¡°What is this supposed to be?¡± Nagato asked, his tone tinged with frustration as he gestured at the screen.
¡°Take a picture,¡± Luca said absently, already leaning closer to examine it. His eyes darted across the display, searching for something specific. Where would it even be? The vague descriptions he vaguely remembered weren¡¯t doing him any favors right now.
¡°Why are you doing there without me?¡± Ladon¡¯s anxious voice came from outside. ¡°Aren''t we a team?¡±
They ignored the thing, trying to focus on their current situation.
¡°The mission is completed,¡± Nadeene murmured, her voice heavy with unease.
¡°But there¡¯s no follow-up mission,¡± Nagato shot back, running a hand through his hair. ¡°Fuck. What are we supposed to do now?¡±
Luca found what he was looking for ¡ªa small, pulsing light on the wall, and pressed it. The panels disappeared, leaving only a grid of symbols on the wall. They were carved on the metal and glowed red.
¡°Alright. Someone knows ¡®alien¡¯?¡±
The only familiar ones where those he had seen on the mines. They had seen on the mines.
¡°That symbol was on a mural,¡± murmured Liona, pointing out the one in the top corner. ¡°I think ¨CI think it was about the crash. Perhaps we should¡?¡±
¡°Some of these were in the rooms, in those ''machines''. Shouldn¡¯t we choose the one of the Energy Core?¡± Nadeene offered.
¡°We could press all them,¡± Nagato pipped on. ¡°What? I was only an idea,¡± he defended himself when he saw the look everyone gave him.
¡°Perhaps no only one,¡± Luca mumbled. ¡°The people in the mines are sacrificing others to the aliens. I saw the spiral and the altar on the mural. Three symbols?¡±
Ladon¡¯s mirage flickered in front of them. ¡°It isn¡¯t nice to ignore your friends!¡± His voice erupted like a cacophony of wails.
It almost sent Luca stumbling back due the piercing headache. The pain let his anger to bloom, and he rushed ahead, straight to the wall. Ladon¡¯s image disappeared as Luca passed by ¨Cbut let him a last gift. A last wail almost exploded his ears, swallowing all the sounds of the room, and let him dazed for a splint second. However, it wasn¡¯t enough to stop him.
The three symbols were pressed ¨Cfirst the altar, then the spiral, then the inverted triangle. The instant he hit the last one, the red glow become green, and oozed a viscous liquid of the same color. When it reached the ground, smoke arose, just a few inches from where Luca was standing.
Luca moved backward by instinct.
| New Mission Unlocked: |
LEAVE THE ZONE |
| 19:59:59 |
¡°You''re shitting me!¡± Nagato jolted, pain left aside for the outrage. ¡°Twenty minutes?!¡±
¡°Hurry up.¡± Luca ran towards the wall with the yellow panel. ¡°We must find the exit.¡±
The instant the wall slid open, Ladon¡¯s monster appeared there, eyes completely black, green lines bursting open on its skin.
¡°You¡¯ll die!¡± It screamed, blood coming out its mouth, splashing the floor. More smoke rose where it touched. But it was the pain that the otherworldly sound behind its voice that made them wince and grab their heads. ¡°You¡¯ll die like me!¡±
¡°Shut the fuck up!¡± Nagato screamed and threw its flashlight at it. The item flew into the air and passed through the image, making it disappear.
They took advantage of this to cross, and ran ahead. Nagato picked up the flashlight on his way, while Liona took out ¨Ca water bottle? Luca took out his multi-tool. He had a lot of sharp ends.
¡°Keep moving,¡± Nadeene said, her voice steady despite the fear in her eyes. She was the only that didn¡¯t have anything to protect herself with. ¡°We can¡¯t let it get to us.¡±
They pressed on, moving through a new room and into another corridor. But the voice followed them, growing more insistent, and the pain kept emerging. Throbbing pain behind his eyes, at both sides of his head. The rest wasn¡¯t better.
¡°You should just die here! Just like me!¡±
Luca¡¯s hands clenched into fists, his nails digging into his palms. He focused on the corridor ahead, on the faint pain on his hand. Anything to drown the voice, the effects of it.
¡°We¡¯re almost there,¡± Nadeene said, her voice cutting through the haze. ¡°Just keep moving.¡±
A metal door appeared at the end of the hallway, almost as an afterthought. A bastion of hope.
Or a fucking trap.
But they didn''t have many options.
Not good options, only desperate ideas.
Chapter 37 – There’s something there, you know? (7)
There was only a problem. The door was locked.
Luca crouched in front of it, and began working, putting his multi-tool and experience on the task. The rest spread around him, trying to kept the thing at bay.
¡°Just die!¡±
His fingers moved with practiced precision but betrayed him with tiny tremors as another wave of headache crashed over him¡ªit felt like being struck by a hammer. He sucked in a breath through gritted teeth and forced himself to focus on the alien lock mechanism before him. It looked like a strange alien-human mix, with sharp small pieces and circular smoothed ones.
If it were no such an occasion like this one, Luca would have loved to pick it up piece by piece. Perhaps use it for his own door.
¡°Die!¡± Ladon¡¯s cries echoed down the corridor, sending painful waves through his skull.
Despite everything, Nagato cracked a joke with hoarse voice, ¡°it ran out of ideas.¡±
¡°How could we make it go away?¡± Liona whispered, her words barely audible over the cacophony
Ladon¡¯s cries continued.
¡°Hurry,¡± Nadeene urged, through clenched teeth. ¡°Or this thing will be the last of us worries.¡±
Luca graciously forgave her ¡ªhe was making everything he could and more to get the fuck out there. His mind raced faster than his trembling fingers could work, sweat trickling down his temple despite the cold biting at his skin. Then, finally¡ªfinally¡ªa soft ping rang out, clear and triumphant amidst the chaos.
¡°It¡¯s done,¡± Luca said, straightening up so quickly his knees protested. ¡°We need to go. Now.¡±
They bolted for the door without any other word. The heavy metal slab slammed shut behind them with a resounding clang, momentarily drowning out Ladon¡¯s enraged howls. For half a second, they all froze, chests heaving, ears ringing. Surprised faces.
¡°Six minutes left!¡± Nadeene shouted, breaking the brief reprieve.
Bolting again, they rushed through the tunnel, green glowing lines lighting their path.
A long wailing sound bounced off the walls. It wasn¡¯t Ladon¡¯s ¡ªthat thing. But another one they had left on the mines ¡ªthe same place they were right now. And it wasn¡¯t alone, as the noise of murmurs followed after it.
¡°We can''t stop.¡± They couldn¡¯t take a swim on the mud pool, even if they knew how to float, and had tested the technique before. It wouldn¡¯t work on the humans. Probably. And there was no time to hide and stay quietly until they left anyway.
The green marks in the walls flickering like a sickly heartbeat, and the smell ¡ªLuca had not missed it¡ª enveloped them from all directions. They were running like chickens without heads. And they would got caught if they kept like that.
And then, abruptly, they skidded to a halt.
