Thomas looked at the gear placed on the table.
He then traveled his gaze on Vito who sat across. Behind Vito was the night sky of the city of Knia.
The very lights of the city flashing from one skyscraper to another.
“You called me for this?”
Vito gestured for him to sit down. Thomas remained standing while inspecting the gear. He took one of the items from the gear case, it was a mask with a strange filter on the mouth.
“What is this?”
“Multi-filter mask. Could allow you to breathe in any environment. It also is attached to the pack you carry. Comes with two functions, both night and thermal imagery so you can see better and identify targets within 32x magnification.”
Thomas lifted the backpack connected to a powered frame exoskeleton. “Sounds like a hassle to carry this weight while doing this kind of work.”
Vito pointed at the rest of the items. Plate carrier, webbing, extrication equipment, rescue equipment, and sort of gadgets and modules attached to the very suit and backpack containing the hydroelectric core of the equipment.
Then there was the last batch of equipment that came from the sponsor that was funding him. “Compact submachine-gun, and a torso shredder. There’s a telescopic baton on the side of your kit so feel free to smash someone’s head with that if they get close to the person you’re guarding.”
“It looks like this would take a week…not a day.”
Vito threw the dossier and files on the table. Thomas picked it up.
Operative is tasked to fully cooperate with the following guests, and confirm their safety. Priority is to join the security group, and protect them. Gears are attached alongside the package.
“It feels like I’m taking on a Syndicate.”
“You are,” Vito said. “Some of the recent magiborne have joined the side.”
“Who? Oskar?”
Vito nodded. “He’d been clear that he wanted his brothers and sisters free from being used. Oskar’s the same as you, but different in that he wanted another way out other than more servitude.”
Thomas nodded. Even he understood that this way was the harshest path and at the same time, unclear. There was simply no guarantee that the government would just let him go if he did wonderfully. The government simply believed that there was no way they could let go of the group of super soldiers so easily.
Their numbers have thinned, and perhaps there will be a day where they will cease to exist.
Every generation of the magiborne grows weaker and unstable that they couldn’t simply replicate the same blood that gives them the strength, agility, and endurance that makes them magiborne. The more diluted the blood becomes, the lesser the effect becomes. It was the one thing that they were told to when they were augmented to become. Those ‘babies’ were made from the union of two magiborne was full of defects that Thomas had personally saw a baby twist its own neck because it couldn’t control itself.
What the magiborne wanted was freedom after fighting.
But who would let go of resources that could do the job of ten men?
Oskar wanted to join in this resistance.
But he knew that he was looking at a dead end.
Perhaps, he might have been a bastard to them, and now he was gearing up to shoot them in the head if they appear on the VIP he’s guarding.
“You good?”
“I am,” Thomas cocked the submachine gun and checked the iron sights. “Not that it would change anything. He followed what he wanted, and that guy has always been more idealistic than me. He was born to be a leader, and even being augmented into becoming a magiborne didn’t change that shit.”
Vito studied him. Thomas shook his head. “I ain’t going to hesitate in shooting them if they try to get close. Besides, I’d be even more surprised if they could get close to the VIP that you are asking me to guard.”
The dossier showed the face of the most beautiful and influential person in the world. To say that she wasn’t known to anyone then it would mean that the person must have been living in a rock. Thomas didn’t have a problem with doing this. He wasn’t a juvenile who could not pry away his eyes from the most charming woman in the world.
“I’d say lucky you, but with Oskar and his Syndicate targeting them. It would have been a nasty job anyway.”
“Summit’s not over, right? Will I be getting air transport?”
“You will since we need you to reinforce them.”
Thomas took the equipment with him and started dressing himself up until only his uncovered face was seen. Any normal human would have trouble moving the powered exoskeleton that was like an ancient suit of armor that the knights of old wore. Thomas hadn't felt this weight ever since he was storming the Easternside with a team of strikers that were cutting the head of the enemy leadership.
“Does your radio work?”
“It does,” Thomas said. “I can already hear scanner chatter. I’m guessing that I can’t change the encryption line?”
“Sorry.”
“That’s alright,” Thomas gestured at the door. “You better do your job then, Vito. Don’t give me that face. You know that this was the only proper path that I could get. I might be desperate for an out, but I’m a coward who doesn’t want to die yet. I need that medication. Oskar might have found a way to get a steady supply, but how long till that shit lasts them?”
Vito didn’t say anything after what Thomas said. He led Thomas to the car he was using and drove him to the landing pad where he got a transport from the block that he was living to the back of the summit where the VIP he was guarding was waiting for him.
It took a moment Vito to get back, and the man was blushing furiously when he came back. Thomas was led to the guest room of the building and many eyes were pointed at his heavily-armed appearance walking the corridor.
Vito went in first before Thomas was allowed in the room.
“My, my, is this our new magiborne guard?”
“That's right, Madam Ziba,” Vito gestured at Thomas to come close.
“Oh my, I can’t see any of the usual violent traits that they should have.”
