Eric turned to look at his recruits as Ice talked to him. He hated when the plan got changed on him and he really hated surprises. The fact that there was a change could only mean one thing. He glared back at Ice before he nodded for his recruits to go with her. He figured that it would be easier if the whole group was together. He thought that it worked better if they all were one big group. He preferred it that way. "You heard the pretty lady. Let's follow her." He said walking out with her. "I would guess that the director changed the dance ." He explained simply.

Dean loojked back at both of his teammates. "Huh... This lot does not seem so very organized." He complained as they left the area.

Conversation was stopped short was Agent Ice stormed into the room. Rookie kept a tight smile and refrained from cursing—her presence seemed to promise pain and hardship. Rooke turned to Dean with a weak smile and said quietly, “It is what it is. Too bad we have to blindly follow them.” He turned to follow Agent Ice and Jackal, trotting forward to catch up to the other recruits.

“Back together again, eh? We should have a team name—it builds camaraderie, and if we’re going to be together for a while, there should be some of that.” He placed a finger to his lips and looked up at the ceiling, almost talking to himself. After the initial shock of the past hour, Rooke was regaining some semblance of self; maybe he'd start putting together finances for the group or program an website detailing their progress. He laughed lightly at the thought and continued forward, a giddy joy bubbling in his chest.

It wasn’t like his projects at home were going anywhere—that’s what his partner was for. Taking another cursory glance at the people he was with, he decided to take the experience for what it was: an opportunity.

With renewed vigor, he moved to introduce himself to the other recruits and moved in step with the other girl who was supposed to be under Agent Jackal and offered his hand,” Hi, I didn’t get your name earlier. I’m afraid the only names I know here are nouns and ‘Dean' over there."

Nikki gave him a gracious smile and said, “Nicole. Nicole Bardeck, but everyone calls me Nikki. Just call me Nikki. I don’t like Nicole. It sounds like an old person name.” Nikki smiled at him and nodded to him. “It’s nice to meet you Ravi.”

Before the conversation could go any further, Agent Ice stormed back in, the other three Recruits from their group hot on her tail with Agent Jackal trailing behind. Nikki stood up, looking at the fury on Agent Ice’s face and the irritation on Agent Jackal’s face. Nikki, for the first time ever, was silent when they approached. Agent Ice spun and stopped in front of everyone, her arms crossed across her chest.

“Alright everyone,” Agent Ice started, agitation showing immensely through her voice. “There has been a change of plans, so we will actually be training together. So we might as well get to know each other. My name is Rylee Blacks, as most of you know. You will call me Blacks, Agent Blacks, or Agent Ice. Eric Cole will be helping train you alongside me, a.k.a. Agent Jackal.” Rylee crossed her arms across her chest and took a deep breath. Her arms lifted and fell with her chest and she ran a hand through her hair. Unlike the girls, she didn’t have her blonde hair back.

“Starting off, we will be doing hand to hand training. All of you will need to learn it, no matter what your position is. Runners will go first. Nikki, Dean, you two will be doing the most hand to hand combat out in the field. You will also need the most cardio because you will be running the most. Now, you two watch first off. The rest of you stay silent.”

Rylee grabbed Eric’s arm and pulled him out onto the field. She set him perfectly straight and walked a few feet away. She then proceed to swing a punch at him. In his instincts, Eric grabbed her arm, twisted it around her back, and kicked her in the back of the knee. He then proceeded to slam her into the ground. Rylee coughed at that, her knees behind shoved into her lungs and Eric dropped her arm. She stood up and looked at Nikki and Dean. “You two will copy that. The rest of you will practice punching on punching bags.” Rylee jerked her chin toward the punching bags near the other end of the large room. “Wrap your hands, and begin practicing. I expect eat of you to be able to at least make a bruise on contact with a skin by the end of this. I don’t care if your fingers bleed. You will practice until I say it is enough.” Rylee glared at all of them. “Dismissed! Do your work.”

