Not long after Liam left the office and entered the lobby, the field agents who had departed earlier that morning returned, including Team C. They had apparently completed an evacuation mission, after a faction had successfully dealt with a monster that had emerged through a breach.
The idle chatter of Team C filled the lobby as they filed in from their mission, but it was Sarah's distinct and obvious voice that caught Liam's attention, causing him to turn in their direction. Sarah spotted him almost immediately, and the others followed her gaze as she called out, "Hey, hotshot's back!"
They approached Liam with the easy familiarity of teammates even though they actually weren't. Sarah was the first to speak, her tone carrying its usual blend of sarcasm and genuine interest. "So how did your first special mission go?"
Liam offered a wry smile in response, not knowing how to approach Sarah's sarcastic question.
