[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/houzIW1.png[/img] [h2] & [color=00aeef][b]Marrie Knight[/b][/color][/h2][/center] Finding individual espers was hard, but Marrie had time. She hadn’t had much luck finding “The Knight of Tomorrow” on the day High-Priest contacted her. Luna was stopping by later with Pizza, and it was probably for the best that Stacy wasn’t the only one to greet her. The following day was more fruitful, however. Marrie had figured out that the GEMINI espers patrolled the same general area. The exact route varied depending on who was patrolling, but there were certain areas that they could be expected to check. It made sense, there were probably a number of GEMINI’s enemies that would study the exact route and lay an ambush. But there were certain areas that the agents could always be expected to arrive at. One such spot was a usually empty intersection that served as a four way stop. If one was willing to leave the main road, it provided the fastest and most discreet route to the police station. Orion had been spotted here, and she would show up again in time. Marrie just had to decide on how to best approach her without coming across as hostile. Should be easy, provided her mark had a rational mind. So she decided to simply wait there in esper form, leaning against one of the stop signs and watching towards the police station. She had her Instrument put away and was watching her phone at the same time, glancing between it and where she expected Orion to appear from. If all went well, she’d notice her the same time that she was noticed. Ashley was going about her assigned patrol, when she noticed a young woman leaning against a stop sign. She had distinctive blue hair and was looking at something on her phone. Since she didn’t [i]appear[/i] to be hostile, the G.E.M.I.N.I. agent decided to cautiously approach her. [color=MediumSpringGreen]“Hello,”[/color] Ashley greeted. [color=MediumSpringGreen]“Are you waiting to meet someone?”[/color] Purple hair, check. Green visor, check. White leotard… also check. If High-Priest’s description was right, this was probably her. [color=00aeef]”Hiya.”[/color] Marrie replied. [color=00aeef]”I’m hoping to find someone called ‘Orion’, do you know her?”[/color] She asked in the most unassuming voice she could. [color=MediumSpringGreen]“Oh! Um, that’s me,”[/color] Ashley replied. [color=MediumSpringGreen]“Agent Orion, Knight of Tomorrow, at your service!”[/color] she announced with a friendly smile. [color=MediumSpringGreen]“How can I help you?”[/color] [color=00aeef][i]Wow. That was easy.[/i][/color] Marrie thought to herself before speaking up. [color=00aeef]”Oh, cool! I’m also a ‘knight,’ of sorts.”[/color] She laughed slightly. [color=00aeef]”But anyway, I’m supposed to see if you’re willing to help, basically, defeat a certain vampire? I’d be psyched if you would share some way to contact you for that purpose.”[/color] [color=MediumSpringGreen]“A vampire?”[/color] Ashley repeated, her eyes widening. [color=MediumSpringGreen]“Do you mean Justin von Carnage?! Of course I’ll help!”[/color] she declared, her voice filled with fierce determination. [color=MediumSpringGreen]“I saw the horrible atrocities that monster inflicted upon the people of this city firsthand,”[/color] she continued as she retrieved her phone from a pouch on her belt. [color=MediumSpringGreen]“And I’ll do anything to ensure he never hurts another innocent ever again!”[/color] As a precaution to protect her identity, Ashley had purchased a second phone for use while doing G.E.M.I.N.I.-related activities, and so the number she provided Marrie wouldn’t allow the girl to link Agent Orion and Ashley Avenir together. [color=MediumSpringGreen]“May I have [i]your[/i] contact information as well?”[/color] she inquired. Marrie blinked. She wasn’t sure this was supposed to go so easily. [color=00aeef]”I’ll do you one better,”[/color] she said as she shifted her phone around to face Orion, [color=00aeef]”I’ll also give you how to contact someone who claims to be able to help too.”[/color] Her phone, which she’d set up info in an extra tab on, displayed Pac’s phone number, her own number, as well as her Shimr contact and High-Priest’s in a note tab. [color=00aeef]”I can just text this to you if you want, but there’s the two numbers I can be found at, and my Shimr and that of the other person I’m… working with? I don’t know how I’d describe our work relationship, but we’re both after Justin right now.”[/color] [color=MediumSpringGreen]“Oh, wow, thanks,”[/color] Ashley told the blue-haired girl as she entered the various numbers in her phone. [color=MediumSpringGreen]“So, um, what should I call you?”[/color] [color=00aeef]”Gale works.”[/color] Marrie had been thinking for a long time now about an alias, and she was no closer to a good one than when she started. But this would be fine for now. [color=MediumSpringGreen]“Okay,”[/color] Ashley replied as she added the name to her contacts list. [color=MediumSpringGreen]“Well, it’s nice to meet you, Gale,”[/color] she added with a smile once she’d finished. [color=MediumSpringGreen]“I’m looking forward to working together.”