Moments of Solomon Lunis

by Starling 12

Semi-sequel to 'Moments of Solomon.' Two weeks after the events of 'A New Beginning,' Solomon approaches the Lunises in an attempt to finally discover their secrets. Though they refuse to share, they offer a compromise that he never expected...Basically, Solomon becomes their uncle. Fluff, secret agents, and family household fun!

2. Chapter 2: Three Goodbyes

Chapter Two: Three Goodbyes

It seemed only minutes before Solomon arrived at the preplanned location closer to the city, where a few of his agents were waiting by a hover-limousine, though he knew the walk alone must have been at least half an hour. The agents were disguised in civilian clothes, waiting at attention, and came to full alert immediately upon his arrival.

"I am unharmed," Solomon said simply as he came up to them.

The agents did not comment, but merely nodded and took out their scanners. Solomon lifted his arms without further prompting and allowed them to scan him for any tracking devices. He didn't think Lance and Ilana would put one on him, but he wouldn't blame them if they did. It wouldn't be terribleif they knew the current location of G3 HQ, but his superior would be furious, and Solomon was in enough trouble already.

Once it was confirmed there was nothing on him, an agent opened the hover limo's door for him and Solomon slipped inside. He agents boarded, and then they were off.

The first thing Solomon did was retrieve his laptop within the vehicle, severed its external communication to HQ, and wrote out all that had happened while it was still fresh in his mind. He did not want his superior to read it before he had a chance to explain himself in person. Solomon carefully documented every detail of the interaction, the flow of the conversation and paraphrasing as many quotes as he could. He documented the Lunises' reactions and behaviors, down even to the robot's replay of the children's song. He skimmed through it a few times to try to bring back more memories or perfect it.

Once that was completed, he turned off the laptop and looked out the window. They were out of the city now, and soon would be in a secure enough area to activate the hover technology to fly them to an actual hovercraft, which would have the power to take them to the high altitudes of HQ. Where, of course, Solomon would have to confront his superior.

With much reluctance, Solomon took out his communicator and strapped it back onto his wrist. After a moment, he turned it on and was unsurprised to see multiple messages waiting for him.

Most of them had come in short succession of one another, and all followed some variation of "Solomon, see me now—order"or "Solomon, stand down now."Then they cut off for a few hours as his superior realized there was no point to them, until finally the latest one, which had arrived within the last ten minutes:

"See me. Now."

Solomon sighed internally as he brushed past the messages and contacted the control room. A female agent's voice answered him. "Yes, sir?"

"Tie this number directly to my own com device," Solomon instructed, and listed off the string of numbers. The agent acknowledged, and his communicator beeped with affirmation when it was done.

"That is all," he said.

Turning it off, Solomon set down his wrist and leaned back slowly. He dreaded the inevitable meeting with his superior, but another part of him was inwardly rejoicing. He hadn't failed. It had gone well.Certainly, he hadn't gotten the answers he sought, but he hadlearned some things and the Lunises hadn't immediately kicked him out or attacked him. Well, Lance might have if he could, yet Ilana was willing to grant Solomon a second chance.

Ilana had thanked him. She had argued for his case. If Solomon wanted any chance of eventually discovering answers, he would have to draw her to his side and keepher there. He could not afford another betrayal as he had done as Kane.

And….their compromise. Solomon stillstruggled to fully grasp what it meant. Livingwith them. Joining them undercover, hiding among them in an innermost fashion. To the public, he would be the uncleof their family, as Ilana had suggested.

Uncle.

Truly? They suggested he act as uncleto them, extraterrestrial lifeforms,who defended the earth? He wanted to pinch the bridge of his nose, but refrained from such an open show of his growing headache. When he had agreed to join and lead G3, he had prepared himself for a lot of things. Childrenwere not one of them.

But that was what Lance and Ilana were.It had been difficult for him to truly absorb that initially, at first believing it might be a deceptive act of far more dangerous aliens, but the Lunises were undeniably adolescents. Teenagers. Very capable and mature teenagers, but they could only go so far. The robot, ironically, was the parental figure in their lives. Other than that, the only adult they could turn to about their secrets, about their many trials, responsibilities, and hardships, was…him.

How had he gotten into this situation? He held hundreds of men at his command. He controlled some of the most advanced technology and weaponry on earth. His operations reached across the solar system when the public believed humans had only ventured to the moon. He even had power over several governments on the planet when it came to alien involvement. He was at the center at some of the most well-kept secrets in the world.

The Lunises wanted him to drop all of that to come live with them and play house.

Solomon barely noticed as the limousine entered the hovercraft. The car's engines died even as it still rumbled, the craft blasting off at greater speeds, heading to G3 HQ. Practically on autopilot himself, he left the car and went to the private quarters where he could change into his uniform. Unfortunately, being back in his best attire did nothing to sooth him now. He couldn't help thinking that, if Lance and Ilana agreed to host him and he accepted, he would have to wear clothing like that at all times.

Part of him wanted to send someone else. He had far too many responsibilities and was far too valuable to G3. He could send an agent to do it and they would report back to him every day.

Yet, Ilana had made the offer to him.And Lance hardly agreed as it was. Solomon doubted, as hesitant as they were already, that they would accept some stranger into their home.

On top of that…and this was truly insane…Solomon wantedto. Despite his importance and wide range of responsibilities, he liked to do things himself, hands-on. He had plenty of agents at his disposal for such tasks, but Solomon liked to bethere. He attended most of the recoveries for the alien creature's bodies. He wanted to be on-site for Titan's battles, if he could. He had gone undercover himself as Kane to personally manage Lance and Ilana when they had been captured. And when the space station on Saturn had sent out a distress call, he had led the rescue mission himself. He did not want to be cooped up in the control room all the time, watching things happen from afar. He wanted to see it for himself and be able to take instant action, to understandit firsthand. It was a trait his men admired him for and helped him earn their loyalty.

If Lance and Ilana did accept an agent into their home to keep an eye on them, Solomon wanted to be that agent. He would accept no other option.

But first…he had his superior to worry about.

Solomon's mind churned over the possibilities as the hovercraft landed in HQ and he departed the ship. His agents were, of course, waiting for him. Though several had tasks and duties to attend to, dozens of them were standing at attention as he left the dock. He had kept the knowledge of his mission fairly down low, but by now it was no longer secret, and they all knew exactly what he had been doing.

Solomon paused by the door, and then lifted a hand to ease their concerns. "There is nothing that requires immediate attention," he announced. "There will be a full briefing for everyone within six hours. Dismissed."

The agents saluted, and waited for Solomon to walk past them down the hall before dispersing. Ever since Steel's attack, his agents had been rather on edge, and Solomon didn't blame them. A few of his precious, trusted, loyal agents had diedin the battle, and several others were injured. Many of the able-bodied agents had to work more shifts than usual to cover the daily functions of keeping everything afloat—not that it was challenge for them, as they were trained to do so if necessary. On top of that, the agency had even less contact with the outside world then it had before. And they all knew that should Steel learn the current location of their base…it could all happen again.

