A single person was standing there with his hands in his pockets. Waiting in front of the entrance, with the patched-up wounds on his body.

"Yo." He spoke in a calm and almost friendly way as if he was just talking with a long-time acquaintance.

"A friend of yours?" Elise quietly whispers.

"If trying to kill each other counts as one, I suppose." I replied back.

The distance between him and us is still quite far. Elise signaled the two Romanovs to stay in the back and spread out as she stood in front of them, raising her gun while waiting for my response.

Harley doesn't seem troubled despite noticing us being armed. Not a hint of alertness in his pose. He looked around seemingly uninterested in anyone other than me before asking a question. "Where's your partner?"

"Somewhere around... Why are you still here?" I avoided his question.

"Now that's a weird question to ask, considering she's the one who kicked me off the building." Seems that he was about to smirk but something stopped him and made him change his mind. "But, no, I suppose, it doesn't matter." He spoke plainly.

his glance shifts to Natalia who was standing the furthest away from him. "How am I still alive, you mean?" He made an awkward smile different from the ones he usually wore and turned his sight back at me. "Before my head hit the pavement below, someone saved me. That's all."

"...?" Something about his exchange of looks with Natalia feels off and I'm not the only one who thinks so too as Natalia began to speak up soon enough.

"Have we... Met before?"

Harley was silent, not a change in his tone. A reaction that was also somewhat unlike him. "...No." It took him a few seconds before he answered her question. "This is the first time. If anything, I wish I'd never seen your face at all."

It was a vague answer. Despite the dissatisfaction that can be seen from Natalia, He continues back to the main topic, shutting down further questions. "I'm here and my mission is still the same from the start."

His hands slowly began to rise.

Both me and Elise instantly raised our gun aiming at him in response, fully expecting him to make his advance. But instead of that, he showed us his empty hands and spoke.

"I'd like to make a proposition."

...A diplomatic approach.

It was a move that I didn't expect. Is it due to a change in circumstances? Or perhaps he was just stalling for time. In environments with little cover, The advantage is heavily stacked against him, but that's only true if he really was the only hostile on this floor. Taking glances around me, I tried to look around for more mercenaries that might be waiting to ambush us. but he seems to notice my concern.

"I'm all by myself if that's what you're worried about. No guns on my hand either, See?" He slowly opens his raised hands, showing an empty hand. He still has his vest but the gun belt that he wore previously is nowhere to be seen. Regardless, him showing his hands still proved nothing. He could easily hide a weapon somewhere in his body.

But it does seem like he shows no sign of hostility at the moment.

"What do you want?" I asked him.

"Simple, there's a scanner here on the floor in front of me. A tool needed for the mission. I'm sure you remember our little scuffle back on the fourth floor?"

I remembered he mentioned a scanner, but I had thought of it as a simple scanner, is he saying that it's not its only use?

"Truth is, We actually didn't have much info about the mission. They were being so vague about it to the point of giving us that little thing." He looked at the scanner. "It wasn't used just for recon. It's also used to identify our targets."

"...Do you expect me to believe that Caenis Arbus accepted a contract without knowing the targets?"

"This is an exception. Maybe the client's someone special or... Maybe the higher ups did know but still decided not to tell us anyway for some unknown reason. At the end of the day, we're just soldiers. We're expendables. And questions are something that's unnecessary for soldiers. You either shut up and accept it, or say goodbye to your mercenary life." He shrugged. "The scanner didn't recognize you two as the targets. Meaning that you and your partner are not part of the targets. Now, despite you two doing your best to kill me back there, I mean it when I said that I really was going to let you two go without a hassle."

"Is that your attempt on trying to make excuses for your previous loss?"

"Huh? Oh. Haha, well... You can believe what you want."

I can't take any of his words at face value. He made it seem that killing a person outside the target is not an option. Still, even if that were the case-

"What does that have anything to do with this deal you're trying to make?"

"I was getting there. I wanted you to scan your those four. The new gal, The two lackeys, and of course the Romanov girl too. If they weren't part of the targets, I don't see any reason why we should fight anymore."

"...And what if this scanner's actually a weapon?" I questioned him.

