It had been 10 days since he had arrived in NYC, and 3 days since his worldly possessions had followed him, a full-week later than they were expected. The hardwood floors in his 14th-Street-and-31st-Ave loft had been a selling point when he was charming the brokerage agent into waiving the security deposit (who wouldn't be dazzled by the off-the-cuff way he quipped "more like NATIONAL security deposit for a guy like me, am I right?"). But hardwood floors become decidedly less luxurious when they're your bed AND your pillow for a solid week. And even his favorite W&M hoodie made a poor substitute for his bamboo-charcoal memory foam pillow. So when the movers finally did arrive a week-late, he couldn't help but smile with relief when they finally brought his mattress upstairs. Though never one to dally or avoid an arduous task (like unpacking and organizing his things), Kent had ignored the stack of boxes and containers and immediately flopped onto his mattress for the first comfortable sleep since his arrival in the city, and suddenly felt right at home.

Kent wasn't a stranger to the city before his official move. Growing up in-and-around DC made for a quick trip to Manhattan, for school trips when he was younger, assignments for work, and there might have even been a couple times he went to meet a friend. And sometimes that friend might have been something more. But that wasn't why he was here now. After eight years working for the Department of Homeland Security, both in a field capacity with Federal Protective Services, and more recently as an active Field Recruiter and Campus Liaison, Kent had decided to branch out and try his hand at a full-fledged Agent position. FBI and CIA were on the table, both because of his record and his family connections, but scrolling through the .gov jobs pages for Agent opportunities had helped him find the thread that led to the SUPER office. An official statement of intent, a video conference with Director Fine, and the 6-weeks of official processing time netted him a cost-of-living adjustment, fully-managed relo, and an official promotion to Agent status. 

"A SUPER Agent," he smiled, smoothing down his lapel and flicking a piece of lint off his dark gray blazer, covering his crisp white oxford and black shoulder harness. "Super, man."

Hair slick, tie straight, wool overcoat and gloves, briefcase on shoulder, finger-guns in the mirror, and out the door. The walk to the office was brisk in pace and temperature, and he had practiced the route each day since his arrival during his morning run. After almost a decade of work at the DHS, today was exciting, and this was the closest he had come to unknown. His work at the DHS had been important, and meaningful, but this opportunity was going to allow him to really dive deep into the mutant community to lead, to guide, and to support. And he could not be more pumped to meet with his contact, Agent Sang. 

Stepping past the dental school, Kent discretely tapped the scanner with his badge and slid into the office with a nonchalant look over his shoulder. Quick pass through metal detector, firearms check, and a gloved handshake and introduction to security ("thanks for the hard work, fellas!") and he was down the hall to his destination. Half-second pause to straighten his turret tie-bar and suddenly he's standing in an open office doorway. He raps his knuckle quickly on the door jamb and can't suppress the corner of his mouth turning up into grin.

"Agent Sang? Good morning! Agent Beyer, reporting."

How and why did Sabine ascend to some degree of importance in SUPER? This was never her goal and it came with way too much busy work and public relations handling. Who decided this was to be the rock upon which she built her legacy? She was willing to blame Kristoff. Damn him.

Still, she would suffer her position because she still believed in SUPER. They had a murky past and a litany of issues to deal with, but the core of the mission was what mattered. It had to be; she had spent almost half of her life devoted to it. Maybe now she was in the right place, with the knowledge and experience to bring that mission to the moral grounds it always should have occupied. If she was going to save SUPER’s soul, it would take a lot of work and she could not do it alone.

Discreetly, Sabine was working with recruitment to find people potentially useful for her cause. She was wary of who to trust in SUPER’s tenured ranks, so in her eyes, it was best to work with talented, experience agents she had a hand in bringing in.

Agent Kent Beyers, a man of impressive track record and experience, was arriving for his first day with SUPER. Sabine made it a point to be the contact bringing him in and showing him the ropes. To his credit, the man was prompt and from what she read on his face, eager.

