141

The station itself is relatively quiet, not surprising given that the Lemurian military has secured the use of the station for your arrival so that you can unload in relative peace. Of course, the unloading won't be done by you, so you have plenty of time to rest up for a bit, you think to yourself. It's an underground station, pleasantly lit and clean for the most part. A wall-mounted television is currently playing the news and you glance at it for a brief moment, noting that the newscaster is talking about some fragments at the Agartha National Museum, when someone touches your shoulder from behind and you turn around to see who it is.

Jax nods at you as he removes his hand from your shoulder. "Time to see who's coming to pick us for this little vacation," he says in a casual manner as Ami walks up to him and slips her arm around his waist.

"You mean work, don't you, soldier?" a somewhat amused voice comes from somewhere to your left, and the three of you turn in that direction. A well-dressed man in his forties walks over to the three of you and extends his hand to you first.

"I'm Colonel Allenby from the United States Secret Service," he says, taking out his wallet and showing his badge to the three of you clearly. "First Privates Takahashi, Washington, and Dorn Wilton, I presume?" You nod and salute him out of courtesy and deference to his rank, as do Ami and Jax. He salutes the three of you back and nods as he looks you over. "Good, good. At least the Lemurians chose correctly," you swear you hear him murmur under his breath as he steps back.

He glances at the three of you and says, "Where's Sergeant Balogh? I don't see him with you," as you watch Balogh quietly walk up to Allenby from behind him. Allenby's eyes seem to dart about as he looks at you and he ducks, barely avoiding a hefty punch from Balogh, then he rolls forward and away from an angry-looking Balogh, who glares daggers at him.

"Damn it, Balogh, can't bygones be bygones?" he says, looking rather annoyed rather than angered by the sneak attack that was just launched at him.

"No," Balogh says curtly, but he falls in line, waiting for Allenby to give the order to move out.

Next