codename QUANTUM, controller of kinetic energy
An alarm sounded: it was a few rapid tones followed by a pause. After the pause, the tones repeated, this time louder. After a few repeats, the alarm was almost comically loud for the small room that it inhabited. A few feet away, a pile of blankets on a full-sized bed shuddered as its owner moved about. A muffled groan could barely be heard under the blaring alarm and layers of cloth. Suddenly, Leo sat up in their bed, all of the blankets falling off of them in one fell swoop. The alarm clock was across the room to force them out of bed; if it had been on their nightstand, the urge to just hit snooze and fall back asleep would be too strong. Leo dragged themselves out of the bed. They looked as disheveled as one possibly could be with their hair sticking this way and that and their pajamas basically falling off.
With the alarm turned off, Leo went to begin their early morning routine. They combed through their hair with their fingers before tying it up in a small, tight ponytail. If they were meant to train, their hair needed to be out of their face. They prefered box braiding their hair, but they didn’t have the time for it this morning. Then, they peeled off their comfy, fluffy pajamas and pulled out their uniform. And while it was decently comfortable, it wasn’t nearly as nice as their pjs. Begrudgingly, they slipped into their armored pants, buckling up the secure belt. Then came the layers. It was cold out in Portland. They put on their undershirt, regular black shirt, and then the armored over-shirt. As if to test that armor and wake themselves up a bit, Leo tapped the center of their stomach with their fist, and it bounced off as it always does. Then, they clipped on their utility belt, not bothering to check the pouches. They had been fully stocked last night so of course they’d be fully stocked in the morning. They put on their boots, making sure to lace them up tight but not too tight. Their mask came last, which they let hang around their neck as they went about the rest of their morning.
It had only taken a little while to get ready, so Leo was still extremely groggy as they stumbled into the small cafeteria. They surveyed their surroundings, looking between the few breakfast food options, and yet barely took any of the information in. They already knew what that wanted to eat, and stumbled up to the table. They picked up two sandwiches, packed with eggs, bacon, and cheese, and a large carton of chocolate milk. They checked their watch, seeing how little time they had left, and began their routine of scarfing the food down. In less than two minutes, their plate was clear and their milk was gone. After checking their watch again, Leo shot up, darting over to put their tray into the return pile. There was something about eating that filled Leo with energy. Hmm, perhaps it was the calories? Life is a mystery.
Alvarez’s booming voice echoed through their head. They weren’t even close to late, but Leo hated being anything short of comfortably early. And, unsurprisingly, Leo was one of the first to arrive in the control room. They sauntered in, more than 10 minutes early, with hands behind their head, and smiled at the few occupants in the room. Agent Alvarez was there, of course, and Lucas, of course. They walked up to the two, transferring their hands to their hips. “Sup, boss!” They beamed with a playful salute. Leo’s mood had done an impossible 180 in the last 15 minutes. The magic of food. After greeting Alvarez, they shifted their gaze to Lucas. “And you! How do you always manage to be the first one to the party? Do you sleep in here?” They joked. Leo stood next to him, but that didn’t stop them from glancing behind their shoulder at the door, as if waiting for someone to arrive.