A/N: Chapter two right after chapter one is uploaded yay~! *le sleep deprived*. Here ya go.
Chapter Two
"Ah, well." It was the afternoon, and Cardinal Sforza had requested his presence. Tres calculated that it would take four-hundred sixty two seconds to reach her, but his presence wasn't required for another nine hundred. So, he had slowed his normally brisk pace.
He passed two novice Vatican patrol members outside their barracks. They were both talking, casually, not even noting his presence as he walked by.
"Ah, well," one had said to the other. "By then, he was dead anyway."
Dead. There was that word again. Ever since that night, it was haunting him. In distant conversations, being casually tossed about. Tres didn't understand why it bothered him so much. It was a word, just as any other.
He arrived four-hundred thirty eight seconds before his presence was required. As planned, despite his slowing pace. Or had he actually slowed down? No, past the novices he had resumed a normal pace.
He stood against the wall, like the obedient gunmetal hound he was. He needed to talk to Dr. Wordsmith about this uneasiness within him. It was out of place, and it needed fixed.
He was lost in the myriad of his thoughts when Sister Kate appeared in front of him. Her hologram blurred slightly before she spoke and knocked him out of his stupor. "Caterina-sama is ready for you," she said politely, and then disappeared.
Inside the room, his new master awaited at her desk. Her reading glasses sat atop her nose and her eyes were on papers in her hand.
"Ah, Tres," she said, sitting them down. "I was expecting you." She laced her fingers together and rested them on the table. "I need you to do me a favor, if you will. Nothing that will require you leaving the AX grounds."
"Yes, Caterina-sama." His response was robotic and obedient.
"I have gotten word that a few AX operatives have been less than… agreeable with our plans. Their loyalty has been faltering and they now pose a threat. Here." She handed him a paper, which he took immediately. On it was a list of operatives, their code names and unit numbers. Tres wasn't surprised to see Black Widow on the list.
"I want you to tail them, not all at once, of course," Caterina said. "Record any and all suspicious activity. Moreover, do not get yourself caught. Understood?" Tres nodded once. "Good. Any questions?"
Tres's hand twitched. Am I dead? The words lingered on the tip of his tongue, and he was conflicted in saying them. Apparently, she noticed this.
"Is there something wrong, Tres?" Caterina asked, confused. The Gunslinger never had any questions. He understood orders perfectly.
"Am I dead, Caterina-sama?" The words escaped him before he could decide against it. That had never happened to him before. What was that? Some slip in his processors?
"Dead?" Caterina repeated, even more confused now. "Whatever do you mean?"
"According to the Psychology of Self-Esteem, having emotions are a representation of consciousness. Consciousness means that a being is living. I do not have emotions, so I am not living. And according to definition 3 in New Oxford Dictionary 'dead' means 'having or displaying no emotion, sympathy or sensitivity.' I was created without emotions. Does this mean I am dead?"
Caterina-sama merely stared at him. Her blue eyes were wide and she looked shocked. What did this mean? Did this mean she agreed he was dead? Was she surprised he had discovered what he was?
Then, she smiled and looked down at her desk, to the papers sitting there. Of course. She did agree. Then, the Cardinal stood and approached him.
With her heels, she was taller than him, so he had to incline his head seven degrees to look at her. She put her hands on his face. "Tell me Tres," she said softly. "You would do anything for me, correct?"
"Positive."
"That is conviction," Caterina said, not showing her surprised. He had a lost look in his eyes. "Conviction is a belief. Tres, you have faith in me, correct?"
"Positive."
"Faith means you trust me." Her hands fell away from his face and she moved away. "Trust can be considered a hope. Hope is a feeling. Hope is an emotion. Tres, you are not dead. Do you remember what I told you the day we first met?"
"Positive." Of course he did. He would never forget.
"I told you you would live for me," Caterina said as she sat down. "And while you live for me, you cannot doubt yourself. You are living. You may not have emotions-" You may not believe you do, she wanted to correct herself "-does not mean you are dead. And you are forbidden to think this from now on. Am I understood?"
"Positive." His voice was slight quieter than before.
"Good," she said, waving her hand. "You are dismissed."
Tres nodded, turned and left. Despite Caterina-sama's words, worry still tore him apart from the inside.
