Loud steps were heard throughout the hallways. Hun was sweating, as he turned a corner at full speed. He was carrying Skippy on his hands: the animal was squeaking repeatedly. The boy moves sideways, passing walking Agents. He hits one of them with his elbow, while looking ahead. The male Inkling yelled, releasing the papers he was carrying.
"HEY YOU!" He shouted, massaging his shoulder.
"SORRY!" Hun raises his hand, without turning back.
Meanwhile, inside a room with a long table accompanied by a line of office chairs…
Tonna was holding a block of paper, while smiling a bit forced: sweat constantly falls down from her front. Sitting at the head of the table, a male large Inkling smoking a cigarette. He taps slowly, but loudly his fingers on the surface. He was frowning and sometimes growling.
Tonna gulps, taking quick looks at the door. The man watches his wristwatch.
"10 minutes are passed, Tonna…" He catches out a puff of smoke.
"P-please, sir…" She dries her forehead. "J-just one more minute! I-I'm absolutely sure that he"
His moustache twitched.
"This is the third time you repeat that!" Taking off his cigarette, he slams it on the ashtray.
Tonna sweats even more.
"S-sir, please understand the situation… Hun is a newbie, this is the first time he"
"Do you want to know what a newbie can cause to our ranks?! I'll make sure to send YOU straight to Ranger rank, if he doesn't show up in the next minute!" He points at her.
Tonna's eyes appears a little watery, as she mumbled something behind her teeth.
In the meantime, Hun was running on the stairs: he touched a step with the tip of his foot, but quickly land on his feet.
"I really hope that I understand the Briefing Room location right!" The boy pants while talking.
Skippy squeaked, crawling inside his shell. Hun jumped two steps and crossed a metallic door. Turning on his right, he increased his pace and gritted his teeth. In front of him, there was another door with a tag on it. Getting closer, the tag reads Briefing Room.
Pushing the door with his shoulder, almost completely opening it, Hun gradually slows down until he stops right before impacting against the table. He kept breathing loudly, while looking at the front: Tonna was squeezing her block of paper, with her tentacles raised up in the air.
A silence fell down inside the room. The man had a clenched fist resting on the table, while his eyes become red.
"… ehm… … hi…" Hun smiles showing his teeth.
Lightly, he lays Skippy on the table and walks backwards, closing the door. The woman pulls the top of her shirt, gulping loudly. The man stands up, walking all the way towards Hun. The boy leans against the wall, shrinking his iris.
The man's steps were thundering throughout the room. Skippy completely disappears inside his shell, while it shakes with the table together. The man stops, standing in front of Hun. He adjusts his tie.
"Hun Squidson… correct?" He lies his hands behind his back.
"Yes…" Hun said in a low voice.
The man closes his mouth, lowering his eyelids. He takes another look at his wristwatch.
"11 minutes… impressive." He returns his hand to the previous position.
"Really…? Did I do good…?" He lowers his head, looking at the man with his eyes.
Tonna slaps her forehead. The adult Inkling moves his head a little forward.
"Good enough to end up cleaning the streets of this city."
A strong smoke smell entered inside Hun's nostrils. He snorted faintly.
"Another good joke like that and I'll grant that wish."
"But I don't like cleaning…! Can you grant me to at least harvest a field…?" He slowly raises his forefinger up.
"SILENCE!" He shouts, slamming a fist against the wall.
Hun trembled. Tonna sighs, while shaking her head and lying a hand in front of her face.
"You'll lose 5 points for being late! That would be enough to make you fall into the Junior category!" His face becomes red.
"W-wait! I"
"Try to oppose and you'll lose 20 points! Any other question?!" He crossed his arms.
Hun left his mouth open… then he closes it. His eyes became watery.
"No…"
"Very well!" He walks away.
Hun dries his eyes, while his mouth raises.
"GET HERE!" He points the table.
The boy jumped, running near the point indicated. Hun peeked at Tonna, for a moment. She was frowning, doing quick and short head lifts.
