Rien generally had several days of notice when he was being sent out on a mission, but once in a while there were special circumstances. He got a call of the kind he had begun to dread just a few days later – in the middle of the night. That was never a good sign, [...]

Rien had walked until he felt a little more normal again, going to sit on the swings like Kippei had suggested, because Kippei knew him a little too well sometimes. He had wanted to call his mother, but decided to refrain from waking her up at 5am, and then having to try and explain why.