The idea haunted Solomon as he walked down the halls alone. His agency was in a difficult situation at the moment. Injured agents, open positions that needed to be filled, Steel on the hunt for them, damages to HQ, limited outside contact, many of their weapons destroyed…could he really leave it right now?

Then again…perhaps this was the besttime to leave it. With G3 staying in hiding, there wasn't much activity they could do without drawing attention to themselves. Perhaps Solomon could leave his agents to lick their wounds while he went on this undercover mission. Maybe the recovery would help his superior find agents to possibly replace Solomon as leader. As much as he hated to admit it, when he had almost died on Saturn's space station, one of his concerns had been who would succeed him. Other than his superior, he ruled G3 absolutely. There was no one to take up the helm should anything happen to him. With all Solomon's other duties, preparing G3 for alien contact, spying on the Lunises, and gathering the monster bodies, the thought of a successor had honestly never crossed his mind. But with all the perilous dangers he had faced in the last year, him dying was a likely possibility, and he had begun to wonder about it.

Solomon was willing to die for earth at any time. But he wanted to know that G3 would be in good hands if he did.

But as important as a decision this could be, Solomon had bigger concerns at the moment. He had reached the corridor of his superior. The cameras in this area never worked, nor any other monitoring system. Few agents were allowed here, and those were only the ones who brought food to his superior's door and then left immediately.

Solomon climbed down the ladder into the darker areas. His superior always kept this room barely lit. It had been some time since Solomon had seen his superior in a well-lit room, or even moved from this one spot. It was always impossible to read his superior's expressions in this place, but when his superior wanted Solomon to know something, he made sure Solomon knewit.

The final door swung open and Solomon stepped through. He saw the shadow of his superior and the vague gleam of his metallic arm. He could hear the man's soft but labored breathing, and only a slight change in it hinted at the rage the man was feeling. The anger that could be felt in the very air.

When Solomon had disobeyed his superior last time by capturing the Lunises, he had walked in this room with words to justify his actions. That hadn't gone well for him. So this time, he remained silent, though his superior was clearly waiting to see if he would speak.

Finally, his superior began. And every word had fury beaten into it. "Solomon,"he wheezed. "I warned you to neverdisobey me ever again."

"I know, sir," Solomon said, fighting to keep his voice calm and even. "I assure you, my actions were for the best of this agency and for earth."

"You acted rashly—again,"his superior spat. "You engaged the aliens without my permission. You risked G3, andour relationship with them."

"On the country, sir," Solomon began, "Our relationship with them is just beginning."

There was silence. When Solomon had tried to explain himself last time, he had been shut down. But that was when his superior had been able to watch everything play out. His superior had access to all G3 information, all their cameras, trackers, and communications. He had been able to watch the whole ordeal of kidnapping Lance and Ilana. But this time, Solomon hadn't gone in with any of that. His superior had no clue as to what had happened in the Lunis Household.

Solomon knew his superior was still furious with him. But his need to be informed won out.

"Tell me everything."

Solomon squashed a smile for the second time that day. "Firstly," he began, as if he had all the time in the world, "Ilana wished for me to express her gratitude to whomever fixed their robot. That would be you, of course."

Solomon waited for a response, and only heard a huff.

He felt quite pleased with himself at the moment, but he knew better than to press it. "Upon my arrival, Ilana welcomed me. Lance and the robot were less hospitable, but Ilana convinced them to hear me out…"

Solomon went on, describing exactly what he had said to them, Lance and Ilana's argument, and the robot's surprising intersection between them. His superior didn't seem nearly as startled about the robot's children's music as Solomon had been.

"And then…" Solomon paused, and took a deep breath. Here was the most difficult part to share. "The robot proposed that, as a compromise…that I be allowed to keep watch over the aliens myself. By living in their household."

Solomon waited for a response. He might rather be standing before a ticking time bomb than his superior in this moment.

"Solomon," his superior spat coldly. "Tell me right now that you are not even considering such an action."

…What could he say? How could he argue his case? "I believe we could work this to our advantage, sir."

"Does the concealment of this agency mean nothingto you?!" his superior growled. "I thought you had learned from the last time you disobeyed me!"

"I did, sir," Solomon said softly. "It was Ilana and the robot who made this offer."

"Because you pressured them," his superior snapped. "Because youconfronted them. You acted before waiting, before we could gather enough information."

"This will help us gaininformation," Solomon argued. "It is G3's purpose to handle alien involvement. I know I made a mistake when I captured them before," Solomon clenched out, his throat suddenly sand-dry, "but this is a chance to make up for it. To patch it up."

His superior's tone remained unchanged. "Or ruin it further."

Yes. There was a chance of that. Solomon could easily overstep in the Lunis household, maybe even lose Ilana's easy trust if he wasn't careful. But—"I am willing to try."

The metallic gleam of his superior's prosthetic arm shifted. "I forbidit."

Well. No going back now. "With all due respect, sir," Solomon said, trying to keep the fearout of his voice, "If Lance and Ilana decide to allow this…I willdo it."

That did not go over well.

"I warned you,Solomon," his superior growled. "Do you think I will just sit idly by and let this happen?"

Solomon tensed at the real threat. Not that he had ever thought his superior was in any way powerless, but…what would the man do?

As if sensing Solomon's fear, the mood in the room changed. There was a crack through the anger, and suddenly the man sounded tired. "…Don't make me do this, Solomon. I have trusted you to lead my agency. Don't put us at odds."

There was a small amount of…griefin the tone. As if his superior was truly sorrowful about this.

"That is not my intention, sir," Solomon said softly after a short pause. "But…I truly believe that this is the right option."

"I cannot let you do this," his superior warned. "I will remove you from your position. From leading G3. From G3 itself."

Solomon would be lying if he said that threat didn't shake him. He had dedicated his lifeto G3. Everything he did was for this agency and the protection of the earth. He had never even considered going on withoutthat.

He looked into the shadows, only seeing the vague, dark silhouette of his superior, and tried to meet his eyes. "Even if I had no ties to this agency…I would still do it."

There was a hiss of frustration. "What if I had you imprisoned?"

Solomon hesitated to say this, but he was already way out of line, so there was little worse he could do. "Are you sure the agents would do that?"

Solomon's superior may rankhigher than him, but not openly. The agents did not know the man; they had never seen him nor heard his voice or were even completely aware of his presence. Solomon had never fully understood whyhis superior insisted on such extreme measures when every last agent was completely trustworthy, but he had learned not to argue against it. Either way, it was working against his superior now.

For though Solomon's superior may be the true leader of G3…Solomon knew he had hisagents' loyalty. Though they might obey a higher rank blindly, they wouldn't listen if it made them turn against him, the only leader they knew.

His superior said nothing in response.

