Wolfgang was 32 when everything turned on its head, but let's start right at the beginning. Wolfgang headed to O'Riley Shamrock's, his favorite pub. As he walked in, he took his usual seat at the bar, ordered a Scotch, and waited for his drink. Someone came up, sat next to him, and struck up a conversation.

  "Good afternoon, Wolfgang."

  "Uh, good afternoon? I apologize, but I don't believe we've met."

  "Naturally. You shall refer to me as either 'Boss' or 'H.'"

  "What the devil does that mean?"

  "Boys, get him!"

  Suddenly, Wolfgang was dragged out of his chair and had a sack tossed over his head. He felt his feel lift off the ground and be dragged into a vehicle. Next heard a door sm, then a van start and drive off. As he tried to protest, the men wouldn’t let him go. After some time, he felt something stick him in the arm, and he bcked out. An unknown amount of time passed before Wolfgang opened his eyes and realized he was back at the pub. He thought it had all just been a dream. Just as he grabbed his Scotch and raised it to his mouth, a giant wave spshed over his face. The shock forced him out of the dreamlike state. A slender, elderly man—who didn’t look like H—was standing above him with a bucket.

  "Welcome back to the nd of the living, Agent 14."

  "Wha— I'm Wolfgang, not this 'Agent 14.'"

  "Nonsense, Agent 14. Don’t you remember your uncle R?"

  Suddenly, everything came rushing back. He remembered meeting R when he was very young. He used to call him Agent 14 then, not knowing what it meant. He also remembered a young, beautiful woman who used to babysit him. She often told him how stressful her day had been, but watching over him made things better. Wolfgang tried to recall her name when he heard her voice so vividly.

  "Wolfy is here? I don't think he’d remember little old me."

  As she walked into the room, they locked eyes, and it all came back to him.

  "Ms. Sarah Poundsterling."

  "Wolfgang Amadeus, I'm surprised you remember me. I remember watching you when you were just a tyke. Do you remember when I called you Wolfy?"

  "I remember it all so well. I loved when Ms. Sarah watched me while Mom and Dad were at work. I remember that time you brought me an RC car, and we accidentally blew it up because you didn’t tell me it was an RC!"

  R interrupted, "Agent 14, I hate to disturb you and Ms. Poundsterling’s reunion, but H and I need to talk to you. It’s about your mom and dad."

  "Oh, um, Ms. Sarah—"

  "You can just call me Sarah, Wolfy."

  "Sarah, can we catch up a little ter?"

  "Of course, I need to get back to my desk anyway."

  R began leading the group to H's office. Room after room, the only sound was their footsteps. After entering the office, they saw a door and a desk next to it. Sarah sat down and pressed a button on her desk.

  "R and Wolfgang are ready to see you, sir."

  "Send them in."

  A loud clicking sound was heard, and Sarah told them they could proceed. R went up to the door, turned the knob, and opened it. Inside was a huge office with bookshelves filled with various books and knickknacks. A rge bck chair sat in the middle of the office behind a desk, and a gold-pted name tag on the front of the desk read "Herbert Cummings." A hand appeared next to the chair, and a voice called out, telling them to have a seat. After Wolfgang and R sat down, the chair slowly spun around, revealing the man from the pub.

  "Good afternoon, Agent 14."

  "You! You're the guy from the pub! What in the bloody hell is this all about?"

  "Now, now, settle down, Agent 14. We're getting there. I don’t know how to tell you this, but your mother and father have been taken out by an avanche."

  "WHAT?!"

  "I'm sorry. We just got the information this morning. We know you unknowingly assisted them in their work, but they were some of the best agents in the force."

  "What kind of business is this? I'm just lost."

  "R, would you like to take over?"

  "Naturally. Agent 14, your parents were spies. Your father, Agent 6, recruited your mother, Agent 8. Together, they were an amazing duo. When they had you, Ms. Poundsterling volunteered to watch over you during their missions. They registered you in the system as Agent 14, but since you didn’t show interest in becoming a spy, they let you live a normal life. However, they did have you help them. Remember the security job you had? The company was being taken down by your parents, and because you were in security, they had access to your keys. You could be a natural-born spy if you gave it a chance. What do you say, Agent 14?"

  Wolfgang stared bnkly at R and H, unsure what to say. After a few minutes, Wolfgang said he wanted to sleep on it and decide after his parents' funeral.

  A few days passed, and it was the day of the funeral. Wolfgang was handling it better than most would. Sarah was upset but stayed strong for Wolfgang, and she began to feel a strong connection with him. Wolfgang gently grabbed Sarah's hand and said, "I can sense you're upset. I can tell you're trying to stay strong, and I really appreciate you being here for me. After this, why don’t we go to dinner? Catch up, and maybe a little more after?"

  Sarah began to blush. "Oh, um, that would be lovely. I do have the day off, and I’d love to reconnect with you. You've become such a handsome young gentleman, and I’d love to hear how life has been since we st met."

  After the burial, Wolfgang took Sarah’s hand, led her to his car, opened the door for her, and then got in to drive off to a fancy restaurant. When they arrived, Wolfgang opened Sarah's door, walked her to the front entrance, and escorted her to their table. He pulled out her chair, waited for her to sit, and then pushed her chair in before taking his own seat. Sarah looked at Wolfgang with her head in her hands, feeling overjoyed.

  "My, oh my, Wolfy. I never imagined the little boy I used to watch would turn into such a proper gentleman. I’ve never felt like this before. I suppose it's because I never really had a boyfriend."

  "Well, Sarah, I’ve never really had the chance to show a lovely dy what a good time is like. Most girls just want to rush into things, but personally, I’m not looking for that right away. I’m taking you to dinner, and afterward, maybe we could hit the theater, or we could go to my pce and py some games together?"

  "Wolfy, I’d love to watch a movie with you. We could do it at my pce if you'd like. I have quite the selection and access to any streaming service you can think of."

  Just as Sarah suggested going to her pce, her phone started to ring. She apologized to Wolfgang and pulled out her phone to see who was calling. It was H. She answered, and H asked her to put the phone on speaker.

  "Wolfgang, it's me, H. I know you're probably still grieving and wanting some time alone. However, I wanted to tell you that we’ve moved discussions for your contract signing to tomorrow, if you're still interested in joining the agency."

  "Okay, sounds great."

  "I would have called you personally, but I don't have your number since you didn’t have a phone when you were registered. Thank you, Ms. Poundsterling, you’re truly a valuable asset."

  H hung up, and the mood died off a little. The duo ordered their dinner, ate, and left after paying. Wolfgang took Sarah home. Sarah said she had fun, but she was tired and wanted to go to bed. Wolfgang understood, walked her to her door, hugged her, and she went inside. Wolfgang then drove home.

  At home, Wolfgang thought about joining the family business. He reflected on how average his life had been and thought about the wonderful night with Sarah. He decided he would at least see what the agency's offer was before making a decision. Afterward, he got up, took a shower, dried off, put on some night clothes, and went to bed.

  In his dream, he was back at the pub, and all his friends were talking at a table in front of him. The bartender approached Wolfgang at the bar, gave him a Scotch, and told him it was on the house as congratutions. Wolfgang was puzzled but drank the Scotch. When he turned to thank the bartender, he realized everyone was gone, and the only person left was H.

  "Your soul belongs to me now. No more social life, and you cannot leave the agency unless you're KIA. Sign here, or else!"

  Wolfgang shot up, cold sweat on his brow. He checked his phone and saw that his arm was one minute away. He fell back on his pillow, anxious about the signing and unsure whether to say yes or no. When the arm went off, he got up and prepared for the day. As he walked outside, Sarah was waiting for him. She was driving a very nice car, a Chevy Impa, and she called out to him, saying H was awaiting his arrival. Wolfgang got in, buckled up, and tried not to show that something was bothering him.

  "Are you nervous, Wolfy?"

  "Pfft, are you kidding? I’m ready for this! Haha. I mean, I can say no, right? Not that I would... maybe... um, lovely weather today, isn't it?"

  "Rex, dear. Everything is going to be just fine."

  Sarah grabbed Wolfgang's hand and promised him that no matter what happened, she would make sure he was taken care of. After a short drive, they arrived at headquarters, and Sarah scanned them in. R came down to the lobby to greet them.

  "Now, Agent 14, shall we go to H's office?"

  Wolfgang looked at Sarah, who gave him an assuring smile. He took a deep breath and said he was ready. R led the way, much like the first visit, and once they reached the office, the door was already propped open. R said only Wolfgang could go in. Wolfgang hugged Sarah, thanked her, and entered the office. The door shut behind him. H's chair had its back to Wolfgang, but as Wolfgang approached the desk, H spun around and told him to have a seat.

  "Now, Wolfgang, I can see you’re probably nervous. Let me assure you, no matter what you decide, you'll be fine."

  "Can I ask a few questions?"

  "Now's the time to do so."

  "What happens if I decline the offer?"

  "We’ll wrap up our conversation, shake hands, take you home, and you’ll return to your old life as if nothing happened."

  "No memory erasing? No death?"

