4
Yuri carefully made her way up to her desk hopeful to avoid any interaction for the day. Her heart still stung from the winged hero's comment from the day before, but Yuri pushed her shoulders back and clenched her jaw. No need to make it more than it was. The steady click of the keyboard and the mouse clicking filled the upstairs level of the agency as Yuri set about her work and strangely no one had come to bother her at all. It didn't seem like Hawks was going to be in either which works out fine for her. Yuri grabbed a stack of paper and headed into his office. This was the first time she had been left alone up here in a while and she would be stupid to pass up such an opportunity.
The couple of files she had managed to get her hands on had been buried deep in his computer drive and with a series of codes, Yuri would be able to scan and copy any files that held the Commission's fingerprint. Setting the papers down, she pushed in a small black thumb drive and went to work on his computer. Her fingers flew across the keys as fast as she could letting her coding do the work. Yuri thanked whatever gods or goddesses were listening that Phoenix thought coding and hacking was a good skill to learn because it was the one thing she had been able to rely on the most. A sharp ding and a triumphant smile, Yuri had a couple more files to look through. It seemed like they were slowly leaking them out to other computers probably to spread the information out so hopefully, Phoenix would be able to gather some more. She fluffed the pile of paperwork she had brought and headed out.
"Did you find everything you needed?" Hawks' voice sounded above her. Yuri jumped back, almost dropping the few papers she had in her hands.
"Dritt, Hawks!" Yuri jumped, "You scared me half to death!"
"Serves you right for loitering in the boss' office," Hawks snickered, "Makes you look mighty suspicious."
"Like you would know." Yuri glared, "You would actually have to be here in order to know that!"
"Hitting me where it hurts, little feather." Hawks gripped his chest as if in pain, "Didn't you tell me not to listen to them?"
"That was before you became an annoyance in my life," Yuri shot back as she started to walk out of his office.
"You love me and you know it!" Hawks grinned at her with his wings shimmering behind him.
"That is highly debatable," Yuri snorted, "Just be sure to bring me those papers after you're done with them so I can file them properly!"
"Hey!" Hawks grabbed her shoulder, "Look, I really am sorry for what I said yesterday, kid. It was uncalled for."
"What's done is done." Yuri shrugged his hand off, "I am not here to be your friend or anything like that. I am simply your secretary."
"No, you are not!" Hawks protested, "You're important to me and to this agency!"
"You were fine leaving me alone before," Yuri snapped back, "Go back to ignoring me and all will be well with the world!"
"I can't do that."
"Why not?"
"When you dress like that I don't think it's possible for any man to ignore such a beautiful body."
"HAWKS! That is highly inappropriate!" Yuri blushed.
"Then maybe you should wear something a little less revealing~" Hawks sang.
"Maybe I should sign you and the sidekicks up for sexual harassment training!" Yuri growled, "What a woman wears does not mean you can make such highly sexualized comments!"
"Whoa, whoa! I was just trying to lighten the mood." Hawks held his hands up in defense.
"Then try for an actual joke and not a sexual comment!" Yuri glared at him.
"If I do, will you accept my apology?"
"Why are you pushing this so much?"
"I can't explain it, but I just know that I can't leave us where we are. Especially not with the trouble you're in."
"Please do point out the trouble I am in, hero," Yuri said sarcastically. She rolled her eyes. This was getting repetitive.
"Will you just let me make it up to you?"
"Make it up to me?"
"I want to make it up to you. All this nonsense with the President and with my statement yesterday."
"There's no need for that. There's nothing to make up for."
"I say there is!"
"There isn't!"
"Is!"
"Isn't!"
"Is!"
"Isn't!"
"Is!"
"Isn't!" Yuri shouted, "And that is final!" Yuri spun on her heels and made her way out of the office.
"I already forgave you," Yuri mumbled, "I don't blame you just your lack of social skills."
