"Do you have a three?"

Sota and Wash were in their bedroom, sitting on the floor with cards in between them and in their hands.  Sota had asked for threes since they were playing Go Fish.  She saw Wash's eyes scan her cards before shaking her head, adding the phrase "Go Fish" as well.

Sota sighed with a smile and picked up another card.  She was glad for this down time.  They had just gotten back from a mission with the other freelancers kids.  Being the most experienced, Sota was kind of leading the kids while Maryland, New Hampshire, and Virginia actually led the mission.

Since all the kids were allowed to go, it was a very unimportant, easy mission.  Simple spying, something she was very good at.  Still, it was nice to be doing something exciting after a while.  But now she just wanted to be away from all her duties.  Wash felt the same.

They had recently talked about the new kids that came in.  They had talked a lot together and they all revealed which freelancer was their parent.  It brought back a lot of memories to when she constantly spied on them.  They liked most of them, but her and Wash still got along the best.

"Do you have a... queen?"  Wash asked, gaining another exasperated sigh from Sota.  "Again?  Ugh, every time!"  She laughed, handing her a queen of spades.  Wash grinned and took it, looking over her cards again.

"Do you have a... ten?"  Wash smiled wider.

"Stop it, Wash!"  Sota handed her a ten of clubs.

"Do you have a seven?"  Wash started giggling.

"YES UGH."  Sota tossed a seven of hearts to her.

"An ace?"  Wash was trying to contain her laughter.

"NO! FINALLY GO FISH!"

The two girls laughed histerically at Wash's luck.  "Dang, you are good at this game!"  Sota shook her head in disbelief.  "I'm just lucky." 

Sota grinned mischievously.  "Yep!  So lucky to be my friend!"  "Oh whatever!"  They giggled more.  Sota remembered her life alone, when it was just her and Mary.  She was nice, but there was nobody her age and it was just training, training, training all day every day.  Now that she had others to be with, she couldn't be happier.  She was determined to protect her team at all costs.

She had to.  The other Freelancers turned on each other, but she was certain that if she did everything right, then they wouldn't have any problems at all.  They were practically family, and some others were actually related.  It was pretty cool, she just had to sustain it. 

"Your turn, Minne."  Wash poked her, snapping Sota out of her thoughts.  "Right.  Do you have a four?"  Wash glanced at her cards and giggled. 

"Go Fish."

"Are you kidding me?"

~~~

"Agents Minnesota and Washington, please report to the Training Area promptly."  FILSS called through the speakers as the two girls hurried through the hallways to the training room.  "We finally get to spar, Minne!"  Wash said in excitement.

Sota nodded again.  "Just remember, the Director doesn't like it when you call me Minne."  She reminded her, then immediately regretted that when Wash lost her smile and turned away.  She didn't like it when they talked about all the rules of Project Freelancer.

Sota didn't know why she was so insistent on following every rule... but she didn't take into account the fact that she basically disobeyed the Director whenever she could.  She was just always hard on herself. 

As they walked down the hallway, the girls began to prepare themselves silently for the battle.  Even though it would be a friendly one, it was scheduled, which meant every Freelancer who wanted to could come.  That meant that Mary, New Hampshire, Gin, Missouri, George, Del, Penn, the Counselor, and the Director would come... she wasn't counting on Nevada.

"I think you're Mary's god daughter."  Wash decided out of the blue.  "What?"  Sota laughed.  "I'm serious.  Why else would she be trusted to raise you?  Why not Virginia?"

"Because she killed her own husband!"  Sota shot back.  Wash shrugged.  "True... but still.  I think you remind her of the people in the picture."  She continued.

Sota looked away.  Mary was always so guarded when this stuff was brought up.  It hurt her so much to know that Mary had delt with every tantrum, healed every cut, made every meal, took care of every fever, but when Mary finally had something hurting her, Sota couldn't help her.  'She wouldn't understand' was what Mary constantly told her, and every time she said it, her voice faltered a little bit more. 

"We just gotta figure out who they are."  Wash told her but Sota shook her head.  "That would be pointless, they're dead.  Why else would she cry over the picture?"  Sota sighed.  "But didn't you say you remembered her saying 'Holden, you don't know what they've done to him'?"  "I don't know, I was like five."  She threw her arms up in exasperation.

"You know... you're getting more guarded about this as well.  We used to talk about the people in the picture for hours when we could... but now you're shooting down every idea I have."  Wash complained.  Sota looked at her apologetically.  "I'm sorry... I guess I'm just losing hope of ever knowing the answers, and it hurts too much to think I might be disappointed if I do."

Wash's gaze softened.  "I understand."  Was all she said, looking away.  "Well, you better cheer up, because when I beat you, I want you to be at your best, I'll feel better about myself then."  She joked.  Sota gave her a playful shove.  "As if!  You're so going down!"

With the mood lightened, the two girls giggled and quickened their pace.

