Chapter 13: Disobeying Orders

MRPA: Red's Meeting Room

"How could you do this?!" Red screamed from behind the screen. His silhouette stood with his fist’s pushed into his desk top , "Agent 00 you completely disregarded my orders! You were NOT to go on that mission and certainly not alone!"

"But I-" she jumped up.

"Not another word! Nothing you say right now will change the fact that you disobeyed me," they could hear a deep, frustrated sigh as he slumped back into his chair, "Agent 00, as of this day, you are suspended from active duty."

Arisa fell to her seat, defeated at those heavy words, suspended?

"Red, don't you think suspension is a little-" Aku spoke up in Arisa's defense, “She did complete the mission-”

"Agent 014," Red interrupted, "Since we have Kimaru in custody, you will be interrogating. You will not leave until the details of their operation is exposed entirely understood?"

Aku nodded silently.

"013," Red spoke seriously, "Take 00 home. Report back here tomorrow."

The screen that Red was behind turned black and 013 stood to leave, "Meet me at the Epsilon gate when you are ready," without another word she left.

Aku sighed and put her hand on Arisa's shoulder, "You know she isn't mad at you...she was worried and-"

"It's ok...I know I was wrong. I shouldn't have gone..." as defeated as she felt at that moment, Arisa held in her tears.

"Arisa, even though you went against orders, I think you did the right thing."

Arisa looked up hopefully, tears welling in her eyes, "Really?"

Aku nodded, "Of course. You did catch him didn't you? Don't get so worked up about this. They just don't like the idea of you in danger,"

Arisa nodded and wiped her tears away, "Thanks Aku,"

"Now take your MS and go meet your sister to go home,"

Arisa smiled and dug through her bag when her heart stopped, "Where is it?" she frantically started pulling things out of her bag, "It's gone, it's gone!!" she peered into the now empty bag in defeat.

"What's gone?" Aku looked down at her confused.

"The black pouch I keep my MS in...it isn't here...."

"You lost it?" Aku sighed knowing that if Keiko found out, it would only make things worse.

Arisa pouted,"I don't know where it could be...if I don’t have it then my shifts, I won’t be able to control my shifts!"

Trying to keep her from crying Aku smiled, "I'm sure you dropped it somewhere outside. We can go refill your prescription with Ms.Mary. Don't worry about it,"

Arisa nodded and pushed everything back into her bag, "Will you come with me?"

3rd Level Basement: Pharmacy

"Ooh zerochii,it's been a while," from behind the counter of the pharmacy table the woman smiled at Arisa.

"Ms. Mary!" Arisa smiled brightly at her as she jumped at the counter, "Can I get an advance on my MS perscription? I lost my last couple doses,"

Aku stood behind her, her gaze pinned on Ms. Mary, she didn't care for her. She had short black hair with bangs that covered half of her face completely. She has a small frame covered by her oversized white coat. If it weren’t for the large MRPA crest on her breast pocket she could be mistaken for a human.

Ms. Mary's face turned from a smile to a downward gaze, "I'm sorry zerochii, but we are already backed up on orders today- thanks to this mess with Free all our dosages are being checked for tampering. I can't fill it for you until tomorrow afternoon,"

Arisa's head dropped on the table defeated, "What am I gonna do? I can’t control my random shifts without MS...When 013 finds out I don't have any MS she will kill m-"

"When who doesn't have any MS?"

Arisa felt the hairs on her neck stand up as she heard the voice. She dared not turn around in fear.

"00!" Keiko stomped her foot on the ground and Arisa jumped up in fear, "You LOST your MS?!"

Arisa smiled weakly and avoided eye contact, "Well, I just...I mean...I-"

"We're leaving. Right. Now," Keiko glared at her.

“I...."

"Zerochii!! I'll have it ready for you tomorrow!!" she waved happily as Arisa trailed behind Keiko.

Aku spared one last ugly look for Ms. Mary as she looked down at her phone, “013!” she called to Keiko before they left completely, “The interrogation will have to wait for tomorrow. I have to go.”

Keiko nodded, “He can rot in the cell for a few hours first. Go ahead.”

Sector 1: STAM

Ryu and Hiro walked into the STAM building and were surrounded by the usual amount of press. He could see their disappointment with seeing just Rank 3.

“Container Mumei! Is there any comment you’d like to give the press? Perhaps about the rumors of-”

“I will not be making any comments tonight. Everyone please be safe getting home tonight.” he smiled at them and made his way through the reporters with Hiro behind him.

The two rode in silence in the elevator and as they stepped out Hiro turned to head to their room.

“Where are you going? Don’t you want to eat or something?” Ryu pointed to the cafeteria at the other end of the hall.

Hiro didn’t turn around, “I’m going to bed.”

---

Ryu was sitting at a table alone- his food untouched in front of him. He didn’t know why but he was always in a bad mood after fighting the black agents. Was he upset that he failed to capture them? No that didn’t seem to be right. Was he afraid of fighting them? He couldn’t be sure, but that didn’t feel right either.

“What’s with the frown?” Seiji sat down across from him and grinned, “Shou and I were patrolling all night and he kept humming that song- you know the one that he’s been obsessed with for forever?”

Ryu smiled softly trying to push his strange thoughts away, “Hiro and I got the elemental and the albino.”

Seiji gawked, “You had to fight 2 of them?!? And the elemental!!!” his eyes seemed to light with fire as he talked about her, “And? Did you get em?”

Ryu shook his head, “They ran away the first moment they got.”

Seiji groaned, “Typical. That elemental is a coward.”

Ryu’s smiled faded once again and he poked at his food, “Seiji?”

“Hmm?”

“How do you...feel?” he paused realizing he couldn’t go back anymore, “After fighting a black agent I mean...”

Seiji pondered for a second, “Usually pretty angry,” he shrugged, “they always knock us out and run or just avoid a fight in general. But they always get in the way of our jobs.”

“Hmmmm...” Ryu nodded unsure.

“Why?”

Ryu shook his head and smiled, “I must be hungry!” he took a bite of his food.