10 AM. I 24th April 19xx
2 MORE DAYS
----------------------------------------
I waited outside.
After calling Kai, We ended up agreeing to meet in the park near the Creedence Hospital. It was a decent park. There are a few people here and there, relaxing, doing a jog and other exercise. I looked up above, at the clear blue sky.
"At least, it wouldn't rain I suppose..."
I ended up sitting on a swing nearby on a whim and checked my watch again. It's been 10 minutes yet Kai still hasn't shown up.
It's rare for her to be late...
I felt a bad premonition. Looking around there's really nothing that seems out of place but I still felt something... It feels like I'm being watched.
Is it just my imagination?
I decided to just call her directly instead of making assumptions.
"..."
*beep*
"Hello? Kai, where are you? I've already been at the park for a while now..."
"..."
"..?" Someone picked up the call but I didn't hear any voice, if anything, I could only hear a muffled sound of footsteps. "...Hello?"
""Hello, Coco.""
The voice both came from the phone and in my right ear.
"W-WHOA!" I jumped and saw the person behind me.
It was Kai.
"Y-You!!"
She smiled and just walked past the swing.
"Sorry, I'm late. I had a stomach ache earlier."
That's a bald-faced lie.
The strange sensation that lingered throughout became clear. It was Kai, silently positioning herself behind me, likely plotting a surprise scare for quite some time now.
"You know, one of these days I'm going to 'accidentally' pick up my gun and straight up shot you."
"But then I'd die."
"Not if I aim your limbs."
"Hehe."
She just laughs it off...
"...You're a freak, you know that?"
"Am I?"
"Yeah. Come on..."
"Oh, wait up."
I started walking without waiting for her.
image [https://i.imgur.com/bVaJYoa.jpg]
"You still haven't told me why we're here yet. Where are we going?" Kai says.
"Isn't it obvious? We're continuing our investigation."
"...Oh." She looks somewhat disappointed.
What was she expecting?
"Let's just submit the intel we had and let others work on it. It's Sunday you know. Shouldn't we do something more fun instead? Why the change of heart?"
Kai is acting weird... Usually, she doesn't complain even if she has to pull an all-nighter for a mission. And normally I would have reacted by telling her not to be lazy. But right now, I don't have the mood. So I just replied to her straight.
"...It would've been nice if it were that simple, sadly the circumstances changed yesterday."
"Was it because of the letter?"
"Yeah."
"..."
"...I see."
-----
We're now in front of the Creedence Hospital.
There are a few black cars and people with black suits all spread out across the parking lot and entrance to the hospital. it's clear that they are from the Romanov family.
"They've set up a perimeter across the entire entrances..."
"Wow, taking the whole hospital for themselves... Isn't this kinda illegal?"
"No, they're all outside the hospital. I reckon they had this whole spectacle to make sure that no suspicious person entered the hospital and to ward off potential threats. If they just stood outside, they technically didn't do anything wrong after all. Once inside, I bet it's still operating like any normal hospital. It was a brute way of doing things though."
"Hm."
"Problem is... They definitely wouldn't let us, a W.R employees in. We're too suspicious."
"Hm..."
I tried to look around for a way in but there doesn't seem to be any way in...
"They're everywhere. This might be harder than I thought..."
"..."
I felt Kai grab my shoulder and when I looked back, I saw a scary gaze and a wide grin on her face.
"Hey, Coco."
"W-what..? What is it?" I reluctantly ask.
"I got an idea."
-----
Sigh... It's been hours of just guarding the perimeter. I'm dying for some rest.
"It's not like anyone would dare do something stupid here. Can't we lessen our lookout?" I moan my frustration.
"Shut it, Boris. The news must've gone out by now. Who knows what our enemies will do when they realize that Lady Natalia's all alone, injured without her loyal guard dog, outside of her home..."
"..."
"Kaz is dead. Things are different now."
Kaz...
"You're right about one thing, Kaz's dead. But she's not alone, Alex... She still got us."