"Sir, is this really so dire?" Solomon tried a new approach. "I would be able to watch the Lunises closer than we ever have before. I could report any information I find immediately, see events as they unfold, instead of piecing together what we see from the sidelines. And,"he breathed, excitement lifting his heart at this particular idea, "we wouldn't have to hidefrom the aliens. They would letme get close."

"Getting too close can be a very dangerous thing, Solomon," he superior cautioned, but his tone was now resigned. "For both you and the Lunises."

The fading of his superior's anger encouraged Solomon. He lifted his chin. "I would face any danger to protect the earth. That is why you chose me." He paused, then added, "And as for the Lunises…I will do whatever I can to keep them safe, as well."

That last part was a small amazement to him even now. Even though the Lunises kept their secrets and were full of mistrust, Solomon had come to respect their honor, sympathize with their struggles, and was determined to protect the children. After everything they had done for the earth and for G3, he owed them a great deal, and wouldn't let them suffer if he could help it.

In the silence that followed, Solomon had the odd feeling that he was being assessed. He stood firm, just as he stood by his decision.

Finally, his superior spoke again. "…You have grown much, Solomon."

Solomon started. That was…not what he had expected to hear. He had been fairly young when he had first met his superior, and it had immediately changed his life. For years, Solomon had worked under him, followed him, learned from him. Even with all his hard work and how far he had come, though, there always seemed to be more to learn, higher standards to reach.

But it was true. Not just since he and his superior had first met, but Solomon had grown in the last year. When he had first discovered the Lunises, he had been too paranoid, convinced they were a threat and would treat them as such until he was positive otherwise. But such a mindset had blocked him to obvious clues. They were children.

Solomon thought over his words before responding. "I am who I am because of you, sir."

He listened to his superior's breathing for a moment. Eventually, there came a long exhale that was clearly a sigh. "I will not cut you out, Solomon. I see you are resolved on this. But I still do not approve."

Solomon inclined his head, appearing placid on the outside, but enormously relieved within. "The Lunises still need to decide for themselves. While Ilana and the robot were interested, Lance was almost entirely opposed. It may yet not happen."

There was an odd tension in the air, and Solomon could not entirely place exactly why. He felt that something had…shifted, upon mentioning Lance. "You will return to me when you know?"

Solomon bowed his head. "Yes, sir."

OOO

Solomon spent the next several hours going through his daily duties while also being hyper-aware of his com device. Any moment, the Lunises could reach a decision and decide to alert him. He created an objective overview of his meeting with the Lunises for all of his agents to read; it had gone well, they expressed gratitude to G3 as well as condolences over the lost and injured agents, and would later get back to him on their decision of whether or not to share information. Solomon left out anything he saw as personal to the Lunises, and the part where they had offered for him to live with them. Until that was for sure, he saw no need to worry his agents.

Solomon had several different tasks to manage than usual since all that had happened two weeks ago. He visited the recovering agents; most were better, though some still suffered severe injuries but at least were in stable condition by now. He oversaw the research department that was still collecting data on the last threegiant monsters, as well as reviewing the scans they had taken of Octus's core. G3 no longer had the robot to study and had only possessed it for a day or so, yet still wanted to learn all they could about the Lunises' technology. There were also the repairs to the HQ's defenses to handle; Steel's army had done quite a number on the surface, destroying a large portion of their deck guns and turrets. And, perhaps most importantly, Solomon had been reviewing the recruitment processes for new G3 agents. Locating, confronting, recruiting, and training new agents was a lengthy process, but one Solomon didn't dare rush. In order to protect the earth, they had to be completely unified. The chosen few had to be the best and most dedicated, and G3 could not risk exposing itself by trusting the wrong person.

And finally, Solomon examined his top agents. He sorted through those who were experienced, those who had excelled, those who had shown strong leadership qualities. He gathered a pool of the best and then began narrowing them down. After long, hard, careful consideration, he decided on a group of three that could handle most of the tasks without him. He forwarded their files, along with some possible alternate choices, to his superior, but received no response or acknowledgement.

When the day was done and he prepared to turn in, Solomon found himself unable to even sit down. He'd known that his plan to confront the Lunises could have gone splendidly or terribly wrong. He'd also been prepared for the possibility that the end result would be unexpected. Yet somehow, he felt that their proposal was beyondunexpected.

On one hand, he would be there, in-person, with the Lunises in their day-to-day lives. Any slip, he would hear. He could string together the scraps they dropped. Or, if he could earn their trust, perhaps they would tellhim what he needed to know.

But on the other…he would be leaving G3, at least directly, and the Lunises might come to uncover hissecrets as well. And who knew what they did in the privacy of their home? G3 only had hints of what went on.

On top of that, he was moving against his superior. Though the two of them had reached a consensus today, thankfully, fighting with him was notsomething Solomon did. He normally followed his superior's orders no matter what they were. That one time he hadn't, he had regretted it for months and it had cost him the Lunises' precious trust. Was he right this time? Or was he making the same mistake?

He went back and forth, again and again, weighing the pros and cons, mulling over the possibilities. He did not get much rest that night.

OOO

If Solomon was on edge the day before, then he was hanging off a cliff by the next morning. Ilana had given him a very vague window of when she would call—"maybe tomorrow, I'd say, or the day after that. It depends." He certainly understood why,after all, they were probably having a fierce argument in their home, but that didn't mean he was happy about it.

All day his mind was half-focused, ready for his communicator go off at any moment. Wherever he went, he took note of private places where he could retreat to take the call. No one would have been able to tell that he hadn't slept much the night before with all the energy he had, though he was excruciatingly careful not to display his signs of stress. He was impeccable as ever.

The hours ticked by and the day came to a close. Solomon tried not to be frustrated at the lack of communication. The aliens had plenty of reasons not to want him anywhere near them. He'd put so much work into rebuilding their trust, and he'd made quite a few accomplishments, but he knew he had also done a lot of damage.

It was the beginning of nightfall when they finally called. Solomon had been alone, looking over the files of potential new agents in his prime computer room—a room connected to all areas of control in G3, solely for his use alone—when his wrist communicator buzzed an alert. Instantly he shifted the line to one of the larger screens, and in seconds Lance, Ilana, and their robot (in its Newton disguise) peered back at him.

He swiftly gauged their expressions. All looked quite serious; even Ilana, though she still looked infinitely better than she had when she'd lost her robot, appeared grave and thoughtful. Lance's mouth was twisted into a disgusted line—was that because he had lost the argument, or only because he was speaking to Solomon? The robot's expression was deliberately neutral. The three of them appeared to be in a bare room—he guessed one of the upper-level rooms of their home, though not a bedroom, as his agents had described Lance and Ilana's rooms as furnished.

"Good evening, Solomon," Ilana greeted, and then she blushed slightly. "Or—whatever time of day it is wherever you are. I hope this isn't an inconvenient time?"

G3 HQ was currently in a similar time zone as the Lunises, and generally they tried to stay adjusted to the Lunises' activities as well.

"Not at all," Solomon said smoothly, folding his hands in front of him and leaning back. "I gather you've reached a decision?"

