The Agency: Meeting of Souls

by karina001

In an alternate universe those with psionic ability receive specialist training and take positions of prominence in society. For Treize Kushrenada his position as Prime for The Agency leads him into some interesting situations and may lead him to meet the

2. Chapter 2

Title: The Agency: Meeting of Souls 2/??

Author: Karina

//…// Thoughts

+/.../+ Telepathy

Chapter Two

The main operations center for the Agency was situated in the busy heart of the down town district, and was singularly unremarkable amid the towering forest of concrete, steel and glass. It was just another building reaching for the sky amidst so many others gathered together in a tight area earning astronomical rents for office space that always seemed in demand. By the very nature of the work carried on within its walls, the building needed to be nondescript and forgettable amid the hub of the city, and its designers had accomplished that feat right down to the faux marble facing of the two man security desk in the lobby, where all persons entering must report before proceeding into the building itself.

Two older gentlemen, appearing to be on the verge of retirement, could be found seated at the security desk through the day, both with dark hair gone grey and one with a jagged scar marring his left cheek. Clad in their dark blue uniforms with the security badge on prominent display they were exactly what one would expect to find in the lobby of a busy down town building, though it might be remarked by one or two persons that they had nice smiles. Their presence had proven remarkable only to one efficiency expert brought in to streamline operations at the complex, who determined the older gentlemen should be retired and replaced by the now in vogue trend toward handsome young men and women, who could have been at home on the covers of fashion magazines.

His report on this recommended change when delivered to the Operations Commander of the Agency had engendered a polite refusal, no explanations given, which in turn had seemed to annoy the efficiency expert. His personal visit to discuss the matter with the Operations Commander had resulted in her informing him that the current trend toward young and gorgeous annoyed the hell out of her, and to please leave her to her work. His resulting complaint to those higher in placement within the agency, and their polite enquiry to the Commander, had resulted in the efficiency expert finding himself nose to nose with a somewhat annoyed OC. Commander Une, in a low and sweetly dangerous voice, that her agents knew to fear, had cut him off mid word into his opening gambit on his professional superiority of knowledge in the fields of efficiency and aesthetics.

"You find me a sexy pair of agents who are fully trained in security protocols at level 10, and who register at Level eight or higher in dual pyrokinetic and telekinetic abilities, with above level seven telepathic send and receive functions between them, and I'll consider replacing my security team."

The affronted consultant had protested to her superiors, and curiously enough, departed for another contract the same day. Feedback from the executives at the top of the pinnacle to their Operations Commander had resulted in the promise of a pay rise, and Commander Une had surprised her day shift lobby security agents with gift baskets full to the brim with expensive chocolates and delivered personally. Ignoring their stunned and questioning looks, the Commander had offered a sunny smile and returned to her office.

That particular day was made even more remarkable in the memory of those fortunate enough to be at the operations center, in that not a single agent in the entire building could recall having heard the Commander raise her voice above a pleasant, indeed almost girlish, murmur. The staff in the operations office had tiptoed around all day in mounting dread that the 'something' that was wrong might break over their heads. By morning of the next day the Commander was, with a great deal of relief, found to be her usual self, and the eerie events of the previous day was put down to being a fluke and happily forgotten by everyone. It was a notable fact that in two years no efficiency consultants had visited the Agency.

Chang Wu Fei was only too aware of the man who walked at his side as they passed through the sliding doors and entered the lobby. He had been largely silent since they had left the café, and Chang was wondering if the telepathic empath was still upset with him. He nodded in recognition to the security guards who watched them approach and received their passes to enter deeper into the agency in silence, swiping them through a scanner and acknowledging the waves toward the elevators with a brief nod.

They must have looked an unusual pair, he mused, though they were familiar enough around the halls of the Agency. Treize towered over him, his six foot tall and broad-shouldered frame well above his own diminutive height and slight form. The man had looks and charisma enough to grace any model agency's books, but such a thought as to sell his looks to earn a living would never have crossed that aristocratic mind. Sometimes Chang could not understand his partner. Why such a man would be working for a wage, even if it was a rather high wage, and not living off of his old family money and investments and enjoying the frivolous life style of the idle rich was beyond him. Although when he thought about it, it was far more likely the man should have gone into politics, or ruled his old family estate with all the arrogance of a feudal King.

For all of his privileged background and exclusive education Chang admitted Kushrenada was not hard to work with. Admittedly the man had his own rather unique foibles, but it was a simple truth that everyone had their eccentricities and particular style of doing things. From what he had heard of some of the other Telepathic Empaths of Prime status and their eccentricities, he had to admit that Treize could almost be considered 'ordinary' in comparison. While it was true that Kushrenada had more than his fair share of wealth, position and talent you could not go past the fact that the man was brilliant. He was one of the twenty individuals found in the entire Earth Sphere to hold a dual telepathic and empathic talent in the Level Ten range that marked a Prime in both fields. That was remarkable enough, but the true distinction was he was one of the nine of those twenty individuals who were considered to be sane enough not to require isolation in a mental institution.

Kushrenada was very erect in his stance and graceful in his stride, and Chang found he did not envy the man the stares he attracted as they crossed the faux marble lobby. To the L5-born agent it seemed someone was always watching the man at his side, appreciating his looks even if they did not know the talents that attractive, and all too often arrogant, package concealed. There was desire, jealousy, curiosity, even hate in the eyes that followed them, and he was thankful he was not an empath and required to shield at all hours of the day and night to escape the onslaught of that emotional barrage.