Good, she could work with that. Reflecting, she matched his grin. ”Agent Beyers. Pleasure to meet you; I’ve been impressed with what I’ve read.” She stood from the desk and offered him her hand as a greeting. ”Welcome to the SUPER team. Come in, please. I hope the first day jitters aren’t too bad, because I’m not about to waste time before putting you to work.”

A good handshake was everything when it came to making a good first impression, and Kent had been sure to slip his gloves into his coat pocket before announcing himself at Agent Sang's door. His mutation was public record, and its scope and function were well-documented in his personnel and medical files. Even if she didn't view him as a threat (which would save considerable relationship-building time), this moment was a chance for him to not only demonstrate a perfectly executed, firm-but-not-aggressive handshake, but reaffirm that he was not a liability. 

"Thank you, Agent Sang," he smiled, gripping her hand briefly. "Jittering with excitement, more than anything else! And thank you again for making the time to meet with me this morning; I've been chomping-at-the-bit to get rolling, especially to work with you."

He stood more than a half-foot taller than his superior, but her air of authority was undeniable, and he relaxed internally as she met his easy smile. His reactions from peers and colleagues in the Federal government had historically been definition of a mixed bag when it came to his mutant-status; ranging from deferential awe to smoldering resentment and (his least favorite) fear. Having a leader that recognized his utility was great. Having a leader that even acted like having him around was a positive thing was even better.

He pulled a notepad and pen out of his coat pocket and held them aloft, ready to start taking notes. 

"Tell me where you need me and I'll make it happen. I got a confirmation that my field kit was delivered last week; I can be suited in 5 if-needed. Did I mention I was excited?" he concluded with a broad grin. 

Sabine read up on the agent’s mutation, always wanting to know the variables she was welcoming into her world. According to what she read, he could exert control over the ability to siphon life energy. She would be paying attention to her energy to confirm for herself. Kent could be useful, but if he was a liability, that did not matter.

His actual energy was positive, coming into the office with the kind of passion and gusto that she honestly lacked at eight in the morning. She would keep that under consideration when monitoring her “life energy” here.

Her experience always allowed Sabine to act with confidence. She did not need status as a Senior Agent and Commanding Officer to convince people she was in control of a situation. Now that she was in that position, she recognized it certainly still helped.

Returning to her seat, Sabine was impressed by Kent’s readiness. ”They weren’t kidding when they called you proactive.” Sabine smirked, grabbing papers from her desk and reviewing them before offering them up.

”I have two main projects I want you investigating. I think you can handle it. A group has come up on our radar in the past month. Abductions, kidnappings, potential trafficking. Specifically mutant trafficking. A lot of big news sources are not running with the story yet, but this is on the verge of becoming an epidemic in New York.” Sabine picked out an envelope filled with photos and attached profiles. ”We have already started looking into people who might have been taken and people who were rumored to be abducted before escaping.”

Folding one hand atop the other on her desk, Sabine’s eyes checked on the door to make sure it was closed and she saw no signs of someone outside of it. ”I trust you to be objective, but I assume the nature of these abductions might make this task mean a bit more to you than our human agents.”

”They weren’t kidding when they called you proactive.” 

"I've certainly been called worse," Kent quipped, his laugh lines creasing slightly. This was a familiar rhythm, and all signs were pointing to this being a positive relationship. It was usually pretty easy to read how a new supervisor or CO was going to evaluate his attitude, let alone his abilities (mutant or otherwise). In his best experiences, he was valued for his dependability and can-do attitude, and in his worst he was viewed as an instrument, a weapon. Something to be feared and respected for its utility, vs. it's value as a person. And while that was a position he knew he could occupy successfully, it wasn't one he actively sought. 

All signs were green so far. 

