The motorcycle came to a halt in the ALPHA Corporation parking garage and the roar of the engine gave one last echo through the concrete expanse before it powered down. Trowa stood and took off his helmet letting his chestnut bangs spring free. The apartment's close proximity to the main facility was indeed convenient and was not too much farther from ALPHA Corp headquarters either. Heero had chosen well, though it had become evident to Trowa that the other pilot had rarely been home. Still, it would more than serve its purpose for the duration of his time filling in at Preventer.

He glanced at his watch. He was right on schedule. Strapping his helmet onto the bike, he ran a hand quickly through his hair to comb out the damage the helmet had done. He wasn't a vain man by any stretch, but his bangs had to hang in a very specific way to keep out of his line of sight. He looked at the piece of paper in his hand instructing him in which floor and room number to report to for the briefing. Apparently the details regarding the time, place, and reason for the meeting were being kept quiet. It was an understandable precaution. There seemed to be a lot of rumors and speculation regarding whether or not the famous Corporation was truly behind the recently discovered criminal activity. More than likely, they had some sort of mole leaking their secrets and causing the coincidental occurrences.

As he entered, he took a quick inventory of his surroundings. The room was a moderate-sized conference room, no windows. The large table that obviously once took up the middle of the room had been removed and replaced by a smaller one with coffee and donuts; a good thing because the room was crowded with both Preventer agents and ALPHA. Chairs were stationed around the perimeter in groups of two or so; just enough it seemed for everyone. There were twenty-five Preventer agents but thirty from ALPHA stationed at various areas in the room of their own volition. A few mingled together talking quietly while other's kept their own company. He gaged the best vantage point to sit while he waited for the meeting to begin and raised an eyebrow at finding someone already there.

He noticed an almost bored figure leaning back in her chair, legs proper up on another. She appeared to be asleep to the untrained eye but the rhythm of the rise and fall of her shoulders told him otherwise. She looked rather young but Trowa knew well that age did not mean experience or indicate qualification. The young woman had blond hair of a pale-gold variety that she had coiled into a braided bun; most efficient for someone with longer hair that did not wish to be inconvenienced. Sighing, he looked around for another seat and found the only ones left empty were on either side of the girl. It seemed she unnerved the other Preventers and the ALPHA agents were actually spread out evenly. Mentally shrugging, he made his way over to her. She didn't look up to acknowledge him, but he could have sworn he felt her eyes on him more than once in his short time in the room.

"This seat taken?" He was answered by an indifferent shrug. A girl of few words. He took his seat and the waiting process began.

One hour ticked by. Two. Three. A few of the men were beginning to fidget. Some looked at their watches. Some stood up and began to walk around the room. Some began to nervously consume the donuts and he swore the coffee pots were near empty. He could hear the vague whispers of someone 'being hungry' for something other than 'sugary junk' and others' voices were laced with annoyance due to 'wasted time'. The girl, however, gave no indication of anything. Either she was well disciplined, or she simply didn't care.

After five hours, a woman walked in. She was just over average height with long dark-brown hair curled to perfection. Her black business suit was pressed and tailored to perfection. With a blood red silk blouse making the over-all image professional yet dangerous at the same time. She had a very no-nonsense look to her. The thing that got him the most were her eyes: deep black-blue pools that seemed to study them all carefully like a jungle cat assessing its prey. There seemed to be an inner fire that had the primal nature of survival in every human. He could almost swear he'd seen eyes like that before.

"You'll forgive me for the wait but it was necessary." The woman smiled and it was rather off-putting for there was no warmth found in it. "Those of you in the following seats, please stand up." She looked around the room. "Numbers 2, 17, and 35." The three people stood, smirking. "You are excused. Take your belongings and go home." The sound of frustrated protests began to rise, but they were silenced with a single look. "You failed the first test." Without another word, the door opened and they, slowly, made their way out into the lobby. Trowa mentally took note that those were the three that had complained quite softly about having their time wasted.

"Now then," she began again, "welcome to ALPHA Corp. and congratulations on making it past phase one." She smiled again and this unnerved him even more. Something about her had changed. The predatory smile she had originally held was replaced with a kind one and the harsh look in her eyes had melted away into an unreadable slate. "For those of you who may not know me, I am Thiana Khushrenada, the head of ALPHA Corp." Another young woman—dressed rather smartly herself—walked around to the remaining guards and handed out packets with both the Preventer and the ALPHA Corporation logos on them.

"My assistant, Drizzie is currently passing out your 'welcome packets' in which you will find the details of operation co-op." She paused to obviously give every person time to thumb through the packets. Still, the girl next to him made no move to respond.

