Hi. Thanks to all that read this story and leave reviews. Special thanks to SapphoSensei. This chapter is for you. Because in some way you helped me to come back writing.
Aside on some personal complications, I will try to keep updating this fic on a more regular basis now. This fic has its Spanish counterpart which had moved ahead on the story (chapter 8) and I am basically translating and adjusting to English. So, be sure, this story will run to the end. And hopefully, it won´t take me forever to do so.
I apologize in advance for any mistake. I try to keep improving on my English writing but, I still have a lot of work to do on the subject. This story is not betaread by anyone but me so….probably it will have several mistakes. Thanks for your patience and Thanks for read and leave your comments.
WARNING: Please note, this Fic Signum-Fate and it is rated M for strong or violent content, strong language, sexual encounters between two females and other possible niceties. If this kind of content offends you in any way, if you are easily upset by explicit violent or sexual scenes or if you don´t have the age for reading M content, please don´t read.
DISCLAIMER: Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha´s characters belong to their authors. Plot from Aleksei Volken. I only own my imagination. All the characters and situations described in this fic are fictional. Any similarity with real people or situation is not intentional and is pure coincidental.
Today´s Soundtrack: "Almost Blue" by Chet Baker .
-X-
The Blue Eyed Demon by Aleksei Volken
CHAPTER 4. Deep Blue.
-X-
Love.
As with choice, love is also an illusion that no longer exists. If it ever existed.
In this…"modern world" everything is done by a price. Even love. There is always a price. We all have a price…Everyone. And always, someone comes that can pay it…or wants to pay it.
I learned that lesson very soon.
My mother had a price.
And many paid it…every night. Every single day.
Yes, my mother was what we elegantly could call, "a prostitute." In a world where humans can have anything they want as long they can pay for it; someone like my mother, that never had too much, didn´t have that many alternatives either. And well, you know, the sad and ugly truth is that she was not really too expensive.
She wasn´t a fancy and classy "meat" that a rich guy or woman could take and show ostentatiously as an expensive accessory, a dress or a car. No. My mother worked for another kind of customer.
Her "customer base" had just a bit more luck than her; they hadn´t a job like hers and they could afford to pay for something like her. Yes, something. She was no more than something for them or for her employer.
Among my first memories there is this interminable procession of "customers" that visited the small and dirty farthing where we lived. That filthy and dark dunghill where she always lived and from where she never came out.
Some customers were nice with her, some others didn´t.
As the years have passed over those memories, I have got into the conclusion that those who were straight to business and fair with her were the best ones. Clean, with no compassion but also without mockery. Even when I first I didn´t get exactly what was happening, I could handle those customers.
Then there were the others.
The ones that were really mean to her.
But the worse of all of them was her "Boss." Her owner. the guy who "preside over" her. The bastard who took all her money, all her dignity and kept her hooked in a diversity of drugs that he provided to all the women he "protected." Later I knew all of those women were in similar or even worse, untenable conditions, than my mother.
My life flew in a parade of identical days, one after another where the only difference, sometimes, were my mother´s customers. Despite that, I had the unexplainable certainty that I will have a different choice. I had the illusion that, at the end, I would be able to choose.
Until that day came and everything changed as no one expected.
I was nine years old and was coming back from one of those "rounds" that my mother made me take when she got a "tough" customer…and then, I saw him.
He was beating her wildly…as never before.
It was very late in the afternoon, the heat was unbearable at the dunghill where we lived, with no trees, surrounded only trash and dust, the only little isles of shadow were provided by the gigantic piles of garbage and junk; the heat in air was asphyxiating. The day had been a hell on hearth and the night, closely following it, would be the same.
Masashi was his name. He was a tall and robust guy, with Japanese heritage as he used to claim proudly. Under the skewed rays of a merciless sun, my mother laid on the dust as a bloody and dirty nubble while he kicked her on the belly even mercilessly.
He´d must have been doing it since long time before I saw him, because he was breathing heavily, sweating like a pig; but despite that, he took renewed impulse to kick her one, and other and other time as if his fury was as endless and unavoidable like the heat.
Something happened to me that day, at that very moment. Something changed…permanently; something that shall not happen to a nine years old girl.
I don´t know how I managed to control myself, but I didn´t run to them, to my mother in pain, to the man torturing her. As for now, I don´t know if I even felt the urge to run.
I know that I slipped between the trash and the garbage always keeping an eye on him, until the place where he left his jacket, lying on top of discarded box so he could beat my mother more comfortably. Masashi, the guy who claimed to be a great lord of the underworld when he was only a cheap whore bastard, considered that dunghill were we all live, his empire. Two things were his most precious possessions, the symbols of "his status"…his jacket and his guns. More than anything, he valued those stupid, old guns. No delinquent would ever use a pistol like those, but I knew that only few time later. But for him, that didn´t matter. He was a damn fucking bastard that lived at the expense of miserable women... Like my mother. He had no more aspiration than that. His ridicule guns where only matched with those ridicule aspirations.
He deserved to die with them.
