"..." Maxim silently sat in his car which was parked in the parking lot of his apartment building. He needed a moment to collect himself even though it was hours later and the sun was down. Persica gave him an ear full and threatened to fire him because of what he did. But, what weighed the most on his mind was that commander. The Neural Upgrade was one thing, but revealing he used his old military designs pushed Persica over the edge. "...If he wasn't there," Maxim spoke to no one as he bitterly got out of his car. It was turning into a chilly night, so he was keen on getting inside quickly and having this day end. As he approached the entrance, however, some movement caught his eye near the alley that looped around his building. Glancing over, Maxim saw a figure in a winter camouflaged coat with their hood pulled up move into the alley. Their clothing and build had a striking resemblance to... "A-545?" What was she doing here? He thought that commander took her. His curiosity got the better of him and he rushed to the alley. There was a light pole nearby for the parking lot, but its light didn't extend into the alley that much which kept the area shrouded in shadow. "...?" She was nowhere to be seen. He was certain he saw her. Deciding to take a quick look, Maxim took out his phone to use as a flashlight and walked into the alley. It smelled terrible due to the dumpsters, so he wouldn't stay long. He'd give a shout then call it quits. Even if it was A-545, they were probably doing something for their commander. And, if it wasn't, then he'd head straight to bed because he didn't like it when he started seeing things. "Aish-!" Maxim started to give a call, but found his voice cut off as the back of his head was impaled by an ice axe.

"..." A-545 yanked the ice axe out of Maxim's head and watched his body fall to the ground. The light from Maxim's dropped phone was shining up which let A-545 get a good look at the blood and brain matter that now stained the ice axe. "..." She had just killed her creator. The one who built her from scratch and gave her life... A life knowing no matter how much she improved she would only make it worse. The more improvements he made to her the more her cost increased. The more her cost increased the less likely she would've been chosen. He gave her the life of a prototype who was destined to fail. He even discarded her when he saw she couldn't do it only to backpedal when Zeldri showed interest in her. Hearing his attempt to call out to her using 'Aisha' caused her hands to tremble. "But... It's fine, now..." Yes, it was fine now. It was just like Zeldri had said when he sent her here: the moment would pass like any other. She did not need to feel for the corpse at her feet, nor lament taking a human life despite her purpose being to protect humanity. She had her Commander. Her commander who acknowledged her abilities. Her commander who gave praise and warmth. Her commander who does not care how much she costs. Her commander who would never discard her. Her commander she would do anything for. "...?" The sound of a vehicle brought A-545 out of her thoughts and she looked over to see a van reversing into the alley.


"And, that's what happened." A male voice came over the cell phone.

"I see." Zeldri was walking through a park on his way back to his hotel. He'd told A-545 to meet him back there when she was done, but to think it was already over? He'd have to finish his walk early. "Thanks for handling the cleanup, Daniil."

"Not a problem. To think we let someone like this slip through the cracks?" Daniil was an old friend of his dad's from the FSB Zeldri often saw around the holidays. He heard Daniil drop something heavy into his van over the phone. "You sure we don't need to clean this up any further?"

"Positive, his ego was huge so I doubt he'd share his secrets with anyone." While Zeldri didn't know if that was true, he figured one dead body was enough. Any more than this and he might burn a bridge with Persica; at least one body can be reasonably covered up. "..." He was thinking more and more like his dad as this day went on, it seemed.

"Also, it is kinda my job to ask, who's that girl you got? Her technique was amateur, even if she got the job done. And, she's kinda creepy."

"...Just an orphan I picked up," Zeldri lied.

"Really?" Daniil closed the doors of the van and started the engine. "Out of all the hobbies to pick up from your old man, you pick up one of his weirder ones."

"Is that something you should be saying considering you're dating my sister?"

"She isn't even blood-related to you, don't try that."

"My mom and I consider all those kids part of the family."

"Kids, he says?" Daniil scoffed as he started to drive. "She's older than you, Zeldri."

"I wonder what Yana would say if she heard you call her a 'weird hobby'?"

"What, are you trying to get me killed after helping you?" Daniil joked and both men gave a laugh. "Haaah. In any case, could you train her in something a bit more common, at least?"

"Why?"

"Do you know how much extra work I need to put in to cover this up since he's got a fucking ice axe wound in the back of his head? A knife I can do no problem. Hell, even a gun would be better. But, an ice axe?"

"I keep hearing bitching, Daniil, but not solutions."

"Засуньте себе в задницу (Shove it up your ass). I'm gonna be late for dinner because of you."

