Chapter Thirteen

Agent Uilter had never planned on falling in love. When he was back at M.A.S.K. headquarters, most of the female populous were iron-hearted, calloused, and devoid of any sort of affection. Sure, he'd had a few interests, like Agent Vrelmer and Agent Anston, but he later found out that those two had pretty faces rather than intelligence.

So when Dristix showed up to give him a tour of B.L.A.D.E. HQ, his heart skipped a beat for the first time. He never considered himself a shallow man, but in that moment, he realized just how empty he had been for the past twenty-two years of his life. His heart, his live, red, beating organ that controlled his emotions, when that cried out for the attractive woman in red before him, he decided to listen.

Ruby red. He thought as he scrambled to keep up with her confident stride. They were walking away from Chief's office. What a treasure.

"So..." Uilter started rather awkwardly. "Ho.. How long have you been an agent here?"

"Twelve years." She glanced back at him. "At ten years old, I was found by Chief herself, just laying across a disregarded piece of cardboard in an alleyway."

He had finally caught up, and he spent a lot of consciousness trying to match their footsteps. "Oh wow."

"Though," She slowed her walking and came to a stop at the elevator. Agent Dristix pressed the button with an elegant perfectly-filed finger. "I don't know if it's a good sign that you came here on my thirteenth."

Uilter took a moment to process that she had stopped walking. He nearly walked straight into the elevator doors. A metaphorical spinning circle indicated that his brain was loading.

It took him a minute to formulate a response. "Oh, please. I won't be any sort of bad luck to you."

Dristix raised an eyebrow. "Oh, really?" She teased, tapping his arm once. "And you're the one coming fresh outta M.A.S.K. You actually expect me to believe that out of the two of us, you're the one that won't bring terror and terrible things?" With each word that she leaned on, the more she teased, and the closer she got to Uilter's face.

He was heating up. She is so close. WHY IS SHE SO CL– Before he could come up with anything, she had already backed up and sauntered into the elevator. She did all of this with a smirk that said, I got you good, didn't I, boy?

Uilter mentally agreed. She had gotten him.

Time for a ride in the Elevator of Embarrassing Torture.

A few minutes ticked on. The silence became unbearable.

Agent Uilter was scrambling to find a question to ask. His eyes darted around, anywhere but her. What's your favorite animal?

He was about to ask, but she spoke first, saving him from future embarrassment. "How do you say your name? I know Chief said it earlier, but I wanted to ask you personally."

"O.. Oh. Um." He cleared his throat, swallowing his cringey question. "Like the beginning of "utilities," but with an er at the end." Uilter stopped and thought for a moment. "Actually, more like the ending of "mule.""

"Ah." The elevator doors opened, and what looked like the inner workings of a bank vault slowly undid themselves. The huge metal door opened, revealing a small room and a false wall. Two guards in formal suits stood watch. "I see."

"So think mule-ter, but without the m." The more words he spoke, the more embarrassed he became. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

"Gotcha." Dristix nodded curtly at the two men. "Guards."

"Agent Dristix." They nodded back. The one on the right spoke to her directly. "New agent?"

She nodded. "Yessir. His name is Uilter."

"Pleasure to meet you." The guard stood straight ahead, barely acknowledging him other than that phrase. "My name is Agent Epstrait, and this is Agent Yewbler. It is safer to know our names, and it would be best to say our names so that you know the cycle of guards, and so you seem less suspicious."

"Okay. Thank you, Agent Epstrait. Agent Yewbler." He nodded, and followed after Dristix, who already had their exit ready. The wall before them was now outlined in the shape of a door, and Dristix lifted a hand to push it open.

"Thank you boys, bye."

The two walked out towards the city, with Uilter closely behind Dristix. When they reached the end of the passageway, she placed a hand on the marked metal sheet. She turned to smirk at him. "Ready for a night you'll never forget?"

He smiled with a little more confidence. The longer he was in her presence, the more of her he was able to take in. The way she spoke, the way she held her stride. He could see himself being near her for great lengths of time.

Uilter looked up at her face. "We're.. not taking a tour of HQ, are we?"

Her smirk grew more mischievous. "You're in for a treat."

Dristix gently moved the sheet, as to not alarm anyone. Uilter assumed by this that she didn't know that the location of B.L.A.D.E. had already been compromised. I'll tell her later. He thought. After our night of fun. I don't want anything to ruin this.

"We only have a few hours until the sun rises." Dristix explained, carefully putting the sheet back. "So let's make the most of it."

She grabbed his hand and ran out into the street, expertly dodging the alleyway debris. "You won't believe what's in my garage." Dristix shouted back to him as they ran.