Something should have warned him because he stopped suddenly in the middle of the next kick he was preparing for my mother and looked at me, straight in the eye. I didn´t have any more time. I took the gun with two hands in front of me, pointed to his chest and pulled the trigger.
He knew it was me.
In the fractions before the heavy kick of the old gun made me raise my arms resulting in a shoot that blew half of this face and brain, he saw me in the eyes and knew. The sight on his eyes went to surprise to anger to emptiness…to death.
His body convulsed a bit until it laid, inertly, by my mother side.
My next clear memory is having my mother in my arms.
The gun shoot alerted Masashi´s men that rushed to where I was, where we were. I knew my mother was dead. I think I knew her since the very first time I saw her being beating by him under the sun. Probably she was always dead. I knew I couldn't do anything for her, that I never could. But I couldn´t leave her; I couldn´t move. The wild part of my brain was screaming me to stand up and run for my life, the fastest I could. But some other part of me, simply couldn´t move. Didn´t want to move.
Masashi´s men finally reached and they couldn´t believe what was in front of their eyes.
I was sure that soon enough my indecision about running or not would be irrelevant…because I will be as dead as my mother was.
But it was not like that.
It wasn´t my choice; I shall say.
Masashi´s men didn´t come alone. He, as all of us, was also a whore; he had a price, He sold himself for money and he also, had a boss.
Masashi´s boss showed up on the scene and if he was asking what time of the day, just cool and calm, he asked what the hell was happening there.
Then, I finally knew that Masashi´s fury was triggered by my mother announcing him that she was pregnant…again.
Masashi´s boss knew then that I was the daughter of the human remains that laid on his feet.
And that everything indicated that I killed Masashi.
Masashi´s men wanted to kick me dead…just as my mother.
But it wasn´t their choice either.
For a reason that I only understood many, many years later, the Boss didn´t allow that.
The "Boss" was a very tall man…well, I should say REALLY TALL guy, brunet but with a hair so blonde that it was white; his face was hard, sharp…impenetrable; his whole body was strong and heavy. From where I was, kneeling on the dust like a caged animal, he was like an almighty and indestructible giant.
"She has potential," was his only comment at that time.
A bit after that, I knew he was a Russian, straight forward and a man of few words.
Thirty years after that moment when The Boss spared my life, I am alive and I rule my own empire. Neither of those two have been my decisions, but at least, I can say that my empire is not alike my mother´s boss´ empire.
I have a price, like him nonetheless; a price that few…very few people, can pay. Or want to pay.
In fact, only one person can.
The Boss, that Russian, very straight forward man of few words; he has been dead since many years ago.
That was not his choice, or mine.
Someone else took that decision for us.
We all have a price. Even he had one.
But he was right about something.
I had potential.
-X-
Earth, Year 2161 A.D. from Old Gregorian Calendar - Year 99 of Modern Perpetual Solar Calendar, City of New Sparta, Main Capital of the Americas (former City of Washington D.C.)
"Then…you meet before already?" Arisa Banning asked abruptly, the Banning´s heiress and host of the party was slightly upset of being ignored so flagrantly on her own show. The blonde looked alternatively to Signum and Fate as if demanding an explanation.
Fate blushed and turned to as least provide some answer to her friend.
"Eh…Miss…Wolkenritter and I met… yesterday…." Fate explained as naturally as possible.
For her fortune, Hayate seemed very satisfied with her recently accomplished task and went into Fate´s rescue smiling broadly.
"Maybe BLUE can close some interesting business with Miss Harlaown," Hayate explained taking Arisa by the arm while speaking, "If certain persons can reach some level of understanding on some basic topics."
Then, after looking around she looked Arisa with begging eyes, "I am dying for a drink…can you join me with something fresh and….funny?
Just by saying that, Hayate already had Arisa walking far away of Signum and Fate.
Since the very moment Signum showed up at the yatch deck, Arf took a safe distance sipping her drink in a way she could see Fate with Signum and pretend to watch at the New Sparta´s skylne at the same time.
Signum and Fate were finally alone for the first time.
All the "alone" one can be in a classy party on board a luxury yacht, full of celebrities and New Sparta socialites'. A lot of them, men and women, looked at Signum and Fate with a mixture of curiosity, envy, even lust, but nobody dared to get closer.
After some seconds of silence, Fate realized she hadn´t say anything and her throat went dry with nervousness. She prepared dozens of dialogs and speeches, several scenarios were portrayed in her mind in preparation for that encounter, but then…her mind was empty. A big and complete blank.
And Signum wasn´t helping her at all.
The magnate was just looking at Fate with a slight tint of a smile in her blue eyes. She didn´t look tense or uncomfortable. She was quietly waiting in silence, like the predator that knows its prey has nowhere to run.
"The way you leave yesterday was not exactly….polite," Fate said with a voice tinged of challenge before she could stop herself. The blonde wanted to kick herself almost immediately after. Among all the option she practiced, that was not included and wasn´t definitely the best way to start with Wolkenritter.
Signum just arched her brow slightly at the comment and walked, very slowly, getting closer to Fate.
