International Justice Agency

The man simply would not accept failure, especially not this easily.

His utilization would no longer function if he were to fail, the wrench would simply no longer fit for its function.

This job, as well as every other job this stalker may or may not have been involved in, was to determine his usefulness for his next job.

One failure would indicate damaged goods, similar to a malfunction within an industrial droid.

It isn't fixed, it is simply replaced.

This was just part of the trade after all, whatever the title may be for the occupation (or vocation, however it is defined).

The stalker's panic began to rise to the surface for every second the van looked closer to nothing more than snowfall.

The stalker looked around this street, looking for anything that could dig him out of the 5-foot ditch that would soon turn into 6 feet.

He spotted a bike, a running one with two people beside it, one with different colors from his own, and the other, nothing more than a distraction.

Nonetheless, the perfect opportunity.

Yuki sat within the van, across from the woman with no name, and still lost within the abyss of hopelessness, a reoccurring place for Yuki.

The questions only began to pile up, soon enough becoming large enough to sprout out of the already cracked glass.

Yuki's countless thoughts were seconds away from self-destructing.

"Now that that's over, I'm Maria, and I'm an agent of the IJA's 12th division"

Yuki glanced up at the woman who now has a name, and his ticking time bomb halted for now.

Although words weren't exiting Yuki, thoughts were, and it was exhaling too fast for him to catch anything worth mentioning.

Yuki even thought of the advice given to him by his therapist, which now he deems as invalid information because of the consequences he's currently facing for finally accepting her assistance.

Maria halted Yuki's thoughts again by simply knocking him on his head, a light enough tap where it wouldn't cause even a bruise, but strong enough to where it can get his attention.

"What was that for?!" Yuki shouted, and was quite angry with the unpredictable aggression from a woman he knows nothing about.

"I finally answered your question and you completely ignored me!"

"What?! That doesn't mean you're supposed to smash your meaty fist over my head!"

"Meaty? What is that supposed to mean?!"

"You—"

Yuki and Maria's banter is immediately interrupted by a loud report, and the sound of heavy hail beaming off the back window.

Yuki had never heard this sound before, but it was quite obvious what it was.

Maria glanced out the window and immediately saw the ultra-determined stalker on a motorcycle, his skill with it was alarming as he easily evaded the traffic beside him and the fact that he's able to control the vehicle with only one hand steering, while the other on his weapon.

"Wow, this man doesn't give up" Maria exhaled, a bit surprised by the will of the enemy, but ultimately exhausted with his never-ending attempt of the unattainable.

Maria didn't waste any time retrieving her own weapon from her boot, which catches Yuki by surprise.

If the realization of this being serious wasn't exclaimed enough for him, now would finally change the fork to a one-way street.

"What are you gonna do…"

"You'll see."

Maria gradually opens the back door of the van, just enough for her to have the perfect vantage point without giving up too much of her target, a perfect position for any expert marksman.

The man aimlessly fired upon the van, without much hope for shooting the target, and almost desperate for any positive outcome, similar to spending your last chips rather than cashing out with whatever was left.

"Are you crazy! He's shooting at us! Why are you opening the door!"

"I got this, don't worry—Kyo."

Maria then rapidly reveals her marksman eye as well as her pistol, that quick motion, along with two shots was enough for Maria to shut the door of the van immediately after.

"See, easy."

"Huh…"

Yuki looked to his right and out of the van's back window, which revealed nothing but the wreckage of the stalker and his stolen vehicle.

This surprised Yuki, how was she able to easily do that?

Who is she? And what does a person like her want with me?

Yuki couldn't hold back his admiration for the woman's skill.

"How did you do that?"

"I'm an agent of the IJA, it was simple." Maria is boastful and satisfied with the recognition she received from her new number one fan.

"IJA? What's that?"

"Are you serious?" shocked would be an understatement of Maria's reaction to Yuki's ignorance.

"Maria, the average high school student wouldn't care much about the IJA, so why would he?" the driver intervened.

"I guess you're right—Well—The IJA is the International Justice Agency, we serve justice on an international scale when needed for high profile cases and jobs. Us agents are there to assist and apply justice. We're a very important agency within the world, I'm shocked they don't teach you this in school."

"They probably did… but why were you following me? What do I have to do with the International Justice Agency?"

"Well, I was good friends with your father, and after his—"

"We're here." the driver interrupted.

The subtle pause left from the interruption was swiftly broken by Yuki, who looked out the window at the fairy tale he was informed about.

The buildings that were hidden from the common eye by the surrounding forest, making entering it being the only way possible to see the beautiful architecture.

A wide and large rectangular building stood in the middle of this circle of hidden buildings, all of them looked bureaucratic and bland with many windows and very few colors.

There were other buildings that surrounded the main road, and not that variant within its form, just a reorganized version of the focal point.

Gray, or a hidden brown, may have been the best color for the contrast of the light surroundings and the hummingbird's melodies.

Maria continues towards the glass doors, leading Yuki to the Headquarters of the International Justice Agency.

A man awaits them, an experienced man with gray slicked-back hair, it shone as if it were just prepared. He wore a sleek pair of glasses, a perfect touch to his bureaucratic stature, along with a gray vest that sat plump over his white dress shirt and black tie.

A man that somehow imposed importance with nothing more than a silent statue.

This intimidated Yuki more than the shadow from moments prior.