55 Don't you...
The meeting and debrief had gone a lot better than I had expected. Their trust in me had been refreshing, even though they were all a bit skeptical. Though rightfully so, the things that I had told them were rather insane to think about. I told them everything. It had been an interesting site to watch their expressions changed as I went deeper into my explanation.
If they hadn't been worried in the slightest, I would have been freaked out.
That would have meant that they were already aware of such things. Alexis definitely told them a little, but I doubted she told them a lot, given that she was letting me talk.
It had taken a little bit of effort to fully bring them on board. A simple demonstration of an explosive punch with no visible signs of aid quelled most of their doubts. Something I was relieved about. Having more trusted allies was good, but we still had one major problem.
We didn't exactly know what we were supposed to be doing. At least I didn't know. The plan was to evade being captured by those men as much as we possibly could. However, that would put us on the defensive. A situation that I wasn't fond of.
We would, for all intents, and purposes be sitting ducks waiting for them to come and attack. None of the squad had been happy when I shared that bit of information, but I didn't regret doing so. Those boys were putting their lives on the line for me. They deserved the truth and nothing but the truth. The only problem was that I had to find something definitive to do.
"Do we really have no information on those guys?" Zacharias asked. We were all still in the living room brainstorming possible options and evaluating the ones we did have. We'd been here for over an hour trying to figure out a solution.
"None at all," I replied. My head was starting to throb again, but thankfully Alexis was already preparing the second dose.
"Can't you see the future?" Matias spoke up from his position on the couch. "We could use that and try and get more information."
"That's not really possible. My powers are much weaker than they are over there, especially since the North Wind doesn't exist here." She replied as she completed my dosage and handed it to me.
Gregor, who was a large man of Albanian descent, pursed his lips at the statement. He was a religious man; the whole notion of Deventus had not been taken well by him. Thankfully Alexis had been capable of steering away from any trouble that could have arisen, but he was very much not a fan.
"Any information gathering would take a while. Especially if we want it to be accurate and filled as few gaps as possible."
"Then what the actual fuck are we supposed to do?" There was no anger in Zacharias's question, but the annoyance was heard. None of them liked sitting around against enemies with unknown capabilities.
They would do it, but they wouldn't like it. We needed to be able to go on the offensive. And frankly, I agreed with the offensive mindset.
The issue was we didn't know who they worked with. I was sure that the man I'd killed probably worked with them, but I didn't know who else. On the off chance that they worked with the government, we would be in a lot of trouble.
"We try and get that information that we lack. We try and find anything in the records that might mention these people. I'll try and see what I can get with my powers. When we have enough information, we discuss our final plan. " Alexis said.
"Honestly, all we wanted from you guys was your aid in future endeavors. Better to confirm it now than later when we need to and don't have the time to." I said. I was handed the second concoction by Alexis and promptly drank it.
"But for now. We don't really have anything else."
What followed after was hours of jokes and insults flying around. When there's nothing to do, lingering on a problem often doesn't help. Soon after, they all had to go.
Even though they were willing to stick their necks out, they still had their regular lives to live. I was grateful that they were willing to let go of that life.
It probably wasn't a healthy thing, but I was grateful nonetheless.
Until it was necessary, I wouldn't call them up.
They deserved to experience that normalcy.
Over an hour, they all exited one by one from various exits. Until finally, only Alexis and I were left in the bunker.
I definitely could not go back to normal. I was a wanted and hunted man. I had to be cautious. "How did we escape the area?" I asked Alexis, who sat across from me.
"Multiple car changes and a fake crash."
"Matias allowed you to crash his car?"
"Took some convincing, but eventually, he conceded. You owe him 80000 now."
"I owe him? Weren't you the one that convinced him to do it?"
"Yes, but you were the one in need of saving."
I had no rebuttal for her statement and simply relented. "Fine, if we ever manage to clear up this mess, I'll get him a new car."
"That's the spirit."She teased. Silence descended after that. The atmosphere was solemn despite our best efforts.
"You sure those guys won't be leaks?" I furrowed my brows at her question.
"Of course not. you should know that."
"But I don't. We can't move around with impunity anymore. Our titles aren't what they used to be."
"I know. What do we do about the organization?" I asked.
"I don't know. My prediction range is so much more limited than it used to be. The predictions are also not as accurate as they used to be. So, I'm not sure I want to take the risk of antagonizing the organization just yet."
"I already did that by killing their men."
"Antagonizing anymore than we already have." A sigh escaped my lips at her response. We really were at a disadvantage.
"So we just wait and survive until we get the information needed?"
Seems like it.
"Can't you cook up something?"
"Arnaud, you know I can't. I've already said this. Predicting here takes actual effort and gives me migraines."
I lifted myself from my seat and began to pace around the room.
"Stop worrying so much, Arnaud. Whatever happens, will happen. Stressing so much won't help us."
I know that, but... I sighed as I allowed myself to fall next to her on the couch. "...it's upsetting."
"Tell me about it." We both sat in silence as we contemplated.
I eventually broke us both out of silence. "How did you die?"
A flash of anger crossed her face when I asked her the question, but it quickly disappeared from her face. "I got killed by a Lizard."
"A lizard?"
"Yes."
"Oh, okay"
I didn't push any further for information.
If she didn't want to elaborate, that was up to her. Eventually, I found myself dozing off into oblivion on the couch.
"Arnaud?"
"Hmmm"
"Don't you have a fiancee?"
"...Shit."
....
What was going on? Who were these people? As I lay in the dark and cold cell, I couldn't help but repeat those two questions. Nothing was making sense. And none of my questions were being answered.
The last two days had been a jumbled-up mess of pure confusion. I had arrived back home to the sight of a broken door and dead bodies. Blood and guts scattered around. I puked and retched before rushing inside to find Arnaud. I couldn't distinguish the bodies.
I'd been so deep in my horror and tears that I hadn't heard the footsteps until it was too late. Without being given anytime to think I had been taken in by this organization. They asked no questions and answered none.
I'd simply been thrown into this cell. For nearly two days, I was given no food or water. Every night I'd cried myself to sleep, and every morning I woke exhausted and cold.
The only saving grace was the bathroom within the cell.
They just left me in this cell until now. I had been forced out and made to walk to a new room. Then I'd forcefully been seated at a table.
Across from me sat a man with a full beard and wild-looking hair. His eyes looked dead, and his skin was pale.
What do you want from me? My voice shook as I spoke. It was all I could do to put as much bravery into my words as possible. I didn't understand what was happening.
The man leaned forward in his chair, allowing the only light in the room to fully illuminate his face.
"Well, that depends. What do you have to offer."