It was exciting to see that the kid gloves weren't even in the picture, as he took the outstretched envelope and started to thumb through the profile. It wasn't a shock to hear about mutant abductions for a few reasons. Either the mutant community wasn't engaging with traditional law enforcement as a means of handling the situation internally, or there was enough pressure on the media and local government to keep the situation quiet. Both philosophies were counter intuitive and, though he rarely vocalized it publicly, incredibly frustrating. He was living proof of the good that can happen when mutant-human relations are open, productive, and conducted with a reasonable degree of oversight. The details of the situation he was reviewing were unsettling, but he honestly could not have been more excited at the prospect of having an active hand in solving the problem. Seeing Agent Sang's eyes dart over his shoulder as she finished her overview of the case gave him momentary pause, and his eyebrows furrowed slightly as he worked to suss out an action plan.

”I trust you to be objective, but I assume the nature of these abductions might make this task mean a bit more to you than our human agents.”

"I guarantee a daily report with observations and findings, ma'am," he let the smile fall from his face and the enthusiasm slide towards intensity as he spoke. "But I'd be lying if I said this didn't hit close to home. If I might ask, though, this whole operation is designed to engage and address the mutant population more formally, even if our work leans more towards the clandestine. And yet, it's just you, me, a closed door, and an intentionally inconspicuous case file with potentially massive implications? Is it safe to assume that our peers aren't above a little investigating themselves, Agent Sang?"

Sabine appreciated work-ethic in her agents. So many people wanted to make a big splash to climb the ladder, but plenty were looking to do so through the path of least resistance. She also appreciated competence; frankly, plenty of agents were lacking in some areas. SUPER did not always pick up complete products and training helped pick up the slack. Still, it was nice to have someone join who required no babying.

Kent understood why he was being picked for this duty, more than on a surface level. He cared about his fellow mutants, and a mutant agent might have an easier time speaking with mutant victims. ”Some of our work is clandestine, but it does not hurt to be seen investigating matters such as these. Obviously SUPER brought questionable PR here from the other universe, and Haven’s theatrics in calling that out have not helped us. If we’re going to investigate trouble in the mutant community, having inroads with them will make our lives easier.”

The second implication forced a smirk out of Sabine. ”You’re smart. I do hate to pull you into office politics out of the gate, but I do have a task if you’re willing to take it on,” she admitted. ”I’m trying to suss out some of the… less savory old-guard elements from SUPER and I feel you may be equipped to help me with this.”

Kent grew up in a military household in the middle of the greater DC Metro area, which gave one a particular perspective when it came to viewing "the brass". In an ideal world, experience and rank were equated with an implicit trust in decision-making and focus on the greater-good, but Kent had grown up overhearing too many hushed whispers of scandals and cover-ups to preserve esteem strictly for rank. He knew who he shouldn't raise his voice to, but he also knew who to escalate to when leadership, especially, was out of line. And based on the candor with which Agent Sang was illustrating the well-documented struggles experienced by SUPER, Kent knew this was somebody who earned the badge, and deserved all the respect he was affording her. 

By the way that she was talking, she was placing a great deal of trust in him already, and the weight of that settled into his mind as he jotted notes/follow-up questions in his small notepad. This was shaping up to be substantial, and was going to require significant time, energy, and attention in order to be successful. This was the kind of job that required a white board, a cork board, and a whole lot of push pins and string. And, dare he say, dual monitors.

”You’re smart. I do hate to pull you into office politics out of the gate, but I do have a task if you’re willing to take it on. I’m trying to suss out some of the… less savory old-guard elements from SUPER and I feel you may be equipped to help me with this.”

Kent inclined his head in a quick nod, kept his face composed (intrigued, but not over-eager), and paused with his pen hovering over the page of his notepad. 

"I'm your man, Agent Sang," he asserted. "And I'm ready to get started as soon as you feel comfortable. A few clarifying questions, if I may: one, do we have any existing leads and, two, who can I count on to have my back here? I know there's a lot of moving pieces, but do we have any players in the mix that I can lean on to hit this hard and quick?"

He tapped his pen quickly on the table and tried hard not bounce on his toes. Being openly giddy usually wasn't the best look for a secret agent, in most circumstances. 

Sabine did not pick allies lightly. Her trust had to be placed selectively and for now, it had to remain outside of the SUPER establishment. It was why she kept the hiring of Agent Byers close to the chest. She ran through his record closely, and yes, she picked him because he was a mutant who could pass as a human.

