When a senior voice tells Rachel Wood 'a woman forged by fire shouldn't just be a casualty,' she is tapped as gatekeeper. 'Your aim is lethal, but your mind's worth more. From now on, I won't sign off on HQ or the B and C-rank branches unless they come through you, Rachel Wood.' That declaration shifts power and piles responsibility. The speaker follows with 'Welcome to my empire.' A sudden mundane interruption ('Check, please.' 'Hi.') leaves Rachel under pressure to vet every branch and facing whether to accept this role.