The Detective's Daughter
Prologue: Early Retirement
"You WHAT!?" exclaimed Giuseppe after hearing Hillshire's last words
"Like I said, I quit the Social Welfare Agency."
"But...why? And so sudden! What caused you to do so?"
"I don't know..." Hillshire sighed "But I think it's about time I lay my hands off the dirty work of the government. I'll be finding some honest job as a banker, probably..."
"Is it because of something that had happened here? I mean, you did pull out such...well...request. I mean, I doubt Lorenzo would allow such request to be fulfilled, but..."
"Seppe, you don't know about my feelings towards her. She means a lot to me, and I think she deserves better."
"Hillshire! Come to your senses!" Giuseppe remarked "This means we're losing an fratello! You! And..."
"Triela? Yeah, I know. I just can't take it anymore seeing her each day, shoved into the killing fields, risking her life for me. She means a lot to me..."
Hillshire paused, taking deep breaths in between.
"I don't know since when, but...for all that matters, she's like a daughter to me—my daughter; my little princess."
"...and you're still a virgin...and single too. Have you been taking illicit drugs recently?"
Chuckling, Hillshire nudged Giuseppe in response "Shut up...!"
##
A day earlier, Hillshire--following a stream of his own 'consciousnesses'--decided to leave the Social Welfare Agency. It was after one of the bloodiest mission the SWA had to endure. A class started, and ended. Lessons had been learned. It was during a raid on an old warehouse, spawning with rumors about leaked secrets of the SWA obtained by Padania spies. It was planned to be short, simple, and accurate. No prisoners, no survivors. Yet, it ended differently.
Along with the leaked secrets, last evaluation of the coming operation was revealed to the Padanias stationed in the warehouse to retrieve the valuable information. They were given time—long enough to entrench and fortify themselves from the child assassins. As far as the best well laid-out plans, a single leak crippled the entire operation. It was a disaster for both the SWA operatives, and the Padanias.
The work of the SWA was effective, boosted by the quick reflexes of the child assassins and the cunning mind of some of its handlers. As it was originally planned, no prisoners were taken. Yet on the other hand, the SWA learned its lessons about deploying major operations carelessly without second thought. The act nearly crippled the child operatives and the Agency altogether. Rico was shot by her shoulder by another sniper, nearly killing her. If it wasn't because of the wind and Jean's quick action on taking over, both of the pair would have been finished. Henrietta saved Giuseppe from certain death with the cost of herself receiving the full punishment of a claymore mine. Petrushka and Sandro were cornered, shot several time, but were lucky enough to make it out of the extraction without further harm. Petra passed out along the way back to Rome.
Triela on the other hand, received a direct hit from a Barrett M82 .50 Cal sniper rifle by her waist which knocked her down. If it wasn't because of Hillshire's quick action, he would be next. Hillshire watched in agony as she struggled to breathe, lying in her pool of blood. The scene, the sound, the image reminded him of the time where he first met Triela. The churning sound of pants, the gunshot, and Rachelle's last breath still echoed in his mind.
##
The following day, Hillshire sent forward a self-retirement letter to Lorenzo, telling him he's quitting the SWA and vows to keep the word of the agency silent. In another condition, Hillshire also asked for Triela to come leave with him. Lorenzo complied after a series of debates and persuasion made by Hillshire, stating she would turn to another 'Claes' if she was to be left here with a new handler--despite the conditioning she'll take to forget him. And so, their story began...
This is a story between an operative and a handler...
A story of dedication, loyalty, and unconditional love...
A story of struggle and redemption...
A story between a 'single-father', and his beloved 'little princess'...
This is a story about The Detective's Daughter.