  "Good heavens, no. What good would death be? Your memory will stay intact because you can’t get in here without being part of the agency. Besides, do you really think anyone would believe you were called to be a spy? Honestly, it sounds rather far-fetched, don’t you think?"

  "Right, that does sound pretty silly when you put it that way. So, what’s the offer?"

  "Well, it’s all written here, but I can give you the cliff notes. You’ll get a wardrobe of custom-fitted suits, a brand-new car, and access to hundreds of gadgets. You’ll also receive your own firearm, a 9mm, just like your father used. We cover all your medical expenses and most of your necessary costs, like gas and phone repairs. You’ll also receive a license to kill, but of course, that’s only for your targets. Just because we can convince the w to look the other way doesn’t mean we can do it all the time. All travel expenses are covered since you’ll likely need to go all over the world for missions. However, if you fail to uphold your deal with us, well… you’ll go MIA. We’ve never had to do that before, but I thought you should know, just in case."

  Wolfgang stared at his contract, unsure whether to sign on the "yes" or "no" line. Just as he raised his pen, he moved it toward "no." Wolfgang then moved his pen over to approve and signed his name. He stood up, extended his hand towards H, and said, "Happy to be aboard, Herbert." H smiled and reached out to shake Wolfgang's hand, thanking him for joining.

  "First order of business is to go and see R. He will get you fitted for your suits and show you some gadgets. After all that, you're free to do whatever you feel like for the rest of the day."

  Wolfgang headed out the door and was greeted by Sarah and R. He smiled and let them know he was joining the force. Everyone cheered and hugged. Then, Wolfgang said he had to head back to the b with R for suit fitting and gadgets. As Wolfgang and R walked away, H came out of his office and met with Sarah.

  "Ms. Poundsterling, how are you feeling today?"

  "Doing wonderful, H. It's not like you to be out of your office so early. Are you leaving early today?"

  "Not today, but I do have to have a chinwag with you."

  "Is everything alright?"

  "Naturally. I just want you to please not take your retionship with Wolfgang too seriously. I'd prefer you two stay professional, but as you know, I cannot force you."

  "Alright, sir."

  Wolfgang and R approached a door with a pte engraved with the name 'Rian Greenwood.' R pulled out a key and slid it into the doorknob. After opening the door, a huge room full of shelves and tables of tech appeared. Wolfgang was astonished and wanted to py with as many devices as he could. R shouted to Wolfgang to come to the back and get fitted for his suits, plus pick up his starter gadgets like his Utility Watch and his new phone. As Wolfgang approached the back, he saw a dispy with his favorite spy gadget, the RC XD. As he approached the gadget, R suddenly showed up.

  "Ah no, no, no, Agent 14. This isn't needed for anything, plus you're not ready for it."

  "R, I have pyed with RC cars for years. I'm sure I can handle this."

  "Well, we can mess with it ter. Let's get the important things out of the way first."

  After Wolfgang got all his outfits made, R presented him with a few gadgets. He got a brand-new cellphone that not only had all the numbers for the agency people, such as R, H, and Sarah, but also some apps he had never heard of. One said 'Taser,' and another said 'Car,' but before Wolfgang could ask, R showed him his watch. The watch was connected to the phone and had some apps like 'Hack' and 'Lock Pick,' but it also had features like a choke wire and a grapple hook. Wolfgang was excited and decided to ask R about a few things.

  "So what do some of these apps do?"

  "Well, Taser turns your phone into a taser gun, and Car is used for your spy car because we don't use keys. Don’t worry though, as long as you have the phone, you'll always have access to the car, even if the phone is dead. Lock Pick and Hack are self-expnatory. Electronic locks and most pieces of technology can be hacked."

  "I guess an important question is, why do you never call me by my name? And why is everyone referred to by just a single letter?"

  "Well, the reasons for both are mostly so the readers at home can remember everyone easily. Plus, the single letters are because of our branches. I run the R branch, and H handles the H branch, and again, it's for the readers."

  "Who are the readers?"

  "I was making a fourth wall break."

  "Oh, let me try! 'Ello to all you there at home."

  "That's the spirit, Agent 14! Now that you have everything, let me know if you're ready to get your car and head out for the day."

  Wolfgang told R he wanted to see Sarah one st time before heading out. He walked out of the b and headed toward H's office, which was down a very long hallway. Once there, he approached Sarah's desk, but she seemed uneasy seeing him.

  "Good afternoon, Sarah. I thought I'd see you before I left and see if you would have a day off again soon. I'd love to take you to dinner again."

  "Um, Wolfgang, I would... I would love to go to dinner... but I'd like it best if we kept things professional. You're an amazing young man, but I'd prefer we not go past friends right now. I do apologize if it upsets you, dear."

  "Well... It's alright, and I can understand. Honestly, it doesn't hurt me at all, and maybe we can revisit our retionship at another time."

  Sarah smiled, and suddenly H came out of his office again to see Wolfgang. His old, bearded, stone face stared at Wolfgang almost as if he had taken issue with something he had done. H spoke:

  "Well, I see you got everything with R done?"

  "Yeah."

  "Good. Would you like to come in tomorrow for some training? After that, maybe we can set you out on your first mission."

  "Definitely, I'd be pumped to do so!"

  "Bob's your uncle. I'll see you tomorrow then, Agent 14."

  H walked back into his office and shut the door behind him. Wolfgang said goodbye to Sarah, saying he would text her ter with his new phone, and headed towards the exit. He opened the door to leave Sarah's office when suddenly R was in the doorway. He apologized and moved out of the way so Wolfgang could leave. Wolfgang headed out of HQ and went to the parking garage to find his new spy car. Wolfgang pressed the car app on his phone, and options appeared on his screen. The options were Start, Summon, Self Destruct, Eject Driver, Eject Passenger, and Deploy Armor. Wolfgang pressed Summon, and he heard tires squeal as a vehicle came rushing to his location and slid into pce in front of him.

  Before Wolfgang was a silver Plymouth Barracuda. The vehicle stayed running as the driver door swung open. Wolfgang approached the door and saw no one was in the seat. He climbed in and closed the door. He messed with the radio knobs and saw what kind of signals he could get, finally settling on old orchestras. He often listened to these at home, like Carmen: Overture and Ode to Joy.

  Wolfgang drove out of the parking garage and headed down the path to his home. Suddenly, his phone rang, and when he checked it, he saw it was R. Wolfgang answered the call, and it came through the car speakers.

  "Agent 14, I see you found your new car. Jolly good, but I did forget to mention something during your collection of the gear and gadgets. Your phone has another app I am sending over—this is the company payment card. Thanks to modern tech, you can just open the app, tap your phone on the card machine, and pay wirelessly. This also works on ATMs if you want to carry notes with you. That is all, have a great afternoon."

  R hung up the call. Wolfgang continued driving home, and once he got home, he went to bed, tired from getting worked up about his contract signing. He y down and tried to rex, thinking he was just overthinking things. Then, he thought about Sarah. He thought about her even in his sleep, dreaming about how life would have been if he could have just put a ring on her finger and called her Sarah Amadeus. In his dream, he held her hands and saw her wearing a veil, preparing to lift it to reveal her face. Just as Wolfgang puckered his lips to kiss his bride-to-be, his arm went off. He got up, took a shower, and got ready for the day. Just as Wolfgang finished his tie, his phone rang. He checked to see it was R.

  "Good morning, Agent 14."

  "‘Ello, R. Good morning to you too."

  "Pardon the early morning call, Agent 14, but it's really important. Today we have to get you to the b and upload training data straight into your mind, then get you the files for your first assignment."

  "What the devil? Download it straight to my brain?"

  "Naturally. It's one of my favorite gadgets—the brain drain helmet. I got it from my vacation in Arcadeia, a great pce—just avoid gaining corruption stacks."

  "Whatever that means, hahaha. I shall be there in a few moments, R."

  "See you then, Agent 14."

  Wolfgang hung up the call and hit the start button on his car app. The car was ready for Wolfgang when he finally made it outside. After getting in and beginning to drive off, he saw his phone was downloading another car app. This app was "Autopilot," which made his car drive itself, and all he had to do was set the location. Wolfgang decided he would mess with the app ter and just focus on getting to the agency. When Wolfgang pulled up, he pulled out his phone and scanned it to check into the building. After traversing the halls and making his way to R's b, he ran into Sarah.

  "Good morning, Wolfy."

  "Good morning to you, Sarah. You look dashing today, if I may say so."

  "Awe, thank you, dear. By the way, I got some cute lingerie and would love to have you tell me which one you like best."

  "I'd love to judge that for you, maybe tonight if I'm not working too te."

  Suddenly, R appeared just as the conversation ended. "Ah, there you are, Wolfgang. By the way, I sent you a new app for your car. It's Autopilot,and it may be the best app I've designed. Ms. Poundsterling, is there a chance H is done with the files?"

  "I have to head back to my desk, so I will ask then. See you ter, Wolfy."