¡°Fuck!¡±
The man who Luca had seen being ¡®offered¡¯ was now nothing but a rotting carcass on the floor. A woman lay atop the crude stone altar, her vacant eyes staring accusingly at the ceiling. Nagato¡¯s flashlight beam swept over thin red wires snaking across the floor, connecting to a thick scarlet vein embedded deep within the rock face. It pulsed rhythmically, feeding¡ something.
How many of them were they sacrificing to keep all those hallways, the rooms, the machinery running?
¡°This way!¡± Luca hissed, gesturing down a narrower tunnel. The others followed without question, their breaths ragged. ¡°We can get out there!¡± If he could recall the right path from hours before.
They hadn¡¯t gone far when a low, guttural growl reverberated through the tunnels. Luca¡¯s eyes widened, his heart almost jumping out of his throat as massive shape moved through the shadows. Writhing tendrils spread towards them, glistening with a green liquid that hissed as it hit the ground.
¡°Move!¡± Nadeene shouted, shoving Luca and then Liona forward. ¡°Move, move, move¡ª¡±
They broke into a sprint, the alien¡¯s screech echoing behind them. The creature lunged, its tendrils lashing out, spraying acid that sizzled against the walls. Luca ducked, feeling the heat of a near-miss as a droplet splattered too close for comfort. The tunnel twisted sharply, and they rounded the corner just as the sound of it hitting the wall resonated behind them.
¡°Keep going!¡± Luca yelled, his voice barely audible over the cacophony of deep wails and hissing acid.
Luca¡¯s lungs burned, his legs aching, but he didn¡¯t dare slow down. The others were close.
A group of figures emerged from the last part of the path. Humans. Or something like that. Their clothes were tattered, their eyes wild and unfocused. Blood and dirt clung to them like parasites. And they didn¡¯t speak ¨Cnot with understandable words.
Their murmur slithering on his mind, like another form of tendrils, oozing acid inside.
It hurt.
It ached on his bones.
Luca didn¡¯t think. They had no other way, time was running out, and their only ace had already been used. There was no time. He didn¡¯t stop. Stretching out both arms, he shoved the man at the front with everything he had. The figure stumbled backward, crashing into the others like dominoes, and Luca darted past, his heart hammering so hard it felt like it might burst free from his chest.
The others followed suit, shoving the decrepit obstacles aside as though they were nothing more than oversized puppets. They couldn¡¯t afford otherwise.
¡°Don¡¯t stop!¡± Luca shouted, his voice hoarse, the muscles in his legs screaming for relief even as adrenaline pushed him forward.
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The exit! It was too close!
Relief surged through him for a fleeting moment before reality slammed back in: they would have to crawl to get out.
¡°It¡¯s too risky!¡± Nadeene shouted as she noticed it. ¡°They will catch us!¡±
¡°Who goes first?¡±
¡°We cannot lose time figthing¡ª¡±began Liona.
Luca had no time for that. ¡°Go on!¡± He shoved them toward the low opening, no listening to their words. They had no time for that. ¡°I¡¯ll go last! Come on!¡±
As they wriggled under the jagged stone lip, Luca went next, and did his best to move quickly. But they were closing in, crawling behind them. Their murmurs grew louder, more insistent as if they could stretch its projection.
He wanted nothing more than to leave that fucked place. Sadly, he couldn¡¯t hurry more. His legs were already threatening with leaving him to his luck. Only the survival instinct gathered by hundreds of generations allowed him to continue.
A hand suddenly clamped around his ankle, nails digging deep enough to draw blood. Luca hissed, kicking wildly, panic surging through him like electricity. Shawn¡¯s face flashed in his mind¡ªhis brother, his little brother.
Nagato, closest to him, turned back and stretched out a hand, gripping Luca¡¯s arm with bruising force. ¡°Pull!¡± he roared, voice cracking with effort. ¡°Pull!¡±
Luca tried to kick the madman off. He wouldn¡¯t die there. He wouldn¡¯t. Shawn needed his older brother to return. He couldn¡¯t fail him again. Couldn¡¯t fail this Shawn. No here. If he died here, what was the point? What was the fucking point? It would be better to have remained dead, his body left to rot and to be eaten by the wild animals.
With one final surge of strength, Luca kicked violently, feeling the grip loosen just enough for him to wrench free. Then he was out, gasping for air as cool wind ruffled his hair. Freedom¡ªor something close to it¡ªgreeted him.
¡°Can you stand?¡± Nagato hauled him upright without waiting for an answer. ¡°We need to get the fuck out there.¡±
¡°One-minute left,¡± Nadeene whispered, her voice trembling with barely contained dread.
¡°To the river,¡± Luca said, forcing the words out before doubt could paralyze him. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Ignoring the fiery protest in his legs, they bolted away from the mountain, putting as much distance between themselves and the mines as possible.
Soon the dirty stream appeared in front of them. Nadeene made a sound of incredulity.
¡°You got to be kidding me.¡±
Liona¡¯s face fell down. ¡°Oh no¡ª¡±
But she wasn¡¯t talking about the death trap that looked like a river ¡ªor was it the other way round?¡ª but beyond that.
¡°Help!¡± Ladon¡¯s voice came from the other side, among the trees. ¡°Please¡ª!¡±
¡°Get in!¡± Without hesitation, Luca threw himself into the water, cold enveloping him instantly like a blanked of piercing needles. The current seized him immediately, dragging him downstream with merciless force.
¡°Didn¡¯t you say you don¡¯t know how to float?!¡± Nagato screamed from the bank, panic sharpening his tone.
Luca didn¡¯t have the breath¡ªor the focus¡ªto respond. Water rushed into his mouth, nose, eyes, pulling at him from all sides. He flailed desperately, shaking his head clear long enough to catch glimpses of the blurry world above. Kicking hard, he fought against the pull, trying to keep his head above water just enough to breathe. The good news? They were moving faster than they ever could on land. The bad news? He wasn¡¯t sure he¡¯d make it out alive.
What a fucking joke.
He lifted his chin stubbornly, coughing and sputtering as he struggled to stay afloat. Through the haze of exhaustion and terror, numbers flickered in the corner of his vision.
Eight seconds left.
¡°Come on!¡± Nadeene¡¯s voice reached him faintly, distorted by the roaring water. Suddenly, her hand grasped his arm, yanking him closer. ¡°We¡¯re close!¡±
Luca¡¯s eyes opened without his permission. The messy lines of threes seemed to have an end ¡ªthey were closer, and closer!
Closer¡ª
Closer¡ª
Closer¡ª
A scream pierced his ears. It was the last thing he heard before everything went black.
¡°It cannot be,¡± the man spat, shaking his head with fervent denial. ¡°It¡¯s impossible for this to happen! I won¡¯t hear another word about it!¡±
¡°The security mechanism failed,¡± Michael repeated, his tone deliberate and slow, each word landing like a hammer strike. ¡°It failed again.¡±
¡°Technically, last time there were only rumors,¡± piped up a woman lounging back in her chair, her posture casual but her eyes sharp beneath half-lidded eyelids.
