The helicopter ride was just as horrible as Agent Manning had unknowingly forewarned. The pilot really did drive like a drunk. Yet somehow, after all the twists and turns, and heart-stopping spins, they landed on solid ground uninjured.

“Is this the base?” Howard asked warily.

“It is,” Agent Manning said, “I swear, Jonathan flies like that just to annoy me.”

“Isn’t it amazing?” Selina beamed, “He can go through all of those stunts without injuring any passengers and still arrive at the right destination.”

Howard leaned back unconsciously. Selina wasn’t wrong, but her enthusiasm made him as wary as ever.

“Oh, Jonathan is a genius,” Manning muttered, “A genius gone bonkers, but a genius.”

“Usually if you take someone from a mental institution they are a bit mad,” Jonathan pitched in as he stepped out of the helicopter, “You should know that, Mr. Man.”

“Agent Manning,” he automatically corrected. It seemed that his name was a bit of a touchy subject. That or Jonathan knew just what buttons to push and when.

The base itself looked like any other dull gray office building. Or it would if there wasn’t a helicopter pad in front of it. It was also a dull gray office building a ways away from any city Howard saw, so in his opinion, it stood out more than it blended in.

Manning led them in through a large black door, and the vision of an office building instantly vanished. The inside was more what you might expect from a secret operation of the government. Everything was dark, for one thing. Dark shades of gray or black with yellowish-orange lighting stationed far enough apart for shadows to grow between them,

Agent Manning opened yet another black door. Once again the building theme changed completely. Light brown with bright yellow lights flooded Howard’s senses. There was a large round table in the room, and comfy chairs placed lazily around it. Off to the side was a doorway with no door at all. From what Howard could see it led to a hall that seemed more like a hotel design than anything else.

Selina had been watching Howard carefully as they were led inside. “Isn’t this place great?” she asked, “Come, on, I know you like it?”

“It gives me a headache,” Howard complained.

“That’s the idea,” Agent Manning told him. Jonathan added a maniacal chuckle to the end.

“Do you have a swimming pool in here too?” Howard asked sarcastically.

Agent Manning smirked. “Yes, actually,” he replied, “as well as a couple of restaurants. Employees come in through the back door so they don’t see all the theatrics.”

“Good to know,” Howard muttered. He didn’t want to think of where all the money to build this place had come from. He reluctantly sat down in one of the chairs.

“So, when do we get to hear all the juicy details?” Selina asked, sliding into the chair right next to him with a bright grin on her face.

“Not until you sign the contract,” Agent Manning replied honestly, “Agent Sanders should be bringing it in soon.”

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“Agent Sanders?” Howard asked, “Have we met him yet?”

“No,” Manning told them, “but he should be here any second. According to the plan Sanders will be joining your friend here on the mission.”

“She is not my friend,” Howard corrected.

“Your acquaintance, then.”

“Why is an agent coming along?” Selina pouted.

“The rest of the team will be criminals,” Manning pointed out, “It would be foolish to blindly trust the lot of you, and there is a chance civilians like yourself might not make it out alive.”

Howard watched uncomfortably. He had the strangest feeling that Manning had mentally thrown him in with the rest, and he didn’t like it one bit. It was even worse when the only one who wasn’t a government agent or a criminal was her.

Before the conversation could get out of hand someone walked in. The man looked young for a government agent, and had a bright smile on his childlike face. Even his hair was a nice bright color of brown. “I brought the contracts,” he informed Manning in a cheery voice, “and cupcakes. They were on discount in the lobby.”

Jonathan chuckled, making Howard jump. He had forgotten the man was in the room. In fact, he hadn’t even realized he had followed them into the room. Jonathan, as if he knew all of this, shot Howard a wicked smirk. Selina also shot Howard a wicked smirk.

“Sanders,” Manning complained while this was going on, “You don’t need to buy yourself cupcakes every day.”

“Not every day,” Sanders corrected, “Just most of them. I brought six copies of the contract in case everyone… Who is that?”

At this point Sanders was staring at Howard. Howard had been hoping to stall the point when the topic of conversation turned to him. Too late now.

“A complication,” Agent Manning answered.

“And does this complication need a contract?” Agent Sanders asked.

Manning turned to look at Howard. “I am considering it,” he said, “Selina is very insistent but I wasn’t actually planning on bringing him on board.”

Howard did not like the sound of this at all. “What would my other options be?” he asked.

“We could always find something to arrest you for, or you could claim insanity,” Manning said, “You could live in a safe house watched by the government for the rest of your life. Of course, if you do decide to accompany the others on this mission we would have to figure out a use for you.”

“And if I am useful?” Howard asked, “What happens after the mission?”

“You will get paid, pardoned, and left alone,” Manning promised, “Just like the others.”

“He could be the captain,” Sanders offered, “I don’t really want to be the captain.”

Manning shot Sanders a harsh look. “Let’s see what other skills he has first.”

Howard thought about it, but to be honest none of his skills had anything to do with technology. “I can survive in the wild,” Howard told him, “I like to think my survival instinct is strong.”

“Come on, Manning, just let him in,” Selina complained, “Didn’t I donate a large sum of money to this project? I should be given some say, right?”

“He is only here because he was eavesdropping,” Manning pointed out.

Howard snapped, “That was my house. I was out for a few days, and I didn’t expect some idiot to invite dangerous strangers over.”

“Now, Howie, that is mean,” Selina pouted, but there was still a trace of a smile on her lips, “Just sign the contract, Howard. Trust me, you won’t regret this. There is no one lonelier than space.”

“Space?” Howard asked, whatever argument he had been going to make dying before the thought was complete.

“Sign the contract and I can tell you what I know,” Selina whispered mysteriously.

Alarms were going off in Howard’s head. Everything about this was a trap, and he did not want to know anything else. However, the other options also sounded horrible. All of this for just walking into his own house...

Agent Manning cleared his throat, drawing attention back to himself. “If you could live in that area, I would call that a great deal of survival skill,” he decided, “We need someone to lead the others in case this mission goes wrong. You are qualified. We will have to test your quick thinking and teamwork later.”

Sanders took this cue to slide the contracts over to Howard and Selina. Howard waited until Selina had signed before he signed his own name. He may not like her, but she wasn’t the type to be easily fooled. Hopefully nothing would go wrong and he could go back to his old lifestyle and forget this ever happened. It was a huge risk, but it was the only decent option he had left.

“Who are the others?” Howard asked after he signed.

“They haven’t been collected yet,” Agent Manning replied, “The rest are already in prison. Jonathan and Agent Sanders are going after them tomorrow.”

“Why Jonathan?” Howard asked.

Agent Manning frowned and glanced at the man in question. “For some mysterious reason all of our other helicopter pilots are unable to fly right now.”

“Oh.” Howard regretted asking.

“I think a fellow who also made a deal with us should come as well,” Sanders brought up, “Jonathan counts, I suppose, but he wouldn’t reassure them at all.”

“I think my dear friend Howie would be best,” Selina suggested.

Everyone’s eyes turned to Howard. “Me?” he asked, “Why?”

“You are the survival leader,” Agent Sanders replied with a smile that was even less comforting than Jonathan’s.

It seemed they were all on her side here, but there wasn’t anything Howard could say to argue with Sander’s statement. He was the survival leader, and if the others didn’t trust him everyone could die. “Let’s get this over with.”