He tried not to clearly hold his breath as he waited for their response.

In a total crack of the tension, Ilana broke into a smile. "Yes, we have," she said. "And we have decided that, if you wish, you may stay with us if that will make you feel better about our presence on earth."

They had actually decided to do it. Even though Solomon had been preparing for this, hoping for it, he had been ready for a denial. Solomon's mind whirled at all the ways this could go, all the new doors this opened for him. He tried to school his expression.

"But,"Lance interjected suddenly, Ilana shooting him a glare, "We reserve the right to make you leave at any time, andwe have a few rules."

Rules.How long had it been since Solomon had lived with rules?Technically as he wasn't tied to any nation or government, he wasn't subject to any of their laws. This would be a change.

He found it somewhat ironic, though, that these childrenwho were also alienson his planet were giving himrules.

He doubted they came up with anything too extreme, but still, he would rather know before he agreed to anything. "And what might those be?"

"Firstly," Ilana said, cutting off Lance as he opened his mouth. She gave Solomon an encouraging smile. "You have the right to leave at any time. In no way will you be imprisoned or required to stay at any point."

Well, the first rule was in hisfavor. That boded well, even if Lance's glare did not.

"Next," Ilana went on, "You have the right to contact whoever you wish. If you want to call G3, we won't mind."

Ilana had clearly come up with these first two rules. So what had Lance demanded of him?

"However," Lance spoke up, crossing his arms. "You are not allowed to reveal our secrets to anyone else." Lance's mouth twisted in displeasure and he added, "BesidesG3. You may share the information with your agency."

Ilana must have fought tooth and nail for that little grant, but it made sense. It wasn't just Solomon who had helped them, but every G3 agent as well. And his agents would only take action against the Lunises at his command.

"Also," Lance went on, "if we ever tell you to stop asking questions, you have to stop.Same thing if we need to talk amongst ourselves and tell you to leave the room. This isn't going to be an opportunity to interrogate us again."

Solomon thought about that for a moment, somewhat expecting such a rule, but Lance's words opened a new issue. "What exactly do you want this to be, then?"

Lance narrowed his eyes suspiciously while Ilana answered. "An opportunity for communication and understanding," she said diplomatically. "A chance for you to see that we're nothere to hurt the earth or any humans, in fact, we want to protect it. Hopefully, you can come to trust us, even if we can't tell you everything." She tilted her head. "And maybe, we can come to trust you enough with a few of our secrets."

How well-spoken. It wasn't the mostideal, but a rare opportunity nonetheless. "So, what is it that you want from me?" he asked.

Lance cut in. "We don't want anything from you,"Lance said resentfully. "This whole thing is to make youhappy."

"Lance," Ilana scolded. Then she turned back to Solomon. "We want you to know that we're here to help." Lance scoffed and Solomon took mental note of that. "We have no desire to be enemies of you or any earthlings. Current situations just make negotiating…difficult." She grimaced, then shook her head.

"As for what youhave to do," the robot spoke up, "you will be joining our 'family' as Lance and Ilana's uncle, this form's—" the robot flickered, a ripple over pale skin and stretched shirt, and suddenly he appeared as Mr. Lunis, "—brother. You'll have the last name of Lunis, with the backstory we discussed earlier and can flesh out more later."

The robot flickered back into its Newton form. "All three of us are still enrolled in Sherman High School. When school begins again, we'll be there for several hours a week. What you do with that spare time is up to you. The biggest restraint we put on you, besides basic household manners such as not intruding on individual's rooms without permission, is that you do not interfere with technology we tell you not to."

Solomon creased his eyebrows. "Such as?"

Ilana waved a hand dismissively. "There are monitors in one room. They warn us when there is activity in earth's atmosphere. Please don't mess with those."

…Interesting. In all G3's observations, they'd never seen any sign of such 'monitors.' Admittedly, in their very brief time in the Lunis house, they had not been free to explore.

"We have a room available," Ilana continued. "Octus doesn't really need a room—all he does at night is just stand there—so he has offered to stay in the room with the monitors, which is where he keeps his spare tech anyway."

'He has offered.'Did that mean the Lunises did so because the robot proposed the idea?

Of course they would,Solomon thought. They see it as its own person.

Yet, Solomon was also focused on how the Lunises were giving him a room. He hadn't thought that far ahead yet. He wasn't much for personalization. Yet they were now giving him hisspace within their space.

"Also, our cover is extremely important to our safety," Ilana bounced on her heels a bit, perhaps a nervous tick. "So we try to avoid doing things that bring attention to ourselves in earthen society. So, try to be normal and inconspicuous."

Solomon resisted raising an eyebrow at that one. They were telling him that, the only actual earthling in this conversation?

Lance spoke again, voice haughty. "We also don't entertain houseguests." He glared. "If you do,for whatever reason, haveto let someone over, you'll need to ask us first—and, of course, we can say no."

Solomon highly doubted he would ever have the need to bring someone into the Lunis household. He didn't know any civilians, and he doubted his agents would be welcome.

But yet again…he was amused at how simpleand clichéthese demands were. They were all perfectly reasonable and sounded like the terms of any shared household. Don't touch our stuff. Respect our privacy. Ask before you come into our rooms. Tell us before you invite someone over.

What was next? Curfew at 11:00?

"So!" Ilana cut in. "Those are our rules we've come up with. We're all in agreement that, should we take the proper precautions, this could be a way to assure you of our intentions." She hesitated just then, and looked at Solomon almost shyly. "So…do you want to try it?"

This was the last moment to turn back. If Solomon proceeded and made a mistake, it would shatter all the trust he had worked so hard to build. He was invited into their home, sacred ground to them, and to say the situation would be delicate would be a gross understatement. Every action could make or break him.

Was it really the best choice? His superior was against it, Lance wouldn't trust him, he would be leaving G3 behind during such a precarious time…

And yet, theyhad offered it. The Luniseswere the ones to propose the idea, to open this door. Solomon may have been the one to go to speak with them, but they had started this.

Yet how would it end? Would they become cross and send him away? Would he be unable to handle whatever surprises they held in store and have to back out? What if their secrets weren'tas noble as they claimed and Solomon had to face them as enemies?

But he had to know. Solomon had waited and watched for months, eager to engage with these alien lifeforms. Now, they had made the offer, and he would take it.

"I accept," Solomon said. "I can follow your rules and terms without issue."

Ilana beamed, Lance looked disappointed but resigned, and the robot's gaze was considering.

"Excellent!" Ilana grasped her hands together in front of her. "So, we figured we could start in a week. Does that seem fair?"

A week. Part of Solomon wanted to start immediately. The other part wanted a month to plan this out. "That will work."

"Good," Ilana nodded. "So, do you need us to create your new identity? Octus can arrange that if you like."

Solomon paused a little. The aliens had just offered to create a false identity for him, and he was rather unsure how to respond. His agents had dug up all the Lunis's records long ago, and he had guessed since then that the robot had been the one to make them. They appeared normal if one were giving them a passing glance. But upon a deeper look, there were some holes, and a few too-neat patch-ups.

