Anaconda's raspy voice annoyed Bunny's ears all the way from the other side of the large and stylishly decorated office.

"I don't approve of the new candidate," said the senior agent.

"Surely you meant to say... my partner."

Bunny crossed his arms and continued chewing his gum, not giving in to the obvious provocation. He let his head lean to one side, waiting for a response from the pale, slender man sitting behind the grand desk. The man's eyes were hidden under his straight dark hair that covered most of his face and back. Unlike the other agents, Anaconda's suit extended into a long coat.

"He only passed an interview," answered Anaconda with a slow, raspy tone, "Calling him your partner is a joke."

"He'll pass the training," Bunny didn't lack any confidence.

"That remains to be seen," the agent scribbled something onto an official, important-looking paper and offered it to agent Rabbit, "Until then, the request for his own office is declined."

Bunny relaxed, took a moment to blow a pink balloon and pop it. He barely managed to raise his arm when Anaconda cut him off.

“If you are about to give me the finger, I remind you that you are inside my office,” The dark-clad, pale-faced agent leaned forward and interlocked his gloved fingers at mouth level, without even looking at Bunny, “I dare not imagine how you tarnish our agency's reputation out in the streets of Parascythe."

At Anaconda's remark, Bunny lowered his arm and continued chewing.

"Ok..."

"Good," Anaconda leaned back into his leather chair with a smug satisfying grin.

Bunny then turned on his heels and headed for the exit.
Once he made sure both of his slick, black shoes crossed the office doorway, he once again raised his arm and repeated the appropriate gesture.

"Fuck you, Anaconda."

* * *

Frantic knocking. In his momentary daze, Lion couldn't decide, whether to first open the blinds, answer the door, or put on his pants. He first, however, had to untangle his foot from the bed sheet.

"Coming!" he shouted, almost tripping, "Stupid f-"

He opened the apartment door, still shirtless. Bunny was standing there, unimpressed.

"I expected an email or...something," Lion scratched his head and twisted his face fighting a yawn.

"We're Z.O.O." Bunny said, "Expect the unexpected. I'm parked at the front. You got five minutes."

"Wha..."

"Hop, hop," Bunny clapped his gloves and headed down the metal stairs.

Making the bed, breakfast, coffee? ... No time. Lion put on his suit and washed his face. He was out of the apartment and closing the van's door at the same time as Bunny did.

"Huh...imagine that," said the young agent, looking at his watch and then up at Lion's neatly-made tie - a total contrast to his own. He started the engine and pointed at a cup of coffee.

Lion simply nodded and grabbed the hot cup with his metal arm.

As the highway light posts were rhythmically speeding by, Lion observed Bunny's driving.

'Reckless' was an understatement.

The red-haired youth was hard on both pedals, spilling the hot drink over Lion's, luckily, metal arm, overtaking AI-driven cars left and right, brimming with undeserved confidence and whistling along an annoying pop song on the radio. The Z.O.O. headquarters started to tower over them in the distance.
The coffee was sweet. Way too sweet.
Lion's stomach was ready for a refund.

Bunny navigated the garage’s circular shapes in between the floors mercilessly. He refused to slow down at corners and abruptly hit the brakes at his parking spot. Lion immediately stepped out of the van and into the suffocating parking lot, letting this morning’s coffee mixed with yesterday’s dinner onto the concrete floor.

“You ok?” Bunny asked the bent-over man.

“No offense… but I’d like to drive next time.”

“Really? I know I’m not the best driver but… I could go slow—”

“Dude, I’m serious.”

“Ok…” Bunny shrugged, “Less work for me I guess.”

They entered the elevator using Bunny's ID.

"What kind of training?" asked Lion, continuing the previous conversation.

"You'll see. I'm sure you'll be fine," answered Bunny while sliding his card through the reader and typing something akin to a code into the floor numbers. Lion appreciated the vote of confidence, but what he really wanted was a heads-up.

"You mentioned they declined to give me an office... I've seen dozens of rookies get their hopes up only to get shot down before even going on their first mission," he paused and his eyes fell to the floor, "I need this, you know..." he looked at Bunny for answers, but the other one was staring at the elevator controls.

"Fuck!" he spit his gum onto the floor.

"...you ok?" asked Lion.

"No. The fucker has restricted my access to the training floors."

"Who did?" Lion raised an eyebrow.

"Anaconda... " Bunny was trying to hide the defeat in his voice.

"He can do that?"

"Yeah... his office is on the 98th floor... one floor above me," Bunny sighed and let his arms hang, "Come on, we'll have to go ask Turtle for her card."

As they reached the 95th floor, Bunny hurried to the floor's office and knocked on the door, not wasting a moment before shouting, "Turtle, I demand your card!"

Silence.

Then a commotion akin to panic.

The door opened slightly and a yellow-brown head peeked out.

"Demand?" she was looking up at Bunny.

Even though Agent Turtle was on the shorter side, she made sure to always be fit and in form.
The short wavy hair gently enveloped her pouting face. She blinked at the two men in front of her office. Lion caught himself staring into her eyes. They were almost orange.
Her eyebrows and lips formed a frown. Yes, she remembered him.

"Go away!" she tried to close the door, but Bunny stepped in with his shoe.