Fate swallowed and fought the urge to step back.
"I think I made my point very clear," Signum said plainly. Her face was serious, relaxed but serious. The blue in her eyes was deep and inscrutable and Fate felt lost in that abyss.
Fate accepted the loss of the first round and breathing deeply, tried to relax in preparation for the next one.
Smiling, she went for it. "It seems that we just cannot start with the right foot, isn´t?"
Signum´s piercing gaze caught Fate while answering in a husky whisper, "What do you expect to start….Miss Harlaown?"
Fate felt that the questions had a lot more implications than the ones on the surface and she didn´t want to think in them. Not there at least. Because, really, what was she intending chasing a dangerous woman like Signum in the way she was? She didn´t know.
But not knowing was not going to stop her from her task.
"A business relationship, that I expect, can be productive for both sides," Fate explained smiling with her best business tone.
"Have you had problems with your security biod? I have heard some complaints on models from my competitors," Signum asked in a similar mood, adding with some mockery, "Since the very moment I arrived, she hasn´t lost sight on me but that detail can be deceitful about her efficiency."
Fate smile didn´t faint and she didn´t bite the bait, Signum was not driving her mad this time.
"Oh, Arf is very efficient, I have to say. My reasons to have her are really more personal than business," Fate said.
Without saying a word in response, Signum only arched a brow in a gesture that Fate was finding really irksome. What bothered Fate the most about it was that she found it, at the same time VERY attractive.
Fate knew Signum was waiting for an explanation but wouldn't ever acknowledge it.
"My mother and Massive BioD CEO are very good friends. Longtime friends, actually,- Fate explained trying not to think about Lindy´s implications regarding that she and Precia were more than good friends, "Precia Testarossa insisted that I should have Arf on charge or my personal safety. That has nothing to do with the business I have in place now."
Fate referred to her biological mother as indifferently as she could. She wasn´t lying about it. Her relationship with Precia was distant.
At Precia´s name, Signum´s Fate turned into stone and her eyes paled to an icy blue. Any kindness, vanished from her face as if it never existed and she broke the visual link with Fate for the first time that night.
Fate, noticing her reaction, changed the subject subtlety but quickly. "That´s interesting," Fate thought make a note about the mutual animadversion between the two women. The loathing seemed to be deeper in the BLUE CEO. IF her mother and Lindy knew about it, they didn´t mention it. Fate wondered if they really didn´t know and the reasons they could have for not telling her some that relevant.
"But it is not about my personal choices that I would like to talk with you. I would rather prefer that we could find a common ground to talk about business…Signum," Fate felt a shiver running down her spine by hearing her own voice saying her name. Signum.
Hearing her name in Fate´s voice made Signum turn to look at the blonde again but the aloofness was still there hardening her features. Hear the name she hated the most almost got Signum losing control but she was able to handle herself on time. It was not the time to take care of Precia Testarossa…yet. Massive Biod´s CEO will have her whole attention on day, soon, but then, it was the time to handle other business.
The businesses that girl was so conveniently presenting to her.
Despite the attraction she could feel towards Fate Harlaown, Signum wasn´t blind and wasn´t bewildered like Hayate; the way Fate Harlaown showed up in their lives, looking to close a big deal with BLUE was highly suspicious. Someone or something aside Venturis government could be behind the beautiful woman. "Who" was the question interested Signum the most at the moment, more even than "Why." In her line of work, "why" was generally related to blood and death.
Signum decided to try the waters and see what the blonde had for her.
"Your mother shall be a very influent woman to have Precia Testarossa a close, longtime friend," Signum said.
It was not a question but Fate knew whatever happened after that point depended on how she answered that challenge.
And she knew how to turn that disadvantage into an advantage. With the truth. Just not all the truth.
"My mother is an Admiral with the Navy, as my father was and my brother is," Fate said smiling shyly which happened every time she talked about her foster family, "My whole family, I should say, is part of the Navy, some way…Well, that why she and Mrs. Testarossa got to know each other and have been friends like…forever."
Fate´s smile was truthful when talked about her family and the two women that were her mothers. What she will not say was that Lindy and the Harlaown were her foster family. But everything she said about them and her feelings towards them were truth.
Signum kept her face still but internally was taken by surprise. Her star "hacker" Ishikawa said exactly that in his report about Fate Harlaown. And Ishikawa was truly hard to deceive. Fate Harlaown´s family was all related to the Americas Navy. Fate herself, had worked to the Armada. Signum expected a lie, many lies, she expected anything but the truth in that open and transparent way.
"Having a business deal with BLUE will no cause some sort of family disturbs?" Signum asked suddenly serious. Her tone was hundred percent businesses this time.
Fate took it seriously as well. For the first time, they were really talking and she wanted to move ahead on her task. That was an opportunity she was missing.
"Aside of my personal relationship with Mrs. Testarossa, I have requested a formal proposal to several companied for this bid. Massive BioD in among the option I evaluated as BLUE. I am not considering Mrs. Testarossa as a personal acquaintance. I take my job very seriously Miss Wolkenritter and in order to do so, I have personally evaluated hundreds of combat biodevices and not only those produced by your company or Massive BioD."
