Reason to Live
Chapter 9: Rooting Them Out
March 5th,
Social Welfare Agency,
0700 hrs
(Claes' P.O.V)
"Claes…"
"Yes, Henrietta?"
"Is it just me…or is Brother Frederick and Triela have been together since morning?" I smile carrying my tray to the queue
"It's just you. Just you…."
My hypothesis was correct after all. After last night, Frederick's already back on his feet this morning. This is the first time we've seen him back in the Cafeteria after so long. Of course, he isn't alone. Triela is there, sticking to him like glue since 6:00 AM in the morning. When I woke up today, I saw Triela dressing herself with her usual detective-like clothing before she went out of our room. I got out of bed and followed her. Just as I thought, she entered Frederick's room. Around five to ten minutes later, they went out together. They peck, and they flirt. My head kept on saying 'Claes…this is the real thing…not from novels or books you read, but this is real!' soon after. Wish I have a camera to capture some moments. Of course, this was done away from Hillshire and the other handlers.
"…Triela seems different today…"
"Really? What do you mean, Hillshire?" eaves dropping José and Hillshire's conversation, I continue choosing my breakfast
"Somehow…she seems so…happy…"
"Ah, but isn't that good?"
"No! You got me wrong! I mean, I think it's because of Frederick…?"
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, she's been sticking to Frederick like stamp…you think they're, 'you know'." José chuckles after hearing Hillshire's opinion. For him, it's pure nonsense
"I don't think so. They're just close friends probably. Besides, conditioning has kept them inline. It's just you."
"I guess so…."
The handlers have taken notice of it, but don't seem to get the full grasp on what's going on between them. Frederick and Triela have also been taking measures so they wouldn't get caught by the handlers that they're 'it'.
"You see this dog tag?" said Frederick as he shows his dog tag dangling in his neck
"Yeah, why?" ask Triela
"Koch gave it to me when I first join the SWA. It's…something like my good luck charm."
"…What do you mean?"
"Triela, if I die in a mission, will you keep my dog tag?"
"Frederick…don't say such things…you won't!"
"But, will you?"
"…I will. I promise you." Then there they go again with some lovey-dovey
(Frederick's P.O.V)
"Gentleman, our next assignment is to root out these Padanias from their hide out. After their last attack on the Agency's main headquarter, leaving many dead or wounded, we've managed to secure a handful of prisoners and eventually, Intelligence Department managed to extract information from them."
The board room….usually, Koch is the one in here; not me. He would brief me after he went out of this room; but not today. Today, Jean's the one briefing me. I'm working alone this time; without any handler, without Koch. Our mission is to capture three of the high ranking Padania members involved in the attack on our Headquarter. They've managed to get out of Rome, but we've been able to track them thanks to the Intelligence Department for their hard work on interrogating captured ones.
"Frederick."
"Yes, sir?"
"You'll be working alone. Are you fine with that?"
"Yes sir, I'm confident that I'm capable of working alone." I answer with confident, wrapping briefings with it
I return to my room after briefings. Koch isn't here anymore, and so is his rifle. So I need to pick a new primary weapon. Looking around, I notice the StG 44 rifle hung on the wall, left untouched. When Koch gave me his collection of German WWII Era weapons, I only manage to use the Scoped K98K rifle for sniping roles and the MP40 for lightweight room to room sweep. When the SG551 came in my service, the weapon proved to be a reliable weapon; even in room to room sweep. So this time, I decided I'll kill them with the father of modern assault rifle, the rifle that gave Kalashnikov the idea for the AK-47's design: The StG 44.
"You're not going to use that…are you?" I turn towards the door and found Triela, standing there with her weapon holstered
"…Yes…"
"Frederick…that's outdated…"
"Yes, I know. But you've survived long using a weapon that dated longer than two of my side arms. I can hold." I point her shotgun, the M1897 Pump Gun or 'Trench' Gun and smile
"…Frederick…you're hopeless…"
"I know…thanks." I grab the StG 44 Assault Rifle, 5 extra magazines of it and walk to her "So, shall we go to the car park? The rest of the team is waiting."