Uilter could barely process the sentence. One thought was repeating in his mind, over and over again. She's holding my hand. She's holding my hand. SHE'S HOLDING MY HAND. Wind whipped around the two as the girl in ruby red pulled him along. His eyes widened as his brain caught up to him. Did she say "in my garage"?

A couple blocks later, they arrived at a hunched gray building with a spray-painted garage door. Graffiti art painted a rough design of a ruby. A street light illuminated the scene like a spotlight from heaven.

"Ready?" She turned to him.

"Yeah." Uilter nodded, slightly out of breath. She was the second B.L.A.D.E. girl to catch his eye, and make him run in the streets of Kistra. Hopefully he had more of a chance with this one.

Dristix flicked a switch on the side of the building, and the garage door slowly began to lift. The sections bent, and Uilter finally got to see what was inside.

A motorcycle, shining ruby red in the lights of the street, stood like a warrior ready for war. Its gleaming metal highlights stood out among the machinery, but the vibrant red stuck out the most. It was like a banner of gemstone flame, a beacon letting the world know that this bike belonged to Agent Dristix of B.L.A.D.E. And it was ready to set fire to the streets.

If that declaration wasn't enough, there were several sketched rubies on its sides, as well as a crystal cap over its singular headlight, designed to make its beam ruby red. The matching helmet, which was hanging half-hazardly off of the handlebars, had a single ruby on its front.

Dristix stood next to him, leaning on one side with her hip out. "She's a beauty, ain't she?"

Uilter tore his eyes away from the glorious piece of machinery to look at the girl he was slowly falling for. "Yeah," His eyes went soft. "She is."

Dristix continued to admire her bike until she felt eyes on her. She turned her head to find Uilter's gaze directly on her.

"Ah." She smirked in his face. "I see."

Dristix walked away from Uilter's gaping face, leaving the man speechless. She used that confident stride of hers and grabbed her helmet, putting it over her long, wavy black hair. Then she walked over to a side bench, where a plain white helmet sat. Dristix picked it up and threw it to him. "Catch."

Some spirit of perfection took hold of Uilter as he expertly caught the helmet with the confidence of a professional basketball player. His eyes widened, he was shocked that he could catch like that. "Thanks."

She pulled her keys out of her jacket pocket, stuck them in the ignition, and started the bike with a quick flick of the wrist. The engine sparked, then rumbled to life with the violence of lightning. The deafening sound of the motorcycle was enough to make Uilter take a step back.

"Woah." Uilter breathed. But his word went unheard with the roar of the engine.

"Hop on!" Dristix yelled with the wildest smile.

He jumped on the seat behind her, barely having time to be awkward about grabbing her waist. They sped out onto the street, grinding the asphalt so hard Uilter saw tire tracks trailing behind them. The road was already blackened heavily by Dristix's bike, so the marks weren't anything new.

The garage door closed behind them, and the pair was off. Uilter was scrambling to see the road right in front of them, but Dristix had the look of a girl who knew what she was doing.

The deafening sound of the engine made it hard to talk, so Uilter had to scream to be heard. "This isn't HQ!"

Her laugh was like wildfire. "No, New Boy."

"This is Kistra."

His laugh was drowned in the noise as they flew down the street. They ignored traffic laws, they broke speed limits, they ripped up the streets. The two were a danger to all night-going Kistrians. They got yelled at several times, got cussed at, got honked at, but none of that was important.

They were having the time of their lives.

Later in the evening, one hour from dawn, the duo finally put an end to their late-night adventures. Dristix slowed the bike down to the speed limit, turned off of the main road, and continued to lose speed. Several blocks later, she brought it down to a reasonable speed, finally stopping in front of a pub-looking place. With a closer look, Uilter realized what it was.

Dristix casually hopped off her smoking motorcycle, kicking the kickstand out. Uilter took a little longer to stand. He was shaken to the bone, but he enjoyed every minute of it. He unbuckled his helmet and stood next to the bike. At this point, Uilter's hair was out of the question, whereas Dristix's just looked a little windblown. Her helmet was off and swinging gently from the bike's handlebars.

"Ready, Messy Hair?" She smirked and looked at him for a moment.

"What?" Uilter grew self-conscious, reaching towards his head with his hand. "Is it really that bad?"

Dristix gave a little laugh. "No." She reached up and tousled his disheveled hair. "Now it is."

At her touch, Uilter froze. I've been blessed by her perfect hands.

"Dang, boy, aren't you falling? I had you frozen like a deer in headlights." Her aura of confidence overwhelmed Uilter when she took steps towards him.

Now she can read minds. Uilter thought. What am I gonna do?

"Let's go," She winked and whipped around, her hair swinging. "Before the cops catch us for breaking every street law."