The red-eyed stare of the woman before Thomas made his heart jump for a second. Seated next to Lady Bellatrix De Ziba was Ms. Velia and Velna Whitefall. They did not lose out when it comes to beauty, but the mature and motherly beauty of Lady Bellatrix made those who were close to her funny.
“Welcome, I think that you should know me and my dearest ones are here. This isn’t everyone of course, I am still waiting for my lovely Wendy,” Lady Bellatrix shifted her gaze on Vito who had finally regained his professional demeanor. “Does he know about the affairs of my company?”
“Yes, but not all, Madam.”
“Well, well,” she studied Thomas from top to bottom. “It seems like Rene and Kristine’s work had started to become diluted after a few years. Not that it matters, as long as you protect my cute pupils,” she said fondly.
Lady Velia lifted her lips, but kept on sipping her tea. Lady Velna remained on the side, watching the room, alternating her gaze quietly on Vito and Thomas. It was then that Thomas heard someone approaching from behind. He slightly turned his body, and faced the wall and saw a brunette woman with freckles and a bun.
“Sorry, I’m so late!”
“Wendy,” Lady Bellatrix waved at her, “this is going to be your bodyguard for the next few days. As much as I like to go back to Sudugar, and spend a good time not worrying about the affairs of the summit. It may look like we have to deal with this problem. Forgive me, Wendy, forgive me for this.”
“No, no, I should be thankful.”
Thomas studied Wendy Otto. It was said in the dossier that her mother was also an employee of Lady Bellatrix’s mother.
It had become a two-generation employment. By the time she had grown old, her grandparents were over eighty-year olds and had retired after she was graciously accepted.
It seemed like the Lady’s mother was fond of the Otto family, and even had changed Sudugar after moving there after the civil war with the 108th nobles of the Old Empire. How the Lady looked at Miss Wendy put pressure on him. Though most people would think that it would be a blessing to be in the presence of such beautiful women.
Thomas would think too if they weren’t troubled by a group of magiborne that had recently ended decades of fighting and have nothing to lose other than their lives. It wasn’t exactly the type of job that he wanted if he hadn’t swore that he would. If anything, seeing who the ‘sponsor’ that he was going to protect. It gave a bit of hope in Thomas’s heart that once this was over. He would have a chance in life.
He found a good town where he might be able to live quietly.
At the same time hated the idea that he actually found a good town, knowing that he might not be able to live in it.
Do your job well, get out, and go back to Lano. That’s your goal, Thomas.
The augmented human, no, the magiborne named Thomas Strongarm swore to himself that he would satisfy his sponsor and be free from this collar of servitude.
karsev Thank you for reading so far!
Thomas looked at the gear placed on the table.
He then traveled his gaze on Vito who sat across. Behind Vito was the night sky of the city of Knia.
The very lights of the city flashing from one skyscraper to another.
“You called me for this?”
Vito gestured for him to sit down. Thomas remained standing while inspecting the gear. He took one of the items from the gear case, it was a mask with a strange filter on the mouth.
“What is this?”
“Multi-filter mask. Could allow you to breathe in any environment. It also is attached to the pack you carry. Comes with two functions, both night and thermal imagery so you can see better and identify targets within 32x magnification.”
Thomas lifted the backpack connected to a powered frame exoskeleton. “Sounds like a hassle to carry this weight while doing this kind of work.”
Vito pointed at the rest of the items. Plate carrier, webbing, extrication equipment, rescue equipment, and sort of gadgets and modules attached to the very suit and backpack containing the hydroelectric core of the equipment.
Then there was the last batch of equipment that came from the sponsor that was funding him. “Compact submachine-gun, and a torso shredder. There’s a telescopic baton on the side of your kit so feel free to smash someone’s head with that if they get close to the person you’re guarding.”
“It looks like this would take a week…not a day.”
Vito threw the dossier and files on the table. Thomas picked it up.
Operative is tasked to fully cooperate with the following guests, and confirm their safety. Priority is to join the security group, and protect them. Gears are attached alongside the package.
“It feels like I’m taking on a Syndicate.”
“You are,” Vito said. “Some of the recent magiborne have joined the side.”
“Who? Oskar?”
Vito nodded. “He’d been clear that he wanted his brothers and sisters free from being used. Oskar’s the same as you, but different in that he wanted another way out other than more servitude.”
Thomas nodded. Even he understood that this way was the harshest path and at the same time, unclear. There was simply no guarantee that the government would just let him go if he did wonderfully. The government simply believed that there was no way they could let go of the group of super soldiers so easily.
Their numbers have thinned, and perhaps there will be a day where they will cease to exist.
Every generation of the magiborne grows weaker and unstable that they couldn’t simply replicate the same blood that gives them the strength, agility, and endurance that makes them magiborne. The more diluted the blood becomes, the lesser the effect becomes. It was the one thing that they were told to when they were augmented to become. Those ‘babies’ were made from the union of two magiborne was full of defects that Thomas had personally saw a baby twist its own neck because it couldn’t control itself.
What the magiborne wanted was freedom after fighting.
But who would let go of resources that could do the job of ten men?
Oskar wanted to join in this resistance.
But he knew that he was looking at a dead end.
