The Green Valley Twins

Secret protection

"I'm much more interested in the lack of records," Gang Orca growled. "And the homes, they were targeted just like the children."

"They had everything planned out?" Miho asked, "But then—"

"Yeah, the hero-meet was the perfect timing to snatch them all up in one foul swoop." The trio turned to look at the woman approaching them. Short fawn locks were pulled back with a black headband, her heels clicked on the marble floor like witches nails, her eyes gleamed like angry golden flames. "I'm Mikuko Matsushita, manager of the nurses." The woman introduced herself as she breezed right past them, taking the following turn and letting them decide to follow her or not.

"What do you mean it was planned?" Miho asked, following the strange woman down the hall. Gang Orca and his sidekick followed close behind, distrustful and wiry, they kept their distance from the nurse-manager.

"Almost four years ago I was approached about making a lot of money very quickly by doing very little." Mikuko took the next set of stairs down and picked up her speed.

"Tell me you didn't agree," the sidekick demanded as he followed just behind Gang Orca.

"My mother was in need of medical treatment and we didn't have the money for the surgery. So of course I said yes." Mikuko scoffed at the question, as she weaved around a corner. "The task was simple enough. Hunt down unique physical traits."

"What do you mean by unique physical straights?" Miho asked, wincing as she accidentally put too much weight on her damaged ankle.

"I just had to do some research on hair and eye color," Mikuko shrugged as she walked. "I thought it would end there but it didn't. They wanted to know how common the colorations were and their association with their related quirks. I found some really interesting things."

"For example?" Miho panted, accepting Gang Orca's help down the hall.

"Did you know that before quirks albinos were identified as having white hair and skin, like snowflake white, and their eyes were either pale blue, red, pink, purple, green or silver?" Mikuko stopped walking, gesturing for them to be quiet as they neared another corner. She waved her left hand into the air, as if twirling a ribbon between her fingers, and then flicked her wrist back towards them hash enough to make a loud 'pop'.

"What was that?" the voice was accompanied by the shuffling of cloth and the clicking of metal.

"Down here! Let's go!" the sound of rushing feet heading away from them echoed back.

"Let's go," Mikuko ordered, diving into the gall and racing around the next corner. "Hurry up! We don't have much time!"

"What did you do?!" The sidekick asked as he stumbled after them.

"We can't be caught down here!" Mikuko replied, Gang Orca understood the silent order and lifted Miho off her feet. Mikuko then leaped and tapped both her heels on the outside. In response a concession of wheels popped out of her souls and she began skating across the marble floor.

"Shey-shey open the door," Mikuko ordered suddenly. Further down the hall a section of white wall opened up and a thick padded stick extended out. They had no time to stop before they were crashing into the pole and being yanked into the room. The door was clicked shut behind them and a light switch flipped before they even landed on the floor.

"Ow," the sidekick moaned

"Be quiet," Mikuko hissed, "and get off me." She elbowed the man and clamored to her feet with the help of someone else in the room. "Keep in mind that I only brought you here because I have no other choice."

"Are you well madam?" A young voice asked, drawing the other's attention. The room they were in was fairly small, filled with a dozen computers, power banks, mother systems and towering pillars of electronics they couldn't name. In one corner was a series of several beds beside a series of equally small lockers, in the further back there appeared to be a small bathroom beside something that could only be described as a very small kitchen. The lighting was dark, a few lamps beside the five computers and their operators. Gang Orca could count five pillows with matching rumbled blankets. He didn't know if these people lived here but they were relying only on the very bare minimum. Their beds were four queen mattresses shoved together and held in place by large lockers that must double as closets.

"I am well Shey-shey," Mikuko answered, dusting off her skirt and marching forward with a scowl on her face. "Mimi, that hurt." She braced herself against the table and the high back of an office chair, leaning forward to observe the computer screen. "Who'd they find Zhen?"

"Rarities," 'Zhen' answered, his accent thick and his voice soft, a clear sign he was not native to Japan. "Many rarities. They fetch good price if kept."

"Any for Greenbrae?" Mikuko asked flipping through the papers beside the man's hand.

"They want twins but settled for girl." Zhen answered. "She strong cyan, yes?"

"Too strong and she'll be chum." Mikuko replied distractedly, "any other cyans in the group?"

"Uh... Mikuko...an explanation would be nice." Miho ignored how her voice cracked in the middle of the sentence and how Gang Orca had tucked her behind himself.

"Cyan is a shade of green," one of the others hiding behind a computer chair drawled. "It's how we reference the rarest ones."

"I told you, this is my team." Mikuko repeated herself. "Team say hi." Various waves and a couple of distracted 'hi's' were followed by more clicking of typing.

"What room are we in?" Sidekick asked, staring about in wonder and curiosity. He sniffed but found no scent in the air, he gave his boss a confused look in response to the lack of smell.

"A special lab the director set up for me," Mikuko answered. "Mimi, did you get a trace on them?"

"tracker destroyed," The soft voiced one answered. "cyan still silent. No movement yet."