two big black door with a gold design engrave at the center and a name of the room above. I opened it forcefully and a small room appeared. It is painted in white with a touch of gray. Not even a single design could be seen in this little room. It’s just as plain as a hospital room or plainer than it is.

    I walk towards the left wall and stand in front of it.

    “Agent Snow from field team requesting to enter the training room” I said and fix my shirt.

    A tiny eye-scanner appeared in front and the voice from an artificial intelligence speaks.

    “Place your eye on the scanner.”

    I did what it asked me to do until it speaks again.

    “Welcome to the training room RS13-0715 Junior Ace Agent Snow, please step back a little.”

    Not too long, the wall began to break into two and a small space made up of pure steel is the only thing that can be seen. It’s our elevator. I enter and pressed the button number nine. It is a training room for physical combat. We have different room for different kind of trainings.

    The elevator opened so I went out and walk to the aisle. The room is like a capsule in shape. There’s an aisle in the center. The left wing and right wing are covered with clear fiber glasses from ceiling to floor, making the people inside visible from this aisle. In a much easier way to describe, it is the typical appearance of an ocean park where you can watch what’s happening inside the clear glasses from the aisle. The agents are being trained by a well-known masters and artists on their field of specialization. A trainer for karate, taekwondo, aikido, judo, jujitsu, hapkido, kung fu, boxing, wrestling and many more. Some of them were recruited to their homeland China, Japan and Korea. While the others just excelled in our country and that’s when our agency took a big part in pursuing them to be officially part of this organization.

    I look around and noticed that the number of agents increased. The last time I went here, maybe few months ago, the agents inside this room are only around twenty. Now, they doubled in number.

    I touch the fiber glass where the scanner is located and place my fingerprint over it before the door opened. I was greeted by a few agents and some are just looking at me. There are new faces inside and I honestly don’t like the stare they are giving me. Some are too obvious in observing me while the others are like X-ray machines scanning through my soul and looking forward for me to create mistakes and show weaknesses so they could swallow me and beat me in this training.

    I knew those looks very well. I wouldn’t be a junior ace field agent now if I didn’t experienced hell with my co-agents every training before.

    “What kind of circumstances had brought you here again, Agent Snow?”

    I looked in front and I saw a woman with her boxing shorts and a black sleeveless shirt waving her hand at me. Instead of answering her, I immediately punch her face which she automatically dodge when she ducked and was about to return a punch on my stomach if I hadn’t stopped it with my right hand. I kick her legs that causes her to stumble on the ground and jump over her shoulder going to her back before I strangled her with my arms.

    “Still fast but not the same impact as before” she said and tapped my arms so I released her.

    I fix my shirt and crosses my arms “That’s why I’m here Dahlia”

    She shook her head before putting her arms over my shoulder “Agents listen up!”

    Everybody look at us while waiting for her to say something. Even the two agents fighting on the ring had stopped just to listen to whatever this woman beside me will say.

    “I know some of you knew her already. But some are not. She is my friend, Agent Snow from field team”

    “What rank is she belong?” a boy who looks like a teenager asked. Probably a newbie. “She looks so weak”

    Dahlia stiffened after hearing what he said before she burst into laughter. I irritatingly smacked her head and elbowed her stomach.

    “Oh fuck, that hurts woman” she exclaimed while trying to suppress her laughter. She must be so happy hearing someone to talk at me like that, face to face and without even second thought.

    I frowned. I harshly remove her arms on my shoulder and walk on the center of the agents.

    “Rule number one in fighting, never underestimate an opponent” I said teaching them what do they need to know and stood straight in front of them “Rule number two…”

    I look at the newbie who insulted me and give him a full blow punch on his face without even a warning. I heard him cussed and stare at me angrily.

    “…never ever put down your defence” I continued and grab his collar.

    I stared at his eyes. And only seconds passed, I already saw the most dangerous thing you must not show to anyone—fear.

    “Enough with that Snow” Dahlia said and hold my arm.

    I glared at her.

    “In this agency, respect is a must. Teach him well Agent Flor. I don’t like his guts” I said to Dahlia and release my grip on his collar. “I’m leaving”

    Before I could walk away, she immediately pulled the hem of my shirt.

