Prologue

Pacing heavily across the Laboratory's polished floor, a neatly dressed man scowled with a growing discontentment."If our Intel was correct...we may need to speed up the progress, Doctor." With his words, he carried a distinctively thick Scottish accent.

"To do that, James..." A low, chilling voice answered from across the room, "...it would require an excessive amount of research." A figure that was clad in black from head to toe casually glanced down at the charts he held in a gloved hand. "And at the moment, we do not possess the proper foothold that would allow us to successfully infiltrate..."

"I don't want excuses, Doctor...I want results!" James McCullen argued impatiently.

"Very well..." The Doctor answered calmly, "...but to do so, we may need to recruit a new face to the Cobra's forces."

"And who is this new recruit? Is he anyone I may know?"

"It's a she James..." The Doctor corrected, "I'm talking about a particular girl."

"A girl?" The Scottish man scoffed, "Please elaborate." James McCullen softly demanded.

The Doctor turned from the large window he had been staring out of to face McCullen; long black hair hung down his neck, a breathing mask covered most of his face leaving only his dark eyes visible. Moving his clipboard of charts aside, in his black gloved hands, he held a simple green folder which he then gently flashed at McCullen.

"I've been keeping tabs on her for about a year now; I believe she's just what we need." He explained.

"Who is she?" James McCullen asked while crossing his arms over his chest as he eyed the file in the Doctor's hands.

"Isabella Wright."The Doctor answered, "...the only child of General Wright of the U.S.M.C."

"A military brat?" James shrugged his shoulders, "What's so special about her?" he asked.

At once, the Doctor's eyes lit up, "What isn't?" he returned before he opened the file and started reading off its contents, "Recently promoted to Captain in the Marine Corps, she holds a Masters in the Military Sciences, was one of the youngest officers to be selected to study at the National War College..." The Doctor paused for a quick second to chuckle, "….and she's only 23."

James' eyebrows rose up at the information, "Talented little vixen then, huh?" he asked.

Again The Doctor chuckled, "The General's daughter is a very promising spirit, I assure you." He stated as he slowly crossed the floor and approached the man called James McCullen.

"And what use could she be to us?"The Scottish man further inquired.

"Miss Wright works and has access to some of the more top secret files in the U.S. With the information she contains, the things we could acquire is endless!" The Doctor explained with excitement in his eyes. Then he reached back into the file for a quick second and pulled out a small picture which he extended out for McCullen to appraise, "Would she not be a lovely addition to our forces, James?"

McCullen cocked an eyebrow before he took up the photo in his own hands and studied the face within it. After a long minute, he gave a soft nod of approval before he handed the picture back to The Doctor who slipped it back into its file, "A pretty face I suppose." He admitted. "Not as lovely as the Baroness' but...she'll do."

The Doctor gave a slight incline of his head. "Indeed. So do we have an accord?" he asked.

McCullen pondered the question for a few seconds before he nodded again."Do whatever it takes, Doctor. And keep me informed of the progress...we must have it."

"Of course." Taking that as approval, the Doctor turned back around and began moving away, heading towards a long, worktable covered with bigger charts and stacks of paper. "If things go as planned, she will be joining us by the end of the month." he informed before setting himself to work on all the files and paperwork along his workstation.

Appeased for the time being, James McCullen in return pivoted on his heel and exited the Laboratory without another word, leaving the scheming Doctor to his thoughts and arrangements.