"Excuse me… what?" Yoko finally spoke up.
No, her rather thin voice made it hard to take the girl seriously. All right, focus. We still have to gather these two girls' things and get back to base. This is definitely not how I planned to expand our ranks…
"What are you sitting around for? Up—now! You don't have time for gasps and sighs. You can share impressions later. Right now we move fast, pack up, and leave through the back door. The necessary data has already been sent to the government (both of them at once), but you two shouldn't show yourselves anywhere. And I'd rather stay out of sight too. So move it, and no long packing. Just a change of clothes and money."
I paused.
"Although, no, to hell with it. Better leave everything as it is. That way they'll more readily believe you were completely eliminated—basically eaten. I'll buy you whatever you need later. Though why me? You'll buy it yourselves with your salary."
"Salary?" Cindy asked, following behind me, clearly crushed by the moral pressure. Yoko walked silently beside her. What can I say—obedience runs in the blood of Japanese girls. Yamata is the exception to the rule thanks to her mixed blood.
"Oh? Didn't I mention it? From this moment on, you're part of our humble organization—one that resists the people who set those creatures on you. The same people who previously arranged that little 'celebration' in a city that no longer exists."
I left unsaid that for now they weren't employees but rather raw meat that would need serious training—unless I wanted to wave goodbye to them like I had to two other former civilians. Loyal, yes, but skill-wise they couldn't compete with someone like Yamata. Compared to me, it wasn't even worth mentioning.
Sigh.
Well, at least somewhere all this monstrosity of mine actually feels appropriate. With a mug like mine, the only career path is war and scaring the enemy.
***
Twenty-four hours later. Cain and Yamata's base.
"No. You shouldn't be sent anywhere except intimidation actions and elimination operations. You completely botched the first task—and the second… well, what's there to say? In just a couple of hours I've already seen and heard enough!" Yamata declared, hands planted firmly on her hips.
"I don't know what you're complaining about. You were the one saying you needed assistants and that I'm a tyrant! Well, here you go—sign for delivery. Yoko understands computers pretty well. Train her a little—while you're at it, polish up my skills too, now that we're here—and you'll have yourself an excellent assistant. The other one may not have those kinds of abilities, but she's energetic and eager to be useful. If you do it right, you'll be able to mold her into an assistant for just about anything."
I shrugged.
"Too bad neither of them is suitable for field work yet. Otherwise I'd have taken them for myself. And then we'll see what their psychological profiles look like in a couple of months. Maybe something worthwhile will come out of it."
"Wait—what exactly were those hints at the end supposed to mean?" Yamata asked, a little tensely. "You think that after a couple of months dealing with me they'll turn savage?"
"Notice—I didn't say that. But seriously, the optimal time frame for noticeable psychological changes will be about two or three months. In the meantime, we'll give them some basic training. Then we'll see what they're most suited for."
I folded my arms.
"Now I have a question for you. What exactly was that explosive performance you put on during your second mission? Yes, delivering the target to the destination was great—but it could have been done much more quietly and discreetly."
I shifted into the offensive.
Judging by how Four Eyes bit her lower lip, she had plenty to say—probably a lot—but she clearly understood that arguing with me while stuck in the position of the accused wouldn't get her anywhere.
Then, a moment later, a spark of some sudden idea flashed in her eyes.
Hmm. Now I'm curious how you're going to wriggle out of this one.
"I actually have something for you," she said casually. "I completely forgot to give it to you while we were sorting things out after getting back."
Oh, so that's how she's dodging the subject. No, that won't wor… Whoa!
"That's a Welrod Mk.II suppressed pistol—with the magazine-grip detached and the bolt open. A genuine rarity developed during World War II by the British Special Operations Executive(S.O.E.)the organization responsible for intelligence and sabotage operations behind enemy lines."
I stared at it in awe.
"Wow! I don't have one like this in my collection yet! Thank you. You're the best!"
"Um… is he okay?" Cindy asked uncertainly, glancing at me sideways.
"Oh yes. He's perfectly fine right now," Four Eyes replied calmly. "I think it's better if we leave them alone."
She pulled the other two girls out of the room.
Tch. Women. What do you even understand about real weapons and a proper collection? And this beauty—this is an authentic combat model! I absolutely must disassemble this little guy right now, wipe it down, and oil it if necessary! For the record, this baby became so famous that even after the war it remained in service for a long time with special forces units and British intelligence!
Magnificent.
You're going to be the pride of my collection! Right next to the Eagles! No—even above them! A true masterpiece!
(End of Chapter)
P@treon: /SadRaven
🥳The story is complete and available in full on my P@treon!🥰