Should Solomon accept the Lunises' offer? Or should he have his agents construct his new identity instead? That would give him more control over what went in it, yet also might not quite fit with the Lunis setup. He knew his agents were capable…but creating his own identity might reveal something to the Lunises he didn't intend to.

It had been a long time since he'd had official public records. Once someone joined G3, either their death was faked, or their records were wiped so that they'd never been there in the first place. Solomon's own last name had been cut from his identity years ago; he no longer considered it apart of him. Leader of G3had replaced it.

Solomon spent another minute, weighing the options, before he answered. "My agents can handle it." He wanted somecontrol over this, even if he had to yield to the Lunises' desires.

"Alright." Ilana smiled as if she had just arranged a lunch meeting with a perfectly harmless old friend. "We'll contact you if you have anything else to say, and you can call us if you have any more questions. But if not…we'll see you in a week."

Ilana waved as the transmission cut off.

So. It was all official. Solomon felt an internal clock rapidly winding down, counting the seconds he had left. And he had so much to do.

But first, he had a promise to fulfill.

OOO

As Solomon climbed down the ladder to his superior's room, he wondered if the man had been spying on his conversation with the Lunises. It was highly likely, as that was well within his ability and his superior did not typically respect privacy boundaries. Solomon understood it somewhat, as the man had little else to do, yet he still found it annoying. Like when he had tried to grant Lance and Ilana privacy during their stay at G3, only for his superior to survey them anyway.

When he entered, he had the distinct feeling that his superior was waiting for him. "Sir," Solomon began. "I received a response from the Lunises." He paused, unsure if he should be so straightforward about it, then asked, "I assume you watched?"

A raspy breath. "Indeed, Solomon. And you accepted."

"I said I would."

"I had still hoped you would change your mind."

Solomon almost had, at several points. This could all end in terrible disaster, but he was determined to try.

But he didn't want to get into another argument. His superior disagreed with him, but neither of them would be moved. So he tried to change the subject. "Did you look at the list of possible agents I sent you?"

There was a shift of movement, and his superior's voice turned angry and annoyed. "None of them are acceptable. That is beyond question."

Solomon was rather surprised by the outburst. He folded his hands behind his back and kept his composure. "Then what do you suggest?"

The man's anger muddled somewhat, but was still clearly there. "The Lunises said you are allowed to leave when you wish. You can still preform your duties as director of G3."

Solomon blinked. "…I don't think that will work," he said slowly. "For one, the point of this is to observe the Lunises. And even when they start attending school again, that will still only give me a few hours to perform all my duties."

He thought about it more. "I could certainly do some tasks remotely, but it would be best if others could have more direct control."

"No one else is suitable," his superior said flatly.

Solomon stared forward, trying to figure out exactly what was going on in the enigma that was his superior's head. "You must have someone other than me, sir."

"No."

Normally, when his superior used that tone, Solomon backed off immediately. But now, he felt completely calm and even curious. Perhaps because he sensed there was something moreto it, a creeping sudden suspicion.

"Sir," Solomon began firmly. "Only a few weeks ago, I almost died on Saturn's space station. In fact, I would have run out of oxygen before your rescue team reached me, if the Lunises hadn't saved me. Later, I took on Steel's robot with only a small squadron of fighters, and it was only our speed and element of surprise that let us escape with our lives. On top of that, the Motherbirdwas almost destroyed—with me in it—during our battle with the creature in Paris." He stared into the shadows. "Sir, I must ask; what will you do if I die?"

The usual wheeze of his superior was softer than normal. Solomon was the only one who knew about the existence of his superior, the only one who directly communicated with him. If Solomon were gone, all his agents would be blind as to how to handle the man.

"…I wouldn't let that happen," his superior finally said.

An echo of a memory rang into Solomon's ears, the same words and tone but with a different voice coming to the forefront of his mind;

"I wouldn't let that happen."

Lance had said that on the space station, in regards to the possible death of the robot.

And it hadhappened. And all of earth had suffered for the lack of the Lunises' preparation. G3's very purpose was preparation for dangers to the earth.

How odd to find such a stark similarity between Solomon's superior and the reckless male alien. It made Solomon pause for a moment, but he forced his thoughts to the matter at hand.

"Shouldn't we prepare for the worst-case scenario?" Solomon pressed, echoing a lesson his superior often drilled into him.

He got the distinct feeling of being glared at. "Youare the leader of G3, Solomon."

"G3 is meant to be beyond individuals," Solomon insisted. "No one person's life or desires get put ahead of our mission—defending the earth. Why should mine?" He dared to take a step forward. "You chose me to lead your organization. You chose me to take charge should anything happen to you. But if anything happens to me, this agency muststill go on." G3 had to stay active and alert. Solomon couldn't leave earth's intergalactic relations in the hands of people like Steel. He pointed to his superior's screens, now inactive. "I have watched over those agents myself. I have seen them in action, and they have showed admirable dedication and determination. They deserve a chance to prove themselves."

"Do you no longer wantto lead, Solomon?"

Solomon was completely shocked for a second, and then downright insulted. "No.I consider this position a duty and an honor. EverythingI do is for G3. And that includes making sure it can live on without me."

Solomon clenched his fists at his sides. "Every agent is trustworthy. Every one of them would do anythingto protect the earth. They would follow me anywhere. But it is time they learned to lead on their own."

Silence.

"I do not want to,Solomon."

Solomon creased his forehead at the almost childish words. "Sir?"

"My secrecy," his superior took a deep, gasping breath, one that worried Solomon until he kept talking, "is essential.I will notallow myself to be exposed to anyone else. And that is what you are asking of me. I will not let others learn of my existence."

Solomon hesitated at that. This was on the list of things Solomon didn't understand about his superior, but didn't question. His superior never explained, but Solomon had always guessed it was because his superior was the best weapon G3—or even humanity itself—had. He was the greatest mind earth had ever known; he had invented almost every G3 weapon and tool they used. His scientific knowledge seemed boundless; he had created a way to contain Titan,if only temporarily, and ways to fight the alien monsters. If an enemy ever discovered his superior's existence and managed to take him out…G3 would be horribly bereft. They had some of the world's greatest scientists within their ranks, but no one came closeto his superior.

But still. His superior wouldn't let his own agents know of him? Not even just a fewof the most trustworthy? The man himself had said that the agents suspectedsomething about his presence.

Solomon was the only one who talked with his superior. When he went to the Lunises, he would not let the man become completely reclusive. He was bad enough as it was.

"Sir," Solomon said, trying to keep his impatience out of his tone. "Our agents are loyal.If I told them to take orders from you and nothing more, they would do so." Unless, of course, the orders were against him. "They don't even have to see you; you can communicate through messaging."

"…I chose you,Solomon."

"And now it's my turn to choose," Solomon nodded. "Trustme, sir."

