One week earlier.

Before Ellis arrived at the hazard branch in the capital for the first time, Nelson, Ellis' boss (technically), informs the only person in the capital's branch who owes him a favor.

Nelson's father was a big shot in the FIB and, during his career, made many internal enemies. Those enemies attack his father by making Nelson's life harder... among other things.

The only reason why Nelson works for the Hazard branch is the fact that that particular branch isn't fully integrated into the FIB. It's a place where Nelson has the most breathing room. Why not leave the FIB entirely? Well, that would cause more trouble down the line.

One of six Captain of Subsidiaries, J. Rollins, was whom Nelson contacted. She wasn't happy that she would have to babysit some kid from a town only known for exporting dyes and their textile industry. But once she learned that it was Ellis Vincere, the representative who made the headlines a few times, she got to thinking.

Rollins cannot take him under her belt officially since she's maxed out on the number of teams she's allowed to manage, and offering a full-time slot on one of those teams is not something she can do.

That would be demoting Ellis since she sure isn't going to demote one of her men and put Ellis as the captain. She doesn't have the power to randomly demote some captain. Especially one from another branch office.

But she had a plan. There are many loopholes regarding delegations, so she came up with the only scenario she could implement to have Ellis work for her, something she believes needs to happen if he wants to do his job.

Step one would be to meet Ellis as he walks into the building and inform him of his predicament. Then subtly influence his desperation because he shouldn't be able to get any fractures without a CoS. Sure, he could contact a higher-up in the containment branch, but who would he know there?

He's an eighteen-year-old, albeit with some accomplishments, but he's only had his system for less than a year. Yes, he is the grandchild of a First Party member, but it's no secret that he grew up in humble birth. That tidbit of information was spread around during the civil case of the century to make his position more credible.

Rollins implements him into the internal systems of the Auroran branch, basically giving him access to the property... But then a thought popped in. If she can swoop in and help him out of a situation, Rollins can be the hero in this young man's eyes. She adds a notice to his credentials. Basically, the first time he's scanned in by the gate guard, there would be a notice to contact Rollins and keep Ellis at the gate. Of course, the notice would tell the guard to keep quiet about the whole thing.

She writes the note like, [Hold this person at the gate. Contact CoS Rollins. XXX-XXX-XX. Do not inform anyone else. Do not harm the person.]

From the outside perspective, it would all be a misunderstanding on the guard's part, so there wouldn't be any punishments. The fabricated mini-crisis would be an excellent first impression.

So she thought.

As a CoS, she has a private abode on FIB grounds. While she was getting ready for work, she was contacted by the guard. It's before opening hours... Who goes to their first day on the job an hour and a half before it opens? Rollins doesn't rush. Waiting a while might be good for the youngster. It seems like he needs to calm all that hot blood inside him.

Then, she gets notified that he's actively trying to scale the walls. Since she doesn't want to write a lengthy incident report on why the representative of humanity died on their first day at the job because of an unofficial notice, she informs the guard to let him in.

She rushes over to meet him. Before she enters, she spots him. It seems like she noticed him before he noticed her. Rollins watches as he stares at the coffee filling the pot, unmoving. I guess caffeine addictions start early, she thinks.

'He's taller than I thought. Buffer too. He must not be into fashion.'

Shin high leather boots with steel toes and heels, a black Gi that looks dark red in direct light. Multiple rings over his metal glove... no, wait, he's an amputee. Clean-shaven with trimmed hair? At least he's well-groomed.

As he pours some coffee into a cup, Rollins enters. Ellis' neck snaps to look at her enter, but Rollins doesn't flinch. She coyly takes the cup and starts her plan. Her first step had a hiccup, but it's fully recoverable.

"Thanks. You must be Ellis. Nelson told me you would be coming here. Why the fuck are you here so damn early? The office opens at 8:00, and here you are at 6:30." She says.

Rollins thinks to herself, 'If you throw in some casual curses with a hint of jest, it should be a good icebreaker. Why does he smell like slightly bloody pine needles?'

She takes a sip of coffee and almost does a spit take. It's horrendous. A goblin could make a better cup than this! The scolding heat she expected, but the nauseating bitterness and the immediate jolt of caffeinated energy surprised her.

Ellis has been making steady eye contact with her, and Rollins thought nothing of it. You're supposed to make eye contact. It shows that you are respecting the conversation and focusing on it. But he hasn't blinked.

He didn't blink as he took the entire pot of coffee and chugged it. Rollins can hear the soft hissing as his fingertips hiss from contact with the pot. From Rollins's brief research, she knows he's durable, but he must still feel pain, right?

At least he should have taste buds. Is this a play for dominance? Rollins is befuddled but tries to maintain her expression.

Ellis finishes the coffee and puts the pot down carefully.

"Are you one of the higher-ups supposed to get in my way?"

Rollins asks if Ellis needs a doctor, and from there, the conversation turns into Ellis asking a question and Rollins answering. Ellis asks a lot of questions.

