1.16.2 Creepy old man is not that bad - Part2

"Cho..choking me won't change the hard facts… and I have… already been choked enough." Girisia, experiencing the anger of the robotic man for the first time, didn't panic. The chains were not as harsh on his throat as Tarkov was. And due to this comparison, he understood that Wilkis may be angry but he won't let his emotions sway his actions by much.

The pressure on his neck was not too much, he could still breathe and talk albeit with some trouble.

And as he thought it loosened on not just his neck but his body too. Causing him to fall on his bed.

'This old cunt… at least he is not as crazy as Tarkov.' Looking at the ceiling, Girisia took deep breaths. 'I need to learn to shut my mouth off… Wilkis is a sensible man, others in his place may not be the same.'

Girisia had just noticed a certain pattern about himself. Whenever he finds a troubling situation or is at a disadvantage, his mouth will go off for no reason. His act of a sensible nobleman will break down and he will return to his true nature.

It happened when Girisia was hunted by the Siren. Happened again when he was interrogated by Tarkov in the hospital. And the same with women named Farsight and now, Wilkis.

If he wishes to live in this world, he needs to adapt fast.

'I need to retrospect all my actions from now on…' And adapt fast he did. Albeit a bit slow.

"Sorry for that… this rarely happens to me anymore." Wilkis directly apologized, he was not a senseless man who got swayed by primal emotions so easily. But his mother was a sensitive subject for him.

"What rarely happens?... Your human emotions?" Girisia asked with a smirk on his face. He liked to see the old man apologize to him.

But Girisia didn't get a reaction, instead, Wilkis looked at him with his usual stone face and asked Girisia a question he previously asked for clarification. "Will she go berserk in the future?" He asked, with a pained emotion. An expression Girisia had never seen before.

And knowing the amount of respect Wilkis had for this woman, this time he respectfully answered. "Yes, she is way older than you… and you know the curse of the mutant path." He emphasized.

Though to not make Wilkis too worried, he added. "But it will only happen in six years later. So you still have time."

Hearing that his mother still had six years left before she goes berserk, WIlkis's mood lightened a bit. Then looking at Girisia again he spoke with a hush sound. "Thank you…"

Now he knew and felt glad to learn of this disastrous information so early. The reason why he wanted to work with Girisia instead of using him was that he wanted to obtain information like this and from the way Girisia spoke, he also understood how Girisia felt at the moment.

There was a hint of remorse inside him, along with some really funny emotions. Wilkis understood that Girisia may have a trash personality on the inside, but he was not a bad person.

"A thank you won't do Mayor, reward me with something more… something better. How about a grade two regen serum?"

The moment Girisia earned some respect from Wilkis, he lost some of it the moment he opened his mouth.

"Of course, I had already delayed the first serum for too long. You will receive both of them by tomorrow." Wilkis promised. He didn't question why a mortal like Girisia will ask for a regen serum that can only be used on grade two individuals.

He had already heard a lot of details from Girisia and he understood that the object Tarkov was bringing probably had something to do with it.

It would be a lie if he wasn't curious about the bone marrow Tarkov will be bringing. He even wondered how happy Farsight maybe if she obtains it.

But knowing the importance of Girisia and his short lifespan, he thought it would be better to suppress his desires a bit. If this thing can help Girisia recover and help him walk on the path of transcendence, then it will be worth it.

The knowledge in his head is just that precious.

*****

"So he met with Yoshikov a few times?... What did they talk about?" Tarkov in his new clean clothes with a small bag on his back asked Slain who had the job of keeping Girisia secure.

"Nothing much… but from the words of Yoshikov, it seemed he was trying to poach Korus and seems to be close to succeeding too." Slain said without hiding anything, he had seen how familiar both Girisia and Yoshikov had become in these few days. So even if their talk may sound normal to most but for someone like him, he was able to assess and understand the intentions of Yoshikov.

'Interesting…' Girisia and Tarkov had a certain understanding, so he knew that Girisia won't be so stupid to change their team so fast.

He still had Girisia's desired item in his possession and if Girisia wanted to change sides, he wouldn't talk to Yoshikov in the open. Proving that he hadn't changed sides.

'So he had already started to work on his side of his deal.' Though he was close, Tarkov didn't know the one who approached first was Yoshikov himself.

"That's fine… is there anything else I should know?"

"No sir, besides meeting anoman regularly, Korus hadn't even made any bizarre move nor anyone else tried to approach him, things were uneventful during your absence." Slain lied naturally, he and many others like him had been lying in the same fashion for a long time.

"Are you sure about it?... you are not forgetting something?" Tarkov scrutinized again.

"Yes sir, nothing comes to mind at the moment…" Slain said, his eyes bright as ever before. And this genuine look alone was enough for him to get the answer.

He was not someone like Wilkis who can differentiate truth from lies by just looking alone. So Tarkov never picked up the lies. And after thanking his second in command for a good job, he moved toward Girsia's room

Ignorant of the surprise that lay on the other side of the door.

'I need to learn… what sort of entity's attention I have attracted.' Tarkov was curious, he had planned to ask Girisia about the 'Her' mentioned on the canister. He was already creeped out by the fact that something might be watching him this very moment and whether it was true or not didn't matter.

His experience in Hermat forest and the facility under it had already shaken him to the core.

So approaching the door which housed not only Girisia but a guest in the form of Wilkis. He rang the bell.

There was no need to hurry and he waited patiently.

"Who is it at this hour of the night?" Girisia's irritated voice came from the other side of the door. His tone is sleepy.

"Tarkov." He spoke in a suppressed tone, but not too low that it would sound suspicious.

It was already known in the eastern barracks that Tarkov had been on a break and whether he went into the city to rest or he was in the forest, his superiors didn't care. All they were happy about was the early arrival of Tarkov.

His being the original caretaker of Girisia also gave him a good reason to approach him at the earliest without making it seem suspicious.

"You came back early… well it's all the better…" With these words the door opened.

And it was not Girisia he found on the other side.

Instead, it was a man he dreaded and respected the most in his life.

"Ge… General?" There was no moment to act, Tarkov knew he had been found out and Girisia may already have been captured.

How this happened, why this happened, what gave him and girisia out, or Girisia's potential betrayal. Nothing came to Tarkov's mind.

He didn't have the liberty to use his brain for anything other than thinking. All he wanted to do was run.

Getting away as far as he could from this city was Tarko's only chance at survival in his mind.

Hunting Yoshikov and finding other members or Utena were all postponed at this very moment.

He needed to survive if he planned to have his revenge.

So he tried to flee in front of Wilkis.

Yes, he only tried, but his feet didn't move one inch nor his body respond to any thoughts.

'Grade suppression… no… it's way deeper.' Tarkov understood the feeling.

"No need to fear me young man, your friend and I have come to an understanding just now. And it just so happens you arrived on time too."WIlkis said with a nominal smile on his face, a smile that looked demonic in Tarkov's perception.

"No need to worry so much, just come inside and let's talk like adults." It would be a lie to say that the old Wilkis was not having some fun.