¡°Yes, yes, rumors¡ªnothing more than that!¡± The blond man seized on the lifeline she¡¯d thrown him, clutching at it like a drowning sailor grasping driftwood. He spun toward the others, his face flushed, eyes blazing with defiance. ¡°I don¡¯t want any of you repeating a single word of this to anyone outside this room. There is nothing wrong¡ª¡±
¡°Oh, but there is,¡± interrupted a new voice, smooth as silk and twice as cutting. A figure stepped into the room, exuding an air of calculated menace. ¡°And it won¡¯t vanish just because you bury your head in the sand, Krito.¡±
¡°Tiberius,¡± Krito snapped, his jaw tightening until the muscles stood out like cords. ¡°What are you doing here? You have no authority here.¡±
¡°The esteemed Delta supervisor doesn¡¯t know?¡± Tiberius smiled¡ªa predator baring its teeth¡ªand leaned forward slightly, red lips parting to reveal unnervingly sharp teeth. ¡°When it comes to system failures, the security team automatically has jurisdiction to intervene. And yes, this is an intervention.¡± His gaze swept over the room before settling on Michael. ¡°Gentlemen¡ªcould you do me the honors?¡±
From seemingly nowhere, men dressed in sleek, dark-blue suits materialized, moving with precision and purpose. They fanned out silently, their presence suffocating yet eerily calm.
¡°You cannot do this!¡± Krito sputtered, backing away instinctively, though his bravado wavered under Tiberius¡¯ icy stare.
¡°Please, accompany me,¡± Tiberius said smoothly, turning his attention to Michael. His expression softened ever so slightly, though his voice remained firm. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for your loss, but I need to ask some questions.¡±
Before Michael could respond, the door burst open, and a woman stumbled in, breathless. She froze mid-step when she took in the scene: Tiberius standing center stage, flanked by his silent entourage; Krito looking pale and cornered; the rest of the group tense and uneasy.
¡°¡ Did I come at a bad time?¡± she asked hesitantly, glancing between them.
¡°What happened?¡± Michael demanded, stepping forward. His voice cut through the tension like a blade.
She straightened, regaining her composure, and offered a small, tight smile. ¡°The four from the Mines got out.¡±
¡°I told you all!¡± Krito exploded, jabbing a finger in the air triumphantly. ¡°There¡¯s nothing as a failure¡ªthis proves it! Everything is fine!¡±
¡°They managed to find a hidden exit,¡± the woman continued, speaking over him as if he weren¡¯t there. Her smile faded, replaced by something colder, harder. ¡°Oh, everyone knows the security mechanism didn¡¯t work. We¡¯ve lost one of the two teams from Delta, and one from Gamma. Beta¡¯s two teams¡¡± She paused, her voice dropping lower, heavier. ¡°¡are in a very complicated situation right now.¡±
¡°For this reason, it is imperative to obtain all available information,¡± Tiberius said. ¡°Seeing that you are quite knowledgeable on the subject, I will ask you to join me as well. After you, ladies, gentlemen¡ª¡°he turned to the woman on the chair. ¡°¡ªand Lamia.¡±
¡°Always so gentleman,¡± she dragged the words, looking at her nails.
There was nothing do but to follow him.
Chapter 38 - First Promotion (everything will be okay)
Luca¡¯s consciousness returned slowly, like surfacing from deep water. It was a surprise¡ªa miracle, even¡ªto come back at all. For a moment, he had believed¡ª
It didn''t matter. It wasn''t the end.
The endless so, so white void greeted him. A single message flickered into existence before his eyes, happy words for the end of the trip.
| Congratulations, Mithras. |
And it topped a fucking will.
Ah. No, thank you.
He scrolled down quickly, skipping straight to what mattered the most right now: the results.
| TOTAL POINTS: |
200 |
| TOTAL EXPERIENCE: |
3580 |
There you are. He felt as if he could breathe after a long moment of suffocation ¡ªeven if technically he wasn''t even sure if he was breathing at that right moment but, meh semantics.
The next messages under it came into view, and only made such a wonderful feeling to inflate like a balloon.
| You¡¯ve obtained a [GEM]: |
| PERK ''ACID'' has been obtained. |
| You¡¯ve reached Level 3. You now have 2 Stat Point to distribute. |
| You¡¯ve unlocked: Inner Market. |
|
You¡¯ve obtained an [Item]. You will be able to access it from your Inventory.
|
Level 3. With this Rank 2 was so close he could almost touch it. He only needed his supervisor''s confirmation. Only that.
Would it be enough? He didn¡¯t know for sure. But it had to be. It had to be.
The thoughts stirred in his mind as exhaustion began to pull him under once more. Clinging to the numbers, to the letters, to the hope they represented, Luca let himself drift away, the edges of the white, white, white space blurring into darkness.
It must be enough.
It must.
It could have been minutes or years before Luca opened his eyes, returning to the world of the living like he had been only sleeping until now. The faint hum of machinery was the first thing that he heard, followed by a mostly human sound ¨Ca calm breathing. He blinked, his vision blurry at first. A black lump became a person as his eyes sharpened in the light of the room.
The capsule lid was already open, so he sat slowly, looking at his surroundings and then at the stranger.
The man stood nearby. He was dressed in a sleek black suit that contrasted sharply with his red tie, and sat straight, with should spread on confidence. His eyes ¨Csilver, like silver coins¨C studied him. Luca had never felt as much under scrutiny as he did at that instant.
And then the man smiled and the heaviness faded away as if it had been only his imagination.
Yeah. Sure.
¡°Welcome back, Mithras,¡± the man finally said, his voice smooth and polished like a mirror bronze, the kind of voice that belonged in boardrooms and high-stakes negotiations. Mr. Howard¡¯s uncle could learn a thing or three from him. ¡°I¡¯m Tiberius. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you.¡±
Tiberius.
... That Tiberius? Luca rubbed his temples, his mind still foggy but not enough to avoid the sudden urgency to get back into the Mystery. ¡°Thanks,¡± he said, his voice rough. ¡°I guess¡¡±
Tiberius chuckled, a low sound that carried just the right mix of warmth and condescension. Luca bet it was practiced in front a mirror, perhaps even through holographic filming. It was the kind of shit a man like him would do. ¡°I understand that you¡¯re not at your best right now, but I couldn¡¯t help myself. Escaping a 2-star Mystery¡ªno, any Mystery after the security mechanism failed¡ªis no small feat.¡± He interlaced his fingers, resting them on his knees with deliberate calm. ¡°You and the others¡ well, let¡¯s just say you defied all odds.¡±
There was awe in his voice, but something else too¡ªsomething Luca didn¡¯t want to dwell on. Not now, not tomorrow.
No.