At one point, she mentions paying off a favor and that she cannot take him in. Rollins was alluding to Ellis asking for a favor of his own, but that doesn't pay off. Strangely, Ellis seems unbothered and even slightly happy.

Continuing the conversation, Rollins tried to pressure Ellis, presumably believing he didn't know how to traverse the complicated networks within the FIB. Ellis is unbothered, which ticks Rollins off.

She is more upset with her plan falling short than Ellis' actions, but that can change.

As Ellis walks off, Rollins recalls that Ellis didn't break eye contact once, not even to blink. It was uncanny. It was as if he was told as a young child that you should make eye contact when you speak to someone, and he took it at face value.

Rollins fell into contemplation after hearing in the break room about Ellis' supposed exercise routine, Rollins fell into contemplation. What the fuck is that guy.

~~~

Ellis worked for only an hour, and Rollins was shocked at the progress. The report was flawless, but what mattered were the contents. There was some poorly hidden frustration about his interaction with acquisitions, but his techniques were unheard of. There isn't a guideline on how to handle a fracture. That's up to the captain's discretion, but his methods of exploring the fracture are unique only to him.

Who else would be willing to inhale water while casually walking around in an environment that would melt the average agent alive in a few seconds?

At the end of her work day, Rollins got an email from above. Not many people can be considered her superior, but one of them sent her an email anonymously. It had the proper clearance to enter her inbox, so it's not some phishing email.

The email was a jumbled mess hiding their true intentions. Saying things like "Celebrities shouldn't damage their faces" or "Captains should have human team members."

She knew about Nelson's strained relationship with the FIB but never thought that somebody would target someone who briefly worked with Nelson just because they're technically representing him.

The email wasn't sent to just Rollins. Little did she know, it was sent to every CoS and other relevant people.

~~~

The next few days were buzzing with energy. Their newest member - albeit delegated - found a new creature in a fracture and finished clearing it in 3 days. A new record. A hard-working individual who went straight back into the fracture without pause.

It was also a weird time because that person reported an entire branch of the FIB. Anybody who wanted to talk to him for - any reason - decided to keep away from him after that incident, but it seemed like he didn't notice.

Rollins was embarrassed in their last encounter and decided on the mantra of 'Fuck it.' Ellis obviously doesn't want anybody's help, advice, or anything else. She knows how to take a hint.

She enters the office and notices a letter on it that wasn't there before. A wax seal of the FIB is stamped on it. She reads the letter before putting it in her magic shredder.

[Ellis Vincere cannot continue.]

Rollins rubs the bridge of her nose. She takes some migraine medication with her coffee before heading out to the party set up just for him. Luckily, someone spotted him leaving, and since he came as soon as the doors opened, it wasn't hard to guess when he'd get in.

The only issue was that everyone had to get up early. Every person not on an extended mission is going to be there.

Rollins is tasked to speak to Ellis and tries to get him to open up to other people since she is the only one who talked to him before. She calls out to the boy while he walks into the building.

Rollins begins to explain the situation, and right before she can talk about comradery, Ellis turns tail and flees. He runs full speed away like a bomb in the building about to go off.

People are looking around, muttering. What's going on? Where is he going? Maybe he's an introvert?

Rollins seemed to be the only one to notice the distraught. The blood in his face was drained, and she could hear his heartbeat from where she was standing... What an erratic heartbeat.

Rollins adheres to her new mantra, takes a slice of cake, and retreats back to her office like that didn't just happen. Minutes later, there's a knock on the door.

Another CoS walks in before Rollins can tell them to come in or fuck off. It's a man with no hair. No eyebrows, nothing. He's wearing leather armor that is covered in pockets.

"What do you want, Jerimiah."

"Judith. Did you get a letter?"

Rollins closes her eyes and sips from her mug. She nods.

"Then you know what we will have to do."

"I don't know. It wasn't very clear."

"It was extremely clear. One way or another, we have to stop him. Don't pretend that these orders weren't from someone above us... He doesn't seem the type to be paid off to quit. He's one of us no matter where he came from."

"One of you guys. Recall that I'm not some mentally ill thrill seeker."

"You work here. At the hazard branch. Where the average career lasts a year. You worked here for a decade. You're a masochist no matter how you spin it."

"Fuck it."

"So you're in?"

"No. Do whatever. Fuck it. I'm sure it will go well for you and whoever you rope in. Go kill the representative of humanity."

"Woah. That wasn't my plan. But since you're acting like that, I'm assuming you won't add to the shit show."

"Fuck it."

~~~

A person in a suit sits on a leather chair. On closer look, the chair seemed to be fashioned from some scaled hide. A dragon's head, so large that it takes the entire wall is mounted on, overlooks the office. This person looks out of the window. Instead of a city or even the countryside, nothing but an inky void is beyond the window.

We know it's not just a blacked-out window because tiny specs of light and floating bubbles can be seen drifting far into this space.

A phone chirps and the individual takes a phone from their suit's pocket. The phone's case seems to be carved from bone. They look at their subordinate's message.

[Letters Delivered.]