Under the cover of the night, Shin got up and left his tent right before dawn. Most people were asleep, with only the designated guards staying awake. He sneaked up to his Reginleif stationing not far from the camp, and quietly activated the machine. Thanks to his masterful control he was able to leave the area unnoticed, and swiftly head to the cave-in area. In his head, he was questioning his sanity, but the idea planted by Shiden convincingly whispered to try. Shin went down the mountainside, without any risk of being heard so far from their base. He got close to the pile of rubble and used his high-frequency blade to make a few incisions into it. The water was long gone, penetrating the underground cave systems, so he got around with ease. When he decided it was enough, Shin disembarked his vehicle and got close to his creation. Using the flashlight he took from Theo's bag he scanned the pile, searching for anything that would catch his eye. Ultimately he picked up a few colorful rocks and satisfied went back into the machine. He had no idea what was valuable or if any of these were feasible to process, but it was a worry for tomorrow. He packed the collected specimens into a small pouch, and hurried back to his tent, hoping his venture would go unnoticed. When he was about to finish his mission with total success, a sudden voice snickered from behind.
"Well well well, our heartless Reaper seems to have a lil crush on someone." Shiden was leaning on the oak tree, playing with a cigarette in her hands.
"...why are you here?" Shinei quickly regained his calm composure, as there was no way he was being followed. The woman couldn't have known how her words affected him, making him act out of character twice that night.
"I had a hefty bet with Shana, and sure as hell I won. You keep makin' the goo-goo eyes anytime the Queen is near ya, so we tried to mess with ya. I tell ya, got me worryin' for a while, but it was worth the wait. Show me, pretty boy, what did you get her?" She laughed, not adding that the section about her planning to do the same wasn't a part of a trick.
"I kind of hate you, you know? Keep your mouth shut to my Squadron and we'll be in the clear." He tried to act tough, not letting her get the last laugh.
"Sure thing Reaper, but ya owe me for that. I'll let you go off easy, with Shana takin' my cleaning duties for a month. Thanks for not letting me down, boy." She had left, still chuckling to herself on the way back. Shin felt the pent-up embarrassment creeping on his face, unsure why he was so ashamed anyway. It wasn't anything particularly grand or weird, but he couldn't shake off the feeling, that if his friends knew, the teasing would never stop.
The rest of the morning proceeded without anything out of the ordinary, with everyone packing their tents, and the column began marching soon after. Today was the day they would reach San Magnolia, with tension hanging in the air. The final fragment of the journey was relatively peaceful, as all the preexisting fortifications fell with the Republic during the Legion's offensive. Landmines were no longer working, and all that was left were the ruins of the Gran Mur. Citizens weren't keen to repair it themselves, and most of the Eighty-Six were already dead or evacuated. The truth was, what was left of the military knew, that doing so would be futile. Most of the capital residents were in denial, not accepting this place was beyond saving. They did their best to repair their houses and wished every day things would be back to normal. There was a vocal minority suggesting reinstating the parties and lavish lifestyle anyway, but the supplies were dwindling with each day. When they entered the First Sector there were no cheers, Albas were glaring at the Reginleifs with pure hatred. Many chanted offensive messages, blaming the Eighty-Six for their poor situation. Some even tried to throw objects at them but to no avail.
"This is exactly what I was worried about… How do they manage to stay so ungrateful and delusional? We came to rescue them, and they act like it's our fault there is nothing left here. Honestly, a part of me regrets coming back. The Eighty-Six don't deserve such treatment, I had hoped the people here would look back and at least be thankful we came back with help, but no."Lena boiled with rage, hearing all the insults thrown at her friends. She knew that the number of citizens they could escort was limited, but if they planned to act like this during their journey back, it would be a nightmare no matter the size.
"We don't mind them, Colonel. Let's proceed as planned, no need to disperse the crowd." Shin responded through the Para-RAID, unfazed by the protestors. He knew it'd end in a similar fashion when he had signed up for the mission, like every other Eighty-Six. Lena was the one having the hardest time with her fellow countrymen, and they felt perplexed she was so agitated on their behalf.
"Not an ounce of gratefulness, it's depressing. The state of the capital is worse than when I left it, they didn't continue the repairs as planned. I have no idea who is currently in charge, but I ought to have a serious talk with them." The indignation was rising when getting further into the capital, Lena feeling all her efforts to rebuild this place were useless. She delegated the units according to the original draft, choosing to reside outside the First Sector where most people were. They managed to find a few well-kept houses, with their occupants long gone after the siege.
"The inside of Gran Mur is overhyped." Kurena remarked when the six took a short walk in the neighborhood.
"I agree, those barbarians lack the sophistication. Multiple months have passed, yet their streets are cluttered with rubble. It is clear this place has no chance of survival on its own." Frederica glared with superiority at the state of once enemy nation. It was obvious their leadership lacked the experience, as the priorities of the restoration were out of place. The high class focused on repairing their villas rather than public necessities, and the whole process gave the impression of unorganized individual initiatives, rather than a common goal.
