(Frerard) Ozone

3

The agent let out a breath, relief evident in his features and his stance. He held out his hand to shake. Frank took it.

"Gerard Way," the agent said.

Gerard Way. The name suited him and sounded so smooth coming out of his mouth that Frank almost asked him to say it again. Stop it, I'm going insane.

The agent - Gerard - scrutinized him. "Do you have to be anywhere? It'll take me a while to explain."

Feeling light-headed and a bit crazy, Frank thought, well, it's too late to be careful, and said, "Now would be great, man, go ahead."

Gerard turned away from him and found a desk. It was a big desk - probably too big to fit out the door, which is probably why it was still there. Good thing there were two chairs remaining in the room as well. Gerard sat behind it, set his elbows on the wood, and Frank sat in front of him, waiting for him to begin.

"Right," the agent started.

"I work as a secret agent for the US government, stationed at a little-known facility in California. My job encompasses a lot of things. In my line of work, I usually have to investigate specific people - that includes tracking them, going to events and parties and whatnot, et cetera. I'm currently assigned at the Pentagon.

"I have worked in California for the last four years of my life. One of those years I've been aware of the program I investigate people for - Project OZONE." His eyes flickered to Frank's judging his reaction.

Project OZONE. That sounded not at all familiar, but the way Gerard said it implied menace. He went on to explain.

"The NRI - the National Robotics Initiative - has been working on a specific kind of AI. It's designed to resolve overpopulation. This, in principle, is a relatively good thing. However, the way the government wants to overcome this includes not only selective breeding, but murder on a grand scale. On a worldwide scale. I would go into more depth - I've seen some tests - but there's a reason not everyone works in that area. And you'll see more of it - there's no point going into it now."

Frank still wasn't convinced he wasn't making this all up.

"To protect myself," Gerard continued, "I have to lie to everyone. I started working against my superiors ever since found out what the project was about. Right now, my bosses think I'm here to get an assistant. I'm really here to get an accomplice who works in data input."

Frank had an idea of who he was referring to.

"I'm part of a secret organization to shut down Project OZONE. It's not big enough - not yet - to warrant an official secret society name, if that's what you were thinking." Gerard smirked.

As if it was an afterthought, he said,"I should also probably warn you of something. I sometimes also have to do things that do not fit my job description." The side of his mouth lifted grimly, and he watched Frank carefully. "Like assassination."

Frank sat up taller in his chair and crossed his arms, levelling a stare at Gerard. Right. So this dude was also a killer. Gerard's appearance was a bit easier to pick apart now - especially that predator thing. He carried himself like everything about him was aware - which it most likely was, if he was trained in combat.

"I don't have to do that a lot," he clarified, clasping his hands together in his lap. "And anyways, that's not the point. I was only warning you because you're going to be working with me."

Something in his expression suggested it was also presented as a threat, and Frank felt a chill of fear.

"To conclude - I want you to be my accomplice and help me put stop to Project OZONE. To do that, you're going to have to move west to California at some point - after you've finished collecting information here. It wasn't random that I chose you, Frank. I was looking for a person, who, if I remember correctly-" He gave Frank a look that suggested he did remember whatever it was, very precisely- "has a photographic memory."