Stephanie’s eyes fluttered open slowly as the sunlight came through the open window. The room she was in had stark white walls and hardly any furniture at all except one lone grey couch. There was absolutely no color in the room except for the bright pink pillows that lay behind her head. She gazed around at her surroundings and noticed that across from her sitting in a metal black chair was another woman with long brown hair and hazel eyes. She was dressed in a very dressed up tan suit and smiling as she saw the girl blink a little.

“I see that you are finally awake Miss Spencer” the woman replied.

“Where am I?” Stephanie asked confused as she sat up and the woman scooted her chair closer to her, “ How did I get here? Who are you?”

“Please calm yourself Miss Spencer,” the woman said noticing the urgency in her voice, “You are perfectly safe now. My name is Melissa Donnelly and I am the head of the department here at the compound.”

“Compound?”

“That’s right” Melissa nodded and Stephanie noticed the black stud earrings that were in her ears, “Our agent brought you here.”

“Agent?” Stephanie scratched the back of her head and then her eyes became wide, “You mean that boy who supposedly rescued me was an agent?”

“That is correct.”

“But how is that possible?” Stephanie shook her head in disbelief, “He couldn’t be any older than I am.”

“He is seventeen actually” Melissa replied, “And the best agent that we have in the project.”

“I’m sorry” Stephanie shook her head again, “The project?”

“Mhm. Now what I am about to tell you is top secret so you have to promise me right here and now that whatever we discuss remains between us?” Stephanie nodded her head in agreement so Melissa cleared her throat and began, “ He is part of an elite group of people that have been trained to be protectors and spies. The Project is known as the Teenage Protection Agency or . for short. About eighteen years ago the founder of our organization started the project in hopes of protecting young people such as yourself by the use of an agent that would be inconspicuous in the public’s eye. Since that time, young people such as the agent who rescued you have been trained since they were small to become better spies and protectors then most adults” Stephanie’s eyes became wider as she continued, “The agent who rescued you for example was trained from the time he was three and has since then become one of the top agents in the program. I’m sure you also noticed that he is not of American descent?” she added.

Stephanie nodded.

“He is fact originally from Japan. All of our young agents are from all over the world. They are gifted in many traits and are fluent in many languages.”

“But” Stephanie interrupted her, “How can they be agents? Won’t their families be worried about them?”

“Hmm” Melissa smiled at her question, “Actually that is a very good question. But our agents in fact don’t have families. They were adopted exclusively by the agency. Most of them were found in orphanages or were adopted straight from the hospital.”

“Oh.”

“Anyway, that’s just a little bit of information about our work. I hope that answers most of your questions.”

“Not really” Stephanie shook her head, “For starters. Why have I been brought here? Who were those men and why were they after me? And more importantly why do I need protection?”

“Miss Spencer” Melissa held up her hand, “Please calm down” she repeated, “You need protection because your life is in danger.”

“But shouldn’t my father be told about this?” she asked sitting up a little.

“It is your father who hired us for the job of protecting you to begin with” Melissa explained.

“What? My father did?” Stephanie’s eyes became wide once more.

“That’s right. A few days ago he called our agency and that was when we sent our agent in.”

“But did he explain why my life is in danger?”

“Actually that is information that I cannot reveal to you at this time” Melissa shook her head and stood from the chair, “All I can say is that as of this moment you are within our custody and will be protected by an agent. In fact the very agent who saved you yesterday” she moved toward the door, “Your flight leaves tomorrow morning and you will be relocated to a more safe position” she opened the door, “Is there any other questions that you have Miss Spencer?” she asked.

“Um” Stephanie replied her head still spinning from the information she had received thus far, “Not really except, the agent who saved me.”

“Mhm?”

“What is his name?”

“I’m sure that he will reveal that to you himself when he comes to see you later” Melissa smiled, “Someone will come aroundsoon to serve you something to eat. Whatever you desire will be given to you.”

“Thank you” Stephanie nodded her head slowly as she sat closer to the edge of the bed.

“Have a pleasant afternoon Miss Spencer” Melissa added before leaving and closing the door behind her.

Stephanie stood up from the bed and walked over to the only window in the room. She brushed the light curtains to the side and gazed out noticing the parking lot down below filled with many strange white vans. As she looked closer she saw several different people enter the vans and drive off all in a row out the iron gates that stood just to the right of the parking lot. She sighed heavily and then walked back over to the bed and sat on it with a plop still thoroughly confused by the past days events.

(Next Scene)

He fingered the envelope casually with a grimace on his face. His leather jacket was tossed casually across the red velvet seat of the chair that was across from the desk that stood in the open office. He drummed his fingers irritated as he gazed at the glass walls of the office. He heard the door click behind him so he slowly turned around and brushed his dark hair from his eyes as Melissa Donnelly entered the room. She grimaced a little at him as she entered and walked around to her chair on the other side of her desk as he flopped into the chair opposite hers.

“Well done with your mission” she replied coolly as she flipped open a folder and placed on her glasses, “I see you managed to save the target without too much disruption of the community” she added sarcastically.

He smiled halfheartedly and then frowned.

“Is that all you have to say to me?” he asked back sarcastically himselfhis brown eyes flashing.

“Well you did cause a bit of disruption on the road. Several accidents by your reckless driving. But you did manage to get the target here safely so I guess it’s not that big of adeal. In the future though Agent Satoshi I would suggest you be more attentive to your surroundings. We can’t pay for all of your bursts of recklessness.”

“Check” he said even more sarcastically, “So I suppose my next assignment is in that folder?” he asked pointing to the manila folder closest to him.

