When the ragtag team of benders made their way to the Director's office, they were greeted by a man who hurriedly rushed out of the office looking rather disgruntled. He looked like he was going to cry. He pushed passed the three, shouldering Nate on the way out. "Someone's in a hurry." Nate grumbled.

Mella saw the teary-eyed man rush away. It painted an image of a foreboding man in her head. She smiled to herself. Now she was just being silly.

Josh looked concerned. "I wonder what the Director said. He seemed pretty cool when we talked to him last."

"Not sure. Let's find out." Nate replied.

When they entered, Director Taylor got up from his redwood desk and came to shake hands with the trio. "Glad you all found your way. You're all rested and fed I assume?"

The director wasn't like her overactive imagination's idea. He seemed nice, but his tone was business. "It sounds like you have something for us to do, director." Then, realizing how rude she must sound, she added, "I'm Mella Camyra, sir."

She avoided eye contact. Her eyes freaked out a lot of people, and that's not what she wanted as a first impression.

The man showed them a faint smile. "Your assumption is correct, Ms. Camyra." He walked back to his chair behind his desk. "Have a seat." he gestured to the wooden chairs in front of him. Mella sat down with the boys.

"As I'm sure you're all aware, secrecy is key to all of this. Josh is going to train here to learn Earthbending. After he has gained enough experience he will learn each element at a different base. In the meantime, Agents Price and Camyra, you will be assigned as normal."

"You aren't splitting us up, are you?" What he was describing sounded a lot like a split up. It made absolutely no sense. After everything Nate had just told them, the director's words confused her. "I mean...we get to go with Josh once it's time to move to a new base, right?"

"Unfortunately not. Trying to station all three of you at the same time would raise some brows. The delicate nature of this situation calls for your separation. You will always know where each other are, of course." the Director stated.

Nathan glanced at the other two Sun refugees. "With all due respect, sir, due to the delicate nature of the situation, I feel that Agent Camyra and myself would be most effective if we stayed with the Avatar. Wherever he goes." The airbender said this in the most calm, yet serious way possible. The look in his eye was that of someone whose mind would not be changed.

Mella nodded. "I was under the impression we were to stay together because of all this. Separating us seems counter-productive. And who would recognize us, sir? No one knows me, or the Avatar." Nate, well, Mella really didn't know much about him, besides what he had told them.

"I don't think you understand. Transferring the same three agents all at the same time to various locations would raise suspicion. Though they may not recognize you all personally, your records of transferal are available to higher-ups" the Director seemed to have put a lot of thought into this.

"Directing a base is as high as you get. Why would the other Directors have a problem with this?" Mella asked, her voice getting higher. Nate touched the back of her hand, and she shut up instantly, even though there was a lot more she wanted to say. Nate went on.

"I'm sure you can think of something. Because whether you give the okay or not, we'll be staying with the Avatar through the entire training process." Nate sat back into his seat.

"Ms. Camyra, there is more to STAR than you will know. There are others above the Directors, and they know what they are doing. And Mr. Price. I'm shocked at your behavior. Your personnel records indicate that you're a top-notch operative. You follow orders to a T and make sure your missions go accordingly." The Director was unamused.

"Your records are correct. However, you see, I follow orders up to a point. The mission comes first. If I find that a direct order comes into the way of successfully completing an assignment, I will do what it takes to make sure I succeed."

By this point the Director looked peeved. "You do realize you are committing insubordination?"

"Yes, sir."

It looked as if both were locked into an intimidation staring contest with neither willing to let up. Mella was silently fuming as well. Josh looked between the three of them. This wasn't looking good.

"Don't I get to say anything?" Josh interrupted, both men broke their locked gazes. Mella snapped out of it too.

"What is it, Josh?" Nate asked.

"I appreciate what you all are trying to do to protect the Avatar...Me...'The Mission'." he shook his head stumbling over the last part, still unsure how to address whatever it was that he had become. "But if these two are the only ones who know who I am besides yourself, I won't go without them. I can't do this alone. I'm not going with a bunch of strangers every time you think I'm ready to learn more." he said flatly.

"I understand, Mr. Drake, but I-"

"Please. Being the Avatar has to count for something, right?"

The Director sighed. A migraine had been coming on for a while. "Alright. Agents Price and Camyra will be transferred alongside the Avatar at all times. You're dismissed." He waved them out of his office.

Mella stood and nodded respectfully to the director. They had made quite an impression. She held the door open for the boys as they followed her out, and finally finished ranting once they were far enough away. Nate made sure to shut the door behind them. "That went well. I can't believe he would try to separate us! And what about the clothes issue?" She had to give the boys props, especially Josh. It took a lot of guts to stand up to someone older than you, especially a director.

"Yeah. I'll say. Hey, do you think he tried way too hard to get us apart? I mean, under normal circumstances that's well, normal. But this whole thing doesn't happen, at all." he wondered aloud. He might have been over thinking things and maybe a little paranoid after the ambush thing, but what could a person do after having to dodge tranquilizer darts. Then there was still the mole theory. "We're heading to the accounting desk. STAR's gonna foot the bill." he added to address the clothing situation.

"Yeah...maybe it's because they just want to protect Josh. But there's other ways to stay unsuspicious and still keep us together." Something was up. It didn't make sense to have the three of them together at base and then rip the trio apart as soon as Josh moved on.

"Exactly. Why wouldn't they put that into play in the first place? I don't like this." And that's when Nate starting doubting the one constant in his life: STAR. Now he was wondering exactly how many people knew of the mission. After they got back from shopping, Nate would get to work on the car, which would take a long time. He was going to need time in between working. During that time, there was definitely research to be done.

Shopping would be fun, in the fact that it was normal. When whatever equalled normalcy was far and in between, the little things were awesome.

Mella looked over at Nate. He looked like he was struggling through his own personal thoughts again. A lady at accounting gave her a shiny new card, along with the 'library card' and 'french restaurant coupon' that Nate had, the two cards that showed she was a STAR agent. She, Mella Camyra, was now official. They even had things ready for Josh. He was surprised how fast they got him into the system.

Once they finished up with the accounting desk, they started heading back through the halls, conveniently avoiding elevators. Mella was silently thankful.

As they walked away, Nate was already getting plans ready for going into town. "Alright, we can get changed then meet at the car. Probably wouldn't be best to wander around in uniform." Nate tried to sound upbeat in case of listening ears in a more crowded area now.

"Sounds good. Meet back up in five, then?" she suggested.

The boys nodded back and they split to go back to their rooms.