Welcome to The Agency.
Most of what we do is classified such as dealing with the ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ and ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛. See, not so bad. Everyday varies within this agency where it can busy one day and boring the next. Once you join us, there is no going back. When yo...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Your eyes are constantly watching every face that passes you as you walk through the streets surrounding your base. Nothing seems out of place, even the odd looking person who is following you down the street. They look like they are lost and someone had sent them to you.
Glancing back, you see that the person is nearly on your heels. Out of curiosity, you stop and the person almost crashes into you. The person is still genderless as they haven't spoken, plus the black hat and matching black woollen scarf block any light on their face. "I have been told you can help me," a female voice comes from the shadowed face.
"What exactly do you need help with?" You reply, trying to observe the woman's body language.
"A... small problem I've had since I was born," she replies.
You unconsciously raise an eyebrow but you have come across more strange things within The Agency.
"Well, that can be anything," you retort casually with a shrug of your shoulders.
The woman sighs. "I can show you, just not out here." This hugely piques your interest and you smirk before walking back the way you came.
"This way," you say as you pass her and the sound of her shoes soon catch you up.
The old concrete stairs get slightly darker every time you walk up due to pollution but those steps make you feel secure. That's a strange thought, the agency feeling like the safest place when it's far from it, you think to yourself. Then you realise quietness surrounds you. Looking back, you spot the woman stood at the bottom of the steps. "It is safe, trust me. I've been here for three years," you say calmly.
She finishes scanning the front of the building. The outside is ordinary, blending into surrounding buildings to be mistaken for the average working building. Obviously, to yourself, it isn't. Hesitantly she goes up the first step, before jogging up the last five to catch up. You press the buzzer. "State your code," the automated voice states.
You think back to your brief that morning, two hours ago now, where you got your code for the day. "45527," you reply and the door unlocks. As you were brought up with manners, you go through the door and hold it open to the woman.
"Morning again, Reed," Foster says from her seat behind the desk.
"Morning. I'm helping this lady with a problem she has," you reply smiling.
Foster looks at the woman and pushes a book towards her. "Sign in please." As the woman signs in, Foster shoots you a questioning look causing you to raise your shoulders in a shrug.
The book gets pushed back at Foster and the woman looks at you. "Where now?" She asks.
You look at Foster for the confirmation nod, Foster meets your eyes with a sparkle in her own. "Go on through and enjoy," Foster states.
You head towards your usual door.
Enjoy? What did Foster mean by that? They put the visiting reason down so the woman must have put something interesting...
You push open the door and head down the revealed spiral staircase. "So, what can I call you? As you know my name," you ask the woman as you walk down the stairs.
She contemplates the choice on whether she should reveal her identity to you. "Well, Reed, people call me waterbird," she replies. This piques your interest again.
"Why is that?"
"I'll show you when we get to your office."
"I have to warn you, there's a couple of other occupants there, Foster being one," you reply smirking over your own little secret.
You reach the bottom of the stairs before she does so you wait out of courtesy but get impatient. She jumps off the last step, instead of stepping, ironically, and you walk with her down the corridor. Your feet automatically stop after thirty steps outside your office door. Pushing open the door, you smile as a border collie puppy trots up to you, tail wagging.
"You keep puppies in your offices?" Waterbird asks mockingly.
The puppy starts growing, eventually shifting into a male human. "I am not a puppy," Hay complains, narrowing his copper eyes at Waterbird.
"I'm not the only one?" She says in surprise.
You and Hay look at each other smiling as you shut the door.
"Now, what did you need help with?" You ask, leaning against the steel, but wooden in appearance, door. Waterbird turns to face you, a palm outstretched with a spring of water spouting from the middle.
Hay shrugs. "That's nothing major," Hay comments.
Waterbird turns around and suddenly Hay is on the back wall of the office, his clothes drenched.
"That is why. Every time I get angry, I explode," Waterbird elaborates.
"You don't say," Hay grumbles as he peels himself off of the wall and you can't stop yourself from laughing.
Foster knocks on the door which you know as she does a specific knock. You open it and Foster bursts into laughter at the sight of Hay.
"I'm glad you two find it funny," Hay mumbles.
Waterbird looks between the three of us. "What help can you give me?" She asks.
"They're expecting you down the hallway. Turn left and follow it to the end and go into the door in front of you," you say and Foster steps aside to allow Waterbird through.
Waterbird smiles at you. "Thank you." She walks out of the office and that's the last you see of her.
Foster shuts the door. "Do you know the reason she visited?" She states.
Hay and yourself look at Foster. "What did she put? I'll bite," Hay replies causing Foster to look at you biting her lip. You suddenly realise this could be extremely funny otherwise Foster would never say.
"She put to wind up Hay." Foster laughs, showing you a picture of her reason.
You start laughing and Hay wanders over. "What? Let me see that!" He snatches the camera and looks at the picture.
