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The subway. Hayate smirked.

The tunnels under New York City were a fricking maze of the main subway, the storm drains, the sewers themselves, old aquifers, the retired pneumatic transit tunnels, and various hand dug passages made by the locals over the years.

Even with a tracker... this would be interesting. The man had given them a choice.

Staying, maybe getting some time inside this place's internal computers, seeing if he could get intel on who had burned him?

He glanced back at the two guards. Unlikely.

He could go, and put his own skills to use. His decade as a thief had given him a working knowledge of the tunnels under the city, as well as a more than working knowledge of it's skyline. Second story work had always been his favorite. But getting field work down in that maze would be a chance for escape.

He headed for the briefing room.

Time to get to work.

Due to the pressure from his colleagues back at the research branch of the division, Cato hadn't considered the fact that the mission would be dangerous. Though it was true that he had a reason to find Dr. Fielding, it only just dawned on him that this mission could get him killed. And he had never done any fighting before in his life. What was the chief thinking!? Sending a civilian to become an agent!?

But Cato trusted him regardless. He wasn't the chief for nothing. For the entire time he was on the research team, he had always respected the chief for his sound judgment in all situations. He was truly a man to be respected. But this was madness. Or so he thought at first. What would the chief want him to do as an agent, he wondered. Though it was true the Crystallux girl would be with them on the mission, Cato was uncertain of her fighting ability. All he knew is that she was a tracker. Chances are she's a civilian working with the agents, like him.

But as those thoughts raced through his mind he noticed that one of the agents got up and headed to the seal arts room. He looked about the same height as Cato, maybe a bit smaller, but he also noticed the quick pace with which he moved. Judging from the looks of his clothing, he was fast on his feet, as though his job depended on it. With this, he thought, his chances of survival were a little bit better now. Maybe others would follow. And if he didn't go to the sewers, maybe he would never find Dr. Fielding. It seemed that the best thing to do would be to go to the sewers and track down Dr. Fielding with the other agents. With that in mind he got up and headed to the seal arts room to be briefed on the mission.

As he headed there however, he remembered the presentation he had just seen. "So... That's why he stole it." He thought to himself...

'Damn!' Akima thought as she frowned, 'Damn you, Dr. Fielding. Do you realize what you've done?!' It was now quite plain why she had been called in. The Jupiter Arcanum Array was top secret; need-to-know basis and all that.

She had to find this crystallux, and quickly. Dr. Fielding and his little project were coming home one way or another.

Akima quickly got up, and all but ran to Seal Arts Room 5.

"Eeny meeny miny you." Jiles mused, mostly to himself, and walked out after Akima. The fact that she was practically running made him curious, well he was curious about lots of people there, but that put her at the top of the list. Jiles had no trouble keeping up though even after he caught up and started running backwards, Juvenile's could be funny that way. "I know we're joining the game kind of late, but you do know that we can't really start moving on the board until everybody who's going gets there too, right? So what's your rush?" Somehow, Jiles was managing to maintain his grin and even avoid tripping over his own tail, or anyone/anything else for that matter, whilst keeping pace.

Joshua:( he shuts his book as he places it in his bag and removes his glasses and places them away as well as he walks off after the others) Might as well their going to need some sort of doctor around to make sure they don't die of injury *sigh* ( he walks after the others as he catches uP to the two running)

Akima huffed. "Listen, Jiles, what's going on with Dr. Fielding is big, seriously big. If you knew half the things I knew, you'd be doing the same. The sooner we find the Dr. and the array, the better."

She didn't mean to be so rough and brusk, but the recent news had agitated her.

Joshua: ( he finally catxhes up to jes and akima) so this Jupiter weapon thing is really that big of a deal? It seemed important enough but the way your acting miss it seems really dangerous?

"Hey Josh, well you know dad. Never does anything small. He's like Doctor Halsey, except instead of turning us into super soldiers to fight insurrectionists he just gave us power and turned us loose upon the world." Jiles turned his attention back to Akima. "Well, we kind of are doing the same, aren't we?" He gave her a playful grin and continued, "So, any ideas as to exactly what the game is? It's difficult to win if nobody explains the rules." Not that that had ever stopped Jiles before.