// I must speak with Sally before I depart this evening, and warn her in an official capacity he will be visiting her through the week, and that he is possibly not going to be in the best of moods. It is always the empaths and the receiving telepaths who are at the most risk, and the more talent they have the greater the danger they are in. Overload of their senses is a very real risk, and if they are not caught early in childhood and trained to shield, all too easily they succumb to the chaos that is the human mind of their neighbours and go insane. I suppose that is the reason why five of the nine functioning sane Primes in the dual fields of Telepathy and Empathy are aristocrats, or from wealthy backgrounds. They come from families with sufficient money and contacts within the industry to have their children trained as soon as the talents display. The earlier it can be detected the better chance the child has of becoming a functioning adult, instead of an overloaded burned out vegetable … or insane killing machine intent on stopping the 'noise' at any cost. If the government does not soon pass that Bill we will have no hope of saving another generation of empaths from the asylum or suicide.//

The proposal now before the Earth Sphere Unified Nations council for discussion would, if it was passed into law, make it compulsory for all children above the age of ten be tested for active Psi ability, be they colony-born or Earth-born. At two yearly intervals every child should be subjected to a set examination to detect for usable psionic ability until reaching the age of nineteen. Most ability manifested with the advent of a young body into adolescence, when hormones released in this volatile time were known to trigger psychic incidents and development. The consensus was that an adolescent was easier to pick up as having psychic potential than a younger child, although there were some notable exceptions to that general rule. Some children did awaken to their talent at a younger age, and these prodigies too must be nurtured for the good of all.

The World Health Organization and the mammoth Psionic Institute aimed to have all psychics registered and monitored for their future development, and for the safety of psi and non-psi alike. An untrained psychic with a high level of ability was a danger to themselves and to everyone around them. Some psychics were more dangerous than others without meaning to be, and to avoid disasters such as had occurred in the past the W.H.O. and the Psychic Institute had joined forces to lobby for an official register and government backed training program.

Every year there were fires started by unsuspecting emergent pyrokinetics which, thankfully, were mostly small instances, but in the last decade there had been three notable cases where fires had caused hundreds of thousands of credits worth of damage to city coffers. The resulting furore after the confirmation of the use of pyrokinetics by emergent teens and pre-teens had insurance agencies screaming that something had to be done.

//It is hard to believe that only two generations ago the existence of psychic potential was largely denied by the governments of the Earth and Colonies, and whispered about in secret by the common people. The Freak syndrome led most psi's to resist their abilities and wall them up behind strong barriers, and all too many of the sensitive empaths and telepaths would end up in mental institutions, where they really were driven insane. In just two generations our world has been turned around, and the very face of the planet has been changed by training the talented and making fair use of abilities, instead of exploiting us or locking us away.//

He dragged his thoughts away from considering the state of the world with a final thought that he hoped those lobbying the Council might succeed in their attempts to have the bill pass into law. It would not be so easy to enforce, he knew that, but in a generation or two they would have ironed out the difficulties, and it would be second nature to have children tested for useable ability.

Beside him Kushrenada growled softly and Chang glanced at him to note the expressionless face and followed his gaze across the wide lobby. It was most unusual for Treize to react in such a manner, but Chang could not resist the smirk when he noted what Treize was watching. Or rather who. That his partner disapproved would be a little bit of an understatement, but Chang knew him to be a man who did not take well to the sexual antics of the young and, in his view, foolish.

The sight of Dorothy Catalonia shamelessly flirting with Christopher Walker by the east bank of elevators was pretty much guaranteed to draw a reaction from the Prime, and there was nothing approving in the glare he directed at the pair. Catalonia was a talented telekinetic who just happened to be a cousin of the aristocrat, and he did not approve of her flirtatious ways or, Chang suspected, her position at the Agency. He supposed Treize considered such behaviour to be common and uncouth, though to Wu Fei's knowledge Dorothy had never taken the flirting beyond the initial playful 'are you interested' stage.

As far as Chang could see the girl was simply enjoying herself after having won her freedom from the clutches of her clinging olde world aristocratic family, much as Treize had done some years before. Wu Fei knew for a fact it was Treize who had been Dorothy's inspiration, and given her the vision of escaping the net of tradition that was near stifling in the European Sector nobility. The younger generation of aristocrats, seeing that one of their number had succeeded in escaping the family coils, seemed determined to rebel in growing numbers against the traditional moulds that had ensnared their kin for generations.

A great many of these young aristocrats were proven to have psychic potential, and received private training from the best tutors the ESUN had whilst within the influence of their families. On winning their independence they were generally offered lucrative contracts and positions by many companies who saw the benefits of such talents at their disposal, and ties to the wealth and particularly influence that went with the family names. At this time there was a fad on hiring telepaths and empaths to bolster business and political office staff, and any young aristocrat who struggled free was snapped up greedily.

"Give it a rest, Treize. Chris is a good man and is not prone to casual relationships, nor is she a fool and you know it. She knows just how far to go and when to stop."

The Duke resisted the urge to snarl, recalling where he was and that he had a reputation to uphold. It simply would not do to have everyone aware of his reaction, and at some point in the future he was going to need to have a serious discussion with his cousin on the dos and don'ts within polite society. Dorothy might have left the world of the sheltered family behind her, but that was no reason to bring her reputation into disrepute for the sake of a little fun.

"It is not Christopher Walker that rouses my concern. Dorothy has always enjoyed living on the edge, and her penchant for wanting more than she has, or rightfully has earned, will need to be watched. She has always sought out adventure, seeking a hint of danger to spice up her life. Freedom from the family strictures I fear will see her overstep her mark."

