HA2 5.3 – Expendable Things
Even if his body was tired as hell, Takeo worked in high spirit. By using a hand-towed forklift he swiftly pulled a pallet full of tactical equipment into armory. After neatly putting the loot it into a corner, he then returned to shooting range and calmly waited in front of lift. A moment later, the lift’s door opened and other than Shizuka, Hide was there.
“You have arrived,” Takeo happily welcomed Hide.
“Yeah,” Hide replied as he pressed the button to hold the lift’s door
At the same time, Shizuka handed over the fully loaded forklift to Takeo. “This is the last batch.”
“Okay.”
Takeo immediately pulled the forklift out of the lift. However, before he took it into armory Hide said, “Just put it in shooting range for now. We will arrange it in its place next Saturday.”
“Roger.” Takeo immediately put the forklift next to the wall. Then, he asked, “After cleaning the car from our trace, do we go straight home or we go to grab some snack first?”
“We go straight home and rest our body, but before that, let me show you something first.”
““Okay,”” Takeo and Shizuka replied at the same time.
Hide then used the small foothold in one corner of the lift to open the hatch in the ceiling and went up.
“Come on, up here, I will you show you an exit for emergency.”
Takeo and Shizuka immediately climbed the foothold in turn, and a moment later they already stood on top of the lift next to Hide. Hide then opened a 1.5 x 1.5 meter air duct’s entry on the wall by slightly pulling it and then slid it to the side.
“This fake air duct ended up in Chikara Tower’s rooftop, but we can also use it to access the real air duct network, descend into 45th floor, and make an exit in the female rest room.”
As he kneeled before the entry to the fake air duct Takeo asked, “If we can use it to descend to 45th floor, can we also use it to descend to 44th floor and so on?”
“We can,” Hide firmly replied. “However, the real air duct is only 1 x 1 meter, so you have to crawl when using it. Suddenly descending out of ventilator in the restroom will also draw a ruckus.
So, let’s not disturb ladies who are trying to relieve themselves from nature call unless we have no other choice.”
“”Understood.””
After putting the entry to the fake air duct back to its place, Hide then pointed his finger to steel plat three meter above their head, where the mechanism that pulling or lowering the lift firmly installed on it.
“That steel plate would automatically descend to 45th floor if someone put wrong password in the lift’s keypad. It will also activate the silent alarm in the workshop.”
As question mark appeared in her forehead Shizuka asked, “How do we put it back into its original position?”
“You have to use lift’s control panel to do it.”
“Lift’s control panel?” Takeo asked as he turned his gaze towards Hide.
“Yes, you can find it in living room. A yellow box with marking ‘Smart Digital Control Panel’, planted to the wall behind the sofa. Opened it and you will find big LCD screen inside. You can also use it to manipulate the lift however you wish. The manual book will show you how to do it.”
““Okay.””
Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.
“Let’s go down and let me show you the other entry to the abandoned station.”
““Roger.””
The three immediately returned to the lift and as it slowly descended Hide said, “I will also teach you how to change your appearance.”
Takeo nodded before asking, “Do you mean like using wig?”
“Yep, wig and other things like mouthpiece, mustache, beards, fake glasses, or certain clothes to make your body look bigger, higher, shorter, etc,” Hide casually explained. “It will be useful when you entering the workshop through Chikara Tower’s lobby, carrying intel gathering, or shopping for uncommon items.”
“Do we really have to go that far?” Shizuka asked curiously.
“We do.” Hide took a deep breath before continuing, “We are basically carrying criminal act to earn money. So, there is no such thing as going too far when protecting our identity.”
“It’s like we have a double life,” Shizuka concluded.
“Yeah, and it will tire us physically and mentally, but we won’t do it for more than a year. So, let’s give our best to enable the best result.”
““Understood,”” Takeo and Shizuka replied simultaneously.
“Also,” Hide looked at Takeo as in a super serious tone he said, “In case Hanna asks you why I often go out to meet you, tell her it’s about our job in elven Robotic or our training for Hiking Club. Tell her too that Shizuka is always with us to ensure we don’t goofing around.”
“Okay.”
Takeo firmly replied while Shizuka happily smiled from ear to ear. It was clearly visible that she truly loved the act to become Takeo’s girlfriend.
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As soon as the three arrived in the abandoned subway station, Hide immediately pointed his finger at a big red arrow on the wall of a walkway. “If you follow that arrow, after around 500 meters you will arrive at subway station across Chikara Tower.
If you don’t bring car, just use this route but make sure no one is following you.”
After pondering for a while Takeo asked, “Is this walkway also connected to other station?”
“It is. This walkway is a shortcut for maintenance people who have to check the railway network by foot. Some had dim bulb to illuminate it, while some others are in total darkness.” Hide calmly explained. “However, before I teach you how to use it, don’t go explore this network by yourself. It’s a tricky maze.”
“Okay,” Takeo firmly replied while Shizuka nodded her head.
Hide then turned his gaze to the cars on the railway. “Before we clean it, let’s move Black Zubaru and Black Tritton to first turn before the gate.”
“Wait,” Shizuka spontaneously responded, “As far as I recall, the first turn is only 600 meters away from the gate.”
“True,” Hide casually replied.
“Then,” Shizuka worriedly said, “You must be realized that even if the possibility is low, people, especially the type who hate to follow public order, can still freely enter this place. Who know what they will do if they find good cars are being left behind here.”
Hide totally agreed with Shizuka’s assessment, but he had his own reason. “If we put the cars too close to the entry to our workshop, it can lead into a far bigger lost.”
“…”
Seeing Shizuka dejectedly looked at Black Tritton, Hide immediately said, “Remember, it’s not our car in the first place.”
“I know, but it just…”
“Sorry, I should have warned you when you joint in.”
A question mark instantly appeared on Shizuka’s forehead, “Warn me about what?”
“About having deep attachment to equipment or place we use. Other than our life, anything else is just expendable things.”
“…”
As Shizuka fell into a silence, Hide continued, “Moreover, even if people don’t find it, we will still have to return or even burn it after using the car for a few times?”
“Seriously?”
“Very seriously. We have to avoid noticeable pattern and presence.”
“At our first job, I and Hide also burned the car we had used,” Takeo who so far just listening, decided to added, “It was a good S14, and it was also my first time driving such an excellent car. Actually, it’s pain me a lot to burn it, but we have to do what we have to.”
“I see,” Shizuka said in resignation.
“Hey,” Hide calmly said, “When we done with all the hunts we have to carry, we will have enough money to buy any car we want legally, but for now let’s stay as low as possible.”
Shizuka took a deep breath before replying, “Understood.”
Takeo then asked, “Hide, do you have other plan for the Black Van?”
“Yeah, after using it to take you home, I will find a quiet place to burn it.”
“I see,” Takeo calmly replied.
Wasting no time, the three then moved the Black Zubaru and Black Tritton to the first turn before the gate at main entry.
*****