The helicopter ride was long and calming, I tried watching outside the window but all I could see was the ocean. I had never seen the ocean before so it was pretty interesting to watch for the first half hour, but now I entertained myself with preparing myself mentally and going over what Arthur had told me.
That, and feeling horrible about deserting Alfred. It was like a punch to the heart, I hated it. No matter how hard I tried I couldn't get him out of my head, I hated the fact that I had to leave him and I couldn't help myself from imagining what he would do when he heard I had left him behind without a goodbye.
Surprisingly though, I didn't miss him that much. Alfred had always been there for me since we were children, he had come into my life at the perfect time and had stayed in my heart since, but it was almost like leaving behind something that shouldn't have been there.
Alfred loved me like a brother, and I loved him like a brother, but I knew he was not my brother. I wasn't too sure that he knew that fact.
We had passed the ocean a while ago, and now we were flying over land, but really there wasn't much to see. There were cars driving on streets and on highways, buildings climbed into the sky and large patches were covered in green plants, ready to be harvested. Life was going on yet nothing was quite interesting.
Alfred would have been ecstatic, looking around the helicopter and out the windows, gasping in awe at the simplest things.
We hadn't seen these things, obviously, but we had been taught about them and it honestly wasn't that new.
It didn't change the fact that he would be just like a child, wanting to touch everything and tell me about it. I almost smiled at the scene that I imagined; it was so typically Alfred. He hadn't belonged in this half-life, and he hadn't chosen it, nor did I, but he belonged outside, living life and finding someone to share his eccentricities with who would appreciate it.
I had run this over in my head so many times, the unfairness in Alfred's case. I had submitted to the will of the agency so long ago I hardly knew what I myself was like. I only knew what I had to be; most other agents were the same, but not Alfred. He would never be broken by such things.
Broken. I almost laughed as I stared at the window, noting we were slowing down. It was a funny word to use when taking of people, broken things could be fixed but really, could humans who were broken be fixed again?
I doubted it.
"We are almost here." The low voice rumbled in the headphones and I nodded so he knew I heard him. The helicopter lowered towards the ground and I noticed the large expanse of land enclosed in a high gate, a large mansion in the centre of it. The yard was perfection and landscaped expertly, the house gleamed with acknowledged wealth, almost blatantly expressing how much it must have cost.
Men emerged from the house professionally and circled the copter. I could tell where each guard had a gun and also a stun gun, they all had earpieces, and some were talking into them.
They looked pretty good, not men from our agency of course, had they have been the earpieces would not have been necessary; each agent was trained to know hand signals. Lips were so easily read.
"The newcomer is here." One said into his earpiece and several others nodded subconsciously, so some were more experienced than others. That probably wasn't a good thing. If there were gaps in security expertise it would be harder on my job.
The blades of the copter slowed to a stop and I unhooked myself from my seat, and pulled the earphones from my head. The pilot looked back and gave me a thumbs up and I opened the door.
Some of the men shifted uncomfortably and some glanced at others. One of the men mouthed into the earpiece. "Why do we need this guy again? We are doing fine on our own."
I looked around the circle and another agent caught my eye. "Jesus look how scrawny this guy is, we could beat him in a second. How is he supposed to keep Mr. Beilschmidt safe?"
I hopped from the Helicopter and one of the agents stepped forward. He was obviously one of the most experienced ones here, he was a smaller amount older and walked with a secure step, he hadn't expressed any kind of surprise at my appearance and hadn't responded to the men's remarks in his earpiece.
"Welcome to the Manor. We will be showing you to Mr. Beilschmidt after checking your credentials." He looked me in the eye and indicated I follow him closer to the house. The agents moved with us, some of them were talking into their earpieces and others weren't, just watching me with wary eyes.
Wondered what they had heard about me, as some eyes were resentful and some a tiny bit fearful.
"You look different than we expected." The older man commented lightly and I nodded, looking up to the large house and counting the windows on the front.
I counted twenty six, and the Agent turned, eyeing me thoughtfully.