Signum smiled again slightly. That same piece of information was part of Ishikawa´s report. Signum ordered Carim and Hayate to keep Fate Harlaown under a strict surveillance. According to Ishikawa, Venturis government was evaluating companies for combat biodevices and multiples other supplies. Ishikawa even got the report Fate Harlaown presented that afternoon stating she was still in negotiating phase with BLUE and requested more time before a final selection.
Then, again, Fate Harlaown told her the truth.
"Why?" Signum thought looking af Fate´s eyes. If the request was truthful, Fate Harlaown could go with it without considering BLUE anymore. Signum would have been very happy to not having to see her anymore.
But the woman kept trying.
Signum decided to change her strategy and explorer other aspects of the ground in front of her.
"You have to make a decision soon Miss Harlaown. Will you call me Signum or Miss Wolkenritter? I would rather prefer that you chose one and stick with it," Signum requested in a low, throaty voice.
Fate felt a violent blush coloring her cheeks and the certainty that Signum will noticed it, only increased it.
Signum noticed Fate´s embarrassment clearly, the blonde woman was so ablush and flustered that her reaction could only be real. It happened to her the same way at her office the previous day. Aside of the business, Fate Harlaown was personally affected by her. And it was not a fake. Signum tightened her fists at the thought because despite her iron control, Fate affected HER equally.
The attraction was mutual regardless they acknowledging it or not.
It was so long since Signum felt an attraction alike that she didn´t even know how to handle it.
"Why? Why she feels attracted for me? She has said the truth. Twice. Her sincerity has been as clear as her embarrassment but, how can I be sure she is not lying? I would have known having Ishikawa report´s if she lied; I could know how she look when she lies but now…I can only assume by now that what I see, is the truth."
And Signum conclusion was that both of them, the answer and the attraction were truth,
The conclusion triggered all the alarms in Signum´s head. Her highly advanced self-preservation instinct was saying to get as far possible of that woman as she could but something even more powerful kept pulling her towards Fate. She had to know. Why Fate Harlaown was so interested in BLUE? Who was Fate Harlaown? And more important: Why was she so interested in her?
Signum stared at Fate looking at her purposely.
"If you already have a proposal from Massive BioD, why you keep insisting with BLUE?"
Fate who just regained control after Signum unexpected comment, knew the woman was testing her in every possible way; she was expecting that. But never expected she will react like that. She breathed heavily trying to release the tension, which was, as everything Signum had made her feel that night, very truthful.
"Don´t you think this is starting to look like an interrogatory?" Fate asked a little defiantly, challenged by the other dare, "Do you treat all your potential customers like this or just me for some particular reason?"
At that time, one of the very professional waitresses serving the attendees that night got closer with a tray full of glittering cups. Signum took one with a perfect, controlled gesture and looked at Fate. The blonde, on her side, looked at the tray a bit indecisive. She arrived at the party a bit earlier and waiting for Signum to show up took already three of those fine champagne glasses. Fate was generally good in everything sue did and was a woman full of skills, however drinking wasn´t among them.
But Signum was so obviously waiting for Fate that she extended threw all her reservations and took another cup.
Signum then surprised with her next comment.
"You are right," she said but no apologize came following that phrase. Signum didn´t apologize for her behavior the previous day during their unsuccessful meeting in BLUE
Fate realized that her conversation that night seemed to flow in several levels; the superficial one, the level of all the words that they speak, and another, deeper one. The level of silence, of all those things they were not saying. A level for the words and another for the piercing gazes; a level for their minds to battle and another one, where their bodies were screaming to each other under the calm exterior.
In a sudden outburst, Fate raised her cup and offered, "Can we make a toast for a truce and try to talk about business properly?"
Signum had a flash of another toast the night before and what happen after with those beautiful women; then a vivid image of Fate Harlaown in the intimacy arching her back to her spread all over Signum´s mind causing her almost crush the glass in her hand.
"We haven´t made any kind of war declaration…. Miss Harlaown," Signum said tensely, looking at Fate so intensely that the later felt as if those eyes could sweep away all her defenses.
"What do you think if we leave that in Fate….and Signum?" Fate said cautiously, her heart racing as a horse. Be adventurous with someone like Signum Wolkenritter wasn´t either among her skills.
Signum just got closer to Fate and raised her cup but didn´t touch the other. Fate was completely sure her heartbeat could be heard three feet around her. She had been that close of Signum as in that very moment.
High heels shoes put Fate´s eyes at the same high as Signum´s who wasn´t wearing heels that night. Signum couldn´t hear Fate´s heartbeat nonetheless, but the wonderful neckline of her dress gave a clear sight of a vein beating wildly causing a violent rush of unexpected and pure desire.
Fate, unaware of the effect she was provoking, rubbed her cup slightly with Signum´s.
Her gazes looked and everything around vanished as if the time suddenly stop and in that space nothing else could exists but their connection.