Uilter regained his composure and trailed after her, his lovesick gaze never leaving her retreating back. He had just enough mental capacity to come up with a response. "You know Kistrian cops don't care. Enough people do it."

"I know. I never cared for the rules anyways."

Uilter had to force his legs to move faster, trying to keep up with her. Dristix glanced at him as they made their way over to the building in front of them.

It's not a pub, it's not a bar, Uilter thought. It's a hidden M.A.S.K. base.

He'd been to several of the hidden locations throughout Kistra. The white agency thought it a good idea to have multiple places for M.A.S.K. members to trade goods, whisper secrets, and base missions. This was one of the many in Kistra, one that Uilter hadn't been to before.

"Why are we here?" He tried not to sound annoyed. "I just joined B.L.A.D.E. I don't want anything to do with M.A.S.K."

"Oh, this is just a little recon mission. I've gotten word from the street that someone here plans on murdering a B.L.A.D.E. agent tonight, and I'm here to find out who. I brought you along because you need to see the full extent of being a member of the black agency."

But murder? What's going on? A million thoughts were running through Uilter's head. I don't want to be here.

They stopped in front of the doors. There was a sense of uneasiness coming off of the building, like even the cement knew it shouldn't be housing this. Something wasn't right.

Why did she take me here? Uilter's mind repeated the question.

"Here's the plan: I'm going to take you in, pretending I'm a M.A.S.K. agent. I'll tell them that you're a new recruit. I'll say that we don't have our uniforms because we were just stopping by from a spy mission or something. Okay?" She met his eyes, then narrowed hers.

"Tell you what New Boy, if you're uneasy, just follow my lead. We're just scoping for information. Nothing you can't handle." Dristix looked over at Uilter's pale face. She seemed to sense his thoughts.

Before Uilter could even think, her ruby red lips were on his cheek. She pulled away and opened the door, smirking the whole time. "We'll be fine. Don't worry about a thing."

He swayed, lovestruck once again, and managed to direct his feet into the low-lying building. Dristix smiled an odd smile and went in after him.

The inside was lit with low-luminosity white lights which shone in beams across the room. There was a bar on one side, with dozens of tables dotted throughout the space. A couple of M.A.S.K. agents were scattered among the tables, some seated, most standing. Two of them had on their white masks, but the rest didn't. Three of the members had on M.A.S.K. standard uniforms, the white outfitting of working agents. The rest of the seated people looked like normal night-dwelling Kistrians, with average t-shirts and pants. The place had an overwhelming sense of unsettledness, an odd evil overlay that told Uilter that he really shouldn't be here.

All of the M.A.S.K. members turned their heads to look at the newcomers. "Hey guys. I'm just giving our new recruit here a little tour of one of our bases."

Two nodded back and went back to their conversation. The other agents' eyes lingered on Uilter, who was beginning to get hot with most of the attention on him.

"Play it cool, newbie." Dristix whispered to him out of the side of her mouth. She stuck her hands in her jacket pockets. "We'll be fine."

With alarm, Uilter noticed a few agents in the back who he hadn't noticed before. Why do they look like B.L.A.D.E. agents? They have colors and everything.

Dristix pulled him along, and the two made their way over to the bar. The girl in ruby red patted the seat next to her, and Uilter sat, glancing quickly between all of the people around him. He was getting a troubled stomach.

"You look like you need something to ease your queasiness." Dristix nudged him with her elbow. "Sir, do you think you could help him out?"

"Of course." The man wore a plain white t-shirt hemmed in thick thread, and the signature M.A.S.K. logo was on the front pocket.

"Add a little," Dristix held up her hand, with her thumb and index finger about an inch apart. "more, would you? On his. And I'll have one as well."

"Certainly, miss." The man turned around to make two drinks.

"So." Dristix leaned over to talk to Uilter more discreetly. "I found our targets. The two men to our left. Do you see them?"

Uilter's hands were shaking, his forehead was sweating. This was looking worse and worse. He could barely think straight. And that was before he'd gotten a drink.

It took him a moment to respond. "Y.. Yes."

Dristix smiled that odd smile again. This time, she was watching the bartender's hands. "Perfect. We're going to listen very carefully. Try and make out what they're saying."

"Oh.." Uilter rapidly moved his eyes. "Okay."

"Here's your drinks." The man in the white logoed polo stated flatly. But there was something in his voice, a little sliver of knowledge.

Uilter didn't have the brain capacity to try and figure out what it was. He was consumed with the thought of being surrounded by the people he tried to leave, only to be brought back here at the mercy of a ruby-lined beauty queen. He was getting shifty, and his stomachache wasn't getting any better.

"Drink up, New Boy. This will keep you alert while we listen for information." Dristix whispered to Uilter. He shakily nodded and wrapped his sweating palms around the glass. Uilter brought the drink to his lips and took a couple sips.