[/color] Marrie nodded with a smile before turning around to go home, waving over her shoulder. She’d let High-Priest know that she was successful after checking on Stacy. And later, Marrie would receive a reward for her efforts that outstripped the difficulty of the operation. Nearly half of the reward money that she would have gotten had Justin decided to pay up for a job that just required a bit of searching. … … … But Ashley would receive a text message not long after Marrie’s reward went through. [code]Hello, Knight of tomorrow. Would you mind taking a picture of your face? I’m confirming your identity.[/code] The message was from the aforementioned High-Priest that Gale had shown her earlier. [color=MediumSpringGreen]-“How’s this?”-[/color] she texted back after sending the requested picture. [code]You could stand to smile a bit more, agent. :hehe But yes, that passes muster. The time of day and location look correct. :golfclap I'm not sure what the other esper told you, so I'll lay it all out here. I am interested in bringing down Justin von Carnage. While there are many people in your company that likely wish to do the same, I believe you are most suited for this operation out of all of them. I am interested in keeping this operation as secret as possible, which means limiting the number of people who are aware of it. I think we can both agree that the siege on Justin's mansion had less than desirable results. :sick He was able to prepare for it due to the bickering online, and it seems that both GEMINI and Maverick were aware the other one was going to attack that day, which created other problems. This suggests the existence of moles in both organizations. Working in a small team means that we need to take small steps, however. Justin will not be toppled in a single operation, but we can cripple him a bit at a time. Due to the nature of this operation, you cannot let your superiors or friends know what is going on, and you may have to work alongside people in unsavory standing. Would you be willing to work under these conditions for the greater good? :confused[/code] Ashley hadn’t been smiling because she was still somewhat apprehensive about the mysterious individual she was conversing with. Although they were interested in taking out Justin, without any idea who they were, she was left to wonder whether on not she was dealing with someone just as sinister as Justin himself, if not even [i]worse.[/i] Still, she [i]did[/i] know Justin, was agonizingly familiar with the suffering he had caused already, and would continue to cause, as long as he was allowed to exist. She also knew that this “High Priest” was right. The high-profile nature of their operation against Justin’s mansion had doomed it from the start. Something smaller, more secretive, was needed, and even if that meant going behind the backs of her superiors, she would do so, as long as it ensured the end of Justin von Carnage. Indeed, the extermination of monsters for the protection of the human race was G.E.M.I.N.I.’s primary mission. Thus, the Knight of Tomorrow would stop at nothing in order to achieve that goal. And if it turned out that this “High Priest” also harbored evil intentions, then she would just kill [i]him,[/i] too. [color=MediumSpringGreen]-“I would.”-[/color] she responded. [color=MediumSpringGreen]-“What’s our first move?”-[/color] [code]Our first move is to defeat Justin’s favorite servant. I am referring to Baleful Sofron. He is Justin’s most trusted minions, and one of the reasons why Justin was able to elude combat so easily. I have located many of his favorite hangouts, but I will need more time before I can safely say where he will be. I also feel that the team needs at least one more member. Someone with experience. I will let you know who I have selected as soon as I know who they are.[/code] Some time passed, and Ashley received another message. [code]I am picking you all for very specific reasons. I am not sure if you got the chance to converse with the other esper, but I believe that they are a good sort. They are reliable, and while they lack experience, they will never allow harm to come to anyone so long as there is a chance there is good in them. That is why I need you. They may be committed to stopping Justin, but Sofron is a man. There can be no hesitation when dealing with him. I’ve chosen to include you in this mission because I believe you know how important it is that he is killed without question. You have seen what Justin is willing to do first hand. I know you will not spare someone who happily serves someone like him..[/code] [color=MediumSpringGreen]-“Yes,”-[/color] Ashley agreed. [color=MediumSpringGreen]-“Anyone who willingly serves a monster like Justin no longer deserves to be called a human, so please be assured that I will not hesitate in eliminating the threat they pose.”-[/color] [code]I would not have picked you if I doubted your dedication. I will speak with you two again in a few days. Until then, watch your back. Your enemies are everywhere.[/code]