Nikki, now only slightly frightened by Agent Ice, walked out into the middle of the mat and waited for Dean. She looked over at Ravi, fear in her eyes, but she took a deep shuddering breath and tried to remain calm. Maybe taking this was a bad idea…

---

“You know what to do,” the deep bass voice on the other side of the radio said menacingly and the Commander switched off. Flynn shook his head and pulled a flask out of the inside pocket of his suit. In a few minutes, he would be referring to himself only as Ghost. Great. He took a switch of the Scotch inside. It seared down his throat and he growled and shook his head. He cracked his knuckles and peered over his shoulder, looking at Mason.

“You ready for this?” he asked, his accent coming in slightly thicker than normal. He stared into the darkened room, watching the stirring forms of the teenagers begin to wake up. He took a deep breath, not waiting for the response from his partner and he pressed a button on the panel in front of him. The lights flared up, turning the room completely white. The new Recruits would not be able to see him or his partner, but they could definitely see them. It was a one way mirror, just like the other Recruit room.

“What I am about to tell you, you cannot tell anyone else. If you do, there will be severe consequences. My name is Flynn James, a.k.a. Ghost. Don’t worry. You’ll figure out why they call me Ghost later. You have been chosen for your skills, brains, and personality to be a part of the U. M. F., also known as the Underground Mission Force. We are not CIA, or FBI. We are not related to the government. We have called you here today for you to accept and begin your training with us. If you choose not to accept, your memory will be wiped and you will be sent home to live a normal, happy, dull life. But, if you do accept, you will leave your family, friends, and life behind and you will begin an entirely new life here. Are you willing to leave everything you know for the betterment of humanity? Each one of you must step up to the window and deliver your answer. There will be no questions, no explanations of who we are, what we do, and what your role is until we have gotten acceptance from those who want to be one of us. The door will not open until everyone has given their answer. Understood? Good. Now, one at a time, step up to the window to deliver your answer.”

Flynn smirked as the kids began to stumble up in confusion. He knew that they were all going to say yes. There was no way that anyone could turn this opportunity down. This is an amazing opportunity and anyone who was smart enough wouldn’t refuse it. Flynn grabbed his flask again, flipping open the top with ease, and downing half the Scotch. He turned to Mason and asked, “Want some?”

Michelle sighed, she still didn't have much of a clue of what was happening. She'd thrown herself into the deep end, great. She looks around at the group around her wordlessly, noting the lack of sound despite 7 pairs of boot clomping on the hard ground of the agency. “It is what it is. Too bad we have to blindly follow them.” came the voice of one of the guys in her group, the Asian one. He'd introduced himself as Rooke before, hadn't he? Or she could be wrong.

"Guess so," she mutters under her breath.

Keeping her eyes trained on either the floor of the corridor or the backs of the instructor she continues on following them, glancing at those who'd be her teammates from time to time. The one whom she was quite sure had introduced himself as Rooke gave a light laugh and continued on the journey in a giddy attitude, that was not to be said for some of the others in the small group however, including herself. She was deep in thought until the next time she glanced up he was stepping in time with her offering her his hand.

” Hi," he started "I didn’t get your name earlier. I’m afraid the only names I know here are nouns and ‘Dean' over there." Michelle gives a small laugh for the first time that day thinking about the names she had learnt, half of them being nouns themselves.

"Michelle," she replies in her usual Australian accent, accepting his hand, "You mentioned your name was Rooke, didn't you?" she asks, looking up at him with Hazel eyes. That was when Agent Ice stormed back in. Dropping Rooke's hand she listens to Ice's speech before watching her and Jackel. She closes her eyes at the moment she hits the ground. It looked painful. She was quite glad she was instructed to a punching bag.