"Good, good, keep drinking until you feel better." Dristix nodded with every gulp. "Thank you, bartender."

"It was no trouble at all."

Uilter, however, was having a lot of trouble. He could barely see, his vision was getting distorted. The straight lines of the bar were multiplying, and the temperature of the room seemed to infinitely rise. He felt like the walls were closing in on him.

"Did you hear that?" Dristix asked in a low tone. "I just found out who it is, and who the killer is."

"Who.. is it?" Uilter's head swayed as his words slurred together.

"I have to tell you outside. We don't want enemy ears hearing." Dristix pulled him off of the seat at the bar. "I don't want M.A.S.K. to find out that we know."

He latched onto her arm for dear life. His vision was failing him, and it seemed that nothing would stay straight. He had to focus on an anchor point while he still had consciousness.

She led him to the back door, which she promptly opened. Fresh air filled Uilter's lungs as he finally got a chance to think straight. Drisix pressed an arm against him, leaning close to his face. She spoke a single sentence.

"You have two choices: rejoin M.A.S.K. or die."

A million things ran through Uilter's mind in that moment. She's a spy. She's working for M.A.S.K. She's probably a killer. I fell for a murderer. How did this happen? I was so careful. How do I escape? How do I survive this?

But one thought rang through, clear as day: I made my decision. I need to be loyal to the better agency, while I can still think. I want this to be my last.. act.. Uilter's mind was failing him.

"I'd.." Her arm pressed against his neck, the silver pieces of her jacket dug into his skin. He was fighting for breath. Uilter gasped out his final sentence. "I'd.. rather.. die."

She nodded in understanding. Dristix leaned in close to his ear. "The B.L.A.D.E. agent that was going to die tonight..."

She reached into one of her many jacket pockets, and a gleam of metal caught in Uilter's closing vision. Her poisonous voice whispered into his ear, for the final time.

"He was you."

Then the deed was done. Dristix let him drop, and his dying body fell to the ground. Uilter slumped into a bleeding mess of a human, and his eyes went out. His life was falling out of him in scarlet waves, and he couldn't move. All he could do was watch Dristix walk away into the night.

As his life source hit the pavement in heavy streams, Uilter thought of one final declaration:

I will not be buried with a mask. I am proud to die loyal to the black side.

And then the world descended into darkness, the clicking of Dristix's heeled boots ringing through the night.

"I don't understand." I said to Dix as I walked down the hallway. We were back from the meeting on level 5, and automatically we both started for my dorm. Sy got lost in the sea of agents, and she texted me that she'll get back to our dorm as soon as she can. "Chief knows that there are M.A.S.K. agents in HQ, and she knows that they just heard her entire plan!"

I was getting frustrated. Chief knows that M.A.S.K. is in B.L.A.D.E. headquarters. Chief knows the risks! Why did she proclaim our strategy to both sides?!

"Hey, hey," Dixter put an arm around me. "It'll be fine. I'm sure she has a plan."

"That's the thing, Dix." I stopped walking and faced him. Braz leaned down a little and looked me in the eyes with concern. "What if she doesn't have a plan? What if that was it? What if, the entire time, Chief just forgot that M.A.S.K. can hear her? What if B.L.A.D.E.'s only shot of winning just got thrown out the window? What if–?"

"Relax." He said to me in a soothing tone. At that word, I released the tension in my shoulders. His words stopped my almost-frantic movements. "I promise, even if Chief just got the entire agency screwed, at least we still have a fighting chance. M.A.S.K. can't communicate directly with their president, otherwise their identities would be known to us. We have systems to detect their comms."

"We don't know for sure," I replied with a shaky breath. I gently stepped out of his hold, my back facing him. I spoke in a quiet voice, one that was losing hope. "What if we lose?"

"We won't lose." Suddenly, he was at my side again. His voice was confident and strong, and he was persuasive when he wanted to be. "We'll go to war, using that strategy or not, and we'll win."

I looked up at his determined face. I gave him a meaningful look. "But how can you know?"

"Because I believe in the black agency," Braz stated simply. "We know that the odds are slim, but we have such a passion for keeping our freedom and staying alive. We have a community, a reason to fight. We have ancestry to prove that we are more than a group of orphans. We have color."

He took my hand in his. "And we have this." He kissed the back of my hand.

I gave a little laugh, my frustration dissolving. "Love?"

"No." He looked me in the eyes again. "We have soulmates' love."

"Party's over, lovebirds." Sytra's obnoxiously loud voice interrupted us.

Dixter cursed under his breath. I closed my eyes and turned my head in silent annoyance. Sy. Any other time.

We took steps back. Why can't we have this? I thought with a sense of disappointment. It's every time.