Perhaps, he might have been a bastard to them, and now he was gearing up to shoot them in the head if they appear on the VIP he’s guarding.
“You good?”
“I am,” Thomas cocked the submachine gun and checked the iron sights. “Not that it would change anything. He followed what he wanted, and that guy has always been more idealistic than me. He was born to be a leader, and even being augmented into becoming a magiborne didn’t change that shit.”
Vito studied him. Thomas shook his head. “I ain’t going to hesitate in shooting them if they try to get close. Besides, I’d be even more surprised if they could get close to the VIP that you are asking me to guard.”
The dossier showed the face of the most beautiful and influential person in the world. To say that she wasn’t known to anyone then it would mean that the person must have been living in a rock. Thomas didn’t have a problem with doing this. He wasn’t a juvenile who could not pry away his eyes from the most charming woman in the world.
“I’d say lucky you, but with Oskar and his Syndicate targeting them. It would have been a nasty job anyway.”
“Summit’s not over, right? Will I be getting air transport?”
“You will since we need you to reinforce them.”
Thomas took the equipment with him and started dressing himself up until only his uncovered face was seen. Any normal human would have trouble moving the powered exoskeleton that was like an ancient suit of armor that the knights of old wore. Thomas hadn't felt this weight ever since he was storming the Easternside with a team of strikers that were cutting the head of the enemy leadership.
“Does your radio work?”
“It does,” Thomas said. “I can already hear scanner chatter. I’m guessing that I can’t change the encryption line?”
“Sorry.”
“That’s alright,” Thomas gestured at the door. “You better do your job then, Vito. Don’t give me that face. You know that this was the only proper path that I could get. I might be desperate for an out, but I’m a coward who doesn’t want to die yet. I need that medication. Oskar might have found a way to get a steady supply, but how long till that shit lasts them?”
Vito didn’t say anything after what Thomas said. He led Thomas to the car he was using and drove him to the landing pad where he got a transport from the block that he was living to the back of the summit where the VIP he was guarding was waiting for him.
It took a moment Vito to get back, and the man was blushing furiously when he came back. Thomas was led to the guest room of the building and many eyes were pointed at his heavily-armed appearance walking the corridor.
Vito went in first before Thomas was allowed in the room.
“My, my, is this our new magiborne guard?”
“That's right, Madam Ziba,” Vito gestured at Thomas to come close.
“Oh my, I can’t see any of the usual violent traits that they should have.”
The red-eyed stare of the woman before Thomas made his heart jump for a second. Seated next to Lady Bellatrix De Ziba was Ms. Velia and Velna Whitefall. They did not lose out when it comes to beauty, but the mature and motherly beauty of Lady Bellatrix made those who were close to her funny.
“Welcome, I think that you should know me and my dearest ones are here. This isn’t everyone of course, I am still waiting for my lovely Wendy,” Lady Bellatrix shifted her gaze on Vito who had finally regained his professional demeanor. “Does he know about the affairs of my company?”
“Yes, but not all, Madam.”
“Well, well,” she studied Thomas from top to bottom. “It seems like Rene and Kristine’s work had started to become diluted after a few years. Not that it matters, as long as you protect my cute pupils,” she said fondly.
Lady Velia lifted her lips, but kept on sipping her tea. Lady Velna remained on the side, watching the room, alternating her gaze quietly on Vito and Thomas. It was then that Thomas heard someone approaching from behind. He slightly turned his body, and faced the wall and saw a brunette woman with freckles and a bun.
“Sorry, I’m so late!”
“Wendy,” Lady Bellatrix waved at her, “this is going to be your bodyguard for the next few days. As much as I like to go back to Sudugar, and spend a good time not worrying about the affairs of the summit. It may look like we have to deal with this problem. Forgive me, Wendy, forgive me for this.”
“No, no, I should be thankful.”
Thomas studied Wendy Otto. It was said in the dossier that her mother was also an employee of Lady Bellatrix’s mother.
It had become a two-generation employment. By the time she had grown old, her grandparents were over eighty-year olds and had retired after she was graciously accepted.
It seemed like the Lady’s mother was fond of the Otto family, and even had changed Sudugar after moving there after the civil war with the 108th nobles of the Old Empire. How the Lady looked at Miss Wendy put pressure on him. Though most people would think that it would be a blessing to be in the presence of such beautiful women.
Thomas would think too if they weren’t troubled by a group of magiborne that had recently ended decades of fighting and have nothing to lose other than their lives. It wasn’t exactly the type of job that he wanted if he hadn’t swore that he would. If anything, seeing who the ‘sponsor’ that he was going to protect. It gave a bit of hope in Thomas’s heart that once this was over. He would have a chance in life.
He found a good town where he might be able to live quietly.
At the same time hated the idea that he actually found a good town, knowing that he might not be able to live in it.
Do your job well, get out, and go back to Lano. That’s your goal, Thomas.
The augmented human, no, the magiborne named Thomas Strongarm swore to himself that he would satisfy his sponsor and be free from this collar of servitude.
karsev Thank you for reading so far!
