NOVEL SIMPLE Chapter Seven: No Rest For The
Once in the safe zone, Bubbles manages to get us one of those army barrack tent-like things to rest in. Then she leaves again to search for people who speak the language. I asked Lyssa if I could learn it, but the points required are not worth such an investment. Suddenly, some PMC-looking guy walks into our tent. He is wearing some high-tech, entirely black armour. There are some silver snakes painted on, but that is it. He looks around in confusion before locking eyes with me.
“Are you the one in charge here? ” he asks.
“I guess, for the moment, I am. I am Maniac. Who are you?” I ask in response.
He looks a bit taken aback by that. I knew this name was going to cause issues. He does collect himself quickly and speaks.
“I am Bravo Commander Kurt Mason of the Ardens Private Military Company at your service.”
“Ooh, a Commander, do they force you to remember those lines by heart.”
“No, it is just expected. Where is Liquid Catalyst? I need to speak to her.“
“Ooh, about what? As her manager, I need to know why you want to see my client.“
“You are not her manager. You don’t have crazy eyes.”
“I'd like to point out that I am wearing a mask, so you can’t see my eyes in the first place.”
“Well, prove it then; take off the mask.”
“What, you want me to spill the goods? And you have not even wined and dined me first. How disappointing.”
At this point, Bubbles returns and seems somewhat confused about the current situation.
“What is going on here?” she sternly asks.
“Aah, madame Liquid Catalyst, this crazed woman claims to be your manager. I was reprimanding her,” the commander says
“You don’t have to do that. She is my friend, and I trust her,” she says, then turns to me. "And can you just behave for a few minutes?”
“Of course, madame,” the commander says. “I was only here to inform you on an important matter. We think a hive might have been formed inside the rat tunnels, and we would like your expertise on this matter.”
“What are the rat tunnels?” I ask, being somewhat confused with the term.
“It’s a group of fallout shelter escape routes. Because of the floods, the area has become unstable, and they all have connected in several areas, creating a maze-like network.” Kurt says.
Now Bubbles speak up.” So, I assume you need me to pump some chemicals into the tunnels to clear it?”
“Correct, madame, if it is not too much trouble.”
“I can help. Maniac. What about you, want to help clear a hive?” she asks.
“What about the girls?” I ask, “Are we going to leave them here?”
“ooh, right. I asked around, and Deatnite can speak Mandarin and is heading back anyway, so he will take care of them for us.”
“I see. Is there any way to tell them what is happening?”
“Ooh yeah, give me a second.” With that, she walks towards the girls and says something to them in a foreign tongue. It is somewhat awkward; it does not come out perfectly, but they seem to be nodding in understanding. After that, she walks back to me, “They know now. Shall we get going?”
“Yes, let’s go,” I say. “To where exactly?“
“Don’t worry. I had my car drive over here already, so we can take that to our destination.”
At that, she led me to one of the parking lots toward a car. It's more like a truck, with big red, white, silvery sliding doors similar to a garage. Blue lights are attached above the cockpit, and a folded-up ladder rests on it.
“Bubbles, please tell me that you drive the fire truck just for style and not for any logical reason? ” I ask her.
She is currently taking off her backpack and connecting it to different hoses in the truck. ” It's not a fire truck, but this form is convenient for carrying around a lot of various chemicals.”
“Sure, and the ladder is for when you need to save some cats from a tree, I guess.”
“Yes, exactly,” she excitedly says. “Come on, get in. We don’t have all day.”
As I get in, I ask a question that has bothered me: “So you have a manager?”
“Uhm, yes, she is nice.”
“And she has crazy eyes?”
“I mean, her eyes are fake. Cameras have replaced them, and they can change colour. Her name is Sparkling Magenta Explosion. She is a streamer who is a samurai as well.”
“I see. I will check her out if I have time.”