Mason carefully unwrapped the sandwich he had brought with him, making sure that the crinkle of the paper he had wrapped it with wouldn't be picked up by the Commander's microphone. He could care less how Flynn would feel about the sandwich, the Commander was another matter. He always had an ace up his sleeve, or rather a flask full of scotch in his pocket, to keep Flynn at bay. No matter how many times I ask them the cafeteria here just doesn't make that great of a sandwich. Mason thought to himself as he admired his creation, or at least half of his creation as he had hidden the other half for later. The sub he had brought with him was a masterpiece, at least to him anyway. Surely, there can't be a better sandwich anywhere on this Earth. He licked his lips as he gingerly picked up the sandwich and looked on in awe as he took in the ingredients of the sub when he heard the Commander signing off. Oh, shit!

Mason's eyes flicked over to Flynn as he asked, “You ready for this?” Their eyes met for just a brief moment over Flynn's shoulder and whether or not Flynn had even paid attention to the sandwich Mason couldn't tell, and Mason was in no position to answer Flynn's question with his mouth watering as much as it was. Luckily enough it seemed that Flynn wasn't expecting an answer as he began into the U.M.F.'s introduction for all recruits.

Hell! This little spiel hasn't changed since I was a recruit! He was reminded of when he woke up in one of the cramp little rooms, half asleep and half confused about how the hell he had even got there. He shrugged as he pushed his memories back down where they belonged. "Oh, well," He muttered as he licked his lips again before taking the first bite of his sandwich just as Flynn finished delivering his speech.

He hadn't even been able to pull the bite away before Flynn turned to Mason with his flask held out to him. Well that certainly is kind of him. Mason thought as he looked from the flask, to Flynn's face, to the sandwich in his mouth and back to the flask. Damn his generosity! He took the sandwich out of his mouth. "No, thanks," He used one of his hand to lift open his suit's jacket to reveal the steel flask in the inside pocket. "Got my own, but I promise to share." He looked at the sandwich longingly for a moment, contemplating whether he should share it or not before finally extending it towards Flynn. "Want some?" Mason shook the sandwich slightly as if trying to coax Flynn closer as if he were a dog in need of a good petting. "Uh," He pointed towards the beginning of his bite mark on the bread. "Maybe just stay away from that bit there."



Sabastian was still half asleep, but even half asleep he couldn't help the sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach that he wasn't back at the barracks anymore. He continued to keep his eyes closed and mimicked being asleep as best he could as he gingerly moved his arms and legs under the covers to try and get an idea of where he was. The blanket feels the same. So does the mattress and pillow. His feet pressed up against a wall about the same time that his hands hit another. But not I'm in a cubicle? Where the hell am I?! He could feel himself starting to panic as his mind raced with possibilities. Have I been kidnapped? No, no one in their right mind would kidnap a soldier from the middle of an army base. Then have I been rescued? That's even less likely, the squad wouldn't throw away their lives like I did. I'm still kicking myself for that. He tried to calm himself and bring his breathing back to normal, it took a few minutes but he was finally able to.

Okay, just open your eyes, Sebastian. Just open your eyes. Sebastian continue to tell himself that as he slowly, and carefully, opened his eyes. Okay, so I am in some kind of bunk. He thought as he looked at a black white wall he was facing. Getting some kind of bearing on where he was, although it didn't help him understand where he was, did help him calm down a bit more, enough that he could hear others in the room with him. I'm not alone. Sebastian took a moment and held his breath long enough to listen to the others. There are at least three others in here with me. So four total. But why?

He was violently pulled from his thoughts as a loud click activated the lights in the room banishing the darkness he had grown accustomed to and causing the white room to blind anyone foolish enough to be looking at it when they came on, namely himself. "Sonofa-" He started as he instinctively threw his hands over his eyes and tried to sit up only to bang his head into the top of the bunk his bed was in. Now he was blinded in an unknown room, with three other unknown people and already a minor head wound. He wasn't much of a soldier to begin with but he knew if it came down to a fight he was as good as dead.

