CHAPTER 30: TENSION
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NAME: DI AVA
CODENAME: ALECTO
AGENCY: NIS
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I slammed open the glass door, making a grand and urgent entrance into the NIS’s main meeting room. The agents inside quickly glanced at the new arrival however continued their frantic work. I marched over to the large, white table, reaching out towards the touch screen computer embedded in it. Sliding my finger diagonally across the table, the satellite image of the harbour Yunho reported seeing Nesoi at was brought up. I, then, begun to tap my finger on locations on the map where agents should be positioned to prepare for to ambush the NJC.

“Alecto!” Artemis* cried, interrupting my work, “Unit 19 has just arrived in Seoul, should I have them continue moving?”

“No,” I replied, “They will be too late. Have them cut off traffic at all the largest roads.”

“What about Unit 24, they will be able to arrive in Gwangju.”

I nodded.

“Demeter, do we have any updates on Unit 7?”

“Yes, they will be here in 1800 hours.”

“Alright, have Unit 24 head to the Incheon International Airport – it’s imperative that none of those damned NJC leave. I want Unit 7 to block off even the smallest of roads. All units patrolling the North to South Korean border are to stay put.” I said, now returning to the satellite map.

Suddenly I realized that the agents in the room still haven’t moved. I snapped my head up and looked around. The agents were still staring at me: waiting for a command.

“Are you all waiting for me to give you orders?” I snapped. “We need agents that can think for themselves in the NIS, not sheep in a herd!” The agents quickly responded to my yelling, quickly returning to a mad frenzy. Zeus had walked in the same moment I had voiced my anger.

“Alecto,” he said, slowly and calmingly, “nothing of this magnitude has ever affected the NIS before. You cannot be so harsh on them.”

“Zeus, the NJC are here in Korea. Not only that, we have found which district they are in! This is our chance to rid the world of a terrorist nuisance! If there was a time to be harsh, I think it would be now." I barked. Now that I think about it, Zeus hasn’t been thinking straight since Jaejoong had been captured by the NJC. Not only that, but he was getting old: he was the head of the NIS at the age of 58. Perhaps he should relinquish his position for someone of a younger age? Zeus sighed. We both left the main office to prepare ourselves for the upcoming battle.

“Alecto.... Ava, I want every able bodied agent to surround the entire area. You and I and the other top agents, I want us to get to that harbour ourselves.” Zeus said as we walked to the weapons room.

“Alright, Zeus. I’ve marked the areas on the map that would suffice for an ambush, who do you want to take with us?”

“Max, definitely,” Zeus said, “his expertise in technology will keep us connected and keep the situation under control.”

My heart leapt a beat. Changmin, out there? What if he’s hurt? No. That wouldn’t happen: he would be safe inside a car.

“I also want Aura out there, despite everyone’s beliefs of her being a traitor. She’s a valuable asset – we just need someone to keep an eye of her: just in case. I also want Apollo*, Artemis, Demeter, Aphrodite*, Dionysus*, Pallas*, Haephaestus*, and Nyx. Nyx would be happy to have a chance to avenge Helios.” Good. He didn’t mention Yunho’s name.

“I agree.” I said, “What about – ”

Suddenly, a firm hand landed on my shoulder. I twisted around. I was so engrossed in my conversation that I didn’t notice Yunho behind me.

“I’m coming too,” he said sternly. He must have heard our conversation and the lack of his name in the list Zeus gave.

“Absolutely not,” I said firmly. He opened his mouth to protest and I cut him off before he could: “You’re injured. And don’t tell me a bullet through your palm isn’t a large injury. Most of the tendons in your hand were ripped apart and you just had reconstructive surgery for it merely three hours ago. Zeus said it himself, ‘able bodied agents’. You are injured. Therefore, you are not to go.”

“I am the only one in the NIS who has seen multiple members of the NJC in Korea. I was also the one who found them, I can take you where to the spots through which they came and fled, Ava. I’m the NIS’s best field agent. You need me.”

