Disclaimer: No I do not own Gunslinger Girl. Raphael and his other aliases yes but the rest of them no.

"So you want me to wear a t-shirt?"

"Kevlar vests are too bulky, if you're going to be undercover you'll need to wear this shirt." I told Raphael.

"But Jean, what if I get shot?"

"Then don't."

"I can't avoid that."

"Follow procedure and you won't get hurt."

With a slight grumble Raphael wore his gun holster on his bare skin before slipping the shirt on. I was not mad at him; it's just that the next assault was supposed to be in an apartment building. We had to be undercover and be able to determine the right room where the target was. It was only going to be a small fight since it was only one apartment but based on last time's experience we might still have a lot on our hands since the ambush on the outskirt of Rome showed us that these men are still forces to be reckoned with. My job is to take Raphael and Rico to the right room and have them do their thing. If something goes wrong reinforcements should be close by. I realized that Raphael has at least one insecurity. He is afraid of going into a gunfight without Kevlar. He was very hesitant with just wearing a shirt and till now he is still glaring at me.

"Well, how do you feel?"

"Naked!"

Chapter 12 Valore

Value

"Raphael, you can take 8 bullets in the chest why are you so afraid of getting hurt?" asked Triela.

Yes, Triela recovered from the accident. She wasn't supposed to be out of action but she kept urging Hillshire to let her go. Now here she is, in the van in full combat gear.

"They still hurt." Raphael replied.

"You didn't look hurt, you even managed a smile last time I remembered."

"Well, I don't remember how I even got there. And I could probably hand wave it by saying it's mind over matter."

"What ever Raphael. Get down, we are here."

Triela identified the place well. We were in the right place when she pointed it out. Henrietta and Triela stayed behind, they were the back up. I went down with Rico and Raphael and entered the building. The door number was 403. It was on the floor near the rooftop.

"Nice dress Rico." Commended Raphael

Rico blushed but was able to reply.

"Thanks, Jean gave it to me."

Raphael looked at me and gave me a smile.

"You should give her more dresses. She looks a lot better with dresses."

"Raphael, focus on the mission at hand."

We got to the right room and I pressed on the doorbell. There was an audible argument in the other side but soon the door opened.

"What do you want!" inquired a man as he came out.

"Hi there. These kids were seen playing around in the lobby." I pointed at Raphael and Rico "I was wondering if who ever owns this room owns them." I lied.

"The boss does not have kids. You got the wrong room." He said gruffly.

"Boss? May I know who he is?" I asked.

"That's none of you're business! Now get out of here!"

I could not get a confirmation. I told Raphael and Rico to dash into the room as soon as they hear a Mr. B—as a name but that did not happen. It was then that Raphael started talking in a rather childish tone.

"Sir, sir help us he's got a gun!"

At that moment the man on the door pulled out the rifle behind him but before he was able to react Raphael drew one of his pistols out and shot him in the head. Raphael took his other pistol out and started shooting at the men in the room that have also pulled their riffles out. Rico opened her instrument case and revealed her Galil MAR carbine she replaced Raphael in the front as Raphael opened his guitar case and revealed his AK 74. Both of them emptied the room of its former occupants.

"Whom were you referring to as the person with a gun Raphael?" I asked him as he checked the room.

"No one in particular. It could have either been you or him. I just needed someone to reveal his gun so that I could shoot them." He explained.

Well at first I thought that, that was it, but then two doors suddenly burst open and out pored more men. Raphael dashed for cover while Rico spun around and proceeded to mow down the insurgents. There were about 20 of them coming from 2 separate doors from 2 separate sides! I tried to take out my own gun to join the firefight when suddenly Raphael tackled me.

"Sir, stay out of the way! Don't make me regret not wearing Kevlar!" he yelled as he returned to the shoot out.

Raphael was shooting at the people at the left side of the room while Rico was busy with the ones at the right. Raphael decided to throw a grenade and that took out all the people coming from the left. He then helped Rico eliminate those on her side.

"Now where did they come from?" Rico asked.

Raphael peered into the door the men came in and reported.

"Jean we have a problem. It seems that they don't only own this room. They own all the rooms in this entire floor! And they're interconnected by these doors!"

