"Excellent," Damian said, eyes sparking up. Julie could have sworn there was a glint of evil in their depths.

"Okay, you, with the braid, and you," he pointed at Hiiro, "and Shiris come with me. The others will go the other way. I'll give you detailed instructions on how to get there. You will take the shorter way, since it is faster and less complicated, but more heavily guarded. And there will be some traps that might be new, so be careful as well. I don't know everything that is down here."

Damian had been choosing these groups ever since he had first seen the spies. He had carefully observed them, seen which ones stuck together, which ones didn't get along. He had decided upon the line-up based upon the fact that Hiiro and Duo were arguing a lot, as were Julie and Mayumi. That would make the mission much more interesting and a lot more difficult. They would be on edge, their nerves geared up, consistently fighting about how to deal with something. And Trowa and Shiris, he wanted to split them up. They seemed to get along well together, and might ruin all his carefully and elaborately thought out plans.

"Are you sure about the groups?" Duo asked worriedly, looking at Hiiro, who looked ready to strangle him. "I mean, couldn't I go wi-"

"No. These are the groups, like them or not. Now are we finished arguing? The more time we waste, the more likely it is we will fail to retrieve the laptop. And we all know what that means."

"Do we?" Julie countered, still glaring at Damian. "Do you? Or are you leading us on, keeping us away from the laptop?"

Damian took a deep breath and kept his itching fingers away from his wrist and the lovely, thin wire concealed there.

"I'll give you the directions to the longer route," he said slowly to Mayumi, who nodded. Julie scowled.

He proceeded to give a detailed list of turns and obstacles their group would be facing. At the end, there were no questions. Trowa could tell he wasn't making them up on the spot—he knew what he was talking about.

"Thank you, we'll leave now," Mayumi said assuredly to Damian, leading Julie out with her, Trowa following.

"Be careful!" Duo called to Julie, who was walking backwards, her eyes fearful. Mayumi turned the corner. Julie gazed at Damian's face as she followed and, just before he disappeared, he smiled slightly, his eyes narrowing.

Julie panicked.

"Mayumi! We have to go back! Trowa, they're in danger!" she cried desperately, pulling on Mayumi's hand. It was like a vise, and didn't budge an inch.

"Julie, stop it. You're acting like a child. Nothing is wrong, and we can handle this. Stop it!" she hissed as Julie pinched her.

"Trowa, you believe me, right?" she pleaded, looking at the handsome boy behind her.

He looked uncertain. "I don't know. He seems fine…"

Julie starting muttering to herself as they turned right. Now they were in a darkened corridor with white walls, a door at the end of the hallway.

"We go through there, right?" Trowa asked as they approached the door."

"Yes. Inside we have to take care of the guards and take out the security cameras without them seeing us."

"I little difficult."

"Yes, but not impossible. We can look through the window on the door before hand, maybe even lure the guards out."

"You really are just like Hiiro," Trowa said, shaking his head.

"What do you mean?" Mayumi asked sharply, carefully releasing Julie, who jerked her arm away and moved over to the other side of Trowa.

"I mean you go about things in a systematic, step by step away. Everything has to have a plan, numerous ones preferably."
Mayumi looked thoughtful for a moment.

"Yes, I suppose he and I are alike in that respect. Although, I hope I show a bit more emotion than he," she smiled slightly.

Trowa smiled and nodded.

"Guys, shouldn't we be worried about that room and not personalities?" Julie muttered petulantly. She couldn't stand the idea that her friends didn't trust her, and was in a very bad mood.

"Julie, on the other hand, shows too much emotion," Mayumi grinned, looking over at Julie.

"Shut up. At least I show some. I'm not an ice queen. People like me."

"Better to be an ice queen than a clown. You don't have a tactful gene in your body."

"God, you are so conceited! I don't see how Shiris and I put up with you!"

"I don't see how Shiris and I put up with you!"

"Hey, hey! Calm down! They'll hear us," Trowa whispered, putting his hands out between the two furies. He began to suspect this would be more difficult than predicted, if the two girls couldn't work together.