Agent Gray, Red with Love

A New Assignment

  Rodger Headroom put his hands on his hips, "The sky. Duh."

  Graham nodded, "Right, sir. Silly me."

  "Yes, silly you. How's the phone coming, phone man?" Headroom asked.

  Graham wasn't real good with the ACME database, luckily, Felix interrupted. "It's going along great, sir. We think we've figured out their next caper."

  Rodger Headroom started jumping up and down in excitement, "Oooooooh. Tell me! Tell me tell me tell me tell me!"

  Zari shifted, "Sir, I'm not sure if this is an appropriate time—"

  "The Nine Dragons painting in China, sir," Deveinaux said, puffing out his chest, "And we think the operative le chevre will be picking it up from one Lady Doksuo."

  Rodger Headrook clapped. "Good job, Devineaux! You were always one of my favorites."

  Deveianux shot Zari a gloating grin, which was received with a glare. Felix opened his mouth to protest that Devineaux didn't do any of the work, but he didn't get a chance before faculty member Headroom spoke again, "Anyway, Gumshoes. You go do that. Also, gram cracker—"

  "It's Graham, sir," Graham corrected.

  "Graham, gram cracker, whatever. I just want to say good luck with Hayashi today, you're going to need it!" He smiled.

   And with that, he walked off to the faculty lounge humming "Rockefeller Street".

  An eery silence fell amongst the agents.

  Graham had started to hear more about the faculty as he spent more time in ACME. He knew everything that was available about each of them through lunchroom gossip or "Get to Know your Boss" brochures. But the thing about Hayashi Ono, was that not much was available about her. 

  She usually resided in "ACME Headquarters Asia" in Kyoto, Japan, which coincidentally was where she was born. She joined ACME a year after Chief, for her unique amount of knowledge on V.I.L.E., and over the years the two retained a great friendship. When Chief became the leader of ACME, Hayashi was the first invited to join the faculty, followed by Rodger. And that's where all information ended.

  Nothing about family, hobbies, favorite foods... She was just, a textbook mysterious boss.  

  ACME was an intelligence agency, and there was no intelligence on Hayashi Ono, one of the most important members. And that was slightly unnerving.

  Graham spoke first. "That's.... comforting?"

  "No, it's not," Zari stated, crossing her arms.

  "I was trying to be an optimist," Graham pointed out, "I was just sent good luck by a faculty member!"

  "Rodger Headroom," Felix reminded him.

  "Well yeah, but—"

  "The guy who blasts Elvis Presley on the microphone, and is more interested in solving a rubix cube than what V.I.L.E is up to?" Felix added.

  "I personally like Rodger Headroom," Graham retorted, "though he is a little....."

  "Insane?" Zari suggested.

  "Crazy?" Felix said.

   "Wacky is the word I was going to use, but sure," Graham grumbled.

  "I like the esteemed Faculty Member Headroom, too," Devineaux huffed.

  "We all like him, it's just.... how did that man make faculty?" Zari asked, shaking her head.

  No reply.