We're sure.

Their processing took four days. The conditions of their service were accepted, in a modified form, by an SOTF review board with no official purpose. They would be agents of Legion, NOC operatives specializing in stike objectives. They would be free to use the IF's resources to pursue Simon Reiner and any Gray Wolf associates he might have autonomously. In addition, they would be called upon when needed by the IF to carry out unrelated missions throughout the term of their enlistment. They would only be assigned together, and would be asked to undertake cover assignments only in emergencies. When they completed their ultimate objective and eliminated Simon Reiner, they would be returned to civilian status and their identities would be restored.

This isn't a decision to be made lightly, Gabriel.

Haven't seen any of those lately.

The first step was erasure. All ties to their former lives had to be severed. Their activities over the past week, including airline records and bank account accesses, ceased to exist, to have ever existed. Because their term of service was to be kept as brief as possible, no deaths were arranged, but arrangements were made for them to be transferred offworld to an undisclosed outpost.

You can't use the IF to your own ends. If you enlist, you serve the IF, not the other way around.

Rebecca Solenis and Hunter Gabriel effectively ceased to exist.

We're hoping the IF and we can serve each other's ends.

They were sent to a medical facility in Beijing. There all distinguishing marks were removed. Moles, freckles, and other blemishes, sightly or otherwise. Fingerprints. Gabe's scar. They received surgical implants as well, tiny monitors too small to register on all but the most intrusive scans. The purpose of these implants was only partially explained--they would keep track of an agent's position and condition, to alert authority of danger. The unsaid purpose, no less obvious, was that the implants would ensure that no enemy organization would learn anything from an agent were he captured.

We've all lost a lot to that man, Gabriel. And you're right, he does need to die. No one else should have to lose. But be sure you're doing this for the right reasons. A good man kills because it has to be done, not because he wants to.

The final step was to orient the new agents to the specific protocols of their new existence. This information had not been covered in their training; it could not be disclosed until their affiliation was assured. This included contact practices, identification and equipment procurement, and travel guidelines. For most missions, these matters would be taken care of by their controller, the newly-reactivated Major Marcus Bryant. But certain situations might require that they arrange these matters themselves, and the new agents committed the information to memory.

On the fifth day, a man and woman without names, without homes, without anything but their crusade, left Beijing under throw-away aliases.

"No, thank you," Riya declined, pushing away her empty saucer and settling further into the corner booth. The old, cracked leather creaked in protest, and she raised her newspaper and set about scanning the words in front of her without actually reading. Her attention was focused elsewhere.

He is the one. There does not appear to be anyone else with him, but... I do not like this. I do not appreciate being offered to a stranger, and especially not by this friend in Madrid. He is no friend of mine.

Still stinging from their encounter weeks ago, her eyes narrowed as she mulled it over, but the question was still the same. I do not know why I did not kill him, after such impudence.

"Something else to eat, miss?" Torn from her thoughts, Riya glanced up. The waitress gave her a thin smile and slid a small piece of paper along the tabletop. "Your bill," she said, but it was not a receipt, and Riya nodded. "Thank you."

"Just let us know if you need anything, miss."

When the girl was out of sight Riya picked up the slip. It informed her that no one had been seen following the man, that there were no cars waiting outside and no people loitering, and she blinked to herself. Very good. He had followed her orders and had not been stupid enough to come with escorts. She looked at her watch, realized it was half an hour past their scheduled meeting time, set her paper down on the table, and strode up to the cash register.

"I will pay my bill now." The waitress nodded and waved to the host at the front door, and Riya lounged against the counter, watching as the man made his way to the Wolf's table. Words were spoken, the man stood up, and the host led him past her through a hallway, to a bank of private rooms in the back. When he reemerged, Riya gave him a very generous tip, and made her own way to the back.

She opened the door without knocking, stepped inside, closed it, and folded her arms across her chest without a word.

Then a woman entered. Noir.

The first thought that passed through his mind, upon seeing the most dangerous assassin in the world, was that she must have been every bit as good as people said, to maintain near untraceability with hair like that.

But when he met her eyes, he knew. Those eyes. Those eyes had seen death so many times, it meant nothing at all. Those eyes had killed, and not cared. They were the eyes of an animal, the calm apathy of the tiger that knows it can tear out your throat whenever it wants, without a twinge of guilt. How did the poem go? What immortal hand or eye...?

Whatever hand had framed Noir's fearful symmetry had done so with purpose.

He began talking. She didn't listen. She was of a difficult disposition today, in a mood that felt no need to consort with anyone else. The allusion to Ejan had startled her enough for her to agree to meet with this man, for despite all outward apathy, she still wanted to know. Perhaps he would make mention of Ejan. Perhaps he would carry a message to her from him. Perhaps Ejan would apologize, or repent, or explain... or perhaps she was overthinking this far too much, and she did not care at all.

To take her thoughts away from the balcony she began to read. It was uninteresting material, unchallenging material, and the longer she spent in the room, the more she began to rebel. She didn't have to be here. She was Noir, and Ejan had been unspeakably rude, kissing her and then, then handing her off to this man with the monotone voice and the childish contract. It was an insult, both to herself and to her abilities, and she was just getting ready to close the dossier and leave when a picture caught her eye.

Unbelieveable.

I cannot believe... oh, what would I give for this, to see you two again. Perhaps this is repentance of the greatest sort. Have you any hand in this, de Altamira, and I may be forgiving indeed.

The Wolf was talking, but Riya interrupted him, anticipation floating silky along the edges of her voice and her eyes bright and soft.

"Hunter Gabriel and Rebecca Solenis."

He paused, and she folded the papers closed and crossed her legs, the old predation in her gaze. "I will take this contract."

Liam shifted, to make himself more comfortable, and continued. "Reiner is ex-SOTF. He hopped the fence with several other members of his unit close to two decades ago. He's no kitten, but we have reason to believe the targets have received some pretty advanced training at school. Their names-"

Noir interrupted. "Hunter Gabriel and Rebecca Solenis."

Liam stopped. How had she...? He oepened his mouth to ask, but she cut him off again.

"I will take this contract."

Liam was silent for several moments. When he did speak, he didn't ask how she knew the targets, or what she had against them. He didn't care. She was going to kill them. What more could he ask for?

"Everything's in there," he said, with a nod toward the dossier. "Bios on all the key players, maps and schematics of all the places Simon will be within the next six months, security walkthroughs, and a twenty-five percent advance to cover expenses. There won't be any need for you to contact me until you've finished your job. When you do finish, you can find me through our mutual friend in Madrid. I want two identifiable, verifiable corpses at my feet before we talk about money." Liam rose. "Good day, Ms. Noir."