They’re not out to get you. Just to make you think they are. Or they want you to think they are making you think. Something like that.

Two words: “deep throat”.

For the six or seven of you reading this who didn’t think of an outdated Pornomancer’s collection, allow me to continue.

From the Praetorian Guard, to the Secret Service, those in a position of power have found need for the heavily-motivated assassin and political tool to be confounded, both psychologically, and physically; at times, they are a bodyguard, at others, cleanup crews for ‘errors in judgement’. The midnight burial of a hooker. The ‘disappearance’ of key witnesses. ‘Lost’ testimonies and court documents. And sometimes, just sometimes, they need to look like what they are: Agents.

Attributes: covert actions, secret pacts, quiet vengeance, and stealthful motions are their tasks’ descriptions; silence is their native tongue, with a smattering of misinformation, and a dabble in outright lies. They are the Un. The False. The Partially Real. And they are, quite literally, everywhere, and located Nowhere.

In the space between lines of code in payroll departments in every security company, agency, and taskforce, they draw their funds. In the slush funds of shady deals, they are hitting ATMs. And they are infinitely visible to only the trained, careful eye.

To the Archetypes, they are protection incarnate. The have but two words to guide them: “I serve.”

COVER: this is the potent protective measure they have drawn around themselves from ‘popular knowledge’, urban myths, paranoia, and sketchy, erratic details made public through uncommon channels. It is this which can make them perform unwholesome activities without a blink, shield a public figure’s body with their own, and keep a reputation clean as a whistle, so long as they draw breath. However, it comes at a price.

Taboo: the Agent of Them must always have a person of some degree of social accord to serve, regardless of circumstances. The self-proclaimed ‘King of NYC’s Subways’ is out of luck, but a mayor, Duke, or chairperson of the board of the Lynwood PTA is in the pink, free and clear. Additionally, they must ask for the services of the Agent in a protective fashion; watching someone’s back need not be appreciated, but it must have been requested. Deadly force enters this occupation at all times. All times. A celebrity or six has been known to encounter these desperate folks; they are rarely disappointed.

Symbols: the well-tailored cheap suit, sunglasses, earpieces, cellphones, faxes, radio sets, barricade tape, flashlights, secret codes, laptops, small and concealable firearms, tactical knives, and the like.

Masks: anyone in a position of protective measure against an exterior threat could be viewed as a potential.

Channels:
01-50: “Instant Intelligence”. When in motion around a Subject (or Mark, or Bird, Football, whatever), they are constantly gathering information via a communications device or system. As such, for all Mind checks regarding noticing key details, they have a +20% shift at any time they are performing their duties, in motion, around their Subject. Standing still, however, negates this shift. As such, they tend to keep moving; one of note protecting LBJ jogged in place for five hours, while he was visiting Arlington Cemetary.

51-70: “Nothing to See Here”. By tuning into their communications system, and a successful Soul check, they may clear an area of a number of people equal to twice the successful die roll in one action. Such people feel they have been rebuffed, but are only partially inconvinienced, unless they had a specific intent to speak with, share company with, or attempt harm upon, a Subject in protection.

71-90: “Q Division”. With a successful check vs. Mind, they may safely draw upon the multitudes of spyware and gadgets, for a limited time, at the end of which, it vanishes into either component parts, or is rendered inoperable with a flash of fire, puff of smoke, or controlled detonation. As such, firearms, grenades (stun or gas), cutting torches, multi-tools, and the likes often seen in a fairly good spy flick, may be essentially conjured. What occurs is that an object falls through space, lost in a paperwork shuffle, and is summarily replaced. Unless the Agent is stripped bare, it is assumed to be either carried on their person, or hidden in their clothing, watch, wallet, whatever. Common sense prevails.

91+: “Anyone, Anywhere, Anytime”. At this level of potency, they draw upon the mythos of the truly insane. Some who’ve seen the popular movie ‘The Matrix’ claim it is exactly as they’ve seen it done. Other say it’s simply misdirection, disguise, clever acting, highly-choreographed events, or psychological warfare. The true trick? An Agent may roll against his skill, and if successful, may switch bodies with any other Agent within a number of miles equal to the die roll; this may be flip-flopped, as always. The Body and Speed attributes are of the original, not the ‘new body’. Essentially, they swap places. Of course, such an action will doubtlessly place the other Agent involved in what may work out to be hostile terrain, but.. they have loyalty to each specific Subject, not to each other.