The Banning´s yacht was huge, lavish, enlightened with probably hundreds lights to provide the most exclusive atmosphere for the most exclusive of the New Spartan society. There were gathered politicians, businesses men and women, some naturally beautiful specimens from the artistic arena and several escort biods equally exclusive to match their master's needs in safety and pleasure.
The crow was chattering, flirting, hunting….seeing and being seen in the most exclusive event of the season, a band was playing since long time ago a soft and warm rhythm, metals and piano playing together in an old wavy jazz and several couples slide around following the music.
But Fate and Signum noticed nothing of it.
Until a handsome and young blonde man, neatly wearing a gala Navy uniform dared to ask for the third time if he could have the honor of Fate dancing with him.
Blinking a bit disconcerted, Fate realized that the young man looked familiar but whoever he was, the guy picked the worst timing ever to ask…anything.
"No."
Both Fate and the young man turned equally surprised to look at Signum, who was the one that denied vehemently the man´s request before Fate could say a word to accept or decline.
"Why?" the young man asked with his voice stuttering a little. He probably knew who Fate was, but he definitely didn´t have the close idea who was Fate companion.
AS a response, Signum took her cup and Fate´s, handing them with authority to the amazed boy and who had no other option than take them. After that, without a second gaze towards the boy, Signum took Fate´s hand and walked towards the dancing area, joining the other couples there.
Fate was still deciding if she should protest, deny or say anything but before to decided which one was the appropriated, she found herself firmly held by the wait and with her hands in Signum´s shoulders. Their bodies' weren´t touching but Fate could feel an electrical stream flowing between them.
"Seems this is the only way we could keep talking…without interruptions, I mean," Signum explained plainly.
For few seconds Fate didn´t say a word. Signum was being very respectful and she was an adult woman who cannot behave as an impressionable teenager. Fate repeated that in her mind more than couple more times, "I am ADULT, I am a professional….and I HAVE a mission."
But exactly at the same time, she felt like trembling and melting there in Signum´s arms feeling an undeniable rush of desire running down her body.
Fate managed to put a bit more distance between them and tried to focus on her task, "I see…You are probably right, I haven´t answer your question yet….And since it seem quite important for you, I will. Do you want to know why we are so interested in BLUE biodevices?"
Signum suppressed the sudden impulse to silence Fate. It was a naïve wish. Fate Harlaown had to answer that among other things.
Fate took Signum´s silence as acceptance of her offer and continued.
"BLUE is specialized in combat biodevices, like no other. You can say there are other firms in the same area," Fate hurried to say seeing Signum´s brow arching slightly, "But you KNOW that BLUE is the best."
Fate didn´t wait for a reply, she was on the top of the wave and had to ride it to the end.
"I don´t want…or need, a cheap unit. We really require to buy the highest technology in combat biodevices…Aside of the plain units, we also need a multiannual agreement with response time, guarantees, special support….a full package of regular services and….special services and supplies."
The expert in Signum´s brain was registering the information even if other part of her body were flustered with Fate´s scent and warm.
The response of that well trained brain was automatic and direct. Merciless.
"IRAs…..Immediate Response Armed Brigades….You want ´Cleaners,' right?"
And with that, Signum just stop dancing.
The two women looked at each other.
After the "Armageddon War," with the world being restructured into a "New Order" and the birth of the continental country of the United Americas, one single capital was not enough to administrate the vast territory of almost seventeen millions of square miles. From Pole to pole, the United Americas was finally the largest continent country in the world. New Sparta, the former city of Washington, was and seemed if forever will be, the first city of the Americas no matter what catastrophe could happen. It was the indisputable "Queen" of the northern hemisphere. But…was not enough for a territory like that. Some kind of power icon was strictly necessary in the far south to provide the sense of unity, continuity and freedom…and to remind everyone where the real power really resided.
That way, the Second Capital of the Americas was born: Venturis using as basement the former ideal city, Brasilia.
No one put too much objection to that. Since long time ago nationalism and borders lost the meaning once held. People only cared for surviving. They will accept whoever could guarantee at least that.
Venturis ruled, under New Sparta strict policies, over the whole South Hemisphere.
And they, as everybody else in the world, had their sort of problems to deal with. The main problem was the vast and diverse territory, and the cultural diversification of the millions of people that still survived there. The majority lived "registered" lives on the main cities of the region. Hey were the ones that accepted the regime and submitted their will to it. The main database of the Americas decided when, where and how everybody born and die for the country.
But then, there were the others, all of those persons that never accepted the establishment. Those who didn´t exist in the database: The "unregistered."
A person in the modern world could be a good or a bad guy. A wealthy one or a stray one. But one cannot be an "unregistered." In a world where each and every existence had a position to maintain the structure, the unregistered just don´t exist.
And then, they could be "cleaned up."
Signum knew the next second Fate described their requirements that what Venturis wanted, was "cleaners." Combat BIODs were the most efficient way to build the Immediate Response Armed brigades. In Asia and Africa the use of such Brigades was extensive for different purposes, Signum knew it quite well. But the Americas was keeping the façade quite well with their Armies. Until then.