  As Sarah headed off, Wolfgang walked into the b to get his training downloaded. R was excited to finally use his helmet. Wolfgang walked into the b, looking around at all the futuristic gadgets scattered on the tables. R was beaming as he stood next to a rge, high-tech chair with a helmet attached by several wires and fshing lights.

  "Ah, Agent 14, welcome to your new favorite toy!" R excimed, patting the chair. "This is the Brain Drain Helmet. It’s going to upload all the data you’ll need directly into your mind in a matter of minutes."

  Wolfgang raised an eyebrow. "It’s safe, right? I won’t end up with scrambled eggs for brains?"

  R chuckled. "Oh, nothing to worry about. You’ll be right as rain! The technology comes from the Arcadian sector, as I mentioned. You’ll get training in combat, espionage tactics, nguages, and a little bit of cryptography—everything you'll need for your first mission."

  Wolfgang took a deep breath and sat in the chair, feeling the cold leather press against his back. R adjusted the helmet on his head, tightening the straps.

  "Alright, Agent 14, rex. This’ll feel a bit strange at first, but it’ll be over before you know it," R reassured him, flipping a few switches on the nearby console.

  The helmet started to hum, and Wolfgang felt a tingling sensation spreading from his temples to the rest of his head. His vision blurred for a moment, then it was like a floodgate of knowledge opened up inside his mind. He saw fshes of combat training, nguages, and technical skills—everything was downloading straight into his brain.

  In just a few minutes, the hum died down, and R removed the helmet. Wolfgang blinked a few times, feeling a slight headache but nothing too overwhelming.

  "How do you feel, Agent 14?" R asked, leaning in with an eager grin.

  "Like I’ve just crammed four years of college into five minutes," Wolfgang replied, rubbing his temples. "But I think I’m good."

  R ughed. "That’s the spirit! Now, we’ve got your mission file ready for you."

  Wolfgang stood up, straightening his suit. "I’ll grab the file, pack my things, and head out."

  "Everything you need is in there. And remember, your car can drive itself, so use the autopilot if you need to focus on mission pnning during your commute."

  Wolfgang nodded. Just as he turned to leave the b, R called out.

  "And Agent 14, don’t forget—stay sharp out there. This is real now."

  Wolfgang gave R a confident nod. "Don’t worry, R. I’ve got this."

  As he made his way through the halls of the agency, his mind wandered back to Sarah. Her words from earlier repyed in his head. She wanted to keep things professional, but there was still that pyful spark in their conversation.

  Before leaving the building, Wolfgang stopped by Sarah’s desk to grab his mission files. Afterward, he sent her a text: “Maybe we can grab dinner after my mission? I’ll be back before you know it.”

  He walked out to the parking garage, activated the autopilot, and slid into the driver’s seat of his sleek new Barracuda. As the car pulled away and started navigating the route to the airport, Wolfgang couldn’t help but feel a rush of excitement.

  He was no longer just Wolfgang Amadeus. He was Agent 14, and the world of espionage awaited him. At the airport, he walked to the counter.

  "Good afternoon, sir."

  "And a lovely afternoon to you, miss."

  "How can we help you today?"

  "One ticket to the Reptisle, please."

  "Okay, I'll need to see some identification."

  Wolfgang pulled out his passport and handed it to the cashier. She looked at it, then back at him. After entering his information into the computer, she returned his passport and informed him of the ticket cost. After paying, he headed to the lobby to wait. As he sat down, his phone buzzed. Sarah had replied: "You’re such a sweetie, Wolfy, but you might be out for a few days. When you get back, I’d love to go to dinner again." She followed the message with heart emojis. Wolfgang smiled and sent some hearts back before tucking his phone away. He then grabbed his mission files and reviewed them.

  "Damian, age 26, 6'1" (1.85 meters), human, appears to be working with a reformed KGB (Kobolt's Greatest Beasts)."

  Damian's family is unknown, and he seems to be mononymous. He had no previous record of criminal activity. The st report from Agents 7, 10, and 4 pced him in Senbonzakura, where he was seen near the Okami's statue meeting someone and receiving a card. The agents snapped a picture using R’s photo gsses, and it appears Damian is heading to Reptisle to drink and gamble at the "Fly-roller Casino." Beyond that, not much is known. The agents are retired now, but they wanted to pass on the intel for the newbie."

  The mission directive was clear: meet with Damian, but do not engage unless it’s a fight-or-flight scenario.

  Wolfgang sighed. "Really? Just a simple ‘go talk to this guy’ mission?" Feeling a bit discouraged, he barely had time to continue reading before the intercom announced his flight was boarding. He packed up his papers and headed to the pne. After taking his seat, he pulled out the files again and noticed messages written in different colors on the back of one page.

  "Now Wolfgang, I know it may bother you that I set you up for a 'Meet and Greet' mission. Don't worry, my dear boy, I can assure you there will be a fight or flight situation before you leave, and I know you do not have wings," H had written in green ink.

  "Agent 14, by the time you read this, your watch should be downloading an app to record conversations. Use it and send the data back to the agency, please and thank you," R wrote in blue ink.

  "Wolfy, please be careful out there. Wishing you the best, and don’t forget to keep in touch," Ms. Poundsterling added in red ink.

  Wolfgang put the files away and tried to catch some sleep, but before he could close his eyes, his phone vibrated. It was a text from Sarah, along with a photo. She was dressed in a thin, purple negligee, paired with bck stockings, heels, and a white button-up shirt draped over her arms. Beneath the picture was the message: "How does this look?"

  Wolfgang felt his cheeks heat up, and he wiped a small trickle of blood from his nose, but he kept his cool and replied that she looked amazing. She followed up with, "Maybe you'd like it better in person," adding a winky face emoji. Wolfgang cleaned himself up in the airpne bathroom and regained his composure before returning to his seat to sleep.

  When he woke up, the pne was preparing to nd. After disembarking, he saw a chauffeur holding a sign with his name on it. He introduced himself, and they headed out to the awaiting limo.

  The drive to the casino was silent but comfortable. Suddenly, Wolfgang received a phone call from R. "Good morning, Agent 14. This is an automated message that you'll receive en route to the casino. Be on the lookout for someone special at the event. She’ll be dressed in red, and you'll notice her easily. It’s vague, but she mentioned that following her would lead you to Damian. And try not to gamble too much. Talk to you ter."

  Wolfgang pondered the message but didn’t stress about it. After an hour’s drive, he finally arrived at the casino. The pce exuded css, with everyone dressed in fancy attire that would cost a fortune back in Lupernia. He scanned the room for the woman in red and spotted her at the bar. "Seems too easy," he thought, but she was the only one in red. Wolfgang decided to approach her.

  Just as he neared her, a red Dragonborn in a fine bck suit stopped him. The man had a blue dragon head pin on his pel, a gss in hand, and a cigar. He removed the cigar from his lips with his index and middle fingers and spoke.

  "Welcome to the Reptisle's Fly-Roller Casino, comrade. Would you like a vodka lemonade on the house? Made it myself."

  "I appreciate the offer, but I’ll have to pass. Thank you."

  "Not even a little sip?"

  "Alright, just a sip."

  Wolfgang took a sip, trying his best not to spit it out, then gave a half-smile and a thumbs-up. The suited man ughed and handed him a card with the recipe: fill a gss with vodka and rub a lemon around the rim. The man thanked Wolfgang for trying his drink and walked away. Wolfgang headed toward the bar.

  As he sat down, the woman in red appeared. She was tall, with beautiful strawberry blonde hair. A Border Collie girl, she had a bright smile and wore a sparkling red dress with a bartender’s smock and a nametag that read 'Brenda.' She smelled of strawberries and met Wolfgang's gaze with her gentle brown eyes.

  "What can I get you?" she asked, smiling.

  "A gss of ice, a shot of scotch, and a can of co. Maybe afterward, some time to talk?"

  She blushed and giggled. "I can get you the drinks, but I’m afraid I’m not on the menu. However, maybe tomorrow we can go to dinner and see how things go."

  She winked, then turned around to fix his drink.

  "Sounds like a pn," Wolfgang replied. Wolfgang thought maybe she wasn’t the one he was supposed to look for. After all, he needed to find Damian tonight, not tomorrow. He poured the shot into the ice and dumped the co in until it was full. As he sipped his drink, he couldn’t help but notice Brenda was teasing him, occasionally winking and wiggling her hips. Wolfgang wasn’t sure what was going on and almost assumed it was just something she did with all the patrons. Just as he finished his drink, a voice boomed through the entire casino. He turned his attention toward the stage behind him and saw the suited gentleman from earlier.

  "Please, everyone, give your attention to the guest of honor. Please welcome Songbird!"

  Wolfgang watched as a tall Avian woman in a red dress walked onto the stage. She was a Canary, a young woman no older than 30, and came to the mic in the middle of the stage. She introduced herself, and everyone appuded. It seemed she was the fifth generation of a family of Canaries who used the same stage name. She then announced she was going to perform some songs her great-great-grandmother made famous in her time. Some finely dressed musicians came out with various instruments and readied themselves for Songbird’s cue.

