Way Back Agency

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“Wait... Mrs. White? Ursula??” Ursula reached out and grabbed Damon’s hand, pulling him up to level. Ursula signalled over a group of people, wearing brown uniforms. They threw down a rope to where the car had crashed, in a ditch below. The thorns amongst what was left of the car had scathed Dane unforgivably. Chills went down Dane’s spine imagining what condition the others were in. More of the agents in brown uniform appeared, with a stretcher, and other equipment. “What.. is going on..” asked Dane. “Where’s Ezra?” said Ursula. “I thought he was with you..” Ten minutes later, Damon, Sarah, Pete and Verette were all out of the car. Ursula greeted Verette as if she had known her for a long time. “You know each other?” asked Dane. “Back in the old days... when agents were not so corrupt. When the Hyrdra did not exist. When all was at peace.” Dane still looked bemused. Ursula noticed the emblem around the recovering Sarah’s neck, who was lying on the stretcher. Sarah nodded at her, giving permission for her to remove it, and even trying to talk, asking if she could figure it out. Ursula held it up to her eyes. She then had a reassured grin on her face as she put it in her coat. “Dane, we are The Sphinx. We existed decades before the Wyvern and most certainly the Hydra, but we failed to keep up with the times. We had other responsibilities.” “I understand..” said Dane. “But.. you’re back!” “Well, yeah,” said Ursula. “Our original graphic designer isn’t, though.. I mean Sphinx’s don’t even have necks that long,” she said pointing to the unusually long emblem on her vest. “But I have decided enough is enough, we’re back in town. We will spend our last dying breath protecting the Wyvern, the only hopeful agency there is. Those stones must not be abused.” “Adrien and Muhammad seeks the last stone,” said Dane. “And that, he will not get,” said Ursula. She leaned over towards Dane. “Because we have it.” Dane’s eyes widened. “What is the significance of the necklace?” “Ah, that, Dane, is.. top secret.” Dane frowned. Ursula leaned over to his ear again. “That is the key to the final stone. Only with the necklace can the final stone be unlocked. Before me and Margaret parted years ago, as I realised I had.. well, I had Ezra. And other duties. I was getting creaky as well. But, well, here I am! Or here we are. Adrien and Muhammad think we’re no more. We must keep up appearances.” All of the agents heard Ursula’s last word, and immediately unzipped their brown jump suits. The men wore plated shorts, black shoes and long white socks, as well as cravats. The women wore large dresses with flower prints and curly wigs. They all looked like a bunch of old farts. Dane couldn’t help but think this was a big joke. But it was a cunning plan. “Alright, the bus is arriving within 5 minutes. We’re hitting the streets!” “What about the others? Will they recover?” Dane said worryingly, noticing Ursula seemed indifferent. “Oh, yes,” she said. “Give them a week at most. Nothing major. Just a sprain or two.” Dane was really surprised he managed to survive that. He then had a flashback- the intensity of the fall of the car had made his mind rush, but he remembered something different about the necklace Sarah was wearing as they fell. He thought he was imagining things, but he sensed the necklace had protected them. The last of Ursula’s agents returned from the ditch. They had large tools to cut through the thorns. The agents told Ursula they were beyond lucky to survive the crash. Ursula looked a little pale-faced. She looked at Dane and noticed he something was up. “What is it?” “Oh no, it’s silly, don’t-” “Never doubt your conscience. What is up?” asked Ursula. “Well, look at the car. It’s small. Now look at the cliff. And look at what we landed on. How could we have survived?” “Ah, well that’s a good question,” said Ursula. “But I believe it was the-” “-necklace.” Dane cut in. “What the heck? What are you on?” asked Ursula. Dane looked down stupidly. He felt a little insecure. “I’m joking! When Marge gave me this necklace as a final gift before we parted, she enchanted it with the most powerful thing imaginable... hope. And a mother’s love.” “What is this, Harry Potter?” said Dane. “There are forces in this world that are here to protect us. We must appreciate them and make the most of them in our quest to rid the Hydra off the face of this world. Have you seen the papers around the place, the government are already aware of these agencies. Which just adds to our worries. If we are to have a public identity, I want it to have a good name. As long as the Hydra exist, it will inflict onto our image. Protecting the existence and legacy of the agency is the last thing I wish to do. I will not die with it. I will die with it fighting on.” “I’m very surprised the government haven’t gotten onto us sooner,” said Dane. “Hey, as am I,” Ursula said. “I believe some of their own agents are holding back.. you know, I have a past with many members of the FBI.” “You actually think they’d do that? I mean- Suddenly a blast in the distance broke up the conversation. All of the “oldies” immediately pulled out their guns in response, aiming it in that direction. “Come on, we have to move on,” said Ursula, pulling Dane into the car. As Dane sat down, he couldn’t help but notice all the details of the car. He was used to travelling in the Wyvern’s cars. The seatbelts in this car had a strangely antique yet prestige look and feel this time. “Buckle up,” grinned the driver. Dane noticed the agents looked like they were in their 40s or 50s. But he tried not to doubt his veterans. They’d seen it all. Off the car went. Dane worried for a moment the car was going too slow, but it was a very different car. He looked in the back to see three agents playing bingo. “Your clothes are far too conspicuous, here, put this on,” said the driver, passing Dane a sailor’s suit. Dane held it, his mouth gaping. “Serious?” The car suddenly stopped. A dark figure was holding up a sign in the middle of the road. Dane looked behind him to see the rest of the cars held up. They all blared their old horns. The figure approached the window. He had curly hair and bright eyes. “Muhammad headed East, I saw Adrien and Ezra tied up in the back of the car. The agent nodded and continued. The next car to come past him was Ursula. “Where is my dear Ezra?!” she said to the “road attendant”. “He is alive. He is heading to the fake stone we set up,” said Roberts.&nbsp “So I’m assuming he fell for it?” said Ursula. “Yes,” said the agent. “You have done well. You can come with us now.” The agent took off his disguise to reveal a Wyvern uniform.