"Are you armed?" He asked, and I internally quirked an eyebrow. Was this a trick?
"Yes." I replied and he nodded thoughtfully.
"Do you have your credentials?" he asked and I pressed my lips together. They hold told us to do this when asked for proof of our involvement but it was something I still didn't enjoy doing.
I pulled my shirt down over my shoulder and revealed the large intricate tattoo that was etched into my skin. It covered almost the entirety of my shoulder and was all black, when you looked closely you could see that each line of black ink was actually words, the vow we had to memorize and take upon entry into the agency. When looked at it looked like a very complex and thick spiders web, in the middle was the very obvious scar from a bullet.
The man looked at my shoulder in slight shock and the others in less thinly veiled shock and disgust. Where some thought the tattoo to be quite beautiful, there were others that found the markings quite appalling.
"This is the only identification I need, I don't have an ID or papers." I said, and the man nodded silently. They had to have been warned of this beforehand, but even seeing it was sometimes a shock.
"You can come with us then." He said a little more quietly and entered his code into a complicated lock, to open the door. Two more of the guards that had been standing at the door entered their own codes and the heavy lock clicked away audibly.
"There are three codes necessary, each guard here has a code, Mr. Beilschmidt has a master code that will immediately unlock the door. You will be receiving a code at the end of the day from Mr. Beilschmidt." He said professionally and pulled the door open.
"There are a total of sixty seven guards currently positioned around the house including the ones that have escorted you from the helicopter. Each of us has an earpiece that allows us to communicate with each other, and it is on a very secure line. We have communications room on the fourth floor, which is the controls and monitors for all cellular devices, and landlines that are active in the house."
We walked a little ways and passed a large staircase that led to the second story of the house. There was also an elevator that required the codes that led to all levels. He explained that in the time of attack (it had happened before) all elevators would be shut down, and in the case that the attacker was in an elevator, poisonous gasses could be dispensed in any and all rooms, only with Gilbert's master code though.
There were seven safe rooms and several hidden passages hidden throughout the house, the blueprints of the house had been included with my assignment information and I had memorized where they were and how to get into them.
The entire house was a fortress, designed for two purposes only: the comfort and safety of Mr. Beilschmidt himself.
A few of the men split off down the halls, walking in pairs and conversing in low voices, till all that was left was the man who explained everything to me and one other, who looked quite bothered. And familiar.
"Feliciano?" I said hesitantly and the other's head snapped to look at me sharply.
"What did you just call me fucker?" He glared and I could see the older man look between us hesitantly.
"Um, this is Lovino Vargas, the man you will be rooming with." He said, and looked at Lovino again. Despite my previous observation of him being the most experienced and dominant in the group, he seemed more than a little intimidated by the much younger agent who was still glaring at me with ferocity.
"My mistake." I said softly, but his scowl didn't seem to lessen at my attempt at placation. "I thought you were someone else."
I watched Lovino carefully, watching for anything that would clue me in to Lovino's character. Obviously he was dangerous, and quick to get angry and agitated, he looked exactly like Feliciano from the agency. I was surprised to find that he had the same tick Feliciano had.
When Feliciano was happy the corners of his mouth would twitch before he would smile brightly, with Lovino, the corners of his mouth would twitch when he was less angry.
"How do you know Feliciano shitbag?" I paid no mind to the insult, only the question; though it was unprofessional I reasoned it was something he was in the habit of. Lovino wasn't angry, he was curious.
"The agency." I said simply and Lovino nodded. I was glad he hadn't said anything, most details about the agency was pretty obscure, people who had family members involved often knew more, and I was pretty sure I knew how Lovino knew Feliciano.
"Ah-" The other man cut in awkwardly, "you guys will be rooming together for the time you will be in the house. You will travel with Mr. Beilschmidt on any trips he goes on and a room will be pro-"
"Yeah yeah- he gets it already." Lovino cut in and glared at the man in annoyance before turning to me. "Lets go fucktard." He exclaimed before turning on his heel and walking in the other direction without hesitation. I quickly added this to my list to analyze about my new roommate and started off after the other man, noting that the agent we left behind had sighed in resignation and annoyance at Lovino's behaviour.
