by Ros Per
Placing my backpack and weapon near the chair, I sat down and stared at Tilorn, who placed his palms on the table. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, then exhaled slowly - it was clear that this wasn’t the first time he’d arranged to do an interview here and he was already tired of it. Then he opened his eyes and started talking.
- I’ll explain the somewhat complicated situation to you, at least the bare bones of it, send you the contract, and if everything’s OK with you, you’ll accept it. You can only ask questions afterward, because some of the information is protected by a non-disclosure clause. Do you agree to that?
- “Well, I’ll hear you out, at least.” I’ll admit, I was already having some second thoughts, due to how odd this all seemed.
- To begin with, our group is quite unusual, and has four players in it: a medic, a technician, a sapper, and ... a scout. - He paused for only a split second, but I managed to notice it. It was, obviously, not just a regular scout, but something more exotic. I kept listening. – As stated in the announcement, we clear out territory for the outpost, but there is one peculiarity: We ONLY do that. It’s because of… let’s say, some features of our group that we don’t raid or go into dungeons. And, last but not least: we spend the most time possible in here and we need a person who can, if necessary, withstand being in the game for twelve hours, with four hour breaks. Ideally, there is a way to reset the timer once you’re out, sometimes allowing you to go a full day with just a six-hour break. So, what do you think of that? -
Today’s been crazy. Either I’m extremely unlucky or have things practically falling into my lap. This group was very interesting; I already understood why they’d had a problem recruiting people into their clan. Four characters, none of them with a strictly combat oriented profession – that’s not ideal. On top of that, they would impose odd restrictions on you. I have to admit, I was very interested in this group. Some things would need to be clarified, I still had far too little information. Obviously, I would also need to figure out if they’re compatible with my playstyle, but if at least some of my suspicions proved correct, they would be. I was hoping it would work out.
- “I’m okay with everything, for now. Send me the contract and I’ll take a look at it.” It seemed like I’d surprised him with my answer.
- You’re not confused by any of it? -
- “A lot of it is confusing, but so far, everything appears legitimate, I have some time and I need experience fighting in a group in this game. I might as well give your group a chance, no?”
- Okay, here’s the contract then. –
Attention! You are signing a contract.
Terms of the agreement:
The contract is between the Replicant Volper ... blah blah blah ... and the Replicant Tilorn ... blah blah again ..., Replicant Castra ... Replicant Quartz ... and again ... Replicant Sargos ... Where is the text? Oh, here it is: Each of these parties will undertake joint measures in order to clear the territories and prepare for these sweeps from the moment of signing the contract, according to the list of tasks provided by outpost No. 5-17 23, in a group, for at least sixteen hours a day. The distribution of profits received during this time shall be in the form of money and items, with all the parties receiving an equal share. Also, all who sign the contract agree to not disclose any information received during the term of the agreement to any other persons, without the permission of all who have signed the agreement, regardless of the time that has passed after the mutual signing of the agreement. The contract is valid only until the first time one of the parties asks for it to end, and the option to request such a thing will only be available 5 days after the signing.
Additional fines: in case of non-compliance with the conditions, the party that violated the contract must pay two million credits to the other parties, contingent on them not having violated the terms.
Accept the contract?
Yes/ No
This made me even more curious. They’re trying to use this contract to cover something up. It all still seems a bit shady, to put it mildly, but I think I can use it to my advantage. I only had to decide if I hated not knowing or being restricted more. I had already forgotten that I’d originally just wanted to blow off some steam. This group and their very interesting secrets had already hooked me.
Indeed, even the fact that Tilorn was the only one sitting in front of me showed that the mere presence of the other members could’ve revealed more to me. Or that the others were more likely to blurt things out. All in all, why am I so nervous? I came here to enjoy the last years of my life to the fullest; there is no final death here, and I'll deal with the rest later. I remembered how one of our sergeants used to tell us these simple words before each landing: "We’ll live, we won’t die." I decided to take his advice and stop worrying so much, it would be fine. Then I mentally pressed the "Yes" button. Tilorn froze for a bit, since he’d obviously expected me to not accept the contract, as many others had undoubtedly rejected it before. Credit where credit’s due, he was only stunned for a few moments and then confirmed it on his end as well.
- Since everything is okay with you and you’ve confirmed the contract, you can now ask your questions. -
- “Not yet!” Apparently, the man was quite expressive, since I could easily see the confusion and shock on his face, but I kept talking, not giving him a chance to interrupt me. “Send me the coordinates for where we’ll meet as a group, preferably somewhere outside the perimeter, and we'll talk there. I have another meeting to get to right now, which means I don’t have the time to talk.”
I can’t know for sure what he thought of my reply, but he just nodded, sent the coordinates and, after getting up from his box, left the tavern. Maybe he’d accepted my explanation, or maybe the bartender worried him, even though we were sitting far away from him and he couldn’t hear our conversation. But I had my reasons to postpone the conversation. After waiting for him to leave, I ordered a couple of light, non-alcoholic cocktails, and after the bartender brought them left, I decided to turn to my guest.
