The Detective's Daughter
Chapter 10: Intermission
The coin shines as sunlight reflects from the object as it flips over and over again by the young Israeli's talented hand. It glides through his fingers back and forth with relative ease; like a puppeteer commandeering its puppet. The boy sighs, tossing the coin up with his thumb before catching it with his left hand. The boy starts in Hebrew:
"Ehud, have you heard what's going on lately?"
The handler didn't respond before taking his seat. Between the two of them, Hebrew is their preferred language.
"If its Rachel's recent encounter, I have."
"Shouldn't we take action? I mean, we know they are gaining on them."
Ehud sighs. "Patience my boy; we're waiting for the opportunity. I believe Rachel and Fernando are having a 'talk' with their conscience; we will go there and have some coffee to discuss it."
Luke nods. "I'll contact Claes when she arrives and..."
"Luke..." his handler's voice stops the young Israeli in his tracks. "Do you know the consequences if we were to helped Triela now?"
"...yes sir." His reply is hesitant. "There is a possibility we would be fighting old 'friends'..."
"You know Claes will be involved."
He turns his head sideway hoping not to face the question. He clutches the coin hard, hesitant of his decision and his answer but managed to peep it nonetheless.
"...yes sir."
##
Triela watch as her 'father' converses openly with the young woman they met in Friedhof Heerstraße. She constantly shifts her eyes to the left and right, veering her focus towards anything outside their conversation. She recognized how close they were and how acquainted they were with one another. She didn't mind for the most part but felt a slight jealousy towards this young woman whom her 'father' could openly discuss without having the slightest feeling of shame. Yet she kept her composure and follows through to the end.
A phone call became her saving grace
The call was short but was clear of its purpose. Triela recognized the new things she face as she took up civilian life; her new cell phone being one of them, a gift from Hillshire after her enrollment to John F. Kennedy School. Through the course of her new life she met new friends; normal, to her standards as she do recognize the difference of power she held against them, but nonetheless they are no different from her. They were all human; teenagers growing, learning and interacting with one another and scurrying to find their purpose in life. She, too, had taken up the same path as them and is happy of her new life.
"Hillshire, Maria just called." She stated. "They wanted to take me somewhere for lunch; a class gathering, so to speak. I'll be going, ok?"
"Do you have enough money?"
"Of course I do. I save my lunch money for weeks in case of such event!"
She gathers her belongings, hastening her pace as the two continue to talk nonchalantly as if she was never there at the start. Their voice became inaudible with time as she moves further and further away before the sounds of the urban life takes over.
##
The little white fur-ball purrs as she is released from her small enclosure and up to her owner's caring arms. The little mischief is amongst the little things that gave joy to the young operatives in the Agency, taking the form of a kitten. Claes cuddles the little creature as it purrs softly and adjusts itself to her master's arm before kissing her face. The young operatives could never draw their attention away from the kitten despite their handler's objections.
"She's so cute...!" little Adrianna said as she strokes her fur. "Where'd you found her? I'd love to have a kitten too!"
Claes giggles. "I didn't found her, Adrie. She found me with the help of someone."
Adrianna giggles softly. "Luke, was it?"
"It must be Luke! I've heard about him from the others!"
"Well, that's right Rebecca..."
A grin runs through Rebecca's lips before she dances forward with glee, ahead of the others. Claes sighs of both happiness and discomfort as she takes the peaceful air that runs through her nozzles and her lungs. She felt something; something uncertain, unsure, undetermined. She knew something would go wrong because this is Triela they were after—her friend, her colleague. She never liked the idea of having been required to capture—or even eliminate—someone whom she had known for a very long time.
"So...how did she catch her interest towards the 'red-dot' Claes?" Anica ask as she held out a laser pointer towards a path ahead of them. Liora leaps out of Claes' arms and begins her attempt on pouncing the little 'red-dot'
"A-Anica! Don't turn that thing here!"
Anica redirects the pointer back towards Claes arms, allowing her to recapture the little feline and carry her in her arms
"Well, thank you. At least she didn't go too far..."