  As Wolfgang watched the show, Brenda approached him and asked if he needed a refill. Wolfgang turned around, met Brenda’s gaze, and said no, but thanked her and asked her about Songbird.

  "She performs here on occasion, and she’s good friends with the owner."

  "The owner? Who is he?"

  "Some guy, I think his name is General Drake, but he’s kinda weird, honestly. He always makes this threat to stab people in the buttocks if they do something he deems out of line."

  "Weird indeed."

  Just as Wolfgang was about to ask about Damian, Songbird finished her final song of the night, and before she left, she said, "To the special fan that I hope is in the crowd, I’ll see you backstage." Wolfgang immediately shot up and headed to find someone who could lead him to the back. He ran into the Dragonborn again, but thankfully the man remembered him.

  "Hey, you were the guy who tasted my Vodka Lemonade."

  "Yeah, uh, I have to ask you something."

  "Does the vodka brand matter? No, they all taste good."

  "It’s not about the drink."

  "Oh, then what’s up, comrade?"

  "Do you know how to get backstage?"

  "Yes, come along. I’ll lead the way."

  The Dragonborn led Wolfgang through the casino, past the Bckjack and Roulette tables, to a big metal door in the back with "Stage" written on it.

  "Here you are, comrade."

  "Thanks, uh..."

  "Call me Nikoi."

  "Thanks, Nikoi, you're a saint."

  Nikoi chuckled and walked off. Wolfgang walked through the stage door and saw the backstage area was rather empty. As he wandered the barren halls, with bnk doors as the only things in sight, he finally started to hear voices. As he approached them, he saw a green Dragonborn in a uniform, screaming at Songbird.

  "Missy, you were supposed to get the special fan back here! If he doesn't show up in the next five seconds, I AM GONNA STAB YOU IN THE BUTTOCKS!"

  "Pardon me, I do apologize for being te."

  "WHO SAID THAT? I'M GONNA STAB THEM IN THE BUTTOCKS!"

  "Now, you listen here. I don’t give a bloody damn if you own this pce or not. You shouldn’t just threaten me, but you definitely shouldn’t threaten this young dy! I don’t know my way around this pce, and that shouldn’t be her fault. If I ever—*and I mean ever*—hear you threaten her over nothing again, I’ll repeatedly punch you in the balls until you cower and cry. Now, before we go any further, apologize to Songbird."

  The green Dragonborn went from upset to calm, showing some fear. He stuttered as he tried to apologize to Songbird. Songbird said he was forgiven, thanked Wolfgang, and then asked him to follow her. As they walked away, she said, "That guy back there was General Drake. I’ve never seen anyone stand up to him like that."

  "Well, it’s unfair that someone innocent is getting heat when they did nothing wrong. I apologize for being te."

  "Don’t worry about that. I’m sure Damian will understand. By the way, he’s pretty chill, just act natural around him."

  As the duo headed through the halls, they came across a door with a star on it. Songbird told Wolfgang this was Damian’s door, wished him good luck, and walked off. Wolfgang knocked on the door, prepared his watch, and after hearing, "Come in," he pressed the record button and entered. A man sat in a chair looking into a mirror. Without looking away, he told Wolfgang to sit down. Wolfgang sat in a chair across from him, and the man began to speak.

  "What’s your name?" he asked in a calm but stern tone.

  "Amadeus, Wolfgang Amadeus. May I know how they address you?" Wolfgang replied, matching the energy.

  "Damian, just Damian. What exactly are you here for, Wolfgang? Most people want nothing to do with Reptisle, but you suddenly showed up here?"

  "Rather simple. I consider myself a high roller and came here to py with the big guys. Why is it you’re here?"

  "That’s for me to know. You seem so odd to me, coming here like this. I highly doubt you’re a high roller like you cim. Why don’t we go put your skills to the test?" Damian spun around and smiled at Wolfgang.

  Damian was an average-height male, bulky, with brown hair, well-kept, red iris eyes, and wearing normal clothing, simir to what Wolfgang used to wear before joining the agency. Wolfgang smiled and said, "Bring it on," but he wanted to raise the stakes.

  "If I’m wrong, I’ll leave. If I humble you, then you tell me what I want to know."

  "Hmm, deal! Let’s get going."

  Wolfgang stepped out first, held the door for Damian, and let him exit first. Wolfgang stopped the recording and followed Damian while the data was sent to the agency. The duo retraced their steps, walking past Songbird, her band, General Drake, and through the metal door. Damian started Wolfgang off with a game of Baccarat. Wolfgang bet a combined total of 3K and won 8K. Next was Roulette, where he dominated the table, and finally, Bckjack, where again, Damian was left gobsmacked after being humbled. Wolfgang looked at Damian and said, "Well, back to somewhere private, I presume?" Damian scoffed and motioned for Wolfgang to follow him.

  Once they returned to the private room, Wolfgang started the recording again and sat down. Wolfgang looked at Damian and requested he start talking as per their deal.

  "Keep your pants on, I’m getting to it. So, you want to know why I’m here? Simple. I’ve got a money deal going on. As per our deal, that’s all I’m required to tell you. Are you pleased?"

  "Well, I guess so. Thank you for the intel, but I’m rather confused. What kind of money deal are you here for? Especially if it’s not gambling. There’s not much else you can make money on here."

  "Man, you’re nosy. Well, if you must know, I’m attempting to buy this pce. This pce makes millions, and I want to upgrade my financial gain. What better way than a casino with a bar?"

  "Decent point. Well, it’s getting te, so I’ll be letting you go now. I might just have to try the food before I head back to my hotel."

  Wolfgang shook Damian’s hand, headed out of the private room, and sent the recording data to the agency as he made his way to the lobby. On the way, he ran into Nikoi. Wolfgang waved hello, and Nikoi waved back before heading into a room to talk to the General. Wolfgang made it to the lobby, walked to the bar, and ordered a well-done steak with some chips on the side. He also ordered a gss of ice, a shot of scotch, and a can of co. As Wolfgang waited for his order, he received a text from R, which said, "Good work, Agent 14. I’ll analyze the recordings and get back with what I can determine." Wolfgang put his phone away, and when he looked up, Brenda was there dropping off his order. She told him to enjoy as she walked away. Wolfgang chowed down on the steak with haste. He was starving after nearly a whole day without food. Just as he reached the st bite, his phone went off. Upon checking the notification, it was R, telling him to call once he finished dinner. Wolfgang smmed his drink, requested a takeout box, and packed his chips before bolting.

  After arriving at the hotel, he called R.

  "Terribly sorry, Agent 14, but I wanted to inform you that I have a hunch Damian isn’t going to buy the casino. Just to be completely sure, I’ll be sending you some bugs to pnt in the rooms of the General and Damian. They’ll be shipped overnight so we can ensure everything is in pce immediately. You’re doing great so far, Agent 14. Keep it up."

  R hung up, and Wolfgang finished his chips. Then he took a shower and went to bed. In his dream, he found himself in a high-speed chase. He was on a motorbike, chasing down a bck van. The crooks had captured a mysterious Feyling girl. She had tan skin, long red hair, and wore a purple dress with matching heels. She was restrained and unable to escape. It was up to Wolfgang to catch up, smash a window, take out the goons, and rescue her. Just as he grabbed her from their clutches, she looked into his eyes and thanked him. He put her on the bike, but before they could escape, they were headed straight into a truck’s headlights. Before the collision, Wolfgang shot up and heard his hotel phone ringing. He picked it up and heard a voice on the other end.

  "Hello, is this the room of Wolfgang Amadeus?"

  "Yes?"

  "Oh, great! We have a parcel down here for you. It’ll be at the service desk whenever you’re ready to cim it."

  "Thanks, I really appreciate that."

  Wolfgang hung up the phone, headed down to the lobby, met the man behind the hotel counter, picked up his parcel, and walked back to his room. Once inside, he opened the box and saw two microphone bugs along with a note.

  "Agent 14, here are the bugs you’ll need to pnt. Overnight, I sent you an app. This will activate the bugs, and you can listen in on the devices. The data will automatically return to us once activated. While you’re pnting them, the R branch will be working on your Barracuda and adding some upgrades, like boat mode so you can drive across water. Anyway, keep it up and stay safe out there." - H

  "Wolfy, you’re doing amazing out there, and I hope you’ll get those perpetrators either behind bars or taken out. Either way, come back in one piece." - S.P

  Wolfgang grabbed the bugs and noticed they were small and inconspicuous. He thought about how he was going to pnt them. Suddenly, he remembered Brenda. He could ask her on the dinner date she was hinting at. Despite already having the information on Damian, he still decided to take her out because she was really looking forward to it, and he didn’t want to let her down.

  Wolfgang headed over to the casino and made his way to the bar. Brenda wasn’t there today, but she suddenly appeared behind him and said she was ready to head out. Wolfgang linked his arm with Brenda’s, and they headed out

  the door. They went to the nicest pce in Reptisle, the Spanish Fly, met the hostess, and were seated. Once settled, the two began to chat, with Wolfgang initiating things.

  "Brenda, I have a tiny request for you. I’d like you to pnt some things for me."

