[Espy]

FORZ

Forz shielded his eyes from the glaring brightness emanating from the streetlights as he pulled into an underground garage. A few minutes, he trudged back up the stairwell and walked two blocks to the Skull Hunters headquarters. He approached the iron-gridded doors and shoved him thumb up against the fingerprint scanner, then peered irritatedly into the camera nearby. The all-too-familiar screeching that followed told him that the headquarters had not gotten a technology upgrade in five years.

After all the locks had opened themselves and the doors had slid open, he strode in, trying to ignore the guards that still somehow made it into his peripheral vision, even under the lowered visor of his hat.

When did we recruit so many seemingly-unexperienced...teenagers?

He turned a corner, then another, then took the stairs two at a time until he found himself at an unmarked door. He knocked, then, without waiting for a reply, marched in.

"...Commander. You asked for me," he muttered, not looking straight into the seated man's eyes, clasping his hat to his chest.

"Yes, I did, Resner. Take a seat."

"If it is possible, I prefer to stand."

The Hunter Commander shuffled through his papers, then finally peered up at Forz from the files.

"Well, I guess the ones who do well here must have their own quirks." He cleared his throat. "The situation has become much worse after you left us five years ago, Resner, as you must already know. I need you to...clean this place up. As for the bigger pieces of trash that aren't quite as...disposable, I'd recommend that you bundle them up and drag them back here. We'll deal with those where it's more convenient."

Forz blinked. Five years was a long time to be gone from a country. "...Will that be it?"

"Yes. You may leave, Resner."

Forz bowed stiffly, clapped the hat back on almost over his eyes, and walked swiftly out.

I'll check out my room tomorrow when my luggage arrives.