Rangers and Rogues

Chapter 2: Looking Grim

Sol sat in the ill lit office, the only lights in the room being a small desk lamp and the light of the holographic monitor in front of him. He grabbed the mug off his desk, taking a sip as he leaned back in his chair. The data that sat in front of him gave him a small amount of relief, confrontation between Rangers and Rogues have decreased by over 2% in the last month. We're winning... Sol smiled, feeling a little relieved. To his right through a window, the calm and desolate lights of the night city were shining softly. It beckoned him to come closer and he obliged, he slung his jacket over his shoulder and put a hand on the glass.. His smile widened as he thought, to think it's been a few years since I became a Ranger...Since that day...

A knock at the door interrupted his thought.

Sol turned around to see his Commander standing in the doorway.

"There you are, Sol, I just wanted to congratulate you on your apprehension of Dynamo and his gang." The Commander says in a gruff voice.

"I appreciate it sir, hopefully this time they stay put for once." Sol said, walking back over to his desk, he gestures to the chair on the other side and the Commander takes a seat while Sol slides the hologram out of the way.

"I'm sure he will, and even if he doesn't, we know who will put him right back....Although I wish I was just here for congratulations."

"Something wrong?" Sol asks, setting his mug down.

"I'm assuming you saw the numbers regarding confrontation data?"

Sol nods.

"While it may be nice to sit back and assume that things are going well, the Director wants to make sure that all of our assets and locations are still as alert as ever." The Commander says, looking out towards the city.

"What do you want me to do? It's supposed to be my day off, remember?"

"Yet you stopped Dynamo and his crew, on your day off." The Commander smiles. "This is just a routine check, and I've been told that it's on your walk home anyway." The Commander stands up, letting out a slight grunt, a sign of his older age.

Sol lets out a small sigh.

"Well if it's on the way..."

* * *

Sol looked up at the ten story building with no signs on it. The building itself was made out of even more tinted glass, darker than the main operating center. When he walked inside, he was greeted with a very dull looking lobby. It looked as if they had forgotten to add any furniture, paint, or anything to actually make it a nice lobby. I guess they don't really need all of that if it's just a front. Sol thought as he made his way to the main desk, where a security officer attentively sat.

"Are you Scotty?" Sol asked.

"Are you Ranger Phoenix?" The guard asked back.

Sol presses a button on his watch, a holographic display forming in front of his hand as he holds it up. It displayed his rank, class and name as well as his Ranger and public alias.

"Just making sure, sir."

"I'd be concerned if you weren't." Sol says. "I'm just here for the routine check under Commander Timber's order."

"Right, although these checks are usually done by agents. Lose a bet?" Scotty jokingly asks, getting up from his rather uncomfortable looking chair.

"It was on my walk home."