  "I mean, we just met yesterday. Are you sure you’re ready for that already?"

  "I don’t think it would be too much, honestly. All you’d have to do is sneak into a couple of rooms and pnt these in a very obscure location."

  "My, oh my, you are such a dirty man. You don’t have to use coded nguage with me. I normally wait for this kind of thing, but let’s go back to your hotel room once we leave here."

  "These wouldn’t work in my room. Listen, I need you to pnt these in your boss’s room and Damian’s room in the casino."

  After Wolfgang presented the bugs to Brenda, she was embarrassed, as she had thought he meant something else. After expining, Wolfgang asked her how she would want to be paid if she did the job. She got a shy smile on her face and said she wanted a kiss from him. Wolfgang thought about it but agreed—only if she managed to get the job done. She agreed and promised she’d ensure it was taken care of. The two proceeded to have a lovely meal, and after paying, they headed back to the casino. Brenda said she’d be back for her kiss, then dashed over to the backstage door while Wolfgang waited for her to return.

  Some time had passed since Brenda went into the back, and Wolfgang began to worry that something had happened to her. Suddenly, the door opened, and Brenda walked out with a smile on her face as she fast-walked toward Wolfgang. She threw herself onto him and locked lips with him. It was slow and passionate, and he genuinely enjoyed the kiss. After she got off him, she thanked him and left. Wolfgang pulled out his phone and saw the app for the bugs. He went to his hotel and turned on the app.

  The app opened with three options, and thankfully the bugs were named, so he could switch between them easily. The options were Damian, General, and the on/off switch. Wolfgang turned them on and opened Damian's bug first. There was silence. Just as he was about to assume he had been cheated, he heard a door open and close. Next came footsteps that got louder and louder as they approached the bug's location. The footsteps stopped, and he heard Damian say, "Call Brusk." After a few minutes, a new voice was heard on the bug's mic.

  "Ah, hello again, Damian. How has the deal gone?"

  "They're taking forever to give up their end of the bargain. They know we need this Tolstone, and they're taking their sweet time."

  "Jeez, that's really stupid. You should apply some pressure on them. Let them know if things don’t advance, you'll have to step in."

  "Brusk, I'm sure we will get it soon. No need to threaten them yet. Besides, we haven't paid them yet, so we're not out anything."

  "I understand, but Taboo is getting impatient here."

  "Alright, alright. I'll send a gentle reminder today."

  Damian ended the call and pulled out a paper and pen. He read his reminder aloud as he wrote, basically saying that the money wouldn't be avaible if the Tolstone wasn't mined before the end of the week. What caught Wolfgang's attention was what Damian said after finishing his message:

  "Don’t understand why Brusk is so worried. We are going to take out Drake once this deal is done anyway. Free Tolstone, and we save money."

  Damian left, and Wolfgang exited the bug menu. Before he could leave to watch videos, R was calling him.

  "Agent 14, did you hear the conversation from Damian's bug?"

  Wolfgang said yes, and R told Wolfgang he now knew who he was dealing with. The General and Nikoi were part of the KGB, only because the mines for Tolstone were located in Dracopeligo. They decided to meet at The Fly-Roller because no one would think anything suspicious was happening in Reptisle. The other reason was that Drake owned the casino to ensure he had money if the KGB dissolved again. R told Wolfgang he needed to intercept the deal to prevent it from happening and ensure Drake and Nikoi weren’t harmed in the end.

  "Aren't we against the KGB?"

  "We are, but we are also against Damian. From the sound of it, working with Taboo makes the KGB the lesser of two evils. Besides, Agent 14, don’t you remember the phrase 'The enemy of my enemy is my friend'? To me, it sounds like the KGB doesn't want to help Damian, which is why they're deying things. We’ll wait and listen in when Drake gets the reminder. For now, see what you can find out, Wolfgang."

  R hung up, and Wolfgang decided to confront Nikoi and see if he could somehow convince him to let him in on the deal. He got up, headed back to the casino, went backstage, and entered Damian's room. Damian turned around to see Wolfgang standing there, and the conversation started. Wolfgang said that he had thought about what Damian had said and that he wanted to join his business.

  "What do you want in for?"

  "Well, I make good money gambling, but I figure I want to make money through work and not risk losing it. I figured the best way was to see if you'd be willing to take me under your wing."

  "I don't think you'd be able to handle my work. You seem too much like a goody-two-shoes."

  "Really? Well, allow me to show you I'm not."

  Wolfgang pulled out his firearm and immediately threw it in Damian's face, aiming right between his eyes. Wolfgang kept a stone-cold expression as he stared at Damian, whose eyes were locked on Wolfgang's finger, gently starting to squeeze the trigger. Damian grabbed the gun and quickly moved it away from his face.

  "You want to join me? Fine. Follow me to the Colosseum, and let's see your skills in action."

  Wolfgang followed Damian to the back door of the casino, and they got into Damian's car. As they drove to the Colosseum, R texted Wolfgang, calling him insane for attempting this. He reminded Wolfgang that Buster had nearly been wiped out twice in one shot, but he also sent his support, cheering him on. R added that Ms. Poundsterling was sending good luck and asked Wolfgang to text her if he made it out.

  "Here we are. Let's get you registered so we can see what you've got."

  The two of them walked in, and Wolfgang got registered. One of the guards led Wolfgang to the back to get prepped. He had a few matches lined up: one with a rookie and another with a high-level fighter. The arena had a strict no-firearms policy. Wolfgang handed the guard his weapon and told him he was ready. Wolfgang walked out and saw his opponent, a Feyling who was part Tabylonian, wielding a sword.

  The crowd roared as the competitors locked eyes and neared each other. Just as they got close, the Feyling drew his sword, pointed it to the sky, and swung downward at Wolfgang. Wolfgang csped the bde on both sides, then attempted to sweep his opponent's feet off the dirt floor. The Feyling let go of the bde as he fell to the ground. Wolfgang tossed the bde behind him, grabbed the Feyling on the ground, and spped him. Wolfgang felt cws swipe across his face, leaving eight cw marks in an X shape.

  "Is that how you want to py, pussycat?"

  "As a matter of fact, it is, mutt."

  Wolfgang smiled as a couple of drops of blood dripped onto his opponent. Then Wolfgang swung, hitting his opponent a few times. One hit bckened his eye, and another nded with a crack as Wolfgang's knuckles met the Feyling's nose.

  "You stupid dog! I think you broke it!"

  "You wanted blood, so I gave it to you."

  The Feyling tossed Wolfgang off and shot up onto all fours, charging at him. Wolfgang pulled out his phone and activated the Taser app. The top of the phone slid open, and two prongs appeared. The touchscreen said, "Press button to unch," and as the Feyling neared, Wolfgang readied the taser. Just as the Feyling was ten feet away, Wolfgang unched the prongs. One prong stuck into the Feyling's broken nose, and the other hit his right cheek. Wolfgang instantly pressed the new button on the phone, sending volts into the Feyling. The pain from the shock and the broken nose caused his opponent to bck out. The crowd roared as Wolfgang stood tall. He detached the prongs and returned his phone to normal mode. Two guards came in and picked up the Feyling, saying they would take care of him, and hauled him out of the arena.

  As the gate closed with the guards taking the Feyling out, another gate began to rise. This time, something unexpected came through—a hulking fishman holding a nce. He stared at Wolfgang, smiled, and whistled loudly. Suddenly, the sound of a horse's whinny was heard, followed by the spsh of a wave. It wasn’t a horse, but a Hippocampus. The fishman mounted the creature, summoned a stream of water, and wrapped it in a huge ring that covered both him and the Hippocampus. Wolfgang knew he would have to work hard to take this guy down. The cavalry charged at Wolfgang with breakneck speed, and he jumped out of the way just in time. The charger looped back around and succeeded in driving Wolfgang into a wall. While Wolfgang was pinned, the Hippocampus stomped on him repeatedly. Wolfgang felt his chest being violently assaulted and wasn’t sure what he had gotten himself into, but a voice rang in his mind, giving him a sudden burst of strength. It was Brenda. He thought about her and that passionate kiss, and with newfound strength, he grabbed the Hippocampus' legs and began to shove it away.

  "My turn."

  Wolfgang drew his hand back and karate-chopped the Hippocampus in the neck. A crack was heard, and the creature fell to the ground, part of the aqua ring fading with it. The fishman, enraged, began to swing his nce wildly, attempting to ssh Wolfgang in a blind rage. Wolfgang swayed back and forth, feeling the pain returning, but he pushed through. He found an opening, jumped onto the nce, and maintained his bance. When the fishman stopped swinging, he was met with a boot to the face. As the fishman flew back, Wolfgang pelted him with more kicks, eventually nding a final powerful kick that left the fishman begging for mercy.

  The crowd erupted with cheers as both fighters y in the dirt. Wolfgang remained conscious, though full of pain and with his face caked in blood from the scratches. He felt someone carry him off as he bcked out. When he woke up, he was in a hospital with an IV in his arm, barely able to sit up. At his bedside were Brenda and Sarah, both there to ask how he was feeling. Brenda held Wolfgang's hand while Sarah smiled, knowing he was awake.