I took a deep breath to refocus my train of thought. "Alright." Dix gave me a pained expression, like I know. I didn't want it to end either.

I whipped my head around to look directly at Sytra. "Sy. Do you think Chief meant to tell both agencies about our war plan?"

She walked towards us and shook her head, her orange-streaked hair shaking with her. "No. I dunno what she's planning, but this is gonna jeopardize a lot."

I nodded. "Yes. It is. That's why I'm concerned for the war."

"Feckter." Sytra looked at me. "I know what your week has been like. How bout you just relax for a little bit? Maybe it would help if we went back to our dorm."

I sighed, my exhaustion taking over me. It was true. This week's activities were tiresome and overwhelming. It would do me some good to take a step back. "Okay.. You're right. Let's go."

Our trio made our way back to Sy and I's dorm, where we unlocked the door and stepped inside. I closed the door, and the three of us were standing in our living room.

I looked pointedly at Sy. "Could you.. maybe go wait in your room? He'll be gone in a sec."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "You betta be gone."

"I will be." Dixter smiled at her. "I promise. This is a respect thing."

She nodded. "You two relax."

"Thanks, Sy."

"Bye-bye, Feckter." With a smile, Sytra closed her bedroom door and left us alone for the first time in a while.

I looked at my soulmate with regret. "I'm sorry we don't have more time alone."

Dix brought a hand to the side of my face. "Don't apologize. It's not your fault."

"I know, but I still feel bad. I should be giving my boyfriend more time." I looked him in the eye. "It's just.. missions, planning for war, recruiting new agents, agency meetings, it's just a lot. And I really want to spend more time with our trio, I just–"

"Listen." The word silenced me. He tilted my head to look him in the eye. "You are just fine. It's okay if you have a little less free time, it's okay if you put work before us."

Braz narrowed his eyes, and spoke with sympathy and understanding. "Your burden is heavy. I can see it in your eyes and the way you walk. You're getting tired on every possible level. It's alright if you spend less time with us, if it means that your weight gets lifted a little more. If you accomplish things, like stopping the evil forces of Kistra and planning a war, and it relieves some of your stress, then it's worth it. I just want a little time with you every once in a while."

I smiled and wrapped my arms around him. "Thank you for understanding."

He froze for a split second, then swept me up and snuggled his face into my neck. His voice told me he was smiling. "Of course."

And we stood like that, just for a moment. Time shifted around us, and we didn't care. This feeling was irreplaceable.

Imagine that you were one complex, complicated half of a human, and then your soulmate casually strolls by and offers you the other half of yourself. That's what it felt like to be held by him, in that moment.

I slowly pulled away and whispered to him. "You always know what to say."

He smiled gently and spoke in low tones. "I can barely keep up with everything you're doing and how I can help you. But once I find it, I want to try my best to give it to you."

We took deep breaths at the same time, then finally broke apart. I shifted my eyes to the kitchen clock, then sagged in disappointment. It read 3:24am.

Don't you have somewhere to be at 4? A voice in my head asked.

Ah yes. Meeting up with Silvsley. Mental facepalm. You were so close to forgetting.

"Hey, Braz," I turned to him. "I told Silvsley that I'd meet up with him at the B.L.A.D.E. club at 4. I was going to tell him what his mission was, because I invited him to the one we're doing tomorrow. Remember?"

He nodded. "Yeah. He's coming with us to take care of the windswords. Are we going to tell him together?"

"That was my question. I gotta go in a few minutes to get there in time. Do you wanna come with me? You can meet him." I looked up at his face, searching for a reaction.

He seemed a little unhappy that I was even talking to other boys, let alone inviting them on missions. He was becoming easier to read. "Hm.. Sure. I get to spend more time with you."

I laughed a little, turning to get the door again. "Perfect. Do you wanna stop by your dorm for anything?"

"Nah, I'm good."

"Perfect." I opened the door and stepped into the hallway. "After you, monsieur."

"Ah, merci." He grinned, proud that he could speak a single French word.

"French, really?" I raised my eyebrows. "Your first word was impressive."

He gave a little laugh. "You're fluent, I wanted to try."

"It is the second-most spoken language in Kistra." Right after it was Spanish, followed by Polish. I wasn't sure what was after that.

Dixter looked at me as we walked to the elevator. "You know, you could teach me. All I know is English, and a little bit of Spanish. But you're fluent, and you're kinda stuck with me." He gave me a lopsided smile.

I grinned back at him. "Only if you're willing to learn."

"For you, anything." His black-gray eyes sparkled. He pressed the button to call the elevator.

"You're too sweet."

"You're too amazing."

