February 14th, 2001: Western Europe is famously referred to as ‘The Western Balkans’ following a notoriously divisive and combative EU meeting. Spain, the United Kingdom, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Poland, Ukraine, and Belarus each suffer attacks believed to be perpetuated by the Brain Scythe. Accusations of fear-mongering and harboring copycat criminals to settle long-standing political grudges nearly lead to multiple physical confrontations during The Western Balkans meeting.

March 8th, 2001: The first of many deaths in Russia attributed to the Brain Scythe begins as actor Fyodor Vinogradov’s reception in Ryazan falls to chaos amidst gunfire and a car bomb hidden in the actor’s limousine. Official Russian reports deny the Brain Scythe’s involvement and instead blame unverified gang affiliations within the city.

March 12th, 2001: Russian president Vladimir Putin is reported missing, with no evidence of foul play. A bank statement made the prior day confirms the former president withdrew around $457,880 in rubles before his disappearance along with his family. Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov takes over official presidential duties in Russia. Presidential security is reorganized: lethal weapons are removed from the president’s presence wherever he goes, multiple decoys are deployed whenever the president is moved. Bodyguards don’t know whether they’re assigned the real President Kasyanov or a decoy, and pertinent security works remotely from the president’s location.

March 14th, 2001: A vote is held to dissolve and reform the EU, and narrowly avoids restructuring.

September 17th, 2001: A number of minor Russian officials are killed since President Kasyanov assumed his duties. President Kasyanov is alive, but every single one of his decoys, their families, as well as each member of his security detail that knew his true location is assassinated. President Kasyanov resigns from his post in secret, describing his situation as “being a man stuck on a raft, with a shark eating everyone sent to help you, waiting for you to panic.” Prime Minister Aleksey Ivanov assumes presidential duties.

September 22nd, 2001: President Ivanov and former president Kasyanov are both found dead by poisoning; forensics determined that it was the same poison used in both murders. Ivanov’s and Kasyanov’s locations of death were roughly 1100 miles apart.

“The first week of tests from PA show that security sensors in sectors seven and nine glitched out due to high traffic volume in the areas.” Aiden said as he walked around the Cole’s kitchen table with a glass of Zina’s lemonade in hand. “Sector seven being the cafeteria, sector nine being the park.”

“Which we already discussed were going to be the hardest to calibrate anyways for those reasons.” Zina sat in her chair at the table, with DaQuan and Felicia sitting with her, also enjoying glasses of lemonade while pouring over streams of data on their laptops. “How much more fine-turning can you give ‘em?”

“A lot more now that we have the expected number of bodies moving around on campus, but there’ll be far more room for error.” DaQuan answered. “We could spend the entire semester tweaking dials and punching in fresh numbers, but the only way we’re gonna know if something unusual is happening is if something unusual happens.”

“Well, it’s what the eggheads told me it was gunna be.” Zina sighed, rubbing her chin. Security was a never-ending series of tests sometimes, especially with a new system, but if it was only two sectors that were causing them trouble a week in? She’d consider that a blessing. “Alright, we have plenty of time to test them some more and adjust them for weekend activity. Anything else security related we need to cover?”

“Yeah.” Felicia spoke up, stirring from an intense bout of concentration. “What sort of security can the ESP expect?”

“What do you mean?” Zina gave her a confused look.

“For Operation Fremen? We’re a small group, I was—”

Zina reserved her motherly glare of disappointment and outrage for very select actions, usually for little girls trying to sneak into her house when it was past their bedtime, or finding little girls holding one of the weapons she or Anna kept around the house. Whatever the reason, when Zina used it, little girls stopped lying, broke down crying, and apologized.

Felicia shut the hell up the instant Zina gave her that glare, and this muscular jarhead of a woman was suddenly in the principal’s office in highschool again, staring down at her feet.

“That’s… uh…” Aiden coughed, and DaQuan shuffled a few papers in front of him. “Classified, Felicia, that’s classified right now.”

Zina didn’t take her oppressive glare off of Felicia. “Do we have anything else security related to PA we need to cover?”

“No ma’am.” Aiden said.

“No ma’am.” DaQuan confirmed.

“N-no ma’am.” Felicia trembled.

“Need I remind all present that ESP matters are separate from FBI matters?” Slowly Agent Zina moved her head to get a good look at the three ESP present, and got mixed nods and shakes of their heads, but their expressions told her they understood where she was getting upset from. “So I’ll repeat myself: is there anything security related to Phoenix Academy we need to go over?”