Forcing himself to act, Luca shrugged, leaning back against the edge of the capsule. ¡°We got lucky. Our hunch paid off, and we triggered the hidden mission. That¡¯s¡¡± He smacked his lips, searching for words that weren¡¯t ¡®could you leave?¡¯ or ¡®fuck you¡¯, ¡°¡that¡¯s the only reason we made it out.¡±
¡°Luck, you say?¡± Tiberius raised an eyebrow. ¡°Modesty doesn¡¯t suit you, Mithras. Are you, perhaps, familiar with the discovery rate for hidden missions in 2-star worlds? Two percent. When the mechanism failed, most of us wrote your obituaries. Logistics had already drafted your exit packages.¡± His delivery was matter-of-fact. Luca could picture the scene perfectly on his mind. ¡°But you proved us wrong. That¡¯s not luck.¡± He dragged out the last word like it was something dirt under his shoes.
Luca didn¡¯t like the intensity of his gaze one bit. Even though he understood the weight behind those piercing eyes¡ªthe story about his wife¡ªit didn¡¯t mean he wanted to keep talking with the guy who had whiped half of the name characters for a hunch. So, he changed the subject. ¡°Do you know -do you know why the security mechanism failed?¡±
Tiberius¡¯s expression shifted subtly, his gaze drifting for a moment before settling into a frown. It only made him look a promising politician in the middle of his campaign. ¡°We¡¯re mobilizing every resource available to find the truth. I assure you is our top priority.¡±
Of course it was. These systems were supposed to be failproof. Like the sun.
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¡°Rest assured, we¡¯ll get to the bottom of it," he finished.
Luca nodded, too tired to press further for something he knew no one would find until later ¡ªlate¡ª, and already satisfied with the change of topic.
¡°We¡¯ll continue our conversation later,¡± Tiberius said then, his tone shifting back to its polished ease. ¡°Part of the current protocol.¡±
Protocol? Right. Because Pendulum definitely had contingency plans for when the impossible happened. Sure, whatever. As long as Luca could postpone this chat until he felt less like a soggy, half-crushed mushroom at the bottom of the trash can, he was fine with it.
As if on cue, the door at the end of the room slid open, and two figures stepped inside. Michael, Luca¡¯s supervisor and new saviour, dressed in a white leather jacket (really? he did deserve his second and third look), his dark sunglasses hiding his eyes (was there some kind of bet for how much time the noobs took to find the truth or something? could he join?) ¡ªand someone more. A woman Luca didn¡¯t recognize at first, with dark hair and brown eyes, dressed in a professional attire. And pink sandals.
Beach pink sandals.
They squashed with each one of her steps.
¡°Mithras,¡± Michael said, nodding in greeting. ¡°Good to see you back in one piece.¡±
The woman stepped forward, her eyes lighting up as she extended a hand. ¡°Minerva. Specialist, Delta-M. I¡¯ve been following your case.¡±
Luca shook her hand, her grip firm and enthusiastic and cold like the undead''s mother. ¡°Nice to meet you,¡± he said. He sounded half-not-there but she only smiled even more.
¡°Golden rookie looks like he just crawled outta bed after a week-long bender. Don¡¯t sweat it, though¡ªyou¡¯ll bounce back faster than ya think.¡±
... From where came the accent?
¡°Minerva, let him breathe before giving him more work.¡±
Tiberius, who had been observing the exchange without being recognized with more than a nod, stepped forward. ¡°As I already said, we¡¯ll continue our conversation later, Mithras. For now, rest.¡± With that, he gave a final curt goodbye at the others and left the room, his shoes clicking against the floor.
Was this a chanclas competition?
When the door closed behind him, Minerva turned to Luca, eyes shining like they had small candles in them. Only for an instant, of course. ¡°Two hundred points on your second mission?! You kidding me? Do you even realize how long it took me to hit those numbers? Six missions! SIX! You¡¯re making the rest of us look like amateurs, golden boy.¡±
"Thanks." Luca managed a tired smile as he climbed out of the capsule.
¡°You really need to rest. Don''t worry. We''ll let you go. But you¡¯ll come by later at my office.¡± Michael pushed his sunglasses. ¡°To discuss your promotion.¡±
A bit slow but still mindful, Luca blinked, pretending to be confused. ¡°Promotion?¡±
¡°You¡¯re Level 3,¡± Michael explained. ¡°Everyone who reaches it becomes an Agent.¡±
¡°Like us!¡± Minerva chimed in. ¡°Though honestly, even if you¡¯d stayed Level 2, after this kinda splash, a raise woulda been inevitable.¡±
Michael sighed. ¡°It isn¡¯t a good moment but it¡¯s better if you sleep in it. From onwards, you¡¯ll getting into deeper waters. Being an Agent isn¡¯t so good as they say.¡± He shared a look with his coworker.
Forget about later. Luca felt he was listening to them from underwater right now. When would they let him go?
¡°But the money is greater! Each point is worth 1.2K now. So congrats¡ªyou¡¯ve just earned almost a quarter mil. And you didn¡¯t die! What¡¯s better than that? Plus, you¡¯ll get your Agent badge, access to the Junky Box, extra meal points, and¡ªoh!¡ªthe Inner Market. Trust me, kid, you¡¯re gonna love it.¡±
Luca nodded slowly, his mind still catching up. Plus, bonuses. ¡°What about the health insurance? For family?¡±
¡°¡ Don¡¯t worry about that right now,¡± Michael said. ¡°We¡¯ll talk later. Get some rest first.¡±
Luca wanted to push, to get answers, but his body felt like it was made of mushy, moldy bread or melted butter. He nodded again, too tired to argue, and barely stiffed a yawn against his palm. His eyes briefly swept over the other capsules.
¡°What about them?¡± he asked, making a small gesture of his hand on their direction.
¡°They¡¯ve already left,¡± said Michael, to his surprise.
¡°Dragged by security the instant they came out. I think Nors rescued their ducks but that other lad-¡± Minerva shook her head.
Ah. So Lamia wasn¡¯t the kind of supervisor that cared.
¡°But enough about that,¡± Minerva declared, clapping Luca on the shoulder with enough force to nearly knock him off balance. ¡°Let¡¯s go, golden boy. Big things await!¡± Her enthusiasm was infectious¡ªbut also overwhelming.
¡°Welcome to Rank 2, Mithras,¡± Michael said, smirking as he opened the door.
Luca smiled at him. Please give me my fucking medical coverance and my raise.
The way to the elevator was blissfully quiet.
The office was quiet, save for the low buzz of the air filtration system and the occasional distant sound of open and closed doors. Nagato leaned back in his chair, his arms crossed, his expression a mix of irritation and exhaustion. It made him look older, like a young adult. Siting across from him, Nadeene kept her eyes barely open, rubbing them time from time, and stiffing a yawn against the palm of her hand, about to drop there.
¡°I swear,¡± Nagato muttered, breaking the silence, ¡°if I never see another mud pool in my life, it¡¯ll be too soon.¡±
Nadeene raised an eyebrow, her lips twitching into a smirk. ¡°You know,¡± she drawled, leaning back in her chair, ¡°I don¡¯t think it was mud.¡±
He shot her a glare, though there wasn¡¯t much bite behind it. ¡°Very funny. Let me remind you that I wasn''t the only that got no-mud on their throat.¡±
¡°I didnt'' get it on my throat." She squinted her eyes at him. "What were you doing there, mmm?"