"You can try it on me first if you're so suspicious about it."

"...That doesn't guarantee anything, it could be that the weapon activates only on a specific target."

A slight annoyance began to form on his face. "Geez... You can check it. It's an ordinary scanner."

I glance at Elise, hoping for a second opinion but she still has her full attention on him, not even bothering to exchange my glance. I guess I'm on my own.

I could see the scanner that was on the ground near his left leg. It's the first time I've seen it but it does have the shape of a similar model that I've seen.

"Kick it over here, not too hard, just enough to put a distance between you and the item."

"H-hey now, these things are expensive..."

I gave him no response. There's no telling if getting close to him, simply going to give him a free hostage again. And he seems to get it. After giving a sigh, he stepped forward to the scanner and made a light kick.

Unexpectedly the scanner was kicked high up in the air. I was expecting that he kicked it that way as a way of distraction and so my eyes were glued onto him when he made the kick, and so did the others. But contrary to everyone's expectations, he never made any movement. As for the scanners... It ended up landing safely on the soft sofa right beside me.

His smirk returned. Enjoying the serious expression that we all made. "You guys are too tense."

Deciding to show off even now in this situation.

"I'm starting to reconsider my judgment of you bloodhounds. And here I thought I should start taking you seriously. Are you and your squad really supposed to represent the bloodhounds?"

"Hm? What are yo- Ah." There was confusion on his face when I said it but after, he realized something. "No-no, I think you misunderstood something, Coco."

"...What?"

"Let me guess. You fought a few of them upstairs and they didn't put up much of a fight?"

I stayed quiet but he probably already noticed a hint of confusion on my face and decided to clear up the misunderstanding. "Well, that's because they're not a bloodhound."

"Huh?"

"Do forgive me but despite me saying that we're expendables mere moments ago, the Bloodhounds are still a huge asset for the company. They're not going to send in a whole squad of bloodhounds merc for a little cleanup mission like this."

"...What are you saying?"

"What? Isn't it obvious? Those guys you fought, They're just normal mercenaries."

Everything clicked into place. All from their weak approach to the lack of coordination in their movement. It felt like it was far more manageable compared to past encounters. It only took two people to hold them off. Something unthinkable for mercenaries at the level of the bloodhounds.

"There's really only two bloodhounds units that are taking on this mission. But frankly that other person is a lost cause. I wouldn't expect you to meet face to face with that fella anytime soon..."

My mind began to piece things together. There are only two of them. The second one most likely being the puppet user. That wasn't how they operated years ago. It's always a full squad. But he's saying that those weren't the case anymore? What does that-

"Coco." Elise firmly whispers.

Her eyes gaze at me. A message that has no need to be uttered.

I'm wasting too much time.

I pushed my curiosity to the background for now and confronted him again.

Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

"You wanted me to scan them. What then?"

"If it came out as negative then you're free to leave."

"And if not?"

"Well... I still had a job to do."

"..."

In other words, if they're confirmed to be part of the target, Harley wouldn't let them go.

"So? How about it?"

His voice hangs in the air, waiting for my response. I look back to Elise again and it seems that we both have the same conclusion.

"...Sorry, I'll have to refuse."

Harley doesn't seem surprised by my answer, in fact, it seems as if he already expected that answer. He hung his head low and faintly murmured. "Well, I expected as much..."

"..." His offers were rejected but he still had a job to do just like he said. There's really nothing left to discuss. There was hesitation in my mind, A feeling of discomfort. As if there was something that I missed. but it was too late now. The time for negotiation is over. I can see Elise's finger was firm on the trigger. Only mere moments before she fired at the person in front of us. But before she could.

—BLAM!

An explosion broke the quiet stillness enveloping the lobby. In a blink of an eye, white smoke swirling around us, obscuring Harley from view.

A signal for the start of our combat.

---

"Ugh!" Ringing fills Coco's ear. A low-impact blast had occurred near them and a smoke of unknown origin hinders their vision.