"Listen carefully, now." The man picks up a paper. "You are been called to fulfill the following task: infiltration inside the leaker's hideout."
He reads the paper while mumbling something.
"15 points for completing the mission… carrying the Super Sea Snail… uh-huh… ok." He puts the paper on the table. "Basically, this mission is very easy. Your objective is to receive information about the Stingray creatures."
"S-stingrays?!" He gasps.
"Yes. For months we tried to uncover their mysterious projects, but they are too clever into finding hidden microphones and secret agents! However, you possess an unique skill… it'll sure come in handy for the later tasks. Now, your lack of skill level is required!"
"Huh?" Hun tilts his head. "My lack of skill level…?"
The man quickly shakes his head.
"In other words, you are considered a true amateur."
"Oh… I see…" His mouth was downturn.
"You are the only agent, which was nominated as such without any official skill level. You are the only one capable to succeed in this mission, since the enemies will lower their guards in front of you!" He talks while doing the relative hand gestures.
"Ah… but how they can tell I'm weak?"
"Never mind the technical details!" The man moves his hand in front of himself. "All you have to do is carry that Super Sea Snail over there and listen to Tonna's orders."
He points at Skippy and Tonna.
"I'll make sure to inform you about everything related to your mission." She bows down. "I'm at your service!"
The man nods.
"If you understood your role… then I can officially close the briefing." He taps the table.
The boy nodded.
"Very well. Good luck with your mission." He stands up, showing his hand.
Hun does a handshake. Tonna reaches him.
"Let's go now, Hun. We have work to do." She whispers, as she pats him on the shoulder.
The boy follows the woman, after grabbing Skippy and both exit the room. Tonna closed it.
"I can't believe you forgot where the Briefing Room was!" She frowns, as she walks down the hallway. "I told you many times, yesterday! It's located on the 7° floor, the door at the bottom of the hallway facing your right."
"I'm so sorry Tonna…" He yelps a little.
"Saying sorry is not enough, Hun!" She lowers her eyelids. "Do you have any idea what it means to fall back into Junior Rank?!"
"Wh-what about it? I'm sure to be still an agent…" He mumbled.
Tonna shakes her head.
"A very respectable rank position… completely wasted by such foolishness…" She whispered.
"Huh?" Hun gets closer to her.
"Anyway!" She turns to her left. "Before you go out, I'll give you one tool you must wear."
"What's it?" He walks behind her, passing an incoming Agent.
"You'll see."
The two walked for a while, then they entered inside a room: there were many items resting on shelfs, probably used in missions. On a white table, Tonna picks up something.
"Stand still." She inserts a spherical object inside each ear.
"Hey! W-what are you doing?!" He backs away.
"I'm giving you the Communicators. Their purpose is to let you hear everything I'll say through the microphone." She walks near a shelf.
"Ah…" He looks up, massaging his chin.
"And this is your microphone." She attaches a small Krak-On tag on his shirt.
Hun looks at it.
"Don't look at it, while you talk! No one has to know that this is a communication device!" Tonna pushes his head up, with her thumb.
"Ok! … ehm… Tonna…" His eyes rest on a weapon.
"Not now!" She walks near another shelf. "One more tool and… there it is!"
Picking up a bag with a hole on it, Tonna gives it to Hun.
"Wear it. This is the Super Sea Snail Safebag." She picks up Skippy.
"Ok…" He does what she said.
The woman inserts Skippy inside the bag, letting his head sticking out from the hole.
"Now you are can carry him without your hands." She rubs her hands.
Hun keeps lifting Skippy.
"Now get out of here. I'll soon communicate with you, so don't get surprised." She goes near the door.
"How?"
"You'll hear my voice through the ears." She leaves the room, not looking back.
"Ah, ok…" Hun walks out.
The boy looks to his left, then to his right: he couldn't see anyone nearby. With a loud sigh, he walks on the same way he stepped before.