  "Bloody hell, I feel like I was hit by a truck. My back is killing me, my head hurts, and my chest feels like all my ribs are cracked and broken."

  "It's alright, Wolfy. You'll heal up just fine, but you'll probably get bored being bedridden. So, Brenda and I brought you some movies and a portable DVD pyer."

  "He won’t be needing those," rang out a voice Wolfgang had never heard before.

  Sarah and Brenda looked for the source of the voice, and when they found it, they immediately ran off. Wolfgang wondered what had scared the dies, but in a matter of seconds, he got his answer. The tip of a scythe touched his nose—unmistakable—and then void fmes began to cascade over the bde.

  "Wolfy, was it? Your time has come. They found out about your true life as a spy, so they hired me to take you. Normally, I wouldn't cim someone who's already broken like you, but you're just scum I’ll have to wipe off my bde. Any st words?"

  "Please, I'll give you my money and my car, everything. Spare me and the dies, please!"

  The monster ughed at Wolfgang's pleas, but just as the scythe came down, Wolfgang's vision became blurry. He heard a new voice calling his name—it sounded like an older man, still full of youthful energy. Wolfgang jerked his head, searching for the voice, unable to see, but the voice identified itself. He felt a hand grab his face and say, "Hold still," before some eye drops were pced in his eyes, restoring his vision.

  "Thanks, doc."

  "You're welcome, Wolfgang."

  "So, when will he be ready?"

  "Well, the Elixir of Aloof didn’t burn him to death. He should be fully healed in about 30 minutes. After that, we’ll do the paperwork to get him out of here."

  "Thanks, Cyrus."

  Damian left the room, leaving Wolfgang with Cyrus. Wolfgang looked at Cyrus and asked, "What did you do to me?" Cyrus smiled.

  "Well, we got you to this bed after you crashed from the adrenaline wearing off. When we checked your injuries, you were at Aloof's door."

  "How did you save me from El Perro Diablo? He was about to take me and two important dies in my life."

  "That was a side effect from the meds. We gave you a miracle elixir we created—it can heal any injury."

  Wolfgang was shocked. Science had never seen such advancements, to his knowledge. Unsure of what to say next, he looked at Cyrus and asked how long he had worked for the agency. Wolfgang’s heart leapt into his throat, and he choked up, staring at Cyrus.

  "W-What?"

  "Rex, I'm not a narc. Besides, I py golf on weekends with Rian. He even went with me to Arcadeia st year and got a Brain Drain Helmet there. I almost wish we could live like they do in Arcadeia, but as, we haven’t exactly found a way to achieve eternal life like they have."

  "Wait, how could we not have found eternal life? If I remember correctly, you’re supposed to be long gone. You’re from the myths about the Pound Pals. You’re Twinklette and Tsuki's father—you should have been taken by old age."

  Cyrus ughed and reached up to the colr of his dress shirt, beneath his b coat. On his neck, there was a fur pattern shaped like a cat. Cyrus expined that this meant he was a Purrblood clone and was timeless. Brusk was the same way—they should have been long dead, but they found a formu that allows them to make clones from anyone with enough DNA. Wolfgang realized he was talking to a clone. Cyrus revealed that they had gone into hiding once they came to life and realized no one could know they were still around—people would hate them for not sharing the ability to create clones.

  Wolfgang was astonished to learn about cloning and the identity marker they gave each clone. Wolfgang asked if he could have a clone made, but Cyrus said he’d rather not mess with that as it could compromise Wolfgang's pn. Wolfgang brushed it off, ciming he understood. Suddenly, the pain in his chest began to fade, and he felt like his body was reforming. He could sit up more, breathe without assistance, and he’d never felt so alive. Then, the phone in the room rang—it was Wolfgang's. Checking the caller ID, it was H.

  "Hello?"

  "Wolfgang, my boy, gd to see you survived the trampling."

  "Oh, you found out? Assuming R told you."

  "Haha, no, he hadn't. We watched the whole match on the telly. Ms. Poundsterling was very concerned about you and begged me to check in. I, too, was worried and wanted to make sure all was well. Cyrus is a master scientist, after all—the best in the business, alongside Brusk. You’re in good hands and have nothing to worry about."

  "They streamed the fight?"

  "Always do. Anyway, R is looking to talk to you if you're feeling well enough."

  "Naturally."

  H put the line on hold and transferred the call to R. "Hello, Agent 14, feeling better?"

  "Much better. Cyrus gave me some of this magic elixir."

  "Wonderful! I was contacting you because while you risked your life, I listened in on the KGB. It turns out the dey was caused by 'Lead Fever,' which affected half the mining crew. After looking into the disease, it turns out you can only contract it if bitten by a rare creature called 'Mine Spiders.' Lead Fever will wipe them out unless they rub the wounds with Mooka honey, which is also rare."

  "So they're not against him?"

  "Not at all. They just don’t have the full crew right now. I hate to even entertain the idea, but you must keep helping the KGB. Damian is the bigger threat right now, and him working with the goddess of the departed doesn’t sit well with me. I must go now, Agent 14, but I trust you’ll take care of this."

  Before Wolfgang could say anything more, R hung up. Wolfgang felt the rest of his body heal, and he stood to his feet. Cyrus had Wolfgang sign his discharge paperwork, and Wolfgang headed back to the casino. Upon arrival, a roar of cheers and congratutions greeted him—many had thought he was surely dead. Damian sat at the bar and motioned for Wolfgang to join him. When he sat down, Damian said to order whatever he wanted, as he would cover the cost. Wolfgang ordered his usual: scotch, co, and a gss of ice. Brenda mixed the drinks, and Damian toasted to honor Wolfgang for getting the job.

  "Congrats, happy to have you aboard."

  "Thanks, happy to be able to help."

  Brenda didn’t say anything outright, but she looked at Wolfgang strangely as he ughed and celebrated with Damian. The two of them decided to head back to the private room to talk business. When they got to Damian's room, Damian became serious.

  "Now, are you ready for your first paycheck?"

  "Naturally."

  "Okay, your first job is to handle the spy in here. I don't know if you've noticed, but someone here is working for the secret services. My hunch was that it was you, but I’ve since changed my mind. I think that bartender girl is the spy, or she works for secret services."

  "What makes you think that?"

  "Think about it. Why would she take a job bartending unless she’s pnning to capture information from conversations? I don't think you noticed, but she was looking at you while we ughed and cheered. Something tells me she's snooping around, pnning to take us down."

  "That seems... a little far-fetched."

  "Eborate."

  "Maybe she has the knowledge and skill for the job. Not trying to defend her, as I barely know her, but I doubt she’s a spy."

  "Well, Mr. Good Cop, why don’t you go find out? Convince her to go somewhere secluded, and once there, start gathering information from her. Failure is not an option—if you fail, you die, and so does she. Got that?"

  "Loud and clear."

  Wolfgang walked out into the casino and searched for Brenda. She wasn’t at the bar but was heading back, having forgotten her purse, and was about to clock out. Wolfgang gently grabbed her hand and said he needed to talk to her. Brenda looked at him, a little nervously, but agreed to talk. Wolfgang led her to a closet where they could be alone. Once there, he became serious and asked her to tell him everything she knew.

  "About what?"

  "Everything."

  "Look, I just make drinks here. I don’t have the slightest idea what you’re after."

  "I guess there’s only one way to confirm my theory. Let me check your purse."

  Brenda, nervously, handed Wolfgang her purse. He dug through it, checking every compartment. All he found were some pens, candy, and her wallet—no badge or agency trace. He couldn’t just leave it at that, though, so he checked another pocket and found a knife. He made a slit in the bottom of the purse and reached inside. He felt a stack of pstic cards—credit cards or ID cards. As he slowly pulled them out, Brenda began to panic, saying she could expin. Wolfgang inspected the cards, and as he went through the stack, he eventually found his own.

  "Listen, I’m a thief. I got the job at the bar because it’s easier to swipe IDs and cards from unsuspecting patrons. I got yours before we had our moments, but I meant to return it—I just forgot. Please, spare me! I won’t take from you or Damian anymore."

  Wolfgang looked at her, took out his ID, returned the other cards, and tossed Brenda her purse. He stared at her, stone-faced, and bid her adieu. Brenda, concerned, asked if he was going to rat her out.

  "No need to worry about that

  . All will be forgotten from this encounter."

  "Then what was all this about?"

  "Well, there was suspicion that there was a spy here. You were the prime suspect. I doubted it, but I still had to confirm. Boss’ orders—nothing personal, my dear."

  Wolfgang left, and Brenda followed, still shaken. She departed as Wolfgang opened the door to the back. He headed to Damian and told him about the encounter with Brenda. Damian was a little mad, but he believed Wolfgang and began to write him a check.

  "You know, I thought for sure she was a spy. My hunch has never failed me before, but I’ve been humbled yet again."

