CODENAME: MAX
NAME: SHIM CHANGMIN
AGENCY: NJC
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The two girls beside me were dead – empty shells of who they once were. Hollow eyes complimented hollow cheeks, only proof of how their souls were carved out by the man that could turn even still water into a tsunami: Mickey. And I was stuck in a small van with these two all night. At least I had my computers.

The machines on the other hand, they were alive. They are sing songs and hymns, promising hope, knowledge and order. People often told me that I was much better around them then people, so I stuck with what I could communicate with. Girls on the other hand, like Aura and Nyx beside me, are a convoluted encryption. Unattainable and inaccessible, but god knows how I’ve tried. Especially the one girl I wanted to speak with the most. If, if only I could hack into Ava’s heart and let her heart reveal itself to me.

“Changmin,” the corpse called, “something’s beeping”. I turned to realize it was Nyx who had spoken; perhaps she was not so much dead as I thought. Aura was still crumpled against a corner.

“Don’t worry about it” I muttered in the haste to get back to my computers and thoughts. Nyx’s, uh, boyfriend I guess, was killed by Mickey some months ago. While Poseidon was still a sleeper agent in the NJC I think. To be honest I had forgotten about her somewhat but Zeus wants her here so here she is.

“Have you realized who this agent is that Aphrodite has been tracking?”

“No.” Yes. All it takes is a frequency match to the NJC’s radio waves and I have full access to all their communications. Well, they’ve been calling each other “heads” so I can’t be certain it’s Mickey. Either way, thank god for headsets – these girls should not hear his name in any way shape or form.

I leaned over and my heart began to quicken pace, “Ava, what’s your position?” Idiot. It’s just business and still you get nervous.

“It’s Alecto, Max. We’ve taken cover behind some cargo boxes not so far from your van. We see someone. It’s woman.”

“Good. I’ve been able to triangulate the point of Aphrodite’s last sighting of Mickey. You guys should be at the base of the harbour so - Nyx!” Dammit, after I’ve been avoiding his name for so long!

“Ava, get U-know to take a couple agents and head through the ware house that’s behind you,” a thin body blew past me, threw open the doors of our van and ran off to Ava’s direction, “Get to the other side now! Take a shot, distract the NJC woman!”

“Ava, both Aura and Nyx are heading over to you!” and with that I threw off my headset to try and catch up with at least one of them. God, how could I be so careless!

Ava’s boxes weren’t that far at all. But Nyx had already gotten so far, but Aura wasn’t running nearly so wildly. Maybe if I could get there!

“Nyx!” one of the agents started to shout in surprise, Ava threw her hand over her but it was too late. I could hear her muffled voice from even here. Nyx blew past them. The agent who had called out to her tried to grab her hand and started to chase her down.

A shot echoed in the air. But it wasn’t Yunho’s gun.

Aura took the distraction to curve her run between two buildings – she was planning to run around the Ava’s group. She obviously wasn’t running as wildly as Nyx but she was still a liability.

Another shot- this time followed by a slight thud. Was this my fault? Did I doom everyone just from a single slip of a word?

An agent jumped up to see if it was one our own that had fallen I guess, but another shot seemed to wait for him. But it seems like Ava was able to pull the figure down in time.

I turned to follow Aura, she at least I could save. I had to save. This is my fault.

But by the time I managed try and run through the two building just as Aura had, she was already gone.

My lungs burned. My head throbbed. How pathetic.

I slowed my sprint to a laboured walk. But I kept moving from the lack of a better idea.

Moving around this last warehouse the port opened up around me revealing a group of bodies waiting instruction from a man. Running into the NJC would be the icing on top of the cake. But upon closer inspection I realized that it was Zeus and his unit. One of his men already has his gun pointed at me. But I had already had my one hand on my knees and the other hand up in the air in a wave.

“Max,” one of the agents said as they came up to me, “you’re coming with us.”

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Author’s Note:

Hisoka: …there is nothing for us to say but sorry? Both Amaya and I have started university and thus we don’t exactly have a lot of time to write anymore. However, we still will finish this story!

Amaya: It will be done! It will be finished!

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| Always Keep the Faith |