“Fine then,” Yunho said harshly, “Then I’ll go as a citizen. Thus, it leaves you no choice but to arrest me as a party interfering with an investigation. But, no matter what you do, I am coming.”

I growled in response.

“Are you able to fight?” Zeus asked.

“What?” I cried. I was outraged that Zeus would even consider asking Yunho the question. Of course Yunho would say yes! Zeus’s mindset has totally changed ever since Jaejoong’s capture! He would never have asked such a question.

“With a bit of pain medication…maybe like Cortisone*. I’ll be fine, sir.”

Cortisone!? Is he crazy!?

“Yunho, no –”

“Take the shot, Yunho. I want my son back.”

“Thanks, sir!” Yunho cried with a wide smile. Zeus nodded firmly then walked away.

I gaped in shock. How could he? How put an injured agent’s life on the line? Yunho started to walk away.

“Yunho!” I yelled after him, I was growing hysterical; the pressure was beginning to crumble my resolve. “You can’t do this, you’re injured! What if, because of your injury, you become a liability? And what if – ”

“Ava,” Yunho said evenly, “calm down. Nothing is going to happen. The NJC are strongly outnumbered. We cannot lose.”
“But we lost Jaejoong, Yunho! The NJC were outnumbered then too!”

“That was the traitor's fault! And unless you plan on betraying my wishes, deal with it, Ava.”

“I’m only trying to protect you Yunho! If you gone there's no one left for me.”

“No. You’ll have one more,” he said, a gentle smile. Wow. Was my ‘relationship’ with Changmin so apparent that even someone as oblivious as my older brother noticed? I quickly casted my eyes downward, my face grew hotter and my heart raced with embarrassment. He chuckled then wrapped his uninjured arm around me.

“Lil sis, don’t think I’ll die so easily, okay?” Yunho said cheerfully, squeezing me gently. I still hadn’t lifted my eyes, and then I felt the softest pressure against my forehead. When was the last time we had shown such familiar sibling affection? It was an omen. A bad sign. I still shouldn’t be letting this happen…

“Speak of the devil…” Yunho murmured suddenly.

“And the devil shall come.” A new voice finished. I flipped out of Yunho’s arm and faced to turn Changmin who was approaching us at a leisurely pace. Yunho sniggered and approached him. The heat returned to my face again at the sight of Changmin. They high fived each other and had a quick conversation consisting of Yunho asking Changmin to give him a radio.

Then Yunho left.

Leaving me alone with Changmin, Changmin who was only 10 feet away from me.

My heart leapt in my chest.

It wasn’t exactly a terrible feeling – more like adrenaline induced excitement.

What is wrong with me?! This never occurred before!

“Is it weird,” Changmin begun, “that I am a little jealous if Hyung?”

Ah, so Changmin saw the exchange between my older brother and me.

I didn’t reply.

He sighed exasperatedly.

“We are ready to leave, Alecto,” he said in a professional manner. “The roads leading to the harbour have been blocked off.”

I nodded stiffly then turned to leave.

“Wait! Alecto!”

I stopped.

“Be careful.”

Warmth bloomed within me and my lips curled up in an unexpected smile.

I nodded.
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*Artemis – Greek goddess of hunt
*Demeter – Greek goddess of agriculture
*Apollo – Greek god of music
*Aphrodite – Greek goddess of love and beauty
*Dionysus – Greek god of wine
*Pallas - Greek Titan of warcraft
*Haephaestus - Greek god of blacksmith 
*Cortisone – a steroid used to kill inflammation of tissue and thus relieving pain. There are two problems with it. First the steroid itself has a side effect that causes weakening of the tissue if it is overused. Second, it doesn’t cure the problem. It only hides the pain. It's like taking Tylenol to relieve a toothache. The pain goes away for awhile but the problem is not fixed.

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Author's Note: We are sorry for the two day delay. Both Amaya and Hisoka had some issues to take care of.
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| Always Keep the Faith |