A question arose about the source of the smoke but it was too thick for him to see anything around him. The only things he could probably see were people and things that were close to him. That being Elise, his gun that he's still gripping, and the red carpet he stood on. At the same time, the first sound of gunfire rang, coming from Elise's shotgun followed by a few gunshots from the two Romanovs.

It's no good.

Coco knows that it is already too late to try and shoot at Harley, they haven't seen his agility but Coco already has. He's already gone from where they last saw him, he's certain of it. It was a waste of ammunition.

"Sto-" Before he could finish his sentence, amidst the gunfire, a distinct whoosh echoed and something penetrated through the smoke right beside him. Before Coco could register what it was, He saw Elise staggering backward, letting out a faint pained moan.

"Everyone get down!"

He had already got a weapon on him.

Glancing at Elise, he saw her on her knees clutching her left hand with blood seeping out of her wound. There was a small sharp metal that was lodged deep into her hand.

The smoke had begun to clear up but it was still hard to see what was in front. Even more worrisome, Coco could hear sounds of footsteps running towards their direction which had grown louder and louder before finally it stopped completely near their vicinity. Shadows flickered around Coco and Elise. His eyes couldn't keep up with his speed.

Even faster than before...

It's almost impossible to aim at him due to the smoke and Harley's frantic movement, everyone seems to think so too. There's really nothing much they could do but wait till the smoke was clear enough or... When he finally chooses to strike. Coco was waiting for that chance but instead, the shadow decided to go past him.

He quickly turned around. A flashback of the shadow puppet from earlier had flashed into his mind.

Aiming straight for Natalia too?

Coco knew he had to stop him but before he could stand up and dash after the shadow, A gust of wind suddenly blows away the rest of the white smoke around him. making the surroundings clear.

The shadowy figure that was indeed Harley stopped in his tracks. Seemingly caught off-guard by the event.

Coco can spot it clearly now. The source of the smoke. It was coming from a fire extinguisher. Two to be exact, each placed beside him and Kai and each with a hole where the white 'smoke' burst out of. How did Harley know we would stand here? How did he pierce it from way far? There's really no time to think about the answer right now. The fact of the matter is that they fell for it. But now, Coco can see him clearly. He was holding a knife much similar to the one that was lodged in Elise's arm but there was also something on his other arm, the scanner.

He was not trying to attack us when he was circling us. he was scanning us...

Everyone was still standing. Even the Romanovs. Trying to figure out the situation, but it seems even when he's surrounded by people with guns, Harley still has no sign of worry on his face. He turned his head and looked past Coco, toward Elise. "I didn't know you could control it like that."

"There's plenty of things you don't know about me, pal. " Elise replied back. Her wounded hand was pressed on the floor and slightly trembles. Her face was slightly pale, pointing out the energy it took her to do what she just did.

Harley rubbed his chin. "Hm.. I-"

—SHWT!

He already noticed it before anyone. Something that suddenly materialized right in front of him. Approaching at a fast speed. A white flash. It was an attempt of a surprise attack that was done in a split second by none other than Elise. To most, it looked almost like a line was made across her and Harley.

His brain works into an overdrive. His eyes were wide open, scanning everything around him and of the thing that was propelled at him. What was an approaching death had slowed down. Time itself was adjusted to the speed of his thoughts. A millisecond of his demise had been stretched out.

An impending death. A barely visible line that could easily cut through his neck. A heavily compressed air, held together by some invisible power. A manifestation of Elise's D.S.

She just sacrificed something.

He looks at Elise.

When did she do it? What did it take?

Numerous questions formed in his mind.

No, This isn't good. With the speed it's going through, there's no time to dodge.

The sharp wind grew closer. He tried to think of a way to avoid confrontation from the deadly line but there was nothing it seemed that could be done.

Then... It couldn't be helped.

-----

"..." Everyone stood still for a second.

From an outside perspective, it was a feat that was impossible to believe. But everyone there saw it.

Elise had created something that sliced into Harley's neck. A simple glance from anyone would conclude that it was a move that would be fatal if hit. One had to shudder at the thought that a person could kill someone with something seemingly invisible and to do so in a blink of an eye...

But that wasn't the reason why everyone was surprised.

No.

Because Elise is not the only one who did an impossible feat.