- “Sit down, let’s talk.” There was no reaction to my words. “Do I have to shoot you in the leg to make you understand that I'm talking to you?”
I took out a pistol and aimed it at a slight distortion in the air. Almost immediately, Siniami revealed herself, and, after coming up to the table, sat opposite me and began to sip her cocktail.
- How? - she asked, looking up at me over the rim of her glass.
- “It was easy enough, I have eyes.”
- I didn't… ask that. -
- “Now my fault your question was vague.” Heh, she wasn’t used to people talking to her like that, she seemed annoyed.
- Ok, let me be more direct. How did you know that I was there? - She gestured toward the corner with her head.
- “Not just there. I noticed you in your clan hall as well.” Taking a small sip of the cocktail, I calmly continued. “I could go on about the suspicious behavior of the others, how things didn’t look normal, etc. But I won’t criticize you and the other kiddies. Instead, here’s a free lesson. A set of high-tech mimicry gear doesn’t achieve complete invisibility; a blurred silhouette of oscillating air is still there because the air flows around your body change with the trajectory of your movement, as if drawing your contour. And you don’t seem used to properly using the tech. I figure you rely on skills that hide you more fully, most of the time, so you forget to factor in things like the sound of footsteps, possible tracks you might leave behind and so on. Hell, even breathing can give you away.”
- You aren’t as simple as you try to appear, - she said, pursing her lips tightly as she no doubt berated her own shortcomings internally.
Well, how could she not be annoyed? She’d probably considered herself a mega-explorer with a stunningly good stealth suit that allowed her to be completely invisible. And then I came along and showed her she was far from perfect, not even close to it, almost rubbing her face in it.
- Can we stop wit
h the silly games now? Honestly, these antics of yours… these attempts to show how cool you are, well, they’re just ridiculous. Or do you think that I would ever believe, even for a second, that the head of the clan’s intelligence agency would be sent to monitor someone unimportant? You’re obviously interested in me, probably have some info on me already. -
- “Who would we have gotten it from?” Her face now had a much more genuine expression on it. Wide eyed, her pupils dilated, she appeared like she wanted to look around, but nipped that reflexive desire in the bud. She even looked genuinely surprised, bordering on frightened.
- Sini, either you will learn to ask the right questions, or you will get stupid answers. - Noticing a flickering shadow near one of the distant windows, I added. - And if you don’t tell your support group to back off, there will be no further conversation at all. -
She hesitated for about five seconds, but then her gaze unfocused a little. Apparently, she was giving commands through the neural interface, and judging by the duration and the accompanying facial expressions, she was having to argue about them with someone. When she resumed our conversation, her tone and demeanor changed dramatically. She was trying very hard to be polite, which confused me.
- “Done! They’ve all left. Do you mind if another person joins us here?”
- Sure; he or she will also bring us our drinks if we order any. -
- “What do you mean?” Her face scrunches up in a very amusing way when she’s surprised.
- Don’t you understand?! You overdid the order so much that even the bartender left. Still, I’ll admit I hadn’t known it was your bar until that happened. -
Turning around to look at the bar, and making sure that the bartender had truly disappeared, she smacked her face with her palm. I don’t remember exactly what this gesture is called: a “facepalm” or maybe a “facesmack?”. I understood why she did it: it had been so stupid to get rid of the bartender as well – just way too much. I honestly can’t comprehend why serious organizations still play these kinds of games.
- “Okay, now, could you please answer my question: how did you find out that I’m the head of the clan’s intelligence agency?”
- No one told me; it’s just that, during our fight, the group seemed to be commanded by Elephant, but at the same time, he kept glancing at you, as if waiting for you to approve each command. Plus, the commander doesn’t have to cover the group, as he did, and when Tarconite came to us, there was a suspicious moment where, after you said something, he abruptly changed his mind. -
- “Was it that obvious?”
- No, but for those who know where to look, it was very noticeable. -
That made her think for a while. The girl seemed bright enough, just too emotional and not yet experienced enough to handle all of it properly. But that’s okay, she’ll learn in time. I think that she’s a bit over thirty, and most likely even younger than that, so there’s plenty of time for her to learn. Then someone new entered the bar, leaving me a little bewildered: level 6, wearing a rather poor outfit. Was he the one she’d mentioned earlier? But then I noticed the device in his hands and realized that this was just a messenger. Walking over to the table, he set up a device that resembled a large metal pancake with a few buttons, turned around and left.
- “An ally of ours really wanted to talk to you, but given that there’s no way of getting from one outpost to another, he will be present here as a hologram, since that’s the only way to communicate for now. Of course, you are a very interesting player, but I don’t understand what got him so interested in you.
- And how interested is he? -
- “So much so that he’s ready to help the members of our clan stuck in the other outposts which, believe me, is worth a lot.”
Then she reached out and turned on the hologram. The image of a middle-aged man in armor, which resembled a lightweight amphibious assault kit, appeared above the metal surface. An instinct made me tense up, my entire body coiled like one huge spring. And only after a couple of seconds of mutual consideration did I realize that I was acting like that. His gaze shone with something familiar, unpleasantly familiar, something that made me itch to find the nearest escape route. And when he spoke, all of my doubts vanished.