Other thing Signum also knew was that selling Biodevices was not the only business. Biodevices by themselves didn´t solve the problems. The brigades needed weapons, diverse resources and supplies and most of the times, "special services" that border legality or, in several cases, were completely illegal.
But that was the way the world worked.
That it always worked.
The great and efficient machine of war needed weapons, technology, transportation, money, information and secrets aside of blood and pain to keep existing.
Inside her, Signum felt disappointed.
"So, this is the reason?...You think you 'know' my true business line and that´s why you keep insisting with BLUE?" Signum thought in silence while looking deeply at Fate.
Fate couldn´t read Signum´s mind but could see the sudden veil of sadness in her eyes.
"Brigades….yes…." Fate said getting closer to Signum instinctively, feeling Signum was some way, getting away from her, "But not for what you are thinking for!"
"Now you know what I think Harlaown?" Despite calling for her last name, Fate noted with surprise that for the first time, Signum didn´t call her 'Miss.'
Then Fate looked around them. The party kept going as if nothing happened. No one disturbed them while they were talking but considering they were in the dance floor without dancing… several pair of eyes were fixed of them. Including Arf´s, who was no longer pretending drink something or watch the bay. The BIOD was at the border of the dance floor watchful and ready to jump.
At that very moment, Fate noticed how close she was from Signum and that they stopped moving with the music but they didn´t released each other. Signum had her both of her hands a little below of Fate´s waist, as if deciding to go farther in her hips. And Fate's hands were literally grasping the fabric in Signum´s shoulders.
Fate blushed for umpteenth time that night at the thought that their conversation probably didn´t seemed like a very normal one to the people watching them.
"I think we are moving too fast in this conversation and this is not the appropriate place for it," Fate said gaining control over her and looking back at Signum, "Venturis is very interested in doing business with BLUE and I think we should continue this conversation in private.
Signum could agree more. But before moving ahead it was something she had to confirm.
Looking at Fate straight to the eye, hard and direct like an arrow, Signum asked "What is the true reason YOU are so interested in BLUE?"
Fate felt trapped for that deep blue gaze on her.
"I think we should talk about that in private and…"
"No," Signum cut and Fate saw how the blue in her eyes paled dangerously, as if the surface of lake got suddenly freezing, "Here and Now….or we won´t have any other conversation."
Fate knew that was the crucial moment. It will the then or never. And she will fail in her mission.
And she probably will never see Signum again.
Fate didn't know which one of those reasons weighted more on her.
Calming down on the best she could, Fate gave her shoot, "This is and will be, a risky business….Signum, One that requires the…ability….to take risky decisions on the right place and in the right time or everything can be compromised. There are no many persons around that can do that. There are not many companies either, that can handle the production challenge we have in hands. According the research I have done, BLUE is probably the only company that could. And… I also understand….that you are one of the few persons in the world that have the…expertise… to take the kind of 'tough' decisions to handle the risky ramifications this deal might require."
"Wow," Signum thought staring at Fate, "How considered on her to call 'expertise' to my particular background in illegalities."
Despite her internal sarcasm, Signum had to acknowledge that Fate, again, seemed to be telling her the truth. She expected Fate to elaborate in some complicated reason but the blonde, regardless her politeness, told exactly the reason Signum was not expecting.
This was no different than any other negotiation she had done in the past with foreign government looking for weapons, financing, secrets or 'expertise.' They looked for her to do the dirty job while they remaining pure and untarnished. They looked at her for whom and what she was.
Ate was no different.
Why then something ached in her chest?
"Do you really know what are you getting yourself into?" Signum asked out of the blue, getting even closer to Fate while looking at her.
Fate was fascinated, looked by the changes in those eyes that were again dark blue, deep and relentless.
Their breasts were only a millimeter apart.
Arf was already inside the dance floor ready to jump over Signum.
"No…" Fate answered in a whisper surprising Signum with the honesty in the voice and her eyes, "But I won´t let that to stop me."
Signum didn´t say a word for several seconds. Just stared at Fate eyes and lips that were so close that just with by leaning slightly, she could kiss her passionately.
"Let´s get out of here," Signum said taking Fate´s arm and drag her out the deck.
The initial intent last two steps only before Arf blocked their way out.
"Fate…what the hell…"
Signum stopped but before she could say or do anything, Fate intervened with the security biod and friend.
"No, Arf….is okay," in an unconscious movement, Fate got closer to Signum while resting her other hand assuredly in her arm, Arf arched a brow at the intimate and protective gesture, "I am going out with Signum for a while, we need to discuss some topics….Don´t worry, I will make my way home."
"What?!...Are you…..?" Arf controlled herself before voicing the word 'insane,' "No way….besides, where are you going? You cannot wander around at this time at night with absolutely no security….and…"
"Arf," Fate cut firmly, staring at Arf, "I am leaving."
"Is everything ok?" Arisa Bannings asked getting into the discussion. Hayate had kept the party host quite busy but Arisa never lost complete sight of her friend, "Are you leaving?"
