Location: Unknown
Branch Division
KNOCK KNOCK.
"Come in."
A feminine voice called from inside the office, followed by the creak of a door opening. A dark-skinned man stepped through.
"Director!"
He saluted sharply. Behind the desk sat a stunning dark-skinned woman in a sleek black spandex suit. Her glasses only added to her commanding allure.
The man stared for a moment too long.
"Commander Alexander Balogun?"
SNAP!
Alex blinked and snapped out of it at the sound of her voice, clearly embarrassed. He looked away, eyes landing on the name tag on her chest:
Kelly Benson
Branch Director – The Defense Agency
An exceptional leader with two decades of experience in an agency tasked with combating the supernatural and preserving global stability.
This always happens, Alex thought, forcing a cough to shake off the awkwardness.
"What?"
Kelly raised an eyebrow, smiling slightly. It wasn't the first time something like this had happened—and she was long past reminding him of proper decorum.
"Isn't it true you already have a fiancée, Commander Alex?"
She smiled again, more amused than accusatory.
"Well, considering her temperament… she's strangely accommodating."
He returned the smile.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing really."
Kelly studied him for a moment but let it go. She had more pressing matters.
"Have you analyzed it?"
"Yes."
"What did you find?"
"It took some digging, but the vocal recognition tech finally turned something up... Ah, but you won't like it."
He handed her a file.
She opened it, her expression tightening as she scanned the contents. A deep sigh escaped her lips as she dropped the file onto the table.
"That thing was important—and we lost it. And the families of the deceased agents?"
"Taken care of… with proper compensation, of course."
Alex took a seat before continuing.
"The assailants were…"
"Shadow Hunters."
Kelly finished the sentence, her face grim.
"The relic might still be retrieved if we send you-know-who," Alex added. "But my concern is the 2nd Unit Commander. Those were her subordinates. You know her personality."
He watched Kelly's expression harden. The tension in her jaw, the slight bulge of veins on her temple—she was furious.
"The Shadow Hunters are a black-market organization tied closely to the Order of Arcane. We'll need to tread carefully."
"Hm... There's a spy in our division. Has to be one of the higher-ups. And they're clearly trying to undermine us—because we're a minor branch in the agency."
Kelly exhaled heavily, thinking.
"…"
After a long silence, she made her decision.
"I'll handle the 2nd Unit Commander. You…"
She looked at him with resolve.
"Deploy the Elite Agents."