May's Workshop Stories

Protecting O

Agana had been working the same job since she could remember, loving every second of it. However, one day, something happened that almost got her fired from the most important job ever, protection detail.

It was a day like any other, except WBC headquarters was quiet for a change. It allowed Agana to enjoy a relaxing cup of coffee surrounded by other agents who were as passionate about their jobs as she was about hers. They were in the middle of the discussion about the latest IO, who tried to break their security perimeter and failed thanks to them, when they got an emergency phone call.

Someone managed to sneak into the building undetected, which seldom happened, because of how tight their security was. The IO had to be rather clever to evade their advanced detection systems.

"Alright, everyone, we have work to do. LCs, you are to track down and identify the intruder immediately," Agana said, already on the move, even though tracking down IOs wasn't part of her job.

She was in charge of doing the cleanup. However, since the LC agents messed up, she felt entitled to give them the necessary commands while she waited for her part of the mission to come.

Her part as PC was a far harder one. Still, she didn't mind it as someone had to do it for the greater good. Agana might not have known too much about what went on outside the WBC headquarters, but her devotion to O was unwavering. She was ready to do whatever it took to protect it.

After having dispatched all the available LC agents, Agana kept pacing her office, wondering when the intruders would be identified. That they weren't detected upon entry was worrisome but not unheard of.

Still, she was on the lookout if the IOs found a way around the other agents. She was worried that it could jeopardize the safety of O, and that was something she couldn't allow.

Strapping on her guns, she left her office hoping that she would get the call to inform her where the intruders were. Then she could deal with them by herself, without O ever having to know the potential danger it was in.

"Agent LC01 report, over," Agana said into her radio, hoping for some good news.

"Two IOs have been identified in the west wing, sector B31," agent LC01 replied. "PC units required for target neutralization, over."

"Roger that. I am on my way. Maintain the perimeter and await my arrival, over," Agana said.

Although she broke protocol by confronting the threat alone, they didn't comment on her blatant breach even though the standard procedure was at least three agents. Her reputation preceded her, and everyone knew she could deal with more than two IOs alone.

Agana hurried through the long corridors, quickly reaching the gathered agents with their weapons drawn and pointing at the enemy hiding behind a low wall.

"Are you sure about their numbers?" Agana asked.

"Yes, ma'am,' one of the soldiers replied, saluting. "We saw them duck behind the wall."

"Alright then, I am on the move, have my back but do not engage unless absolutely necessary," Agana said, pulling out her guns.

Soon enough, she was running through the corridors spinning like a dancer to avoid the bullets fired her way as she fired some of her own. None of the enemy bullets managed to hit their target. However, Agana's projectiles did find their targets incapacitating one and significantly slowing down the other.

Her supreme skills and agility were one of the main reasons she was good at her job, and she was more than proud of them. With the confidence of someone who had done so many times before, Agana started chewing up the hindered opponent. She was eager to finish up as soon as possible and go back to her coffee because she always had a craving for a nice cup of coffee after eating one of the intruders.

Agana failed to consider that although she slowed down the other AG, he wasn't immobilized. While the blood of his comrade being devoured spewed all over his face, he lunched forward with the last-ditch effort to accomplish his mission.

With her mouth full of his companion, hands slippery from his insides, Agana barely had enough time to shoot the IO mere millimeters from the perimeter. The agents had never had to fire a shot but were visibly shaken by the experience. Blood sprayed all over them as they gaped in horror, but Agana had no time to think about them. She needed to finish devouring the IOs as soon as possible and then chastise herself for letting her attention drift, if even for a second.

When even the last part of the intruders was chewed up and devoured, Agana went back to the poor LCs who were still gaping at each other in wonder as blood dripped off some of their faces and clothing.

"All LC agents report to decontamination chambers," Agana said firmly, snapping them out of their dazed state.

As for her, she proceeded to her private decontamination chamber quickly, knowing that she had little time before she needed to fill out her report about the incident. She made a mistake, and she would own to it.

Still, she did hope that they wouldn't replace her with some young PC who hadn't even seen any action, let alone known how to dispose of the threat. However, it was out of her hands. All she could do was be honest and promise that she would not repeat the same mistake twice. The rest was up to the Powers that Be.

Mistakes like hers put not only her team in jeopardy but O too and O had to be protected at all costs.

"Maybe I do deserve a demotion after all," Agana said, thinking through her actions and how badly it could have ended to the one she was bound to protect.