When the rains may come (Science Fiction)

24. The Compromise

"You already know them." Erik said.

Gemma frowned. "None of the people I took into Mathesdale are the fighter types. I can't imagine any of them doing what you are proposing you would do."

"None of the people we recruited in Last Hand were fighters either." Erik said.

"Just tell me who are these people you are gonna drag into this madness now?"

"Make a guess." Erik still hadn't stopped smirking. "I'll give you a hint. They are all living in our manor right now."

Gemma's jaw went slack. She stared at him agape. She was sure of it now, he'd hit his head too hard.

#

It had been three hours since his call with Command. He hadn't stopped thinking about the hearing that Command said she was going to attend. I'm going to lose my job, he thought, they'd picked me out of one battle only to throw me in another, much worse battle with nothing but a pocket kife for a weapon and they wanted me to conquer a fort with it. Now they are going to blame me for the fact that I wasn't able to do it. And so they'll fire me.

It was the nightmare come to life for Luce. He was about to become a spook story in the squad. One of those agents who'd done all they could and then disappeared after that one mission that no one would ever talk about. And soon, he would be forgotten. As if he'd never even existed.

He kept staring at the telephone, waiting for it to ring. Every minute seemed to last as long as an hour. The steady beep of the heart monitor seemed to elongate each of that minute even more. But Luce's anxiety wasn't eased. If anything, it only got worse with each moment.

And that's when the phone rang. He answered it in a heartbeat. "Am I fired?" He asked.

Command started to laugh. The sound was as rare as an intact dinosaur fossil. "No, they're still keeping you." She said.

"Do I have to pay a hefty penalty?" He asked. "I won't be able to raise enough even if I sold both my kidneys."

"No, the problem at hand can't really be solved by money. Especially by the money you obviously don't have." She said. "But you are still working for the Vigilant Squad. Just not as an Agent."

Luce's heart stopped beating for a second. He gripped the phone receiver tightly. "Th-They demoted me?"

"Yes and no. You are gonna be put on probabtion. They are moving you in logistics and you won't be allowed to get back in the field for an indefinite period." Command said.

Luce couldn't believe what he was hearing. But this was still way better than what he had expected. He didn't know what Command had to do to convince the Firsts to let him stay after all that he had failed at in Sector 22, but he still felt grateful. She'd probably put too much on the line herself. "Command...thanks." He said.

There was silence on the other end. "I didn't do it out of kindness, Luce. There's something I want you to do. But I can't tell you on the phone. We'll have to meet soon."

#

"None of them is a soldier, Erik!" Gemma snapped. "And Lisa is pregnant for God's sake! You really plan on sending her of all people to fight?!"

"She can operate the truck." Erik said. "She is good at finding numerical combinations and applying them in a battle. She did that back in Sector 22 and she did that while we were under attack. Imagine what other amazing stuff she might pull off if we give her some time to familiarise herself with the truck?"

Gemma groaned. "Can you even hear yourself?! She has a child growing inside her! She is going to be a mother! Can't you get it?!"

"So far, the government doesn't have the right equipment to break through the truck's Fortress mode. It will keep her safe." Erik said.

Gemma just shook her head. She wasn't going to agree with any of his suggestions. Erik kept talking. "Then there's the girl, Cathy."

His sister was already getting apprehensive. "What about her now?"

"I'm going to train her in melee combat and teach her how to properly use a gun." He said. "During the prison break I'm gonna need someone who is not just good with a gun but also with bare fists. Also, since she has the EpiFreeze in her, she doesn't need to constantly rely on a gas mask. It would be useless to not use her properly."

Gemma was even more appalled. "What next? You have something planned out for Clint and Marie too? Are you gonna turn their son into a little assassin as well?"

Erik chuckled. "You are close but not quite. I indeed have something in mind for them. But it doesn't involve battle. At least not a battle with guns and grenades."

Gemma was puzzled.

"Now listen carefully cuz you are the one who is gonna convince them and get them on board with my plan." He said. 

(to be continued...)