"Wait..." the red-haired man said, "Listen. Just... give me the card."

No," she replied shortly.

"... what do you want me to do... beg?" Bunny didn't hide the sarcasm.

"Yes," came an answer just as short.

Lion was watching the two, not quite understanding the dynamic between them. Her wistful gaze was fixed on Bunny, but her face was forming a determined, almost forced frown. A total contradiction, Lion thought. Bunny as well seemed rash and dismissive, but now that he was face to face with her, Lion could swear he noticed the young man's ears getting a bit red.

Bunny sighed deeply and reluctantly. There was no way he was saying 'please'.

 Lion took the initiative.

"Could you please lend us your card, little miss? I really need your help. If I don't finish the training and get this job, I'm... well, I'm royally screwed."

"L-l-l-'little miss'?!" she exploded, swinging the door inward and preparing to crush Bunny's foot with it.

He took it out of the way just in time before the door slammed right into their faces.

"Now look what you've done..." Bunny shrugged.

They headed back to the elevator.

"What are our options?" Lion asked, not acknowledging any of this was his fault.

"Our options are getting worse by the minute. But I guess this is as good opportunity as any for me to introduce you to your future colleagues. This was Turtle, by the way."

"Yeah...thanks," Lion said as the elevator closed.

They went out on the floor just above, the 96th floor.

"Listen," said Bunny, "You keep quiet and let me handle this. If you open your mouth, it's your own goddamn fault, capiche?"

Lion had his doubts about Bunny's relationships with other agents. It seemed to follow a similar pattern to that of the van and could very likely end up just like it.

Wrecked.

But he simply nodded in response and followed after Bunny to the office door on which the latter knocked politely in a melodic manner.

"Come in," an elegant but cold womanly voice came from inside.

The office was larger than Turtle's and smaller than Bunny's, confirming Lion’s suspicion that the higher floors meant higher status and thus a larger office, naturally. He was wondering what kind of office he would get...if he passed the training. If he reached the training at all today.

"What do you need, Agent Rabbit? State your business precisely and quickly."

One leg wrapped in tight, brown stocking crossed the other under the desk.

Her black hair was made into a simple bun with neatly side-swept bangs. Her blue eyes were staring at the men above a thin pair of glasses, waiting for a response. Her posture was all 'business', Lion noticed.

"Good morning, Agent Eagle," started Bunny with an unusually polite tone, "I would like to kindly request your assistance by lending me your agent card in order to access the training area."

This confused Lion greatly. He hasn't seen Bunny this stiff before. If there was any pattern here, it was that the agents from the upper floors had an advantage over the ones below them. And if that was the case, how come Bunny, whose office was on the 97th floor, was stressing so much with this woman who was on the floor below him?

She smacked her lips before asking, "Did you lose yours... again?"

Bunny crossed his arms and looked to the side.

"No... Anaconda put restrictions on it. A bit childish, isn't he?"

"I see," she narrowed her eyes, "I'm sure Agent Anaconda had good reasons."

"Not really. He's just being an ass. Listen... It's not for me. It's for the trainee, Agent Lion, "Bunny motioned from Lion toward the woman, "Meet Agent Eagle."

Lion walked toward the desk ready to offer a handshake when the woman's stern voice stopped him in his tracks.

"Not a step further. You are not an agent yet. I have no business with you until you finish your training and are granted an office."

Lion remained where he was, simply letting his arm drop down to his side. He kept up an indifferent face but his eyes betrayed what he felt inside. He wanted to drop down onto his knees and beg this cold woman for help, but his pride wouldn't let him.
His fist clenched, and his mouth twisted, but he remained motionless, not stepping forward, but not backing off either.

Eagle's icy-thin eyes observed him.

"Hmm..." she stood up, pushing the chair gently with her behind, then walked over to Lion, circling him and checking him out.

"Hmm, hmm, hmm..." her eyes traveled from his peculiar hairstyle to his determined eyebrows and strong cheekbones, then down his neat tie and onto his proud chest, around his metal arm, ending on his ass.

Hmm!" she exclaimed once more before suddenly throwing her card at Bunny, who caught it between his fingers.

"Be sure to return it today," she returned to her desk and continued filling out documents as if the two of them didn't exist anymore.

"Thanks," Bunny said as he exited her office.

She kept busy until it hit her that she didn't hear Lion leave. She lifted her gaze and saw him exactly where he was.

He kept looking at her until their eyes met.

”Thank you for the opportunity.”

Bunny watched him with interest from the door.

Eagle almost cracked a slight smile but stopped herself in time.

"Don’t waste it," she pointed at the door with her pen, "Now, leave my premises before I change my mind."

As they entered the elevator, Lion noticed Bunny's raised eyebrows and eyes full of bewilderment.

"What?" Lion shrugged.

"Nothing..." the red-haired man slid the card and entered the code just like before, but this time got a response from the elevator in a female monotone voice.

Welcome Agent Eagle. Heading for the training area.

"Just...I've never seen her like this. I guess... you won her over."

Obviously, impressing Agent Eagle was not Bunny's modus operandi. Either that or he was simply not able to ever handle her at all. In any case, the younger agent was looking at Lion as if the man has broken a world record. Or two.

"Expect the unexpected," Lion said with a smug smile.