The Stronghold 2: Immortals

There Are Other Places?

"The first place is called Storm and is probably the least trustworthy division left," Brian explained. "They're closely linked with Rainfall, Thunder, Hailstorm and whatever others there are. They train people for war and don't really care when agents die. If we are sent there then it's possible we'll be used as double agents to rely information back, instead of simply transferring. They're most likely to side with the creatures if a war breaks out. Pridian has been trying to shut them down for years but so far we've had no luck.

'Secondly there's a place that is just called Z." He pronounced the letter as 'zee' instead of the English 'zed' and I smiled. Even Josh hadn't done that. "I don't know much of what goes on in there but I think it's something to do with assassins. Anybody who goes in comes out a changed person and I don't particularly want to be running around in tight leather wielding a gun, thank you very much. Try and talk Tomorrow out of sending us there if it's an option.

'The third is a place called Moment and is basically a smaller version of Pridian. They're more focused and less about fighting and being extravagant. More codes and actual work is done there and it's an ideal place for me. I don't know about you, though." He looked me up and down doubtfully, freezing mid-walk. "You'd disrupt everything."

"I can be calm," I protested. "And I can be logical."

"Hmm. We'll see." His eyes glittered and then he started pacing again. 

"There is, however, a fourth option," he said. "One that I hope we won't get sent to. It's a dangerous place that focuses on catching people and things. They're going to be the ones out and about on the streets, stopping the creatures before they can hurt anyone. They don't care who the creatures are; if it isn't human, it's got to go. Everything is locked up in glass cages in the basement in very close proximity with one another. I went there once, to survey some things for Pridian." He shivered and stopped walking again. "I wouldn't go back if I were paid a million bucks. The things were going mad, Shaade, and some were just sat there as humans. I'll never get the images out of my head.Things were clawing at the walls to get to other things. There were two creatures in the same cell of completely different species. Blood everywhere. And the smell..." He shuddered with repulsion, eyes closed. He opened them again and looked me directly in the eye. "It's called Nightmare, Shaade. Nightmare. Why would you call a company that? A secret service? They're meant to be good, not evil. But they claim to do things for justice, so Pridian gives them a big tick and says they're okay. They're worse than Storm. Worse than any of them." He whimpered in his throat. "Tomorrow loves it there. She really hates animals of any kind, and..." He buried his head in his hands and I got up, hugging him to me. 

"I'm frightened, Shaade," he mumbled. "I don't want to work for them."

"I guess we'll find out," I said, glancing down at my watch. "Eight o'clock." I used shadows to transport us both up to Tomorrow's office, reappearing outside the door. Brian growled just as I knocked and I realised he was still in pyjamas. Swiftly creating him clothes out of shadows and light I blocked him from Tomorrow when she opened the door, forcing a smile onto my face as I concentrated my powers at the same time.

"Hello," I said. 

"Where's Agent Starr?" Tomorrow asked, looking past me.

"Here, ma'am," Brian said, stepping out from behind me and adjusting the green shirt I'd crafted. He smiled, and glanced up at me when Tomorrow turned away.

"Thank you," he said inside my head. "You have better fashion choices than Velena does."

"I try," I replied with a shrug.

"Come in, agents," Tomorrow called. Brian walked in first and I followed.

"Agent Jaetun, I understand you haven't been here long but I hope you know that the reasons for me choosing you for this are purely so that Agent Starr has another agent to go with that he gets along with," Tomorrow said in a rush. I thought about what she'd said and then frowned slightly.

Rude.

"Agent Starr, I trust that you will know what you're doing," Tomorrow said, talking to Brian and completely ignoring me. I noticed that she had sat down behind a large and finely carved desk while we were stood standing with no other seats, or furniture, in the minimalist, white room.

"You are both to be transferred to a place called Nightmare," she said. Brian paled and I bit my lip, recalling what Brian had said about the place. "It isn't as bad as it sounds," Tomorrow added, seeing our fearful faces and rolling her eyes. "It's for dramatic effect. Agent Starr, I believe you've been there before?"

"Yes, ma'am," Brian said. 

"Good. Both of you are to use your codenames or other names whilst there. Nobody can know you work for Pridian. Agent Starr, you went there before under the disguise of an inspector. If recognised you must claim you left it all behind to become a hunter. Understood?"

Brian nodded soundlessly.

"Your mission is to help them rid the world of these evil creatures that have appeared and then return to us. You must fake your deaths then get back to Pridian immediately. We need you more than they do, agents, do not forget that.

'Do not forget your mission and try not to get into too much trouble. I mean it. You leave tomorrow morning so do whatever you need to do tonight. It is possible you will be separated but I wouldn't advise it. Good luck, agents." Tomorrow waved us towards the door and then went on some sort of device embedded into her desk. I shrugged and walked out, Brian following, face still deathly pale. Once the door had shut behind us I shadowed us downstairs and back to Brian's flat.

"Are you alright?" I asked, seeing how he really didn't look well.

"We're going to work for a place that wants to kill us," he said faintly, not looking up at me. His eye level was at my collar-line - I'm taller than I think. I'm small inside.

"That isn't an answer," I said gently.

"We're gonna die."

"Neither is that."

"Everything is gonna go wrong."

"Probably, but you still-"

"I can't go back there," Brian said, finally looking up at me with glistening eyes. "It was literally the stuff of nightmares."

"I'll look after you," I promised. "Fancy that, the big, bad wolf being looked after by... me."