"Perhaps what you say is a true and fair assessment, but I have to ask if you wish her to be confined under the same thumbs as once controlled you? You escaped that lifestyle, is it so strange that others too wish freedom from mouldy walls and parental disapproval? Dorothy will receive adventure enough as a member of the Agency once she is fully trained as an agent, and that is months away. Probation and training will see her disciplined or she will be packed off back to the family halls quickly enough. As she is still confined to the training barracks at night and under observation through the day, I do not see that she can get up to much in the way of mischief. Rest your concerns; we have other matters to worry about."

//Ah, Chang you are so innocent. 'Confined to the training barracks'. 'Not get up to much in the way of mischief'. // Treize smirked, looking rather like the cat that swallowed the canary and got away with the kill. "My dear Sir, you just do not know Dorothy."

Flashing the man a glare for the saccharine tone of his voice Chang led the way past the flirting young couple, thankful Treize said nothing as they passed by and Dorothy had sense enough to contain herself while Treize was in her immediate vicinity. He would die of embarrassment if the vivacious blonde should tempt fate by annoying her cousin deliberately in full view of the lobby. He presumed it might be considered a sign of her survival skills that she was notably silent as they passed.

The bank of elevators at the far end of the lobby was under heavy security surveillance, though there was no outward sign of this scrutiny. The trio of elevators could only be entered by select individuals, those who worked there full time and the transient agents who were highly enough placed to warrant personal interviews with the Operations Commander. The staff that worked on the sealed tenth floor of the building all carried computer chips inserted into the flesh of their necks, behind the left ear. If you did not have the chip the doors would not even open for you, unless you were with a chipped individual and had been granted temporary access as registered with the security department. These three elevators were capable of reaching only the one floor, and were a sealed unit with no stops possible in transit between the lobby and the Operations Administration Offices.

"Have you regained your senses yet?" Chang queried as the doors swished open to admit them. He placed himself near the access panel and swiped his identity card through the appropriate slot in the wall's security monitor. "Are you willing to be sensible?"

"I do not make a habit of losing my faculties." Came the droll return. "Not even when I drink."

Treize settled himself on the far side of the elevator and watched the activity taking place in the lobby, while he waited for Chang to clear the security protocols.

A very ungracious snort from the irritated agent responded as the scanner panel flashed green, focusing Chang's attention on the matter at hand.

"REQUEST OPTICAL IDENTIFICATION SCAN." The computer's voice response unit filled the elevator in a reasonably good facsimile of dulcet feminine tones.

Wu Fei leaned forward slightly and a green laser lanced from the wall to capture his right eye. He resisted the urge to blink until the light winked out, and without waiting for confirmation of his identity he moved aside to permit his partner to take his place.

"IRIS SCAN CONFIRMED. WELCOME AGENT CHANG. REQUEST IDENTITY

DATA CARD."

Treize stepped up to the panel and swiped his card through the scanner as he did so squashing the irritation he felt for having to suffer through this daily ritual. All of the information stating his identity was contained in the chip inserted behind his ear and on his identity card, and this routine annoyed him for being a waste of his precious time.

"REQUEST OPTICAL IDENTIFICATION SCAN."

The laser flashed as Treize leaned closer to the unit, and he resisted the urge to flinch away as it targeted his eye. Iris scans annoyed the hell out of him and he admitted they probably always would. His experience as a child with a malfunctioning laser unit had required he undergo regeneration and a professional Healer's attention for all of a year to restore his eyesight.

"IRIS SCAN CONFIRMED. WELCOME MR. KUSHRENADA. COMMANDER UNE IS EXPECTING YOU."

Chang snorted in disgust but refrained from commenting. He was far from amused by the computer's distinction between himself and Treize. He was a government sponsored graduate

from the Psychic Institute and therefore was required to pay back in work the expenditure the government had outlaid to have him trained to his full potential beyond the level of tuition his clan could afford. His Clan Elders had been eager for him to complete his training, as successful completion amounted to an elevation of prestige for the Clan in having produced a near prime talent psi.

At the completion of his training program he had been assigned to work that debt off at the Agency, and while he was both pleased and proud of the work he performed it, annoyed him that he was Agent Chang and his partner was Mr. Kushrenada. The difference in status, of course, was that his partner was not a government sponsored psychic and therefore was treated to a higher level of honor. It was both discriminating and insulting in his view, but it was a distinction his partner had not asked for and was therefore not his fault, so Wu Fei refrained from making comments. After all, the fault lay with the system they lived under and neither of them could do anything about it. Wealth had always had its privileges.

"You still have not told me what this is all about." Treize prompted as the elevator doors slid shut enclosing them in the wood panelled box that tended to make him feel rather claustrophobic.

"Perhaps that is because I know little more than you about what is happening. To warrant this summons so soon after completing the last case, means this case could no doubt be described as being odd, urgent, and almost certainly politically sensitive. It will be high profile else why call us in ? It is not my place to question Commander Une, but I do know there is a body involved and that the ESUN Security Agency brought the matter to the Agency."

"You don't know what we will be investigating, but you know all of this because …?"

There was barely any sign that the elevator was moving, so smooth and quiet were the hydraulics.

"When the Commander summoned me Heero Yuy was with Une and I chanced to overhear mention of a corpse before I entered the office. Then I was dispatched to fetch you."

"I am not a stick, nor are you a dog Chang, and I will thank you to remember that. I do not need fetching."

Wu Fei smirked but otherwise might not have heard the comment, which he did not think quite qualified as a complaint. It made his day when he managed to worm his way under his partner's ever so cool exterior and score at worst an annoyance, and at best a betrayal of that almost unflappable persona. He admitted that he liked the man, but there was no getting away from the truth that they came from two separate walks of life, and he would never forget the gulf that lay between them. A character fault with himself, he knew, but it was beyond his control and besides, he enjoyed those admittedly rare instances when he managed to score against the older man, and he thought it worth the wait and effort to achieve no matter how small the victory might be.

