"No Finn! We are so close, they have the weapon here! We can destroy it now; bring an end to this mess! But you have to trust me!" The private jet turned away from the car and limped towards the long, wide road by the warehouses, favoring a wounded landing leg from a previous encounter. "I can buy you some time by distracting those cars and getting them to chase me, but it won't be much, so you'll have to hurry!" The car screeched in front of Hawker, his eyes wide in panic.
"Your plan is suicide, we will not both make it out alive! Finn snarled. "We need to fall back now! What will the boss say if I bring you back dead?" Hawker smiled sadly at Finn, bringing his face closer to the car.
"Only one of us needs to make it back, it doesn't take two to bring back information; and I choose you McMissile, you're the better of us. Now go! Destroy the weapon, and then be gone! Do not linger for me; they'll only kill you too. Finn, it was an honor to be your partner...and friend." Before Finn could respond Hawker dodged around him and threw himself down the road, screaming to attract the attention of the cars, who immediately gave chase, their guns blazing.
Finn hesitated; still stunned at the current situation, before driving towards the warehouse they had found the weapon in earlier. Forcing himself inside the rusty bay doors he found a large cannon-like weapon suspended from the ceiling by thick cables. "It seems once again, professor Z's handiwork is costing C.H.R.O.M.E more lives." Finn hissed to himself before launching several small mines that latched onto the weapon, their blinking red lights an ominous warning that told Finn he only had a short time to get out of the warehouse. Burning rubber on the dusty ground, Finn raced out of the warehouse and down the road Hawker had taken only moments ago. A loud explosion behind Finn told him his mines had been successful in taking out the weapon, along with the rest of the warehouse. "Hawker, this is Finn McMissile, I have destroyed the weapon, please fly away, I will meet you back at headquarters! I repeat..." Finn cut off as he watched Hawker fall from the sky, one wing almost torn off; flames blazing from his engines.
"Thank you McMissile, we are now safe, good luck in life. Hawker over and out." Finn could only watch in horror as the sleek jet smashed face first into the ground, his body quickly demolished by the flames of the spreading explosion.
-X-
Finn awoke with a start, his body covered in a cold sweat. He glanced around his eyes slowly adjusting to the darkness of his private quarters. "It was only a dream." he thought to himself. "It has been over 10 years since that night, and yet still it haunts me like it was only yesterday." Finn shook his cab to clear his thoughts, and then exited his private quarters, taking the underground ramp that lead to C.H.R.O.M.E. headquarters, a series of large buildings that sprawled underneath the streets of London. It was here that agents trained, gathered information, planed attacks and hid from enemies. An agent would spend most of his/her life down here, many feet below the city.
Making his way to the main doors, Finn scanned his tires and entered the main hall of C.H.R.O.M.E. the room seemed to span up forever, the walls and floor made from white and black marble so well polished they could be used like mirrors. At the center of the room stood a large bronze statue that depicted two speeding agent cars, flanked by a bullet train on the left and a ship on the right. A massive bronze private jet loomed over the cars, guns in mid shot. Beneath the figures was the symbol of C.H.R.O.M.E.; a large silver gear with the words VICTORY, HONOR and HORSEPOWER, the core foundations of a good agent. Finn eyes the statue with little interest before making his way to the secretary's desk behind the statue.
"Good morning agent McMissile." a young red Ford Focus greeted. "I do not have any mail for you here at the moment. Do stop by later, it seems everyone wants to leave you messages in the evening." The other secretaries giggled at the comment, Finn simply nodded.
"Very well, thank you Ms. Brigid." The Aston Martin DB5 hybrid continued past the desk and towards a small waiting room which also housed the elevators. Passing several rookie agents, whom eyed him with signs of both fear and respect, Finn got in the elevator and took it to the 5th floor. When the doors opened, he exited, stopping briefly to view the latest news on the plasma before heading towards his office. Finn was just about to scan his tire and enter when he heard the sound of tires behind him.
"Agent McMissile, a word please?" a young bright green Lamborghini Countach asked, approaching him as he reversed so he was facing her.
"Ah, Agent SteelClaw, what do you want?" He asked, watching her shift her tires uncomfortably.
"Its Agent Leland Turbo, he wished me to pass on a message to you. He requests your presence tonight in his office, 2200 hours sharp." Finn nodded to her.
"Very well, tell Mr. Turbo that I will be there, now go, I have a lot of work to get done before then." Finn replied, watching SteelClaw's retreating form until she drove out of sight. "For SteelShard's great granddaughter, she isn't much of an agent." He thought to himself, before driving into his office.
-X-
"I do wonder what Leland wants at this hour." Finn thought to himself as he drove to the office of the small red sports car. He was just about to knock when the small vehicle opened the door.
"Ah Finn McMissile, just the car I wanted to see, how are you old boy?" Leland smiled backing up so Finn could enter his office.
"I am alive. Now what do you want?" the older spy asked. Leland laughed.
"Ah, McMissile, all business and no play again are we? You never seem to have time for your friends." Finn shot Leland a dirty look
"Friendships are a waste of time; all they ever do is die!" He spat, daring the red car to refute his claim. Leland glared back.
"Once bitten, twice shy eh Finn? Hawker wasn't the only one who was looking out for your sorry ass. But whatever, some day you will realize this all on your own. As you know, tomorrow marks your 20th year with C.H.R.O.M.E. and the boss and I were thinking of throwing a little party for you. Everyone here would be invited. Free Drinks. What do you think you old spy? Finn shrugged.
"Do I honestly have a choice?"
Leland laughed "No, not really. Besides we have a wonderful surprise in store, you'll love it, this I am most certain." The older car narrowed his eyes.
"I do not like surprises Leland, you know that. A good spy is always one step ahead of his enemies..."
"I am no adversary of yours McMissile." Leland began as Finn cut him off.
"...an even better spy is also one step ahead of his colleagues." the Aston Martin DB5 hybrid stated flatly. "That and I don't trust any surprise coming from C.H.R.O.M.E."
"You doubt the coalition?" Even after all they have done for you?" Leland demanded, looking taken aback. "Don't let the boss hear you say that, he'll have you hanging by your hind tires for a week for such talk, we MUST operate as a unified team, or we cannot have success." Finn laughed bitterly at Leland's words.
"Precisely my point." Finn replied, a challenging tone in his voice. Leland glared at him.
"Finn, I still remember when my father dragged you in here 20 years ago, bound, muzzled and booted like an animal lead to the slaughter. You had that wild and rebellious look in your eyes, a car that would never be tamed. But you know what C.H.R.O.M.E. did? They got the bit in your mouth and made you into the best damn spy we've seen since C.H.R.O.M.E.'s founder, Agent SteelShard. They made something out of you, and yet now you doubt them?" Finn jerked sharply at Leland's words, looking him in the eyes.
"You were too young to remember, I had no choice, I was either to become the best agent, or die trying." Leland returned Finn's glare.
"Everyone knows that. It's nothing new. Meet me at the terminal tomorrow night at 1500 hours, do not be late, it's your party after all." Leland gave Finn a weak smile. "Well I'd hate to keep you any longer, I'm sure you have lots to do." Finn nodded.
"I always do."