"Hah. Well said. Now keep your eyes peeled!"
I smiled back at Alex. This little conversation helped me ease my boredom.
"Oh, thank God. Please help."
"Huh?"
There were two girls in front of us. One of them wearing a white jacket and a black casual jogging outfit while the other one wears a navy-blue jacket, white shirt and short jeans with tights. The one in the white shirt seemed injured while the other tried to support her and are heading this way.
"Hold on Lisa. We're almost at the hospital..." the girl in the jogging outfit cried out.
"O-oi Alex. What should we do?"
"...I'll check them out, you report to the rest."
"Alright." I turned on my walkies. "Report. Two Suspicious individuals spotted near the east side entrance, Alex is investigating the individuals. Over."
"Roger that. Keep your wits and report back for an update. Over." A voice in the Walkies replied.
I saw Alex approaching the two girls and seemed to help one of them stand up.
"What is it, Alex?" I ask him.
"Ugh... Seems someone tried to rob the two ladies and the little one fought back. She got wounds on her forehead and her arm took a little beating too. The older sister seems kind of out there too... Probably a bit shaken up."
"S-should we let them in or..."
The both of us look at the two girls and back at each other.
"...I'm sorry miss, but-"
"Please, she needs immediate care." The older girl told us.
He wasn't kidding about her being shaken up, She had a thousand miles stare. It really creeps me out. but still, even at first glance, I could tell the little girl was hurt.
"Alex, I think it's fine, no? They're just girls." I whispered to him.
He ponders about it for a couple of seconds, eyeing the two girls and then to the hospital.
"Ah fuck it! Alright. Come on... Right this way, Miss." Alex relented.
He brought the two girls to the ER while I updated the coms about the situation.
"Update. The individuals are dealt with, coast is clear. Over."
"Roger that, stay sharp."
I looked back and saw Alex with the two girls, now heading inside to the ER.
The little girl reminded me of my sister. I hope her wound's nothing serious. Her older sister is a beauty though.
...Well, minus her stare.
I wonder if she's single...
"..." I sighed and look up to the sky.
"God, I miss my ex."
-----
"Alright just go straight and follow the sign okay, miss?"
"Thank you."
The man soon left the building to go back to his partner.
"..."
"..."
"Is he gone?"
"Yep."
"Good, now get off me." I stood back up and glared at Kai.
"...What? It works?"
"This is a stupid plan. What if they notice the wig? In the blink of an eye, we would've been surrounded!"
"Maybe, but we're inside now."
"Thankfully."
It was blind luck that the two men were soft. If it were a professional, they would've caught on to our act and we'd be surrounded before I can count to five.
"Where did you come up with this idea anyway?"
"Movies."
"Huh?"
"It was a scene from a spy movie I watched yesterday."
"..."
I put my hand on my eyes and just took a deep breath. "Come on... Let's just go."
-----
A couple of minutes ago.
Kai urges me to some clothing retail store near the hospital.
Infiltration via a disguise.
It was a pretty good idea. A girl and a kid are the least suspicious person after all. I was just about to praise her decision but when she handed me clothes that she had handpicked, I soon regretted agreeing to her plan.
This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
"Come on, just try it..."
"Wha-What is this shit?"
"It's your disguise. Duh."
She handed me some clothes, a particularly weird ones.
"T-this doesn't look like boys' clothes! And what is this? A wig?"
"Yep. For the plan to work. You have to be a girl."
"And why in the hell do I have to pretend to be a girl, you freak?!"
"Men have soft spots for females. It'll be easier to fool them this way. Come on, just trust me. It'll work."
"...Oh for the love of- Fine! But I'm choosing other clothes... If it doesn't work, I'm going to kill you."
Despite my better judgment, I put on the clothes I picked and the wig that she gave me in the fitting room.
After that, I take a look at my reflection in the mirror.
image [https://i.imgur.com/5nQfOcC.jpg]
"..."
Someone end my suffering.
-----
Back inside the hospital.
