Disclaimer: Cover picture isn't mine, Free! Iwatobi Swim Club belongs to KyoAni
For the secret agent au prompt on dreamwidth:
Haru's always been prodigy of an agent, despite being a lone-wolf. Famous for being the top agent at the organization, he completes his solo missions with the upmost proficiency - until his higher-ups decide to make him a member of the new elite special operations squad. Enters (squad leader) Makoto, (mission director), Gou, (team-mate transferred from the Australian branch) Rin, (combat arms specialist and technician), Rei, and (sniper) Nagisa.
According to their profiles and stats, this team should have a 100% success rate... now the only problem is to get out on the field as a functioning team. With Haru's refusal to co-operate and Rin's insistent competitiveness with Haru being only two of the many problems they have, it's going to take a lot of effort.
Pairings undetermined, but will most likely be Rin/Haru or Mako/Haru, with Reigisa on the side. I'm hoping for Seijuurou/Gou, but I don't know yet. Ratings may change later.
Chapter One: Agent 00
Blowing onto his gloved fingers, Haruka watches as the wind quickly sweeps away the cloud of white mist, before standing up from his crouched position. He stands completely still on the windy rooftop of the skyscraper; his eyes scan the neon cityscape in front of him, carefully taking everything in. The communicator earpiece beeped once, as a voice transmitted through the device; "–ent Agent 00, this is United Cooperative speaking, do you copy? Repeat, do you copy?"
One hand reaching up to the earpiece and another towards his belt, he steps forward towards the edge; "Agent 00, copy. Permission to advance."
"Agent 00, granted," the voice replies and the earpiece beeps off – meanwhile, Haruka's already swung himself to the neighbouring building, a grappling hook caught on the ledge, feet braced against the wall of the fifty-storied glass building.
Running his hands along the smooth glass, he feels for loose area. Below him, the buzz of city life continues, civilians completely ignorant of his presence. They were too caught up with their own lives to pay any attention to him. Quietly and efficiently, he slides a blade out from his left sleeve and jams it under the steel frame of the glass; with gentle prying, the frame easily comes loose. With one gloved hand pushing the glass out of the way, he swings into the building and retracts the grappling hook.
The entire floor's empty – dark and silent, the only clearly visible thing being an eerie red exit sign hanging above a door. Probably the stairwell, Haruka notes. He heads towards it, boots padding silently across the carpeted floor.
"Objective: Retrieve the UNSC folder."
"What a pain…" Haruka frowned.
He wanted to get this over with quickly so that he'd have more time to spend in the pool at the base. Just thinking about it made him smile a bit. That was the only reason why he had joined this organization in the first place. It'd be nice if he could finish this mission quickly, then he could go swimming until another mission comes up. Yeah… that'd be lovely.
He continues down the cement stairs until he reaches a door with a large 22 sign on it. A small sliver of soft light crept out from the thin crack underneath the door. Turning his attention back to the scenario at hand, he draws the katana seethed across his back with his right hand.
Without a second thought, Haruka pushes the door open and immediately slams his elbow into the face of an unsuspecting guard leaning just right of the door who falls unceremoniously to the floor without uttering a sound. Teeth fly out, and small specks of blood dirty the once pristine white floor of the hallway. The antenna of the guard's walkie-talkie snaps under his heel as he silently moves on.
Slanted, blue eyes dart left and right as he starts to sprint down the bright, heavily air-conditioned hallway. "The folder is assumed to be located in Room 2240."
2219, 2220, 2221… Another blow to a second guard with the hilt of his katana.
2226, 2227… he turned a corner, leaping up and slicing a video camera in half before continuing.
2233, 2234, 2235, 2236, 2237… his breath hitches at the sight of five guards just outside of Room 2240, all armed
Alert, he doesn't blink as he instinctively topples towards the ground, break-falling successfully and avoiding the rain of bullets flying towards his skull just a moment ago. And that's all it takes to get the adrenaline rushing.
Still on the ground, Haruka swipes his leg behind the ankles on one guard, while flipping himself back into standing position with his hands. Spinning around, he kicks the gun out of a second guard's hand, katana already slicing the throat of a third. Expertly, he leans to one side and avoids another onslaught of bullets. He grabs the now un-armed guard, snapping his neck in one jerky motion.
The unconscious guard he had previously tripped is tugged up and used as a human shield; allowing him to advance straight towards the slowly backing fourth and fifth guards who had continued to relentlessly shoot at him. Without looking away, he flexes his fingers ever so slightly before clicking the blade attached to his left wrist and flinging it towards the face of one of the remaining guards. The last one doesn't even see him coming as Haruka tosses the corpse aside and plunges his katana into his chest.
Having settled his breathing from the brief encounter, Haruka retrieves the blade he previously threw, returning it to its seethe under his sleeve. That was annoying, he frowns to himself as he rubs at a fresh bloodstain on his sleeve, before straightening up and proceeding to Room 2240.