It was time for Solomon to make his own choices about G3, even if they didn't line up with his superior's.

His superior said nothing. And then he shifted, and brought up his screen that displayed the agents Solomon selected. His superior only needed a glance to recognize them.

"…Very well, Solomon."

OOO

As worrying as it had been to tell his superior of his plan…Solomon was almost moreworried about telling his agents. They followed him with absolute loyalty and dedication; so how would they react to him leaving? If their tension after he had almost died on the space station was anything to go by, not well.

He spent quite a few hours putting together his address, and figuring out how to deliver it. He considered recording it for everyone, but decided that at least a few of his agents deserved to see it live. Besides, he wanted to know their reaction…what state he was leaving his agency in.

So, late the next morning he strode into the control center and stood at the front, calling up recorders so his words would be heard throughout HQ. Dozens of agents were in the room, managing things from earth's atmosphere to the power levels of HQ. But all who could give him their full undivided attention turned and waited for his every word.

"I have important news," Solomon began, as practiced. "News that will change some things in this agency." Changes were a constant since the last three weeks, facing Steel and then patching up the damage. But this…this would be different. "Two days ago I visited the Lunis household to discuss their presence on earth. Though I released a report on what occurred…I felt it prudent to leave some things out at the time. Yet now, it is time for me to disclose these topics."

He stood straight and collected, but hesitated the barest moment before proceeding. He wondered how many of his agents noticed. "The Lunises volunteered to be more closely observed in order to comply with some of our terms. They were grateful for what we had done for them, and wanted to assure us of their good intentions. In which case, they offered to allow an agent to join them undercover in their household, living as a member of their 'family' to keep an eye on them on our behalf."

With every word, Solomon sensed the tension in the room, perhaps on the entire base, rise with astonishment and surprise. Every agent knew their relationship with the Lunises was unstable. They had to be just as shocked about this as Solomon had been.

And he hadn't even gotten to the most important part. "I volunteered to be that agent."

Audiblegasps. For a G3 agent, trained to be impassible and unrufflable at all times, they may as well have feinted.

"Though it is with much reluctance that I put aside my duties as your leader, I only do so because I am sure I am the best choice for the task. The Lunises know me and I have interacted with them; we have the basis of a relationship to build on."

In truth, Solomon doubted that the Lunises would accept anyone else into their home to spy on them. But this small twist of a lie made it less appear that the Lunises were trying to steal him away. His agents would be suspicious, unless they thought he had volunteered.

"I assure you, however, that I will not leave this agency vulnerable. A small group of elite agents will be selected to lead together, whose identities will be announced within a few days time. I will also communicate with them frequently and perform as many tasks as I can from afar. G3 will remain in hiding, with continued limited interaction with the outside world as we repair our damages."

He waited for the information to sink in. "…Yet I cannot deny that I will be unable to perform all the tasks I usually do while on this mission. G3 will have to handle itself without me at the helm. However…" He swept his gaze around the room of stoic masks, and wished for the first time that he could see their faces. "…I have full confidence that it will survive and thrive.

"We shall spend the next week preparing for my departure. You will be updated as the situations evolves. That is all."

He made a slight cut of gesture with his fingers, and his agents followed it with less than their usual immediacy. Once the feed was cut, he turned and headed for his usual spot for work in the center of the room. Yet as he began to organize, he felt surreptitious glances on him. Being trained in stealth and spy techniques, he was quite good at sensing such things, but his agents were trained in such practices as well, and hid their looks best they could.

Solomon ignored them for about ten minutes, but they did not die down as he had hoped. So, with some resignation, Solomon sent notices to the three agents he had selected to lead in his place. He summoned them to a briefing room, temporarily put the security cameras in that room on lockdown (though, of course, his superior would still have access to them no matter what), and began to head there himself.

As he walked down the corridors, he noticed passing agents skip a step when they saw him, or their masks angled more towards him that usual. Solomon went wherever he pleased in G3 HQ, so his agents, though attentive to him, were never surprised if they encountered him unexpectedly. Yet now, they were clearly unsure about what to do around him.

He wondered if it would be like this for the rest of the week. Or whenever he returned. He walked a bit faster than usual to get it over with.

When he arrived at the chosen room, he was the first one there. There were chairs, yet he did not sit in one. He didn't think he'd been in this particular room before, though of course, some like it. G3 HQ was so massive that even he, its commander since the day it had been launched, had not explored its entirety, though he had its map, down to the very ventilation shafts, completely memorized. That was odd to think of now.

Solomon glanced at the camera points in the room; he knew his superior was watching him even now, and would be watching the whole time.

"You'll have to introduce yourself, you know," he said to the empty room. "I trust you already have their individual communicator numbers?"

Still watching the blank camera, he waited, though he wasn't sure for what. Perhaps an alert on his own com, or a blinking of the room's lights. There was nothing, and he narrowed his eyes behind his googles. He hoped his superior wouldn't leave him hanging and refuse to contact anyone else anyway. The man could be so unpredictable and stubborn…

The door abruptly opened and Solomon turned to the new arrival.

The first agent to come was Doctor Genn. One of the head scientists of G3, she was a rare case of a woman in their ranks. Not that G3 did not allow females, but their extreme physical standards was a deterrent. G3 only accepted the best of the best, and agents had to be capable in several pools as well as whatever they excelled in. She was a master of many fields of science, from research to the alien monsters' bodies to putting together their most advanced weaponry, as designed by Solomon's superior. Her nonstop, diverse work ethic had led Solomon to select her for the position of leadership. She often helped model new extensions of HQ, researched the monster's corpses for weaknesses, and designed a small number of G3's weapons. It was difficult to compete scientifically with the mind of Solomon's superior, but Doctor Genn was one of the closest—if still very far behind.

She had pale blond hair that was tied back in a tight bun on the nape of her neck. As a scientist, she wore a lab coat rather than the red G3 uniform, and no mask, though a pair of googles rested on her belt.

"Doctor Genn," Solomon acknowledged. "Please, take a seat."

"Thank you, sir." Her voice betrayed no uncertainly of the situation, though he was certain it was there. She did as instructed and turned to him attentively. "You summoned me here?"

Solomon held up a hand. "Not yet. We're waiting for two others to arrive."

Doctor Genn withheld any signs of surprise, her face stone, folding her hands before her. She gave a swift, impassive glance around the room, before settling her eyes on the door silently. At first, Solomon admired her restraint, until he noticed the slight fiddling of her thumbs. It stopped a few seconds after he saw it.

"Sir…" Doctor Genn spoke after a minute of silence. "Might I ask the precise date of your departure?"

Solomon kept his eyes on the door, not looking at her. "A week from yesterday," he said simply.

"I see," she said. "And do you know when your mission will end?"

Here, Solomon turned to her. "No," he said.

Doctor Genn's pale eyebrows creased in thought. "Then-?"

The door slid open again, and the last two identical uniformed agents strode in together. Both Solomon and Doctor Genn turned to them.