I blushed lightly. I need to change topics. I can only do this for so long. Flirty Dix got on my nerves if he was there for too long. "Hey, so we might have a little time after we meet with him. I've been wanting to swing the city all day.. Would you want to take the long way back to HQ?"

Braz's mouth turned up at the idea of spending more of the evening with me. "Of course. Whatever it takes to spend the evening with you."

"Perfect." I looked on as the back of the bank vault doors undid themselves to let us pass.

I recognized the guards for this shift. "Agent Jeqlit. Agent Osetone. Good evening."

"Agent Feckter. Agent Dixter. Pleasure," Jeqlit gave us a slight nod. Osetone dipped her head to both of us.

"Thank you," Dixter nodded to each of them. And we were on our way.

One tunnel and metal sheet later, and we were gazing up at the buildings rising up around us on all sides. For the millionth time in my life, I wished I could see the stars.

Enough of the pity party. Get moving.

Dix and I pulled up our sleeves and fired simultaneously. Our jackets lifted up, and the pull lifted our feet off the ground. The air roared around us, then we could see the City of a Thousand Buildings in all its glory. Vast concrete rectangles made up multitudes of the tall structures, and the city swarmed with cars, lights, and night-goers.

We stood there, just admiring the city and its numerous sights and sounds. The lights from every building, in such a variety of colors. The sounds of the cars and the shouts of people, the occasional car skid. The crescendo of speeding sports cars.

He took my hand, noticing the wonder in my eyes. I could tell that he loved moments like this.

"You ready to head to the bar?" He asked me after a moment.

I took a deep breath, slowly letting go of his hand. My fingers lingered. "Yes."

We grappled there, cutting it closer and closer just to gain height and speed. We were rapid and efficient, making it there in time.

I landed with a hand on the ground, and Dix followed. We were standing on the roof of the abandoned warehouse, the one with the marked metal sheet. B.L.A.D.E.'s logo was stamped on the underside of it, and I glanced at it when I lifted it up carefully. Dix followed, and after the keypad and the ladder, we were in the club.

"Do you wanna get drinks first or find him?" I whispered to Braz as he walked beside me. The bustle of the club was low tonight, and the place was at about half capacity. The conversations of B.L.A.D.E. members added a soothing atmosphere, like the living room of the black agency. Besides HQ, of course.

His eyes flicked to me when I spoke. "Drinks first. I want to see what you get."

"I try to get something new every time," I gave him a small smile. "I thought you knew that."

"I do. But I'm interested in what you pick anyway." He smirked at me as we walked over to the bar. He gave me a look that said I know you well enough.

I laughed a little. "Okay then."

I looked at the bartender's back. By the looks of him, he was about 50, with a large stomach and graying hair. He was currently wiping down glasses. "Hello, sir."

He turned around and smiled. "I thought I recognized your voice." It was the bartender that had complimented me on my loyalty to my lover when I first met up with Silvsley.

I grinned. "I didn't know you would be here."

He smiled back, his elderly eyes crinkling. "I work most days."

"I see." I looked over the menu. He was so kind to me earlier. It's nice to see him again."What's your newest drink?"

"Besides our Kistrian Lights, which you had last time, I think it would be the Blue Dragon."

I met his eyes, curious. Dixter glanced between me and him. "And what would that be made of?"

"Our signature ocean blend, along with some exotic spices. It's really something."

I nodded. "I'll take it."

The bartender nodded back. "Alright. And for you?"

Braz looked over the menu as well. "Could I get the Rainforest?"

"Yes sir. Your drinks will be out in a moment. Katr or card?"

"Katr. I'm paying for both." I said it quickly, before Dixter could interject. I pulled out the dark blue papers and held them out.

He jumped to put his arm in front of mine. "I'm paying. Card."

"Enough, Dix." I nudged his arm off of the counter. "Here's the money."

He sighed, defeated. "Fine," He grumbled. "But I'm not happy about it."

The bartender smiled. "Ah, young love."

I never got his name. I should probably know it if we ever run into each other again. "What's your name, sir?"

"I'm Agent Melstren," He said with a twinkle in his eye.

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Melstren."

"And you, miss Feckter."

We stepped away while he made our drinks. I was already searching for Silvsley.

"Do you know him?" Dixter asked in a low tone.

"Not really, but we'd seen each other a few times. He complimented me last time I was here."

"Oh, cool," Braz noticed my darting eyes. "Do you see him?"

"Looking.." My eyes scanned the place, at every table. There.

Six tables away, the boy in midnight blue sat shuffling a deck of cards. He felt eyes on him and glanced up. When his eyes met mine, his face lit up and he broke into a smile. Then his eyes shifted to Dix, and his mood dimmed again. After that, he kept his head down and continued to shuffle cards.

"There." I flicked my head in his direction. "Over there. Midnight blue, shuffling cards."

