They had occupied every train station. Young men and women dressed in orange singlets and black trousers were handing out free samples of a new caffeinated energy drink. Energite, produce by the new company Villi.
"Villie's Energite, take as many as you need!"
"Energise your day with Energite!"
Among the many commuters was a blonde-haired young man dressed in a suit and carrying a briefcase. He passed by one of the tubs and grabbed one of the cans. No one paid him any attention. He as just on of the hundred of people streaming through the stations on his way to work.
Only he wasn't a businessman or an office worker as might be assumed from his appearance. Officially, he was a schoolboy. Unofficially, he was Daniel Morgan, leading field agent of MI High.
As he took his seat on the train, Dan tucked the can into his jacket where it sat, out of sight. Time to get the sample to Tom.
"This is not good," Tom said, looking up from the microscope. He had done a variety of tests on the new energy drink. "Energite contains a compound very similar to caffeine, but when taken orally, migrates to the brain and interferes with the neurotransmitters. Worse, it appears to have unknown components that potentially allow control of neural function via long wavelength electromagnetic radiation."
There was silence, until Aneisha decided that enough was enough. "So Tom, can we have that again in English?"
Tom frowned, confused at the meaning of Aneisha's request. Luckily, Frank had slowly been decoding Tom's words in his head, and was able to offer a translation. "Basically, Villi, the company producing Energite, had the potential to control the actions and emotions of anyone who drinks it using radio waves?"
"Not exactly," Tom said. "They wouldn't be able to control anyone, just influence their emotions and hormonal release patterns. Even to do that would be extremely difficult, though. There's nothing to say that these proporties of the compound are not accidental. Maybe they thought the new compound just made for really effective caffeine."
"Nevertheless," Frank said. "We need to investigate. Aneisha, Dan, Keri - work out a way to infiltrate Villi. Tom, can you keep working on the compound and finding out exactly how this mind control might work. I"ll call Stella."
The agents nodded their understanding, and went off to fulfil their roles.
"Good luck," Keri said to Frank as he pulled out his phone.
Frank knew exactly what she meant. Good luck getting Stella to talk to him. He certainly needed it.
His heart rate accelerating rapidly, Frank dialed Stella's number.
Stella sounded annoyed, which was not in the least encouraging. "What is it, Frank?"
"I've got a situation, Stella," Frank began, knowing that this would get Stella's attention. He summarised Tom's findings and awaited Stella's orders.
"Get Tom to monitor the others carefully when they go undercover," Stella said. "I'll let HQ know what's going on, then I'll meet you and Tom in the base. Don't do anything dangerous."
"Got it," Frank replied. "And Stella, maybe we could talk - "
But Stella had already hung up.