With that, we set off. I get a sudden notification, from an ID I don’t recognize. So, as I make sure I have my seatbelt on, you never know, Bubbles does seem a bit young after all, I open the new message
(Deatnite)
[hey there Maniac, this is Deatnite I am leaving to pick up your friends now, will be there in the next 30 min]18:23
(Maniac)
18:24[Thank you for taking the trouble, keep me posted]
I closed the messages and noticed that I had a lot of missed calls and messages. Which is strange. I should not have been without a signal at all.
‘Lyssa, why are my calls and messages not coming through? Is there some interference?’
Lyssa has been blocking non-emergency notifications, so you don’t get distracted during combat or other high-stress situations.
‘I see. Is there anything of importance that I have missed?’
Your boss and colleagues are mostly wondering why you have not submitted one file, data, or code. Besides that, Miss Agroria has sent several messages.
‘Can you send all the stuff I have done already to the correct people, and for the things I have not done, just give them an excuse about there being a fucking incursion. I will message Cierra myself, and with that, I will open the messages from my contracted girlfriend.
(Cierra <3)
[Evelin, you there?]8:53
[hey]9:10
[love, are you there]10:03
[pls pick up] 10:32
[I am worried] 11:24
[don’t die]12:01
[if you pick up, I give you anything you want] 12:23
[where are you] 12:49
[please say something] 13:05
This goes on for a while. It's kind of nice to see that at least someone is concerned about my situation. But I can’t let her stew in it for much longer.
(Evelin)
18:25 [hey love, I am fine, got stuck in the incursion but am out now need to take some tests, but I should get home tonight]
18:25 [you don’t have to worry]
18:25 [love you]
(Cierra <3)
[EVALIN YOU ARE OKAY!!] 18:25
[I was so worried about you] 18:25
[are you injured] 18:26
(Evelin)
18:26 [I have some superficial wounds]
18:26 [but I heal quickly, so be fine in no time]
“MANIAC!” I am pulled out of the conversation by someone screaming, “Are you even listening?”
“Well, now I am,” I say. “What were you talking about?”
“So I asked around and got some maps of the city. I found the best place to release a bunch of Dicamba on them. But it's still an active incursion zone, so please keep the antithesis away from me while I work. Do you think you can do that?”
“Yeah, it should be alright.”
“Are you alright?” she asks, concern in her voice. “You seem distracted.”
“Ahh, sorry, I am trying to convince someone not to send an entire private military group to pick me up,” I say, trying to defend my inattention.
“A what? I thought you said you were just a slave to them. Why would they send something that expensive after you?” she asks in confusion.
“Uhm, well, technically, that is all true, but to help satisfy the, let's say, client, I am acting as their girlfriend. So they do show some concern at times.”
“I don’t understand why he wants to pretend you are his girlfriend.”
“well, it probably helps them with the guilt they feel towards requesting such an act. Pretending I am their lovely girlfriend who loves them with all my heart is easier to digest than the slave who does not have a choice in the matter. But it has benefits for me. I get to see movies, go to fancy restaurants, and play video games. I am also allowed to take the weekends off because of it.”
“It sounds like you have to give up a lot for some basic luxuries.” She says, “Are you sure you want to go back? There is a spare room in my house that you can use until you figure stuff out.”
“That is sweet, but I am okay. I am unsure about how yet, but I will bring them down.” I say this out loud but also deep in my soul as my vow.
It does not take long for us to reach our destination. As we get off, I jump on top of the fire truck and scan the area. We are at street level, cradled between mega towers. The road is wide here, but the tall buildings cast tons of shadows, making it hard to see. Some model 3s and 4s are already coming our way, but nothing more significant than that.
I jump back down from the truck and get to work. It's wild how easy taking down these things has become. The model 3s are not much of a threat, and hitting the model 4 with the raven makes their tentacles freeze, allowing me to close in for the kill. As long as no big groups are coming, I can keep this up for a while. I know I am still not at my best, but it still amazes me how much I have improved.
Just as I think about how easy this is and what I should get for dinner afterward, I hear a loud bang behind me. Next thing I know, Bubbles' body flies past me and hits her fire truck.
“Fuck”