~~~

"Training: Round 1, Agent Minnesota and Agent Washington.  Electric staffs."  FILSS announced through the speakers.  Sota put on her helmet, walking into the ring.  She looked up and saw the freelancer kids as expected, along with Mary and New Hampshire, their mouths moved, but she didn't hear any noise penetrating through the glass.  Gin wasn't there... neither was the Counselor.  But the Director was, watching her intently.

She quickly looked away and saw Washington in her full armor.  "Prepare to be squashed."  Wash jokingly lowered her voice for intimidation.  Sota shook her head and laughed.  She was glad that even in the training ring, they were best friends.

"Fifteen seconds remaining."

Sota and Wash grabbed their staffs that buzzed with electricity.  It didn't feel very nice to have it hit you, but they had both gotten used to the feeling by then.  They got into position, getting more serious.  

"Five seconds remaining."

"Two seconds remaining."

"Round 1 begin."

Wash and Sota charged at each other.  Wash flipped her staff several times before going to strike Sota's hip.  She quickly responded by turning her staff so it pointed about four or three o'clock, blocking her attempt.

The collision lasted only a moment as the two retaliated for another attack.  Sota flipped the staff so that she could easily bring it down on Wash's helmet.  She nimbly spun out of the way and struck her in the hip.  A shock went through Sota, but she reacted quickly, swinging her staff around Wash's staff so that she hit Wash in the arm. 

Wash dropped her weapon but quickly grabbed it with her left hand and swept at Sota's feet, but she jumped over it.  They paused for a few moments before running at each other again.

Sota swung her staff down as a diversion before swiping up quickly.  Wash jumped, but when she got hit, she didn't have her footing and was sent flying, landing on her back with several clanks of her armor.  She groaned and didn't move.

Sota frowned and walked up to her.  "Wash?  You oka--?"  Sota then found her feet swept from under her and she too landed on her back.  Wash then jabbed her staff into her gut, sending another shock through her.

"That was dirty!"

"Don't let your guard down!"

The girls grinned through their helmets.  Sota then brought her leg up and kicked Wash's staff out of her hands.  She rolled backwards, putting her hands on the ground then used her upper body strength to push herself up. 

She swung her staff at Wash and it hit her shoulder.  "Agh!"  Wash cried, then dived for her staff, narrowly blocking her opponent's next attack.  "Close one!"  She grunted before pushing back.  Sota was caught off guard by the sudden burst of strength and stumbled back.

Wash immediately jumped up and kicked her in the stomach.  Then she whacked her helmet with her staff.  Then she flipped her staff several times, she swung down but stopped just short of striking her head again.  They both were still, panting breathlessly.

"Round 1 over.  Point to Washington."

A 0 to 1 came up on the screen and he staffs powered down.  Applause could be heard from the room above.  Wash helped Sota up.  "Ouch."  Sota whined, but she gave her friend a pat on the back.  "Good game."  "Good game."

"Great round, girls, don't get discouraged, Minnesota."  The Director's voice rang through the speakers, then the comm shut off.  The two girls looked up in confusion.

It was always customary for the Director to comment on all the agents in the ring.  Why did he just talk to Sota?  They looked at each other.  Sota desperately hoped Wash wouldn't look at her with irritation, jealousy, annoyance.

Wash gave a small smile and shrugged it off, but Sota had no idea if that was just what she wanted her to think.  She swallowed.  Maybe the speakers stopped working...

"Training: Round 2, Agent Minnesota and Agent Washington.  Hand to hand combat."

Apparently not.

"Round 2 starting in five minutes."

They set down their staffs.  Wash looked at her.  "What do you think happened?"  "I don't know, but I don't like it."  Sota growled, how dare he ignore Washington like that?  Wash laughed.  "You don't like the Director period."  She giggled and punched her arm playfully.  "Come on, I want you to actually try this time."  She teased.

Sota didn't know how she could be so cheerful, but it made her smile herself.  "For sure."  She high fived her, hearing more applause from the room above them.  Sota looked up at them and saw George waving frantically, Del and Penn grinning and clapping, and Missouri winking.  She shook her head and waved back at them.