Joshua: yeah dad...how could I forget anyway Jiles Is right were all after the same thing ( once they arrive at the room) "game" seriously Jiles is that all you ever think about for as long as I've known you all you ever talk about I games..besides what are you curious about the rules for I remember you beating me countless times in games you didn't even understand...

Akima looked to Jiles and Joshua and in a deadly serious voice said, "You want rules? Put it this way: so long as the Jupiter array is outside of Division control, live under the assumption that today is your last day, literally. The entire Black Op's is currently at DEFCON 1; that tell you anything?"

Joshua: That's your very serious under pressure...if jasper was planning to destroy the world I get the feeling he would of done of allready but your right we do have to take this seriously do what do you suppose we do? We should probablly get a move on though of its as bad as you say

"Oh god, oh god, we're all going to die?" Hayate said, his tone deadpan. He looked back over his shoulder, expressionless.

"We'll find the doc, get the Math Equation from hell back from him, and set this thing to right."

Joshua: there he has a good additude worse case scenario we fail and all die what could possibly go wrong.....( he stretches) oh well I have a question...Why'd we build a giant death weapon I the first place?! ( he leans against the wall) so anyway what exactly is the plan we find and protect this girl but then what?

Don had taken his sweet time in getting to the seal arts room. After all, he was still thinking about the briefing. " You know it really makes you think, after all this time of knowing the man, I have never seen Shadow drink during a briefing. Something is surely wrong...." Don said as he frowned and kept walking. Don got to the door of seal arts room five and turned around to face the group. "Hey Jiles! Isn't it funny how the girl here thinks? We are all gonna die? Not on my watch! Oh another thing, what is monet doing these days? Did she ever open that coffee shop on fifty first street at mcallahan?" Don said as he entered the door way of the room. Don noticed Joshua and answered the boy. "Im not entirely sure. But if the Doctor has enough money to run up a bill, he may have enough money to pay off who ever killed those agents. Let's go to seal arts. I think they are waiting for us."

Cato, despite being a bit nervous, took in seat in the room, and waited for the mission briefing.

Jiles's grin was unphased by Akima's outburst. He did, however, shrug, "Don't be such a drama queen. I could have a heart attack, accidentally trigger an ancient artifact and be vaporized, or even be crushed by a grand piano. Such are the long standing rules of the game of life." He chuckled at Joshua's remark and tugged on his tail nervously, "Yeah well, I suppose that's true."

"Well, I don't know about anybody else, but I feel safer knowing you've got my back. It'll be just like that time at the Lamar warehouse, except without those pesky redcaps. And it's a bookstore, actually." Jiles corrected Chopper genially, "Well, there is technically a coffee shop in the bookstore, but yeah, "Dragon's Lore" will be having its grand opening next week. Which reminds me, I was supposed to get you to cater for the event. Think you can handle it? I paid a visit to Atlantic City last month so be sure you come out swinging." He noticed a forest green bag on the ground within Seal Arts with the Dragon's Lore logo on it and opened it up. "Best fiance ever!" He shouted excitedly as he pulled on an archer's vambrace and otherwise geared up. Jiles's eyes became opaque as he forgot to maintain the illusion of normalcy in his excitement. He wasn't ashamed of being in love with an Octumas; he just found that it helped to put other people at ease when he looked quote "normal". He tested the bow's resistance happily and slung it across his chest.