The taller of the two agents was Agent Rudish, one of his top field agents. He often led recovery teams, and was frequently on Solomon's own squad. He had been one of the agents to capture Lance and Ilana, as well as a fighter pilot during the battle with Steel. The only reason he had not been on Solomon's team on the rescue mission to Saturn was because he had been sent to retrieve monster remains and had not been on hand. He was one of the most experienced agents in G3, and one of Solomon's first choices. When the plan to interrogate Lance and Ilana had gone awry and the two had escaped, Agent Rudish had been smart enough not to order everyone not to intercede as Solomon, playing as Kane, had improvised his own plan and led them across the base.

The second was Agent Andrews. An experienced tech agent, Agent Andrews often worked in the command center, gathering and organizing data at rapid speeds, and commanding some squadrons when the opportunity presented itself. Whenever an alien monster crashed to earth, Agent Andrews helped gather all information from afar to paint the full picture of the event.

They both stood at attention. "Sir."

"Sit," Solomon said with a wave of his hand toward Doctor Genn, who eyed the two men with skepticism. "Your helmets are unnecessary."

The two agents removed their helmets as instructed. It was not the first time Solomon had seen Agent Rudish's face; he occasionally attended undercover missions with Solomon, as well as other situations. There were very few locations and situations where agents could remove their helmets. Solomon was used to Rudish's dark, buzzcut hair and no-nonsense demeaner. Agent Andrews's younger face, however, caught him a little off-guard. Solomon knew he was wasn't much younger than he, but Agent Andrewslookedlike he was only in his mid-twenties, too young for this heavy position of leader. Solomon shook himself internally, it was foolish to judge merely on appearance.

Solomon prepared himself to begin to reveal to them the purpose of this meeting when Agent Rudish spoke up.

"Permission to speak freely, sir?"

That gave Solomon a pause. In all his time as leader of G3, he had very rarely received that particular request. He wasn't exactly sure why; perhaps because he seemed unapproachable, or perhaps because G3 did not usually bother with anything but its mission.

He waited for a moment, considering it. Did Agent Rudish already know what this was about? Or was there something else? "Granted."

"Sir, let me go to the Lunises," Agent Rudish began, fisting a hand on the table. "You are needed here. You're too important."

Solomon blinked behind his googles, slightly alarmed. The decision was already made, and he had already dismissed the possibility of letting another agent take the job. He was about to tell Agent Rudish so, when an idea occurred to him.

"Why do you believe you are qualified?" Solomon asked slowly.

Agent Rudish straightened. "I have experience in covert missions, sir, in blending in with civilians. I have been on several spy missions of the Lunis household, and am familiar with their neighborhood, affiliations, and daily habits. I am also one of our best combat fighters, besting several of my colleagues in sparing, so I am as prepared as anyone to handle any threat that may be attracted to the Lunises."

All true, and Solomon knew it. Solomon glanced at the other two in the room, whose gazes were glancing back and forth between Agent Rudish and Solomon. Doctor Genn's face revealed nothing, yet Agent Andrews clearly looked concerned and unsure.

That was to be expected of Agent Andrews, Solomon silently noted. Though Andrews hadpassed the G3 tests of restraint and self-control, he had needed extra training to do so and still had only barely reached their standards. There were a few reports on his record commenting on that fault. Yet, considering how G3 agents wore masks at almost all times, it was hardly a dire flaw. He would simply have to work on it in the coming weeks.

"And what do you two have to say about that?" Solomon asked them, bringing them into this little test of his.

While Agent Andrews raised his eyebrows in mild surprised, Doctor Genn answered readily. "With all due respect, Commander—and Agent—" she added, nodding to Agent Rudish, "—I do not believe Agent Rudish is the right man for the job. Though he will certainly be able to blend into civilian life from an outside perspective, I do not believe he will be able to from the inside. His militaristic form will fail to put the Lunises at ease, and they will be on guard around him. They will not trust him, and it will be difficult for him to gather information as thus."

Solomon had reached all such conclusions himself, as well as another flaw in Agent Rudish's argument. This mission wasn't just to spyon the Lunises, but to build a relationshipwith them. To gain their trust. And Agent Rudish simply could not do that.

"However," Doctor Genn cut through his thoughts, leaning her elbows on the table and looking at Solomon with a slight burn in her eyes—She knows,Solomon realized, She knows why she was asked here—"I also believe that, while you could handle the mission, sir, there are alternative agents who could as well. I concur with Agent Rudish that…" She paused, and cleared her throat. "That you are too important, sir. G3 needs you."

Solomon turned over her words. "And what would be your ideal agent for this mission, Doctor?"

"Someone more cerebral," was her prompt answer. "While physical combat skill certainly would not be a hinderance to this mission, I believe it would be unnecessary. The Lunises have proven to be more than able to defend themselves, and the aliens that hunted them have…" she shrugged her shoulders helplessly, "…proven to be more than any one agent can handle. Instead, this mission requires careful observation and interaction with the Lunises. It will take considerable skill to manipulate them into revealing their secrets. They have demonstrated that they will go to extreme lengths to keep answers out of our reach. I suggest one of our scientists—not necessarily myself, though I will take the opportunity to volunteer my services—to fill the role."

Well, that was her perspective. Agent Rudish looked displeased with her answer, perhaps slightly insulted. "And Agent Andrews?"

Agent Andrews had watched Doctor Genn speak first with surprise, but his eyebrows had slowly drawn together in skepticism as she went on. Already, Solomon knew he disagreed, but it was time for him to explain why.

"I believe that both of my colleagues have made good points." Agent Andrews spoke slowly. It was quite a change from Doctor Genn's quick, ready answers. "Yet I also see some flaws in their arguments."

He straightened up, visibly mustering his confidence. "G3's objective is to handle all earth's alien involvement. This includes not only threats, but also allies. Though our relationship with the Lunises has been…rocky,they have clearly shown signs of compassion towards us." Agent Andrews held out his hands beseechingly, yet neither Agent Rudish nor Doctor Genn looked swayed. "They have protected our planet from the creatures since the beginning. They fought by our side against Steel. And, without them, our commander would not be here right now." He gestured to Solomon. "As such, I believe the objective of this mission should not be spying or manipulation, but trying to gain the alien's trust."

"And who would you recommend to do that?" Solomon asked casually.

Agent Andrews pursed his lips—another too-easy giveaway of his thoughts. "I would, of course, be willing to take the mission myself if asked, sir," he said. "I doagree with Agent Rudish and Doctor Genn that you are vital to G3's operations. Yet there is no department that I would particularly point to. I believe that the agent for this mission should not be selected based on their position, but their disposition."

Ping.

Solomon paused a moment to push up his sleeve and check his communicator. The agents waited patiently as he read the message from his superior:

"You have chosen well."

Solomon felt the edge of his lip twitch in a smile. Without any comment, he dropped his hand back to his side.

