"Marking the Start/Finish Line"
The Baha Bar/Safehouse 1 March 10, 2008 The team, officially christened the Alpha Unit dozed softly the entire way back into New York. The bonds between them were very apparent as they lounged out across each other with feet on feet and heads on laps. In the small confines of the chopper, Paige draped herself across Saf's lap and had her feet propped up on the wall. Baz had his head on her stomach and she played with his multi colored hair feeling him squirm and protest beneath her, only urging her to do it more. Enola, Jordan she reminded herself, had her back on the chopper floor near Baz, and her legs up on the seat near Saf. Like one big Agent pretzel they looked like. They worked well together, a lot of the brass had told them that. They were 'it', the first team, the charter team. And they were damn happy about it. (1000 hours) They arrived back in New York, as well as a partial Beta team (2 were eliminated) and got a brief tour of the Baha Bar, the attached Safehouse (with adjoining garage), and back up to the offices. These were the meeting rooms, they were told. And meet they would. Rebecca and Gray debriefed them on a lot of information. They were told more about the SIA and what was expected of them as Agents now. They were briefed on the status of the Safehouses, each given all of their identification, weapons, and passwords into the databases with a brief tour of its functions. The rules were outlined very simply. Contact would be made via cell phone (of which must always be on their person) and computer (which they should check often). They were given each other's numbers and told to maintain their friendships. So different, Paige thought, than Section would have it. Training would not be as rigorous and full time as it was in Section. They had access to a centrally located workout facility in Edison. It was an old food shipping warehouse converted to hold several advanced training apparatus, including simulators, mazes, and weapons range. Each individual had to log in 20 hours of training a month at the minimum, starting next month. Once every six months the entire team would train for a week together in Pennsylvania where a facility was currently being built. There they would continue to function as a Unit, strengthening the bonds formed during the initial week of training. Once a year, though it was still tentative, multiple teams would be called in to train as a squad. They were also given each other's addresses of their new homes, each of which the SIA tried to match with the Agent's past and what they felt would be most suitable. The homes and apartments would have advanced security systems but the agents were basically on their own. They were allowed to get jobs and (although it wasn't recommended) form relationships as long as nothing was revealed about the SIA. They were also not allowed to contact anyone from their past (particularly family members, if any existed). If a breach in security was detected the Agent was to be brought in immediately and, well, the remainder of that statement was explicit. A lot of trust was being put into the Agents, as Rebecca explained, especially at this early stage. Agent observers were being put into place, albeit slowly, as well as the other Safehouses being brought up to the standard the Baha Bar (SH1) currently set, and trainers being interviewed for the Edison training facility. Army/marine brass would be overseeing the Pennsy facility. (1600 hours) The official meetings finally over, the Alpha Unit stayed together in the Safehouse downstairs near the bar and helped themselves to a couple bottles of champagne, beer, and some pizza from around the block. Even Gray and Rebecca stayed with them for about an hour before retiring back up to the offices. The Alpha Unit was content with their current situation though they were a bit anxious to be getting on with things. The drinking began to have its effects as they settled down and quietly lounged out in a rec room watching a pre-season Yankee game on the wide screen television (to which Paige was very happy about). (2000 hours) Gray called Paige in first as she threw a wave at her dozing team before going back into the tunnel. Return