Hereford Base; Bravo Squad Dorm

Derek POV

You stared at the tablet Mark had on the counter reading over the same file as before. The one about Felix. Voices started to become more clear as a pair of fingers snapped in front of you

Mickey: Helloooo. Earth to Derek.

Derek: What is it Sean.

Mickey: We got that charity event coming up, what's your walk out theme.

Derek: I don't know, first few second of the 2012 remaster of "Sweating Bullets"?

Mickey: I'll just do "Get Busy" by Sean Paul.

Derek: Do whatever you want.

NATO: If you're done reading over the same words, can't we talk business?

Derek: Well for starters I want more intel on how they have info on Felix. And why it's recent.

NATO: If Six can hire me a crew I can get it done as soon as possible, but doubt it'll go through.

Derek: Who did you have in mind?

NATO: An old group, ever hear of the Edgerunners?

Demo: I'm sorry, did I just hear my ears right? Or did you just say the Edgerunners.

NATO: I did.

Demo: You're talking about a group of mercenaries and some bad motherfuckers at that. Can you even trust them?

NATO: I ran ops with them before, they owe me.

Mickey: When the fuck was this?

NATO: Remember that time I got accepted to take a month off to go back home for a mental break?

Mickey: Yea we were worried about your sta-... oh you motherfucker.

NATO: Yea I lied just to get out of base and away from the commotion. In reality, I went out to give them a hand. They have the people for this job, just need to wave the right amount of coin in their face.

Derek: In this case they can have the info from one of the best Private Military Organizations.

NATO: So you want to pitch the idea to Harry?

Derek: I need to know how much you can trust them.

NATO: I trust them enough to get the job done efficiently, they have the hackers I need to bypass into their systems. Just need you to give the word.

You thought about it for a second before looking back at Mark

Derek: Alright, but if you're wrong about them, just know you won't hear the end of this.

NATO: I understand my position, however I still stand by it.

Derek: Good, makes you all the more trustworthy. I'll go speak with Harry about these arrangements, even if it'll cost an arm and a leg to get it going.

You sat up and left the dorm and started to head to Harry's office

Nighthaven HQ

IQ POV

You sat on a bench in the armory with your foot tapping the floor rapidly. You stopped tapping when you saw Ela walk over with a water bottle and sit down

Ela: Thought you could use the drink.

You accepted the water and took a sip before putting it on the ground

IQ: Thanks, just nervous is all.

Ela: Monika, no one wanted to be in your position.

IQ: But it's the way Grim took it out of my hands, I mean what if we're wrong for this?

Ela: They do need to relax a bit on the whole "Attacking Rainbow Operatives" thing. Hell we're lucky we were in a public area, restricted Derek from using a firearm.

IQ: He didn't want to risk it... who knows what would've happened if he never saw Leras' device.

Ela: Probably have a lot more bruises, maybe a few in the medical wing.

You looked down at the ground before looking straight forward

IQ: We knew, that his friend could possibly still be alive, and yet we kept it a secret from him for weeks. I still feel guilty for it.

Ela: He would've asked how we knew anyway, there was no workaround to that.

She gave you a little nudge and put her fist up

Ela: No matter what, we'll stick together through this. You can count on that.

Hereford Base; Harry's Office

Derek POV

You stood across from Harry as he looked over the file Mark had on the group he needed

Derek: So what do you think?

Harry: They're efficient, I'll give them that... but.

Derek: Here we go.

Harry: Their reputation.

Derek: The only thing that matters to me is that Mark trusts them. He worked with them in the past, he said they're just as good as him, hell even better.

Harry: I'll try and get in contact with them, we'll see if we can make ourselves a deal.

Derek: Thank you, we'd be helping each other out here.

Harry: Just be sure whatever this is, that it's a success.

Derek: It will be Harry, I promise you that.

Harry: You're dismissed.

You left Harry's office and shut the doors behind you. You turned to face down the hall and saw your new recruits walking down the hall

Derek: Evening ladies.

Kenzie: Hey boss.

Derek: How do you guys feel?

