So, while trying desperately to write the final chapter of Decisions, my brain came up with this somewhat dark and twisty story. This chapter is essentially a teaser for the actual story so I hope that it will suitably whet your appetite. Be aware that I do not guarantee any happy endings with this story, but I hope that you will enjoy it anyway. How often I will be able to update will depend on how busy I get at work and how quickly I can write up the chapters (I have a number written already just not in the right order).
Anyway enough from me, please enjoy…
Disclaimer – I don't own the characters of SNK.
Chapter 1 – The Meeting
The waiting room was quiet, save for the sound of typing coming from the secretary sat at a desk opposite Nanaba. A casual observer might have regarded the tall, blonde woman as looking relaxed; sitting in a chair with her legs stretched out, crossing at the ankles, and her head resting against the wall behind her with her eyes closed. However, if one were to look closer at the tightness of her features or the odd twitch of her fingers then they would see the tiredness, wariness and tension held within her.
Nanaba was no-where near relaxed.
The sounds of typing stopped and Nanaba's eyes shot open. She blinked rapidly as her eyes adjusted to the harsh fluorescent light.
"You can go through now."
Nanaba acknowledged the secretary with a nod and lifted herself gracefully from the chair. She smoothed the material of her trousers and ran a hand through her short blonde locks before opening the door into the next room.
The first thing Nanaba noted about the room he had entered was how much darker it was than the waiting room. Rather than the bright strip lighting used elsewhere in the building, this room was lit by a softer light emanating from the multitude of lamp and lanterns dotted around. Even though it was night the city was still busy, and the light from the other tall buildings, pouring through the floor-to-ceiling glass windows along the back wall, also gave light to the room.
There were a few plants and painting breaking up the plain maroon walls and along the right-hand wall were two high-back, leather chairs with a small mahogany table between them, holding a carafe and glasses. The dark palette of the room continued as Nanaba registered the large, dark-wood desk inset from the centre of the back wall.
Her scan of the rest of the room now complete, the blonde woman turned her attention to the left side of the room, where four people sat at a large conference table. She looked over each person in turn and the reason for their gathering began to weigh down on her.
At the head of the table sat Erwin Smith, the head of The Scouting Legion, an organisation filled with the most highly trained and skilled assassins, and intelligence operatives, worldwide. If a company, political figure, or anyone who could afford their high rates, needed to find out information to ruin the competition, or wanted them out of the picture entirely, then The Scouts were the people to hire. This was the organisation that Nanaba had been employed by for the last seven years. Erwin regarded her with a solemn look, his blonde hair looking slightly dishevelled from running his hand through it too many times.
To Erwin's right sat the best assassin The Scouts had ever seen, Agent Levi Rivaille. Many rumours were often spoken about the small, dark-haired man, many of which Nanaba knew, from her experiences working alongside him, to be at least based on truth. He was a man who could make jobs that seemed impossible to others look the child's play, and he did it all without a hint of emotion.
Sat on Erwin's left was The Scouts' top scientist, and possibly the most dangerous person in the room, given her love for all things that could kill or inflict pain and her lax belief in ethics and morals; Hange Zoe. She had her glasses perched on her nose and her brown hair tied up in a messy fashion that for the most part kept it out of her face, although a few stands where dangling down in front of her face. She was fervently reading though various papers that were strewn across her area of the table, desperately searching for clues as to the cause of the events leading up to this meeting.
The final person in the room was Petra Ral, the best intelligence operative Nanaba had ever worked with. The petite red head was renowned for her ability to find out almost anything about a person from a single conversation. That combined with a friendly, yet passive, nature and her impeccable linguistic skills made her the most desirable operative for any job requiring discretion.
As Nanaba glanced at her, Petra gave her an almost sympathetic look. They had been involved together, briefly, although they had never acknowledged their meetings with anyone. Solid relationships and connections with people were never a good thing in their lone of work; something which the recent events had driven home for Nanaba.
"Please sit down Nanaba." Erwin gestured towards the empty chair at the opposite end of the table, which left a moderate gap between her and the rest of the group. "I apologise for asking you to join us at this late hour, but given the nature of the situation, we felt this needed to be handled quickly."
Nanaba gave a small nod in agreement. Erwin looked down at something written on one of the papers in a folder in front of him as he continued.
"So, our information states that you were the one who recovered Agent Ymir from the site of the explosion. Is this correct?" Nanaba nodded but did not add anything. "Can you tell us why you were in the vicinity, given that both Agents Ymir and Lenz were no longer considered a part of this organisation?"
Nanaba looked at Erwin, he wasn't asking maliciously, he was merely trying to understand.
"When Ymir turned up too receive her final payment she appeared… uneasy. I could tell that something was wrong so I decided to keep an eye on them until I was she they had left for good."
Erwin seemed to consider this reasonable, although he shared a look with Levi which Nanaba couldn't read.
"Before the explosion, did you see anything unusual?"
Nanaba took a moment to god over the events in her head for what felt like the hundredth time.
"There was a person stood at the entrance to the store, as I stated in my report, but I was too far away to be able to see what they looked like from my position."
Erwin frowned slightly before pressing on. "And when you found Agent Ymir she didn't say anything other than what's in your report?"
Nanaba shook her head. "No sir, once she regained consciousness she was only called for Agent Lenz." In truth Ymir hadn't been calling for the other woman, but rather had been screaming at the top of her lungs, to the point where Nanaba had to sedate her to be able to move her to a safe location. "Did you find Agent Lenz? I didn't get a chance to look for her while I was dealing with Ymir."
The look the others gave her made Nanaba's stomach tighten.
"The girl is dead. Identity was confirmed two hours ago." It was Levi who spoke, in his usual offhand manor. Nanaba ignored this and closed her eyes, letting her mind fully process the information.
In all honesty she hadn't held much hope for the girl. Although she couldn't confirm it for sure, she was fairly certain that the blonde hadn't exited the vehicle before the explosion; that along with Ymir's screams had made her ready to expect the worst.
It was a shame, Krista had been such a nice girl, balancing Ymir's somewhat abrasive personality perfectly. Nanaba didn't like to admit it but she had a soft spot for the two of them, both having been through terrible pasts but had found love in each other.
'They knew this life was a risk for them, that's why Ymir took this last job, to get them away from it all.' Nanaba thought to herself as she took a deep breath and opened her eyes again.
"Ok, let's start from the beginning. Talk us through Operation Titan, up to the Leonhardt assassination," Erwin asked.
Nanaba frowned in confusion, they had all been involved in the operation at one point or another. Erwin seemed to have read her mind because her added, "I want to hear it from your perspective. Not to mention out of all of us, you had the most contact with them."
Nanaba's frown dispersed and she shifted slightly in her chair to make herself more comfortable; they were going to be in for the long haul.
"Ok then, let's begin…"