What We Do Matters

The familiar buzz of the biometric scanner filled the air as Clara approached the modest entrance of Luminara Corps.

It swept over her, validating her identity as if to see if she was a rogue Deviant since there have been cases of rogue Deviants wreaking havoc for sadistic purposes even in buildings of no significance.

However, an unsuspecting common person would never know that the biometric scanner was verifying her identity and cross-referencing it against a database of the world's most powerful Deviant Secret Agents of the Global Deviant Agency.

Recognizing her biometrics, the door slid open with a quiet hiss, revealing a modern elevator behind.

She stepped inside the spacious cabin and swiped her ID card through a slot beside the panel of floor numbers.

A soft beep echoed as the machine read the card. Simultaneously, she leaned closer to an ocular scanner, her eye reflected in the machine's iridescent lens.

As the green light of the scanner illuminated her eye, she spoke, her voice calm and clear. "Moonlight over the still water."

"Identity confirmed. Welcome, Agent Eclipse," a robotic voice responded. With that, the elevator began its descent, smoothly carrying her towards the secrets that lay beneath the NGO.

When the elevator finally came to a stop, she was met with a pair of thick steel doors, the acronym D.U.S.K etched into their surface. Underneath, the full form read 'Deviant Undercover Strike Knights'.

With a whisper of hydraulics, the doors slid open, revealing an expansive underground hub. The architecture was a fascinating blend of cutting-edge design and subterranean aesthetic, making the place look like a natural wonder.

As she stepped into the wide hallway, heads turned. Many of the agents there knew her by reputation as a DUSK agent, if not personally.

Some smiled, nodding their greetings with reverence and a hint of excitement. The men's eyes lingered, appreciating her stunning beauty.

They had never set their eyes on such a breathtaking goddess anywhere else.

Underneath her black blazer was her white shirt with a button open, snug against her generous bosom and revealing a glimpse of her smoothly sculpted collarbones.

Standing tall at 184 cms,her black skirt hugging her slender waist allowed her to show off her long, smooth legs. She carried herself with an effortless grace that was both commanding and alluring.

"Good morning, Agent Eclipse," one of the younger agents greeted, his eyes wide with admiration, eager to receive a smile from her that could make his day.

"Good morning," she replied, her smile warm yet reserved.

With a few more exchanged greetings and shared smiles, Clara continued towards her office. She swiped her ID once more, her retina scanned by another high-tech device beside the door. The door slid open, and Clara stepped into her sanctuary, the hum of D.U.S.K's underground hub fading behind the closing door.

The moment Clara stepped into her office, a blast of colors erupted in her direction. Party poppers boomed, releasing a flurry of shimmering confetti that floated down around her surprised face.

Balloons bounced in the air and smiles bloomed across her teammates' faces.

"Surprise!" they chorused in unison, their voices full of mirth.

"You guys…" Clara chuckled with a shake of her head.

John, the 32 year old burly, blonde jokester of the group, sauntered up to Clara with a broad grin.

He was 187cms tall and built like a tank, his stubble a stark contrast against his handsome face with strong jawline and light silver eyes.

Just like the rest Clara had known him for 7 years since the moment she joined this department. As a powerful Class 2 Deviant, he was the muscle of the team, providing necessary brute force and strength in their operations. His powers allowed him to take down high-level threats, and his charming personality often helped in negotiating and coercing information from various sources

John chuckled, "Guess we couldn't wait for another party. Since you said you couldn't come, we brought the party to you," he chuckled, his eyes crinkling in amusement as he gestured at the bottles of wine and cake arranged on the table.

"Why do I have the feeling you came up with this plan, Johnny?" Clara asked with a playful lift of one of her eyebrows, making him wink with a grin, "You got that feeling right."

Behind him was the 28 year old Julia, her short jet-black hair slicked sideways and had a petite frame. She smiled from ear to ear, her usually calm and focused demeanour replaced with pure joy, "Congratulations, Clara," she beamed, hugging Clara tightly.