Of course, she was not going to force him into her internal affairs, but based on what she had seen of him she was confident he would be on board. Not only was he ready to jump into the thick of it, his mind was firing off questions to catch up. Him and his notebook and pen.

Yep. She hired a boy scout.

They would waste no time, then. ”There are some personnel I consider suspect, mostly based on mission history and associations. They’ll be the ones you’ll be subtly testing. There are also two agents I’ll be bringing into the fold, and when I’ve properly vetted them, you’ll be coordinating together.”

Sabine sighed, wanting to get full-disclosure out of the way early. ”Currently, our records for you have certain details redacted-- notably, your medical history. Beyond myself and certain trusted personnel, your mutation is not a matter of record and I would like to keep that way.”

Folding one arm over the other, Sabine met Kent’s eyes. ”Are you comfortable posing as a human agent in the offices, and if necessary, portraying yourself as a human-supremacist? For all your accolades, I couldn’t quite judge your acting chops based on your records.” It was a joke, but those juicy details were on her record, after all.

Kent deftly bulleted notes as Agent Sang outlined the challenges that were incumbent within his new assignment, and kept his face impassive as she detailed the less-than-savory aspects of what might be asked of him. Tracking potential rogue agents and bringing their suspicious behavior to light through an intricate game of subtlety and subterfuge? Building meaningful relationships with additional agents? Assuming a modified identify as a means to more effectively observe and report, and simultaneously make use of his almost-obtained minor in Theater?

Oh yes, it was all coming together. He might not be particularly elated at the thought of portraying a human-supremacist, but growing up inside the Beltway had certainly provided him with a degree of exposure to the intricacies of socially-acceptable benevolent racism. 

"Certainly wouldn't be the first time I've had to keep my abilities under wraps, particularly on the job," Kent remarked, making eye contact with Agent Sang. "Element of surprise is never a bad thing to have in one's back pocket, after all. Also, not to brag, but I played George in 'Our Town' and was Curly's understudy in 'Oklahoma', in case you have a need for halfway decent baritone."

He allowed himself a quick smirk and resisted a wink ("Too soon, Kent. Too soon.") before sifting through the envelopes for some names he had seen mentioned previously. 

"These two agents that you mentioned previously; are they the Noel and...Ranger? Is that a call-sign?" His eyes flicked down through the files on both and mentally ear-marked their impressive (and fascinating) history. "Any recommendations on how to start on the right foot with either-or-both? Also, any recommendations on a desk around here?"

Sabine hoped her efforts to clean up SUPER were not all for naught, because it was an exhausting amount of effort to get the plan off the ground. She had to hire agents personally, she was using questionable assets like Noel and Michael, and she was more or less planning mild treason with Haven. If, after all that, she was still working for an organization that reveled in human rights violations, she was going to be pretty miffed.

It was unfair to keep Kent’s power confidential. Most mutants she interacted with held a sense of pride when it came to their mutation. It was part of who they were, like a beautiful smile or handgun marksmanship. (Okay, she had to relate to the mindset somehow, right?) Even worse, she was trying to position him within a group that would see him chased out of SUPER and potentially America. Fortunately, Kent understood the role she was asking him to play and the need to be discrete.

Her new agent was on board, and he was having fun with it. No shame in that if he kept the work serious. ”Well, if you clear out the organization, I’ll keep you in mind when the SUPER talent show and variety hour comes around.” Sure, that did not exist yet, but maybe in the friendlier, more approachable SUPER?

”Noel and Ranger are their names. Well, Ranger is his codename. He just seems to go by it. Ranger is easy enough. Surprisingly polite guy. Talking about guns or Texas works. As for Noel… well, don’t lie. That’s my advice.” She was not going to clarify Noel’s mutation; Kent could figure that out on his own.

With contacts established for him to look into, Sabine stood from her seat and shuffled around her desk. ”Of course. Junior Agents don’t get nifty offices, but having you out on the floor with the other agents should help you make friends.” Sure, that did involve spying on some of them, but if he figured out the creeps, he was free to befriend the good agents, assuming they had some left.

