Three failed missions…. This was unreal.

I didn’t know how many chances we had left, but the thought of not making it scared me down to the bone. As much as I wanted to keep a positive attitude about this, I was beginning to seriously worry. All of the hype I had before was losing steam, and the more we went on these missions and failed, the darker my future was looking.

It didn’t matter the trials and tribulations. I was ready to tackle them all. All I asked for was a chance, an opportunity to show them what I got. But if what I had was laughable, then what was the point of even trying? I felt helpless and confused. A moment of letting go crossed my mind, and it made me angry as hell. It would be easier to just let go, to just stop fighting it. But there was a stubborn streak in me that refused to give up.

“I’m not done yet,” I murmured to myself as I stopped pacing back and forth in my bedroom and took a seat at the foot of my futon. It had been an hour after debrief, and I still couldn’t get the stench of losing off of my skin. Even so, I needed to firm up and keep it moving. “There’s no way I’m giving up.” That was fear and intimidation trying to freak me out, trying to shake me. But my spirit was stronger than that. My spirit was unbreakable. “Failure is never an option….”

“Do you usually lock yourself in your room and give yourself cheesy doses of pep talk?” Naomi said, my head turning around to see her standing by the door behind me. She was still in her spy outfit, dressed in all black, while I had comfortable house clothes on—a pair of sweats and a simple t-shirt.

I’d gotten the bedroom for myself for a while, so I suspected she was here to wash up and change. “Oh hey, I didn’t see you there.”

“That’s the point,” she said sarcastically.

I chuckled. “Oh right, the shinobi girl. You did really good, Naomi. I forgot to congratulate you.”

“On doing my job? That’s not necessary.”

“Sorry, I was hogging the room for so long. Guess I lost track of time. You can spruce up now and—”

“No, I actually came here to talk to you.”

“Sure, what’s up?”

There was an odd silence between us, before Naomi finally said, “How… are you… feeling?”

I laughed. “Okay, try that again, but this time, try looking a lot less painful.”

She was being a bit reclusive, a simple question like that difficult for a girl who swore her heart was as cold as ice. “I don’t bite, Naomi,” I said, patting a seat right next to me.

She took it, curling her knees against her chest as she tried to find the right words to say. “I told you that I’m not really good at this.”

“Don’t worry about me. I’m not bummed about it anymore. I just had a moment of weakness.”

“You shouldn’t be worried, honestly. It doesn’t matter if Kenji is going to send the other team to finish the job.”

“What? Did he say that was what he was planning to do?”

“Not to me. I eavesdropped on a conversation between Gun and Kenji down in the hallway.”

“Not gonna lie, I’m feeling a little betrayed.”

“Mention of a follow up objective was never implied in the beginning at our briefing. Kenji didn’t plan on us following up with it at all.”

“Hmm, that’s one way to look at it.”

“Sharing the responsibility would be easier. And to be fair, I didn’t want to follow up on it anyway.”

If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it's taken without permission from the author. Report it.

“Why?”

“I wanted to stay here tonight…” she said. “Where things are simpler….”

I snorted. “I get it. We need a break every once in a while. But to be honest, I’m still pumped up. My adrenaline is shot, and I want a rematch with Keiko.”

“What was she saying to you earlier? Before you bumped into that girl?”

I flustered and laughed sheepishly. “Nothing I want to relive, that’s for sure.”

“You know, I don’t think Kenji is failing us to demotivate our futures in the Corp,” she said, turning to me. “I think he is failing us so we push ourselves harder next time.”

“That’s some tough love, and I have tough skin, but that strat won’t work on everyone. I think Reina is taking it personally.”

“Well, she’s a spoiled brat, so she takes everything personally.”

I nodded. “Fair. I still can’t believe what she added in the report, though. She might be a spoiled brat, but she is a good manipulator.”

Naomi shrugged, unimpressed. “Comes with the territory. She’s used to feeding guys what they want to hear, and deep down, Katsuro was a big softy. A real hopeless romantic. She noticed that and used it to her advantage. Once she got close enough, she sliced him. With Hayashi’s help, of course.”

