Who: Rachel, Hellboy, Bruttenholm on the headsets.
When: Several years down the road.
What: Rachel's first mission!

They'd been out having fun. Or rather 'out at class'. Bruttenholm had started letting them attend night classes at the local community college as long they all attended together. Her to keep the boys looking human, them well, them so Abe could devour more books and Hellboy could get some socialization outside their tiny family.

It was good for all of them, in their way.

Tonight was Economics, which mainly consisted of Hellboy flirting with the girls in back of class, Abe asking questions, and her listening in to the minds around them as she absorbed the impact of money and all it was suppose to mean.

"Hey, Rach, we were thinking..." Hellboy (H. Bruttenholm for classes) noted, draping over the back of her chair, "we all go catch a movie at the drive in? They're showing...what are they showing babe?"

"House on Haunted Hill, it's suppose to be scary! And it's got Vincent Price..." Brunette A laughed.

"That's the one," Hellboy grinned. "What do you say?"

"Awww, she doesn't have to come...it doesn't have to be a double date..." Brunette B pouted.

Abe shot a look over his shoulder, calmly amused. That one came up a lot didn't it? "I do enjoy films," he noted.

"And I'm the one with the wallet to feed my mountain of a brother at the movie," Rach snorted easily. "He loses more girls when they see his food bill...but sounds fun, sure."

"Will the Bruttenholms and Abraham please come to the office?"

Rachel tilted her head as the speaker crackled, then glanced toward the office (or the wall depending on how well you saw). "Or we could have pulled an extra shift. I know that sound..."

"Seriously?" Hellboy sighed. "...raincheck?"

Abe was gathering their bags knowing Hellboy would take a few minutes to extricate himself while Rachel went to speak to the professor and gather assignments in case they missed another class or two. There were advantages to being 'on loan' from the local base as it were. The campus thought they were junior cryptography agents, held over from the McCarthy era and therefore got shoved into oddball shifts often.

It worked out.

It wasn't too long before they were piled in a van with Agent Childes, and the man waved Rachel to the back, "You're changing, girl. Boys? Eyes front."

Rachel rolled her eyes as she wormed to the back to change, but she was excited enough that flame was licking through her hair. That could only mean she was going into the field! The field! For real! Of course the sack dress that was appropriate for a student wasn't going to help much if they had to chase things. The heels wouldn't either, that was certain. That was okay, she preferred combat boots, it was just that college tended to frown on girls already, so playing the part was better. "Gear?"

"Hellboy will be armed. Bruttenholm wants a radio on you, he'll be letting you know what you're allowed." Childes had practically grown up with them, coming in as a green recruit and ending up a 'sitter' at times. He was more comfortable with them than most were so he didn't even heitate with mentioning abilities. "Abraham? You're with me. We've got records and books for you, they'll need your info, likely."

"Stick with me kid," Hellboy grinned. "You'll be fine."

"Stick with me," she countered. "I'll make sure you don't fall in any holes." As she knew he was prone to doing?

Abe was opening a folder, and the silence wasn't exactly encouraging as he passed back photos. "So...that's creepy," Rachel noted.

"Yes," Abe agreed. "Children have been slowly disappearing, and researchers aren't certain but it could be tying back to an abandoned furniture factory. Hasn't been open since early in the war. They aren't certain because floorplans no longer match those on file."

Ah. She glanced at Hellboy, bemused. "That means it ate the researchers doesn't it?"

"And some detectives," Abe added helpfully.

Awesome.