Nagato opened his mouth to retort, but the door slid open before he could get a word out. Nors stepped inside, balancing a tray of coffee cups and a plate of brown cookies in one hand. As always, he was impeccably dressed, his calm gaze sharp even beneath the warmth of his smile. His dark hair fell until to his shoulders, and no one, no even the other seniors, could even heard him coming. The guy was a legend.
¡°Evening,¡± he said, setting the tray down on the desk. ¡°Help yourselves. I figured you could use it after¡ these last hours.¡±
That was one way to put it. But Nagato didn¡¯t need to be told twice. He grabbed a cup of coffee and a cookie, leaning back in his chair with a satisfied sigh. ¡°You¡¯re a lifesaver, Nors.¡±
Chuckling softly, Nors took a seat behind his desk. ¡°Glad to hear it. Now, let¡¯s make this quick. I¡¯ve already read the reports from control, so we don¡¯t need to go over every detail. But I¡¯d love to hear what you think matters most.¡±
Nagato¡¯s expression grew serious, though the effect was somewhat undermined by his round cheeks. Swallowing hastily, he asked quietly, ¡°What does that mean?¡±
¡°The information I received suggests something happened during the mission¡ªeven before the mechanism failed.¡± Nors paused, glancing between Nagato and Nadeene. Their faces were quite blank, and tension hung thick in the air. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m talking about Ladon¡¯s death.¡±
Both of them shared a quick look.
¡°First and foremost, let me clarify: this isn¡¯t something that falls on your shoulders. While teamwork is crucial, each individual ultimately remains responsible for themselves. However¡¡± He hesitated, choosing his words carefully. ¡°¡because it may weigh heavily on your minds¡ªand hearts¡ªI felt obligated to address it.¡±
¡°Yeah, about that¡ª¡± Nagato began, fumbling for words.
¡°What happens,¡± Nadeene interjected suddenly, fixing Nors with a piercing stare, ¡°when one of us is directly responsible for the death of another? Like pushing someone aside to escape. Or switching places. Things like that.¡±
Nors leaned back in his chair, his expression thoughtful. ¡°To be honest¡ªwhich, admittedly, isn¡¯t ideal for his kind of situation¡ªwe have no tools to detect foul play within a Mystery unless you report it yourselves. Without evidence, it¡¯s difficult to act. Even if someone comes forward, unless multiple reports corroborate the event, it typically goes unresolved.¡±
¡°So you¡¯re saying someone can do whatever they want, and nothing happens?!¡± Nagato snapped, his voice rising sharply, as Nadeene scowled.
¡°I didn¡¯t say that,¡± Nors replied firmly, his brow furrowing. After a moment, he sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. ¡°Legally speaking, holding someone accountable for their actions is complicated without concrete proof. But¡ªas I mentioned earlier¡ªwe lack the means to determine exactly what transpired inside the Mystery.¡± He gave them both a pointed look. ¡°All we can do is trust that you¡¯ll conduct yourselves as decent human beings¡ªor at least behave in a civilized manner.¡±
A tense silence settled over the room.
¡°So,¡± Nors continued after taking a sip of his coffee, his tone deliberately casual, ¡°is there anything you¡¯d like to share? What about the hidden exit?¡±
Nagato and Nadeene exchanged a glance.
¡°About that¡¡±
Chapter 39 - Walls have had ears since ancient times
The lab looked quite alive and entertaining with the holograms floating in the air, showing streams of data, while the machines filled the room with a low, constant buzz.
Dr. Abbadon stood at the center, fidgeting with his last research. His white hair was tied back, his skin pale under the light. Red eyes were squinted, focused on the small orb of light that didn¡¯t want to grow. He wasn¡¯t alone on his job this time, so his attention was divided.
Across from him, Lamia leaned on a console. Her red hair stood out against the cold lab, falling down over her crossed arms.
¡°I don¡¯t get why everyone¡¯s making such a big fuss about this,¡± Lamia said, her voice tinted with frustration. ¡°We¡¯ve all been putting our lives on the line since day one. Security mechanism or not, this job has always been a fucking gamble.¡±
Dr. Abbadon hummed softly a he managed the orb, finally managing that it shifted its color to a vivid orange¡ which wasn¡¯t what he was looking for. ¡°And yet,¡± he replied, his voice smooth, ¡°the psychological impact of this failure cannot be underestimated. It¡¯s not merely about the amount of person who won¡¯t come back¡ªit¡¯s about trust in the system.¡±
Lamia snorted, rolling her eyes so hard it was almost audible. ¡°Trust in the system? Please. We¡¯re dealing with interdimensional anomalies, Doc, not some corporate flowchart. People knew what they signed up for when they walked through that door.¡± She frowned. ¡°Besides, this isn¡¯t the first time. You know that. I hate everyone is acting like it is some one-time thing.¡±
¡°You know we cannot make mention of that,¡± the man murmured softly, a hint of reprimand on his voice. Lamia scowled, looking at her nails. ¡°Now, speaking of people¡ Have we received many resignation letters?¡±
¡°A few. Nothing HR can¡¯t handle.¡± She tapper her nails against the console. ¡°They¡¯ll recruit more rookies in two weeks.¡±
Abbadon nodded absently, his gaze drifting to a holographic display next to him. With a gesture of his hand, the stream changed from numbers to a graphic. ¡°I understand that it will put additional strain on you all. Fewer personnel for an overwhelming number of missions. I hope the recruitment goes well.¡±
¡°You and me, doc.¡±
There was a moment of silence before he asked, ¡°What about the teams? Any updates?¡±
¡°The Gamma team didn¡¯t return from the Hotel mission. No survivors. And Beta¡¯s still stuck in their mission¡ªearly phase, no word yet. But there¡¯s a chance they¡¯ll make it out. The alternative exit¡¯s tricky, but they¡¯re good enough to pull it off. We¡¯ll know in a week.¡±
Abbadon paused, his brow furrowing slightly. ¡°Ah, yes. Time equivalence varies so drastically between Mystery levels. It¡¯s easy to lose track.¡± Then, after a moment, he added, ¡°The Beta Team¡ªisn¡¯t that the one with the recruit Lorenzo seems so enamored with? Lanlong, I believe?¡±
¡°Exactly. If anyone can drag them out of there alive, it¡¯s that girl.¡±
¡°What about the new five-star?¡± he asked quietly, his tone betraying a hint of concern beneath his usual calm. ¡°I heard there have been¡ complications.¡±
¡°Hell,¡± Lamia spat, her voice flat and bitter. ¡°Absolute hell. We¡¯ve lost three teams already, and the fourth is barely hanging on. Whatever¡¯s in there, it doesn¡¯t play by the rules.¡± She gave a grim, humorless smile. ¡°Big surprise for a fucking five-star world. I swear, sometimes I think the higher-ups are completely delusional.¡± She muttered under her breath, ¡°Probably drunk when they approved this shit.¡±
Abbadon¡¯s expression remained impassive, but his fingers tightened slightly around the orb, betraying a flicker of tension. ¡°I see. I suppose they haven¡¯t learned much from the other two attempts. How many tries did it take to complete the Garden of Eden?¡±
