Scott Langston sat on his couch, the last bottle of rum he had left laid empty in his hand. With his other hand, he rubbed his forehead. “I need to pick up more on my way back from the banquet.” he said to himself. “Speaking of that I should probably be on my way. Plus, they have booze there.” he stood up and straightened his tie as best he could without a mirror, and opened the door to leave.

Standing on the other side of the door about to knock on it was a slender black man wearing a tattered incomplete suit. His face had not a single blemish and he wore a pure, innocent smile. He had short dark hair that contrasted Scott’s golden ponytail. Scott knew exactly who this man was. in fact, the two knew more about each other than anyone else alive. However, the two hadn't seen each other in a few years so it was a strange surprise.

“What are you doing here Ten?” Scott asked.

“For the last time it’s Compton, not Ten and how is that a way to greet an old friend?” Compton replied annoyed.

“It doesn’t matter how I greet ya Ten, you still haven’t answered my question.”

“I wanted to see how you were doing. I just had to deal with a necromancer unblessing the rain in western Africa. There are several priests now fixing that so I was on my way to report it to the Agency.”

“What happened to your messenger hawk?”

“I lost it in a bet.”

“Oh”

“What happened to yours?”

“The Agency revoked my messenger hawk privileges because I kept sending messages asking for a raise. Now I have to use magic items that my sorcerer has, send a letter, or go there myself.”

“Fair enough.”

“Now tell me why you're really here.”

Sigh “I heard you had a run-in with the Masked Man and I was worried. Very few people have met the Masked Man and even fewer have survived their meeting.”

“Yeah, I know the stories but he actually saved my life as well as my new partner; and how did you know that I was attacked by the Masked Man?”

“A few shadows that are on good terms with the Agency saw it and reported it. And wait did you say, new partner? I never thought you would ever take on a partner after what happened to Silva.”

He gave him a look that said I don’t want to talk about that. “Okay, and yes I got a new partner and although he lacks the knowledge we gained from years with the Agency he learns quickly. He even got Iscarat to give his weapon a magic enhancement and is coming close to mastering it.”

“Your sorcerer friend is Iscarat, Iscarat Put?” he asked in shock.

“Yeah, what of it?”

“The Dimensional Devil Sorcerer?”

“...yes, but why does that matter?”

“He is capable of destroying every Agency building at once if he so wished, that’s why.”

“No he can't, he's too old. If he was in his prime then yes he could plus some but that was forty years ago.”

“...Alright, I trust you.”

“Anyways, I have a banquet to get to and I would rather not keep the host waiting. It has been good seeing you. Good day Ten.” he said pushing past him in the doorway and closing the door behind him.

“For the last time it’s Compton.” he replied as Scott walked down the stairs with nothing more than a wave over his shoulder.

* * *

Compton stood in an alleyway two blocks behind Scott. He was tailing him as effectively as he could but was struggling to keep up with the drunk Agent. “I don’t understand why you’re having me tail him instead of getting a shadow to do it.” he said into the front of his pocket watch. A face on the watch shook its head.

“No shadow wanted to follow my son-in-law for fear of their own life. I figured you could do it since both he and I trust you.” The face said.

“I understand, sir. But tell me do you really think he could be working with the Masked Man?”

“No, Silva loved the Agency and Scott would never do anything that could bring harm to what she loved. He loved her too much. but the higher-ups believe it to be a possibility so they wanted someone to keep an eye on him.”

“I see, but if he isn’t working with the Masked Man then why did he keep it a secret?”

“I don’t know but keep following him and maybe we’ll find out.”

“Yes, sir.” Compton said before putting the watch in his vest pocket. It fell out of the pocket thru a hole he forgot was there and the watch shattered on the ground. “Damn it, that was worth more than a year's wages. The director’s gonna kill me.” he said as he picked up the pieces and put them into his other pocket.

When he stood back up he had lost Scott. “Oh bugger. Where'd he run off to now?” he said taking off in a sprint towards where he thought Scott had gone.