"I've heard the center is in a much better shape. Colonel proposed stationing us in her own mansion, but I'm glad we chose to stay here. This house is quite cozy if you think about it, I see there was a lot of love put into decorating it." Anju had memories of living in a similar place, but the time blurred most details. The small house they'd gotten must have belonged to a large family, as there were seven beds located in the two-floor building. The damage it had suffered wasn't bad, probably resulting from its secluded location. After patching up the roof it looked decent enough, allowing them to explore further.
"Colonel promised to give me some equipment if she finds it, the mystery message might be solved soon. I hate those white pigs, but on the technological side they probably have a lot of useful stuff." Theo fidgeted the loose screw, uninterested in the landscape.
"Recently you hole yourself up every chance you got, don't you miss human company? Let's organize one last grill in the Republic, cos I sure as hell don't plan to go back." Raiden had the thought after seeing shiny new grilling equipment hidden in the shed behind their building. It felt right to crown their escape from this hellhole with something all their comrades enjoyed. Bringing back the good memories, triumphantly breaking free from this country's shackles for the dead ones' sake.
"The synthetic crap is the last thing I want to eat, better to steal something from our supplies. I'm sure no one will mind a few sausages going missing…" The redhead said with dreamy eyes, drooling at the idea.
"What do you think, Shin? You're awfully quiet today." He asked his best friend, noticing he wasn't paying attention.
"What? Oh, grill. Sure, Colonel probably won't mind if we ask her outright. Maybe she'll give us some spare supplies and spices." He responded after a short pause, with his thought occupied by words said by Shiden earlier.
"Don't scare us, Shin! You look gloomy since we entered the white pigs' den, tell us if we can cheer you up!" Kurena lifted her fists to show how serious she was, ready to help him with everything she's got.
"I guess I'm just tired after all, nothing a good night's sleep won't fix. We are leaving in two days, so I guess a grill shouldn't be an issue. Tomorrow we'll get it set up, there is nothing much to do for us here anyway. The more we stay out of sight the better." Shin told a white lie to explain his state, unsure how to fix the mess in his head. He didn't notice it himself, but it was the first time in a long time, that his concerns and worries were so down-to-earth. His mind busy figuring out his emotions was distracted from the emptiness in the battlefield, making Shin a lot more stable. As they continued walking, he had put his hand into the pocket, squeezing a fist-sized red geode hidden safely inside.
July 10th Republic Year 368 (Stellar Year 2149)
46 days until the Legion's Large-Scale Offensive
Getting two tickets for the party had cost them an arm and a leg, but there was no time to find an alternative. They sold what they could from their jewelry and other valuables, managing to come up the draconian sums. Armed with long dresses and charming smiles, Annette and Charlotte entered the villa for a Grand Masquerade. It worked to their advantage, as the chances of getting recognized were significantly lower. When the night embraced the whole city Milo, the host, greeted everyone gathered in the hall.
"Welcome, my dear guests and patrons. We are gathered here once again to rekindle our beautiful relationship, business or otherwise. To broaden our scope I've decided on this Masquerade, let fate decide who you'll meet next. Thank you for coming and feel free to enjoy this night to the fullest!" The middle-aged man standing on the podium raised his champagne glass and finished his toast with a bang. The orchestra started playing as soon as he turned around, inviting everyone to the parquet.
"For a money laundering and underground market hub, they sure have a knack for party planning." Annette looked around, admiring the lavish decor. Her sunny yellow ball gown rested on her left shoulder, giving her an air of poise and maturity. The girl knew Nicolas had seen her in passing, so she did everything to change her appearance. This included the sacrifice of putting in contact lenses, which she hated.
"G-good there is such a big crowd, we won't stick l-like a sore thumb snooping around. We m-must locate the stripper first, but s-somehow I suspect there are a lot of them here…" Charlotte, dressed in a lovely pink mermaid dress nervously scanned the area. They both had black shorts and tops hidden in Annette's multi-layer dress, to follow their prey later. Rights now, however, flashy colors were the best way to blend in.
"Let's split up, I'll search the left side of the house, you'll take the right. Use Para-RAID when you find something, but stay low while at it." With a silent nod of her head Charlotte agreed to the plan.
While they were apart, many men, young and old alike, made advances toward uninterested Annette. Normally she had a little fun during the parties, leading some poor fellows by the nose, but tonight was not intended for entertainment. She rejected them outright, not wanting to waste her precious time. Coincidentally, trying to avoid them she stumbled upon a small lounge, occupied by a few businessmen vigorously arguing about some investment. When they had spotted her, one of them approached the uninvited guest.
"Hello Madame, how can we help you? Did you lose your way going to the little girls' room?" All the men chuckled at the remark, not seeing Annette as a threat. She decided to use it to her advantage, pretending to be tipsy and lost.