"Each of you is the best we have in both organizations and are being tasked with the most-important guard detail. This is where phase two begins. For the next two weeks you will be paired off at random to find out which of you work best with one another. You shall room together, train together and-hopefully-bond with one another. At the end of the session, the best matched pairs will officially become partners and receive their official assignments on the guard detail of the aforementioned influential client who shall remain, at this time, anonymous." She paused again and he could have sworn her eyes landed solely on the girl sitting next to him. "The person to your left is your random partner. I encourage you strongly to do your best to get along. At the end of the two weeks, those that have found their pairings to be unsatisfactory will be reassigned and start the two weeks over again. Any questions?" the silence that followed was deafening. Trowa couldn't tell if everyone really didn't have any questions or if they were just too intimidated to ask.

"Good. This concludes the briefing. Report to barracks for your rooming and training schedules. You are dismissed, and have fun at the playground." He watched as the head of ALPHA walked out of the room with her assistant in tow. It was at that time that the first sign of movement came from his new partner. She stood, stretched, and then looked around the room. Upon meeting her eyes, a pang of familiarity coursed through him. He had no idea how long their eyes were locked, light green to forest, in an intense gaze. They would be partners, and it seemed as if she was summing him up. He didn't have time to think on it, however, before she just shook her head, and left him behind without so much as a word… and he watched her leave.

Serene made her way to the barracks knowing already where her assignment was. Not letting the tension show as she walked towards one of the workout rooms. With Drizzie still sitting for Toby; as she had during her first couple weeks of training; she couldn't do what she really wanted to at the moment. All she wanted to do was to have her hulking puppy to love on right now. Two weeks of training with a large group of adequate humans. The group had been whittled down to the top thirty-two applicants. They had all jostled for position, gauging each other's ability, and forming a respectful acquaintance. Then one week of being ripped down one side and up the other. They had to form partnerships fast or they wouldn't make it. She didn't have to like it but she understood the need and sailed through. One had left and two were sent back to the beginning: then the week of ultimate betrayal.

It had taken all of her will power to not walk out when Kit-Kat had walked into that room let alone just stay seated without reacting. The last time she had felt this way they had completely totaled the villa. Her mind reeled back to that room with Kit-Kat standing over her. She could get beyond the over push of Hell Week. That was the week when every ALPHA guard prospect is sent through the worse of the worse. They had to maintain their charge's secrecy while passing the multitude of trials. Many would call that torture and it was for that reason Kit-Kat kept it extremely hush hush.

However, Serene's had been so much more. After more than 100 hour's the questioning had come. The true torture that had almost broken her mind had been dealt at the hand of the person she called not only friend but family. The hard, calculating eyes that had looked down at her; no look of remorse had been found in their depths. Serene knew she had told the older girl not to pull any punches. She wanted everyone to know she had earned her position on the team. Kit-Kat had even told her that the head of Relena's security; being in charge of coordinating, scheduling and enforcing the teams around her half-sister; was her's. There was no need or reason for what Kit-Kat had done and it hurt.

Kit-Kat; no the person that Dekim had created, who enjoyed watching people react in fear; had played with her mind. For hours she had danced with a demon. She had suffered under the hand of a friend, and people called her the monster. All she had done was try to protect a friend. A friend who had said he loved her, turned away when she had saved his life and called her monster. Yet the true twisted one between them, had hundreds of people following her every word.

The rage she felt needed an outlet. Making her way to the locker room she changed into her training attire. The normal punching bag looked like an inviting-if insufficient-target. She opted, instead, for the 300 lb foam-enforced sand-filled boxing bag that was especially designed to take the extra punishment soldiers like herself could deal. Changing out the smaller version with ease, she lined herself up and began to let her fury leak through her fists. With every punch a memory surfaced, some from their days with Dekim. Each one led back to the inevitable feelings of betrayal garnered from the recent training session. She had electrocuted her! After all that they'd been through she used one of the ghosts of the past to test her. If interrogating a suspect, such tactics would be perfect, but an old friend? The thought mad her blood boil over and she soon found herself switching to a combination of boxing and kick-boxing. Jabs and upper cuts turned into front kicks and round kicks which caused the bag to fray and rip.

"What did the bag do to you?" Drizzie's voic echoed behind her. She stopped and turned to the bench.

"What are you doing here?" Serene grabbed her water bottle and towel and wiped the minimal amount of sweat from her forehead before taking a quick drink.

"I came to check on you. We're really worried about you."