The ground floor was easy, there wasn't any security and the staff didn't seem to care about me and Kai. We found a lift and tried to go to the upper floor but the 4th was the farthest we could get before the lift needed a keycard and unfortunately, the 6th floor and above is where we could find the patient's room. There are barely any people here on the 4th floor, be it patients or even staff. I didn't really want to complain. It's easier this way. but therein lies the problem. We have no one to talk to. Natalia's whereabouts are still a mystery. It seems the sheer intimidation that the Romanovs gave is enough to make this hospital almost abandoned... But thankfully, our stroke of bad luck didn't last long. We came across a staff, it was a janitor, we decided to ask him instead.
"Ex-*ahem*Excuse me?" I tried to change my voice to fit a girl. As best as I could anyway...
"...What?"
the janitor side eyed us before turning his gaze back to the floor as he mopped it.
"I.. uh, um..."
Crap... I didn't think of what to say.
Kai chimes in.
"We tried to find a nurse but we can't find anyone here. There are a lot of scary men outside too. My little sister needs to go to the doctor. Do you know what happened here?"
"Huh? No one's downstairs?"
"Yes."
She lied of course, but the janitor doesn't know that.
"Christ, these fucking mafia... First, they scared away all the patients here, now they made all the nurses and doctors tend to the little princess..."
The janitor says in a somewhat sarcastic and mocking manner.
"But what's fucking stupid is this hospital! Forcing me to still work here right now. Even threatening to fire me... They don't need me here, Fuck sake." The janitor whines.
"..."
"Well, if you really wanna know, all the nurses and doctors are probably on the 12th floor, tending to the little princess. Can't go there without an employee though, so tough luck. Ain't nobody can help you here, not while these gangster wannabes are still around."
"I see... Thanks."
"Yeah-yeah... Whatever. First that brat and now this... Fuckin' luck."
Great... Do we have to steal a keycard now?
I glance at Kai. But her eyes are still focused on him.
She didn't bother looking at me, instead, she still smiled and stared at the janitor.
"..?"
Is something wrong?
The janitor started to turn around, heading to another parts of the corridor but before he could fully turn, Kai spoke again.
"Say, what happened to your hand?"
"Huh?" The janitor turned again to look at Kai.
I then notice too that he has a bandage on his hands.
"That bandage on your hand... What happened?" Kai continues.
"...Listen, Missy. I'm already in a bad mood. So why don't you just piss off and go to another hospital like the rest of the stupid patients, already?"
"...Alright then, but one second. Does my sister look familiar?"
she began to approach me. Her hand raised.
"Huh? What are you doing, Kai?"
"What..? Fuck are you talking about, you bitch?" The man, now clearly irritated, spoke.
Without warning, she grabbed ahold of my wig and removed it.
"Wha-" I was surprised.
What is she doing?!
"What.. the..? W-Wait a minute..." The man was confused at first but slowly, after seeing my face, he started to become startled.
Y-Y-Y-YOU!!! You're supposed to be dead! I-I-I Hit you with my car. I saw your head split open!"
Huh?
"...Who are you again?"
"It's me! I'm that guy that tried to rob you a couple of nights ago, you fucking brat! Look at my hand!! I can't use it anymore!"
The man shows his bandaged arm, now in clear view, it's clear that 3 fingers on the hand are gone.
"Oh... Now I remember... You're that lowlife."
-----
I recall the events that happened in that alleyway a few days ago.
I was walking on the sidewalk when a person suddenly grabbed ahold of me, dragging me to an alleyway. He wanted money. I honestly was in a really bad mood and too mentally exhausted to bother so I just gave him my wallet but then he started to get way over his head. Probably thinking that I was an easy target because of that... He began to try and force himself on me. At that point, I had enough. I bit their fingers; I bit them hard and we struggled for a while in that dark alleyway... He tried to slam my face into the wall, I could feel my nose broke but I didn't care. I just kicked him in between the legs. Blood began to seep from my forehead, but I didn't care. I just continue trading blows with him. At one point I felt something wet around my stomach and realized that he had a knife this whole time, but I didn't care. I just continue grabbing his collar and punching his face. He began to get scared and tried to run, but I didn't care. I grabbed ahold of him and began to choke him out. At that point, I think he already fainted, but I didn't care. I continue tightening my grip on his neck.