¡°Nine,¡± Lamia answered briskly, pressing her lips together. Then, abruptly changing the subject, she continued, ¡°Speaking of troublesome worlds, there¡¯s one that¡¯s embarrassing our Delta teams right now. Supposed to be a one-star¡ªa cooking show. You¡¯d think people who run from giant insects or dinosaurs, survive yeti attacks, and sleep in cursed catacombs wouldn¡¯t break a sweat here. You¡¯d think. But we¡¯ve sent four Agents already, and none of them came back.¡±
Abbadon turned at her, raising a delicate white eyebrow. ¡°A cooking show, you say? How¡ quaint. What makes it so deadly for our poor agents?¡±
Lamia sighed, pushing off the console and pacing the room. ¡°It¡¯s not just about cooking, alright? Everyone except the first one knew their way around the kitchen. But the ingredients are straight-up monstrous¡ªthe kitchen¡¯s basically Australia condensed into a death trap. And the judges? Jesus Christ. If you don¡¯t impress them, you¡¯re dead. If you do impress them, you¡¯re probably still gonna die in the next round.¡± She then continued, ¡°but the White Team wants that damn Youth Fountain at the end, so we won¡¯t stop until someone wins first prize.¡±
Abbadon smiled. ¡°How delightfully macabre. And how unexpected of the White Team to obsess with this. Dr. Cylles must be so eager.¡±
Lamia stopped mid-pace and shot him a glare. ¡°Yeah, real funny. Sounds like something you¡¯d come up with.¡± She sighed. ¡°But seriously, Doc, we need to do something. It¡¯s a goddamn one-star world! It shouldn¡¯t be this hard. Something that Dr. Cylles concurs, considering the missive she sent to the Manager.¡±
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Abbadon set the orb down on the console, where it floated gently, spinning slowly and displaying patterns that made him frown. ¡°Ah. Of course. How expected of her.¡± He then stopped. ¡°But your Manager¡?¡±
¡°He¡¯s under surveillance. You know what Tiberius is like. So Mimir is who has control now. He¡¯ll probably take care of this.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t fret. I¡¯m sure someone will solve it eventually. In the meantime, keep me updated on the five-star. And¡¡± He paused, giving her a pointed look. ¡°¡do try to keep morale up. We need every hand we can get.¡±
Lamia smirked, though it lacked any real humor or warm. ¡°Morale¡¯s not my alley, you know. But I¡¯ll try. For you.¡±
Abbadon let out a small sigh, amused, and watched her strode out of the lab.
Once she was gone, he turned back to the hologram, his fingers dancing across the holograms until they faded, leaving a single one floating in front of him. When he touched it, the orb increased its size and spun, spreading a tendril that seemed to want to connect with something.
¡°A cooking show,¡± he murmured to himself. ¡°How¡ unexpected.¡±
He figured he would have more answers in the following days. There was someone who had made quite the rictus as a miracle worker. It should be enough for Mimir, then.
Luca woke with a gasp, his heart jumping against his ribs. It felt as though he¡¯d been fighting the current again¡ªkicking, hitting the water, so useless; drowning, desperate for air¡ªand had only just managed to break free of its greedy grip. His clothes clung to him, soaked through with sweat, and the sheets were no better.
He had better mornings, so to speak.
His eyes closed, and he let out a long sigh. The nightmare lingered¡ªa cacophony of sounds, blurred images flashing too fast to make sense of. Smells. Smells that clung to him. But it wasn¡¯t the scent of burning wood or scorched metal that haunted him. Not even the metal. The coppery scent.
No.
It was the water. The fucking water.
Dragging himself out of bed, Luca refused to let his mind linger on the fragments still clinging to him. He stumbled into the bathroom, turning the faucet until steam began to rise in white curls of mist. Stepping into the shower, he let the heat wash over him, but it did little more than dull the ache. His thoughts kept circling back to that last moment¡ªthe suffocating weight of water filling his lungs¡ªand suddenly, he couldn¡¯t stay under there any longer.
It was shameful.
A grown-ass man fleeing the shower because of nightmares.
A man who had lived through worse. Survived worse.
Rubbing his skin raw with the towel, Luca dressed in fresh clothes and glanced around the apartment. His eyes drifted to the window. Outside, the sky hung gray ¡ªhow unusual¡ªbut clear enough to see that the sun must have rose up already. Picking up the medallion from the bedside table, he noticed the time: nine in the morning.
No new messages blinked on the screen.
He sighed. Relief seeped into his shoulders as he hung the medallion around his neck, tucking it gently under his t-shirt.
Checking his bracelet, he found there was a message. From Michael. ¡°Promotion talk. My office. 1100. Don¡¯t be late.¡±
Luca snorted. How nice of him to wait until to middle morning. He recalled his ¨Cand Minerva¡¯s- presence after leaving the capsule and smiled a bit. He had not been unlucky when it came to direct superiors, at least.
There was still time before the meeting, but the apartment felt too small, too quiet. Too suffocating. After stripping the bed and tossing the sheets into a pile, Luca left a small note along with a handful of coins¡ªuseless trinkets now, but pretty ones nonetheless. Then he left, the door hissing shut behind him with a faint echo.
As he made his way to the staircase, his gaze flickered briefly toward the kitchen. So far, he hadn¡¯t touched a single pan or bothered buying anything beyond ready-to-eat meals. Maybe later, he thought vaguely, he could take a look at the market in town.
And he had still to explore the ¡®inner market¡¯. But later.
Stepping outside, the cool morning air greeted him. He hadn¡¯t taken more than a few steps onto the road when a familiar voice called out.
¡°Mithras! Over here.¡±
Luca turned, spotting Mars leaning casually against the wall near the entrance. His dark hair was tousled, his grin sharp and knowing¡ªbut there was something else in his eyes today, something that made him recall the creatures from his first mission. Pushing off the wall, Mars approached, hands stuffed lazily into the pockets of his jacket.
¡°Heard you made it back in one piece,¡± he said, his tone light, though his gaze swept over Luca. Evaluating. Then he smiled. ¡°Congrats, Agent. Two missions under your belt and a shiny new promotion. Not bad for a rookie.¡±
Of course Mars already knew. Pendulum¡¯s rumor mill moved faster than lightning while everyone else was still stumbling or even crawling.
¡°Alive is good enough for me,¡± Luca replied dryly.
Mars snorted, shaking his head. ¡°So humble. But that¡¯s alright¡ªyou¡¯ll have plenty of time to get cocky by the end of the month. The celebrations will be something else. You¡¯ll meet all sorts of people.¡± He paused, his grin sharpening further. ¡°And speaking of people¡ They¡¯re talking.¡± He gave Luca a pointed look.
