He strode purposefully down the main street of LazyTown, his eyes expertly taking in every minute detail of the bizarre landscape around him. Of course he had seen pictures of the place, heck, he'd virtually memorised the layouts of every building. But even that wasn't enough to stop him from being momentarily stunned by the warped architecture, impossibly unblemished and picturesque in the warm sunlight. The boy was no stranger to odd locations, but this little township tucked away in the middle of nowhere was something different.
To anyone who happened to see him passing by, he looked nothing more than another anonymous visitor dropping in from the train station to stretch out their legs and have a stroll before catching the next train to the city. LazyTown was that sort of place, where one could stop by, catch a breath, then jump back into the chaos of the world outside. For this young man however, a little digging would have revealed him as an accomplished cadet from the city's aviation academy, generously let off by the headmaster to have a bit of R&R and have a few casual flying lessons from the ever-docile Mayor Meanswell.
So it was no surprise to the mayor when he found the boy at his door, a simple black shoulder bag slung across his back.
"Good afternoon to you, my boy! It's so good to see you…?" the mayor trailed off, tugging at the lining of his beige suit. The boy shook his head in gentle amusement and extended his hand politely.
"Scott, sir. Scott Stillman".
The mayor took his hand and shook it vigorously.
"Yes, Scott! Scott, Scott, Scott. I do apologise, I'm such a mess when it comes to names. And please, call me Milford. Come inside and I'll show you to your room. You must be exhausted from all that time cramped up in that train…"
The mayor's bumbling voice faded away as he hurried down the corridor.
In the headmaster's office away from the bustle of the academy, William placed a manila folder upon the table. Plain and unadorned except for the label 'People of Interest' in the corner, he opened it and slid one of the pages across the polished surface toward Scott. He waited for him to briefly scan the contents before speaking.
"Here's the man you'll be staying with during your assignment. Milford Meanswell. A genuine person, albeit extremely clumsy when it comes to secrets, so extra caution is advised when going about your work."
Scott found Milford bustling about and putting the final touches to the room. Patting down the bed covers, he turned to Scott and smiled widely.
"There you are! Anything else I can do for you? No? Are you sure? Well, settle in and don't hesitate to ask me for anything! I'd better get started on that cake for Miss Busybody…"
He hurried off again, chuckling to himself contentedly.
Another sheet of paper glided across the table.
"This is Meanswell's secretary, Bessie Busybody. With a name like that and a personality to boot, you'd want to keep yourself from being her subject of hot gossip. But keep an ear out for her too; you might get something useful out of her."
Closing the door and sliding the bag off his shoulder and onto the bed, Scott opened the zip and reached inside a hidden pocket, removing a thin package wrapped in cloth and a small rectangular case. Listening for Milford's humming in the kitchen, he lifted the mattress and stowed the items within the framework of before replacing the mattress and leaving the bed looking as untouched as before. Stepping back out into the hallway, Scott heard the mayor now busying himself in the next room. As he poked his head around the door to see if the man needed any help, he did his second double-take of the day. The room was strikingly pink, the sunlight streaming in through the open window and falling upon the mayor as he fluffed up a pillow.
"Hello again, Scott! Do you need anything? A drink? Pancakes?"
For one of the few times in his life, Scott was dumbfounded. Knowledge was a critical element in the success of his assignments over the years, and being forced onto the back foot by uncertainty was something he absolutely dreaded.
"No thanks Milford, I'm just fine. By the way," he added as casually as possible, leaning against the doorframe. "Is someone else coming to stay?"
"Why yes of course, my lovely niece Stephanie is coming to visit!" Milford exclaimed delightedly. "Oh dear, did I forget to tell you? How clumsy of me. But don't worry, she's a wonderful girl. I'm sure you two will get along together just fine."
From his description of this Stephanie who he clearly seemed to dote on, Scott could only assume she would not pose a threat to him or his purpose in LazyTown. Nevertheless, he wanted to be certain. The Assassins were willing to risk someone of his own age to ensure success, which mean their enemies were more than likely to do the same. As the mayor finished polishing the mirror above the vanity table, Scott broke the silence.
"So when do we get to meet her?"