Raphael wasn't wrong. Beyond this room was another room connected by a door which probably let do the next room as well and the next room as well! The next room at both sides of the room we entered looked similar. They were places where these terrorists stayed and stood guard. These rooms all had weapons, radios and other supplies. Suddenly a radio in one of the extended rooms sounded.

"Block E reinforcements are coming you're way!"

At that moment several more men barged into the next set of doors at the end of each of the newly discovered rooms. I was forced to yell back at Raphael.

"Raphael clear all the rooms ahead of you, we'll handle the rooms ahead of Rico. I'll call for reinforcements stand-by!" With that we took separate directions and I lost contact of Raphael.

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'Don't worry Raphael it's only a simple mission; follow instructions and you won't have to get shot.' I mimicked in Jean's stupid tone. He never did learn to expect the unexpected did he? Now I am here probably going to have to eliminate a hundred or so terrorists all alone and without protection! Someone remind me to hit Jean if I get out of here alive. Each room I went through was the same. It was packed with people for me to kill. However, it was either in the 6th room or in the 7th room that I really needed to curse Jean. One of the guys threw an axe and it sliced my side! I flinched and they took advantage of that. When I looked up I saw all the men advance, rifles pointed at me. I closed my eyes waiting for the gunfire when suddenly Crash a window broke. Triela came through the window and opened fire on the people who were supposed to kill me. They were caught by surprise and they all fell.

"You alright?" Triela asked.

"Just a scratch." I replied.

I got up and we dashed for the next door.

"You're not supposed to be here, not in the condition you're in." I told Triela.

"Is that how you thank the one who saved you're life?" she asked.

"If saving mine means losing yours, I'd have none of it. I value you that much." I answered.

"Well I am not a vase, I am not as fragile as you think."

We opened the next room and split up in both directions, shooting the person in front of me it took a leap of a table before taking out a couple more people in mid air, Triela took the momentary distraction to pick of the remaining people with her shot gun. We opened the next room and followed suit. I was starting to wonder how many more people I had to kill but I realized my question would not be answered.

"You promised me that you would teach me some of you're tricks Raphael." Triela suddenly interrupted.

"And when did I say that?"

"When I was in the hospital."

"I did not say yes."

"Well now is a good time to teach me something don't you think."

"Fine lesson one: predicting you're opponent. In the next room I am going to throw a smoke grenade in. Shoot towards the lower right corner of the room." I instructed.

As soon as I opened the next door I threw two smoke grenades in. As instructed she fired in the way I asked her too. On the other hand I fired towards the lower left side of the room. As I expected when the smoke cleared there was no one left.

"Wow! How did you know!" Triela asked in astonishment.

"Well when you throw something that blinds people into a room. The first reaction is to run towards the sides. Since they know we'll be firing at them they'd also crouch down. Since we fired downwards into the smoke we were able to presume that they were where I expected them to be." I said.

Triela was astonished. We went to the next room but instead of finding another volley of terrorists we found an empty office. On the desk was a stack of papers. Triela went forward towards the papers when:

"Triela wait!"

The conditions were too easy. This could only mean that it was a trap. I was too late, Triela stepped into a trap door and both of us fell into what seems to be the lower floor. It did not look like a regular room. The walls were made of metal and the only source of light was a small lamp on the roof. A metal door stood across the room.

"What happened?" asked Triela.

"Still lesson number 1. Everything was too easy; you should have predicted it was a trap. You fell for it hook, line and sinker." I answered.

"I am sorry." Triela replied with disappointment.

"That's ok, if it weren't for you reminding me to teach lesson 1 I would have fallen into the trap door as well. We are both very overconfident people."

Before Triela could reply a strange hum was resounding of the walls. All of a sudden my AK 74 and Triela's Trench gun flew to the walls. Triela's gun belt was ripped of her waist and it flew to the walls as well. I flew into the wall but I realized it was because I was attached to my gun holster. I detached my self and I fell to the ground. All of sudden Triela kneeled down and clutched her head.

"Raph… I don't feel so good." She said.

I rushed to her side and held her. Nothing seemed to be wrong with her though.

"Triela what's wrong?" I asked.

"Super Magnet." Said a deep voice.