¡°People talk too much,¡± Luca shot back, his tone dismissive. He didn¡¯t like being the center of attention¡ªit wasn¡¯t safe, especially not here. But what choice did he have? Shawn was his priority, and if breaking records and stepping into the eye of the storm was what it took, then so be it.
Mars chuckled, clapping Luca on the shoulder with just enough force to make him stumble without causing him pain. ¡°Maybe. Just watch your back¡ªthere¡¯s a lot of piranhas circling. They don¡¯t like it when someone new makes waves. And those who do like it¡¡± He trailed off. ¡°¡well, they¡¯re usually the worst kind.¡±
Luca nodded, his expression sobering. ¡°Thanks for the heads-up.¡± After a beat, he added, ¡°Breakfast?¡±
Mars tilted his head, a playful gleam flashing across his eyes. ¡°If my junior asks me so nicely, how could I possibly disappoint him?¡±
As they headed toward the dining hall, Luca caught a flicker of movement at the edge of his vision¡ªa flutter of wings, a flash of black feathers. But when he turned to look, it was gone. Probably just a trick of the light.
Probably.
Chapter 40 - No pressure
Breakfast wasn¡¯t bad.
Yes, Luca had paid for both meals ¡ª but his ''food points'' weren¡¯t sparse, and the conversation made up for it.
Mars knew a lot. It wasn¡¯t just about people ¡ª other recruits, agents, specialists from Delta-M, L, and N ¡ª but also about missions, Mysteries.
He spoke of his own supervisor, Minerva, whom Luca had recently met, and two of his coworkers at the same level (though he didn¡¯t give their names), about a ''prick'' called Lorenzo (whom Luca knew of but had never met), and advised him to ignore any message from ''Norseway''... and then sprinkled some wisdom about a cruise ship filled with zombies, an underwater temple, and what Luca was almost sure was a joke about a car and an endless route.
The talk stretched across almost all the free time Luca still had before the meeting, but he couldn¡¯t cut Mars off when many of the things the man said were about Mysteries Luca had never heard of before. Besides, something soon became clear: this man wasn¡¯t a simple Agent. Luca was sure that Mars was stronger than he had appeared at first contact, and perhaps even beyond a Specialist.
Sitting across from him, Luca felt as though he¡¯d tripped over a rock only to discover something akin to a Tom Bombadil hiding behind it. Except this version came with sharper teeth, and rather than being under a rock, he had been perched atop a tree, watching below for something Luca couldn¡¯t quite pin down.
He didn¡¯t know anything about Mars beyond what the man chose to reveal ¡ª which wasn¡¯t much. Or perhaps nothing at all. Mars spoke of everyone and their mother, yet never of himself.
¡ But then, this said something about him, didn¡¯t it?
So, at his current moment, it was better for Luca to have a good relationship with his senior.
¡°See you around, Mars,¡± Luca said as they parted ways, still gripping the substance of their talk.
¡°See you around, Mithras,¡± Mars replied, flashing one last smirk before disappearing into the crowd like smoke let loose on the wind.
The path to Michael¡¯s office had become familiar to him, even though he had been in Pendulum for less than ten days. Reaching the Main Building, he nodded at the receptionist ¡ª absently noticing that her fingernails were black that day; he didn¡¯t know if they were painted or not, but considering the current atmosphere, the color could be taken as a statement.
Mars had (almost) carelessly mentioned that more than twenty-two people had not returned through all the levels, and ten were still ¡®pending.¡¯ Pendulum had not suffered such a loss since decades ago ¡ª something about 1982? ¡ª but beyond that, many of the dead had been known to their coworkers, their supervisors.
Perhaps it was this grieving air that made the corridors empty, the normal volume of noise faded to a distant whisper. Only his footsteps echoed between the walls. He felt like a living being crossing through a dead place.
As the door finally came into view, Luca hurried, reaching it with a slight shortness of breath. Perhaps he should allocate his two points straight to Endurance.
Michael was seated behind his desk, his black leather jacket hanging from his chair but his sunglasses on. He had his sleeves rolled up, revealing a series of dark ink tattoos swirling over his wrist. For some reason, Luca felt they looked¡ angry. Which wasn¡¯t something he thought simple patterns could show.
¡°Sit,¡± Michael said, gesturing to the chair across from him. His voice sounded quite tired ¡ª as if he hadn¡¯t been able to sleep for the last few weeks instead of just a day.
Luca obeyed, settling into the chair and folding his hands in his lap. He didn¡¯t speak, waiting for Michael to begin, and used that time to take a closer look at the office. It couldn¡¯t be helped. Even though he hadn¡¯t come there many times, he was sure there hadn¡¯t been a puppy wooden collection on the table before. They had unpolished lines and scratch marks, but there was a good amount of care put into them.
Were they Michael¡¯s or¡?
After a moment, the man leaned back and reached into a drawer, searching for something. He pulled out papers, a stress ball, and even a strange-looking puzzle before taking out a small wooden box. It was like the dogs, having a rustic finish, but when he set it on the desk, closer to Luca¡¯s side than his, and opened it, the interior was padded with red velvet.
Curiosity gnawed at Luca as he saw a disc, no larger than a fingernail, with a single ¡®P¡¯ etched on its surface, lying inside.
His fingers twitched.
¡°Your Agent badge. And one of your privileges from now on,¡± Michael said, pushing the box toward Luca. ¡°Well done.¡±
¡°Thank you,¡± he said with a nod. The golden mark glinted under the light as Luca picked it up, wondering what he was supposed to do with it.
Michael¡¯s lips twitched faintly ¡ª not quite a smirk, but close enough. ¡°Touch it with your bracelet,¡± he instructed.
Luca did as he was told, bringing the disc against the silver band on his wrist. To his surprise, it disappeared with a flicker of light, and the bracelet grew warmer, its surface undulating. But this lasted only a second. Soon it settled back, and the only evidence that something had happened was the new message:
[DELTA-M TRAINING ROOM HAS BEEN UNLOCKED.]
¡®Surprised¡¯ didn¡¯t begin to cover how he felt at that moment. He swallowed hard, playing along as expected. ¡°¡We have a training room?¡± he murmured, fascinated. To think he would get this upgrade so soon. Morrigan had gotten it, of course, but after getting the claws.
¡°I imagined you would need it for your latest Perk,¡± Michael gave him a smirk. ¡°¡®Acid,¡¯ huh? Offensive perks like this one are rare. The last time someone got something similar was a Delta-L agent ¡ªit was Fire Breath, I think.¡± His eyes drifted for a moment. ¡°Now, you¡¯ll figure out the details about it later. For now, we have more pressing matters to discuss. We haven¡¯t talked about the report, after all.¡± Even behind his sunglasses, it seemed like he was raising an eyebrow.
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The report, right.
¡°I¡ didn¡¯t submit it,¡± he admitted, embarrassment creeping into his voice. After getting out of the Mystery, his state had been so bad that he didn¡¯t even remember how he managed to reach the building, or even his bed. Hopefully, he had managed to arrive on his own feet, without making any scene that could bite his ass later. ¡°Should I¡?¡± He glanced around, realizing belatedly that he hadn¡¯t brought the tablet either, so technically there was no way to give it to him without returning to the apartment.