After the meeting, Soran proceeded to his office where the new guards were probably waiting, his office wasn't exactly big but neither was it small, the new guards sat on a couch just outside his office with Fran his secretary attending to her computer just across them, he went inside and took a seat and opened a file on his desk, he then called out a name, "Robin Taira", with that a young woman in her late teens entered, Soran noted that she had dark hair and blue eyes and fair skin, "please take a seat" Soran told her as she complied, "So miss Taira, it says in your resume you are half Japanese" he pointed out, "that's right sir, my father was Japanese while my mother was american" she replied politely, "hmm, why did you apply for a guard position here miss Taira?" asked Soran as he read her profile, "I heard the pay was good, and I know some Karate since I learned it in high school, the job description mentioned minimal combat experience required" she replied, Soran looked at her, he could tell she wanted the job, "is it okay if I assign you to somebody specific? She's a researcher here and a friend of mine, or rather the sister of a friend" he told her as her eyes widened, "of course sir!" she said somewhat excited, she calmed herself down in a moment embarrassed, "your hired, please report to my secretary tomorrow, she'll give you the rest of the details" said Soran as Robin got up and left, "Ekaterina Doglov" called Soran as a blonde haired young woman entered his office, Soran noted she had bleach blonde hair and green eyes and was younger than Robin probably by a year, from her appearance and name Soran guessed she was of eastern european descent, "have a seat" said Soran as she sat in the chair across his desk, "miss Doglov, would you please tell me why you chose to apply as a security guard for division infinity?" asked Soran as he got a bottle of water from a mini fridge under his desk, "besides the good pay, I was discharged from the police and I wanted a job where I could put to use what I've learned when I was in the force" she replied with a mild eastern european accent, Soran read her profile, "you assaulted a suspect in a case you were involved in?" he asked her, "he was a sick man, he did an unforgivable thing to a little girl, his own daughter too, so I broke his lower jaw" she replied, she showed no sign of regret for doing so, "I see, well miss Doglov under most circumstances I would be against hiring you, unless you agree to be partnered with somebody, would that be alright?" asked Soran, "its fine by me" she replied reluctantly, Soran then told her to report to his secretary by tomorrow, Ekaterina bowed respectfully then left, "Lloyd Bannings" said Soran as a young man stepped into his office, Soran noted that he had brown hair and brown eyes, "please take a seat mister Bannings" said Soran as the young man took a seat, "alright Lloyd, could you tell me why did you decide to apply as a security guard for Division Infinity?" asked Soran as he looked at Lloyd's profile, "I tried to join the police but I was turned down sir, I actually came here with Katia" replied Lloyd, "Katia?" asked Soran, "Ekaterina Doglov, her nickname is Katia, she was friends with my older brother who was on the force, till he was killed in the line of duty" replied Lloyd, "I'm sorry to hear that, but unfortunately I just gave the last two guard positions to the previous two" said Soran as Lloyd looked disheartened, "however" said Soran as Lloyd looked at him, "I am going on a special assignment in a moment, I'm going to need a hand, there might be more to this than what you think, are you interested?" he asked, Lloyd thought for a moment then gave a reply.

Hayate had begun rifling through the other equipment, half bored, when he found a kit with his name and Division ID number on the side.

He cracked the box open, digging through the contents.

A replacement kit... A new sling pack, about 500 feet of bundled paracord, a full set of lockpicks inside of a leather case, a new set of gloves (ironically, the same type he normally picked up, just not reinforced), a pair of lightweight shoes to replace the pair of sneakers that the Division had issued him... a freaking machete... Not quite. A sword, heavy, but nearly brand new.

Further in, he found something that nearly turned his stomach. A handgun. Specifically, a Colt M1911. Old, but serviceable.

His stomach turned again as he looked around the room, and he thought of what he had just been accused of, not three weeks go. Couldn't trust anyone, not after that. He buckled the holster for the weapon around his right thigh, sliding the weapon in and locking it into place.

Akima was a bit tiffed that no one was taking this quite so seriously, especially Jiles and the other man that appeared to be rifling through a box of mission supplies held inside a box with a Division ID number...and his name!

Hayate Knight.

Now she knew why he looked so familiar. Knight was a master thief. His criminal record was long and headache-inducing. Akima narrowed her eyes and made it her personal mission to keep an eye on him. The last thing the Division needed was a criminal, who was foolishly being given a commission by the Division, going rogue during such a tumultuous time.

Instead, she turned to Jiles and said, "Did it occur to you that what could happen will not only affect you, but the world as well?" Akima wasn't very fond of Jiles' nonchalant, circle-of-life attitude.

Jiles turned his blackened eyes on the girl, his smile still set on his face, "Yes, five months ago. And I intend to win so that doesn't happen which is why I've spent nearly every waking moment since then trying to figure this game out or enjoying my time with Monet to it's fullest, usually both." He turned back to checking his gear. "Besides there's been the threat of a nuclear apocalypse since the 1940s, a gamma ray burst could wipe out all life on the planet, or the entire system could get sucked into a black hole. But being depressed doesn't help, so I enjoy my time while it is my turn and do everything I can to make sure that I win so that there will still be a board for my children to play on when my piece is finally put into the box with all of the others before it." He turned back to Akima his eyes returning to their normal hue, "Do you feel better now that you know what stakes I'm playing for?"