Julia was an intelligence officer and an expert hacker. She did extensive research, data analysis, and surveillance for the team and was skilled in using various technologies and software to extract crucial information, helping the team to formulate strategies and lending a hand in their missions from afar.

She was also a Class 4 Deviant with the ability to gain information about a person, place, or object by simply touching it. This niche ability coupled with her hacking expertise earned her a place in the team even before she got out of college.

"Thank you, Julia but you guys really didn't have to," Clara said though on the inside she felt warm that her teammates were so happy for her.

Then came the 60 year old Trevor, his iron-grey hair and white short beard was neatly trimmed, his eyes gleaming with wisdom beyond his years. His aura was steady, and his demeanor was as cool as ever. He was tall but not as broad as John, his body lean and still quite sturdy for a man of his age. It also seemed a bit obvious he was quite handsome during his younger days.

He was the operations manager and the mentor of the team. Without him it would have been hard to devise good strategies, coordinating team efforts and managing resources efficiently.

Trevor extended a firm handshake, a genuine smile tugging at the corners of his lips, "Well-deserved, Clara," he said, his deep voice reverberating in the small room. A flicker of humor sparked in his eyes as he added, "I always knew you'd eclipse us all one day.

Clara lightly laughed at his wit and said, "Thank you, Trevor. But I couldn't have reached here without you all. You all are also going to be promoted in a way since we would be taking on bigger missions."

John's blond hair bounced as he whooped loudly, "Bigger missions, hell yeah! Bring 'em on!" His broad smile was contagious, his energy infectious.

Julia, more collected, clasped her hands together in excitement. Her dark eyes sparkled with a keen sense of curiosity, an explorer ready for uncharted territories, "This is going to be a challenge," she said, her tone steady but her voice quivering with enthusiasm, "But we're ready, aren't we?"

Trevor stroked his chin thoughtfully, "Bigger missions mean bigger headaches, I presume. But don't worry, Clara. I'll make sure to stock up on aspirin."

"Hahaha…" The entire team laughed as Clara removed the poppers that had fallen on her.

The boisterous atmosphere of the office was shattered as the announcement rang out, "Team Dark Sky, report to the meeting room immediately."

John's eyes sparkled with a childlike excitement, "This is it, isn't it?" he grinned, turning to Clara. "Your official promotion and our first step into the big league!"

Trevor, ever the pragmatic one, chimed in, "Johnny, we better gather our previous case files before we head over. Nothing like a well-prepared team to impress the high-ups."

As John and Trevor bustled out of the room, Clara was left standing with Julia, who leaned casually against the table. Julia studied Clara for a moment before her lips curled into a knowing smile. "You seem a bit hesitant, Clara. Anything on your mind?"

Taking a deep breath, Clara met her gaze. Julia was her best friend, and Clara felt she could trust her with her fears. "I... I don't know, Julia. With this promotion, I might have to be away from Alex even more than before."

Julia reached out, placing her hand on Clara's wrist. Her gaze was steady, her voice kind but firm. "Clara, you've been with Alex for 10 years. You're a strong, 29-year-old woman, in the prime of your life. This is the only time you'll get to take on such important missions, to really make a difference. You love this job, don't you?"

Clara nodded, her gaze dropping to their hands. Julia continued, her words a gentle push of encouragement, "Remember, doing this job, it's not just about you. It's about protecting Alex, protecting all the people we care about. Ever since the Great Boom a century ago, the world's changed. Deviants are a minority, but the bad ones among us... they're enough to send the world spiraling into chaos. What we do matters, Clara."

A smile tugged at the corners of Clara's lips as she looked up at Julia, "You're right, Julia. I needed that reminder." Clara thought of Alex and how she would like him to live in a better world.

With newfound determination, Clara rose from her seat. She shared a knowing look with Julia before heading towards the door, "Now, let's get to that meeting room."