  As Damian tore the check from the checkbook, Wolfgang sat silently, awaiting payment and his next mission. Damian handed Wolfgang the check and told him he could go home if he wanted, but to leave his phone number in case a new job came up. Wolfgang looked at the check—over four thousand for the job—but felt bad for what he did to Brenda. He left Damian his number and headed out to his hotel. Wolfgang stared at the check and wondered if it was really worth it.

  As Wolfgang debated over the check, he received a call. The number wasn’t saved, but he answered anyway. It was Damian, telling Wolfgang they would meet up tonight after the casino closed. He had a pn and wanted to execute it immediately. Wolfgang agreed, hung up, and headed to the lobby.

  As he arrived, he saw a couple of men harassing a woman who was asking them to leave her alone.

  "Oh, come on now, you were all flirty at the bar. Why not now all of a sudden?"

  "I was before, but I have a boyfriend now. Please leave me alone."

  "He doesn’t have to know."

  "Pardon me," Wolfgang interjected, "but I believe she said she wants to be left alone."

  The two men turned around, their eyes narrowing at Wolfgang. He stood firm, ready for anything. They approached, cracking their knuckles and smirking. Wolfgang stood his ground. As the men got closer, Wolfgang unched into action, throwing powerful haymakers. Each man took three punches before hitting the floor. Dusting off his suit, Wolfgang walked over to the woman—it was Brenda.

  "Hey, listen, I wanted to apologize about earlier," he said.

  "Don’t worry, I’m not upset," Brenda replied. "Honestly, it’s not like you embarrassed me publicly, and I appreciate that. Plus, you beat those guys up for me. I forgive you."

  "I want you to have this. I’d feel bad keeping it. Please take it," Wolfgang said, handing her the check.

  Brenda’s jaw dropped when she saw the amount. "This is nearly what I make in a year!" she excimed. She thanked him, hugged him, and went about her business in the lobby. Wolfgang, meanwhile, was informed he had a package waiting. He retrieved it from the counter and headed to the elevator. Just as the doors were closing, Brenda stopped him, handed him a piece of paper, winked, and walked away. Inside the elevator, Wolfgang opened the note. It had her personal cell number. He smiled and added her contact information.

  When he got to his room, Wolfgang opened the package. It was from H, but R hadn’t warned him about it. Inside was a note:

  "Wolfgang, I apologize for not having R warn you about this package. Consider it a ‘get well soon’ gift, or at least a token of hope that you survived the attack. Ms. Poundsterling was distraught when she saw you trampled, but I had faith you’d pull through. If you’re reading this, let me know, though by the time you do, I may already know. -H"

  Beneath the note was a bag containing a bottle of Wolfgang’s favorite scotch, Hawk & Hound.

  Wolfgang added Brenda and Damian to his contacts and texted Brenda to ask how she was doing. They talked for hours about her work at the bar and casino games. Brenda mentioned she would love for Wolfgang to meet her daughter someday. She sent him a picture, and Wolfgang was struck by how simir they looked. Brenda revealed that her daughter worked in a distant harbor town and that she hadn’t seen her in years but trusted she was doing well due to her motherly instincts. Wolfgang promised that if he ever crossed paths with her daughter, he would rey Brenda’s message.

  Their conversation sted so long that Wolfgang didn’t notice the time until it grew dark. Suddenly, his phone buzzed with a call from Damian. Damian told Wolfgang to get ready and head to the casino. Wolfgang said goodbye to Brenda and set out.

  At the back door of the casino, Damian handed Wolfgang a bump key, a camera scrambler, and a device.

  "Here, when we reach the location, pnt this for me," Damian instructed.

  "What is it?" Wolfgang asked.

  "A remote explosive device," Damian replied casually.

  "WHAT?!"

  "We’re taking care of the KGB. I’ll get my imports and eliminate the competition for good. No need for them anymore, right?"

  "R-right," Wolfgang stammered, "they need to be taken out."

  Damian unlocked the door, and the two crept through the casino to the back rooms. When they reached the office of Drake and Wyvern, Damian asked Wolfgang for the best hiding spot for the explosive. Wolfgang suggested behind a filing cabinet, but Damian dismissed the idea. Instead, they decided to hide it in the ceiling. Wolfgang climbed onto the desk, moved a tile, and pnted the explosive. Just as he finished, Wolfgang’s phone rang.

  "I’ll get it," Damian said, pulling the phone from Wolfgang’s pocket and answering it without looking at the caller ID.

  "Hello?"

  "Hey, Wolfy. Sorry for the te call."

  "May I ask who’s calling?" Damian replied.

  "Oh, I must have the wrong number. My apologies," the voice said before hanging up.

  Damian handed the phone back to Wolfgang. "Who calls you Wolfy?" he asked.

  Thinking quickly, Wolfgang replied, "My wife, Sarah."

  Damian smiled. "Didn’t know there was a Mrs. Wolfgang."

  After slowly opening the door they heard something in the bar, the boys froze and hoped they'd just heard a spirit in the night as the best. They heard a voice compin about the selection, being unable to find what they're looking for. Just as the boys tip toe'd their way to the back door, they heard a loud shout "THERE YOU ARE!"

  The boys froze in pce and awaited for the thing in the casino to take them out. Instead, they hear clinks of bottles and the voice say "Finally! Hair of the dragon." Sounds of a liquid are heard being poured and the clinks of the bottles return before the thing in the casino makes its way back outside. The boys look at each other, shrug their shoulders, and headed out the back door. After the boys high five, Damian promised Wolfgang his payment the next day.

  Back in his room, Wolfgang called Sarah, who warned him that Damian was pnning to eliminate the spy. She urged Wolfgang to leave immediately.

  "Ms. Poundsterling, I appreciate your concern, but don’t worry about me. If it comes to fight or flight, I’ll fight. I promise I’ll return in one piece," Wolfgang assured her.

  After hanging up, Wolfgang took a shower and went to bed. The next morning, he woke to a message from Damian, summoning him to collect his pay and receive a new task. Wolfgang got ready and headed to the casino.

  In Damian’s office, Wolfgang was greeted warmly.

  "Wolfgang, gd you could make it," Damian said, handing him a 5,000 check. "Get the wife something nice. Now, onto the next task."

  "What’s the mission?" Wolfgang asked, masking his nerves.

  "The bartender, Brenda, is a spy. I want you to restrain her and ensure she ends up in the KGB’s office. Then, I’ll take them all out in one blow."

  Wolfgang sat stone-faced, wondering how Damian couldn’t see that he was the real spy—not Brenda.

  Wolfgang stared at Damian, wondering what to say, but eventually decided to assure him he would take care of the bartender. Wolfgang suggested that perhaps he could lure Brenda into the room with the KGB and eliminate everyone at once. Damian thought about it, nodded, and ughed at how appealing the idea sounded. Wolfgang, feeling nervous about his pn to save Brenda, got up, left, and headed back to his apartment. On the way, he received a call on his phone from R.

  "Agent 14, I overheard your conversation. What's going on?"

  "Damian is dead set on believing Brenda is a spy, but she’s genuinely a nice girl. I don’t know how I can save her."

  "Send Brenda a text telling her to stay off work. That way, you can protect her, and the bomb won't go off."

  "The problem is, R, that bomb will go off either way. I want to save everyone if I can, but Brenda is innocent in this."

  "Naturally. Well, take the day to have some fun and maybe gamble a little. We’ll deploy a pn to protect Brenda while you figure out how to handle the KGB. Just remember, they’re still the enemy—though today, they’re an ally."

  R hung up, and Wolfgang decided to py some baccarat. He had a great time, letting the stress and worry drain from his system. He managed to win a couple of grand and walked out of the casino in a great mood. Heading back to his apartment, he pnned to take a shower, but when he opened the door, he sensed someone was in the room. Flicking on the light, he saw Damian sitting in the corner with a cigar in his mouth, looking stone-faced.

  "Shut the door," Damian ordered.

  "What are you—"

  "Shut. The. Door. Now."

  Wolfgang slowly shut the door, feeling uneasy but keeping his composure. Damian motioned for Wolfgang to approach him. As Wolfgang came closer, Damian asked if he’d enjoyed himself. Before Wolfgang could reply, Damian spped him and berated him for being a scker.

  "You should have had that damn spy bound and ready in that room. Instead, you decided to screw around at the casino. What do I pay you for?"

  "I needed time to destress. Excuse me."

  "I’ll sp the taste out of your mouth again if you mouth off like that one more time. Now, you have exactly one night to capture her and get her ready. Failure is not an option. If you fail, I’ll capture you both myself. Do you understand?"

  "Yes, sir."

  "Good."

  Damian left, smming the door on his way out. Wolfgang rubbed his face, considering whether to pull out his 9mm and deal with Damian right then and there. Instead, he headed to the shower. After drying off and dressing casually, he called Brenda and asked if he could rex at her apartment for a while. She agreed and said she’d slip into something comfy.

  Wolfgabg—now feeling refreshed—got another call from R.

  "Good afternoon, Agent 14. Unfortunately, I can’t seem to arrange any backup for you. I trust you can handle this, though. You did survive a hippocampus trample, after all."

