Chapter 76 - 74

In the end the discussion lasts the remaining day and, once it settles, another one takes its place and the remaining evening, the fact that Asher wants to investigate the place we first met right away.

And that, to my surprise, takes a different turn from what I expected at first because, in the end, the cold strong tenacious overly commanding Captain changes his mind and agrees with his subordinates!

I mean, no matter the good point made, that sounded a little off to me, only to prove that this Captain has more going on under that cold mask than he lets appear.

That kind of makes me curious to know how he got to be like that, no way he was just born like this right? Uhm… is there any facial paralyze diseases that I'm not aware of? That would explain that face of his at least.

Overthinking again aren't I? This way my brain will give up on me.

Back to their conversation, however, after some talk, as the Captain says about his intentions of going out with a patrolling group as quickly as possible, right tonight if possible, some others contested in regards that he could not simply leave the city right now, not only with the strange attack of the ghouls affecting the moral of the people, but bringing a strange outcome that demanded careful actions from their part.

"If they attack again and you are not here, who will protect these people? The Colonel?" The last patent is said with a trace of mockery, and even if some agreed with the importance that the mission has to the knowledge needed to fight off the ghouls, others are against it because it would take troops away from the city in such a weakened state.

"But I agree with the Captain, time is essential, not only for any incoming attack but because if the Citadel hears about it they will make sure we do not get close to that place, and all that knowledge will be lost to us, and who knows what they will use that for, definitely won't be in protecting the people on this side of the wall."

"How about a small team then?" Says Queen. "Three people to scavenge the place up, find whatever is that you used to bound him to you like this, document the place up."

"You won't know where to look without me." Says the Captain, only for Queen to scoff. 

"Yeah, I just need to get the information from the rescue team, they will have it easy for us."

"On it!" Says Hacker as I hear typing sound coming from her end.

After all that talk this is the first time that an awkward silence befalls on them, the Captain probably measuring the pros and cons, his choices weighing on the lives of his people and companions, the weight that a choice of a military commander has on his back.

"Very well, Spy, Warrior Queen, and Driver, you are on it. No taking unnecessary risks, I want you three back in one piece, you hear me?"

"Yes Captain!" The three say in different tones.

"Hacker, keep them on your sight, always."

"Roger that sir." 

Only then do they start getting busy upstairs, going back and forth. 

…They didn't forget about me did they? I will punch my way out, no complains later oi!

A little moody about the fact that, not only they left me here, but keep talking and talking as if I don't exist, I look at the blades and decide that I had the right to act a little spoiled and stea-I mean, borrow for an indeterminate time those blades.

I was putting the weapons in the scabbard and around my waist, looking at the small silver stone on the metal for the first time but shrugging it off, somehow used to this strange version of a belt even if I did not remember how to dress up; guess my mind has priorities in what it wants to remember; when the door upstairs finally opens, but since they are still talking I'm actually surprised to see the Hacker girl looking at me and opening the door for me, not being Asher as I thought at first.

"H-hi." She cannot hide her anxiety, however even if she is still scared of me she forces herself to interact: " Come upstairs, y-you must be hungry right? I separated some snacks for you…" Does she even realize what my diet is consisted of, to offer me snacks? I ignore that, wondering if I would taste Asher meal again.

Once I have the swords secured on each side, I finally turn towards her, slowly locking eyes with her and managing to make her break a sweat.

I guess they were more than impressed by my little strength demonstration, though I wonder how they would react when they see me in full display at my other better version…

I get upstairs in time to catch the end of the conversation, where Asher turns the subject to something beyond myself for the first time:

"How is the affected area going? The survivors were taken care of?"

"It is not doing good I'm afraid." Hunter says, while Reaper gives a single short nod on the side, his white masks obscuring his face and shadowing his eyes. "The space problem is only growing, and not that we lost an entire part of the city… I'm afraid those survivors will have no place to stay, even the streets are packed at this point."

"The only way would be cleaning the area of ghouls, but those sneaky things are hiding everywhere, wardrobes, every nook and cranny they can find, lying in wait, it will take months until we are completely sure that the area has being cleaned up, and only after many inspections people will be able to get back inside without risking another outbreak because we passed a single ghoul."

"…" Asher narrows his eyes ever so slightly, and I can tell he is troubled by it, and for the bits that I got from the conversation I can already tell that it is a big problem, after all they even shoot people at the entrance and make they build their own walls because they lack space inside, then I can only imagine what losing an entire part of the city leaves them at.

"They may even want to start another cleansing."

"No way, they wouldn't do that… right?"

"And why not? Cleaner streets, less food wasted, why wouldn't they? Because of human lives? Pff, don't forget, is not human lives we are talking about, but Shinzaki people, and for them it is worth less than the poop their horses make."

They are all in silence once more, absorbing the situation and thinking about the daring consequences, and as they do so I have a creeping bad feeling that I'm about to get involved somehow.

And to prove my point the next second Asher turns towards me, making that all pair of eyes turn as well as he says:

"I may have a plan for that."

Well that's just great, isn't it?