When the white line materialized and crossed Harley's neck, it looked like Harley's figure distorted. A flicker of two Harley was then seen for a very brief moment before one of them disappeared. The wind that Elise created had seemingly hit its target; Yet Harley stood there, untouched by it. It was a bizarre sight. No one truly understands what happened. Yet, everyone saw it. Coco himself saw it. And the evidence, The wind slicing through one of the thick pillars and into the ceiling, marking a straight line as marks, barely visible but is regardless still there. Only Coco could fully comprehend what just happened.

A speed that was impossible for a human to do. A speed that was so fast that he had created an after-image.

We can't afford to hold back.

It was a judgment solely based on instinct when she first saw him. That if he were to fight them head-on, he would surely win. And after seeing him up close, witnessing his agility, her hypothesis had an even bigger chance of being correct.

She understand what he just did, how he did it. And so, she knows... The difference of power between everyone here compared to him.

Coco and the Romanovs, quickly sensing what she was thinking from that brief exchange, continue their assault on the inhuman soldier, not wanting to put the momentum to waste.

—Bang!

A bullet hit Harley, fired by the Romanovs. No, it should have hit him, but yet again, at the last second before the bullet hit him, he simply moved his head at the same speed that he had just demonstrated. The bullet instead, grazed passed his head, hitting the nearby window.

Another flicker of his afterimage.

Before another shot can be made, Harley disappeared and then reappeared but not in the same location. Within the span of a single second, he was in front of Igor. Covering the lengthy distance between them, so fast that from an outsider's perspective, it's almost as if he just teleported.

"!!!"

Igor doesn't have time to react. A flash of light danced around him. A glimmer coming from Harley's blade.

"..." There was a moment of silence as the two men stared at each other.

But in the next instant, blood spurted out of Igor's body into the air. Covering everyone nearby with splatter of red. A rain of blood.

"Igor! No!" Piotr cried out, his gun are drawn to Harley. Fingers gripped on to the trigger, ready to fire. But then, A knife had lodged itself into Piotr's arm. It wasn't thrown by Harley. It came from afar, in the shadow. It was a similar knife that was previously on one of the fire extinguisher, ones he had thrown at Elise and ones that he is using.

There's someone else, A backup? Piotr thought.

"Heh." A snicker formed in his face. without even realizing it, Harley was already in front of Piotr who was still winching at his wounded arm.

We were... Already-

"Hiegh!" Piotr let out a yelp. Fear overwhelmed him and he unconsciously took one step back. A weighty punch flew to Piotr's face, knocking him to the ground, and putting him unconscious.

Too.. Late.

—THUD!

The young Romanov dropped to the ground. Leaving only two combatants left.

Harley stands there, putting his back towards Natalia. As if her presence is not a threat at all, as if he took no notice of her existence. No, instead he faced Coco who had been just standing where he was last seen, seemingly unmoving the whole time.

"You seemed quite disappointed with the Blood Hounds, right?" Harley said with his gaze directed at him. "Then, I'll show you what we're really made of."

-----

A while ago...

Two people can be seen in what seems to be a hospital room with a large hole in what was once a glass wall beside them. One of them slightly injured, sat on the floor, leaning on the wall while the other stood in front of the person.

"...Ten minutes."

"What?"

"That's about as much time I could buy you."

"Only ten?"

"Listen, here... I appreciate that you helped me but I'm still in a rough shape after all that."

There is truth in his words. Numerous wounds can be seen on his body. None of which are fatal, sure, but enough to put a strain on his performance.

"And if what you're describing to me now was true not to mention accurate, then ten minutes is the best I could do." He continues his objection.

The other person, someone with a black cape that covered almost every part of their body was silent for a moment; But in the end, it seemed that she decided nothing could be done.

"I understand. Ten minutes then." She walked off to the corridor and then stopping briefly in front of the opened door. A faint whisper escape her mouth, barely audible. But the man was able to to hear it. "...I'm counting on you."

With that final word, the girl left the room, leaving the man alone there.

Now all by himself, the man grasped his forehead, seemingly lamenting his predicament.

"Man... Really, what did I get myself into?"