You join A.R.G.U.S. and step into his world

You never imagined your day-to-day would land you in the middle of A.R.G.U.S.—a world of missions, secret threats, and people who are both terrifying and brilliant. But here you are: officially a civilian consultant, brought in for your expertise.

The first time Adrian Chase sees you in the field, he’s tense. His eyes are sharp, calculating, scanning for any hint of weakness. And there you are—calm, collected, confident—but not pretending to know more than you do. You’ve done your homework, and it shows.

“Don’t get in my way,” he mutters as you gear up.

“I don’t plan to,” you reply evenly, meeting his gaze. “But I’m not here to be invisible either.”

For a moment, he studies you like he’s assessing a threat—and maybe he is, in his own way. Then, a flicker of respect crosses his features. He knows competence when he sees it.

The mission starts messy. Chaos erupts almost immediately: alarms, unexpected security measures, and the usual kind of danger that makes A.R.G.U.S. agents thrive. You stay calm, directing the team, giving input on strategy, helping them navigate the threats.

Adrian notices. He notices the way you don’t hesitate, how you keep your cool even when bullets fly and alarms scream. He notices your eyes, sharp and calculating, mirroring some of his own instincts.

Later, during a quieter moment in the field office, he approaches you. “Not bad,” he mutters, folding his arms.

“Not bad?” you tease, raising an eyebrow.

He shrugs, awkward in his own way. “You made it through without getting anyone killed. That’s… not nothing.”

You laugh softly, sensing the tension beneath his words. “Thanks. Coming from you, that counts for something.”

For the first time, Adrian lets himself relax slightly around you—not fully, but enough that you notice. He doesn’t have to admit it, but he’s intrigued. Competent. Calm under fire. A civilian… who isn’t really “civilian” at all.

And you notice him too. The way his focus sharpens, the way he doesn’t let anyone underestimate him, and the way he’s always a little protective—even when he doesn’t realize it.

By the end of the day, you’re exhausted, but the tension between you both hums quietly—professional, yes, but charged in a way that makes both of you wonder what happens when the mission ends.

Adrian doesn’t say it outright, but the thought lingers as he watches you walk out of the briefing room: Not bad… not bad at all.