"I see him."

"Perfect. Remember, you're not enemies fighting for my love. I already chose you." I turned to face him. "I'm only doing this because every B.L.A.D.E. agent should feel valuable to the agency."

He gave me a soft smile. "Heart of gold."

I laughed. "Right back at you."

"Drinks are ready, you two." Mr. Melstren said from the bar. We turned around and watched, because there was probably a show.

I was right. Mr. Melsten put two glasses, with the first bubbling a solid oceanic blue, more of the twilight zone. The second had waves of deep green with vibrating lines of red, almost like a poisonous frog. I'd seen pictures of them before, when I learned about the natural climates of Riedhak as a child.

Next, he took out two clear containers of red spices, probably for my drink. He set one on the bar, and opened the other's lid with his thumb. He gently shook the container above my drink, and the particles of spices dropped into the solid blue.

The bartender opened the other lid as well, and poured a good amount into the drink. This spice was more of a fine powder, and a small cloud followed.

The two reds touched, and then it reacted. The spices sparkled and shimmered into blue, then clung to the edges of the glass, where they sent out rings of color. The rings collided, the spices dissolved, and the drink settled into itself. The rings from the reds remained, creating beautiful patterns in the blue.

I gaped as the rings clung to each other. "Woah."

Next was Dix's. The Rainforest.

Mr. Menstrel put my drink's spices away, and took out a small jar of red peppers. They were the size of my little finger, but they had the potential to be spicy.

The bartender took a single pepper out, then carefully removed its stem. He spilled the tiny seeds out through the hole in the top, which looked like dark red strawberry seeds. They tumbled into the green waves, and when they touched the red lines, the seeds looked electrified. The lines vibrated even more, the two converged, and the drink shook. Then everything stood still, and our drinks were ready.

"Wow." Dixter breathed.

Mr. Menstrel smiled at his work, then threw the remaining pepper in the trash beside him. "Well, there you have it."

I gave him a small smile and put my hand around my drink. "Thank you for the show. It was marvelous."

He did a little bow, in an amusing elderly man kind of way. "Thank you for buying a ticket."

We laughed, and I waved goodbye to him. Braz took his drink as well, then the two of us turned to meet Silvsley.

As we approached, he looked up from his deck of cards. He took its box out from his jacket pocket and started to put them in. "Hello."

"Hey Silvsley," I said, a little awkward. "This is my soulmate Dixter. Dixter, meet Silvsley. Silvsley, Dixter."

"Hi," Braz said politely.

"Hi," He eyed the two of us as we sat down. "What'd you get?"

"I got the Blue Dragon." I stared down at its patterns. "I'm excited to try it."

"And I got the Rainforest." Dixter glanced down at his glass. "I think it'll be interesting."

"Very cool, very cool." Silvsley was finished putting his cards away, and he closed the box before looking me in the eye. "So. We have a mission tomorrow?"

I nodded, taking my first sip. It felt like little flecks of the spices were exploding on different parts of my tongue, but I loved it. The ocean blend following it was exactly the balance it needed, bringing both the hot and the cold. I was satisfied with my choice. "Yes. We went to Agent Quelp earlier today to pick an assignment. She had two available, and we went with the deadlier one."

Dixter tried his, and by the look on his face, something was exploding on his mouth too. I stifled my laughter and kept my focus on the boy in navy.

Silvsley smiled only at me. "As is expected. Active agents that are continually working in the field can probably handle things like that."

He looked down, as though ashamed. "But I'm not anywhere near your level." Silvsley glanced at Dix. "Or your league. So you're going to have to help me. I'm quick, but not skilled. I have little fighting skills."

I nodded seriously. "Good to know. I think that you'll be a valuable part of tomorrow's mission."

I leaned down a little to catch his eye. My attention was on him alone, and I lowered my voice slightly. "I'm taking you with us because I want you to feel valued. I promise, every B.L.A.D.E. agent has a part to play, and I want to prove to the voice in your head that you are brave, capable, and important to the agency. I want you to believe in yourself, and that your uncle would be proud of you."

Silvsley looked up and trained his eyes on me. His midnight blue clothes blended into the shadows, but his handsome face was the attention-grabber. The silver in his eyes kept my focus on him.

"Thank you. Honestly." He smiled a genuine smile, but the action didn't make me blush anymore. "What time tomorrow? And where?"

I took a couple long sips as I thought about my answer."I was thinking right after breakfast. Let's do 8pm, so the sun's set. I'll meet both of you on Level 3. I'll have Quelp send me the address tonight. Sound good?"

"Yeah. What do I bring?"

"Any weapons you have. What do you got?"

"I have a small knife, an old gun, and a few grenades." He searched my face. "Is that enough?"

