Chapter 22: The Third Dealer

Sector 27: MRPA HQ

“This is top priority mission,” Red spoke seriously to the three top agents, “STAM seems to have captured Mei Lin’s supplier and are going to no doubt raid her place tonight,” the screen displayed a picture of the mutant Seiji and Shoutarou had captured- the young boy who was not in MRPA database. No doubt the boy had been tortured and interrogated until they finally spoke. But that information must be classified to STAM.

Keiko furrowed her brow, why does Red have intel about STAM? How would he know this?

“Luckily, we too have the location of Mei Lin,” the picture switched from the supplier to the dealer. Mei Lin had been entered into the system under suspected mutant. As she had never been arrested or tagged, her information was limited to mere rumors, “Your mission is to bring Mei Lin here before STAM gets a hold of her. With any luck you will beat them.”

Arisa looked down at her feet, she didn’t know why she was here. Any second now Red would say that it would be Keiko and Aku to go- she would not be allowed to go. Once again she would be here while her family was off fighting without her.

“Red- we need 00 on this mission,” Aku spoke bluntly.

Keiko and Red responded shocked, “What?!”

Arisa looked up at Aku hopefully- Aku winked in return, “Her shifting will become valuable if STAM agents do show up. Her being able to look like Mei Lin might give us the chance to go separate ways and hopefully lose the STAM agents,” there was a moment of silence, “00’s shifting skills have been getting stronger and in this case she would not need to be in any combat directly,”

Keiko crossed her arms, “I don’t know about this...”

Arisa quickly grabbed Keiko’s arm and pouted, “I can do this. I really can,”

Keiko couldn’t keep a tough expression when Arisa pouted at her so cutely, “Fine- but you better stick to me the entire mission,”

Arisa nodded happily.

Their attention was all brought back to Red, “It is settled then. The three of you will go to Sector 13 to Mei Lin’s bath house: Dragon Steam,”

Sector 1: STAM HQ- Meeting Room

“You have a very important mission tonight!” Blue’s voice boomed through the room even though it came through the small speaker in Shizune’s hand, “There is a filthy mutant selling the mutant drug Free in Sector 13. I want this to be dealt with cleanly- this mutant Mei Lin is a level Red mutant that needs to be disposed of on site- no questions asked. Her bath house is to be quarantined and all other mutants in the premises are to be dealt with by your discretion. It has also come to my attention that it is very likely that Black agents will be there. I want to make myself clear,” Blue paused for a moment, “Mei Lin is the objective of this mission. Black agents are to be engaged only if they disrupt the objective. You are NOT authorized to blow the mission to engage black agents. Is that understood?”

“Yes Blue,” all six agents responded in unison.

“Since I have made myself clear- I’m sure you know which team is being sent-” the small speaker clicked off and Shizune went back to her desk without a word.

Seiji glared at his clenched fist, “Unbelievable! Rank 2 brought in the mutant with the intel on this and yet first rank gets the mission,” he sarcastically sighed as he looked at Kyoushirou.

Kyou scoffed at him, “If you want the high priority missions maybe you should actually succeed in a few of them,”

“What did you say?!” Seiji grabbed onto Kyou’s shirt, his temper flaring.

“You heard me- second rank,” Kyou glared coldly at Seiji.

“Hey, Hey!” Kenji dropped his hands on their shoulders, “It’s just a mission- no reason to fight about it,”

Kyou pushed Kenji’s hand away, “What’s it to you anyway. You’ve been whining about how much you’ve been wanting to kill a mutant since you got here,”

A sick grin climbed over Kenji’s face, “That’s why-” his eyes glared at them, “You’re ruining my buzz over here with your petty arguement,”

Ryu nodded with his arms crossed and looked to call for Hiro only to see had already left the meeting room, “Hey Hiro wait up!!”

Shou grabbed Seiji’s shoulder and dragged him from the room, “Come on, let’s go on patrol-”

Once they were out of the meeting room Shou let go of Seiji, “Why do you always have to fight him?”

Seiji growled in response trying to hold down his anger. After a moment of following Shou in silence she sped in front, “Come with me.”

Shou followed Seiji in the elevator, down through the lobby- where Seiji smiled and waved pleasantly to all the cameras and media, out the door, and several blocks away to a small street vendor cart. Seiji sat down immediately in one of the small bright blue chairs and waved at the elderly woman running the stand, “2 bottles, 2 glasses, an order of spicy rice cakes, and-” he paused looking at Shou.

Shou sighed and sat, “Spongy noodles.”

The woman smiled, “Do you want seafood or leek?”

Shou smiled back at her, “Half-half please.”

Seiji stuck out his tongue, “How can you mix the two?”

Shou leaned back in his chair, “You are such a picky eater- tons of people eat it mixed.”

The woman brought two small shot glasses and 2 bottles. The glass recycled so many times it was a messy mix of brown, green, and clear.

Seiji grabbed the bottle and poured a shot for Shou and then himself, “To Rank 1, the team who gets to clean up our hard work and take the credit!” he drank the shot and grimaced at the burning he felt in his throat.

Shou rolled his eyes and took his own shot with a straight face, “You know we have to work tonight.”

Seiji waved his hand as he poured them both another shot, “Come on partner. Let me mope a little.”

Shou sighed and clinked his glass with Seiji’s, “To Rank 2- may we soon catch a black agent and get the promotion we deserve.”

“Now we’re talkin’,” Seiji said unenthusiastically.