"Then, I won't keep you. Say hi to Yana for me." Zeldri hung up and put his phone in his pocket. He would need to praise A-545 when he got back for a job well done. Now that she had proven herself to be utterly loyal to him, he had to fully solidify himself as her emotional anchor; if he wasn't already. He would also need to make sure she was still able to get along with the other staff and t-dolls when they got back to the Mountain. "Так много нужно сделать (So much to do)," he muttered to himself. At least this kind of busyness was better than identifying corpses. "...And, the stupid shit comes back." Zeldri shook his head to throw those thoughts away and tried focusing on the world around him. The park was empty and light poles illuminated the path ahead along with some benches. "...Hm?" Squinting his eyes, Zeldri saw someone he wasn't expecting to see this late at night. "Mrs. Helianthus?" Zeldri said as he approached Helian who was sitting somberly on one of the benches.

"Huh?" Helian was wearing a nice-looking dress with a light coat that was crumpled in her lap with her monocle sitting on top. She turned to look at him. Her eyes were slightly red. "Co- Commander Zeldri?" Realizing it was someone she knew, Helian quickly rubbed her face and straightened her posture. "What...brings you out so late?"

"...Thought I'd get some air since I'm back in the city for physical therapy. What about you?"

"Ah, well..." It was obvious she was looking for an excuse. But, when she couldn't find a good one she decided on the truth. "...I was...going out for dinner."

"..." Normally, Zeldri would have left it at that and moved on... But... Perhaps it was all the time he'd spent in the Mountain and all the experiences he'd had in such a short time that made him ask, "Was?"

"...Yes." Helian's eyes fell to her coat in her lap. "Plans changed, obviously." Her voice sounded defeated, yet unsurprised. Realizing she was staring off and getting sappy, she regained her composure and looked back to Zeldri. "I don't mean to keep yo-!" A strong gust of wind blew frigid air over them and Helian shivered.

"..." Looking at her coat, Zeldri noted that it wouldn't do much for her if the wind kept up.

"Ah, it's already this late? I should head home and make something. Have a ni-!" Helian felt something warm and puffy get draped over her. "...Huh?" Looking up, Helian saw Zeldri finish draping his Commander's coat, which was designed for maximum warmth, over her shoulders.

"I was actually going to hit one of the bars I used to frequent before heading back to my hotel," Zeldri said as he changed his plans on the spot and offered his hand to her, "While it's nothing fancy, the food's warm and the alcohol's warmer. If you have some spare time?"

"..." Helian wanted to say no; relationships with colleagues never ended well according to the dramas she watched on TV. But, the warmth of his coat around her, and her previous date being a no-show made her go against her normal judgment. "Yes... I've got some time." She took his hand and Zeldri helped her to her feet. Zeldri led the way and the two reached the bar which was only a few blocks from the park. Along the way, they had struck up a conversation about how things were going with the Mountain since Scarecrow's attack. While he had already submitted his report about the incident, it was something to pass the time and got the two talking. "Well, again, I'm thankful it wasn't a complete loss," Helian said before taking a bite from the dish of Selyodka fish on black bread they were having as an appetizer.

"Yeah." Zeldri took a sip from his glass of vodka. "What about you? Find any new rich kids to babysit now that I'm trained?"

"Thankfully, no," Helian groaned at Zeldri's jab from their first meeting, "Though, I will be leaving the city for this new commander."

"They something special?"

"Possibly. But also, Sangvis has been rather active around Sector 09, so I'll be heading out with the new commander to find out why while conducting field training with them."

"I see." The two sat in silence for a few moments as they ate and drank.

"...Jeez, you have me talking about work on a night like this?" Helian chuckled to herself as she finished the fish.

"I've been told we military types are quite boring and work-focused," Zeldri joked.

"That sounds like bullshit, Commander."

"...?" Zeldri raised an eyebrow and looked over to Helian. Her speech was getting less formal and her cheeks were slightly red. Looks like she wasn't the strongest with alcohol. "You're the one calling me 'Commander' while we're off duty, may I remind you, Mrs. Helianthus?"

That got a chuckle out of Helian and she countered with, "Alright then, Zeldri, but you have to call me 'Helian' then. None of that 'Mrs.' while we're here."

"But, I like 'Helianthus' as a name. Sunflower. A beautiful, tall standing flower for a beautiful, tall standing woman."

"...!" That caused Helian to stutter for a moment. A playful smile crossed her face as she spoke, "Trying to charm me now, Zeldri?" Helian leaned on the bar to get a better look at Zeldri's face and give him a better view of her. The dress she wore didn't have any sleeves, and the Commander's coat she still wore over her shoulders was parted down the front, which showed off the toned muscles on her arms. Yet, she still had a slender overall build to her body. A warm orange glow came from the bar's lights which danced across Helian's face and grey hair, and gave a surreal shine to her yellow eyes. In all honesty, she matched many of Zeldri's tastes.

"...Depends," Zeldri admitted as he raised his glass to her, "Feeling better?" He deflected his flirting to come off as trying to make her forget about her previous canceled date.