Treize ignored the smirk and chose to consider the implications of the presence of Heero Yuy at the Agency. The ESUN Security Agent was one of the few genetically enhanced individuals whose very existence had been contested for almost a century before consent from a ruling Government was garnered for the gene modifications to take place on a viable stored embryo. There were only ten of his kind in the ESUN to date, and they were reared from birth by the Security Agency to serve the needs of the expanding colonies of mankind.

The young man was bred, born and trained to be a elite agent. From the moment of his birth he had been groomed for his place in the world as an adult, and while he might appear to be no more than eighteen years of age he was, in fact, approaching his twenty-second year and had been working as a full agent for the Security Service since his fifteenth birthday. Without a doubt if Yuy was involved in this assignment there would be something seriously political in the wind, or something extremely odd taking place that could dangerously compromise Earth to Colony relationships. Yuy was invariably assigned only to the cases that warranted a delicate touch, and for which his superiors required calm efficiency and the expectation was for a considerable body count of potentially important persons. To his knowledge there was not one case that involved Heero Yuy that did not involve a homicide involving prominent political figures.

"Then without a doubt we can expect to be used to our full potential in the coming days." Treize sighed, far from looking forward to the challenge. //I can just imagine the mess this is going to be and we will have to keep it all out of the media and everyone knows how acute their noses are for detecting any hint of scandal. Well, one more case then, and I will have to insist on time off. I am not inclined to surrender myself to a sanitarium's care for insane psychics any time soon. It remains a very real possibility if I do not get some time to center myself.//

The elevator conveyed them in silence and at express speed to the administration level. It came to a gentle stop, and encouraged them to leave with a melodious chime as the doors opened. Many of the elevators in the building played hideous examples of supposedly popular music, while a few played a reasonable rendition of a more classical style, but Treize found that he preferred the units that were silent and permitted one time to think without distraction.

The low murmur of voices mixed with the chatter of computers and the hum of air conditioning units flooded into the elevator to taunt the ear. Treize winced, not from the volume of noise, but from the certain knowledge that he was going to find someone out in the huge office area that was venting emotionally. He strengthened his shield as he stepped into the office, fortifying his mind's security against more than an emotional verbal rant. Wherever you found people you found psychic 'noise' and the more sensitive you were to that 'noise' the greater the strength you needed to instill in your shields, or go down in a screaming heap of second hand emotions.

It was inevitable with the work expected of the people who worked in the Agency, and in particular the staff working in the Operations Center, that stress levels would be elevated. Most people could not contain the psychic aggravation given off by stress developed over long periods of time. It had been noted that those employed on the tenth floor showed considerably higher levels of stress than was generally found in most administrative offices. The Agency employed a competent team of psychologists and medical staff to monitor these levels, and provisions were in place for the staff to take frequent breaks, a minimum of thirty minutes per day in the gym situated three floors down, and regular periodic holiday breaks. Incidents of forced retirement through poor health due to stress-related issues had become almost nonexistent at the Agency with the introduction of these provisions.

He felt the pressure against his shield before he even cleared the elevator, and refrained from sighing in resignation.

The emotional levels that assaulted his shields were worse than they had been prior to his lunch break, and a glance to his right revealed the closest source of what he could only describe as pure aggression. One of the many secretarial staff whose desk was closest to the elevator was being confronted by a black suited individual who practically had ESUN Security Agency plastered all over him. The man was a government pen pusher, Treize realized, and not a field agent who would have shown more restraint than to wave a folder around in the air in a high state of excitement, and hiss insults at the woman who was beginning to emit some serious aggravation of her own.

Kushrenada snorted in disgust and no small amount of annoyance of his own, and berated himself for that betrayal of his mood at Chang's astonished look. He had reacted publicly to something, and that was not an acceptable risk to his reputation, and ignoring the agents stare he strode toward the far end of the office space. He really must guard himself more securely, he mused, as it was unthinkable that he degenerate into becoming one of these people who allowed their most basic thoughts to be visible to anybody and everybody. Gabriella would take him to task for bringing the repute of Primes into question if he was not careful. Should Chang hear so common a sound from him with any frequency his reputation would be ruined.

Chang lengthened his stride and caught up, none too pleased that he had needed to chance his dignity by coming perilously close to a trot to catch up with the taller man. He was a field agent after all, not a file clerk, and he had his own view of where he fit into the order of things.

"Is something wrong?"

The thick carpet cushioned each foot fall, and potted plants brought green into the work space, but there was no getting away from the fact they walked through a highly efficient office. There were eyes following their every step and they passed three security guards stationed discreetly near the taller greenery within ten paces of the elevators. Treize noted that two of the guards were eyeing off the aggravated ESUN official, who showed no let up in verbally abusing the secretary, and he wondered how long it would be before one of them decided to investigate. It could not be soon enough for his peace of mind.

// Is something wrong? He just had to ask and prove how little he listened, didn't he? Why do you have to be an Empath before you realize just how noisy the human mind is? Even telepaths do not realize the level of noise a person is capable of generating. It's like stereo, the emotions fortifying the thoughts, rounding out the emissions and never bloody shutting up!//

He acknowledged the nods of people they passed and knew they would not expect any idle chitchat. Here work ruled and never stopped. Three shifts worked the administration level and kept the Agency abreast of the affairs of the Earth Sphere, regardless of the hour of the day or night, and the office never closed, working through public holidays and even religious holidays. If you had a problem with the hours of work you simply were not acceptable to the powers-that-be.

"Treize?"

