Church didn't know what to say. It had been awhile since he had run into a freelancer. He honestly didn't know who she was. But then the memories started to hit him.

O0O

Texas was with him in the planning room. The ranks were up on the large screen that illuminated the room.

"She's too young," Texas looked at the file on the smaller screen on the table before them. "And she has no formal training. Just a weird military dad in some ditch several planets from here. She's a liability."

"She is the newest freelancer in our program, Alison. Clearly, you have not seen her fight. I haven't seen anyone as good as she is. She's even more ruthless than you. But she doesn't only have that side. She's compassionate, something that this program needs more of. Not just mercenaries, but a true military style agent." the Director's deep Southern drawl pulled on his words in just a way that made him seem arrogant, but rightfully so. A video feed pulled up above the rank board. "Today she took on Maine, Carolina, Washington, and North Dakota. Guess who won?"

The video played on, a high definition picture that captured all five agents's movements. North Dakota and Washington had a natural swagger about them, as if they were completely comfortable in the situation. Carolina was just starting her maintenance update, checking that every piece of the assigned weaponry they were to use was in top condition. Main was staring at his target; the young girl was about twenty, with wide violet blue eyes and lilac armor. There was nothing really special about her.

The golden ringlets her hair made hung in her pale face, obscuring her vision. She checked her paint gun once, twice, then checked the paint bullets themselves. The chemical reaction they gave could expand and harden, leaving the victim unable to continue. They weren't lethal, even at point blank range. A pity. That Agent Maine was creepy enough to make her want to shoot him to kingdom come.

"So, what are you doing this weekend?" North Dakota asked.

"On a date," the youth replied, her voice like sickly sweet honey. "With York. Sorry, North. First come, first serve." She pulled the lilac helmet on, and ran a hand over the dark blue stripe that ran down the middle. "Maybe next time."

"Sorry, I was asking for Maine." North joked, gesturing to his white armored friend. "Pretty girls make him nervous."

"Shut the Hell up,"Maine tried to growl, though his scarred vocal cords wouldn't allow it, and he hefted his paint rifle. His voice was hardly recognizable, it was so deep and gravelly.

"Alright, I'm ready." Washington loaded the paint gun. He looked to his fellow freelancers. "Anyone else want to keep talking?"

"Simulation 0045193 running," the F.I.L.S.S unit announced. "Beginning, now."

Instantly the atmosphere was no longer a friendly one, and paint bullets flew every which way possible, and even a few that weren't.

"How did that gun fire BACKWARDS?" Washington looked at the spent paint behind him. "Worst shot ever. Of all time!" A paint bullet clocked him in the neck, followed by five shots to the rest of his joints. "Son of a BITCH!"

"No worries, Wash," Carolina shot around a pillar. "There's no way she can get-" Paint splattered over her gun and arm, rendering her useless. "-all of us."

"So, Alaska," North grinned at the lilac target as they shot at each other. "What do you see in York? The guy's a total douche."

"That's a nice thing to say about your best friend." Alaska shot him in the leg. "He's sweet and funny. And he doesn't call his friends a douche."

"Funny," he retorted as he hit the floor. "I wonder what he DOES call me. Hey Maine, do you know?"

Maine let out a full clip of live ammo into Alaska's back, legs, and head at point blank.

"Oh, Shit!" North looked at the white soldier spattered in the girl's blood. "What the fuck did you do THAT for? I need a medical team here, NOW!"

Medical teams were standing by, and rushed in to help the young woman. "She's fine. A little worse for ware, but overall, she's lucky to be in such good condition. Or alive."

The recording ended, and Texas looked to the Director. "See? She can't win a fight like that, she can't survive on the battlefield."

"You're missing the point, Agent Texas," the Director snapped. "She is the best at what she does, and very good at the things she does not. She is a doctor, and a strategist. She figured what Maine was going to do, and took that into account. She took the easy, fair playing targets out first. I checked her gun. After two more shots, she had nothing but live ammunition in the clip. She was going to shoot Maine until he was pushing up daises. Maybe you should learn to plan ahead like she did, and also put extra kevlar in your armor. It saved her."