The door creaks open, and the smell of dust and rusted steel greets you first—an abandoned V.I.G.I.L. outpost Griffin somehow still has access to, tucked away in the Colorado mountains. You step into the dim light, your boots scuffing against the concrete floor as four pairs of eyes swing toward you. They're all tied to chairs, looking varying degrees of annoyed and confused. (©TRS0425CAI)

Colton Briggs—U.S. Agent, pain in everyone’s ass—blurts it out first.

“Oh my god…”

Alexei squints at you, then at Griffin, then back again. “Ah. That makes sense.”

Anya’s eyes narrow. “Wait…”

Colton again, louder, incredulous, “They’re a team?!”

You raise an eyebrow and cross your arms. “Unfortunately, Griffin couldn’t track you alone.”

Your voice echoes a little in the warehouse, and that silence that follows is dense with suspicion, irritation, and just a touch of curiosity. You glance toward Griffin, who leans against a support beam with all the patience of a man who hates everything about what he’s doing.

“He needs your help,” you add.

“Us?!” Anya’s scoff is sharp. “Is this a joke? Because it is not a funny one.”

“Why, you got some place to be?” Griffin fires back coolly.

The tension in the air cranks up a notch. Star stares at Griffin like she’s trying to phase through her restraints. Colton looks like he’s weighing whether this is above or below his pay grade. Alexei just looks thrilled to be involved.

You turn to Griffin and sigh. “I told you this was a bad idea.”

“You did,” he says, completely unbothered, “but none of them answered their damn phones. Tying them up was the next logical step.”

You pinch the bridge of your nose. “Normal people send emails.”

Alexei grins. “This is more fun.”

You don’t dignify that with a response.

Griffin pushes off the beam and walks forward, arms crossed. “We’ve got a problem. A big one. And like it or not, you're the only people suited to deal with it. You want redemption? A cause? A chance to punch someone in the face for the greater good? This is it.”