    “What?” I asked annoyed.

    “Where do you think you’re going? You’re not yet done with your training. Come on Snow, just show a little mercy to our newbies. You are much worse than him before—well until now. So can’t you be more patient and understanding to your own mankind?” she said sounding like my mother.

    I smirk “In your dreams Dahlia”

    She sigh “Stubborn”

    “Newbies and junior agents, it’s time to show me your skill. The person who can make this girl bleed will automatically receive a promotion” she announced while pointing her index finger to me. Wait… what? Come again?

    “Pardon?”

    She just look at me playfully “Your training starts now Snow. Don’t worry, I will be shouldering any damages in here later, so let the beast come out within you”

    What the fuck is she saying? It’s not really a good idea to greet this woman. She never changed. She loves seeing people fighting. Well, I understand that it is where she came from and where she was recruited but it doesn’t mean she’ll do the same thing here in agency.

    Dahlia or Agent Flor was recruited from an illegal underground battle. She needs money and fighting is the only way to fill her stomach. The agency gave her a chance to changed and to work for a good purpose. She really don’t have any choice back then. If she declined the offer, she will surely put behind the bars.

    I was snapped back to reality when someone hit me on my back.

    “Damn” I muttered and look at the person who hit me. A junior agent. She’s smirking while positioning herself like she dares me to fight back. Shit, I’m still tired. Goddamn it, Dahlia!

    I narrowed my eyes and immediately give her a kick on her face. She fell on the ground so I took the chance and punch her on her stomach. She cough many times and writhe down on the floor while holding her hurt stomach.

    I frowned and look up to other agents who are all ready to attack me. How many are they? Thirty? Forty? I don’t know, really. And they team up just to make me drop some blood. But never gonna happen!

    I hold the shoulder of the two agent who run towards me and twisted their arms, making sure that they broke their humerus. Someone tries to punch me on the face and someone tries to kick me on my ankle but I immediately jump and punch the fist coming to my face.

    I heard him groan in pain but I just ignored him and look at the others. In three hundred sixty degree I turned around. In all of my sides, there are agents. I look up and found a chain so I hold it, swing my body upward and kick all of the faces who were near me. After that, I punch them while dodging some of their attacks.

    “Damn” I cussed as I felt a stinging pain on my pelvic girdle particularly on my ilium. Someone swing a bat on my hips, that’s why. He was about to hit my head when I stop it with my hands and push him on his chest using my legs. I forcedly grab the chain and hit their faces.

    An agent was about to stab me if I didn’t caught her and tied her hand with the chain I’m holding before tying it on the table nearby. She cursed me but I ignored her. Words can’t kill me. So it’s out of my concerns in this moment. When I faced them again, I wasn’t able to dodge the punch of someone so I stumble on the ground but in return, I elbowed his knee and hit his femur repeatedly.

    “Hyaaa!” I heard someone yelled and I automatically duck when she also tries to slash my neck. Is this still training? I guess not anymore.

    I hold her wrist where her carpals lays and twist it. I grab the dagger on her hand and throws it. A young agent stiffened while standing and looking at me with shock expression. I hit his pants, not too far from his private part.

    I grimace when I saw his pants getting wet. He probably pee in shock.

    I look at ten people around this training room. Then I climbed up on the ring. They all run towards me so I jump again and run also towards them. I made sure to hit their hypodermis with the knife I found on the ring. A girl and a boy who are still looking young walk towards my direction with a fear on their faces. Before they could attack me, I immediately hit the girl’s neck and she fell on the ground, unconsciously. While I hit the boy’s back, not too harsh since I might break his thoracic curve.

    I punch all of them, twisting their ankles. Dislocating their humerus. Hitting some joints. Kicking their tibia and fibula. And breaking some of the agents’ phalanges on the hand.

    I was kneeling on the ground while panting and sweating hard. I stood up when I heard a clapping sound of hands.