"Oh… Sorry Gentlemen. I was heading to an… appointment… with a very distinguished man when got confused following the instructions he whispered to me. I am so terribly sorry, to you officers, and my poor Darling. Oh what am I going to do, do you know him by any chance? He is a tall, handsome fella, wearing a navy tuxedo, and a mask resembling a hawk. I do not know his name, but believe me Gentlemen, his voice melted my heart like no man ever before…." She dramatized as much as she was able to, knowing fully the described man was no other than Nicolas Pivot, briefly seen during the reception. The girl had no idea the businessmen would buy her act, but it was worth taking a shot.
"A hawk mask you say? Well you're in luck Young Lady, I know the beloved you're describing. Looking at you up close it's no wonder he was struck by your beauty! I am his dear friend, so taking care of his lover is the least I can do. Butler, please take the Miss to the Crimson Apartment, I'm sure our VIP guest will appreciate finding his poor, lost lover." He gestured to the attendant, who took Annette out of the room. After going through a few hallways hidden stairs have emerged, with a subtle red ribbon tied to their handrail.
"When you go upstairs Madam, you'll find an ensuite on the left, if you wish to freshen up before the reunion. Master would come to visit soon, feel free to avail yourself with some of the finest wines stored above." He bowed deeply, having been instructed not to bother anyone going in or out of the Crimson Apartment with a prior engagement. Annette went upstairs, cautiously checking all the rooms for the visitors. Luckily everything seemed untouched, prepared for the upcoming rendezvous. She searched for a place to hide, settling for an old closet in the antechamber. The girl tried everything to fit in, but her vast yellow dress made it impossible.
"Fuck it, there is no time." She mumbled to herself, quickly undressing in the adjacent bathroom. Annette took the spare clothes from the gown and decided to push it outside the window. Someone would eventually find it, but she ran out of options. The same was done with the contents of the armoire, hiding the removable racks behind it. From downstairs the sounds of turmoil reached her ear, so in a desperate attempt, she grabbed one of the towels and ran into the enclosure with only her underwear on. She carefully closed its doors and prayed no one would try to open it.
"...I'm telling you, she'll crack in no time. With the surprise I gave her on the last hearing, it's only a matter of 'when' not 'if'. Tomorrow I'll press the judge a little more, to scare her for real." The unmistakable voice of Nicolas Pivot resounded in the hallway, with his dark blue tuxedo and an animal mask briefly in view of the keyhole. He was accompanied by the two buff guards and Milo, all four of them entering the suite. Not long after a girl in a green halter dress stopped for a quick stop in the bathroom. The person who exited was a scantily dressed woman in a bunny costume, knocking on the door with a seductive pose. Annette knew she had seen enough, remembering both of the intermediary's disguises. She smeared her lipstick on her face, ruffled her hair, and went downstairs holding only a towel before the lingerie, with the spare clothes hidden in it.
"I'll escort you to a room where you can fix your makeup up Miss, I encourage you to borrow one of the dresses inside before going back to the party." The butler mistakenly thought the girl had finished her tryst with Nicolas, proceeding with the usual protocol. After escorting her out he went back to guard the stairs, giving Annette a room to breathe. She rapidly fixed everything on her face, put on the black clothes, and covered it with a wrapped green dress. Resonating with Charlotte made her share all the information, and the timid girl decided to stake out the main entrance. Annette waited for the middlewoman to exit and followed her from a sensible distance. Ultimately both of them arrived at the mediocre edifice in the Twentieth District, seeing the agent enter and exit thirty minutes later.
"I think it's s-safe to go in." Charlotte scanned the radius with a binocular, not detecting any movement.
"It's do or die." Annette took the tiny lockpicking gear from her partner and began to wrestle with the mechanism. It took a few minutes, but finally, the lock made a scraping sound, and the door opened.
"I'll keep the lookout, d-do your best!" She passed the flashlight from her hand, focusing on guarding the area with the night-vision mode.
"Sure thing, nothing less." With that Annette entered into the freshly refurbished flat, with some construction equipment still laying on the floor. It was hard to believe here the trade magnate had hidden the illegal contracts. The furniture was covered by foil, not arousing any suspicion. When she had finished searching through all the drawers with nothing found inside, she felt her hope dwindling. What if it was all Sophia's ruse? A way to occupy them before the court date, making them unable to help Lena? Did Nicolas manage to one-up them once again?
With a hard heart, Annette was close to giving up, but she spotted slight scratch marks on the floor next to one of the kitchen cabinets. It was a last shot, the cupboard's unwillingness to move made her curse to oblivion.
"Charlotte, come here, you have to help me!" She pleaded with frustration getting the best of her.
"I'm coming!" The girl understood what her friend wanted, and both of them struggled against the piece of furniture. Eventually, it budged, with the girls' hands close to giving out.
"Bingo." Annette said with satisfaction, looking at the big black safe installed in the wall.