Chapter 4

They park along the curb outside a large office building, Shadow parks along the street a few buildings down.

She disables her suit, it retracts into itself and forms a black ring bracelet with a single black pearl.

****

"Miss Barnes, welcome."

"Hey Sarah, is Travis here?"

"Um, I think? B-but I think he's busy!" she says as May and Atlas walk past the front desk,

"That's okay, he will want to see us."

They walk to the elevators, they walk up to one that has a scanner next to it. May takes a badge out of her pocket and touches it to the black pad.

Ding!

The doors open, they walk in and go up to the 11th floor. They find a room with closed double doors. Atlas guesses by the look of the doors alone that it's a conference room. May doesn't hesitate to throw open both doors. The occupants of the room turn and look at the two.

"May? We are busy!"

"As am I. You are all dismissed, Travis, you will want to meet Mr. Grey here. I've got a feeling he could help us quite a bit."

"We will talk after."

"Travis, when have my feelings been wrong?"

The dark haired man rolls his eyes, "Fine give us fifteen minutes."

"Alright...fine."

She shuts the doors and turns to Atlas, "I hope you don't mind waiting?"

He smiles softly, "I'm not in a rush."

She smirks back, "Good. So Mr. Grey, while we wait, tell me about yourself." she says walking down the hall,

He follows her to a bench and they sit down. "I'm not sure I can trust you yet, I'll tell you a little though, my name is Atlas."

"Hmm, I like it. And your suit and weapons? Did you score them from a bounty? I-I am only assuming, someone with your appearance, you aren't to be messed with, are you a bounty hunter?"

He shakes his head, "No, I might have become one. But no, I created my weapons, myself."

Her eyes widen and her smile fades, "You did not."

"I did."

She smiles again, "Truly?...I love the design, it's all...very mysterious, but it makes you look confident and strong. So I have a question, what is this?" she asks pointing to a handle looking stick on his belt.

He pulls it off and throws his arm down, the black, blue edged katana blade shoots out from the handle. May gasps and jumps, she looks at it, then at Atlas and back to the sword and to Atlas's eyes again.

The smile on her face grows, "That...is one of the coolest things I've ever seen! How do you fit it in the handle?!"

"It's nanotech, and yes, it took a very long time to create."

She laughs to herself, "That is so cool Atlas! I can't believe it! Is your suit likewise?"

He nods, "Yes, that took even longer, surprisingly."

"Curious, well! If you do join us, you must share it with us!"

His smile fades, he lays his hood down and her mask opens from the top of his head and shrinks into itself, down to the top of his neck.

"I'm sorry May. But...it doesn't matter if you are on my side or not, I will not give anyone nano technology, ultimately they will use it for war and violence."

She frowns, "But, that's what you use it for."

He nods again, "Yes, but I know myself, and I trust I will always use it to fight for what's right. I was betrayed once by people I thought I knew and people I trusted with my life. I'm not sure I could trust someone with something as important as this. I know that's selfish, but my decision, for now, is final."

She looks at the ground, searching for what to say next. "I...I know what that's like, a little bit. I'm upset, I won't lie, but I understand. I really do. Perhaps you won't have to trust everyone, maybe you, eventually can trust a few good people. Not necessarily with this, but maybe you can trust people, deeply. I understand the relief and peace that can provide."

He exhales hard through his nose, "Thanks May, I'm sorry, but thank you for understanding."

"Of course. I understand both sides of most coins."

He frowns, "What do you mean?"

"Well, loss, relief, trust, pain and so on. I understand where you come from."

"Seriously May, thank you. Not many are as understanding."

She smiles, "That is something this world seriously lacks." she laughs,

He laughs and agrees.

****

"Easy Shadow."

"I could blow her head off right now. Easily."

"Shadow, we can't, not yet, we got to be smart here. If it's really nanotech that you and Hector sensed, we could really use this guy. We can't take the chance that killing her will amplify his decision to join them."

"Fine. He is going in to another room, switching to thermal...hes meeting with several people in a conference room. One of the directors no doubt."

"Can you get ears?"

"No, this is probably a headquarters of theirs. It's very secure. Sorry Tips."

"Don't worry about it Shadow."

She waits until the man and May walk out of the conference room and slowly out of the building.

"Alright, I got ears in minus twenty."

She stands up on the edge of the building and walks down to the corner as she taps the screen in her forearm.

"seven, six, five, four, three, two, one."

"-stay."

"Oh don't worry about it, we'll take care of that. So, I'll take you to the an apartment complex we have for our agents your apartment will be ready by the time we get there."

"Thank you May. This is going a little beyond, I appreciate it."

"Tch! Don't worry about it, it's nothing."

"Still, thank you."

"Yeah. No problem."

****

They climb in her white car and drive off. They drive through the city, he finds out she has a brother and sister, the brother died in action but her sister is still alive, living quietly. She has lived in the city all her life. Her father and mother were both part of this group.

She says she can't tell him what the name is of this...secret agency, because the Syndicate will likely try to contact him after she leaves and they need to be sure he is on their side.

"I understand, security."

She looks at him and smiles. He has really impressed her. He is so understanding and kind. He might actually help her stop the Syndicate and be the turning point in this hidden war.

Shes so tired of it. He's smart, obviously, talented, and strong.

"So May, how long have you been with the agency?"

She huffs out, "My parents were killed by the Syndicate, they were dedicated to helping the world, I joined when I was very young, after their deaths."

"I'm sorry. That surely was impossibly hard."

It was, very hard, she nods. "Yeah, but, uh, I got through it. It took a big chunk out, but it might have also made me stronger."

"I don't doubt it."

They arrive at the apartment building, the structure of it, it looks more like a hotel than an apartment building.

"Yeah, well we want the best for our people." May says,

"Clearly."

"Come on, we'll get you sorted."

She parks the car and they walk in, to the front desk.

"How may I help you?" the man at the front desk asks,

"An apartment for Atlas."

The dark man nods, "Ah! Yes, one Seco-oh here it is!"

He holds out the key to her, she thanks him and takes it. The man sets a clipboard in the counter, telling Atlas he needs to fill it out.

"Uh, actually, he will hopefully fill it out in a few days, right now, this is just a test run, tier one authorization."

The man nods and takes the clipboard back. "Yes ma'am, well the apartment is one bedroom, one bathroom, washing machine and dryer, cleaned and ready sir."

"Thank you, Mr...."

"Samuel sir, just Samuel, or Sam."

"Atlas."

"Pleasure." he says,

May hands him the key and lets out a long breath.

"Okay, be back at nine tomorrow morning."

"Yeah, see you tomorrow, night May."

She smiles and starts out, "Night Atlas."

****

"May is leaving the premises." she says as she watches from across the street,

"Where's our guy?"

"Heading to his room."

"Alright, how do you feel about a stake out?"

She scoffs, "If this is happening I'm getting some freaking food man, I'm starving."

"Shadow-"

"Hey, this is freaking dangerous for us as is. If I'm gonna do a stake out you're gonna let me get snacks and food, I've been up for almost two days now."

Tips scoffs, "Doughnuts?"

"Obviously."

Shadow pulls away from the office building parking lot, onto the street in search of a grocery store.