“Hello everyone. My name is Wu Yifan, agent name: Kris. While agent Lay is missing in action, I will be taking over the EXO department. I have heard a lot of the EXO division, and I hope you can all live up to your name. I expect nothing short of greatness from all those who are employed at SME, and least of all those in the EXO division. I don’t care what you may think of me, because at the end of the day I am not here to make friends, but to make great spies” At that, Kris shoots a look in Tao’s direction, “nurture great masterminds and create the best gadgets anyone has ever seen. EXO should be a beacon for all to look up to, coveted as the place to be in the business.” Kris begins pacing up and down the grand meeting room where the sub-department heads were sitting. “Ruthlessness is what I expect from you all, and it is ruthlessness I shall get.”

HYUK snorts from his place in the wall, and Kris visibly stiffens. Turning around on his heel, his shiny shoes glide across the carpet as he crosses the room to…pull out HYUK’s plug from the wall.

‘YOU JUST SHUT DOWN OUR MAIN DATABASE!” Chanyeol and Baekhyun both stand up, rage evident on their faces. The room falls silent as Kris regards the two engineers coldly.

“And he can be started again, can he not?”

“Well... yes. But that’s not the point! HYUK is like a person, he is far beyond your ideas of a normal computer! He will be hurt! It may be weeks before he begins to cooperate with us!” Chanyeol tried to explain.

“Well, then I simply don’t understand why you can’t make another computer less temperamental than this one.” Patting the dark monitor of HYUK, Kris turns to Baekhyun and Chanyeol who were now seething. “I think an upgrade may be in order.”

“A…a computer?!?! UPGRADE?!?!?” Baekhyun launched himself at Kris, only to be held back by Kyungsoo.

“Byun Baekhyun?” Kris looked at Baekhyun with disgust. “I suggest you begin to learn how to speak to your seniors in company because as brilliant as you may be, you aren’t irreplaceable. In fact, this goes for all of you in the company. This is a workplace, not a funhouse. Treat it like a workplace, no more “family” and no more “relaxing”. Your job is to be on alert and work diligently at all times. Do your job or leave. And if I am to understand, the real sub-department head for the spies is returning in two days’ time, is he not?” Kris looked at Tao who nodded in return. “Good. Maybe he will be better than the current interim.” With a flick of his wrist, Kris dismissed them from the meeting room before disappearing through a wooden panel door that lead to his offices.

“What… what a jerk.” Baekhyun seethed, still in Kyungsoo’s arms. Meanwhile, Chanyeol was kneeling beside the control panel, having plugged in HYUK and now restarting the database.

“I really miss Yixing.” Came a muffled response from the engineer as HYUK’s screen finally came to light. “I really, really miss him.”

“I have the subject files with me.” Tao walked into the training room, in time to see Luhan launch himself off the high bar and flip through the air gracefully before landing on his feet with a grunt.

“I’m sorry, what?” Luhan pushed his sweaty bangs out of his face and Tao noticed how nice his arms looked in cut off sleeves.

“I have the subject files.” Tao maintained his cool. I am  a trained spy. I can’t show my emotions. I can’t feel anything for my partner. Be professional.

“Ok. I’ll be right with you. Let me just go change.” Luhan ducked out of the training room, grabbing a towel and giving Tao a small smile.

“Let’s just go to the mastermind lounges, yeah?” Tao called out after Luhan, and took the muffled yell as an affirmative and set off towards the masterminds’ wings.

Running a hand through his hair, Tao walked out of the training room and towards the mastermind’s wings when he heard strange noises coming from Yixing’s- no, Kris’- office.

Now, Tao being Tao, and a spy let curiosity get the better of him. Throwing caution to the wing, Tao slipped into a corner beside the door and soundlessly crept forward, towards the office,

“You’re the one who said people listen well to fear.” Tao heard rustling and imagined Kris settling into the chair that once served his mentor. “You should have seen their faces. It was like I dangled a jar of nutella in front of their faces, and then decided to eat it and throw the rest out.” Pause. “What do you mean that’s not a good analogy?” Another pause. “Mother, I think you’re wrong on this one. I will have to disagree. EVERYONE loves nutella.”

Tao rolled his eyes and slipped away with a much different opinion of his new boss.

(To this day, Tao will bring up this overheard conversation, and Kris continues to deny it. Me? I just agree with Tao because I like seeing Kris agitated. Who wouldn’t?)

“Where do you think we should be headed?” Tao looks at Luhan who has a slight frown on his face as he studies the subject files.

“Well, the target-”

Tao cuts Luhan off. “Not target. Subject.”

Luhan takes a moment to look at Tao’s impassive face before repeating him slowly, as if tasting the words. “The subject files show him to be a middle aged man, and his habits involve him usually golfing, and attending parties. Other than attending his son’s marriage, he doesn’t really interact much with his family. He has a villa where he lives in during summer time and it’s in Crete. He likes to spend most of his time shopping in New York or Milan. He hates the city of Paris,” At this, Tao shakes his head. How coul d anyone hate Paris? Tao wanted to walk down the streets that still had intact houses from way back when, he wanted to feel like he was going back in time and escaping the clutches of present day life. “I guess,” Luhan scratched his chin thoughtfully, “I guess we have an airport to get to.”

Tao found his face splitting into a grin. Maybe this new partner wasn’t so bad.

“Even though I’m supposed to brief you on the mission, I hope you have already looked at the subject files.” Kris stared down at Luhan and Tao from his desk.

“Yes.” Tao nodded.

“Ok, well then have a seat and let’s go over this case.” Kris gestured to the seats ahead of him, indicating Tao and Luhan to sit.

“Thanks.” Tao smiled, before reaching into his messenger and pulling something out. “Sorry, I haven’t eaten in a while.”

Luhan watched in confusion as Tao ripped off the cover of his ‘Nutella & Go’ and began eating.

“Is that…Nutella?” Kris asked, reverently.

“Hmm? Oh yes.” Tao grinned