Leading him out of the office so they could take the halls toward the open floor for agents to get their work done. ”So setting aside business for a bit, are you excited to get to know the city? We keep busy, but even SUPER Agents get downtime. Of all the cities to end up in, it’s hard to do better than New York, right?” Kent was still young, and there was little you could not do with your life in America’s most extra city.

Kent chuckled at the prospect of an interoffice talent show (an idea he had stopped himself from pitching back at DHS for YEARS), and allowed himself to relax more earnestly around his superior. Everything that they had covered thus far was both intense and intensive, and it wasn't going to be easy in the least for him to accomplish his goals. And while a challenge of this magnitude was everything that he was looking for in taking this assignment in NY, he felt the weight of everything that needed to be done start to settle into his bones. Knowing that they were starting on a foot of candidness and transparency was uplifting, and hearing the names of some of his soon-to-be-peers was exciting, as well.

"OK, so don't lie to Noel," he ticked off one finger before raising another. "And take Ranger to the range, pun completely intended. That sounds do-able. And the bull-pen is fine, probably better overall for what I'm focused on. I'll set a private server for reporting between you and I once I'm able to get logged in." He jotted a few more bullets in his journal for next steps before turning his attention back to Agent Sang. He snapped his notebook shut and gathered his messenger bag to follow her out of her office and into the hallway from which he had entered. He thought back quickly to her comment on Noel and the need for honestly and felt himself give momentary pause, as he was aware of the effect that his personality sometimes had on people. Kent was practiced, poised, articulate, and periodically accused of being disingenuous. Did it count as lying if you sometimes seemed too good to be true? He didn't have too much time to ruminate before talk turned, surprisingly, to personal interests and downtime.

"Greatest city on the planet, right?" he beamed. "I grew up coming once-or-twice a year, but never really thought I'd have a chance to be in the city full-time. And it's been spectacular so far; definitely better than just a weekend trip to see a show and take in Christmas lights. Biggest challenge is building the social network, of course. I actually chaired the inter-division running club back in DC, do we have anything similar running already? I know our work is a little contingent on us not knowing each other publicly, but if there's a way for me to get to know folks a little better, it couldn't hurt right?"

He paused briefly in the hallway before they reached the bullpen and turned to survey her face for a moment, his tone growing more serious as he remembered something about the files of Ranger and Noel.

"Hold on, I want to ask this before I get the game face on and start making connections. Ranger and Noel are going to be in the field with me. Does the rest of the org know about their powers? And will they be aware of mine?"

Burnout was common with agents. Not everyone could make work their entire lives without losing their sanity, their morals, or their motivation. Not that Sabine was a good example of work-life balance, but she felt it important for her agents to do as she said, not as she did. Kent seemed like the kind of guy who had the right attitude not to drown himself in work. That was great if he did the caliber of work she had heard from his previous supervisors, but only time would tell how true the reports were. A nice guy like this might get generous reports.

Michael, Noel, Kent. Three aces she was keeping in her hand, but all unique personalities. She knew Noel and Michael meshed well, but she was interested to see how Kent handled them.

Being personnel did not sound like it would be the problem, at least not from Kent’s end. ”We’re not so clandestined that people don’t need some human connection. I’m sure you’ll make yourself known on the intraoffice chat channels. Based on your attitude, I won’t be surprised when you’re president of all our social groups by next week.”

They made their way to the open door to the bullpen, but Kent stopped her. She was glad he did, because she did not want to answer this on the floor. ”Noel and Ranger will know. Anyone else I send you into the field with will be curated carefully. Try to keep power usage in the field to a minimum, but at the end of the day, your life and the job are both more important.” She did not want to handcuff him completely. ”If your mutation is exposed to another party, I’ll handle it accordingly. The plan is to keep most of the organization unaware of your mutation for the time being, but I am always prepared for my plans to go to s**t, so if the choice is secrecy or death, you’re still more useful to me with a pulse, Beyers.”