"We?" She felt annoyance surge through her as she lifted another 300 lb onto the hook. It didn't take a genius to know who Drizzie referred to. "She didn't seem so worried when she was electrocuting the hell out of me!" She accentuated that last word with a harsh side-kick to the bag followed by two jabs and a cut.

"You know she was only doing what she felt was necessary." Serene scoffed and punched harder.

"That doesn't change how or what she did it. There was nothing in her eyes. She's cold, manipulative, and twisted. Yet I'm the one who's a freak!"

"Serene, I understand why you feel betrayed—"

"DO YOU?!" she yelled and felt Drizzie take a step back. "Do you know what it's like to lie awake every night just waiting for the pain? Do you know what it's like to feel the electricity coursing through you so fast and so strong you feel your muscles and brain cells screaming for death?" She continued her hail of furious strikes increasing in intensity. "Then, do you know what it's like to be forced to experience it again, remember it vividly as it happens and then look up to see the person you trust most in the world standing over you with the controller in her hands?!" With each question her hits increased in strength and speed. With that sort of punishment, the foam shattered, the bag split and the sand poured out onto the mat beneath her.

"Do you know that kind of pain, Drizzie?"

"You know I don't" her soft reply came almost as a shock against her fury. Drizzie placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "I can't imagine what you and she went through all those years ago. I don't want to…" She paused and offered Serene her water bottle. "But I know that she remembers. I know because she bore your pain with you."

"What?"

"The shock collar you wore? She had one too. She took one hit for every hit you took. Every shock you received, so did she. She didn't eat and didn't rest the whole time you were in there." One for one. The policy they mutually trained by. A hit for a hit. Serene growled and punched the bag again.

"Why would she do this?!"

"She needed to know you could handle things."

"Handle what?" Drizzie offered her a file full of paperwork.

"See for yourself." Serene paused, staring at her friend before she began to look through the paper work. The information inside made her stomach seize in shock.

"Me?" She scanned over the files again, but she had read it correctly. "She wants me to run it all?"

"Yes. She said if anything happened to her she wanted to know you could handle it."

"She knew I could handle it. Why would she doubt…" Drizzie continued to explain all that Kit-Kat had told her.

"That's her reason?" She sat there and let the words sink in. It was a struggle and a small voice inside seemed to scream not to do it, but she tried to see this from Kit-Kat's position. A budding pianist, just months away from a world and interstellar orchestra tour, runs away. She hides without a word to her family as if to lick her wounds, before coming out and declaring she was joining an organization she never really wanted to be a part of in the first place. If she remembered she'd even said that to Kit-Kat before. How could Kit-Kat trust her morals, if something had already made her run?

"I'm such an idiot…" How would she have responded if the roles were reversed? Guilt slammed into her like a space shuttle. Had things gone too far? Yes, but for both of them. They were different from regular people. If Serene had had to try and break Kit-Kat she couldn't even begin to image the lengths she would have to reach to make that happen.

"I should talk to her about this. Where is she?" Drizzie shook her head.

"No, that wouldn't be smart. You're still too emotional. Any discussion will not end the way you want and she's not the best place to have it at the moment either."

"What do you mean?" Drizzie sighed and played with the stray curls of her hair.

"You're not going to like it." Serene felt the color drain from her face as she looked down at the file in her hand. Kit-Kat had drawn up her will; she had put Serene in a position of authority and ensured her mental capability. Such precautions could mean only one thing: Thiana Khushrenada was going on a mission and the chances of her returning were not what they should be. Kit-Kat had taken all the necessary precautions for her self-imposed mission in case the worst happened: in case she never came back. In case she…

Serene yelled and lashed out at the punching bag, putting her fist through what was left. Kit-Kat was putting herself in mortal danger. Serene grabbed the towel and wiped the moisture off her face. This time, the sweat wasn't the only salty liquid on her cheeks.

Trowa made his way to the barracks as instructed. He hadn't expected to be living out at Alpha's 'playground' for two weeks. He had been told about the place by the other pilots and was interested in seeing it for himself. They had spoken at the intensity of the place and he wondered at just how intense it actually would be. The rooming arrangement did cause him to think. Having to share a bunk with a stranger was nothing new, but with a female… he was a soldier and a circus performer so close-quarters with the opposite sex was not something that bothered him but there was something about his new partner… she was quite attractive. The black business suit did nothing to hide that she was female and the intensity in her eyes spoke volumes toward her character. But there was something more. Something nagged at him. Something about her.

He mentally shook off that train of thought. He had to report to barracks for his assignment and then head back to the apartment to get some necessities. He smirked at the thought. Living with his sister had changed him. Once, he would have just adapted to his surroundings using what he was given, but now he planned on heading back to get his soaps and changes of clothes.

