Back? # **Chapter Ten: Evil Never Takes A Holiday** *Downtown Mistvale, 9:00 AM* --- Song(s): **Christmas In The Harbour - The Punters** **Rusty Chevrolet - Shanneyganock** **Feliz Navidad - Boney M** --- On a beautiful, sunny morning in Mistvale, two longtime coworkers enjoyed a delectable brunch at a trendy restaurant overlooking the harbour. On any other day, they would be known as Agent Foster and Dr. Stone, two elite members of the Reality Conservation Agency -- a secretive organization that, for all intents and purposes outside the RCA itself, didn’t exist. Their lives were dedicated to preserving a difficult balance: protecting humans from themselves and things they didn’t understand while also upholding the protocols that allowed magical beings to live safely on Earth. It required the utmost discipline and didn’t often leave time for relaxation. But for today and today only, they were free to simply be Giselle and Xavier, so long as they didn’t compromise the Agency’s confidentiality. Neither of them had been the biggest fans of the holiday season, but enjoyed celebrating together and savouring their one taste of ‘normalcy.’ So, seeing that the day was their own, they had planned a delicious meal and a relaxing, scenic drive around the city. It was the perfect day for it: unseasonably warm, with bright, clear skies. The sweet, slightly chilly breeze coursed through the open windows as they cruised down the city streets, admiring glistening decorations and vibrant lights. Xavier took a deep breath, filling his lungs with fresh air. His pallid skin blushed from the cold, but he didn’t mind. At least it was something natural for once. The RCA’s base of operations, a technological marvel carved into the southern hills that overlooked the harbour entrance -- and sprawled into the ocean beneath -- was his home, and he rarely got the chance to leave. As one of the Agency’s top scientists, his work was better done from the safety of the state-of-the-art facility. On the other hand, Giselle got to see the surface far more often, though it was never under good circumstances. She was a field agent, called into action to fight on the frontlines against OLYMPUS. She only took to the streets of Mistvale to risk life and limb protecting humanity, and while she loved her job, it was nice to venture outside with no risk of danger. Nice while it lasted, at least. In an instant, the horizon was choked by thick, dark clouds, and a blanket of hailstones pelted against the windshield of their slick, black truck. “Giselle! Giselle, for god’s sake, pull over!” Xavier yelped as gale-force winds shook the vehicle. Giselle did so, taking refuge in the parking lot of the local shopping mall, packed with last-minute holiday shoppers. “CÂLISSE, what was that?!” Giselle swore, startled. “It was supposed to be nice out today!” She hadn’t been home in years, but Quebec’s colorful expressions came to her just as quickly. “Language, Giselle,” Xavier chastised, although he was visibly just as panicked as she was. “I’m not sure what’s happening, but whatever it is, I have a feeling your fears about our day off being cut short aren’t exactly unfounded…” He was proven right a moment later when the vehicle’s hazy AM radio feed fizzled out mid-Feliz Navidad, replaced with an attention-grabbing electronic tone. It was an incoming page from Headquarters. “Ah, tabarnak,” Giselle hissed under her breath before accepting the transmission. A stern, commanding voice answered. “Agent Foster, this is Director Providence. Do you copy? Over.” “I copy, Director. What’s the situation? Over.” ‘And why does it require me to give up the one damn vacation day you give me, Jessica?’ she added mentally. “ISP has picked up readings of a magical anomaly at the Denton household. SPC’s rating it a Class 5 Entity, one we haven’t yet encountered. Whatever it is, it’s the cause of the massive storm impacting transportation and utilities city-wide. I need you to get down there and investigate. The IWPF has already dispatched Peacekeeper Mirina, but we’d like to put our own measures in place. Get over there ASAP -- that’s an order, Agent.” “Understood, Director. I won’t let you down.” “You’d better not. I don’t need to remind you what’s at stake here.” The transmission shut off abruptly, and the hazy music cut back in, now much too cheery for Giselle’s liking. “Well, you heard Providence. No rest for the wicked, I suppose,” Xavier smirked. At least his day off wouldn’t be affected, and he could stay in the heated car and gorge himself on peppermints to his heart’s content. Giselle lightly swatted him on the arm and muttered some choice words -- some English, some French -- before the engine roared to life, and she tore down the road toward her mission.