    “I wonder who made you bleed” Dahlia said while pointing on my legs. I look at it and shrugged afterwards. No agents made me bleed. It was the wound I received when Eliza Lim stabbed me. Maybe because of pressure and too many movements I did while fighting so it bleed again.

    “I didn’t get it from them” I said coldly and took a sit on the table at the corner of this room. “You better call the medical team now”

    She snapped her fingers “Right. I almost forgot. Wait here, I’ll just call them”

    I nodded my head and lean my back on the wall. My body is screaming rest to me. I close my eyes and wipe the sweat dripping down on my forehead going to my cheeks. I was supposed to train myself today and not to fight with other agents. But Dahlia is Dahlia. Being the craziest person she is, gets me and the newbies in this situation.

    I opened my eyes and look at the agents. Some are lying on the floor unconsciously, some are sitting down on the ground holding and amending their injuries, and some are crying silently in pain.

    I shook my head mentally. How can they even surpassed the examination here if they are crybabies? Soon, I will be the one handling the examination of those who wants to be an agents. And I won’t let a single weak enter this organization.

    “I said train them! I never said to let them fight! How dare you disobey me again Agent Flor? I’ve been telling you this a million times!”

    My head turns on the door.

    “It’s a part of the training” Dahlia answered sounding like she doesn’t regret it nor she cares about what happened to the newbies.

    They are arguing while the medical team enter the room and assists those who badly needed a first aid.

    “And you, Agent Snow, we will talk in my office” she said and gazed up on me angrily. It’s Hana Moore, one of the boss of the Grim Reaper team. She’s very strict with the rules of organization. And she’s often loud when she’s mad. The only good thing I like about her is being great in fighting and when conceptualizing a plan before missions. But these past few years, she focused her full attention in training the newbies to become junior agents. She was very good at it—and very cruel I must add.

    “Why? She was on her training too” Dahlia rebutted and raises her brows.

    “I don’t need your opinion, Agent Flor! You’re very stubborn!”  Ma’am Hana shouted. Even the medical team stopped when they heard her loud voice “Don’t mind me and continue what you are all doing”

    “Experience is better than any training. Let them experience an actual battle here. How can they catch a criminal if they are all weak inside and outside this headquarters? While they are still young, we need to develop their skills. Unless you want them dead in the battlefield” Dahlia explained with a little pissed on her tone.

    I smirk mentally. Very well said Dahlia.

    “So you’re killing them right now?” Ma’am Hana asked sarcastically and diverted her eyes on me “And I can’t believe you Agent Snow. You almost killed them”

    But I didn’t.

    “They attacked me first” I said defending myself if ever there will be any suspensions from my side “As usual, I fought back”

    She shook her head unbelievably “That’s not what I want to hear from you. Don’t give me reasons. You know the rules, don’t you?”

     “Which happens to be your rules only, Ma’am. And it wasn’t applicable to me. I’m not a trainer nor a trainee of your team” I said with emphasis to a single word and hid my smirk. I even saw Dahlia smiled and winked at me.

    She eyed me with disbelief in her eyes. While I remain poker face.

    “Y-You—”

    ‘Paging Agent Snow, please proceed to my dad’s office. I repeat, come here Snow. I need to tell you something. Faster!’

    Fuck. Is that Helen?

    “What the hell was that? Is that Gabriel’s daughter? How dare she announce something like that? That was unprofessional! She’s seriously stubborn like her friend here!” Ma’am Hana shouted.

    “You can go now Snow. I think it’s an important matter” Dahlia said and gesture me to leave.

    I nodded my head and stood up from sitting.

    “No. I will talk to you first, Agent Snow” Ma’am Hana insisted.

    “I’ll take care of this. Go now” Dahlia said while looking intently to Ma’am Hana.

    I shook my head before I passed them. They are still in deep staring contest. And I don’t feel like watching it.

    I walk towards the door and went back in front of Sir Nicholas’ office before I took the elevator going to Uncle Gab’s office.

    “Finally! I’ve been waiting for you Snow. What took you so long?” she asked as soon as I open the door. I scratch my eyebrow and sit on the nearest couch. She’s standing in front of me while her hands are on her hips.

    “What is it Helen?”