Then there was another sound, the static of an intercom system buzzing to life followed by a heavily accented Australian voice beginning to speak. “What I am about to tell you, you cannot tell anyone else. If you do, there will be severe consequences. My name is Flynn James, a.k.a. Ghost. Don’t worry. You’ll figure out why they call me Ghost later. You have been chosen for your skills, brains, and personality to be a part of the U. M. F., also known as the Underground Mission Force. We are not CIA, or FBI. We are not related to the government. We have called you here today for you to accept and begin your training with us. If you choose not to accept, your memory will be wiped and you will be sent home to live a normal, happy, dull life. But, if you do accept, you will leave your family, friends, and life behind and you will begin an entirely new life here. Are you willing to leave everything you know for the betterment of humanity? Each one of you must step up to the window and deliver your answer. There will be no questions, no explanations of who we are, what we do, and what your role is until we have gotten acceptance from those who want to be one of us. The door will not open until everyone has given their answer. Understood? Good. Now, one at a time, step up to the window to deliver your answer.”

He sat in silence, not wanting to move anymore after already hurting himself and thought on what he had just heard. U.M.F.? Ghost? We were chosen? What the HELL is going on here! He remained in the bunk, his mind still reeling with the information that had just been thrust upon him. It seemed like a simple question, join them or have your memory erased and return to your life. Sebastian's life wasn't really something he was looking forward to returning to, but he wasn't sure he was ready to join something like this. I'll wait. I'll wait and see what the others answer before giving my own.

Stanley woke up with a gasp and clutched his leg as ghost pain hit him. Images flashed in his mind…the dog...his uncle standing over him...the pain. His eyes flickered open and tried to adjust to the darkness but could not. He reached out with his hands tentatively upwards and around him. Feeling the concrete wall on his left he ran his hand over the smoothish surface until it hit the metal bunk above him. He felt the underside of the bunk until his hand reached the edge of the bunk and went into the air.

He twisted so he was lying on his stomach and felt around until his hand touched the ground. Stanley tried to remember...remember anything. He knew he had gone to school and... The principals office! He went there and...nothing. He spun himself back onto his back and tried to think of a plan. Thoughts kept whizzing in his head and wouldn’t leave. Thoughts like ‘who brought me here?’ and ‘how did I get here?’ and ‘how long has it been since I’ve been taken?’

“GAHH” Stanley cried out with pain and shut his eyes as the lights flooded his eyes. Squinting with one eye Stanley looked around the room seeing bunks with other bodies squirming as well.

“What I am about to tell you, you cannot tell anyone else. If you do, there will be severe consequences. My name is Flynn James, a.k.a. Ghost. Don’t worry. You’ll figure out why they call me Ghost later. You have been chosen for your skills, brains, and personality to be a part of the U. M. F., also known as the Underground Mission Force. We are not CIA, or FBI. We are not related to the government. We have called you here today for you to accept and begin your training with us. If you choose not to accept, your memory will be wiped and you will be sent home to live a normal, happy, dull life. But, if you do accept, you will leave your family, friends, and life behind and you will begin an entirely new life here. Are you willing to leave everything you know for the betterment of humanity? Each one of you must step up to the window and deliver your answer. There will be no questions, no explanations of who we are, what we do, and what your role is until we have gotten acceptance from those who want to be one of us. The door will not open until everyone has given their answer. Understood? Good. Now, one at a time, step up to the window to deliver your answer.”

Stanley had thought his head had been awhirl with thoughts before but now many different questions were vying for his attention. ‘Why am I here?’, ‘Who is the U.M.F.?’ and the most prominent question he spoke quietly, “I’ll have to leave my family?”

With this, Stanley rolled out of his bed and ended up sprawled on the floor. He pushed himself off the ground and turned quickly to face the mirror. He looked down and saw that he was still in his trouser, shirt, tie and shoes. Tucking his shirt back in and straightening his tie, he walked up to the mirror and glared at it for a couple of seconds. “I wont have to see my family?......I accept.” He then walked over to the wall and leaned on it, folded his arm and waited to see if anybody else was going to accept.