"Of course something is wrong, Chang. I have worked for months without even the grudgingly given two days break, the obligatory pat on the back and the snarky instruction to sleep it off and now, when I think I have cleared up the case files allocated to me so that I can take time off what happens? I get drafted, yet again, because I am apparently invaluable to every case that comes in the door."

Chang blinked, somewhat taken aback by the Prime's response and the inclusion of a word he had assumed Treize would not even know the meaning of. Where and when had Treize found reference to 'snarky', he wondered.

"Just how serious do you think your condition is?"

Teeth ground together in mounting frustration and he did not care that Chang could hear the grind. His dentist would have a fit, of course, if he took that up as a regular habit, but was it any wonder he was frustrated? Had he not already made the seriousness of the situation clear? Frosty sapphire met obsidian and there was no amusement apparent in either of the two men as they glared at each other. Treize paused and faced his partner, meeting his gaze with quiet if chilly dignity and resisted the impulse to rub at his throbbing temples.

"I need to get away from this mental noise pollution and into seclusion soon, Wu Fei, or I will be unable to shield myself adequately in public areas. I have no intention of ignoring this matter until I am pushed too far and have to hand myself over to a psych ward. If I do not get the solitude and the time I need to clear my mind and work on my shields, then a psychiatric ward is exactly where I am likely to end up."

"I will be certain to speak to Sally."

Treize inclined his head slightly to acknowledge the assurance, but otherwise refrained from commenting. Should his warning not be taken he would have no compunction about calling in the other Primes and a veritable army of solicitors on his behalf. He had given of himself time and again to the Agency's needs and it was past time some consideration was given back. Chang moved slightly ahead of him and led the way through the maze of offices and hallways until they reached the glassed in outer office of the Agency's Commander of Operations.

Wu Fei sighed and resisted the urge to do more than roll his eyes in exasperation as they entered the office and their presence was noted by Commander Une's secretary. The woman

perked up immediately, straightening in her seat and in one fluid motion primped her hair, checked her makeup and somehow, Chang had never quite figured out how she did it, thrust her substantial chest into prominence without actually moving. She prided herself on her physical presentation as much as her work, and she was one of the most efficient secretaries in the entire building, her efficiency topped only by the abilities of the secretaries who worked for those above Une in the Agency pecking order.

An attractive dark-haired woman with wide blue eyes that had been described as smouldering by more than one ardent admirer, she had the sexual appetite of a predator. No male was safe in her vicinity and he found her blatant appetite for anything male to be disgusting and in poor taste. She had never displayed subtlety in her attraction for either of them, and she positively drooled when Treize had the misfortune to be requested to attend an interview within the Commander's office.

"Agent Chang, Mr. Kushrenada, so nice to see you again. I'll just inform Commander Une you have arrived." She purred in a melodic, husky voice, and leaned forward to reach for the intercom though it was well within her reach. They both knew her inclination was to better display her chest's attributes.

"Put them back in their cups, Molly and if you're not wearing a bra, get one on. Now make coffee." The crisp voice issued from the intercom as the door to the Commander's office opened in a fluid unaided gesture and Une's voice held no amusement at all. "Get in here, you two. I have more important things to do than wait on you, Kushrenada."

"Don't." Chang was quick to touch his partner's sleeve and whispered to forestall the explosion he expected, and he could not say that he would blame the man for reacting to her insulting tone of voice.

This was too public a place for one of the infamous fights between the Agency's Prime and the Operations Commander to occur. Fleetingly he wondered who the upper floor executives thought might be more expendable should one or the other demand the other's removal. He was looking forward to a volatile interview if Une was opening doors with kinetic strength and insulting the Prime before they were in the same room.

"There is going to be a show down and it will not be pretty." At Chang's raised hand Treize shook his head, forestalling the comment. "Very soon, Chang. Very soon." The low growl was accompanied by a glare that would freeze water, but Treize snapped his mouth shut and his lips firmed into a hard angry line.

"Not here and not now, please. Keep the peace for a while longer and allow Sally to have her say first."

Why he tried to smooth over the friction between the two with Treize he did not understand, as he honestly thought that if it came to one or the other the executive authority would fall in the favour of Kushrenada. Operations Commanders were not as rare as Prime talents after all. He was going to be speaking to his wife as soon as possible in a bid to sort this mess out and spare everyone grief from the fallout of changing someone as highly placed as Une. While she could be a veritable bitch there was no doubt that the woman was masterful in her running of the department.

With something that sounded disturbingly like a cross somewhere between a grunt and a growl, Treize motioned to the open door and followed Chang into the room. The Commander's office was spartanly decorated with no luxuries beyond the huge oak desk dominating the far wall, and the oversized padded leather chair she used. A few filing cabinets along a side wall, a couch that had seen better days along a third, and a computer terminal rising from the desk made up the bulk of the Commander's work environment. There were a few not so comfortable chairs scattered about the room in the event the Commander entertained more than one individual at a time, as she did today, and a water cooler set near the huge picture windows that backed the desks placement.

Commander Anne Une, of the ancient and noble Germanic House of Une, was a woman you could never walk past without noticing. Physically she was more than passing attractive with soft brown hair, usually tightly braided and wound into knots at each ear, and doe soft brown eyes few ever saw without the hard calculation gleaming from their depths, and a determined set to her fine jaw. Chang privately thought she was a very attractive woman, and if she ever learned to relax and leave the office and her responsibilities behind her, she would not lack for male attention. Dressed in a dark blue business suit, the only concession she gave to her femininity was the skirt she had chosen over slacks. Her shoes were sensible pumps, not fashion statements, and about her left wrist she sported a com unit. This woman was never out of touch with her profession.

