Chapter 256: 256
I was looking at him directly in the eye and the moment I said that they’ll be in my fold regardless of what happens made him flinch. The others around me were also shocked from the words that came out of my mouth.
“W-whoa! Y-you can’t just do that! We’re still-” then I interrupted him.
“Still what? What difference does it make whether you are here on this island group or in the other island group? Are you doing something important at that island group? If yes, why are you here in a rescue mission with not even half a plan? Tell me.” I said.
He pursed his lips and he looked down on the ground. Alexei was scratching his head and the rest were waiting for him to answer.
“It’s a struggle for power there, right? With the other nations present taking refuge in our land. Who has the most power over there aside from us? China? America? Japan? Hmm? You guys went to this place and I guess all of you were just soldiers. I’m guessing that there are more foreign dignitaries there that are more favored than you?” I said after a moment of silence.
“Wai- how did you know?” Vera chimed.
“Well, that’s something obvious actually. The other countries have sent their forces to places like this not just to preserve their forces but to also gather information. The world has gone to shit and people are still more inclined to get the bigger slice out of everybody. Well, that’s the way the world works anyways, it always was. Anyway, enough talk about that. What would you guys like to do?” I replied.
The rest looked at Nikolas and he still seemed to be undecided.
“What would it be? Wait three more days starting tomorrow so there’s a chance you could find them or I’ll just send you off while you leave your dog tags here? You won’t have a chance of taking Tatiana since I’ll be taking her with me. You’re coming with me, right?” I looked at Tatiana.
“Correct.” Tatiana immediately replied.
“You agree with this guy?!” Nikolas was in disbelief.
“You haven’t been here. He’s crazy but he’s smart. He knows what he’s doing. If you want the chance to get Alexander, Ilya, and Kuzma, he’s the guy. Don’t act like you can’t see what this place has turned to. I bet you’ve got a better view since you came from the helicopter. Everything outside is already gone.” Tatiana said.
“I don’t think so, that’s wrong.” I interjected.
“Hmm?” Tatiana looked toward me.
“I prefer the word genius.” I smirked.
Almost everyone choked and Nikolas is still wearing his serious expression.
“It’s tough to get into this guy.” I thought to myself.
“See? He’s crazy, if earlier conversations with the president are not enough. I thought I had the worst luck when I got sent here but turns out I’ve got the best possible place to be in. I’m gonna be honest, when you four came here, you look like shit.” Tatiana said as her team had solemn expressions.
“Thank you, here.” I said as I handed her a 100 peso bill from my pockets.
“What?” she immediately got confused.
The look of confusion on everyone’s face is priceless! I could almost hear Kaley’s eyeroll and Mikhail started to laugh as he slapped his brother on the back.
“Where did you even get that from?!” Kaley finally spoke.
“Heh. Better to have and not need than-” I wasn’t able to finish my sentence since she pinched my sides.
“Ow! Kaley! I’ll get you back later…” I said as I rubbed my sides.
“I’m sorry but I think you’re not being serious at all.” Nikolas interjected.
Everyone looked at him and the jolly atmosphere that was about to form was once again back to this murky swamp we were in earlier. Tatiana sighed as she looked at while the rest looked at Nikolas.
“And why is that?” I asked.
“You always make these stupid jokes and it seems that what’s happening outside doesn’t bother you. Instead of thinking of ways to-” I cut him off again.
“Seriously dude? You’re too uptight. I make stupid jokes to make people laugh at least. There’s a time in my life that I know what it feels like to- all I could do was to make myself laugh. It’s all I have back then. Don’t even start on telling me that this shit doesn’t bother me. It bothers me a whole lot. I can’t wait to see who did this and make their lives miserable. Like Tatiana said, you haven’t been here that long. I already have my plans laid out and all I need to do is execute them. Granted there’s a few that need changes and a few needed to be made for special cases but I have thought of this thing way before I even saw the first video that has an inkling of what may happen. Don’t start to lecture me on what to do if you yourself didn’t even have half a plan to begin with.” I said solemnly.
“This guy would be really~ fun at parties.” I thought to myself.
“I didn’t mean to put it that way. It’s just that this place… feels different from the president’s city…” Nikolas trailed.
“Feels like a home, correct?” Tatiana said.
“…yeah.” Nikolas nodded.
“I said that the first time I came here too.” Tatiana said.
“Hah! If it gets too rowdy at Rod’s place, you could always tell… Artem, if I got it right, and the rest of your team to come here. There’s plenty more room here. Just tell me if they’d attack out of the blue like Tatiana if I meet them or like you that would catch it unaware.” I replied, smirking.
He lets out another long sigh that he always does but this time a smile is formed afterwards. Well…
“Nikolas… you have a great smile but please… more lips and less… teeth… you look like Baraka from MK or something. Your eyes too, can your eyebrows even move? Did you have botox? Is that it? I’ll-” I started rambling on and Kaley started on attacking me. The rest started to laugh and I noticed that Rin was hugging Tatiana tightly from the side. Her face is buried on her shoulders and I think she’s a little fl.u.s.tered.
“She didn’t want Tatiana to go, huh? She was silent this time too. I thought she would immediately voice her concern but she didn’t. Good thing Tatiana wanted to stay here since a lot of people would definitely be against it as well.” I thought to myself.
“Why do you keep on ruining great moments?!” Kaley exclaimed.
“What? It’s so cheesy~ I would sometimes have goosebumps or cringe at the moment. That’s my coping mechanism, deal with it!” I replied then another wave of attacks came.
The situation finally calmed down and the president called me afterwards. He told me that the trip to the City of Manila will be held tomorrow early morning and I need to prepare a few of my people to come with me. I already have a few in mind and since we have the afternoon to push for a few more jobs, I decided to bring Tatiana’s group with me for a run.
I made a route for us to take starting from the People’s Park pushing towards the border of the expressway next to it. We would be going to a place called ‘Ecko’, this place is a street where there are stores on the side of it where surplus items are sold. A few blocks further from it is a company that deals with large power tools such as presses, hammers, drills, cutters, and etc. In between these places are a few residential areas where there might be a chance of a gun still being inside one of them.
Even if the list we got from the City Hall is partly incomplete, some of them were filled in by what Ana has already sent before. She still hasn’t sent everything from her side since we still haven’t increased her range of influence as much since we’re too preoccupied before.
We brought the 8-wheeler and the Raptor for our run but something peculiar is going on, especially with what Nikolas and his group is carrying. I’m more concerned with the expression that Jared is wearing right now as he scanned each one of them. We’re at the back of the 8-wheeler as always while almost all of us are sitting at the sidings of the truck. Our gear is strapped firmly though we would sway as the truck avoids the obstacles.
“Please don’t say it. Please don’t say. Please don’t say it.” I kept on telling myself as Jared was about to open his mouth.
“Bro…” he whispered to me.
“Oh no.” I thought to myself.
“Tell me, they are with Tatiana, right? They came from the president’s place, right?” he is still whispering.
“Yeah, if you didn’t notice the flag that they’re bearing on their uniforms.” I replied.
“But their guns though bro…” he whispered again.
“Here we go, what about them? Tell me.” I replied as I tried to keep my composure.
“They’re all carrying AK-47s… Well, that long-haired guy has a Dragunov but still… Tatiana is always using that Benelli M4…” he whispered again. He would stop speaking if he would notice that they’re glancing at him. He’s trying to speak discreetly as he could but I could already notice faint smiles from the others due to what Jared is getting at.
“So? What’s your point?” I asked.
“They’re not terrorists, right?” he said flatly.
Facepalm.
Silence. Complete and total f.u.c.k.i.n.g silence.