- “So, it really is you! Well, hello there, Vova. And I’d thought you’ve been feeding the worms for a long time now. Glad I was wrong!”
- Andrew? -
- “I see you recognize me as well,” he smiled in response.
- Go fuck yourself, Andrew! - Then I got up and, after picking my things up, headed for the exit.
- “Wait, Falcon, cool your jets!” I shuddered at the use of that old call sign, especially coming from him. Without even turning around, I responded:
- No, dear Andrew. Falcon died on Rauta, along with the young boys there. -
- “Vova, do we really have to start arguing...”
- And Vova also died a couple of weeks ago, when he lay down in a capsule, so there’s no one left to talk to you. -
- “Damn, you’re so difficult to talk to, you just don’t understand the situation...”
- No, you don’t understand! - I interrupted him and, turning around, approached the hologram. - There is no longer anything left of either Falcon or Ignatenko! They have been utterly erased! They paid their debt in full and died, and you have no right to ask anything of me! YOU especially, or shall I remind you of Alyona? - He started to say something, but his mouth slammed shut at those words. I was starting to scream now, my anger making my blood boil. – I retired a long ***** time ago, I have nothing connecting me to your ***** department, and I’ve come here to have some fun, live quietly and then die. And then you ***** find me. Remember this, Andrew: I absolutely don’t give a fuck about what you want here, but, God forbid that I see you or even one of your flunkies near me. I am prepared to go to war with you, and make destroying you my only goal until I die! - Grabbing the hologram, I smashed it against the wall with all the force I could muster, turning it into a pile of junk. Then I turned to Siniami.
- And let me give you some friendly advice: don’t do anything with or for this man. If you do, you will never scrub the blood off your hands! – Pausing at the door, I added. - If you plan to follow me, or send your clan after me, ask yourself this: do you want to die and respawn over and over? That’s what will happen if you push me. -
Now that I was out of the restaurant and standing in the street again, I took a moment to collect my thoughts. My fate was indeed unpredictable today. I regret what happened and how it all went sideways, but I hope my new team will prove good enough to make up for it.
CHAPTER XXVI: THE TROUBLE WITH CARING
While heading over to meet up with my new group, I ran into what can only be described as the local equivalent of cats, at least based on how they looked. They were furry friends you could pet. However, they didn’t have any fur and, secondly, they weren’t going to purr if you did. But the flexibility and feline grace they possessed were a clear sign of what they were. I noticed them only because one of the cats, in anticipation of a good catch, had hit a wall by accident and made a lot of noise.
It was that very sound that had alerted me. I was, at first, glad to see the meter-tall creature. It was kind of shabby, especially its tail, and you could see its ribs beneath its skin, which didn’t exactly make it cute, but I was hoping to take out some frustrations on it. My hopes were quickly dashed as, upon realizing it had been spotted, the creature jumped off the wall and began to approach me, slowly but gracefully.
“Here kitty, come here, kitty,” I tried to lure the creature to me, slowly lifting the barrel of the machinegun. “Come here, you little fur coat.”
I don’t know what alerted it: either the movement of my machinegun or my voice, I did sound like a slightly insane butcher, but it suddenly changed its trajectory and began trying to move past me on the left side. I started following it very slowly, trying not to spook it, when a skill triggered and alerted me of a possi
ble ambush from another cat. Apparently, they weren’t as stupid as I’d initially thought. Focusing on the words floating above the head of the other cat approaching me, I tensed up once I read its level.
Shinkata, level 10
Its level was too low for it to go after an armed man. Perhaps it was relying on its partner? For some reason, I remembered what I’d heard about how some small predators hunt: after the weakest member of the pack lures in the obviously stronger opponent and keeps its attention on itself, the rest of the pack surrounds it from all sides. If memory serves, there could be several dozen smaller predators in one such group.
Slowly dropping to one knee, I quickly moved the dodge skill into the active use bar just in case. At the same time, I pressed the butt of the gun to my shoulder, and, while holding the machinegun with my right hand, pulled the knife out of its case with my left. I had moved the holster to my shoulder, with the handle itself at chest level. Leaving my legs in the same position as before, I turned my body toward the left side, in the direction of the cat, which was walking around me in an arc. While it was trying to distract me, I spotted the other cat pouncing on me. Unfortunately, I also saw at least two more shadows closing in on me.
“They’ve surrounded me, the little demons.” The thought occurred to me while I was already in motion, doing a roll to change my position; they were hemming me in way too quickly. Coming out of the roll, I immediately shot a dozen rounds of ammunition at the nearest Shinkata, killing it off mid-jump. I stepped back and let another one of the furry menaces impale itself on my knife, which, unfortunately, left my knife lodged somewhere in its ribs. The inertia spun me around, but I kept hold of my gun and kept firing in an arc around me. This maneuver drove them off only temporarily, and not even for long. They began to encircle me once more, 4 of them doing the slow preparation, while a fifth was checking on the, luckily, dead Shinkata that still had my knife lodged in it.