"Okay, I have one question and one question only." Tom said as the four teens walked out of the lift. "What are you doing here, Stella?"

Stella glanced around at the four teenagers. "I take it you've all forgotten."

All she got was blank looks.

"It's time for your MI9 annual assessment."

She got various moans of objection from the team of young agents.

"But we've had like five tests already this year," Dan complained, leaning on the table.

"More like two." Zoe muttered as Stella said sharply, "Yes, and this time I wanted to see how you work above ground, too." She turned to look at Aneisha and Zoe, smiling gently. "The teaching job was the perfect cover."

Zoe smiled back. "Cool. We'll get to hang out."

"And she'll get to spend more time with Frank." Aneisha added, nodding towards the dark-haired man standing off to the side. Frank looked uncomfortable with the comment.

"Uh, yes. Well, assessment or not, we still have a mission," Frank said finally, turning to face the screen, pulling up a photo of what appeared to be a government facility. "Yesterday this high-security military base was broken into. The thief stole two state-of-the-art capture rays."

"Oh, those things are well freaky," Tom interrupted, looking at the picture of the two guns that looked like something out of Star Trek, like a child might look at a toy. "I want one."

Zoe and Aneisha snickered as Frank continued, "However, the only lead that we have is this, taken from a security camera." He showed them a video of a tall figure clad completely in loose black clothing from head to toe.

Zoe turned to Dan. "Hey, isn't that one of the guys that we were watching earlier?"

"You mean those Guardian . . . Runners?" Aneisha asked and Zoe nodded as Tom walked over to the computer and brought up the video that the girls were referring to. When played side-by-side, it was undeniable that it was a similar jump.

"It's the same jump." Stella said.

"Come on, anybody could do that move." Dan muttered and Zoe cast him a quick, worried look.

"It's enough," Frank said. "Dan, Zoe, I want you to infiltrate the Runners. You wouldn't steal two of these unless you were planning something big."

"Frank, you're not serious." Dan said in disbelief. At Frank's puzzled expression, he looked between Zoe and Tom, waiting for either his girlfriend or his best friend to take his side. "The Runners are just like us; they're the good guys."

"Technically, they're illegal vigilantes." Stella said.

"Looks like they patrol the town centre," Tom said, "I'd look there first."

"Right, while the people who actually did this get away." Dan said, looking down at the table. He then looked up at Frank, blue eyes cold. "Frank, it's a complete waste of time."

"No, it's an order." Frank countered. "Unless there are any other questions?"

Dan looked expectantly between Zoe and Tom. Tom looked back at him defiantly, but Zoe refused to meet his gaze because she knew that if she let him see her eyes, he'd see right through her – he'd see what she thought of his behaviour, that she thought that he was acting like a child.

"Fine." Dan said darkly, stepping away from the table. "You want me to prove the Runners innocent; watch me."

As he stepped back, he met Zoe's gaze. "Come on, Zoe."

Then he walked into the lift and Zoe gaze Frank and Stella apologetic look before she followed him.


Zoe pulled on the black dress before she moved to pull her hair up into a bun, jumping when she heard a voice behind her; "You think I'm acting like a child."

Zoe turned to look at Dan, dressed in a black and red loose jumpsuit that covered him from head to toe – the only part of him she could see was his eyes, a beautiful dark blue in the darkness.

Zoe sighed, turning away from him and pulling her hair up into a bun. "I know you're acting like a child, Dan."

"And why is that?"

Zoe turned to look at him. "Are you serious? You don't even know these people – all evidence points towards them. Why are you defending them?"

Dan leaned against the doorframe. "You don't know who I know, Zoe."

"Do you know them? Do you know the Runners personally? Are you the reason that MI9 can't catch them?"

"No, I don't. But how is this any different to when you trusted people as soon as you – "

"I learned from my mistakes." Zoe interrupted, a little too sharply. "I don't trust that impulse that tells me to trust people until they give me a reason not to anymore, do I? I trust my instincts – the little voice in the back of my head telling me whether I can trust someone. Maybe you should listen to yours."

"I am listening to mine." Dan hissed. "I'm telling you, we can trust the Runners. We're going after the wrong people."

"Fine." Zoe said, crossing her arms over her chest. Dan looked relieved and grinned, opening his mouth to say something, but then she cut him off. "Fine. If the Runners didn't steal the capture rays, then who did? If we shouldn't be going after the Runners, who should we be going after?"

Dan opened his mouth, but when no sound came out, he closed it again. He stared at her for a long time until finally, quietly, he said, "I don't know."

"Hmm?"

"I don't know, alright!" Dan shouted. "I don't . . . I haven't got that far yet."

"Clearly." Zoe said. "Get out."

"But – "

"Get out, I haven't finished getting ready yet." When he didn't move, she said, "Get out, or I might just accidentally break your nose."

Dan looked like he wanted to argue, but he turned and walked out. Zoe crossed the room and closed the door, resting her head against the rough wood and closing her eyes, breathing deeply as she let her frustration and anger evaporate.