Before he heads inside, he glances backwards. No more guards, no video cameras, no witnesses, no people aside from the ones lying on the floor. He's a little relieved to see that Room 2240 is clear of life as well, and closes the door behind him.
Gloved hands flip through the stacked folders on the desk while keeping one eye on the door, just in case. Mistakes weren't something he could afford on the field. Experience had taught him to never underestimate his surroundings, especially when he was on enemy territory. To get distracted would mean certain death, and death meant that he wouldn't be able to swim in water anymore. Water would be really nice right now. Finally locating a black folder with a gold UNSC logo printed on top, he reaches for his earpiece.
"This is Agent 00, Nanase Haruka." He headed towards a window and pushed it open.
"Agent 00, this is United Cooperative." The nightlife of the city was still busy, though a slightly less active as it was before. Colourful lights danced across Haruka's eyes as he glanced downwards.
"Mission objective acquired, requesting transport and cleanup." The katana was returned to its seethe before he hopped out of the window, allowing himself to free-fall for a brief couple of seconds.
"Requests… approved. Agent 00 Please head towards the north evacuation block." With a beep, the blue light of his earpiece flashes off.
His grappling hook shoots out as he swings to an adjacent building landing on its rooftop, the UNSC folder tucked neatly under his arm.
"Understood."
The earpiece beeped off, and he continued moving through the night.
"It's cold." he thinks as cold puffs of air come out of his mouth. Black hair whipped around his face as he tilted his chin towards the descending helicopter. A familiar hand reaches out to him, as the latter helps hoist him onto the chopper. As he watches them move further and further away from the city, a warm scarf is tossed around his neck and seat belts click together on his chest.
"This is Agent 03, reporting in. Agent 00 has been retrieved. Estimated time for arrival: 23:04." Makoto spoke into his earpiece while adjusting Haru's seat belt straps.
The green light on his earpiece flashed off after he finished talking. Ah- Haru-chan, how'd it go? You're going to catch a cold if you don't wear enough you know…"
"Drop the –chan." he replied curtly.
Averting his gaze away from the disappearing city, he turned his attention to Makoto, who was sitting beside him, green eyes meeting blue. Letting a tense breath of air out that he hadn't known he'd been holding, he let his friend finish wrapping the scarf around his neck. Makoto was always there to pick him up after missions, no matter what time of day it was. Of course, he had his own missions to complete, but with some method unfathomable to Haruka, Makoto always managed to convince the mission directors to give him time to pick up Haruka.
"Oh right, the folder." He hands the retrieved folder over to Makoto.
"Another solo mission completed… and under twenty minutes too! As expected as someone who holds the top ranking. I asked them to keep the pool unlocked tonight because I knew you'd probably want to go swimming after your mission. You, I heard that new members are being transferred from the Australian branch…"
Makoto's voice drained into the background out as Haru's eyes slowly drifted upwards. The night sky was clearer here, and he could finally start to see stars again, now that they were traveling away from the light pollution. "If only there was an ocean here." It'd been a while since he'd visited his hometown. Both he and Makoto had come from the small seaside town Iwatobi. His grandmother's house faced the ocean, halfway up the steps to the shrine. Those days were nice, but a lot had changed since then. Before he dies, he'd like to go home at least one more time, and swim the starry ocean again, he decided. Some fresh mackerel would be nice too for a change, instead of the usual frozen stuff they had back at headquarters. Salted mackerel after swimming later would be nice, later.
"Haru! Haru?" Makoto's concerned face appears in front of his own, snapping him back to reality, "You aren't injured are you?"
Gentle fingers brush against his cheek. Haruka frowns, "I'm fine."
"That's good to hear, Haru-chan. I asked them to keep to the pool unlocked tonight because I knew that'd you'd be coming back late." Makoto smiled warmly, pausing briefly before continuing, "You're thinking salted mackerel after swimming, right?"
Haruka pouts a little as Makoto laughs lightly. At least some things didn't change.
In the next chapter:
"Welcome to the main branch of the United Cooperatives, Agent 01 Matsuoka Rin, Mission Director Matsuoka Gou."
Rin's sharp teeth glinted, reflecting the few lights along the plane runway flashing. "Finally I get to meet you, Agent 00, let's see what you've got."
Author's Note:
Sorry, I spent this chapter trying to get into the feel of writing an action story than anything… Eh this is my first fanfic, so tell me how it goes? Sorry if it seems choppy :( The story's going to pick up pace after this chapter, since this was more of an intro than anything. Since it's an AU, I've changed some things, but I get to that in later chapters. How the agent system works is that the higher ranked the agent, the lower their number is.
I don't know which pairing I'm going to focus on yet. I have a general idea for the next upcoming chapters, but any suggestions would be super appreciated! Um, I guess that's all for now? I'm away camping until Tuesday, so I'm sorry that I won't be able to update… Any suggestions would be super appreciated!
Please excuse me because I make a hell lot of typos. Review?
Bye bye~