DaQuan raised a quick hand. “I’d like to bring up installing metal detectors in the dorms. We’ve confiscated sixteen hidden blades already because students can’t keep their mouths shut.”

“That’s more up to the dean than me.” Zina pointed out, wincing a little at the thought of a bunch of teenagers walking around with weaponry. “I’m hoping it’s all for self-defense?”

“That’s what they all claim it’s for, anyways.” DaQuan stroked his bald chin thoughtfully. “Tasers and pepper spray are still allowed, but we haven’t nabbed this many knives off of kids in the past five years. I can’t imagine how many of them there are if we’re only getting them off the dumb ones.”

“I can’t say I blame them.” Zina steepled her fingers in front of her face and took a deep breath. “PJ hasn’t had any missing folk, much less psychics, reported, but that don’t mean it’s a-hundred percent safe.”

“It’d only take one incident for PA’s reputation to tank.” Aiden said with concern hanging in his tone. “I don’t like these kids walking around with knives, but at the same time, if a knife is what’ll save ‘em…”

“The chances of a teenager rescuing themselves from an organized terrorist cell with only a knife are lower than low.” Felicia groaned. “They’re more likely to pull them on each other than somebody who deserves it.”

“I gotta agree.” Zina murmured, turning her head towards the door as she heard the sound of a car engine cutting outside. “Just ‘cuz I understand why they want the protection doesn’t mean I think it’s a good idea.”

“Everything okay, Zina?” Aiden asked, watching her face as she stood slowly from her chair.

“I think so…”

Then, she heard a dog bark, followed by a yell: “Cao Cao! No!”

“Better than okay!” Zina’s face split into a smile, and she bustled over to the door just in time to hear a knock.

The door opened, and Zina’s knee was greeted by a wet nose nestled on a wrinkly face, a pair of beady black eyes looking up at her.

“Heya poochy-pooch! Hiiiii…”

The three ESP watched their new sorta-boss’s professional attitude melt as she knelt down to pet a handsome, blue-furred dog, but their smirks changed to fascination, awe, and shock when the door fully opened and a blonde woman stood visible to the kitchen table.

To Zina, the woman she stood, hugged, and shared a fond smile with was a familiar sight and an old friend. But to the other three…

“Is Randy here? I need to thank him for looking after Cao Cao.” Anna asked as she walked in wearing a cotton dress with sleeves just a smidge too short to be totally decent, and a few buttons just beneath the low-cut cleavage that looked more for decoration than anything. The skirt hung just over her knees, showing off her calves as they sank into tall, black heels that gave her an extra inch and a half of height that she, frankly, did not need.

“He’s out taking pop to his check-up.” Zina explained, reaching down to scratch Cao Cao right under the right of his neck, though the dog’s wagging tail was the only acknowledgement she got as Cao Cao was busy analyzing the three well dressed officers in the kitchen.

Anna’s smile was punctuated with a tactical application of makeup, her ruby red lips highlighting her happiness, eyeshadow giving her a smokey look to her eyes, while blush highlighted the roseyness of her cheeks. Her pumped and curled eyelashes gave a frighteningly good impression of a woman ready to win it all on stage. “Then I’ll have to call him, bring him something nice. Should I stick around until…?”

“No need, Annie, I’ll watch the boys until he's back, so you can go on with your little vacation.”

Anna nodded, briefly glancing upstairs. After a moment of silence, she asked, “Is Teddy sleeping?”

“Put him down about two hours ago for an early nap, so he should be waking up soon for lunch if you wanna take him some Gerber.” Zina smiled as Anna’s expression turned gooey at the thought.

“I’d love to. I wanted to spend some time with you before I left anyways.” Anna cast a quick glance towards the staring ESP, no recognition flickering as her eyes met Aiden’s.

“We’re actually just about done, Annie, so if you wanna go upstairs with Ted you can go right ahead. Just don’t—”

“—look at anything.” Anna finished with a knowing smirk.

She walked into the kitchen, but from the three occupants’ perception, she may very well have sashayed in, while drawing her fingers through her perfect, sunshine gold hair, briefly giving them a tempered, curious look with eyes like limpid pools reflecting a perfect, cloudless blue sky.

DaQuan’s head craned to stare, and Zina realized her mistake as all three of the officers just stared at Anna’s back in total, reverent silence as the woman grabbed a little jar of Gerber’s baby food out of the cupboard.