“Hell, it was a good thing Hayashi stepped in when he did.”

“Keiko was stupid for using Reina for entertainment.”

“That’s shadow walker arrogance right there.”

“A universal flesh eater weakness. Works wonders for hunters.” She turned to me again and complimented, “You are getting stronger, Nero.”

“Cut it out, you’re going to make me blush!” I joked.

“I can tell you’re getting more comfortable with your powers.”

“I’m going to have to be with monsters like Keiko having perks that could cancel out my immunity.”

“The bypass in this case was unexpected, just like when the spider woman canceled my ability to telekinetically toss her around. And she was a grade B walker. It happens to all of us.”

“I’m thinking about using more fame points to boost my stats but…”

“But what?”

“I’m getting pretty low on cash.”

“Never seemed to bother you before.”

I snorted. “Yeah, you’re right. I’ll figure something out. Gonna have to cheap out on dinner or something to push me through the week until we get paid.” I turned to her. “I noticed you eating light already.”

“You’ve been paying attention to what I’ve been putting in my mouth?”

I choked. “God, Naomi, why do you have to make things sound so dirty?”

“Or maybe, it’s just you who has a dirty mind….”

I chuckled. “Wow, is Naomi actually messing with me?” I smirked. “Glad to see you opening up to a fellow comrade. Didn’t hurt now, did it?”

“You… make it easy…” she admitted, her wholesome comment making my heart swell up. But then that happy expression on her face changed when she asked me, “So, you really don’t remember?”

My face sank at the thought of hurting her back there. “I’m still trying to forget….”

“No, I’m not talking about you fighting me,” she said, walking up to me. “I’m talking about that voice you made….”

I looked at her confused. “What voice I made?”

“Oh yes, that voice!” Reina said from behind us, giggling behind her fanned out hand in the hallway just outside the open doorway. “Oh my, that was a spectacle to say the least. I thought Nero tossing you around was scary enough, but that deep, raspy voice… something straight from hell. It gave me the chills!”

“This is a private discussion!” Naomi snapped.

“Oh? I could have sworn I was part of the team as well!”

“Did you see an invitation at the door? No? So beat it!” Naomi hissed, her powers slamming the door shut

“Why I never!” Reina cried from behind the door.

“Then it’s high time you start,” Naomi barked back. “Quit eavesdropping!”

Reina stormed off with a huff, and I turned to Naomi baffled. She rarely lost her temper, well, besides that time she ripped that frog monster to bits, and tried to terminate Reina with a head of stone, and there was that other time when—okay, let me rephrase that…

“You good, Naomi?” I said softly, trying to calm her down. I noticed she gets uncomfortable whenever she loses her cool, so I tried to play it off like the outburst didn’t happen. “I still don’t know what the heck you two are talking about. Care to fill me in?”

“No,” she sighed. “But, big mouth over there is going to tell you anyway, so you’ll know regardless. When you thought I was dead… the sound that came out of you… wasn’t your usual tone of voice.”

My eyes grew. “Whoa, did I really sound like a spawn from hell?”

“You’re not evil!” she cried. “It was just… different….”

I chuckled. “You know, you look cuter when you get all defensive for me like that.”

She heated up, turning her head away to hide her blush.

“Hey, if it’s nothing to worry about, then, I’m not worrying about it. Like you said, I thought you were gone. I was about to lose control, but I didn’t. Maybe that was part of the process of taming my powers…” I said, scratching my chin at the thought. And then I turned back to Naomi with a smile. “Speaking of, I’m glad you’re alright, and I’m sorry for—” I choked, Naomi tackling me with a strong hug.

“Quit apologizing, would you?” she whispered in my ear, her hold on me getting tighter. I held her back, letting her head fall against my neck. It was a few seconds of bonding time, and that was all I was going to get before she changed up and threatened me, “Tell anyone we hugged, and I’ll make sure you’ll never walk a day in your life again.”

And just like that, she got up and left, leaving me utterly confused and, shamefully, a little turned on.