Olivia was glad when the meeting finally began—the sooner they received their orders, the sooner they could be on their way—but that small sense of contentment dissipated the moment she saw the gruesome pictures Disciple had in store for them. She watched the slides with eyes narrowed and nose scrunched in disgust. Knowing that there were people out there experimenting on supernatural beings didn't sit well with her. Servitude, even death, was better than being pried open and played with like a lab rat. 

When Disciple started handing out sealed letters, she read through hers immediately, excited about receiving an official mission (prior to this, she had only been allowed to do inconsequential tasks) until she realized what they were assigned to do. Disciple's words echoed in her head, her voice as cool as ice as always. The Hell Hounds' commands were straightforward. Hesse, Germany; invade and eliminate. Uncertainty momentarily bubbled in her stomach, but she took comfort in the contents of her letter. At the very least, she would have company. Experienced, though slightly intimidating, Red could definitely guide her through the Hell Hound's protocols in the field.

As their meeting concluded, everyone was left to their own devices. Ambient noise—chairs moving, feet shuffling, indistinct discussion about this and that— started filling the room once more, but she heard Oni's deep voice cut through it all, clear and commanding. Another meeting, she thought with an involuntary roll of her eyes. She wondered why they couldn't just do it while they were all still in the same room.

Before scurrying off after the rest of the Hell Hounds, Olivia stopped just outside the conference room to relay her message to the absent Red. Her fingers moved deftly across the small screen of her smartwatch, locating Red in her contact list and typing up her messages within seconds. 

[quote=Nightingale]New orders. Going to Hesse in two days. Scary, mutated supernatural experiments! Briefing in thirty minutes.[/quote]

She hit send and moved along, taking the elevator down to the lower levels of the Tower. It had only been a few minutes, but she was certain the others were already there, sitting quietly, keeping to themselves until their briefing officially began. She had been a Royal Hound only a month and a few days, but there were already things she gleaned about her fellow Hell Hounds. Even if they weren't centuries-old supernatural beings who had zero social skills, they were still surly and misanthropic. Olivia couldn't imagine any of them engaging the other in small talk.

Beneath her muzzle, she felt her lips stretch out into a small smile, the thought of an ancient vampire and fairy talking about the weather amusing her. The quietness that came from the briefing room was telling, and she knew her earlier assumption had been correct. Olivia swung the door open, offering another wave in greeting. She noticed Dragon loomed by the door, as he tended to do, noticeably on edge. Even without speaking, she could imagine how he would sound now, like the warning crackling of fire moments before its flames would burst out into the sky. Wow, he really needed to relax.
 
Before Olivia settled down on her seat, she remembered leaving out an important detail in her report to Red and quickly amended it.

[quote=Nightingale]We're meeting in Briefing Room 1-A, by the way.[/quote]