"So...how did she gain interest?"
"It's a long story; it was Triela's idea at first."
Anica nods. "Ah, so it was hers...interesting and very useful indeed—and creative too."
"It sure is."
Triela was her roommate and was her closest friend in the Social Welfare Agency. At times Triela would open up to her and express her feelings about her life despite knowing that Claes would rarely or even choose not to express hers, knowing she would normally play the listener. Most of the time she would give an opinion or a suggestion considering Triela's situation; she knows in and out what Triela is like and she held strongly not to use this advantage to forcefully strike her. It was Triela's idea of using a laser pointer to tease and play with Liora, the Agency's unofficial pet cat, and to tease other with the same method. They laugh and cry together and have been doing it since until Triela's decision to follow Hillshire to desert the SWA three months ago.
Now she felt everything she had earned would be shattered—her trust and her friendship.
"A moment later that white fur-ball would somehow explode into a ball of fluff..."
"I really don't want to see that happening Antonio..." Marco reply. "I really don't..."
"Hey, it's a just a little joke to ease the situation up, you know?"
Megumi sighs. "Sometimes too much of a something is bad for your health. Focus on what we're up against!"
Andrew chuckles.
"A good laugh wouldn't hurt sometime—nice try, though Antonio."
"There's Wesley, and there's you Andrew..." Antonio sighs before he, too, let out a chuckle. "At least you're better than Wesley to a large extent! That serious bastard..."
He pauses for a moment.
"Say, that's the walking chips-eating cake, right?" Antonio said as he points towards the group of children standing in the airport's outer gate. "It is them...!"
"Matthew wouldn't be pleased if he heard that joke from your mouth..." Marco comments. "...especially the girl you're making fun of heard that!"
"...although..." Megumi chuckles, "I would love to see her ripping you to bite-size pieces—just for fun's sake by the way."
"Lucky you you guys are on a different mission." Marco said. "I guess this is where we'll go our separate ways; good luck! If you found anything, contact us; I'll be joining team 2."
##
Aside from the atmosphere the operatives were having, the handlers face things differently. They received the orders clearly to recapture Triela and to eliminate all party involved with her—this indirectly meant Hillshire's termination. Emotions were stirred between them, but mostly were kept hidden away from each other's knowledge. It is something best to keep private; and should stay so until the time is right.
The fratellos have begun to gather in Berlin for the purge towards Triela and Hillshire. Each of them was accompanied with mixed feelings, spawning from excitement, uncertainty, anger and excitement towards their new goal. The reunification meant the reorganization of the group in order for the SWA to easily maintain and control the progress of this on-going mission as funds were continuously generated. Group 2 and 4 were reorganized into one and were to search for Triela and Hillshire's whereabouts in West Berlin, while team 1 and 3 were reorganized and were to search for Triela and Hillshire in former East Berlin, widening their search radius.
Days were strained as the search continues with little to no luck towards Triela and Hillshire's presence. Some handlers and operatives begun suspiciously believe Triela and Hillshire had left the country since and their search efforts were in vain. The Social Welfare Agency slowly begun to digress their effort on funding the fratellos towards other teams still operating within Rome's vicinity as they, too, slowly believe that Triela and Hillshire had both successfully disappeared from their radar. Suggestions upon enrolling the young operatives to schools in Berlin were rejected, as doing so would expose their presence towards Triela and would involve a greater number of eye-witnesses towards the Italy's dirty use of children as assassins. Internationally, the SWA had kept its secret from the world of using children as child assassins and of the mechanical body once stolen under the nose of the world.
##
For Triela, things were turning for the better despite the fact Roberta Guelfi had decided to stay with them until her client's case in Germany resides. The case did end successfully, with victory achieved by the young attorney. She left them, but said to return some day if time provides. Hillshire would gladly receive her anytime she visit, but not for Triela. Each day during her stay Triela could feel the change happening within Hillshire during Roberta's visit—she knows. The way he talk, how he interact and how he work change when she was staying in. Her leave serves as a momentary break for her to reorganize and return to her life.