"Round 2 starting in one minute."

"Let's do this!"  Wash pumped her fist in the air.  Sota loosened up her joints as FILSS counted down.  When it came down to thirty seconds, they both got in the middle of the ring and put up their fists. 

"Fifteen seconds remaining."

Sota took a deep breath.

"Five seconds remaining."

"Two seconds remaining."

"Round 2 begin."

The two girls shared at each other again.  Wash threw a punch but Sota moved her head.  They punched and blocked and dodged in a flurry of hands before Wash finally threw a round kick.

Sota instinctively made a net block to cancel the attack then proceeded to hit her with a knife hand strike.  Wash turned her face from the impact and Sota brought up her knee to her stomach, making her bend over then she finished her string of attacks with a crescent kick to the head.

"How was that for actually trying?"

"Shut up!"

Wash ran at her again and another chain of striking and blocking commenced.  Their skills seemed so equally matched that it might go on forever.  Sota did a flying front kick suddenly once she was sure Wash was lost in the rhythm, so she broke it.  Wash blocked the decoy kick but was unable to react quick enough to stop the flying kick.

She stumbled backwards only to see Sota going into a spinning crescent kick.  Then she went into another flurry of punches and strikes.  Wash was having a hard time keeping up, but she was able to withstand the attacks until Sota tired and backed up.

"Dang..."  Wash breathed, then ran at her and did a flying side kick.  When she landed she immediately spun into a crescent kick.  Without even putting her foot on the ground, Wash did a side kick to her legs, straight into a front kick to her gut, straight into a round kick to her head.

It all happened in a flash and it was Sota's turn to be caught off guard.  "Hey!  You can't use my own moves against me!"  "Says who?"  "I do!"  Sota smiled and did a stomp kick to her knee then immediately brought her knee up and hit her helmet.  Then she pivoted her foot so that she was facing away from Wash.  She then did a back kick and Wash was on the floor again. 

"Yield!  I yield!"  Wash grunted. 

"Round 2 over.  Point to Minnesota."

A big 1 to 1 was now shown on the screen.

Sota walked over not really letting her guard down, but the round was over so Wash couldn't trick her even if she wanted to.  "You alright?"  She asked.  Wash nodded.  "Yeah... just give me a minute."  She sat up.

Sota kneeled down.  "Want me to kiss it better?"  "I said I'm alright, Minne!"  Wash laughed.  Sota's eyes widened.  "Wash!"  They both looked up to see the Director's look of disapproval.  "I told you not to call me that around the Director!"  Wash scowled and got up, walking over to the table of weapons. 

"Wonderful work, Sota."  The Director sounded cheery, but he emphasized her nickname, making Sota wince.  Not only did he not congratulate Wash, he was criticizing her!

She immediately went over to her friend.  "Wash!  I'm so sorry, I didn't-"  "You're right, Sota.  The Director is a jerk."  Wash didn't looked mad at her friend, she was relieved, but she also didn't want to cause a rebellion!

"Yes... but he's given us everything.  Maybe he's just in a bad mood."  Sota tried to defend him... she couldn't lose her team.  She couldn't lose Wash.  "Yeah... maybe."  Wash narrowed her eyes.

"Training: Round 3, Agent Minnesota and Agent Washington.  Paint ball."

The next few rounds got more and more challenging, and the score never leaned too much to one person.  It was round eight that decided the winner with the score being 5 points to Sota and 3 points to Wash.

The Director hadn't said a lot after each of the rounds which sort of relieved some of the tention.  At the end of the entire training session, all the Freelancer kids came down to congratulate both of them.

George patted Sota on the back saying she did great.  Penn said a few words but had his arms crossed most of the time.  Del was estatic and was rooting for both if the girls.  Missouri was... obviously flirting.

Sota found herself looking up at the Director who was cracking a small smile of definite approval.  She returned his cheerful gaze with a hard, stone cold one.  He always boasted that he was her father figure.  He always said he gave her everything.  He was always so proud of her.

But her thoughts about him never changed.  He was just the man that messed up Nevada.  He was he man that encouraged Virginia to murder her husband.  He was the man that took these children to become agents.  She doubted he gave them a choice.

The Director's gaze seemed to falter.  Good riddance.  Suddenly, he reached for the microphone.  "Would Agent Minnesota please come to my office after lunch today."  Then he walked away.