Ravi smiled down at Nikki, glad that she had introduced herself properly, now he could say her name without making it awkward in anyway. Unfortunately, her introduction left him wondering why Nicole made her feel old. It seemed to him that it was the youngest name you could get, Ravi shrugged, everyone felt differently about things.

Before Ravi to respond to Nikki's greetings, Agent Ice strutted back in, anger and frustration etched into her features. Ravi sighed and kept his anger under wraps, she just had to come in now. This was the perfect opportunity for him to get to know more about Nikki, when they were alone, and Ice had to walk in with everyone else.

Ravi stood up and watched Ice's demonstration, frowning as she was thrown to the floor violently. It didn't exactly look like a fun experience. Ravi's frown grew deeper when Nikki and Dean were paired together, muscle bound did not look like a good person to be wrestling with, especially when he would be grappling a woman. Ravi glanced at Nikki just as she looked at him, fear apparent in her eyes. Ravi could only give her a reassuring smile before he had to go beat up the punching bag.

Ravi took a deep breath before walking over to the punching bags, regretting his descion to stay more and more every step he took. He soon found a gauze on a table not to far from the punching bag, which had an assortment of workout items. He quickly wrapped with translucent cloth around his wrist, palm, and thumb, which he was sure to be the correct and best way to do it, before walked over to a red punching bag. Ravi glanced around in confusion, he didn't even know how to throw a punch the right way.

"Some help would be nice." Ravi mumbled despondently, glancing at the others, hoping that he could learn from their example.

Laura stirred, and then her eyes immediately shot open. Her body could sense that this was not her bed. Why wouldn't she be in her bed? What happened last night?

She shot upright, eyes wide open. The whole gang had been busted. She must be in prison! She glanced around. It certainly looked like prison, but the room was too large, and upon closer inspection, she was in a bunk bed. A hostel, then? Why was she in a hostel? She'd just been arrested. Maybe this was some kind of holding place. Maybe the rest of the guys were here too. She needed more light to see, though. Where was her phone? She reached into her pocket, and there wasn't a pocket there. She jumped out of bed and padded herself down. Her jacket was gone too. In fact, the clothes she was wearing were definitely not her own clothes.

It was then, that the lights turned on. She had to shield her eyes until they slowly got used to it, but was grateful that she could see now. At least, she'd be able to see when the black spots went away.

The room slowly came into focus, and she looked around. Her mates weren't here at all, just four other strangers about her age in bunk beds similar to hers, and one mirror on the far wall. There were no windows or radiators, so she doubted this was a hostel. Not prison, not a hostel. What was this place? A sudden voice snapped her out of her thoughts.

“What I am about to tell you, you cannot tell anyone else. If you do, there will be severe consequences. My name is Flynn James, a.k.a. Ghost. Don’t worry. You’ll figure out why they call me Ghost later. You have been chosen for your skills, brains, and personality to be a part of the U. M. F., also known as the Underground Mission Force. We are not CIA, or FBI. We are not related to the government. We have called you here today for you to accept and begin your training with us. If you choose not to accept, your memory will be wiped and you will be sent home to live a normal, happy, dull life. But, if you do accept, you will leave your family, friends, and life behind and you will begin an entirely new life here. Are you willing to leave everything you know for the betterment of humanity? Each one of you must step up to the window and deliver your answer. There will be no questions, no explanations of who we are, what we do, and what your role is until we have gotten acceptance from those who want to be one of us. The door will not open until everyone has given their answer. Understood? Good. Now, one at a time, step up to the window to deliver your answer.”

That explained a few things, but just opened up a lot more questions. Questions that she didn't have the brainpower to try to answer now. Still, it's not as if she had any kind of choice. Her options were jail, or the unknown. Not exactly a dilemma.

Laura stepped forward. "I'm in, I guess."