Chapter One
The cold harsh wind blew across the frozen terrain. Tall, once majestic pine trees bended under their heavily laden limbs. The dark, SUV fought against the weather; its engines gunned with the goal to reach the base before its remaining fuel was gone. The two occupants inside the truck were silent. The driver's face was glued to the window, eyes squinting to try and find his way in the storm that seemed to have swallowed them whole. The young man in the passenger seat had a bored expression on his face and was leaning on his right arm against the door. In his left ear was the high tech communicator he was receiving his briefing on for his newest mission.
"Agent Lavender," the static voice droned. "You are assigned to keep Mr. Fujisora safe from any terrorist activity. You are licensed to use any force required, as usual." The young man smiled at the thought. "We have reason to believe that there may be an assassin at Mura base. Mr. Fujisora is as you know, a very important representative of the Toki Corporation, and your superiors would not be too happy if Mr. Fujisora were harmed in anyway. Do you understand?"
Agent Lavender sighed in exasperation. "Affirmed" he responded in a monotone voice.
The voice in his ear continued. "Mr. Fujisora does not respond well to body guards and you are ordered to remain in the background at all times unless there is possible danger." Lavender gave another sigh in agreement.
"Very well, report back in to HQ at the end of the week. Your transmissions are suspended until then." The communicator gave a shrill beep and went silent. Lavender silently cursed under his breath. If only they didn't have him wrapped around their greedy little finger, he would destroy their whole damn organization before the fat, satanic bastards could blink.
Lavender watched the driver with little interest. "Turn left" he ordered in his monotone voice.
The driver quickly glanced at the man beside him over his thick lenses. In a timid voice the driver asked, "Ah, sir, do you mind me asking why?"
Lavender blinked his cold blue eyes. "I don't feel like going off a cliff tonight." The driver gasped and swerved the SUV from the barely visible cliff in front of it. The man gasped and turned to the Agent, who hadn't even seemed to notice their possible deaths.
"How did you know?" the man stuttered, shifty his eyes back and forth between Lavender and the road. His pulse seemed to beat in his ears. 'He didn't even flinch' the driver thought in awe. 'What the hell am I driving?'
The snow let up slightly as the truck managed to fight the snowdrifts into the small enclosure where the base was located. High electric fences surrounded the perimeter on every side. Only one gate was opened to allow people to get in and out and that was always under tight surveillance. Only the snow seemed able to penetrate the fences, blowing in and out as the wind changed.
A guard in a large bulky overcoat came out of the guard station and managed to pull himself up to the SUV. "What is your business?" The driver stiffened up and began to act nervous under the guards piercing stare.
"Ah, this is, you see, I brought, he is -."
Lavender interrupted the babbling man. "I am Agent L, sent here to guard Mr. Fujisora while he is on his vacation." The agent let the word 'vacation' slip of his tongue in a disdainful way, unable to hide his annoyance towards the arrogant bastard he was suppose to protect with his life.
The guard nodded, or seemed to, his head movements difficult to read under the large scarf he had wrapped around most of his face. "Confirmed, please park your vehicle at entrance nine and await inspection there."
The driver collected his nerves and began to steer down the path to the garage to the far left. "They always put me in the ninth one, why? Do they like watching me walk all that way?" The engine began to sputter and the man groaned. "It just isn't my day, c'mon baby don't stall on me." The truck barely pulled up into the open garage door before dying. The driver sighed in relief and climb out of the vehicle. He kicked the tire and began to swear violently. Lavender, who had already gotten out of the vehicle with his bags, watched the man in mild amusement.
"Thanks for the lift." The agent said, his back already turned as he walked towards the garage exit. The driver muttered something in response as he continued to kick at the tire. Lavender hit the intercom button by the large metal door that connected to what he hoped was a hallway behind the garages to lead him finally to his destination. "Agent L, reporting for duty." He paused, kicking some of the slush off his boots. The intercom buzzed loudly and the agent grabbed the door handle and pulled. He walked into a corridor, the only light from halogen bulbs protected by wire cages. Lavender exchanged a salute with the woman who was waiting for him. She was slightly stocky and wore her uniform with an air of authority.
She nodded to him and parted her lips. "Good evening Agent L. We have been expecting your arrival. I hope the weather was fair?"
Lavender smirked slightly. "It was." The woman turned her heel sharply and began to walk briskly towards the base's entrance. Lavender followed her closely, a bit confused about a few of the details of his mission.
They reached the end of the hall where another, even more dense, metal door blocked their path. The female soldier punched in a code of numbers and the door opened up with a hiss. The agent was taken by surprise by the noise of people laughing and music playing. The calm collected one he wore during his missions quickly replaced his surprised face. The woman motioned him to a desk in the front lobby. To his left Lavender could see through open doors to a bar or club for the men on the base. The woman coughed and he turned his attention back to her.
"Agent L, your room is number 309, to reach it you may use the main staircase and follow the signs to the visitors sector. Your room is directly beside Mr. Fujisora. You may retire to your quarters now. Mr. Fujisora is entertaining a 'guest' at the moment and reported that he will be in his room all evening." The woman grimaced slightly as if repulsed by the notion. "Or you may drop off your things to your room and go and relax in the lounge."
Lavender nodded at his choices. Preferably he wanted to get the hell away from this frozen nightmare, but to that would mean the death of the only woman he had really ever cared for. Of course to stay in his room all night would just agitate him even more when he could plainly hear the good time the men were having in the other room. "I believe I will go to the lounge. It has been a long day." The woman smiled slightly and handed him his key card. She turned away before Lavender could say thanks. He stared at the card in his hand. Unlimited access. It could be used to get into almost any room in the base, except the restricted personnel areas. He again began to pick up the sounds of laughter and music from the near by room. He grabbed his bags and went off to find his room.