The receptionist at the desk looked up at his arrival. He watched her eye him up and down, and He mentally rolled his eyes before choosing to ignore her invitation. He looked over the paperwork on his way to his temporary assignment: rules, regulations, room number and dress code. He frowned.

Dress code: 'ALPHA agents are to be dressed in black pant suits; Preventer agents are to wear standard Preventer uniform. Hair must be kept up neat and out of the way, or cut short enough as to not impede sightlines or movement.' He paused as he reached his door and read over that again and again. A haircut? He reached up and touched his bangs, checking their length. He had never had any problem working with them before but he had never worked in tandem in a life or death situation with another person like he would be now. Hair could grow back. It was part of his style; a gimmick now for his act in the circus, but an expendable addition to it. He sighed. Stopping by a barber would now be added to his trip to his apartment.

Serene looked around the room at the recently paired partners: some were stretching and some were lounging. Some of them were facing one another and some pretending not to acknowledge the existence of the other. She rolled her eyes. The childishness of some of Preventer's selected members was an annoyance to be sure. She never saw him enter. Trowa Barton was dressed in the same training attire as everyone else but something was different. His long bangs had been cut by at least half and then slicked straight back out of his way revealing the forest green orbs that met hers. She felt her heart change rhythm as they stared and glanced down.

She was one of three team leaders assigned from ALPHA just as Trowa was one of three selected from Preventer. The common goal was to directly monitor and keep track of any and all progress. Top of the order, however, were the agents assigned to the position of "Overseer", nine in all meant to make sure that no one ended up getting serious hurt and or killed. The overseers would be giving them their teamwork exercises and it was her job to make sure that the pairs of partners under her "supervision" followed the instructions and treated each other with respect.

"Listen up," the overseer began. "The first task assigned to each pair of partners is a simple one. Children at carnivals do this all the time. You will stand next to your partner and bind your closest ankles and forearms together. This will not be more of a three-legged race than it will a test or cooperation and coordination." Serene could hear the scoffing of some of the agents. "And just to make things a little less childish, obstacles have been added to the path. If you fall, you must return to the start of the course and begin all over again and will continue to do so until you complete it flawlessly." The hushed complaints began to rise. "However, the first team to cross the finish will gain an advantage in one of the future tasks. You have five minutes to prepare. When the whistle blows, the task begins."

She felt him walk up beside her, a roll of duct tape in hand. Apparently that was what had been provided. Smart. Duct tape was biding without being abrasive and would adhere to the combat boots. A few of the overseers came down from their observation point and took the duct tape and knelt down, securing every team's ankles. Serene knew this was to make sure that no team would have to unfair advantage of improperly securing their own bonds. She stifled a shiver as their legs made contact. She shrugged it off. She had saved his life once, long ago. They had interacted for less than a few minutes. She was a soldier. He was her partner. Concentration and cooperation was key.

As they took their places at the starting line, however, it occurred to her that she had never really worked this closely with anyone before. Teamwork wasn't really her strongest suit. Just hobbling the few feet to the line had been a challenge. Physically, she had the strength to pull her partner with her. Physically she could make it work, albeit not smoothly. However, such a show of force may end up inuring one or both of them.

"This should be fun." He turned to her with a small smile. She stared at him, unsure how to respond when the shrill call of the whistle signaled the beginning of their first test as partners.

The first few steps were shaky, but a rhythm soon built between them. Talking in hushed tones they gave little comments to one another such as 'left' and 'right' or 'over' and 'under'. Two pairs had already face-planted and been forced to turn back cursing each other all the way. A third continually argued over which direction they should go around the closest obstruction. It was fair to say that she and Trowa were in the lead but given their advanced amount of training and discipline it was hardly surprising. The finish was in sight.

One pair, however, was dangerously close to another. Obviously after first place, they were tearing their way past the other teams with little to no regard of whom they tripped up in the process. Serene took note of one major flaw: the first team, in their haste, knocked into one of the hanging logs, sending it careening out of control and directly toward another pair. Serene looked at her partner for a split second and it didn't take long to know he thought the same thing. In one joint effort, they turned, moved twice and she kicked the log so hard it jerked the chain off of the hitch and sent it rolling out of the way. The cost of the effort, however, sent them spiraling down into the mud below and half on top of Trowa. Serene felt the cold sludge seeping into the clothes and heard the grunt of her partner as the wind was knocked out of him. The snickering of the team responsible for their fall echoed in her ears as she and Trowa made their way to their feet and hobbled back to the beginning.