GTS Agent Ch 26: A Plea To Those Above!

Agent 100 stood in the center of the Council chamber, a circular room lined with twelve towering seats, each occupied by a member of the Confederation's ruling body. The seats seemed to loom over her, their occupants shrouded in shadow save for the faint, golden glow of their metallic robes. The room hummed with quiet power, an oppressive reminder of the authority these individuals wielded over the galaxy—and over her.

She kept her posture rigid, but her mind was anything but calm. Standing before the Council always felt like baring her soul to the void. Every word she spoke had to be measured, every action judged against the impossibly high standards of the Confederation.

"You've made progress on Krythara," one of the Council members said, their voice smooth but devoid of warmth. "Yet progress on your other mission remains unsatisfactory."

Another voice, harsher this time, followed. "Jacob Greene continues to evade us, Agent 100. Years have passed since he slipped through our grasp, and your mission has shown no significant breakthroughs. The Confederation's patience is wearing thin."

Agent 100 inhaled deeply, holding her ground despite the tension coiling in her chest. "Jacob Greene is no ordinary target. He's proven to be highly resourceful, using his knowledge of our systems to stay ahead. But I assure you, I will find him. I only need more time."

"Time," a third voice echoed with disdain. "He's had enough of it, and so have we. The Confederation's will is absolute, Agent 100. We cannot allow a man like Jacob Greene—one who understands our inner workings—to remain at large. The risks are too great."

The room fell silent for a moment, the weight of their words pressing against her like a physical force.

"We are amending your parameters," the first voice said. "You are now authorized to reveal yourself to the subject's son, Douglas Greene."

Agent 100's heart sank, her usually stoic face betraying a flicker of emotion. Her dark eyes widened, and she felt her breath catch. "No," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

"This will expedite your mission," another Council member said, their tone unwavering. "Douglas Greene is the key to finding his father. He may know more than he realizes—or more than he has chosen to share. Reveal yourself, gain his trust or his fear, and extract the information."

Agent 100's legs felt weak, but she forced herself to stand firm. "Please, Council," she said, her voice trembling for the first time. "There must be another way. Allow me to double my efforts. I can get what you need from Douglas without revealing myself. If I reveal my true nature... it could compromise everything."

The Council remained silent, their collective gaze—though unseen—seeming to pierce through her.

She fell to her knees, lowering her head in a rare show of vulnerability. "I beg you," she said, her voice thick with emotion. "Jacob Greene is no fool. If I show my hand to his son, he will know. He will disappear again, and all our efforts will be for nothing. Let me continue the way I have been. I will deliver results. I promise you."

For a moment, nothing but the hum of the chamber could be heard. The Council seemed to deliberate silently, their forms motionless in their elevated seats.

Finally, the first voice broke the silence. "Your plea has been heard, Agent 100. We will allow you to continue your mission as you see fit—for now. But make no mistake: this is your final chance. We expect results. The Confederation does not tolerate failure."

Agent 100's shoulders sagged slightly in relief. She bowed her head deeply, her voice steady as she said, "Thank you, Council. I will not fail you."

"You are dismissed," the harsh voice concluded.

Agent 100 rose to her full height, her expression hardening as she turned and walked out of the chamber. The steel doors slid shut behind her with a hiss, cutting off the oppressive energy of the Council's presence.

As she strode down the glowing white corridor, determination burned in her chest. She had bought herself more time, but the pressure had only intensified. The Council's patience was waning, and she knew what failure would mean—not just for her, but for Douglas Greene and, eventually, his father.

Jacob Greene, she thought, her fists clenching at her sides. The one man who escaped this madness. The only one who had the courage to stand against them and win. I don't know if I can match you, but maybe... just maybe, I can learn from you.

Her pace quickened, her boots echoing sharply against the corridor floor. She had work to do.

***

Douglas stepped out of his small, weathered apartment, the faint chill of the early morning air biting at his exposed skin. He tugged his jacket closer, his tired eyes squinting against the pale light of dawn. Dark circles framed his eyes, remnants of yet another sleepless night. His dreams—or rather, nightmares—had been relentless lately, filled with images he couldn't explain and voices he couldn't place.

With a heavy sigh, he adjusted the strap of his backpack and started down the cracked concrete steps that led to the street. The quiet hum of the city waking up surrounded him: the distant rumble of buses, the bark of a dog, the chatter of an early bird neighbor.

"Douglas!"

The sound of his name jolted him out of his thoughts. He turned toward the voice, his heart sinking slightly as he saw Traci standing on the sidewalk. She was leaning casually against a lamppost, her arms crossed over her chest. Her curly auburn hair framed her face, catching the weak sunlight, and she wore a denim jacket that looked a size too big.

"Hey," Douglas muttered, his voice hoarse from exhaustion. He didn't stop walking, hoping she'd get the hint.

Traci, however, had other plans. She fell into step beside him, her sneakers slapping lightly against the pavement. "So... no hello for me today?" she teased, glancing sideways at him.

Douglas let out a tired sigh. "Hi, Traci. Happy?"

"Thrilled," she said with a grin. "You look awful, by the way. Did you even sleep?"

He shot her a sidelong glare. "Gee, thanks. Always nice to hear that first thing in the morning."

She shrugged, unbothered. "I'm just saying, you've got, like, major zombie vibes going on. And I'm not talking the cool, action-movie kind. I mean the 'stayed up way too late watching conspiracy videos on your phone' kind."

Douglas stopped walking, turning to face her with a tired expression. "Traci, why are you here?"

She raised an eyebrow. "Wow, someone's cranky today."

"I'm serious," he said. "You never wait for me. What's going on?"

Traci hesitated, her usual playful demeanor faltering for a moment. She looked down at her shoes, kicking a small pebble across the sidewalk before speaking. "I just... figured you could use some company, that's all. You've been acting weird lately. Quieter than usual. I thought maybe walking to school together would, I don't know, help."

Douglas blinked, caught off guard by her honesty. He scratched the back of his neck, unsure how to respond. "I'm fine," he said finally, though the words felt hollow even to him.

Traci gave him a pointed look. "Liar."

"I'm serious, Traci. It's nothing," he insisted, resuming his walk.

She followed without missing a beat, her voice softening. "You know you can talk to me, right? If something's going on... I mean, I'm not saying I can fix it or anything, but I can listen. I'm good at that."

Douglas glanced at her, his expression softening despite himself. "I know. Thanks."

They walked in silence for a while, the school coming into view at the end of the street. Traci broke the quiet first, her tone lighter this time. "So, what's the plan today? Try to stay awake in math? Pretend Mr. Carter's history lecture isn't the most boring thing ever?"

Douglas chuckled, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "Sounds about right."

"See? That's the Douglas I know," Traci said, nudging his shoulder with hers.

He rolled his eyes but didn't pull away. As much as he hated to admit it, her company did make the morning a little easier to handle.

As they reached the school gates, Traci turned to him, her grin returning. "Okay, zombie boy, let's survive another day. Deal?"

Douglas smirked, his exhaustion momentarily forgotten. "Deal."