When she turned to go find a plastic spoon, she instead found Aiden leaning against the wall nearby, looking ever the archetypal rugged man, and while dressed plainly in a black, long-sleeve compression shirt underneath a white T-shirt, tucked into a pair of fitted slacks, it all sold a sense of duty.

“Hi Anna.” He said, almost struggling to keep his voice from bubbling up happily.

Zina almost stumbled over Cao Cao as she walked into the kitchen to get an angle of Anna’s face, and felt both relief and disappointment as Anna gave Aiden the same half-interested expression she’d give a magazine at a doctor’s office.

After a few moments, Anna spoke in realization: “Aiden Walsh, head of PA security.”

“Good memory!” Aiden smiled, nodding enthusiastically. He then quickly gestured over to the other two in the room. “This is DaQuan Fox, our monitor expert and one of the best telepaths I’ve ever known, and this is Felicia Swan, former military and spent three years as a member of the Poltergeist unit.”

“Hey.” DaQuan gave her an enthusiastic little wave, while Felicia’s arms were tightly locked around her torso as she gave the woman a friendly smile.

“Nice to meet you.”

“A pleasure, I’m sure.” Anna gave Felicia a particularly curious look. “The military’s telekinetic relief and rescue unit?”

“That’s right ma’am.” Felicia leaned forward. “They’re talking about reinstating it in a few years.”

“A mistake, I’m sure.” Anna shrugged her shoulders, and looked away before she could see Felicia’s disappointed look. “Spoons are in the drawer, Zi?”

“Yep, usual place.” Zina answered, and Anna bustled past Aiden to get the spoon, then started up the stairs with hardly any more attention paid to the three newcomers. “Zi, watch Cao Cao around the houseplants!” Anna called before she made it to the top.

Zina glanced down the hallway past the stairs to see the dog sniffing his way around the living room, and turned her head at the sound of the three ESP relaxing around the table.

“Whoo…” Was the only sound Felicia made now that the source of tension was out of earshot.

DaQuan just gave a disbelieving laugh, rubbing his chin. “Good lord y’all.”

“I don’t lie.” Aiden shook his head. “I do not lie, guys, what’d I say?”

“That was Anna Cooper?” Felicia asked, the puzzle-pieces falling into place. “Goddamn Aiden, you shouldn’t undersell a lady!”

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything that hot and that cold at the same time.” DaQuan shook his head with a grin.

“She’s gonna be a tough nut to crack, but I envy the man who manages to catch that prize.” Aiden looked pleased, yet frustrated.

“Zi, I know you ain’t gay, but how are you letting that woman walk around your life without feeling something?” DaQuan asked, shaking his head and grinning in a way that suggested he needed a smoke.

The three looked Zina’s way, and instantly straightened up.

“It is a long story.” Zina set her hands on her hips, and glanced at the work on the table. “One y’all ain’t ever gunna hear. If we’re done here, I’d like y’all to scram. No offense, it really has been a pleasure having you here, but I’d like to clean pop's sheets before he and Randy get home.”

The three stood and started gathering papers and laptops, taking the time to wash out their glasses and shake Zina’s hand on the way out.

“It was a productive meeting, looking forward to the next one.” Aiden said with a smile.

“Lovely having you over Aiden, tell the rest of the ESP that Agent Cole says hi for me! I’ll be visiting in a month or so for the you-know-what.” Zina grinned.

Aiden nodded. “Yes’m.” Their hands fell, but he didn’t head out the door right away like DaQuan and Felicia, who were loading up the black van they’d arrived in. “Zina…” Zina gave him a curious look as he glanced sideways.

“Aiden, if this is about Anna…” She gave him a warning look.

“No no no, not this time.” He chuckled in embarrassment. “I wanted to ask, ‘cuz I know I don’t have the clearance for it, but I’d be interested to hear how you took down the Brain Scythe fifteen years ago.”

Zina’s surprise was clear and curious on her face, but she settled down quickly with a small, apologetic smile. “I’m sorry Aiden, but it’s classified for a real good reason. If it were quick, clear, and easy, it woulda been made public years ago. To be perfectly honest, if I wasn’t the star of the tale, I wouldn’t even have the clearance to know it.”

“It means a lot to me that you trust us enough to let us know at least that much.” Aiden shrugged off the rejection casually. “Still, after all this time…” Aiden’s face turned curious, before he looked at Zina was a respectful nod. “I shouldn’t talk about it here.”

“No you shouldn’t.”

“We’ll talk more soon enough. I’m sure my folk’ll turn up something in Tucson before long.”