Chang found himself holding his breath as they entered, fully expecting his partner to snap at their Commander, or for the woman to make another ill considered comment designed to aggravate the Prime. However it appeared the Commander had, at least for now, made her displeasure known in a manner satisfactory to her, and chose to refrain from further comment about their errant Prime's tardy habits.

//One of these days I am going to learn what exactly the problem is between these two. She has had it in for Treize since he began working for the Agency, which was not so long before she was given the position as Operations Commander. He has taken a lot more flack from her than any other agent to my knowledge has had to put up with, and generally he does not complain beyond a snide comment or two. Perhaps she simply does not like men of her own station and background.//

"Take a seat, gentlemen, we have no time to engage in idleness or useless pleasantries. Yuy has presented us with an investigation that is somewhat out of the ordinary, and I have determined that you two are the best suited of my available agents to deal with the matter. It will require both discretion and a deft hand to see to a satisfactory completion, and you have proven capable of both on numerous past occasions."

Two chairs separated themselves from the nearer wall and floated smartly across the room to place themselves, with quick efficiency, before the desk beside the brown-haired agent who watched with cold clinical blue eyes. Chang resisted the urge to glance at the Commander in some surprise, as it was rare for her to display her telekinetic talent so openly. Yuy watched the flight of the chairs impassively; unmoved by the display and willing to wait for sociable greetings to be exchanged when they left the aggravating woman, who had clearly been far from pleased to see him.

Chang took the seat beside Yuy, nodded briefly to him in greeting, and settled to face the woman who seemed determined to glare holes in the file spread open before her. He flicked a quick glance at the folder, curious to see what he might as Treize settled into the seat beside him and had just enough time to glimpse a photograph of a corpse before Une's hand came down and tilted the contents of the folder up and out of his line of sight.

//Someone is definitely dead. No surprise there.// He reflected.

"As yet he is unidentified and duly designated a John Doe." Une began, placing a morgue shot of an adult male on the desk for them to see. "He was found stuffed in a refrigerator by the housekeeper for a shared apartment at the accommodation dormitories of the Tsuberov Parapsychic Investigation and University complex, just outside of the city. As you are no doubt aware, the Tsuberov Institute is government-sanctioned and financially backed by government and private business concerns. It is primarily a private institute for parapsychic research, training and education, and its reputation is exemplary throughout the Earth Sphere. Tsuberov rivals the Psychic Institute for prestige, and its student body consists of the children of the rich and famous. As you might expect with the importance of its students and their parents political or business influences, the institution has an exemplary security system and some of the best security personnel to be had in the Earth Sphere. In fact the Board of Governors for the university prided themselves on the safety they can provide for their clientele's children, and make it one of the biggest draw cards to attract said clientele."

Une produced a series of aerial views of a large campus and buildings surrounded by extensive parklands, and a few shots of old Georgian style buildings. The final photograph she placed on the desk was of an open refrigerator with the body of the murdered man folded neatly within.

"As you can see our John Doe fitted neatly into the refrigerator. So neatly did he fit that I understand it was not an easy matter to remove him. Forensic tests are still underway, as is a post-mortem. He had been in the unit overnight, no longer and the consensus appears to be that he was a burglar."

"A burglar? In a university dorm?" Chang shook his head slightly at the very idea.

"I will remind you that Tsuberov is a complex catering to the educational needs of the children of the ultra rich and famous, Mr. Chang. Think about it." Une sighed, rubbing at the bridge of her nose.

"Our investigations reveal there have been a series of minor break-ins over the past two weeks, which are being investigated by the onsite security department." Yuy offered. "Nothing much has been stolen, but a few reasonably expensive pieces of jewelry has gone missing. The security on campus has not been able to track the stolen items or detect how the thefts have been accomplished."

"Why call us?" Kushrenada questioned, studying the photograph of the body stuffed into the refrigerator with interest.

The size of the unit looked to be only slightly larger than what he would term a bar fridge, and fitting a human body into it would have taken time, and should have involved amputation of a limb or three. Unless the body was of a particularly short and slender individual and even then he would have expected a little nipping and tucking would be required.

"While Tsuberov is an elite institution space there is at a premium. The majority of the dormitory rooms are shared by two to five students in a suite. The layouts of the suites give a communal kitchen and lounge area, but the bedrooms are separated and students sleep one to a room. The students assigned to this particular suite have been on a trip to L4 for the past three weeks, and prior to that they were on L3 for a week. The excursion was designed to orient them to employment opportunities for high level psychics, workplace safety procedures and responsibilities associated with contractual obligations following the conclusion of their term at the university, in the case of one of the three that will be at the end of this year. The suite where John Doe was found houses three individuals, one of whom is the reason for our involvement in the matter. The ESUN Security Agency and the powers that be above us agree the matter must be handled discreetly, delicately and quickly." Une leant back in her chair and considered the three men.

Yuy opened the folder he had been holding below the level of the desk and leaning forward in his seat placed three photographs on the desk, lining them up side by side as he named the individuals in question.

"Duo Maxwell, a sponsored exchange student listed as originating from L2. His tuition and expenses at Tsuberov have been picked up by the Sweepers, who have pre-contractual agreements in place for his services. His employment is guaranteed when he leaves the University complex by that organization, not unusual as the Sweepers have sanctioned two other students at the University."

Chang looked with interest at the photograph of the boy in question. He looked to be around eighteen years old and had a rather winning smile plastered on his heart-shaped face, and the most amazing feature of the boy was the long braid of rich dark chestnut hair held negligently in one hand as he posed for the official school photograph.

