"You called for me, sir?"

"Yes, I did, Agent Ming. Come have a seat."

Ming crossed the room and sat down across from her boss, a bald, middle-aged man with a serious face and an ugly red scar over his left eye.

Despite his intimidating looks, it was something she was very used to. This man, whom had taken care of her since she first arrived at Triple-Zero, was practically the only thing she had to a father figure. She respected him above anything, and he often made allowances for her when she and Lay got caught pranking people.

She fidgeted in her seat impatiently, hoping Boss -- she's called him that for years since she doesn't know his real name -- would just tell her if she has a damn mission or not.

Sure, Paris was great, but she's been waiting for a chance to do a solo mission since she was thirteen. Kris got to do his first solo when he was ten. Then again, she thought with a slight smile, her best friend could do anything. He was the best agent Triple-Zero has had in over fifty years.

"So, Agent Ming, the Board and I have decided you are ready to try out your first solo." Boss waited patiently as Ming gave a mini spasm of happiness in her seat. "Like I was saying, you've done enough training. Physically, you are strong and adept at completing many types of missions with a high degree of success. Mentally, however, you are still quite childish."

Seeing the venemous look on Ming's face, he added quickly, "You know it's true. You get distracted easily, and you lose your temper too often."

"I do not!" Ming said, seething. When Boss raised an eyebrow at her, she blushed and said quietly, "Continue, sir."

"It seems like only Agent Kris and Agent Lay can make you keep your concentration. The rest of the Board were a bit reluctant to let you go on a mission all on your own, but I think you're ready."

Ming's head shot up. "You......convinced the Board for me?" The Board was a collection of all the top leaders of Triple-Zero, and they were basically the law in her life. Anything they said, goes. Boss must have pulled a LOT of strings to get them to change their stubborn, narrow-minded minds.

"Yes, I did." Boss' eyes twinkled. "And I don't want you letting me down, Ming. Will you accept this mission?"

"Of course!" Ming said eagerly, before remembering herself and saying humbly, "I mean, it will be an honour to carry out my duty for the sake of the world's peace, sir."

"Good." He pulled out a folder and handed it to her. "This file has everything you need to know. I want it memorized before your flight tonight. You're going in there for a quick mission. Find this man, and take him out. Then come straight back."

Ming opened the folder, and saw a picture of what looked like a completely normal, tall, skinny middle-aged Chinese man. "Who is he, sir?"

"His name is Liu Fang. I know he doesn't look like much, but he is currently one of the top drug traffickers in the world."

"What?" Ming stared harder at the man so she could commit him to memory.

"He is a mafia crime lord. Personally, he is quite weak, but his connections and ability to wrap others to do his bidding makes him quite formidable. Don't go for anything too fancy, Ming, just use a sniper and give it one clean shot. I want you back in Paris within a week, alright?"

"You can count on me, sir," Ming said firmly. "Absolutely."

She stood up, bowed, and left his office.

The second the door was closed, she gave a squeal of delight and jumped up and down, hugging the folder to her chest. She finally had a solo mission! And not just a stealth and tracking one, either. A full-out assassination. She doubted even Kris had an assassination for his first solo.

"Well well well, look who's so excited," a voice chuckled from behind her.

Ming whirled around. "Kris gege!" She tackled him into a hug. "You're back! How was Svalbard?"

"Cold as heck, let me tell you." Kris' handsome face brightened into a warm smile he only shared with Ming, as he wrapped his arms around her tightly. "I'm glad to be back in a place with a heater. So, you heard about your mission yet?"

"Yup!" Ming let go of him and proudly showed him the folder. "Look here, Kris! It's an assassination!"

"Woah, you got a good one, Ming!" Kris ruffled her short hair affectionately. "Listen, you better go pack up, okay? I'll go find Lay."

Ming nodded and ran off.

Kris smiled as he watched her figure retreat down the corridor. He knew Ming ever since she first appeared in Triple-Zero's training center as a tiny six-year-old, and they've been inseperable ever since. She was the only one who could make him smile, and even though he now shared the best friend title with Lay, who joined them when Kris was twelve, he knew he was still the only one she could fully trust with all her heart and soul.

That was good enough for him. As long as she liked him the best, he was satisfied.

{*♦*}

Beijing, China     7:30 am

Ming yawned and stretched as she sat down in a small cafe to grab a bite to eat.

The flight was long, and she spent most of the time either sleeping or reviewing the folder again. She had a nice, big, first-class seat all to herself. No Triple-Zero agent went around in economy. Triple-Zeroes travel around in style.

After the airplane landed a day ago, she had checked herself into a first-class hotel and went down to the cafe across the street to eat some breakfast.

The sun was already up and running in Beijing, and people were running around like ants doing their own thing. Ming enjoyed watching them move about as she ate her breakfast. After living in Triple-Zero all her life, it gave her some big thrills to be able to see normal people.

In all honesty, she felt a bit nervous. Kris and Lay had always been on missions with her, and now she was completely independent and on her own. She wouldn't let Boss or her best friends down, and she was definitely going to show those annoying Board members that she was capable of handling a mission by herself.

Suddenly, her cell phone rang. She answered the call. "Hello?"

"Ming? Did you arrive safely?" Kris' voice was on the line, and Ming immediately smiled.

"Yeah, I did! But wait ... isn't it, like, one in the morning over there? Why aren't you sleeping?"

"I'm perfectly fine, Ming," Kris said as he fought back a yawn. "I just want to know how you're doing, that's all. Did you get the present?"