  "Not to worry, R. I have a pn, and I’ll make sure Damian goes down. I’d go into detail, but I don’t have much time."

  "We trust you, Agent 14. By the way, I’ve made some upgrades to your Barracuda—it can now travel across water. I’m sure you’ll find that useful."

  "That sounds wonderful, R!"

  "Anyway, I’ll let you get to your pn. Godspeed."

  R hung up, and Wolfgang headed down the hall to Brenda’s apartment. He carried some rope and duct tape, even though he didn’t want to involve Brenda in this mess. Once inside, he apologized, tied her up, duct-taped her mouth, and exited through the window. Wolfgang tied the remaining rope to the bed and descended slowly. Once on the ground, he snuck around to the back door, surprised to find it unlocked.

  As he entered, he was greeted by the barrel of a gun. Behind it stood Nikoi.

  Here’s the continuation with corrections and enhancements for crity, grammar, and style:

  ---

  As he entered, Wolfgang was greeted by the barrel of a gun. Behind it stood Nikoi.

  "So, it was you I saw that night, comrade?" Nikoi said.

  "Yeah, it was. What of it?" Wolfgang replied calmly.

  "Why did you break in?"

  "I was bored. Wanted to see how strong your security was. Now, are you going to pull that trigger or keep pointing it at me to try and intimidate me?"

  Nikoi hesitated but eventually lowered the gun. "Fine. Come in."

  Wolfgang stepped inside, ignoring Nikoi’s questions about Brenda being tied up. He walked through to the casino floor, pulled out his 9mm, and fired a shot into the ceiling. The sound echoed, and the room fell silent as all eyes turned to him.

  "Everyone needs to leave. The casino is undergoing maintenance!" Wolfgang shouted.

  Panic erupted as patrons scrambled for the exits. Once the room cleared, Wolfgang made his way to the back, where the KGB had been meeting. He kicked the door open.

  "What in the—"

  "Stay where you are!" Wolfgang barked, pointing his gun at the general.

  The general froze, hands raised. "HEY! Put that firearm down, or I’ll stab you in the buttocks!"

  Wolfgang ignored the threat and carefully id Brenda down on a nearby couch. He cocked his gun and returned his aim to the general. Before anyone could move, Damian entered, a gun in one hand and a detonator in the other. Nikoi followed close behind, holding a vodka lemonade in one hand and raising the other in mock surrender.

  Damian shut the door behind him and grinned. "Nice job, Wolfgang. I guess spping the taste out of your mouth really worked. Now, hand over the girl. I’ll take care of this drunk and that worthless general. Then we can finish business."

  Wolfgang gnced at Nikoi and the general, giving them a subtle wink. Turning his attention back to Damian, he watched as Damian grabbed Brenda, holding her close like a shield.

  "Any sudden moves, and we all go down," Damian warned, holding up the detonator.

  Brenda's ropes suddenly loosened. With a swift movement, she kneed Damian in the groin. As he doubled over, Brenda untied her hands and delivered a series of punches to Damian’s head, ending with a powerful kick that sent him sprawling to the ground. She snatched the detonator and his checkbook, tossing the tter to Wolfgang.

  "Nice work," Wolfgang said, tucking the checkbook into his pocket. He turned to the KGB agents. "You two, get out of here. Now."

  "Thank you, comrade," Nikoi said as he and the general quickly exited the casino.

  Wolfgang turned to Brenda, asking how she’d loosened the ropes. Before she could respond, Damian groaned and began to rise. Disheveled, bleeding, and seething with rage, he aimed his gun at Brenda.

  "You... You’ll pay for this. If Wolfgang won’t take care of you, I will!"

  Damian fired. Wolfgang shoved Brenda out of the way, taking the bullet in his shoulder. He cried out as the shot tore through his muscles, knocking him back. Damian cocked his gun for another shot, but Brenda pulled out a knife and hurled it into Damian’s shoulder.

  As Damian stumbled in pain, Brenda tore a strip from her clothing and used it to bandage Wolfgang’s wound. "Are you okay?" she asked, her voice trembling.

  "I’ll make it," Wolfgang groaned. "Thanks for the help."

  All three stood at the same time, but Damian, now fueled by fury, yanked the knife from his shoulder and spoke through clenched teeth.

  "I’m sick of both of you. You slip your restraints, you aid the enemy, and now you’re working together. Why? Never mind—I’ll end this right now."

  Damian lunged at Wolfgang, but adrenaline surged through Wolfgang’s veins. He caught Damian by the arm and flung him across the room, smming him into a desk. As Damian crumpled to the floor, Wolfgang spotted the detonator. He grabbed it, sprinted to the window, and pressed the button just as he dove through the gss.

  The casino erupted in a deafening explosion. Fmes roared as Wolfgang and Brenda nded outside.

  "Call my car," Wolfgang gasped, handing Brenda his phone.

  She complied, and moments ter, Wolfgang’s Barracuda screeched to a stop nearby. Brenda helped him inside, and he floored it just as the casino’s walls began to colpse behind them.

  "I think our work here is done," Wolfgang said, grimacing from the pain in his shoulder.

  "Not quite," Brenda replied. "We still need to patch up that arm."

  Wolfgang managed a weak smile before losing consciousness. When he woke up, Brenda was sitting beside him in a hospital room.

  "You’re a hero," she said softly. "Don’t worry—you’ll be fine."

  A doctor entered, expining that the bullet had been removed and that Wolfgang would need an injection of a specialized elixir to complete his recovery. Wolfgang’s phone buzzed with a call from R.

  "Congratutions, Agent 14. Damian is out of the picture, and Brenda is safe. How are you holding up?"

  "Just a scratch," Wolfgang replied. "I’ll live."

  After the call, Brenda thanked Wolfgang once more for saving her life. She informed him she needed to leave, insisting it wasn’t because of him.

  "I’ve been through too much today," she expined. "I just need some time to rex."

  She blew him a kiss and exited the room as the doctor returned with the elixir.

  "Once this is administered, you’ll need about fifteen minutes to recover fully," the doctor said.

  Wolfgang nodded, taking a deep breath as the doctor injected the elixir. Meanwhile, elsewhere, the private jet carrying Nikoi and General Wyvern cruised through the skies en route to Reptisle.

  Wyvern typed furiously on his ptop, gncing up occasionally at Nikoi, who was sipping yet another vodka lemonade.

  "Well, what do we have here?" Wyvern muttered.

  "It’s my famous—"

  "Not you, dunderhead!" Wyvern snapped. "If you mention that drink again, I *will* stab you in the buttocks. I’m talking about Wolfgang. He’s the enemy, but he helped us?"

  Nikoi shrugged. "Odd, indeed. Why would he assist us? It’s almost as if he knew Damian was pnning to screw us over."

  "Whatever his reason, we owe him one favor. But after that, next time we cross paths, we take him out."

  The general closed his ptop, leaving the cabin in silence except for Nikoi’s occasional sips.

  Meanwhile, Cyrus and Brusk were digging through the rubble of the destroyed casino, searching for Damian’s remains. Taboo joined them, her hands glowing with a crimson aura.

  "What’s the pn, Taboo?" Brusk asked, brushing debris off a shattered beam.

  "We’re bringing Damian back," she replied with an eerie smile.

  Cyrus raised an eyebrow. "Even in his current state?"

  "It’ll work," Taboo assured them.

  As the rubble cleared, Damian’s broken body came into view—his face partially destroyed, and his limbs mangled. Taboo knelt down, channeling her magic into a glowing red orb. She lowered it onto Damian’s chest, and a blinding fsh filled the air.

  When the light faded, Damian stood, his body restored but noticeably altered. His ughter echoed, maniacal and unhinged.

  "I’m alive," he decred, floating a few inches off the ground. His voice was distorted, and his eyes glowed crimson. "And this time, I have a pn that won’t fail."

  Damian looked at Taboo. "With the Tolstone, we’ll rebuild faster than ever. They won’t know what hit them."

  Cyrus and Brusk exchanged uneasy gnces. Whatever Damian had become, it was clear he was more dangerous than ever before.

  Back in the hospital, Wolfgang was recovering quickly thanks to the elixir. His phone buzzed again—this time, a video call from H and Ms. Poundsterling.

  "Wolfgang, my boy!" H excimed. "I hear you took out Damian and saved Brenda. Bravo! Remember my note? If you’re in a fight-or-flight situation, and you don’t have wings... well, I’m gd you chose fight. I’ll cover your hospital bills—personally."

  "Thank you, sir," Wolfgang replied with a faint smile.

  "Oh, my Wolfy!" Ms. Poundsterling chimed in. "I’m so gd you’re okay! When you get back, let’s take a vacation together. But only if you’re feeling better. Please tell me you’re not in too much pain!"

  "Just a scratch," Wolfgang assured her. "I’ll be good as new soon. I’d love to take a trip with you."

  "Wonderful! Get better quickly, my dear."

  After the call, Wolfgang leaned back, his mind already racing with thoughts of what y ahead. The mission might be over, but he knew Damian’s story wasn’t.