“Once more, I am suggesting you put him down,” the receptionist said as she calmly pointed the tip of her scythe towards the strange man’s throat, the sharpened point mere centimeters away.

The man gritted his teeth as he tried to lean his head back, but to no avail. “Do you even know how much he’s worth?” he eyed, “If I bring back his head, I-”

“I am completely aware,” the receptionist said, simultaneously raising her hand to interrupt the man while casting her gaze upon Diego, who was thrown over the man’s shoulder, completely unconscious. “Which is exactly why I cannot permit you to do such an act, as I also have my reasons.”

The receptionist then carefully lifted Diego’s unconscious body from the man’s shoulder, slinging his limp body over her shoulder as she effortlessly jumped off of the man’s back.

“Who are you employed by?” she interrogated as she descended onto the pavement before the man. “And please be honest with me; I have all the reasons to kill you, yet I am choosing not to.”

“Why the hell would I tell you that?” the man said with a slight tremble in his voice, putting on a brave front as he tried to move. “Do you think I’m a dumbass with sand for a brain?? Even if I told you it wouldn’t change shit.”

“Taking into consideration your bold, dramatic, shallow and uncoordinated attempt, I would agree that you may have ‘sand for a brain’ as you say so yourself,” the receptionist responded as she met the man's gaze with eyes that could only be described as pure, uncharted lunacy.

“Fuck, I’m screwed,” the man echoed in his mind as he quickly registered the gaze, hopelessness setting in, “I ain’t getting no pay and damn sure no missions for the next week.”

His vision billowed out into light blurs as his eyes began to roll towards the back of his skull. Before he could even fully register what was happening, his palms smacked against the concrete underneath him as his brain began to claw its way out from inside his head.

Moments later, as his vision refocused and his brain settled; he quickly realized that both the receptionist and his one-way payday had disappeared.

“Fuck!” He blurted as he dug his fingertips into the asphalt of the parking lot before he sprung himself up into the air; flying off into the night

☆

Later, Diego slowly regained consciousness, his eyes fluttering open and peering into the scalding bright lights above him. He whipped his head up and rapidly blinked as it felt like his eyes were in two different directions.

As he adjusted, he realized he didn’t recognize the grey walls and fluorescent lights surrounding him. Just as he was about to begin panicking, that’s when he heard a saving grace.

“Hey,” she greeted, her tone doused in concern “are you alright?”

Diego’s eyes raced around the room for the source of the voice before his eyes settled on the two women standing before him, one being the receptionist from earlier.

“Are you alright?” the receptionist repeated softly, putting a hand out and letting it graze Diego’s shoulder before coming to a rest.

Diego attempted to stand from where he was, but he quickly realized his wrists were bound to the back of the chair. Trying to break himself free, the cold steel of the cuffs bit into his wrist, causing him to hiss in pain.

“My apologies for the unconventional state you’re in at the moment, but if you’ll kindly allow me to explain myself, we can discuss removing those cuffs,” she calmly expressed as she then proceeded to sit in the chair facing him. Her wide hazel gaze locked onto Diego’s as she neatly made herself comfortable before him.

Diego felt slightly put off by the wide-eyed, energetic gaze but gave the receptionist a slight nod to be compliant, hoping he’d be let go if he followed every command to the letter.

“You’re being hunted down right now,” the receptionist said nonchalantly as she began to fidget with Diego’s wallet, quickly searching through it before finding his driver’s license.

“But, before you panic more,” she began as she held the license up, comparing his ID photo to the man before her as she snapped a photo, “I would like to extend an offer to you, or a favor if you will,” she offered as she tucked the license back and leaned closer.

“Hunted?!” Diego’s mind shouted as it began to spiral, his mind racing to sort out the day’s events in his mind, ”Is that why that weird ass dude was screaming ‘It’s you!’ at me?? Is that why he tried to fucking kill m—”

The receptionist raised her hand slightly, derailing Diego’s train of thought as she noticed his face quickly devoid of all emotion.

“Calm down,” she reassured as she tucked the wallet back into his pocket. “I can tell you’re already panicking, but you have yet to allow me to extend my offer,” she reminded softly, her fingers interlacing as she partially covered her face.

“Now, since we do have reasonable concerns about your utmost safety due to today’s earlier incident, we’ll protect you,” she said as she crossed her legs, “That’s only if you join our team, of course.”

Diego’s face almost immediately churned like spoiled milk in confusion at the receptionist’s strange offer, but quietly listened as she began to explain.

“We’re an organization of serialized spies,” she began as she stood up, standing adjacent to the other woman, “But, we are not your conventional spies you hear about in movies, and instead something much more.”

The other woman then proceeded to clap once at the end of the receptionist’s sentence, causing the lights to shut off and the overhead projector to cast onto the wall before Diego.

“We investigate strange disruptions that occur within the Dallas area, but we usually work during the night,” she said with thought as she grabbed her pointer and grazed it over the projected photo on the wall, the image being from a recent mission of theirs.

“Contrary to our odd hours, we’re team Sunrise International, and we investigate the supernatural before residents of Dallas even notice an issue,” she said proudly as she retraced the pointer before staring confidently into Diego’s eyes.

The other woman then gently tapped the receptionist’s shoulder and whispered something in her ear, causing the receptionist’s brows to furrow before peaking back up.

“Oh my!” the receptionist exclaimed before walking up to Diego, “Apologies for not introducing myself prior, but I’m Valentino Villantro, the founder and CEO of Sunrise International,” she cheerfully spoke before extending her hand for a handshake.

Diego looked at her hand and then slowly gazed up into Valentino’s eyes, still panicked but more annoyed with how Valentino had quickly forgotten about his situation..

Valentino quickly realized Diego’s hands were still cuffed and embarrassingly retracted her hand. “Again, Apologies, I must have momentarily forgotten that you’re still cuffed to the chair..” she sheepishly spoke as she neatly tucked her hands into her slack’s pockets.

“Now, I give you two choices,” Valentino began as she folded her legs in the chair, “you can either join my team, and we’ll protect you like our lives depend on it.. Or you can decline, and we’ll let you go. Though, the issue that raises is that you will more than likely be hunted down as if you were nothing but venison.”

“..Don’t you think that’s a bleak way of putting it, Val?” the other woman finally spoke, “Plus, that sounds like more of a threat than genuine concern.”

“It’s the most blunt and direct way I can phrase it, Stephanie,” Valentino nonchalantly replied. Diego started to tremble slightly from becoming increasingly panicked, and this didn’t go unphased by Stephanie.

“Dude, calm it. No pressure, but as long as you take us up on our offer, you should be fine,” she said as she gestured her hands, “Plus, we pay well, and there’s no rent if you live at headquarters, but we can discuss that whenever you say the word.” Diego sat silently, still panicked but considering the offer.

“On one hand.. I have the freedom to walk out but risk being murdered..” he thought quietly, “But, on the other hand, I get paid. And free rent… But I don't know what they’ll make me do. But wait.. Why am I being hunted? What do they mean by "hunted for my head?”

“They’re trying to hunt you down because of your ability,” Valentino bluntly interrupted, throwing off Diego’s train of thought. “You’re human, and you have a structure, which isn’t supposed to be logically possible.”