“I certainly hope so. The heads of operation are getting real, real antsy, and Director Durkoff is getting real short on patience.” Zina sighed thickly, hands on her hips. “But I’m keeping you. Drive safe, and protect yourself, Aiden.”

“No need to worry about me, Agent Cole.” Aiden winked, and slipped out the door, but not before shooting a look up at the second story.

Zina shut the door, and after a moment of thought, locked it with a sigh.

She flinched as she felt something wet brush her fingers, and with a relieved sigh, pet Cao Cao as he stared up at her. Zina was no psychic, but she could tell Cao Cao was a little nervous. She’d worked with Shar Peis in security before, and though he meekly trusted her as a semi-familiar face back at the Cooper home, he looked a little lost.

“Ya wanna go find Annie, Cao Cao?” Zina asked, tugging his wrinkled face gently, affectionately. “Ya miss mama?”

Cao Cao gave a low groan in response, tilting his head, and with a grin, Zina stood to lead him upstairs.

The door to Teddy’s room was half open, and Zina could hear him crying inside. A single peek showed the one-year-old on Anna’s lap in a chair, having a fussy wake up with plenty of yelling, but no tears, thankfully.

“Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, little baby bear~.” Anna sang with a small smile, rocking the baby back and forth on her knee as his deep pout tried to convince his aunt that nobody in the world was suffering like he was. “Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, little baby bear~.”

“Somebody fussy~?” Zina teased as she stepped inside, Teddy’s head whipping her direction, his utterly abysmal afternoon suddenly flipped on its head, his smile splitting his face. Zina entered the room with a jig in her hips: “Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, little baby bear~.” She sang, scooping him up out of Anna’s arms, singing as he gigged and burbled and hung onto her cheeks while Anna sat back to open up the little tub of baby food. “Were you being fussy for your Aunt Annie, Teddy? Were you?”

“Cao Cao, no.” Anna mumbled as Shar Pei licked at the bottom of the baby food container. A hand pushed his big head down, and he gave a greedy growl, only to earn a sharp look from Anna. “Teddy was quite shocked that I was the one to wake him up.”

“He wasn’t expecting to see the prettiest lady in America and didn’t have a tribute prepared.” Zina teased, holding the giggling babe in the air. When he lowered down to her knee, his head twisted as a hot, wet lick went up his back, and Zina turned him around to meet Cao Cao.

Curious little hands tugged the dog’s wrinkly skin, getting playful nibbles and grumbles from the big, curious beast.

“I remember,” Zina began before taking the baby food and spoon from Anna to start feeding her son, “the first time I saw you when you were all cleaned up, and my first thought was: ‘my god, that is the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.’”

Anna put on a flattered, though sad smile, as Teddy smacked at the spoon in his mouth. “I remember that. You were always so confident and professional before, it was the first time I’d ever heard you stutter. Second time I’d ever seen you that surprised.”

“I was wondering how a girl as young as you got as far as you did, but every straight man and lesbian in the agency was struggling real hard to keep up the professional courtesy.”

“I don’t recall much from those days, but I do remember wondering if everybody in the FBI was stupid except you.” Anna leaned on her fist, extending her hand so Cao Cao would come brush against her fingers, his big black tongue lapping at her palm.

“You’ve aged so slowly, Annie, it’s infuriating.” Zina smirked, using the blunt, plastic spoon tip to wipe some mash off of Teddy’s chin. “Did you even notice everyone was looking at you downstairs?”

Anna snorted, making Cao Cao rear up in alarm, before resting his big blue head in her lap. “No they weren’t. The ladette could hardly keep her eyes off my legs, and Aiden was trying very hard to pose just-so.” Anna spread her legs and leaned forward with a hunch like a man sipping beers with his friends, and Zina snickered.

“Aiden’s just like that, he’s gotta be a manly man, but he’s a sweetheart who cares a whole damn lot about psychics.” Zina paused her talk to coo at Teddy, wiggling and bouncing him, kissing his forehead and burying her face in the puff of springy-black hair framing his head. “I’m kind of shocked he hasn’t awakened anything in you. Nice guy, rugged, traditionally masculine job, on the young side.”

Anna looked contemplative for a moment, leaning down to scratch Cao Cao’s belly, making the dog’s leg kick at the air.

Zina continued. “I mean, don’t get me wrong, Robbie had his charms, but he could be a bit rough on the eyes.”

Anna snorted. “Especially after he spiked his hair.”