School serves as a getaway for Triela as she slowly distances herself from Hillshire further and further. It serves a different atmosphere; a new and a friendly atmosphere than that what she receives at home and at her part-time job—Hillshire's bar. Her friends were exceptionally supportive towards her and by the year she will be graduating 11th grade and will be promoted to the 12th where it will serve as her last year. By that time, she prayed the Agency had given up on her.
Aside from her studies, she too had slowly recognized Roland's growing attraction towards her. She is, after all, one of the school's renowned female basketball players in Team A and it was not to her surprise that she found many of the males in her year level and below running for her and idolizing her despite her attempt to completely ignore them. Roland is a different case.
Unlike the others, Roland gave a different vibe towards her; calm, friendly and reliable. It was his nature, possibly, or maybe due to his attraction and yet that is a question she constantly kept in her head. She knew clearly that she could never make a memory between them knowing how the SWA were still hunting her and she would regret herself to know that she had involved someone she never wished to be involved into the problem. Innocent were amongst the highest casualty rate in any battle as they receive the greatest toll the opposing could give; Frederick is an example. Triela could clearly remember how she held her M1897 shotgun to his face that day in an attempt to give him the 'mercy shot', and yet the Agency's intervention prevents her from doing so. Before long he joins the ranks of the child assassin where they once fought together, side by side. Roland made her feel the same way, and that she would never wish to see him involved with anything regarding her life.
A month passes with no signs of contact from both sides, a month of void.
The rain and the cool air greet the world of the coming winter. It was the 25th of September.
##
The former East Berlin was quieter as the dark cloud pours constantly. Not far from Checkpoint Charlie, Anna looks up to the sky as the rain poured down on her much to the amusement of the rest of the team. She smiles as the droplets splashes her; an eerie yet wicked smile much to the amusement of the others. The handlers decide to ignore her as she sunk into her own emotions. The operatives stare in confusion.
"What the hell's wrong with her?" Sophia asks. "Tch, generation 2s..."
Gewehr fixes his glasses. "At least she's more refined than how you react towards Frederi..."
A sudden jerk towards Gewehr's neck is her answer towards his remarks. Chocking him high, Sophia glares at the boy as he struggles to breathe; his right hand tries to reach her shoulder. Her grip hardens before slamming him helplessly to a wall.
"Listen to me you dimwit!" she barks. "No one mentions that fucking name in my face, understand? The moment I have the chance I will strike him down!"
She displays her superiority over the rest of the operatives with her action. Gewehr was eventually released to the ground with one swift move before Sophia eventually leaves with the call of her handler. He chokes and coughs from her grasp; his wrist-blade extends moments later after she left the scene.
"Damn..." he curses, but decides not to elaborate further. "I'll show her...if only I could do it quicker..."
The boy struggles to stand as the blade retracts to where it is concealed; the impact from Sophia's grasp and aggressive action leaves a memory of how superior 3rd Generations were. His body violently shakes out of control as he tries to fix his glasses, taking deep breaths in between.
"Damn bitch..." he curse, "...such a sensitive bastard are you...?"
Under the rain, Anna continuously stares at the sky.
"...The Earth..."
"Excuse me? Anna you said something...?"
"The Earth is thirsty..." she states. "...for blood!"
The rest of the operatives never have the clue about Anna's past. She was a mysterious one; a silent young one who rarely converses with the rest of the operatives despite her pride she constantly exhibits and her cool attitude during a mission. It was rather of a surprise for them to see her curious attraction towards the rain and her large killing intent she possess sometime.
"She could be a good girl once..." comment Laine as she stands beside Gewehr. "I mean, we did have talk together with Petrushaka and Rico—it's a girl thing, so you shouldn't have a clue."
"What do you mean...?"
"That girl..." Laine sighs. "...that girl feels different somehow from what she is comparing it to that day. As if she's someone else—someone you don't wish to interact with."
"A second personality...?"