It's a shame... That I already lost too much blood and passed out before I could finish him.
Before I realized it, I woke up again and he was no longer there. I just left the dark alley and continued on to the bar. With a bruised but less fucked up face, than before. The stab wounds on my chest had already become a nothing but simple cuts.
-----
"Should've just taken the money and left... I would've allowed that much, you know."
"Fuck you! Why won't you die?! I already stabbed you back there and now too after I crack open your skull with my car??" the man wailed.
Kai held her chin and nodded.
"So they weren't connected after all." She muttered silently.
"What?" I turned and glanced at Kai.
"Nothing... Turns out he was just a nobody, as I suspected."
"I think calling him a nobody is too much credit..."
Feeling taunted by our comments, the man finally had enough.
"Oh... Now you've done it. I'm just going to kill you again right here, right now!"
The man runs straight at me and Kai, but he was acting careless, before he can take his fourth step, Kai trips him. The janitor fell onto the ground and tried to get back up but before he could raise his head, she pinned him to the ground again ,Forcing his head down with her knees and holding his hand, putting it in a joint lock position.
"Aurgh! Get off me you fucking bitch!!" He tried to struggle to no avail. Kai just tightens her grip.
"Ow-ow-ow-ow! Ok ok! stop. My hand's gonna break!" the man wails.
He stops moving and in response, Kai begins to loosen her grip.
"Alright... Here's what we're going to do." I step closer to him.
"You're an employee here, right? do you have your keycard?" I asked him.
"Fuck you think, dumbass?" he sarcastically replied.
"...Kai?"
She tightens her grip slowly and steadily.
"ARGHHH! FUCK! Alright! Alright." the man screamed.
"Now then... Do. You. Have. The. Keycard?"
"*Huff* *Huff* ...Yea - Yeah. P-please, don't break my arm."
"Good-good. I'll tell you what then, I'm going to give you a deal. I'll let you off the hook... Won't bother you, won't call the police. All you have to do in return is to simply give us your keycard and go take a break outside."
"What?" The janitor looks puzzled.
"You don't need to know the reason why, but we need to go to the upper floor right now."
"...And what makes you think I would ever fucking help you? Think I give a shit about a couple of years prison sentence?"
"Well." I showed him my ID. "Unfortunately, you just happened to make an attempted murder on an 'Organization' employee. Twice. I don't need to explain more, do I?"
After revealing that fact, his eyes started to grow wide. "O-oh fuck, No-no wait... Fuck!!" It didn't take 5 seconds for him to immediately reconsider my offer. "A-Alright... Alright! I'll hand you the keycard. J-just, let go of my hand. It's really gonna break..."
I gave a nod to Kai and she released the pressure and let go of his hand.
"God... Fuck me..." The man rubs his hand a few times before reaching for something in his pockets.
The keycard.
Kai takes it and observes it shortly before she throws it at me.
"Thanks..." I catch it with one hand. Kai just gave a peace sign in response and continued watching the janitor who was sitting on the floor.
" Is there any way to the other floor besides the elevator we used?" I asked him again.
"...You can go through the staff elevator or the emergency stairs... both of em needs that card."
A better alternative. Good.
"So... Uh, We're good now, right?"
"Yeah.. You can piss off, now." I replied back and signaled Kai to get away from the man.
"Tch. Motherfucker."
The man stands back up and groans before turning and slowly limping away from us, going to the elevator just on the right side of the corridor.
"I hope you and this city all burn in hell..." he says as he sauntered off.
"..."
"Well then, we got some more options now... I think the emergency stair's a good one. Let's go, Kai."
