The Day of the Sniper
Written by: Tribunal
Disclaimer: Gunslinger Girls are not owned by me. Neither is Frederick (that is by Panzer IV).
Summary: The SWA has been tasked to take down a dangerous Padania target. Just then, a new member arrives… to Rico's surprise.
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Piazza di Spagna
0000
3rd March, Thursday
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At the dead of the night, two teenagers were walking down the streets. One of them, with light brown hair and blue eyes, was wearing a khaki jacket and a pair of jeans, while the other, a blonde, donned on a blue blouse and a long skirt.
They seemed to be like an ordinary lovey-dovey couple, chatting to each other affectionately, cuddling closely.
Just then, the boy stopped, looked around before reporting into a mike, "Coast is clear, Hilshire. Are both targets arriving?"
"Yes. Target A will be in a Mercedes, Target B will be in a much smaller car. Be on the lookout for any planted snipers."
"Roger," Frederick replied before moving his hand onto the girl's shoulder. "Well, Triela, I suppose it is time to get into position. What about the dark alley over there?"
"Alright. I will be at that area," Triela replied. "Say, by any chance you are going to use your SG551s?"
"Bingo. And you are going to use the DE?"
"Nope, just my M1897. But I will have my DE for standby if need be."
"A shotgun out at open space? Oh I see. So you plan to blast their cars apart if they decided to use it as a shield?"
"Quite right. Furthermore these are high-ranked Padania; it will not be wise to let them get away, isn't it? Let's get into position, Frederick, before we get spotted by early guards or something."
"Roger."
The two cyborgs quickly moved into position. Unbeknownst to them, a stealthy eye was observing them. From above.
--
The Day of the Sniper
Prologue: The "Sniper"
--
Everything was going according to plan. At around 0005, the Mercedes and the smaller car were spotted. Soon, they proceeded with the weapons transaction.
"Well, if you require any more bombs, do not hesitate to contact Franco or Franca."
Triela heard that line and spoke into the mike, "Frederick, it seems that those are bombs from Franco and Franca. We got all the information we need. Proceed?"
Frederick could almost hear her smile from his location. "Will do. I shall take aim from here and kill the official, you go after the transaction deal…"
A shot rang through Triela's mike.
Then it was silent.
--
But the officials had not collapsed, from what Triela could see. Neither men were aware of the shot. Something was very wrong.
"Frederick. Are you there?"
The reply was a cough of blood.
"FREDERICK!"
"Triela, proceed with the… miss…ssion. Please."
"FREDERICK, WHAT IS WRONG?"
"…" There was no reply. Triela's face distorted with horror.
"Fre…derick? Frederick? FREDERICK!"
In sheer anger, she rose out with her DEs and killed both the official and the dealer within a few seconds. Both men were taken by surprise; they died before knowing what hit them. Then, with eyes full of tears, she ran back towards the spot where Frederick was.
--
She saw him collapsed on a pool of blood streaming out from the bullet hole on his shoulder and from his mouth. He was heavily injured, but not yet dead. For one, he was still breathing. Unsteadily, but still it meant that he was alive.
Triela stood there for a moment, then immediately crouched. Her hands softly caressed his face; her tears slowly fell onto his pale cheeks.
"Triela… I… am… proud… of you," he whispered out of his might.
"Please don't speak, we will go back safely. Please… don't die." She broke down, crying by his side.
"Triela! What is the matter? We are coming over to grab you two now! Hang in there!" Hilshire spoke from the mike.
Just then, both Triela and Hilshire heard a shot. It took only milliseconds later for Triela to register the pain from her chest. Immediately after, she blacked out.
With a sudden blank look on her face, Triela collapsed onto Frederick, who was barely conscious. Shocked, he slowly moved his available arm to gently shake her.
"Triela… Triela?"
She showed no response.
With all the voice he could muster, he shouted in despair.
"TRIELA!"
With tears freely flowing down his eyes, he cuddled her limp body and shook it as much as he could. For the first moment in his life, he felt… helpless. Helpless to save her, helpless to do anything to avenge her.
But as much as he shook her, she did not respond.
Then, he registered another bullet whizzing at his head. But he was too tired to move out of its way. Or he simply did not want to. The bullet hit his cheek. That was simply too much for him to bear. With wet, blank eyes, he fell back onto the ground.
Moments later, all was still.
Until the SWA came to gather their fallen members.
--
The operation was a total disaster. Thankfully, although both operatives were seriously injured, they did not die from their mission. But they had to have their bodies refitted with Generation 3 systems, and had to rest for a month.
The bullets that came out… were .50 calibre bullets. Just a few inches larger than Frederick's favourite bullet size.
--
When Rico visited them, together with Henrietta and Claes, and knew about their story, she realised that the opponent could only have been a sniper.
A very good sniper, that is. In fact, possibly even better than Rico ever was.
Although, even so, she did not dare to mention that to Triela and Frederick. It would dampen the jolly they had now, and their mood was essential to a quick recovery.
Speaking of the two of them, they seemed to have recovered from the shock, and in fact looked like a lovey-dovey couple once more. In fact, they had recovered so much that they were in fact chatting with each other non-stop. Oho, that is the joy that they could get from conversation. Or was it due to the fact that they had proven to love each other once again (ironically, from the failed operation's sequence of events), and the atmosphere they were creating seemed to benefiting themselves too?
No one would know. Save, perhaps a psychologist.
--
After Rico, Henrietta and Claes exited the ward, Petrushka approached Rico and told her something.
"Jean told me to tell you that… he is taking up another junior operative, in addition to you. He wants you to be in his room straight away."
Rico stood there in shock. Somehow, she had an idea that it had something to do with the failed operation.
She was right.