"Zechs Merquise. His tuition was paid for by a as yet anonymous benefactor. Should it be required we may need to get a court order to learn who has enough of an interest in him to fund his placement at Tsuberov and not take the effort and expense of employing a pre-contractual agreement. His background is of no more interest than Mr. Maxwell's. Both were orphaned at early ages and placed as wards of the state, Maxwell on his native L2 and Merquise as a citizen of the European sector of Earth. How this one picked up a wealthy benefactor we have not as yet determined, and we may need to look into the matter." Une flicked a finger at the second picture.

Treize arched an eyebrow as he studied the picture, noting and admiring, the unusual beauty of the young man. Perhaps a year or two older that Maxwell, with a graceful fall of platinum blonde hair almost as long, and ice blue eyes that stared at the camera with just a hint of unease, as though he had not wished to have his photograph taken.

"Quatre Raberba Winner. Yes, Winner. He is the reason we are involved in this case." Une leaned forward and stabbed a finger at the picture of the blonde boy lying on the desk. "The Winner heir, no less. You can imagine I am sure just how not amused his father will be when he learns of this security breach involving his son's dorm. We need to learn if this was an isolated incident perhaps involving this low level theft taking place at the complex, or if someone may be out to snare the boy, perhaps for ransom. With the importance of the identities that have entrusted their children to this elite school, we can not afford to overlook anything that might be of significance to the investigation. All three boys are due to return from their excursion to the colonies this evening, so I suggest you go to the University and investigate the rooms before they return."

Quatre Winner seemed to be smiling at Treize personally as he studied the picture. It was the kind of pose that he himself had been taught as a child and had become second nature by the time he reached ten. He could just imagine the sheltered upbringing the boy would have had, and how the more open structure of the university would have made him take a deep breath of air. He was surprised the boy had not been placed in a single suite and was permitted to room with two youths who were certainly not in the same social class as the bulk of the university's students.

Une stirred, scowling at the three photographs lined up before the agents. "It is not just that someone we have not yet identified managed to penetrate the security of the University. Our involvement is more for the fact that the perpetrator of the break in was killed during his activities, and stuffed in the refrigerator to delay his body being discovered. You will need to question the housekeeper who found the body during her preparing the suite for the students return. To assist in the investigation the University Governors have cooperated and agreed to move the three to another dormitory suite, and as a precaution I want that suite scanned and a review of security arrangements carried out. Mr. Yuy will liaison between the ESUN Security Agency and yourselves, providing you with all the assistance you might require. The students' belongings are to be transferred between the suites before the shuttle lands at 18:00 hours, and I expect you to have inspected the crime scene prior to that transfer. It is possible that either the thief, or the murderer, may have left some clue to their identities that you might pick up on, Treize, as the Security Agency does not as yet have the benefit of a Prime in your field to call on. Forensics have been through the suite searching for possible genetic evidence that may be to our benefit. I have begun the paperwork to arrange for DNA samples of the three students to be taken on their return to the complex in order to eliminate any DNA samples we take that might belong to them, and samples from the staff who have entered the suite in the last week for any reason will also be arranged for purposes of elimination. I expect to have garnered the appropriate authority by sunset tomorrow with the cooperation of all involved. Questions?"

"Any preliminary autopsy results on the body?" Kushrenada queried.

"You will have that information as soon as I receive it. Yuy's people have the body so we need to wait on their procedures."

"The three students, what are they studying at the University? What are their individual psionic skills, and will there likely be interference from these skills during the investigation?" Wu Fei queried, studying the three photos.

"Winner is a Level ten Empath, already in the range of Prime Empaths, though he needs considerably more training to make that rank, and there would be little doubt that his father has his position as a Prime already detailed. While he is within the Prime ranking requirements for empathic ability he has, to date, only reached Level five rating as a telepath. His rating, I believe, is valid in both send and receiving capabilities and it is doubtful he will reach Prime ranking in the dual field. He is studying business economics and social economics, as well as the history of Earth and Colony relations." Yuy responded. "He is a grade A student and his father has a report on his progress sent to him weekly."

//Poor bastard. Daddy does keep close tabs on him.// Wu Fei motioned in a general wave of the hand at the photos. "The others?"

"Maxwell is studying advanced mechanics, advanced engineering and technical design. His general academic grades are one small point off being classed as A grade, and he is expected to graduate in the top ten in his field. He is being trained to hone and improve a notable telekinetic ability that registers in at Level 8 at this time, but there is a note on his file suggesting he may rate as high as Level 9, considering he initially tested at Level 5 on arrival two years ago. While he is not listed as being expected to make Level 10 and Prime status, he is being closely monitored for development. In addition to the telekinesis he is a sending telepath rated at Level 5, with no receive function as yet detected, and again his talent has markedly improved for the time he has been undergoing training." Yuy flicked the edge of a printout within the file he held on his knee.

Une stared broodingly at the third picture and then straightened in her seat, leaning back and watching her two agents for their reaction.

"Mr. Merquise is a somewhat rarer mix of talent. He is a Level 10 Empath with Level 9 telepathic ability. His send and receive function for both empathic and telepathic ability is fully sensitized, and there is some small indication that he may have a minor 'Finder' tendency developing. The latter ability has been picked up only in the last twelve months, but formal testing has thus far been inconclusive. Considering his age he is considered too old to be developing new psi potential, but it is not unheard of where one or two talents are so high that any minor talent might be overlooked in developing the stronger abilities. He is undergoing testing to determine if this suspected ability can be confirmed and possibly ranked. Even should he only be designated a Level 1 Dowser the fact that he is a tri talent psi, and expected to make Prime level in two of the three fields, will result in him being hot property. By the time he graduates near the end of the year they expect his telepathy to be on par with the empathy and the full Prime designation be applied to him. However, if he is tagged a Dowser he will be required to remain at least another year to develop and train the ability. I have little doubt that should his benefactor decide not to cover the expense of his training that some interested business conglomerate will pick up the bills. He is studying mechanics, mechanical engineering and mechanical design, for which he appears to have a mediocre talent at best. His records clearly state he is not a shining star academically, though he is managing to earn at least passing grades in the basics. He is graded higher in art, design and graphic design. All in all, while he excels in Psi study he is very ordinary academically."

