The two men glanced at one another, a look of uncertainty passed between them that did not encourage the S.P.A.N.K. Team Commanding Officer.

“Is there a problem?” the CO barked, though her tone was slightly less offensive than previous.

“The, ah, problem,” the one who had been doing the talking thus far spoke with hesitancy, “is that the counter-agents have at their control certain abilities and technology that would be highly disadvantageous to your operatives.”

“Our field agents are highly skilled and trained to handle themselves in any emergency or exigency which may present itself on any given mission.”

“I understand and appreciate that,” the S.T.U.D.S. agent responded, still hesitant. “But what these counter-agents portend for anyone as, ah, physically delectable as I assume your operatives must be, is to subject them to multiple forms of highly abusive and dangerous acts of rape.

“Few have ever come out of such torture alive.”

“Commander. Over here,” one of the S.P.A.N.K. agents called out in a loud, excited voice.

The CO looked in the direction of the shout and turned away from the S.T.U.D.S. operatives without comment, hurrying to where the agent had directed her.

The agent had pulled back a large, heavy drape that had been covering an opening as wide as two doorways. The opening appeared to be unobstructed, but when a few of the agents had attempted to pass through, they had been shocked unconscious by an unseen barrier composed primarily of an unstable and unknown particle emission.