The cold harsh wind blew across the frozen terrain. Tall, once majestic pine trees bended under their heavily laden limbs. The dark, SUV fought against the weather; its engines gunned with the goal to reach the base before its remaining fuel was gone. The two occupants inside the truck were silent. The driver's face was glued to the window, eyes squinting to try and find his way in the storm that seemed to have swallowed them whole. The young man in the passenger seat had a bored expression on his face and was leaning on his right arm against the door. In his left ear was the high tech communicator he was receiving his briefing on for his newest mission.
"Agent Lavender," the static voice droned. "You are assigned to keep Mr. Fujisora safe from any terrorist activity. You are licensed to use any force required, as usual." The young man smiled at the thought. "We have reason to believe that there may be an assassin at Mura base. Mr. Fujisora is as you know, a very important representative of the Toki Corporation, and your superiors would not be too happy if Mr. Fujisora were harmed in anyway. Do you understand?"
Agent Lavender sighed in exasperation. "Affirmed" he responded in a monotone voice.
The voice in his ear continued. "Mr. Fujisora does not respond well to body guards and you are ordered to remain in the background at all times unless there is possible danger." Lavender gave another sigh in agreement.
"Very well, report back in to HQ at the end of the week. Your transmissions are suspended until then." The communicator gave a shrill beep and went silent. Lavender silently cursed under his breath. If only they didn't have him wrapped around their greedy little finger, he would destroy their whole damn organization before the fat, satanic bastards could blink.
Lavender watched the driver with little interest. "Turn left" he ordered in his monotone voice.
The driver quickly glanced at the man beside him over his thick lenses. In a timid voice the driver asked, "Ah, sir, do you mind me asking why?"
Lavender blinked his cold blue eyes. "I don't feel like going off a cliff tonight." The driver gasped and swerved the SUV from the barely visible cliff in front of it. The man gasped and turned to the Agent, who hadn't even seemed to notice their possible deaths.
"How did you know?" the man stuttered, shifty his eyes back and forth between Lavender and the road. His pulse seemed to beat in his ears. 'He didn't even flinch' the driver thought in awe. 'What the hell am I driving?'
The snow let up slightly as the truck managed to fight the snowdrifts into the small enclosure where the base was located. High electric fences surrounded the perimeter on every side. Only one gate was opened to allow people to get in and out and that was always under tight surveillance. Only the snow seemed able to penetrate the fences, blowing in and out as the wind changed.
A guard in a large bulky overcoat came out of the guard station and managed to pull himself up to the SUV. "What is your business?" The driver stiffened up and began to act nervous under the guards piercing stare.
"Ah, this is, you see, I brought, he is -."
Lavender interrupted the babbling man. "I am Agent L, sent here to guard Mr. Fujisora while he is on his vacation." The agent let the word 'vacation' slip of his tongue in a disdainful way, unable to hide his annoyance towards the arrogant bastard he was suppose to protect with his life.
The guard nodded, or seemed to, his head movements difficult to read under the large scarf he had wrapped around most of his face. "Confirmed, please park your vehicle at entrance nine and await inspection there."
The driver collected his nerves and began to steer down the path to the garage to the far left. "They always put me in the ninth one, why? Do they like watching me walk all that way?" The engine began to sputter and the man groaned. "It just isn't my day, c'mon baby don't stall on me." The truck barely pulled up into the open garage door before dying. The driver sighed in relief and climb out of the vehicle. He kicked the tire and began to swear violently. Lavender, who had already gotten out of the vehicle with his bags, watched the man in mild amusement.
"Thanks for the lift." The agent said, his back already turned as he walked towards the garage exit. The driver muttered something in response as he continued to kick at the tire. Lavender hit the intercom button by the large metal door that connected to what he hoped was a hallway behind the garages to lead him finally to his destination. "Agent L, reporting for duty." He paused, kicking some of the slush off his boots. The intercom buzzed loudly and the agent grabbed the door handle and pulled. He walked into a corridor, the only light from halogen bulbs protected by wire cages. Lavender exchanged a salute with the woman who was waiting for him. She was slightly stocky and wore her uniform with an air of authority.
She nodded to him and parted her lips. "Good evening Agent L. We have been expecting your arrival. I hope the weather was fair?"
Lavender smirked slightly. "It was." The woman turned her heel sharply and began to walk briskly towards the base's entrance. Lavender followed her closely, a bit confused about a few of the details of his mission.
They reached the end of the hall where another, even more dense, metal door blocked their path. The female soldier punched in a code of numbers and the door opened up with a hiss. The agent was taken by surprise by the noise of people laughing and music playing. The calm collected one he wore during his missions quickly replaced his surprised face. The woman motioned him to a desk in the front lobby. To his left Lavender could see through open doors to a bar or club for the men on the base. The woman coughed and he turned his attention back to her.
"Agent L, your room is number 309, to reach it you may use the main staircase and follow the signs to the visitors sector. Your room is directly beside Mr. Fujisora. You may retire to your quarters now. Mr. Fujisora is entertaining a 'guest' at the moment and reported that he will be in his room all evening." The woman grimaced slightly as if repulsed by the notion. "Or you may drop off your things to your room and go and relax in the lounge."
Lavender nodded at his choices. Preferably he wanted to get the hell away from this frozen nightmare, but to that would mean the death of the only woman he had really ever cared for. Of course to stay in his room all night would just agitate him even more when he could plainly hear the good time the men were having in the other room. "I believe I will go to the lounge. It has been a long day." The woman smiled slightly and handed him his key card. She turned away before Lavender could say thanks. He stared at the card in his hand. Unlimited access. It could be used to get into almost any room in the base, except the restricted personnel areas. He again began to pick up the sounds of laughter and music from the near by room. He grabbed his bags and went off to find his room.