    “We are assigned to a new mission today” she said and handed me the folder. Maybe I’m too exhausted to get it so she slammed it on my lap. Tsk, what a sadist. “We will raid a building not too far from here. It was under my investigation before and now that I found a big piece of evidence, they approved my suggestion to raid it and catch the drug lords in action.”

    I opened the folder and all the details were written there, including their schedule of drug dealing, the place and the people behind it. I can also see the evidences she was pertaining too. A big ship loaded with drugs that are billion dollars worth of money.

    I look at her and place the folder on top of the table.

    “Seriously? I know you can handle this alone” I answered and snickered. She’s been doing her mission alone, for years. And we both know that we aren’t good at team missions. She doesn’t know how to listen, while I recklessly finish my mission depending on my instincts. I don’t think it’s a good team up for us.

    “Well, I personally asked them to involve you with this matter.”

    I raised my eyebrow and crosses my arms “And why? You are not the kind of person that will be asking some help from others”

    Once again, she throw the folder, not in my lap but on my face instead. But I just harshly remove it and throw it back to her.

    “Stop it Berry!” she whined and took the seat in front of me “Stop teasing me. This is serious, you little psycho! I’m not yet sure about this and I don’t have a solid proof but I think they are also smuggling explosives.”

    I automatically straightened my back after hearing the word ‘smuggling’.

    “Continue” I demanded.

    “I already put cameras everywhere on the building, including inside their boss’ office.  And that’s where I found out about their dealing’s schedule. It just happen that I’m on the area when I heard some of his men talking about the shipments they are waiting. One of the shipment will happen in Sunshine Bay while the other one is in Blue whale’s ocean.” she explained and put some pictures on the table “I already confirmed that the ship from Sunshine Bay are loaded with drugs, while the ship from Blue whale’s ocean are loaded with unidentified objects. I already talked with my connection to the Bureau of Custom and he said there wasn’t any confirmed shipments in Blue whale’s ocean.”

    “When it will happen?”

    “The ship loaded with drugs will arrive at Sunshine Bay two days from now. While the other one is four days from now”

    “Alright. We need to plan right now” I said and motion her to get closer. “We might—”

    “SNOW!”

    “Holy shit!” I muttered and hold my chest “What the heck Edward? Don’t you know how to knock?”

    “Is that even important than explaining what you did to my new baby?” he asked in a very loud voice.

    “New baby?” I asked confused.

    “My new sports car!” he answered and gazed up at me furiously.

    Automatically, all the memories from the drag racing came back to my mind.

    “Oh, I badly needed it. You got the order right?” I asked innocently and stood up from my seat.

    “May I remind you Snow that you are still a Junior Ace Agent? You can’t give orders yet. You are not a boss and you can’t just use my babies without telling me. You even use grandma for this!” he shouted again. He’s fuming mad right now, I can see it. His face is a bit reddish and his adam’s apple keeps on moving. He even balled his fist while looking at me angrily.

    “Wait… What is he saying Snow?” Helen asked while confusedly eyeing us both.

    I handed the piece of paper signed by Sir Nicholas. And that made him stop immediately. He’s whining like a child who’s having tantrums and I don’t like it.

    “Relax! I’m taking responsibility for it, understand?” I said and handed him my credit card “My money will surely hit bottom after this day”

    “I was right. You’ll be paying me for that” he said while smirking so I smacked his head, gaining a loud groan from him. All his anger were gone the moment I gave him the order from Sir Nicholas. It’s just a bonus on his part that I will be shouldering the damage on his latest car.

    “Anyway, you seem so busy now so I go ahead and enjoy your money” he teased and waved his hand holding my card. “Thanks for this, Snow”

    Before he walked out from this room, I was able to throw the pencil over his head. Silly, Edward. But I mentally laugh. He is really getting on my nerves yet he’s my friend so I just can’t kill him. Lucky him.

    “What was that?” Helen asked while raising her eyebrow at me. And I don’t like that look in her eyes. Damn, Edward’s definitely not my type, ever.

    I shook my head “Nothing. Just a kid playing games on me. Anyway, let’s go back to our planning.”