"Oh yes, everything fine Arisa" Fate answer smiling confidently keeping her grasp on Signum´s arm, "Arf is doing storm from nothing. I was just telling her not to worry about me. Nothing will happen if she is not by my side some minutes."
"So…you are leaving…." Arisa asked again a bit skeptically looking at the two women in front of her.
Fate then understood what her friend was implying by her leaving and blushed furiously which only made her look even guiltier.
"Yes….erh….you´ll see….Signum and I have….to discuss some important issues regarding a BUSINESS negotiation…. "
Arise looked at Fate considering if her friend had fever of something.
"Fate…it´s two am in the morning…you know?"
"Oh my goodness….it is almost 6 am in Venturis and we need to send some information to the office before they start operations... Thank you very much for such a great time Arisa, we have no time to waste, really…Please excuse us…"
With that said, if was Fate´s turn for dragging Signum out of the party, the business woman only smiled politely to everyone and followed Fate, never releasing the blonde´s hand.
Arf held her fury and thought on a Plan B. Fate had a tracking device all the time so she will always knew where she was but considering Fate´s companion, that was not enough for Arf. Activating a small communication device, she sent a quick message to Admiral Lindy about the situation. Precia gave her precise instructions about what to do in several scenarios….but Fate leaving alone with Wolkenritter was none of the considered.
Arisa was still in shock. Fate never ever "leaves" with someone "that" way.
"Wow, that was really fast," Hayate said smiling on Arisa´s side, "Can we have something else to drink?"
-X-
As they were getting far and afar away of the yacht, the sounds and lights of the party were dimming into silence and darkness. Soon, only their steps over the concrete were the only sounds surrounding them.
And Fate was suddenly very conscious of how close they were, of their intertwined hands and that they were finally, truly, alone with each other.
"Where are we going?" Fate asked without looking at Signum or stopping the pace.
When Signum asked if she knew what she was getting into and their gaze looked, Fate answered from the very bottom of her hearth…not really thinking on the answer. And when Signum asked her to leave with her, Fate really wanted to. But in the current moment when her mind was starting to work again, she realized she had no idea to where Signum wanted to take her. Or for what.
Tacitly, she had accepted to go anywhere Signum wanted to take her and even when Fate assured Arf that it was no reason to be concerned of, she knew better.
What she was doing was dangerous.
She knew it.
But she could not stop.
"Your security BIOD did a great job making sure everybody in that party noticed you were leaving with me," Signum said leaving Fate´s question unanswered. "They might not know where we are going but they must very sure about what we will be doing."
Fate stopped then and turned to look at Signum.
"You said we should get out of there," Fate said a bit upset.
"But you didn´t asked to where…." Signum replied with that annoying self-confidence and a smile dancing in her lips, "Doesn´t matter to you that all those wealthy people is thinking that you will spend the rest of the night….with me?'"
Fate ran speechless and blushed furiously once again.
"You….I…..I mean….we don´t…."
"Yes, you and me," Signum said, "I asked if you knew what you were getting into and you said no, but that was not going to stop you."
Fate remained silent.
There, in the middle of the darkness, all the start that were not visible at the yacht deck due the brilliant lights, shone wildly, cold and distant. Many of them probably don´t even exist anymore but there light was there, being seeing light-years away as a testimony of their existence.
The gears of destiny never stopped its movement.
In that very moment, the realization hit Fate looking at the woman at her side. That was not only a work case. Probably never was.
The Navy asked her to investigate about Signum Wolkenritter to the deep end. A woman that the days before seemed as distant and far away as those stars. The asked her to find proof of BLUE and Wolkenritter illegal activities. She had to find all the evidence and provide the arguments to prove what no one had been able to accomplish before. Fate had to get that star and down it back to earth. Fate accepted the task eagerly and conceived the best plan to succeed with that task.
What better bait for a predator than a living, breathing, prey?
Venturis, as many other important cities in that modern and violent world, was real. It´s needs, were real. The project, was real. Everyone in the top government's level knew about the relationship between combat BIODs and weapon distribution. There were plenty of manufacturers of both. All al those, as BLUE, were well renowned and respected. All of them were very legal and corporate.
However, dealers, expert distributors that could position the products in the right place and the right hands by any means necessary, were very few.
The classy corporate world wallowed frequently with the underground world but it was only one undeniable queen that mastered the joint of the two worlds: Signum Wolkenritter.
Fate foresaw all the angles of the case and decided that Venturis condition was the best option. The Navy put all its resources to help her.
The trap was set.
But she didn´t foresee that she was going to feel the way she felt.
She never foresaw that she was going to wish, fervently, to know the real person behind the woman she had to hunt.
"It´s true," Fate said finally, "I said that. I don´t know what I am getting into."
"And yet….you came with me?"
"Yes," Fate answered with new decision, not only to Signum but to herself as well, "I don´t care what the other people might think about me and you but you better hear this Signum Wolkenritter….I am not going to bed with you just to close a deal with BLUE."
And Fate wished with all her heart that that was true.