“That is correct. In fact it is the very same assignment that you are on right now” she added as he snatched the folder angrily, “These are the only assignments I plan to assign you until you learn to deal with that temper of yours” he frowned even more, “You may be one of our best agents but you still have a lot to learn. Your flight leaves tomorrow morning. The other agent assigned with you is in the folder so I bid you good afternoon” she said concluding so he stood from his chair, grabbed his leather jacket, and slammed the door behind him as he left the office.

“Bitch” he muttered under his breath as he walked down the hall and past several different desks where people were working in what looked like a typical office environment.

(Next Scene)

When he finally reached the end of the hall he stopped at a door labeled private and walked right in. On the other side there were tons of surveillance cameras and computers set up throughout the room. Chairs that rolled were located here and there and in front of the main computer sat another teenage boy with medium length shaggy blond hair, sky blue eyes behind a pair of thin glasses, and freckles across his nose. He was dressed messily in an un-tucked light blue button down shirt, khaki colored pants and tennis shoes that appeared to be new. The dark haired teen slammed the door behind him and then flopped into the chair that was the closest to his partner. Behind him were two cots with red blankets. The boy in glasses stopped typing after he heard the other sigh heavily and throw the folder down onto the desk next to him.

“Uh oh” he replied, “What did she do now?”

“She gave me another menial assignment” the other said, “The same type of job as last time.”

“Yea, I know. I got the folder this afternoon.”

“I mean who does she think she is anyway?” the dark haired one stood up and thenbegan tocrumple up pieces of paper and throw them across the floor, “I’ve been in this damn program longer then she has been director.”

“I know” his friend nodded straightening his glasses, “But what else can you do? She’s in charge now.”

“It pisses me off. You know if he were alive he wouldn’t agree with this” the boy gritted his teeth, “I wasn’t trained to baby-sit children of rich parents. That was not what I was trained for.”

“I know Sanosuke” the other nodded, “Neither was I. When the program started we were trained to protect people. All kinds of people. Now we're usually only chosen to protect teenagers.”

“That’s such bull shit!” Sanosuke spat, “I should be getting the good assignments. I am fully qualified more so then any other agent half my age to protect someone like a diplomat or even the president. But no I get stuck babysitting a little girl whose daddy is wealthy and god knows that’s the reason she needs to be protected. Because once again we’re not being told why we’re doing this we just have to do it” he crossed his arms.

“Wait a minute” the other boy stood up, “You mean you weren’t told why you have to protect this girl?”

“No. Once again we’ve been told nothing. We’re just expected to protect her in a safe place with no knowledge of why she needs the protection to begin with” he added sarcastically as his friend shook his head, “I guarantee she hasn’t been told anything either and when she asks me what am I going to say? Um I’m sorry” he said sarcastically, “I wasn’t given that information because my damn boss thinks I don’t need that information because I might do something reckless.”

“Well you have to admit” the other boy chuckled lightly as Sanosuke sat on one of the cots, “You did pull a few stunts this time.”

“Oh well thank you Louis. Thank you for your support” he removed his shoes and placed on his sneakers.

“Sano” Louis said sympathetically, “I’m on your side you know. You’re right what has been going on lately sucks. We were trained to do more important jobs then what we have been doing lately. And if GP were still alive we probably would be doing those jobs, but he’s not.”

“Nope instead we have a bitch who sits where he used to sit. I can’t stand that woman.”

“I just think you can stand woman authority period. You can’t stand girls for that matter” Louis stood up and walked over to a shelf to pick up a large blue folder.

“Girls and I just don’t mix well” Sanosuke shook his head, “Even the female agents that I have had to work with in the past get on my nerves.”

“Well” Louis nodded as he flipped through the pages of the folder, “I know you don’t get along well with women. But this time you’re going to have to. This time you’re going to be protecting a girl. Before it was always a teenage boy.”

“Yea” Sanosuke nodded back as he stood up from the cot, “And that’s what irks me about this assignment too. I have to protect a girl. A rich girl no less. She’s probably going to turn out to be like a princess who orders me around like a slave.”

“You never know” Louis shrugged his shoulders.

“I bet you on this.”

“Well either way” Louis replied sitting down once more in front of his computer, “You’re going to have to introduce yourself to her sooner or later. I mean we leave first thing in the morning.”

“Yea” Sanosuke nodded, “I guess you’re right. I’m glad you’re coming with me. Otherwise I would go completely nuts. I would hate to have to go with an older agent like Michael Bennet.”

“Oh about that” Louis grimaced a little as he swiveled his chair to face Sanosuke, “I saw the flight plan for tomorrow morning, he is actually going to be on the same flight. He’s actually escorting us to our location tomorrow.”

“Oh my day just got better” Sanosuke said sarcastically with a wide grimace, “I can’t stand that ridiculous English prat.”

“I know. He gets on my nerves too. But” Louis started to say.

“I know. I know” Sanosuke nodded irritated, “I guess I better go introduce myself. And make it perfectly known how things are going to go down” he walked over to the door and opened it brusquely.

“Sanosuke!” Louis called standing up from his chair making Sanosuke look back over his shoulder, “Remember you are dealing with a young teenage girl who has no understanding of why she needs protection. She’s probably very confused and she doesn’t need you to take out your anger about Donnelly on her.”

“What are you saying?”

“Be nice” Louis suggested, “I mean be a little nicer than you are normally then when you are with girls. In fact I can go with you.”

“No. No. This is my job. I can handle it. I’ll try to be nicer,” Sanosuke said through gritted teeth as he closed the door behind him.

“Oh boy” Louis shook his head sadly, “He’s gonna fail.”

(To be continued...)

Authors Note:

Next Chapter: At Odds from the Very Beginning

Sanosuke and Stephanie really meet for the first time and do not hit it off. It is apparent on the way to the secret location that they despise one another. Can these two get it together enough that they can at least tolerate each other’s company? Find out next time!