I turned around and faced Kai but she still had her eyes glued to the janitor. She doesn't seem to even notice me.
-----
"Hey," Kai spoke up to the janitor once again.
"What was your name, again?"
"Huh? Can't you read what's on the card? It's hmpf-?"
The janitor was puzzled, he was just about to finish his sentence but before he could, Coco's hand had covered his mouth. After Kai's question, Coco had immediately rushed towards the janitor and put his hand over the his mouth before he turns his head and glared at Kai who was just smiling innocently. The janitor was perplexed by the scene that was happening in front of him, It was just a question, why is this kid freaked out so much is what he was thinking. But when he glanced at Kai again, he began to feel something sinister behind her question.
"...What do you think you're doing, Kai?" Coco says with a cold tone in his voice.
"What's wrong? I just wanted to make sure that he's the same man who has that card."
"Kai... I've warned you once and I'll warn you again, if you use it for something stupid like this ever again. I can't help you anymore."
Her smile stops and she just stares blankly at Coco.
It was a different gaze from the one that the janitor had seen on the girl. He can't quite describe it but it feels like she was glaring at Coco even though there is nothing in her expression that suggests that. Just from her eyes alone, he began to feel that his instinct was saying something. A warning. She no longer looks like the girl that he previously thought she was. It feels almost like she became an oddity.
She reminds him of an event from a few years ago, one of the higher-ups had wanted to add an assistance robot for the patients there. There was nothing really wrong with the proposition but they ended up using one that is designed to look as close to a human as possible, and indeed the design of the robots does resemble humans very closely. It was designed that way because they intended to make the patients feel more assured when they got assisted by something that is not human, but everyone, the staff, the patients, and the visitor knew the moment they even saw how the bot acted that it was not a human despite the extreme resemblance, and in fact, it gave the opposite effects. Before long, all the robots were recalled after numerous complaints from the staff and the patients. It was an uncanny feeling that they felt, the same feeling that the janitor felt when he finally began to observe Kai's eyes.
"...."
"...."
The corridor was silent. Both Coco and Kai just stared for a while. The janitor having felt something unpleasant in the air, decided to stay silent, a decision that he normally wouldn't take. He was paying close attention to Kai and so he was startled when Kai made a small motion. The slight movement of her leg made him jolt backward. it was just a small movement, something that she had probably done out of a whim, but he was so on-edge that he had instinctively taken a step back in response to that. And before he realized it, he had taken a position behind Coco, as if he wanted to hide from Kai's gaze. He immediately regretted that as Coco didn't move at all, because of that he thought her attention would be shifted to him. Her eyes are still on Coco. He can't stand the silence any longer though, he wants to speak up.
After a moment, she began to smile again and raise both of her hands as if nothing ever happened.
"I was just kidding! Besides I've already read his name on the card earlier. If I had known their names beforehand, it wouldn't work remember?"
"That rule's a lie." Coco just flat-out said without changing his expression.
She lowers her arms and stops her smile again. "...You knew?"
"Yeah... Last time I saw Crane, I realized that he's no longer himself."
"Ah, so that's why he suddenly disappeared." Kai began to rub her chin as if she was just thinking but it felt bizarre and inappropriate. It felt like she was just doing it to fill something with her reactions. "Then the organization already removed him, huh?"
Coco gave no response.
"Now it started to make sense with how badly they reacted over those three deaths at the convenience store."
"..."
"Well, it doesn't matter... Nothing else does. Not anymore."
The janitor finally had enough of the ominous conversation he was hearing. He doesn't want to be around these people any second more. He doesn't care if they shoot him from behind. He just wants to go away from them.
"W-W-What are you guys talking about! ...You're all crazy!" He runs through the hallway, to the elevator.
-----
"Ah, such a shame..."
She saw the janitor running away, getting increasingly far until he turned to another hallway, becoming completely out of sight. The way to the janitor that is blocked by me.
"..."
"Well then, what do you want to do now? Will you hand me over to White Raven again, Coco?"
"No... The mission comes first."