(Triela's P.O.V)
March 5th,
Northern Italy, Milan
1000 hrs
Milan…a city located in the plains of Lombardy in Northern Italy. As I was briefed earlier, Intelligence Department is able to track down three of the Padania officers taking part in the assault on the Agency. Luckily, these three 'officers' are identified as three brothers, so finding one means finding the three of them. They're last spotted in the basilica of San Lorenzo, walking around with their bodyguards. Last time I went here leaves both good and bad memories. I lost my right eye in Milan in a duel against Pinocchio. Though our wanted target escaped, I'm happy that I managed to defeat Pinocchio bare handed. It's a tough duel, but I pulled it through.
We've been separated for a while for this one. Frederick alone will be scouting around the church in San Christoforo and gather info from local pedestrians and maybe street grunts. José and Henrietta will be scouting around Teatro alla Scala and, same as Frederick, they will be gathering intelligence and info from local pedestrians. Hillshire and I will be around the basilica of San Lorenzo. This way, we'll be able to cover pretty much of Milan by information.
"How fortunate! I know these brothers!" answer the pedestrian we've come to ask
"Really? Where?" Hillshire asks
"They're living not far from the church in San Christoforo. They usually visit the church this evening."
"Frederick, you hear that?" I ask him through the intercom
"…I heard it loud and clear."
"Alright…" I take a deep breath and sigh "…Just inform us when you find them, Ok?"
"Yeah, sure."
"…Be careful"
"Thanks. You too. Frederick, out." I smile after the end of the short conversation. His words are like a pillow for me, soft and comfortable "...Don't get careless…"
"Triela."
"Y-yes, Hillshire?" My mind immediately snaps out of my lala-land as Hillshire calls me with his usual voice. My attention was immediately diverted to him in a reaction
"…You're dating him; Frederick, I mean."
"W-what?"
"See? Your face is turning red." I was dumbfounded by Hillshire's quick notice of our current status. The conversation I had with Frederick earlier made him notices the whole thing between us. I was speechless. I don't know what I should say because I can't deny it. Conditioning supposed to make operatives; like I, to fully rely on our handlers such as Hillshire. Right now, due to Frederick's appearance, I'm not as fully dependant on Hillshire like I was used to be. He feels more like a handler now rather than someone I had a crush on.
"It's ok. I knew it all along."
"Hillshire?"
"For us, humans, spending your time with the person you care the most are one of the best moments in maturing. So I'm not surprised that situation like these will come up to you one day. I'm glad you're able to find that person."
"….Thanks….."
"Now, stay focus! Once Frederick locates them, we'll catch up with him. I'll contact José and Henrietta to catch up with Frederick."
March 5th,
Northern Italy, Milan,
1100 hrs
"So where are our targets?" Ask Hillshire as we catch up with José and Henrietta in a nearby apartment
"…"
"José?"
"…Frederick's interrogating them …"
(Frederick's P.O.V)
"WHERE IS HE?"
"I DON'T KNOW WHAT'RE YOU…!" I hit him in his face once, hoping he'll speak since he's now battered up
"Tell me…WHERE IS HE?"
"I DON'T….!" grabbing him by the collar, I held him by the window's railing as I intend to push him over
"Last chance….before my patience's out…."
"Curse you…SWA scum!" I push him over the railing after he said that, ending his life. The other two brothers are secured, knocked out cold and will be interrogated soon enough. I managed to chain one of them in the wall using their own interrogation toys they store here. With my surprise, these people were in charge on interrogating captive members from SWA; mostly section one's people. That answers where they got intel about us from.
"Tell me where who this 'terrorist' is!" I grab the second Padania 'officer' and push him to the window's railing for interrogation
"Tell me, what your intention is!"