"There's a huge possibility it might be." The older girl nods. "It could be triggered by the rain...whatever she had gone through, I believe it is not pretty."
Anna's laughter echoes moments later; laughter no one in the team could ever forget.
"Well, lucky us..." Laine continue, "The Agency had decided to pull us out. Padania has been working double-time since our leave, so there's a chance we'll return to Rome. Good luck! You'll be staying with her and Rico and Sophie for a very long time!"
"Lucky me..."
##
West Berlin receives the downpour similarly to the rest of the city that day preventing an all out search. Some operatives were operating outside, looking for any clues of Triela and/or Hillshire under the rain with photos of them shown to many—thousands showing no end or a clue leading to them. Group 2 and 4 received similar punishment to march in the rain shoving photos, but were soon returned to the hotel after Henrietta show signs of illness. Eventually the rest of the operatives from group 2 and 4 gathered in one room, waiting for the order to move again and continue their search. They do what they usually do to kill time: talk, tease, play board games, but most of all playing UNO
"UN...AAAATCHOO!"
"UNO Henrietta...!" Rachel smiles with glee. "Things are going great now!"
"T-that's not fair! I'm feeling unwell and you guys should show some mercy!"
"But you always dominate the game, Henrietta." Mina reply. "It's nice to gather here and..."
A red-dot glides across the deck of cards. The operatives wonder what it is before, with little expectation, a white kitten leap towards the center of the play-deck as it chases the dot vigorously. Claes slaps her head with her deck of UNO play cards as she watch her 'smuggled' pet dances in the center, chasing the mysterious red spot.
"Muffin...! Cut that out we're playing here!" Claes said towards the young girl in her restful position with a bag of chips strewn across her as she grabs a handful and devours them. A laser pointer is in her left hand. "Muffin ...!"
"Ok, ok! Wait lemme' run this somewhere...geez..."
The red-dot runs towards a girl.
"Hey, ahaha...stop it! Muffin please...!" Rachel giggles as the kitten prances around her lap.
Claes sighs, but smiles at the sight. "What am I gonna' do with all of you?"
The door to their room open, the operatives turn their attention towards the door. The boy, standing there with his full-gear strapped and his field grey trench coat covering his light grey shirt sighs. "I'll be going out for awhile; think I'm getting something for us to snack on—I need the air too."
"I don't think you should be going out right now Frederick." Claes reply. "It's raining and..."
"A little rain won't hurt. Besides, there's the U-Bahn—I can use it to get around Berlin. And hey, I need to take a good look around Berlin once in awhile; it has been sometime since I walk around this city."
Claes sighs. "Alright, but take care of yourself. Don't come to me and complain if you did catch a cold!"
"Don't worry! I can take care of myself just fine!"
##
Roberta Guelfi once again reenters Triela's life that day, having said she received the vacation she demanded for weeks. The doorbell to her apartment rang that morning around 6.57AM, a minute before Triela left the building. She was tired, exhausted, but is happy to see both Hillshire and Triela again, mentioning how she'd love a tour around Berlin with them. Triela left a minute earlier, knowing Hillshire would definitely took her in and would promised her a tour around Berlin. Triela however, couldn't care less of what Hillshire do.
"I'll be going now."
Triela slowly sees the need for her to be independent. With Roberta in her home, Hillshire didn't respond that day. She left without saying another word.
Author's Note:
Once again, here's a disclaimer:
I do not own Gunslinger Girl. Character Ehud/Luke, Wesley/Sophia, Brandon/Mina, Andrew/Anica, Clayland/Laine, Antonio/Adrianna, Rebecca/Megumi, Fernando/Rachel, Savyna respectfully belongs to Colonel Marksman, West Nile(s), rusty-spring, Probit Return, sasahara17, ElfenMagix and Triela.
Oh! Little white kitten Liora belongs to Colonel Marksman.Frederick H. Koch, Klaus Falman/Anna Rutherford, Vato Falman/Gewehr Hess belongs to Panzer IV (me) and may not be used in such without permission from the authors. All characters above came with their author's permission
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