Kenzie: Great actually, it was nice to have the transfer. Makes it easier for us all.

Derek: That's good to hear. Well I have to go speak with Mark about an upcoming mission, you ladies take care now.

You walked pass the girls and began to make your way to your dorm

Two Days Later

July 5th, 2021

You heard the door to the briefing room open and Mark walked in with a small group

????: Bit crowded in here, don't you think?

Derek: If you're referring to the girls, they're recruits. They can't really put up much of a fight... yet. Sit down, we have a lot to discuss.

Mark and the group sat down and you began the meeting

Derek: I guess we can first start off by bringing up the leader of this group.

David: That'll be me, my names David.

Derek: David, huh? Pleasure to meet you, Mark wouldn't shut up about you guys. What about the rest of your crew.

David: The southern gentleman is Falco or our driver. The short gung-ho girl is Rebecca, with the last one being Kiwi.

Derek: Mark, I thought you said there was 7 of them.

NATO: I did, but when I was with them, shit went south very fast and they lost 2 of them. There was another before that but... well you can paint the picture.

Derek: That still doesn't explain the missing 5th.

David: It's why we're here at this meeting to begin with.

Derek: Oh so it'll be a little we help you, you help us.

David: Your boss said you needed the hackers, just so happens our second one is captured. Could use the extra numbers to get her out.

Derek: Pass all of the information over and we'll be right by your side.

You lifted your hand out to David

Derek: Do we have a deal?

He accepted your handshake

David: We'll give Mark a call once we're ready.

The 4 left the room and you let out a sigh

Kenzie: Well, that was a pretty simple meeting.

Demo: It's how most meetings go with Derek, he prefers to get to the point.

Derek: Yea, unlike you with your Porn history.

Demo: Oh fuck off, there's no good shit these days.

Derek: Yea, it's called, "Do it yourself"

Demo: Well no one around here is Skylar Vox or Abella Danger.

Patch: Those two are so far different from each other.

Demo: Gotta show some love for everything.

Bulldog: Then you go with Violet Myers if you want both of them shits.

Derek: Why the fuck are we talking about porn?

Demo: You brought it up.

Derek: Yea, because your phone is just filled with hundreds of files.

Demo: Can never go wrong with them.

Derek: There's so many things wrong with that.

Ashley: I also don't appreciate how some of them involved me.

Demo: Oh come on your husband can't be the only one having some fun with that exterior.

Derek: Robert!

Demo: Shutting up sir.

Derek: We're gonna have to wait for them to get back to us about this mission. In the meantime I want everyone to be prepared.

Demo: Pfft, when are we not?

Patch: You every Thursday.

Kenzie: Why Thursday specifically?

Patch: Robert likes to have his "Alone time" in the bathroom for 3 hours.

Demo: My serenading baths are a must.

Bulldog: Yea? Some of us have to take a shit during those time periods.

Demo: Maybe if your fat ass wasn't eating chipotle burritos, you wouldn't be shitting up a storm.

Bulldog: They're a good source of protein and calories.

Demo: Yea, you could use a bit less of that.

Bulldog: What're you implying.

Demo: That you're a disgusting, fat, bastard.

NATO: Besides Robert being a dickhead, what would you say you learned?

Ava: If I'm going to be honest, absolutely nothing.

Derek: Sounds about right.

Patch: Just wait until they're at an actual meeting that isn't 10 minutes long.

Kenzie: Wait a minute, these can be longer than 10 minutes?

Derek: Oh yea, once we're really into it and actually laying out intel and planning, these can last from either one maybe even two hours.

Kenzie sunk into her seat at your comment

Kenzie: That just sounds boring.

Derek: Any information helps, it makes the mission run a lot smoother.

Patch: And keeps you guys alive.

Sam: How long was the meeting when it came to us?

NATO: Five minutes, Derek kinda just grabbed a small group and said "Hey our rookies got their asses nabbed, let's go run into heavy fire"

Derek: Fuck off, when they give the call, I'll only need Mark since he's close with them.

NATO: Sounds like a plan.

Derek: Enjoy the rest of your days, meetings closed.