"Reloading, Business"

The burnt smolders from recent missions still lingered in the air as I crossed the threshold into I.M.P.'s shabby headquarters, located in the heart of the Pride Ring. The clamor of tools clattering and muffled voices echoed from the van as we made our way inside.

The sun was perpetually setting, casting a dim orange glow over the Hellish sky. The light filtered through the cracked windows, bathing our condemned headquarters in an eerie hue.

Making our way in I stepped inside, looking around at the familiar surroundings, there I saw it, cluttered with rogue contracts, and an absurdly large cup of coffee was our still, dingy office.

Despite the improvements we've made to our business operations, anyone with power in Hell could see we were still a bunch of nobodies. It was time to change that. I couldn't waste any more time with this shabby image.

With a determined huff, I surveyed the room, spotting more issues as I went. "Alright, team!" I called out, hoping to rally them up. "Today we're doing some serious housekeeping!"

The imps, who had been unloading their bags of weapons under the leaky, duct-taped roof, stopped to listen.

"First things first," I continued, "we'll wipe every wall on this floor and take down every cobweb." My voice was full of excitement, but they looked at me as though I was crazy

I was about to push forward and continue when Luna's voice broke through the silence. "Never thought I'd be here to clean a ceiling," she muttered, and I could practically hear the collective groan of discontent from the others.

Hesitation rippled through the group. This wasn't the response I had hoped for, but it wasn't a dealbreaker. I needed to make this task feel more rewarding, something that would bring the team together and make them feel invested.

I couldn't micromanage them and force them to enjoy it. I had to get creative. I glanced around and then hit on an idea. "So, here's the deal," I said, injecting some enthusiasm into my voice. "I'm adding a new system to our business: Employee of the Month! Whoever works the hardest on this cleanup will get the honor."

That caught their attention. I could see Luna raise an eyebrow, Millie's expression soften, and even Moxxie looked intrigued.

I pushed forward with more energy. "After we're done I'll order something on Bee Eats, let's celebrate our mission well done!"

Millie and Luna perked up a bit at the mention of Bee Eats but, Moxxie was still slightly timid about it but I knew his hard work ethic would push through the slight discomfort.

We got to work on our vigorous cleaning on the walls. It wasn't easy in the slightest. Over two hours for just three rooms, but we powered through, and I pitched in where they needed help. By the time we finished, our once-cluttered office felt fresh and clean. The space had a new energy, and I made sure to acknowledge their hard work.

"You should all feel proud of what we've accomplished," I said, letting it them know they should feel proud by immediately dialing for our order. The team immediately shifted focus to the phone in my hand, and energy returned to the group. It wasn't much, but it was enough to get them motivated.

By the end of the day, I.M.P. had emerged as a clean office space. The scent of lemon cleaner lingered, a stark contrast to the usual smell of sulfur and despair. It was a small victory, but it felt like a step in the right direction.

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A Few Days Later...

The recent efforts to smooth out I.M.P.'s operations had begun to bear fruit in ways I hadn't anticipated. This morning, the mission pile at the office was practically overflowing. It felt like the gates of Hell had opened wide, flooding us with opportunities we'd only dreamed of.

With a gleeful smirk, I surveyed the stack of papers covering my desk. The variety of assignments was staggering—from taking down gang members in affluent regions of Earth, to high-stakes extraction missions where only the most skilled would survive. It was exactly the kind of work I had been hoping for.

I leaned back in my chair, boots propped up on the freshly cleaned desk, the faint scent of lemon cleaner still lingering in the air—a welcome change from the usual stench.

I turned to my squad with my now wide smile filling my face.

"Alright, team," I called, drumming my fingers on the armrest, ready to dive into the chaos. "We've got a heap of missions ahead of us, so let's get going the !"

Millie looked up from sharpening her axes, heading towards the papers, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "These jobs are huge, Blitz! If we can pull them off, we might actually get some real respect down here."

I gave a small nod, acknowledging her words, but I wasn't about to get all sentimental about it. "We'll get respect when we've earned it," I said, glancing at the pile of contracts again. "But first, we've got work to do."

Hell, at this point, I was more than ready to demand it. But there was no time to dwell on that now. We had business to do.

I glanced at Moxxie and Luna, both of them seeming to get the message, now visibly prepared to go challenge ahead. This week was going to be a test for us—a real proving ground. If we could get through these back-to-back missions, we'd not only earn respect, we'd deserve it.

I felt that familiar adrenaline rush. This was what I lived for mission after mission, no time to rest, but the thrill of the chase keeping us going. The satisfaction of success was always just a little bit sweeter after pushing ourselves to the limit.

With a nod, I signaled to the team. "We've got a lot of work ahead of us, let's make this a week to remember."

And just like that, we were off without another word, we got to it heading forward into another portal.