A woman chewing on toothpicks is sat down behind a desk, face obscured by the dark, both legs placed upon its wooden surface as she frequently glanced to the large window behind her, light beaming through opaque cloth which covered its glass surface, segmented by small wooden lines. Both Nora and Jan stand in front of the desk, waiting for the woman to finally speak as both of her legs swing in one smooth motion, off from her desk and back down to the ground, where they belong. She sighed, "I have a job for you both... it's a bit sudden but..." She paused for a moment, leaning on the desk, grabbing two more toothpicks, and placing them into her mouth - cracking as she bites down - she pointed to Nora, "I also understand that you're still new to this job... but... we have an escort mission for you two." She leaned back into her chair.

Jan tilted her head, eyebrow raised, "An... escort mission?"

"Yeah, well... you aren't actually escorting him anywhere, you'll be protecting him until we say otherwise."

"Him?" Jan leaned forward.

Nora glanced at Jan and their boss, "Is this 'him', a politician?"

Their boss shook her head, "No... it's..." She looked to an open doorway in the corner of the room, "Auryn, could you come out for us?"

A young boy creeped out from behind the doorway, walking into the room and quickly crossing over to where Nora and Jan's boss was, standing directly next to the desk, clearly looking at all of them with the slightest bit of concern. "A kid?" Jan questioned, pulling a tin canister from her back pocket and taking a swig of whatever was inside.

Their boss nodded, "Yes, this kid's name is Auryn... he's twelve years old."

"Why are we protecting a kid?"

"He has something very valuable, it's your job to prevent them from either taking or killing the kid."

Jan reeled back, taken aback by her boss's comment, "People are trying to kill a kid?"

"That's just how it is." The woman shook her head, hand gliding across her desk before feeling for a lamp nearby, hitting a switch, finally lighting up her face, making it visible for everyone in the room. A brunette woman, maybe in her forties wearing office attire, small scars scattered across her face and neck.

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"So... this kid has something important? Important enough that someone is willing to kill this kid?"

Their boss nodded once more, "Will you do it?"

"Of course, but I'm gonna need a bit more context than just, 'He's important, people will kill him.'" Jan mimicked her boss's speech in a mocking manner.

"Ok..." Her boss looked to Nora, "But he'll need to leave."

Jan made a sour expression, glancing at Nora before letting out a long sigh, "Fine..."

Their boss nodded, standing up from behind her desk, a smile on her face, lightly pushing Auryn forward, "Can you go with that man?" She asked the child, who nodded in response, sauntering over to Nora, who quickly escorted him outside of the room. The instant Nora left the room, he spun around, walking to a collection of chairs sitting a bit further down the hallway they were in.

Nora sat down in one of these chairs, patting down another next to him - Auryn sat down next to Nora, glancing down both sides of the hallway before fully relaxing in his chair. Nora sighed, "I am Norayr Pogosian, you?"

Auryn looked to Nora, "I'm Auryn... just Auryn."

Nora nodded, "You have similar eyes as I do." He pointed to his own eyes and back to Auryn's own eyes, "Black, like the void, no shine to be seen." Auryn didn't respond, rather looked away as if contemplating what Nora had said. "I can imagine that you got unlucky, getting involved in all of this."

Auryn licked his lips, pressing them together as his brow furrowed, "I can't say anything... sorry."

Nora nodded understandingly before silence befell upon them. Nora stared at the wall across from them, his eyes focusing on it before turning back towards the boy, hand shifting around in his pocket before pulling a phone out, headphones plugged into it. Nora untangled the wires, eyes darting along with each pull and tug. Nora glanced to Auryn, offering an earbud. Auryn nodded, placing it in his ear before the music began playing. It was a tranquil tune, an orchestra, violins, cellos, and the like screeching in harmony.

After a few minutes, Jan finally exited the room, immediately noticing the two of them listening to music right as she stepped into the hallway, hands in her pockets before whipping out her trusted flask, taking a swig from what was inside before placing it back into her pants, "What are you listening to?"

Auryn looked to Jan, "Classical music."

Jan chuckled, looking at Nora, "You listen to classical music?"

Nora nodded, "Sometimes, though I prefer Jazz." Nora motioned slightly to the boy, taking the earbud out of his ear before placing both the phone and earbuds back into his pocket, standing up. Auryn followed, standing up as well, pinching Nora's coat, keeping himself close.

"What type of Jazz?"

Nora shrugged, "Anything really."

"Listen to anything other than classical music and Jazz?"

Nora shook his head, "No, no I don't."

Jan chuckled, "I'm a bit of a Jazz gal myself..." She paused, "Let's get something to eat." She said, looking to the both of them who both nod in affirmation.