I caught up with Lovino and he glared ahead at the hall as he directed me and I waited for him in silence. After a few minutes, he asked the question I knew he was going to ask.
"How is he doing in there?" He asked in a subdued tone then picked at his shirt with absent nervousness. I noted his behaviour and moved on to answer his question.
"He is learning a lot, I would say he is going to get his first assignment in a few years." Lovino grimaced but kept walking, covering his grimace with a deep scowl.
"Hasn't he been there for enough fucking time?" He growled out and I saw his jaw work as he ground his teeth. Added to his list of ticks.
"I wouldn't say five years is enough for what he is there for." I remarked and Lovino's lips twitched in anger.
"He shouldn't even have to go to that place." He ground out and I almost nodded in agreement. Out of the many people that had been admitted into the agency Feliciano was one of the most ill suited candidates, but that didn't mean he wasn't welcomed. Feliciano was, at times, one of the only lights in the entire building, as he was always confident and joyous. When you got Feli angry you knew you did something wrong and that was really the only time he could be properly feared.
I could never imagine him on an assignment, I couldn't watch him fire a gun, and I hated the fact that he was learning how to kill a person. Almost as much as I hated the same situation had caught Alfred.
At least Feliciano had been admitted when he was older; Alfred and I had no chance to live.
"I agree." I stated and Lovino's posture became a little less tense than before, a good indication for when he wasn't mad. I wasn't too sure anyone else had learned to tell this determining fact; if they had they might not be as afraid of him.
We turned several more corners in silence until we reached an elevator, where Lovino typed in his code and another before we could go to another level.
"My other roommate was killed in an attack, the dumbass." Lovino explained, "since we travel in pairs and most of the doors in this fucking place requires two codes to get in I have to use mine and my old roommates to get around until they find another poor fucker to take his place. You are rooming with me now of course; he will sleep somewhere else when he fucking gets here."
I nodded and he stared blatantly at me. I was almost five inches taller than him but his scrutinizing glare was so intense I almost felt myself stiffen in a natural reflex. I looked for the ticks that indicated he was angry but found none, and determined he was making his own assessment of me.
"You don't look anything like what we were expecting." Lovino threw the statement blatantly at me, and looked for a reaction. I gave him none.
"Probably." I answered, wondering if it would make him agitated. Lovino turned slightly red and huffed before glaring at me.
"You are too thin and you look like a girl." I eyed him carefully and processed his words before answering.
"What are you trying to accomplish?" I asked and the elevator doors opened silently, we walked out and I noticed his face turning an even brighter red. It was interesting though, I wasn't used to being insulted or called a girl. Most people either didn't even notice me or avoided me; I was silent most of my life.
"Ass." I heard him mutter and I held back a grin. Lovino was an interesting person; it would be intriguing working with him.
We walked a ways before approaching a large set of double doors. Lovino entered his two codes and entered one last long code to open the doors, which gave another audible click as they unlocked.
Lovino pushed one of the doors open and entered before cursing and jumping to the side, giving me my first view of my charge…who was swinging a sword directly at my head.
Hey I haven't updated in a really long time and I am super sorry for that. I have had some really hard times that I needed to deal with before I could figure this out ;)
I hope you guys have been having fun in school, I sure as hell am.
Haha seriously though school sucks. Anyway! If you guys ever want to talk I am also on blahtherapy . com so you can talk to me at any time, also on Facebook, tumblr, figment, and Origin (all under the same name)and of course PMing here. Are you guys doing anything for Halloween? Any suggestions? Do you think I should dye my hair pink? What did you think of this update? SPEAK TO ME!
If you haven't already, PLEASE read He Paints The Colour Red, it is my first and only fanfiction ever finished and I want to get it to the first page of the PruCan favourites category (currently on 3rd) it means a lot to me.
Thanks for sticking with me for this long, i know I have made mistakes and am really trying hard to update as soon as possible, thank you. -Serena