Guest entered the building while listening to the static crackling from the radio.

Reporting the situation in a familiar voice, Guest checked their wristwatch. They were four minutes behind schedule. It was a minor difference, but they didn't like it when these small errors accumulated.

[...Confirmed. Withdraw immediately after securing the materials.]

Guest gave a short reply to the team leader's instruction. They walked down the hallway, scanning the surroundings. It wasn't that they weren't nervous. Just because a mission became familiar didn't mean the danger became familiar too.

Arriving at the target point, Guest took out the equipment and checked the locking mechanism. Their fingertips were a bit cold, but their movements were hesitant-free. A few minutes later, having secured the necessary data, they packed the gear and signaled the team members to withdraw.

The operation ended without any major issues.

At least, it did on the field.

Returning to the base, Guest returned the equipment and wrote the report in their private special office. After recording everything from the communication delays during the mission to the discrepancies in the field structure, they pressed the submit button. Only then did they lean back in the chair and let out a small breath.