"Really?!" His wings puffed behind him as he looked at her with hope shining in his golden eyes, "Wait? What!" Yuri giggled as she shut the door to his office. It was the small moments that gave her satisfaction. Yuri settled back into work as she heard his groaning and mumbling about the never-ending stream of paperwork but he seemed to be staying in his office for the moment.
Time seemed to pass slowly as Yuri finished her agency work upfront before opening an encrypted window. She loaded the thumb drive up and pulled open the files about a few missing kids and the experiments that went on behind closed doors. Project Icarus was mentioned a few times as was Operation Iota. Bingo. She skimmed through the missing kids' files as memories of the children that came and went through training flashed before her mind. Yuri kept one eye open for anyone coming close or for Hawks to come out but nothing ever came. The agency was surprisingly quiet. Yuri continued to dig pulling up picture after picture of how these missing kids were discovered, if at all. Pulling out a small notebook, Yuri added the new kids to the timeline as well as the experiments. Any information that was new on Project Icarus and Operation Iota was written in shorthand on their respective pages, but they were still uncertain as to where to go with this information. Maybe that task force for the League would find this interesting. Yuri shook her head. That was a decision for another day as they only had bits and pieces at the moment.
Yuri lost herself in her work. Her fingers never missed a beat as she continued to delve deeper and deeper into the information. Lilith had been mentioned as one of the failed projects due to mental instabilities and she was arranged to spend the rest of her life in a sanatorium. The fact that she was out and doing the Commission's bidding did not bode well for her or Phoenix. Yuri shivered as she thought of what that sanatorium might actually be as what happened behind closed doors was always so different than what the public saw. Yuri set about making a file strictly for the snake queen before turning towards the missing kids. The number had doubled since they first started this investigation a couple of years ago and from that trend, she could gather they were not going to slow down. Not with war looming over their heads.
By the time Yuri looked up from what she was doing it was dark outside. Aiko came up at some point to ask for her assistance on some things but Yuri only paid half a mind to it. She wanted to compile these notes as fast as possible. Hawks' office had long since grown quiet but his door never reopened leaving his agency wondering what the hero was up to.
"What are you still doing here, Yuri?" Mockingbird's accent was harsh against the silence of the office.
"Just finishing up some paperwork," Yuri hummed.
"It's almost 10 pm. The night crew has long since started," Mockingbird said, concern lacing his voice, "You should go home."
"Going home won't finish this," Yuri responded as she continued to type.
"Aiko said you were distracted but this is a bit much isn't it?"
"I only want to finish this and then I'll head out."
"Bossman wanted me to escort you home."
"That's nice of him but I don't need an escort." Yuri shook her head. Her fingers never stopping.
"He said the woman that attacked you was released on bail," Mockingbird explained, "The odds of her attacking you again are high."
"I appreciate the concern, Mockingbird, but it is unnecessary," Yuri grumbled, "I'm not pressing any charges nor will any be filed against her. She is a sick individual who needs help not jail."
"You're too forgiving, Yuri," Mockingbird stated, "You might think that but boss' orders are final. I'm walking you home."
"Aiko is walking by herself and if this woman is going to try and get to Hawks she might go after her as well. She needs it more than me." was Yuri's comeback. It was a weak argument but Mockingbird had been staying particularly close to Aiko since the whole hospital incident. Yuri just had to play that up.
"Well, that is true but Hawks made it sound like you were a target," Mockingbird tried.
"Hawks was the target. I was just convenient," Yuri explained. Mockingbird shrugged his head but made no further comment to argue with her. Yuri fingered the locket that was hidden around her neck. What she wouldn't give to be back in high school. Yuri closed her notebook with a snap as she stood from her desk. She hoped this would end soon.
The night was quiet as Yuri walked to her apartment. Her hair stood on end as she felt eyes on her the entire time. Mockingbird had been nowhere to be found by the time she was leaving and Yuri was thankful that the sidekick was willing to listen to her wishes. However, someone was watching her and she just hoped they were friendly. She sped up her pace practically to a run never looking back until she was safely inside her apartment complex. Hopefully, tomorrow would be as uneventful as today.
Translations Norwegian to English:
Dritt- Shit