It was the factors Agent Andrews had just argued for that Solomon himself had completely ignored at first, when he had first known of the Lunises. Physical and mental challenges he was ready and trained for, but the more…emotionalbalances were trickier to get. He could not allow vulnerability, but when he had hardened himself too much, he had hurt Lance and Ilana. He had to be mindful of it now.

Setting those resolves aside, Solomon turned his attention back to the three agents before him. He folded his hands behind his back.

"I'm afraid that none of your inputs will affect the course of events," Solomon said firmly. "I am taking this mission myself. But the one point you all agree on still stands; G3 needs a leader. That is why you three are here."

He watched their reactions closely. Only Agent Andrews revealed anything, his eyebrows going up in surprise. Doctor Genn was indifferent—Solomon was certain she had known from the beginning—yet Agent Rudish Solomon was less sure of. Perhaps the agent had guessed as much, or maybe he was simply well-practiced in keeping his thoughts hidden. It did not matter much either way.

Solomon began to walk across the room, behind their chairs. "I have chosen the three of you to lead G3 in my absences. And, as you have proven by your recently voiced perspectives, you each have traits that are essential to guide our future."

"With all due respect, sir," Doctor Genn interjected, "I fail to understand. Leadership is a more intellectual task. It should not be based on one's ability to fight—" she glanced at Agent Rudish, "—or on emotions." There, she turned her gaze on Agent Andrews.

Agent Rudish frowned. "A leader can't simply control things from the safety of a lab. They have to be willing to face the challenges themselves, side-by-side with their operatives. I've led dozens of missions." His gaze flicked between the two other agents. "I have far more experience in leadership than either of you."

"I understand your points," Agent Andrews spoke up, "but don't you think that we need to see beyondourselves? Our agency is supposed to help the earth, and we can't do that if we view everything as numbers or as if we were charging into battle."

Doctor Genn opened her mouth to respond but Solomon interrupted. "Enough," he said. "The three of you are among G3's best agents. But you also have weaknesses. I chose you not only because of your individual strengths, but also because of how you each coverthose weaknesses. Where one of you fails, another excels."

All three of them looked at each other uncertainly, as if they each couldn't possibly imagine how the others could be better than them in any important way.

Solomon held back a sigh. "I am trusting you to work together to lead our agency. Do you accept?"

Despite their reservations about each other, they all answered at once. "Yes, sir."

Well, one thing they each had in common was their loyalty and dedication to G3. They would do whatever was required of them.

"Good," Solomon said. "I will announce your new positions at the end of the day, and give you each the appropriate class and authority."

"Which one of us will have authority over the others, sir?" Doctor Genn spoke up.

Solomon looked down on her. "None of you. You will all be equally ranked."

"Sir," Agent Rudish objected. "Forgive me, but how will that work? If we have a disagreement with one another, whose judgement will surpass? How will we settle conflicts between ourselves?"

Solomon turned his lowered gaze to Agent Rudish. "You will talk it out."

Agent Andrews interjected. "There are three of us," he pointed out sensibly. "We could always put it to a vote."

Neither Agent Rudish nor Doctor Genn looked satisfied with that solution, but they settled down.

"There is one more power you should be aware of," Solomon began, bracing himself. "Someone who ranks higher than any of you."

All three heads went straight up with rapt interest. Solomon had never shared the existence of his superior with another human being. Besides the few who provided the man with food, few agents had a clue about him, until the events on Saturn's space station. Solomon had sent a message ordering his agents to abandon him, to not come to the station and get killed by the creature. Thathad been when his superior had stepped in, using his higher authority to countermand Solomon's directive and send a rescue party—for all G3 eyes to see. Though the agents had known better than to question him about, they now all knew someoneabove Solomon existed.

"He has insisted on his secrecy at all costs," Solomon went on. "Thus, he will onlybe communicating with you with messaging."

Solomon waved a hand and summoned a holo-screen into the room, positioning it before him. It lit up at his command and he typed in a quick passcode to link it to his com device. Flicking the screen of light around and enlarging it for the agents to see, he displayed the messaging channel that his superior used. There was no name, not even a number tied to it.

"You are not to contact him yourselves," Solomon said coldly. "He will communicate with you when he deems fit."

Agent Andrews tilted his head at that. "Will he help us lead the agency?"

"Whenever he sees it as necessary," Solomon allowed. "He does not usually control small details. But whenever he doesgive a command, consider it an order."

"Yes, sir," they all responded immediately.

"You are not to share any information about him with anyone. Nor should you seekany more information about him. Everything concerning him is completely confidential."

"Yes, sir."

Solomon might be ignorant on why his superior stayed hidden at all costs, yet he stood by it, especially to outsiders of their secret.

"It may be possible that he will not communicate with you at all during the duration of my mission," Solomon admitted. His superior may have accepted that there would be new leaders, but that did not mean he would interact with them. "Yet, in my absence, he may have to."

"We understand, sir," Agent Rudish spoke up. "We will take this secret to our graves."

"Agreed," Doctor Genn acknowledged.

"You can trust us, sir," Agent Andrews said with a nod.

Solomon nodded in return. "Be aware that he keeps a close eye on this agency, and so he will be attentive to what you do."

Agent Andrews cleared his throat. "…Is he….is he watching us now, sir?"

Solomon stared at him, thinking carefully. On one hand, it might be best for the agents to know that his superior would always be aware of their actions. But on the other…it was rather unsettling that his superior watched everyone with no boundaries, no warning. Though Solomon knew his superior would never trespass on someone's privacy simply for the sake of it, he would not be deterred by it, either.

He was about to dismiss Agent Andrews's question as probing too deep, when four simultaneous pingsrang out in the room.

Solomon could tell by the flicker of surprise in each of their expressions that, had it just been one of them, they would have ignored the message and kept their attention on him. Yet with all of them at the same time, especially when their coms had likely been set on silent, they were burning with curiosity. Solomon lifted his own wrist, which was enough permission for the others to do the same. As expected, it was a message from his superior.

"I am here."

Only moments after he read it, the message deleted itself, no trace left behind. The three agents looked to Solomon in confusion.

"That is what it will be like should he decide to contact you," Solomon said simply. On the inside, he was rather pleased. It felt not only as if his superior were granting the three agents a stamp of approval, but to Solomon as well. That, or perhaps his superior was no longer being so childish and simply accepted that this was how it would be. It did not make much of a difference. Either way, Solomon had won.

The three agents looked uneased, but Solomon thought this topic was closed. So brushed it off and went on. "Now, for your new duties…"

[AUTHOR'S NOTES: Gasp! I brought in OCs! Well, I worked very hard in bringing these three new characters to life, but they won't make too many major appearances…I don't think. This story is about Solomon and the Lunises, but he isthe leader of G3 and I thought it was important to flesh out his departure from his beloved agency. In fact, there was supposed to be more here, but it was getting long so I shoved it over into the next chapter. I did enjoy creating these three new characters, I wonder who will get their references? Comment and tell me, if you think you know.]