"I did, and I love it!" Ming giddily stared at the shiny, glossy black motorcycle outside the window. It was Triple-Zero's "gift" to her as a method of transportation and quick getaways. "I'm doing fine. What about you?"

"I'm nervous because I can't be there to protect you."

Ming rolled her eyes. "I don't NEED to be looked after, gege!"

There was a sudden scuffle on the other line, followed by sounds of hands shoving someone and a string of Chinese curse words. Then Lay's bright voice appeared on the line. "My little baby is all grown up! Did you pack your toothbrush? Do you have your gun in case of emergencies? Did you bring enough socks?"

Ming snickered. "Yes I did, MAMA."

There was another scuffle, followed by sounds of Lay squeaking out "But I haven't talked to her long enough yet!" and Kris saying something like "Sir, this isn't fair! I still want to --"

Finally, the deep voice of Boss came on the line.

"Ming, do you remember the address?"

Ming was instantly on business-mode. "Yes, sir. I know the house address, but the paper is, er, a bit confusing ..." She decided not to mention that somehow, when she was reading the file on the airplane, she accidentally spilled some coffee on the paper and the address of the house was a bit hard to make out. No need to tell.

"That will be up to you to figure out. We couldn't get enough information on this man. He's exceedingly tricky. Don't mess this up and attack the wrong guy, like last time, okay?"

Ming's face flushed red. "That wasn't my fault! He had a completely suspicious, shifty-eyed look, alright?" She looked around and, realizing someone might overhear her, lowered her voice and switched to speaking in French. "He was reaching for a gun, okay? I had to do SOMETHING."

"For god's sakes, Ming. You were in Texas. The gun was filled with blanks, and he was just using them to scare away the pigeons."

"Fine, whatever! Listen, Boss, I can DO this." Ming was speaking earnesty as she said this. "You can trust me, sir. I've waited for this day forEVER."

Boss sighed, and when he spoke again, his voice was much warmer. "Come back in a week and no later, Ming, alright? Those two fools will drive me crazy when you're gone."

Ming smiled. "Bye, Boss."

She hung up and paid for the bill. "Alright, it's go time."

{*♦*}

The neighbourhood Liu Fang lived in was very normal. So normal, in fact, Ming had to stop her motorcycle and repeatedly checked the information she had written out on a small sheet of paper to see if it was correct.

The original file had been burned up, and the sheet of paper she wrote things down upon was small enough so she could swallow it if she got caught. A trick of the trade. In a world full of high-tech gadgetry and hacking software, computers and cell phones were about as discreet and safe as a wide-open door.

She looked carefully at each house, which were all bland and boring and alike. Each one of them looked like they could hold a mild, forgettable, and dangerous villain. But which one? If only she didn't screw up the paper with the coffee. Now she had no idea if the house number was a 17 or a 23.

Blowing air out of her cheeks huffily, she realized this will take forever. A week? She could stare at each house for a MONTH and never have a clue as to which one. If only she could see someone. There was practically nobody outside at such an early morning. All adults were at work, and all students still getting ready for school.

Finally, she saw the shadow of someone through a first-floor window. The curtains were thin enough that she could just see the figure behind it. Her heart thudded in her chest. Tall and skinny.....was it Liu Fang?

Then the body started to move. It did a series of kicks and punches and flips that Ming immeidately recognized as Wushu, one of her specialties. There was a certain dangerous aura around that man as he performed those moves with ease.

The person stopped, then held something in its hand and pointed it at something. Ming froze. Was it a gun? She ran through several possible scenarios in her head, and quickly checked her paper again.

She looked at the house number. 17. So it WAS a 17 after all? Ming couldn't believe it -- she already found her target!

She was about ready to reach for the gun she had in her backpack when she suddenly heard an ear-piercing scream echo from inside the house. Her blood ran cold. Someone was being tortured, or murdered in there!

She couldn't just stand there. She HAD to save them. But what could she do? Force through the door? No, it might be bolted shut.

The scream echoed again, and she decided to do something very, very stupid.

Revving up the motorcycle, and blood pounding up to her ears, Ming sped her motorcycle straight towards the house.

It easily crashed through the gate and she led it straight to the window at full speed.

With a spectacular crash, glass fell about everywhere. She landed straight into the living room and braked to a stop in one glorious move.

She hopped off the motorcycle and saw a figure standing in shock at the doorway. Before she could get a good look at him, he had disappeared.

"HEY! WAIT!!!" Ming ran after him. "STOP RIGHT THERE, LIU FANG!!!"

The man dashed up the stairs, Ming right on his heels. He went into a room and tried to close the door. With one good karate move, Ming kicked the door away and shoved the man to the ground. Looming over him, she had her gun cocked and pointed at his face before the whole situation could be registered.

Ming blinked at the man -- no, not a man. A boy. The boy blinked back at her.

Ming looked around the room. It was a classic teenage boy's bedroom, with posters of martial artists and basketball stars on the walls, and a shelf full of manhwa and comics. A school backpack lay on the bed.

The boy himself was very tall and skinny, but also muscular. He had a very piercing, intimidating stare and dark shadows under his eyes. He stared at Ming, who stared right back.

Shivering, the boy managed to stammer out, "P-please don't hurt me."

"What the ... but you ... a gun ... Wushu ... you're ... you're not Liu Fang?" She stared at the boy helplessly.

The boy shook his head slowly, seeming unable to look away from the gun pointed at his face.

Furious anger, embarrassment, and mortification settled into Ming, who was turning red in the face. "!!!!"