"Haha! Ahahahahahaha!" Kai burst out laughing.
Normally I would see through her and notice the fakery of it. But this time, her laugh felt genuine, as if she really found my reply entertaining. She acts as if she knows that's what I would have said. Something about Kai was different. She feels more unhinged. I recall the report I read in the hospital. She got killed in a convenience store, and there were casualties. yet... she doesn't report it immediately, it's like she doesn't even care. And the events of today, about how she acts as if we're not on a mission. She's just playing around. Why?
Before I realized it, she had already taken out her gun and aimed it at me.
"Haha.. Haa.. You know, Coco. Back when you were recovering. I was attacked by an assassin. They were after your package."
I had heard from The White Raven that Kai had died in a convenience store because of a robbery there but it was the first that I heard that an assassin was involved. She must've lied in the reports... What for? I couldn't say.
An assassin wanted the package sent by The Six. I recall my meeting with the C.A Agent that gave me the package.
'I don't know what exactly you got yourself into, but just trying to deliver this letter to you had warranted me 4 assassination attempts in the last two days on my way to this city, from quite a skilled one at that...' Is what he said.
Who hired them? Why is this package so important? No, why are they preventing me from stopping 'it'...
"But that's not really a big deal, no... What's important was that they managed to kill me. And because of that... Ainsel got out."
She didn't say another word, as if expecting me to say something. Was she blaming me for her death?
"Kai... I-"
"You know... When I was outside, that night. When I stared at the moon, I saw a glimpse of something. It was something beautiful, something that didn't belong in this world. And it showed itself to me. For a split second, I saw myself as Ainsel again. It was unprompted, there was no one in the street that night but me. Yet it still came out. I dismissed it. thinking that it was nothing. But then, at the convenience store... While trying to take control, Ainsel also showed me something. It was then that I realized what they were trying to tell me. This case. What we are dealing with... It's not a criminal with Discord Syndrome or a Relic isn't it Coco? It's a Calamity."
"..."
"After all... What they're showing me are visions of what's to come. This city will be bathed in blood. Fire and chaos reign the streets and there is nothing that you and I can do about it. I saw me... No, Ainsel walking around freely. partaking in the scenery of the ruined city. There's nobody there that can stop it anymore. The vision of the sky has molded with the land. Our time is up, Coco."
"...Listen, Kai, we have to find Natalia. She's the key. What Ainsel show y-"
"You've promised..." Kai gripped her gun. "Do you remember? Our agreement? The bind we made for ourselves? Do you really think that a single girl is going to change the predetermined future?"
"Yes. I do." I didn't hesitate.
What Ainsel and the moon showed to Kai is indeed the truth, but it was an obscured one. It wasn't the whole truth. I knew it to be true because of the letter. It will occur but at the same time but it will also never happen. That's just the way that things will go. Right now, I have to show Kai my resolve. Finding the girl is my... No, our mission.
"..."
I know she's bluffing. She acts as if she doesn't care anymore, that the vision convinced her. But in reality, she's testing the waters. if she's not, then she wouldn't have played it safe until now. She's trying to gauge my reactions. She can already tell that the girl held the key and that I know the lock's location.
"You're right... It's a Calamity we are dealing with. I'm sorry that I haven't been honest with you, but I will continue to do so. You don't have to trust me because there's no way for me to tell you why, at least right now. But she's the key to stopping it and the more we are stalling, the harder it will be for us to finish this mission. I won't ever break my promise, you know that... So tell me, are you going to pull that trigger or are you going to help me?"
"..."
It was the moment of truth. If she's going to decide which one to trust: The visions or me, then now is the time. A shot through the skull would've left me unconscious for days and by then... It'll be too late to stop it.
Thankfully... she chooses the latter option.
She lowers her gun.
"...Alright, we should hurry then. Can't have the princess waiting now, can we?" Kai smiles again and turns around, heading to the emergency exit. This time, despite being the same smile she always wore, it seemed even more empty than before.