Signum looked back at Fate for several seconds and then laughed softly; the sigh on her eyes softened in a way Fate had never saw in all the images she had from her. Her laugh was harsh and throaty, like a sound that was not used frequently enough but strangely, happy.
All the tension getting held between them was released with that sound.
"That´s very….regrettable, Harlaown" Signum said still smiling, letting her eyes to run over Fate in that way that made the blonde tremble.
Then, Signum lead the way to keep walking again.
"So…where are we going?" Fate asked again but lighthearted this time. Suddenly, she felt safe as never before in her life.
Signum was still considering it.
Any of the house that worked as their professional facades around the city will fulfill the purpose of the meeting. O even, one of the multiple restaurants where she handled some other collateral meetings like this one. She owned a couple of them were the staff was trained to handle any incidental situation.
Signum never took the lateral negotiations to BLUE corporate offices. Never. Not even if the subject of negotiation were BLUE assest or products. Fate could be a government representative but not everything she was going to ask from her migth fall into the strict legal framework.
Despite all that, Signum said the words.
"We will go to BLUE."
Fate tried her best to hide her surprise. That was not what she was expecting either.
"At this time?'" she asked to disguise the surprise she was feeling.
"I can get in at any time," Signum asked with that self-sufficiency smile that Fate hated and loved at the same time.
Fate was still trying something to say when the same tall and brunet guy that she met the day before showed up in front on them. Behind the guy, an elegant black vehicle, waited.
"We are heading to BLUE, Zafira" Signum said a grabbed Fate´s arm to lead her inside the car but she didn´t move.
"Thanks," Fate said, "But I really prefer to go with on my own car. That way I can go directly to home after our conversation."
"We can drive you back to grab it," Signum replied suddenly serious, her hand didn´t release Fate´s one despite the blonde´s request.
But Fate didn´t gave in.
She needed time. And space. Time to calm down and think. Space to recover from Signum´s closeness and warmth. Drive will help her to clear her mind and focus on her target a lot more than sit, on the darky interior of a luxury vehicle side by side with a woman like Signum Wolkenritter.
Aside of that fact, Fate was sure Signum´s vehicle will have multiple layers of armor and tracking blockers. Her own tracking device will be useless inside that. Losing Fate´s signal will drive Arf´s crazy and she didn´t want to start imaging what Arf´s could do in that scenario. Certainly, she didn´t need even more complications than those she already had.
"I really prefer to drive myself," Fate insisted, "You guys can go ahead and I will follow you closely. Besides, I know where BLUE is, I was there yesterday, remember?
As Signum didn´t respond and just stared at Fate with a deep frown, Fate added with her best smile, "I am not running away, you know? I already told it, twice….I am not going to stop."
That could mean nothing or everything but Signum relaxed a bit.
"Where is your vehicle?" the magnate asked.
After Fate signaled her modest but elegant red sedan, what she could not denied was that Signum walked her right to her vehicle´s door while Zafira waited for her with her car turned on and ready. The two vehicles weren´t that far apart but nonetheless, Zafira drove slowly to get even closer.
Once they reached her car, Fate watched how Signum finally let her hand go to take a small device from her jacket. It was a small handheld scanner that she used to scan Fate´s vehicle and get the car id number. In the same way persons were perfectly identified with a unique code, all vehicles were also registered. Anyone could scan a vehicle and get their data. It was not the same with persons. Only the military forces or the police officers had the authorization to scan people. The BIODs didn´t have the same privileges. Even when considered organic devices and many organizations fight for civil and full rights for them as humans, they still could be scanned as any vehicle or animal was. Exactly as Signum´s personnel did with Arf at BLUE building the day before.
After getting Fate´s vehicle info, Signum approached Fate who was patiently waiting in the front of the car.
"Follow us closely," Signum instructed, still relaxed but serious, "I will send your vehicle´s information to my security office so they will let you in by the same entrance I will use."
Those were good news for Fate. Getting in with the company CEO had its advantages. At least she won´t have to endure the same annoying process than the previous day.
"Awesome," Fate said looking at Signum and smiling broadly, truly happy for the first time in days. From where she was standing, Fate raised her hand and deactivated her car´s security system with her mobile.
Less than a second after, Fate suddenly felt herself violently pushed away and burnt up with the heat of a volcano.
-X-
From the Banning´s yacht´s deck, all the party attendees felt first a strong vibration and then, heard the wild roar of an explosion. A dense column of black smoke could be seen ascending on the nightly sky.
Several alarms and warnings added to the chaos and bewilderment that everybody were experimenting.
"An explosion!?...Was that an explosion!?..."
"Oh my god! …Something burst out there!...There! There! Can you see it?!..."
"What is happening?!
Even when the yacht was not affected by the blast, many persons were in panic and the all the others were contributing to the general massive hysteria.
Arf jumped out into the darkness way before the chaos started, looking desperately for Fate.
-X-
Thanks to all of you following this story. I will do my best to keep on with the job. Thanks for your comments and reviews.
Just in case some is following the soundtracks, the song Fate and Signum dance, it's our today´s soundtrack.