“I had a few posters from the 90’s he wouldn’t have looked out of place in.” Zina smirked, pleased to actually draw a quick laugh out of Anna. “Aiden’s also close to PA. If Taz is going there—”

“I haven’t decided if Tasha is going to stay there once Brain Scythe is dealt with.” Anna interrupted, Cao Cao flipping onto his belly when she stopped rubbing him.

“Annie…” Zina frowned, but decided against pursuing that topic. “Still, I’ve worked with Aiden for close to six years now. He’s been nothing but kind and charming. Even if he is a psychic, it might not be bad to have a man around who can show Taz a thing or two.”

Anna took a moment to answer, her lips tightening before they opened. “Zina, I appreciate you’re trying to set me up with somebody, but he rubs me the wrong way.”

“How so?” Zina tilted her head, spooning some more food onto Teddy’s cheek as he got distracted by the approach of a curious, hungry dog.

“I can’t quite explain it, but he just feels so artificial.” Anna’s brow furrowed. “Like he’s putting on this manly man front so people will like him. I can’t forgive Robbie for leaving behind Taz and I to chase his stupid rock ‘n roll road life, but Robbie never sold himself as anything else; he could look like a rough good ol’ boy on a bad day, but he was Robbie up until the day he left.”

“Hold up ya damn dog…” Zina murmured, tugging the giggling baby away from Cao Cao, who was trying to lick baby food off Teddy’s face. “I think you are just still feeling the bitter sting of rejection and acting all chilly ice queen to hide the hurt.” Zina gave Anna a frank look, and got a big roll of the blonde’s eyes in response. “Love’s hard, Annie, I went through three sorry excuses for men to find Randal, it’ll take you some time too.”

Anna huffed, relaxing back in her chair. “Well Aiden won’t be my one.”

“Is it because he’s psychic?” Zina asked suspiciously, and Anna paused, thinking.

“Partly.” She shrugged. “He seems a little arrogant about it, on top of feeling like he’s just putting up a front.”

Zina pursed her lips as she lifted Teddy, bouncing him along Cao Cao’s back as the dog stood still, startled, but calm. “Girl, you’re giving the age-old white person reasoning of ‘I just don’t like them pushing their culture in my face.’ Next time you see Taz, she’s gonna be all pro-psychic too.”

“I don’t mind people celebrating their culture…” Anna pouted.

“Uh huh, just like Old Miss Batty don’t mind the gays unless they’re marching a parade down main street where she can see ‘em.” Zina gave Anna a surmising look, and Anna just grumbled and went silent in her chair.

“You know it’s not like that.”

“I do know it’s not like that, I’m just telling you how you sound, and I’m telling you that you might actually find a gem in Aiden if you give him a chance.” Zina said gently, and Anna huffed.

“It’s not like it matters much. He’ll be too busy doing PA things, and I’m going to be enjoying a very nice spa this weekend.”

“And you will have to tell me how Sanctuary is when you get back.” Zina’s tone of voice turned to an envious groan. “Mercy, girl, I’m out here working my ass off; let me live vicariously through you come Monday!”

Anna’s annoyance slipped into amusement, and she crossed one leg over the other as she gave Zina a proud little look. “I’ll be sure to tell you all about it. Maybe Randy can bridge us for a bit so I can let you feel it.”

Zina looked intrigued with the thought. Maybe a little too intrigued, because she didn’t move for a good, long while until Teddy pulled her nose. “Ow! Ya li’l snot!” She giggled, bouncing him against as he warbled and babbled. “Maybe we don’t take it that far, otherwise I might arrange an emergency vacation, and my bosses would have my ass for it.”

“Please.” Anna crossed her arms and gave Zina a sneer. “As if they’d dare remove the captor of the Brain Scythe from the team.”

Zina breathed out nice and slowly as she set Teddy on the ground, where on unsteady legs, he propelled himself over to Cao Cao to balance against. “I think they woulda figured out fifteen years after the fact that it was almost all luck. You’re the only reason I’m still alive today, Annie.”

“Please…” Anna frowned at Zina.

“I mean that.” Zina gave Anna a sincere look. “And I think they know that. And I think you’re the only reason they let me get away with so much today.”

Anna stood abruptly and walked over, picking Teddy up off the floor to hold against her side. Teddy reached down towards Cao Cao, but turned up to look at Anna as she bounced him and cooed.

“Face it, Zi.” Anna whispered, bouncing the uncomprehending Teddy in her arms as she spoke. “The only reason we’re both alive today is because of Tasha.”

Zina watched her best friend play with her baby son, and looked down at the dog waiting his turn for attention.

“You aren’t wrong, Annie…”