�Agent J, report status!�
This was not the time, HQ always chimed in at the worst possible moments. This was one of those moments. She was trying to apprehend armed and dangerous thugs. Another bullet ricocheted off the pillar she was hiding behind.
�Not the time for this Dexter,� she replied.
She jumped from one pillar to the next, trading fire with the perps opposite the corridor. They were trying to get away with one of those rare mutant artifacts, priceless, apparently. The battle went to the hallway, with civilians running and ducking. She tried to avoid collateral damage but there was always bound to be some. Sunlight shone on the combatants from the glass dome above. This was when she made her first mistake. She was surrounded, with no place to hide the thugs quickly surrounded her, closing in for melee range. They were probably built for it, with they broad shoulders and gigantic form. Typical. She leapt from the pedestal she was perched on. A punch shattered it mere moments after. She had no choice, dodging and weaving blows, using her pistols as improvised melee weapons when she could. A large crash then resounded. Glass rained down from above, along with another figure. It looked like a child, a boy to be precise. Reaching from behind his back, two blades extended. The whole weapon was three times his height. The blades were as tall as the boy. With a shrill cry, he attacked, catching the thugs by surprise. Only one was able to beat a hasty retreat, proceeding towards the exit with the artifact in tow.
�Idiot, why�d you have to butt in? Now he got away!� she protested.
�Wow, you�re Agent J aren�t you? I�m so honoured. Oh wait, you�re hurt,� he replied ignoring her. His voice wasn�t as high as she suspected. On closer inspection, he seemed her height, maybe a bit taller but not by much though, he was also rather young. She pushed him away and slapped a fresh clip in, intent on finishing what she started.
�Agent J, you are no condition to pursue the mission, return to HQ now. Your partner is en route to the scene,� came a voice from her comm. The boy shouted into his, �I already am there silly. What do they pay you for?�
�My mistake, carry on.� She had enough, �What? You can�t tell me this kid is my partner?!?�
�Hey, who are you calling kid?� replied her partner. The voice on the comm. started again, �Listen, it was on short notice and his name is Jon. You will either work with him, or you will return to base.�
�Fine, I�ll work with,� she paused, �Jon.�
She got up and tried to follow but a pain in her leg prevented her from walking too far, she was about to fall but Jon caught her. Probably being one of those pencil-pushers, she suspected he just danced along to the tune played by anyone of higher rank. As they exited the museum�s front gate, they were greeted with screeching black cars that came to the halt on the curb. Men got out, they were armed and opened fire on the duo. Jon ducked to the side, propping her against the stone wall that ran along the length of the building.
�Jess, you stay safe here now, �kay?�
With that, he stood up and unsheathed his weapon.
�Kid, my name is not Jess, you will address me in a formal matter. You can�t take �em all alone. You can�t leave me like this!� she complained.
�Whatever,� was all she could hear as a reply.