¡°Don¡¯t bother,¡± Michael waved his hand as if it didn¡¯t matter. ¡°We can talk now.¡±
Luca barely avoided frowning. It made sense to go straight to that, but¡ He¡¯d been hoping to bring up the health insurance for his brother. Perhaps after this. Michael had said that, after all. There was no need to grow impatient, right?
¡°Let me be clear. You found a hidden exit ¡ª no, don¡¯t say anything. I¡¯ve got three similar testimonies that said that without your input, no one would have thought about that, let alone achieved it. And you did it without triggering any Death Rules nor Omen Rules, in a situation that would¡¯ve left even seasoned Agents, even Specialists, struggling to think straight.¡±
For a moment, Luca felt the weight of Michael¡¯s gaze on him ¡ª an almost tangible cold that threatened to swallow him whole.
Sometimes he forgot. The people in front of him ¡ª they weren¡¯t what they seemed anymore.
¡°This is no small feat, Mithras.¡±
A shiver ran down his spine.
¡°Some are calling it beginner¡¯s luck.¡± It was obvious from the tone of his voice what the man thought about this. ¡°Others of us are not so blind nor arrogant against the fact that you led three others, including a more experienced rookie, out of their graves. With no manual, almost zero experience, and without offensive skills.¡±
Alright. Now he was feeling embarrassed besides a bit fearful.
¡°I ¨C I followed what I gained from my last mission, your advice, and what I learned around here.¡± He swallowed, repressing the urge to back off. ¡°Surely ¨C surely it wasn¡¯t that impressive?¡± Downplaying his efforts might seem counterproductive when he needed to stand out for his brother¡¯s sake. But the last thing he wanted was to become someone who attracted the scrutiny that warranted an in-depth (under-skin) analysis.
Michael¡¯s lips thinned, and he leaned forward, resting his elbows on the desk. ¡°You¡¯d think that.¡± He said, slowly, the pressure still there. ¡°But I¡¯m sure you have already heard about how many we lost just yesterday. Six of the ten from Delta were from our squadron.¡±
Luca¡¯s heart throbbed. ¡°So many?¡±
¡°There has been talk of a curse,¡± he muttered, gesturing as if saying ¡®what can you do?¡¯ but there was nothing casual in his voice. ¡°Now, let¡¯s agree to have a disagreement about your skills. Facts speak for themselves. This, however, isn¡¯t something I¡¯m telling you to get cocky and then killed for reckless behavior.¡± He pushed his sunglasses up slightly. ¡°It¡¯s a warning.¡±
The words from Mars came to his mind at that moment, and he straightened his shoulders, nodding.
¡°As an Agent, you¡¯ll start receiving individual tasks. Given your performance and personal record, your level won¡¯t offer you much protection. Those missions must be approved by the Manager and the senior agent in charge of you ¡ª me.¡± He paused for a moment. ¡°I won¡¯t babysit you. My approach may come off as hands-off, but I¡¯m sure you understand that Pendulum isn¡¯t the place to be coddled. However, I¡¯ll offer advice on occasion. Things¡ aren¡¯t as clear as I¡¯d like them to be here.¡±
¡°Understood,¡± Luca nodded at him. Solo missions. They were issued directly from the research teams. High-risk, high-reward. Perfect for him. Morrigan, Lorenzo, and Nabu ¡ª the ones about whom he had read more ¡ª had gone through a lot of them, so he had a lot of knowledge that he expected would help him soar. They were a not-to-be-missed opportunity to get his debt solved quicker than ever.
¡°The details will come straight to your bracelet once approved. But you¡¯ll have the final say. Keep in mind, though, you¡¯ll still be participating in mandatory missions once per fortnight. You¡¯ll have more control in the ''Work'' section. Make sure to balance accordingly. You wouldn¡¯t be the last one to get into a frenzy and then die for something insignificant.¡±
¡°Understood. Thank you.¡±
Michael studied him for a moment, letting the silence pass. And then he nodded. ¡°Good. One more thing: Tiberius has backed off for now.¡± He looked like he wanted to say something else but settled for a quiet sigh instead.
For now, he said. Even so, Luca felt a knot inside him loosening. That was one less thing to worry about.
¡°Now,¡± Michael said, his tone shifting, ¡°about that health insurance matter.¡±
Luca straightened his shoulders and maintained eye contact with Michael''s glasses. ¡°My brother,¡± he said quickly. ¡°I want him under Pendulum¡¯s care. Your doctors here are excellent, but I¡¯d prefer to keep him at his current hospital. His doctor and nurse know his case inside and out.¡±
Michael considered this, his fingers drumming lightly on the desk. ¡°Our doctors are among the best,¡± he acknowledged finally. ¡°And your request isn¡¯t unreasonable. However¡¡± He paused, leveling Luca with a piercing stare. ¡°If you want this resolved quickly, you¡¯ll need to shut up those bastards whispering about luck and whatnot.¡±
Luca¡¯s jaw tightened. ¡°I¡¯ll take another mission.¡± I¡¯ll do whatever it takes.
¡°Oh?¡± The man smiled faintly. ¡°So even with the security mechanism still down, you¡¯re willing to dive back in?¡±
Ah, that¡¯s right. To him, the matter wasn¡¯t so important when he knew how to get out in other ways ¡ª well, at least in those last cases. What if he got the Mystery about the zombie-infested cruise ship? He knew about the undead-infested town and even the one about the foggy island with mutants, but not that one. So yes. The lack of a security mechanism would impact him depending on what Mystery it was.
But he wanted to say yes ¡ª to assure himself and Michael.
He really wanted to say yes.
However, until his brother¡¯s care was secured, he couldn¡¯t afford unnecessary risks. Once that was taken care of¡ well, survival might not matter as much anymore. He¡¯d cross that bridge later, after hitting his face against the column.
¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Michael chuckled dryly, interrupting his thoughts. ¡°Miranda would have my head if I threw you to the pit without a rope. You still have two days left of rest. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll find something to do.¡±
Luca stood, his mind already racing ahead. ¡°Thank you, Michael.¡± Before leaving, he pulled a Chocolate & Almond bar from his pocket and placed it next to the wooden puppy collection on Michael¡¯s desk.
¡°Don¡¯t thank me yet,¡± Michael replied, his tone dry as he picked up the snack. ¡°Just don¡¯t die out there. Delta-M is counting on you to win the prize at the end of the month.¡±
Then it hit him. That competition. ¡°What¡¯s the prize?¡±
¡°A three-day stay at the company¡¯s hot springs. Haven¡¯t been there in two years, so I¡¯m counting on you.¡± Michael smirked. ¡°No pressure.¡±
Something told Luca that failing to secure the prize for them would make his life significantly harder.
¡°I¡¯ll do my best.¡±
A day at the spa didn¡¯t sound bad after a long month. And the cash bonus shouldn¡¯t be little, right?