Maizie turned and Abe stood up when they heard Manning speak. Liz had disappeared. He was talking to Hellboy, and he didn't sound happy. They stepped towards them together to hear him.
"Washington is sending down a new BPRD agent," Manning spoke with rage underlining his voice.
"Whoa what?!" Maizie said out loud.
"A new guy?" Hellboy said as he stood up. "Why?"
"To look after you."
"What?!" Maizie exclaimed as she stepped forwards to Manning. "What the hell are you talking about? That's my job!"
Manning turned to her. Hellboy glowered at Manning. "Washington doesn't think you're doing a good job of it."
Maizie paled, "So am I getting fired then?"
The elder agent shook his head, "No."
She looked at Manning's face, reading it. "You agree with them."
Manning rolled his shoulders back, then looked at Abe and Hellboy before he walked away. Maizie stood there shaking with shock. Hellboy stepped beside her and put an arm around her shoulder, attempting to console her. Abe stepped up on the other side. He went to touch her back but Maizie, sensing it, stepped out of his reach.
"Don't touch me right now."
"Maze-" Hellboy spoke.
"No," Maizie said. "If that is how he feels, then what's the point of me being here?"
She disappeared in smoke and left Abe and Hellboy behind. She appeared in the hallway of her bedroom door. She hesitated. She wanted to grab her bags and pack up, and just leave. But she knew that wasn't the right thing to do. Even though it wasn't much of a life that anyone else would've wanted, it was a life she wanted. She didn't want to leave the only family she had. She didn't want to leave Liz, Hellboy, and even Abe.
What could she do out there? She'd be alone.
Tears spilled over and she let out a shout, raised a fist, and punched her door. Agents around her stopped what they were doing and watched her. She shook her hand in pain. She looked at it. It wasn't broken, but a bruise was quickly forming.
"Fuck," she whispered to herself.
A few hours later, Maizie joined the crowd that waited for the new BPRD agent. She pushed through to the front where she stood by Liz. Abe stood at her other side while Manning stood on the other side of Liz, looking into a folder. Hellboy hadn't arrived yet.
Abe looked at her then down. He grabbed her bandaged hand gently. "What happened?"
She looked at her hand then pulled it out of his, "It's nothing."
"You know I can see-"
"I know," Maizie stopped him. "I punched my door."
Abe looked at her then nodded. He could understand why. But he was concerned that she had been angry and hurt enough to harm herself. Hellboy's voice spoke up from behind them as he joined the group. He touched Maizie's shoulder as he stepped between her and Liz.
"Is he here yet?" He asked.
Liz answered him, "Not yet."
Hellboy looked up at Manning, "I'm telling you; we don't need this guy."
"Well, I think we do," Manning retorted back.
"Then why am I here?" Maizie spoke up.
The group looked at her.
"If he's supposed to be his new protector, then what's my role Manning?"
"Your role hasn't changed, Agent," Manning replied. "It's just…being supported."
He looked back to the folder as Maizie muttered under her breath.
"Evidently, this guy is a big shot in Washington," Manning continued.
"What's his name?" Hellboy asked as he went to grab the folder. Manning jerked it away.
Manning didn't glance at him, "His name is Johann Krauss."
Hellboy tried to grab the folder again. Liz smiled at his attempts. "Sounds German," Hellboy retorted.
Manning kept moving the folder out of his reach, "He's the top man in…"
"Ectoplasmic," Abe spoke up.
Hellboy looked back at him annoyed. Manning continued describing the new agent.
"Germans make me nervous," Hellboy commented.
"Here he comes," Liz chimed in as she looked up.
Manning kept talking over them as the others looked towards the elevator, waiting for the arrival of the mysterious man. Maizie crossed her arms. This was happening. They were going to get a new agent to replace her.
"He has a nice…open…face," Manning finally finished as he snapped the folder closed and looked up.
The elevator droned down. There were several male agents surrounding their recruit. When the elevator floor clicked into the empty space, Johann Krauss took a step forward. His steps echoed on the metal floor. Maizie's eyes widened as she looked at the newcomer. Metal clunky boots covered his feet, and his body were clothed in some kind of hazmat type suit. Then on his head or rather his head, was a concaved glass bowl-like structure. It released gas out of his suit. But in the glass, some kind of white gas-like smoke swirled around in it.
"Oh my god," Manning exclaimed.
Maizie looked at him, "That's who you think could do better than me?" She pointed at Krauss.
"Damen und Herren, Johann Krauss at your service," the new man spoke as he stopped and bent over in a bow.
Abe spoke up, "I like him."
Maizie rolled her eyes. She looked at Krauss with a scowl. Hellboy looked over to Abe and gave him a look. Manning introduced himself then led him and a team to a room. Krauss went over to a metal table when they entered a room. On the table had a small tray of a deceased tooth fairy creature beside a small cloth with tools on top of it. Krauss stood in front of it while the others surrounded the table. Hellboy stood behind Liz. Manning on the other side of her. Maizie stood at one end of the table while Abe went to grab a supply.
Krauss's fingers clinked on the metal tray, "Poor little things." His voiced spoke from the glass dome, his German accent strong. "Bought and sold on the black market. Crammed into cargo containers. Smuggled. Abused."
Manning leaned over to Liz, "He has very expressive hands."
Abe stepped beside Maizie. He handed Krauss the picture of the seal. "The seal on the box worries me also."
Krauss took the picture, "A warning emblem."
Abe confirmed, "Yes, from the Bethmoora Clan. The sons of the Earth."
Krauss looked at Abe, "Your file says you're the brains of the operation, and I must admit, I'm quite impressed."
"As you'll see in my files," Manning chimed in. "I worked very closely with Abe in his training."
Hellboy and Maizie locked eyes. They both rolled their eyes at the same time towards Manning. Krauss gave a little nod and Hellboy looked towards him.
"Ja, okay," Krauss said. He pointed towards the little creature. "Let's see what our little friend here can remember."
Hellboy spoke up, "Memory gets a little sketchy right after you've burned to death. But maybe Saint Malachy can help." He pushed aside his jacket and pulled out a chain with a little contraption at the end of it. He started to drift it towards the creature, but Krauss interrupted him.
"Oh, no, no," Krauss said as he shook a finger. "No amulets, Mein Herr. Teleplasty."
Maizie looked over when she heard Manning spoke, "Plastic. Very modern."
She snorted and shook her head. Sometimes she wondered how this man has not yet died in this job.
"Teleplasty by which an ectoplasmic medium, such as Dr. Krauss, can control inanimate things, organic, mechanical, dead or alive."
All listened to Abe's description of Krauss's ability as they watched the man open some kind of cover on his fore finger and wisps of gas came out. He pointed it down towards the creature and the gas entered the mouth of it. Krauss whispered as it suddenly gasped and moved.