"...Much." Helian raised her own glass and tapped it against Zeldri's before they both downed their drinks. They continued idly chatting away and drinking for another hour. "...Hm...Hmhmhm." Until...

"...You're completely drunk." Zeldri was still only buzzed as he was making sure to eat and pause between drinks. But, Helian held no such constraints, it seemed.

"Soo~?"

"..." Helian's face was glowing with warmth and made her look even more beautiful to Zeldri. He muttered, "Jeez, you're making this hard for me."

"Oh~?" She heard him muttering and was in a completely playful mood, now. "Have I captivated the heart of a soldier?" Her breath reeked of alcohol. "I am still shingle and ready to mingle, you knoooow~?"

"Shingle?" Zeldri raised an eyebrow and chuckled to himself. She was starting to slur her speech. "Unfortunately, I'll be passhing on the offer." He purposely messed up his own speech to poke fun at Helian.

"Come on~," she put a hand on his shoulder and lightly shook him, "You never know when shomeone's gonna sweep this g-gurl off her feet!" She laughed at her own self-praise. As Zeldri was about to counter, Helian stopped shaking him and her hand started gently going down his arm to his bicep. "...Aw...Who am I kidding?" She let go of his arm and her hand hovered aimlessly in the air. "I've done sho many mixers..." Her voice became quiet. "I'm not pretty enough for that kind of dream, I guessh..."

"...I wouldn't say that." The words escaped Zeldri's mouth before he could filter them.

"Hmm, I appreshiate the kind words, but-"

"They're not just kind words." Zeldri cut Helian off and she looked genuinely surprised. The alcohol was starting to make Zeldri lose his filter. "I think you're quite beautiful, Helian. And, talking with you has been fun. I'm glad I ran into you earlier."

"I-I-...I see..." The genuine compliments caught drunk Helian off guard. "Well...then..." Her eyes did a once-over of Zeldri, and she was enjoying herself more than usual while being with him. The alcohol dripped into her mind. "Since you'll be in the sh-city for the night... Do you...want to come to my place, tonight?"

"..." As much as he wanted to, his better judgment took hold. "Again, I'll pass since you're quite drunk." He figured that would get a rise from her and he could distract himself with a laugh. But, to Zeldri's surprise, Helian didn't start complaining.

Instead, she seemed deep in thought about something and the two sat in silence for a few moments before she finally asked, "So... If I wasn't drunk, you would have said yes?" Her hand, which had been hovering in the air aimlessly, gently touched Zeldri's arm. Her cheeks were completely red and were accentuated by the bar's light. Strands of hair had fallen in her face giving her a slightly messy look, but that only added to her allure. Helian's eyes, while hazy from the alcohol, held a light that made Zeldri's heart skip a beat.

"...!" This was dangerous. This was way too dangerous! Zeldri needed to abort before he actually did something. Cracking a joking grin he said, "...Only sober Helians get sober answers."

"Awww~!" The joke killed the mood, and the alcohol made Helian start pouting like a child. "Come oooon~!"

"..." Zeldri took a drink of water as he calmed his beating heart. He had successfully avoided a situation that could easily be misinterpreted and potentially ruin both of their reputations and careers. But, what he didn't account for was that, while she was drunk, Helian was coherent enough to remember this interaction and would use that information for a plan she would enact at a later date.


"...I understand the situation." A-545 had brought the rental car to the bar when Zeldri called her to pick them up. It was obvious they were both too drunk to get home on their own, so A-545 was tasked with getting them where they needed to go. "Please, get some rest, Commander. I will return shortly."

"Thanks, A-545," Zeldri said as he hobbled his way into the hotel leaving A-545 alone with Helian in the car.

"..." She had access to Griffin's servers which allowed her to find where Helian lived so she could get her home. The t-doll adjusted the rearview mirror so she could look at Helian who had fallen asleep in the back seat. A-545 had gotten worried when Zeldri told her he would be late coming back, as well as when he asked her to pick 'them' up without giving a name. However... "This seems fine." Helian was the second-in-command of Griffin & Kryuger. She had an impeccable record of success and had proven herself a trustworthy person time and time again to both Kryuger as well as the company as a whole. If anything, A-545 was proud to know her commander had such high standards for both his professional and personal life. While it did pain her a bit to know she wouldn't be the one to capture his heart and truly be his, she was satisfied with the person Zeldri seemed to have picked. He had picked her to be his weapon, not his lover. A-545 concluded to herself that Helian would be the one that holds his heart, while she would be the one that holds his life. Turning AK-12's jab at her into a compliment: she would be the snake that coils around Zeldri and protects him so that he may continue to strive forward. She would-

"Hm...Hmhmhehe..." Helian started giggling in her sleep as she was, apparently, dreaming about something funny.

"...First things first," A-545 sighed to herself as she drove through the dark streets towards Helian's apartment.