I shook my head. "I'll bring you better weapons. I'll tell you all the plan when we get there. Do you have a grappler?"

Silvsley shrugged. "I do, but I never use it. I like to keep my feet on the ground."

I rolled my eyes with a smile, bringing my drink to my lips. "Boring. You taking a car like a day-stroller?"

"Ha. I might." His eyes went to the ground.

I drank more of my Blue Dragon as I thought about my response. I found his behavior strange. It was like he really wanted to talk to me, but he was holding himself back because of Dixter.

But I understood. I'd probably be a little shifty too if I was in his situation.

"Alright." By now, our drinks were finished. "We gotta go. I'll see you tomorrow evening, okay?" I said, standing.

"Yep. Tomorrow, Feckter. Au revoir." He waved in one motion, then took out his cards again.

As Braz and I walked away, I shivered my body. "Whew. That's over."

Dix laughed. "Yeah. A little awkward." We set our empty glasses on the bar and walked towards the exit. Mr. Melstren was busy with another guest, so we didn't interrupt to say we were leaving. "I feel kinda bad for him."

"Don't feel bad. It's not your fault." I had to tell myself the same thing. Don't feel bad for everyone that tells you a bit about themselves. It's okay.

We approached the guard, and he opened the door for us. "Thank you, Agent Erliey."

"Of course, Agent Feckter. And Agent Dixter."

My boyfriend nodded to the man. "Sir."

I found it funny that Dix would leave it to me to remember every guard's name. I guess his memory was just a little worse, I thought as I ascended the back stairwell. Braz was right behind me.

We stood above the wall of the abandoned warehouse, and the crisp night air blew at exactly the right moment. The night air filled my lungs, and I immediately felt more alive.

Whatever this is, I never want it to leave, I thought as I walked faster to be in the wind more. This has to be my Colored side.

I glanced at Dixter behind me. I never want him to leave either.

Or any of this. This life I live, it's just amazing.

I never want to lose any of this.

In that moment, Agent Delstrie rode by. Her bike was loud and obnoxious, and the sound filled the street. It brought attention to the club, the secret B.L.A.D.E. club that no one was supposed to know about. To make it worse, Delstrie parked her bike right next to the warehouse. This couldn't be good.

She had an air to her that was making me more and more suspicious. In the hallways at HQ, whenever we ate on Level 3. Something was off, and I always ignored the feeling because Chief trusted her. It was the only reason I'd left Agent Uilter with Chief.

I narrowed my eyes at her figure as she got off her bike. "Dix, I don't like her."

"Well, if you don't like her, I don't like her. What should we do?"

"Track her bike's last location. All B.L.A.D.E. vehicles have it."

"Pulling it up." Dixter whipped out his phone and started typing furiously. "Agent Delstrie.. vehicles.. motorcycle.. last standing location.."

"There." Dix showed me his phone. "She's taken her bike out tonight."

I glanced at the glowing phone screen, then shook my head slightly. "I'm more concerned about Uilter. Where was her bike the night I handed him over to Chief? I have a feeling she just dumped him into her hands."

"A couple nights ago.. here." A dull-looking photo of a dreary place showed up.

I nodded. "Let's check it out. I'm gonna trust these off feelings about her."

"And I trust you. Let's go."

We grappled there, obviously, as it was the fastest mode of transportation. I loved the feeling of the air, the height, the danger. We wound our way around buildings, weaving through streets, running on roofs. We ran lengths of buildings as our feet pounded against the concrete.

I stood to catch my breath. We were one street away. "You.." I inhaled and stood upright. "You ready?"

"Uh huh." Braz caught his breath, and we jumped the last street.

The building was low and long, and it looked depressed. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a M.A.S.K. agent leave, and I pulled Dixter into an alleyway. "Shh. We can't be seen."

I felt him nod, then I released his shirt. I spoke only in whispers. "What is this place? Is it a M.A.S.K. base?"

Braz spoke in quiet tones, looking from behind me. "I don't know, but we should go check it out."

I nodded, and I waited for a break. When I was certain no one was around, I signaled Dix. We ran at full speed into the alleyway beside the building.

I glanced at the road, and for peering eyes. "Whew. No one saw us."

"Uh.. Grace?" Dixter nudged me, asking in a whisper. "Do you see something back there?"

I turned around. A lump of dark shadow sat by a back entrance. "I don't know about this, Dix."

"Looks like a person," He hissed. "We should at least see what agency they were from."

"How do you know it's a body?" I asked as I carefully approached it. I did not feel like seeing a decaying person tonight.

"I think I can see it better." He narrowed his eyes, then widened them. "It is. And it's..."

I froze. The body of Agent Uilter, bloodied and pale, lay in a heap of torn clothing before us.

This can't be good.