"I-I DON'T…!" another fist on a face, another face turns blue and black as it starts to deform and bleed
"SPEAK! WHERE IS THIS 'TERRORIST' YOU'RE HIDING?"
"P-PLEASE! SPARE M…!" I hit him again and again before I draw my Mauser C96 and point it in his head to threaten him
"My gun has the tendency to blow Padania heads off!"
"I-I don't know where he is! I swear! I-I know his name! It's Giorgio Adriani…..p-please don't kill me…please…please…don't kill me…" I don't really care. I pull the trigger afterwards, ending the life of the 2nd officer
Last, I move to the 3rd officer, all chained up in the wall. This time, I'm going to make him speak with the dagger Koch gave me...
"Tell me where is this Giorgio Adriani is!" I swing my dagger on his left, cutting his left ear off as he struggles to break free
"AAAKKGHH! I-IT HURTS! IT HURTS!"
"That's why…speak!"
"I-I don't even know who he is!" again, I use the dagger on his face and created a deep wound passing his nose
"P-please! Stop! I-I don't know!"
"…Last chance before I pull your right eye out of its socket!"
"I-I don't know! I swear! Let me go! No! NOO!" And so I did. Using the dagger, I dig through his socket and pull his right eye out. Blood starts leaking through his right eye like water. The man screams as my dagger digs out of his socket, stained red from his blood
"E-enough…I'll speak…"
"Then speak. You should've done so earlier."
"He…he's in Rome…in an old abandoned apartment…apartment no. 5 near St. Peter's Basilica…they're leaving Rome…tomorrow afternoon…at 3PM…please…stop…I-I can't take this anymore…let me go…" I slit his throat afterwards, ending his life as José and Hillshire checks on me
"Frederick!"
"José, call Ferro for the clean-up crew. We're going back to Rome to find Giorgio and end this wild goose-chase once and for all…." I walk pass the bodies of their bodyguards lying in the ground, picking up my StG 44 Assault Rifle along the way. Hillshire was stunned by the scene beholding him. José turns on his radio and try his best to avoid the look on the scene as he calls Ferro as I pass by both of them.
"Frederick! Wait!"
"Yes, Hillshire?" I answer with my back facing him
"T-that action…that interrogation…its OUTRAGEOUS!" I pause…thinking for the appropriate answer
"…I'll do anything, and I mean anything to find him…and kill him. So that doesn't matter to me."
"Frederick! Think what will Triela and the other operatives think of you when she saw or hear about this!" his words rings in my mind. I stop my steps, and turn around to face him. I never thought of that…never…all I had in mind is kill, revenge, avenge. Her feelings…her thoughts…had never crossed my current mind. What am I after Koch's death? …A blood thirsty monster?
"…Control yourself, Frederick. Don't let your thoughts of vengeance control you. That…interrogation technique…is considered inhuman…" I was speechless. I try moving my mouth to say something. My mind keeps on screaming 'say something! You're not mute, say something!' but my body won't listen. I just froze
"I'll keep this a secret from Triela and the others this time. But I won't tolerate it the next time you act like this. Veerstanden?"
"…Ja…Ich verstehe…und, danke…" (…Yes…I understand…and, thanks...)
(Triela's P.O.V)
We return to Rome soon after. Hillshire told me that they're able to extract information from the three 'officers' and now has the required information to track this person named 'Giorgio Adriani'. Frederick kept on mumbling 'sorry' in German to me during our trip back to Rome for no apparent reason. I kept on saying its ok for whatever reason he's saying sorry for, but he kept on mumbling it. He fell asleep afterwards…in my shoulder, that is. José and Hillshire know our current status and decided to keep quite about this. Henrietta starts giggling all the way after Frederick fell asleep in my shoulder. I don't know what she's mumbling about, but…I think she gets the picture.
Tomorrow…tomorrow we'll be after this 'Giorgio Adriani' and end this wild goose chase…
…once, and for all…
…For Koch…
…And for Frederick…