"Winner is being trained to take over Winner Enterprises in the fullness of time, and Maxwell is a Sweeper-sanctioned prodigy, so he will be heading into space on one of the Sweeper ships after graduation. Both are assured of employment in the future and from what you say both excel academically. While it has no bearing on this case I am curious to know what lies in the future for Merquise, if he is mediocre in his studies." Chang mused.

"You are correct in it having no effect on the case, but I would suggest you give some thought to not demonstrating how dense you can be, Chang." Une glared in disgust at her agent. "He's a rated Level 10 Empath, already a Prime talent, though not officially certified as such. His Level 9 telepathic function is projected to reach Level 10 before graduation. A dual Prime Empathic Telepath who from reports appears to be reasonably sane, therefore he will be snapped up and not for any mundane skills. His presence has been kept remarkably low key considering the demand for Prime talents, and now that we know of his existence it is even possible the Agency might bid for his services on his graduation and certification. It would appear from recent reviews that the executive body considers us to be short of such skills."

Treize resisted the urge to bare his teeth at the woman, in what might have been described a snarl more than a grin of sarcastic amusement, and turned his thoughts away from the petty annoyance of her presence to what was suddenly looking to be a case worth his interest. This he had already determined would be his last case until he took care of some much needed maintenance to his stressed shields. Another empathic telepath with skills comparable to his own would no doubt relieve the pressure on him, but he was loath to wish this job on anyone.

//Especially someone fresh out of university.// His eyes caressed the photograph one more time and he was careful not to think how handsome the younger man was, or wonder how they would deal with each other when they met. Suddenly he wanted to meet the man and he determined that if the occasion should arise at Tsuberov, then he would take full advantage of it.

"So in one suite we have two certified geniuses and one academically average, but soon to be ranked Prime Talent. Might they not consider isolating Winner for a time in a single suite?" Chang queried. "It would be safer for him and for the other two students."

Une shook her head in the negative. "In their wisdom the University governors feel that they can maintain a secure environment around the boy without isolating him and causing unnecessary strain. It seems on his return to Tsuberov he will be undergoing a vital stage of his training."

"That could be a mistake. Should there be an incident either of the other two might be placed at risk."

Yuy glanced at Chang and nodded. "My thoughts exactly, but the powers that be want the situation kept as quiet as possible, and they feel that removing Winner from his room would be remarked upon by most of the student body. Should that happen no doubt word would leak about why he has been separated, and parents might lose faith in the institute's ability to guard their offspring."

Une sighed. "The University needs to function with its usual efficiency, as does the research center, and it is felt any additional personnel running around body searching the students and staff is not considered an option. There is also the fact that Winner needs to concentrate on his studies, and it is felt that he will do so better in the company of his dorm mates. We have been instructed to keep this affair quiet, which means we are not to suggest to him, or the boys he shares with, that he is in any danger. What occurred in the unit they shared was an unfortunate coincidence, until proven otherwise."

t.b.c.

Karina Robertson 2006

Authors Notes:

Treize Kushrenada : Level 10 Sending/Receiving Telepath + Receiving and Projecting Empath at Level 10. Prime rated. Agency Operative contracted term of 5 years with 2 years remaining. [25yrs of age Training facility: Psychic Institute Munich Division.

Chang Wu Fei: Level 9 Telekinetic + Receiving Telepath Level 5. Agency Operative contracted term of 10 years with 8 years remaining[22yrs of age Training facility:Psychic Institute Luxemburg Division.

Sally Po [Chang: Level 4 Receiving Empath with linked Healers Ability graded Level 6 Agency Operative-Chief Medical Officer contracted term of 10 years with 6 years remaining. Training facility: Psychic Institute Beijing Division. [23 yrs old

Commander Anne Une: Level 8 Telekinetic. Operations Commander of The Agency. Contracted term of 10 years with 7 years remaining. Luxemburg Division. [22 yrs old.

Dorothy Catalonia: Level 8 Telekinetic. Agency recruit. Contracted term 5 years Training facility: Private tuition with 1 year Psychic Institute for official qualification and certification Luxemburg Division. [19 yrs old

Christopher Walker: Level 9 Telekinetic. Agency Operative. Contracted term of 10 years with 9 years remaining. Training facility Psychic Institute. Washington USA [20 yrs old

Heero Yuy: ESUN Security Agency Elite Operative. Government sanctioned Genetic enhancements performed by Romefeller Genetic Laboratory, Tokyo for adult service as Security Enhanced Operative. No Psychic Talent. Genetic induced enhancements include enhanced Strength, Hearing, Speed and

Olfactory senses. Assigned regularly to liaison with The Agency's psychic agents. [21 / 22 years old

Roland Matthews: Level 8 Pyrokinetic with Level 5 Telekinetic and Level 7 Send and Receive Telepath . Agency Operative. Foyer Security Detail, daytime. Rated Level 10 Security Operative. Psi training facility Psychic Institute Manchester, England. [76 years old

Brian Weiss: Level 8 Telekinetic with Level 7 Pyrokinetic and Level 7 Send and Receive Telepath. Agency Operative. Foyer Security Detail, daytime. Rated Level 10 Security Operative.

Psi training facility Parapsychic Institute, Luxemburg Division [80 years old