“Target unavailable: Engaging search protocols…”

“Just find and kill them, you stupid doll!”

‘Doll’.

A term used by members of the Agency and containment forces when referencing pseudo-agents. Usually used in a negative connotation.

He ignored that comment.

The only thing that mattered was the objective.

Capture or eliminate Agent Double-Zero.

Pain always followed when he didn’t follow orders.

He looked down and there were bodies lying on the ground. Dead containment unit soldiers. Many of them had died since the start of the operation. He knew they were not qualified to face Agents, but he didn’t object.

He only followed orders.

There were others like him there. Those with the cross-marked masks. All of them, including himself, were failures. But to the Agency, even failures had their uses.

Only two of the original twenty-four containment unit soldiers remained. Alongside himself and the two other pseudo-agents, they were combing the maintenance tunnels of the abandoned apartment building for Double-Zero. The commander of the containment unit had objected to searching the tunnels in favor of calling headquarters for backup, but pseudo-agent Sixty-Eight had denied.

They had a job to do. There was not enough time for reinforcements to arrive before dawn. If they didn’t complete their objective in time, agent Double-Zero would most likely escape.

That was not acceptable.

“Have you located the target yet?” asked the commander. Sixty-Eight shook his head.

“Negative. Due to environmental interference, I am unable to discern their location. Recommend-”

The commander raised his hand and Sixty-Eight was silenced. Without explaining the commander aimed his rifle down a nearby hallway and open fired. The other soldier followed suit while the pseudo-agents turned their gaze to the commotion with their weapons drawn.

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He spotted nothing.

After a few seconds of continuous firing the soldiers ceased their shooting and silence returned. Sixty-Eight turned to the commander with an inquisitive look.

“What was the reason for engagement?” he asked. The commander appeared shaken as he reloaded the gun.

“I-I swear I saw something move down there. Go investigate!” the commander demanded. Sixty-Eight and the two other agents nodded and proceeded down the hallway cautiously. The pseudo-agent theorised that the commander was letting his fears get to him and was impairing his combat ability. He noted this for later review with the leader of the containment forces for a possible replacemnt-

At that moment a piercing scream filled the tunnels. Immediately turning back Sixty-Eight saw the commander with a familiar sword piercing his chest. Nearby him was the body of the other soldier with a similar stab wound. The sword was retracted and as the body fell from view, the visage of one person remained.

“Double-Zero… prepare for a combat scenario…” spoke Sixty-Eight as he raised his own sword alongside the other two pseudo-agents. In opposition Double-Zero leveled her own blade for defensive stance. The standoff remained like for a while, the two sides anylitically observing each movement for a moment of opportunity.

Then the first strike occurred.

Faster than he could see the rogue agent sped down the hallway and was already upon them. Before Sixty-Eight could attack, Double-Zero’s blade was already dangerously close to neck and forced him to block. The strength of her blow forced him slightly backwards and almost threw him off balance.

Pseudo-agent Seventy-Nine rushed in with his stun baton activated and was enhanced by his control of electricity. The crackling bolts of lightning filled the hallway as Seventy-Nine charged at the rogue agent with ferocity. As the baton was about to make contact however, she seemed to fade from existence and disappeared in a cloud of blue haze.

There was a pause in the fighting as the three remained in place.

Aether manipulation. Double-Zero’s signature agent ability. Various combat applications according to his information.

After a moment Double-Zero phased into back existence behind Seventy-Nine. He turned and activated his lightning manipulation as Double-Zero swung down with her sword. Unlike before, however, her sword was covered in a dark blue coating. The pseudo-agent tried to block with the enhanced baton but Double-Zero’s blade easily cut through and sliced across his chest. She kicked Seventy-Nine back and ran in the opposite direction as Sixty-Eight turned his attention to the fallen Seventy-Nine.

“Eighty-Three, maintain pursuit of Double-Zero… will attempt to analyze Seventy-Nine for life signatures and report to command…” said Sixty-Eight. He only nodded in response and quickly ran after the rogue agent as Sixty-Eight bent over and examined Seventy-Nine.

“Wound too deep… no pulse…” he muttered.

This would be a setback.

Sixty-Eight activated the transmitter augment and called the command frequency.

“This is pseudo-agent Sixty-Eight… containment unit and pseudo-agent Seventy-Nine confirmed KIA... unsure of ability to apprehend target...“

“Damnit, I told them we should’ve sent more! Listen, you are ordered to stall her as long as you possibly can. Sending unit Beta and Tango to assist..”

“Understood... re engaging search protocols…” replied Sixty-Eight. He quickly ran down the intertwining hallways to try and find Eighty-Three and Double-Zero. Sixty-Eight could only hope that Eighty-Three could last long enough till he could arrive.

“I’ll show them that I’m not a failure… I will stop her…”