Chapter 145 - Job's Done
Chapter 145 – Job’s Done
"That is hell of a job that you just pulled off, Del."
Del was cooking MRE on a cave while listening to the incoming radio transmission from Cassandra and Anna in the cabin command centre. They reported back to Cassandra about the details and Cassandra was satisfied.
"Thanks to my sister, to be honest. She did all of the preparations. I'm just the executioner."
"Yeah, but still, you are the one that takes the most risk."
Del just nodded, "Cassandra, anything that I should know?"
"Well, they're coming."
"Which one?" Del asked as he picked up the hot MRE from the Parafin stove. "Are you referring to the Salve Group or the intelligence agencies?"
"The latter."
"I see."
"You'll be hurt, a lot."
"I know," Del sighed.
"No, I meant it."
"I know."
"You'll be going through pain you'll never imagine."
"Really?"
"Yeah, this is the ticket to the inner sanctum of intelligence that I'm not even a part of. I'm just the deliverer, after this, you're on your own, Moore."
"You make this sounds more serious that it is."
"Del, choose the wrong step, and you'll be dead."
"Why?"
"After this, nothing is a secret. You'll know everything, even the secret that I don't even know of. Let's just say, they know everything. They know the things that you don't want anyone to know. And they're coming for you."
"Only me?"
"Your sister too, to be honest."
"What will they do to us, can you give us any spoiler?"
"To be honest, Del, I have no idea. Listen, I don't even know when they will come or what they would do. Look, if they wanted you to be dead, you'll be dead for a long time. Truth be told, they are coming and you can't do anything about it."
"Hmm, I see."
"Anyway, Moore, have a good night. This might be the last time we all talk."
The radio transmission was cut short. Del became worried. Wait, was this cave he was staying in was rigged to blow? Probably no, but it really sent a warning to him. He was looking forward to meet with someone who knew everything, every single thing that might exist or not in this country.
He once thought that Cassandra knew everything, but once he heard that Cassandra feared the intelligence agencies, it really sent a statement for him. The intelligence agencies were not to be messed with. Once they put their cross-hair on top of his head, he would be dead.
Of course, most of his tool were helping him to stay alive, but no competent parties had ever tried to kill him before. Everyone who tried was either too obvious in their attempt or too disinterested in him.
This time, it was different. Del couldn't figure out the intention of the intelligence agencies. From the sound of it, it seemed that they wanted to take advantage of him. The question was, would they keep him alive or not? That was the main question.
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"Hey, I heard from Anna that you went solo camping last Saturday, how was it?" Mira asked.
Del didn't want to answer. He was tense ever since he got the message from Cassandra. Even the moment he got out of his cabin, he felt eyes watching his back from every side. Anna wasn't any better either.
On one occasion, she accidentally put her pistol on Adam's head due to how paranoid she was. What followed was a long apology from both Del and Anna to Adam. He was lucky that Adam didn't mind too much about it.
He just said that he was lucky that the pistol was unloaded, on his perception that was. Truth be told, Anna's and Del's pistols were loaded with bullets and they would be ready to fire it at a moment notice.
"Good, good, it was nothing special, but it was good," Del answered Mira, shortly.
"Oh, I see. Well, Del, why don't you train the juniors about solo biovuac, they would surely appreciate it, knowing that they would be taught by the so-called rescuer."
"Ah, yes, the gossip slowly turning into legend. Mira, I'm just an ordinary boy, that's all. You don't have to inflate my reputation that much."
"Are you kidding? The school article literally put you on the headline."
"The what?"
"The school article. Just check the bulletin board. You have become famous in less than a week. Quite a reputation, if I may say," Del said.
"WHAT?"
Great, just great. The intelligence officers would have many different ways to capture him now. They could pull this and that in his school and no one would notice until it became too late and he had gone somewhere else.
Now, he must be aware of any invitation to an interview. Anyone posing as someone from the newspaper club must be considered as hostile and Del had to refuse any offer from him/her. It was not like Del minded about the interview, it was just that it would become a perfect ambush time for him.
Then again, his common sense told him that they wouldn't try to kidnap Del during school time. It was just insane if the intelligence agencies pulled up a trick like that. It would be way more than surprising for him. Still, these were the agencies that would do anything to get something. Del was sure that they would dare do something like that.
He waited and waited until the school was over. He occasionally glanced at the window, being cautious whether there was a sniper aiming its rifle at him or not. Cassandra said that it would be the last time they talked to each other.
It was an implied message that he wouldn't be alive to tell the tale. Would wearing armour help? Perhaps? But they probably would have a different way to capture him. This was the world of infinite possibility. They might do this, they might do that, and so on, and so on.
Even the ringing of a bell would immediately send Del's right hand into the pistol on his jacket pocket. It was frustrating. Ignorance would probably a bliss in this situation. Just think about it, if someone would shoot him, it would be great not to live under this kind of immeasurable pressure.
"Del, dear, can you help me bringing these notebooks to the teacher's room?" The teacher called him, from the front of the class.
Another dilemma, way greater than before. If a student gave him a request, he could say no. If a teacher gave him a request, he wouldn't be able to say no that easily. One, he couldn't refuse outright, and two, it seemed that the command came at the wrongest of time.
"Ma'am, I'm busy right now, I apologize," Del refused.
"Busy of doing what? You are just sitting there without doing anything, would you kindly help me, please? These books are too heavy for my back. Or, I would be critical on your grade for this semester."
Oh no. She used the ultimate weapon. The peer pressure was also building up around him. The others were looking at him as if he was some kind of degenerate or criminal for refusing his teacher. It seemed that there would only be one way out of this.
He sighed, "Ok, I'll do it."
Del walked to the front of the classroom. The teacher looked honest about it though, Del had no doubt about it. Still, looks could be deceiving. This teacher could be an intelligence officer as far as Del was concerned.
Nevertheless, Del picked up the book from the teacher's desk and he followed the teacher from behind. He looked around the hallway to notice whether there was someone different or not. There wasn't anyone out of the ordinary yet.
He then entered the teacher's room after the teacher opened the door. Again, there was nothing out of the ordinary yet. The teachers were doing whatever they usually did in the teacher's room. The thing was, Del didn't know who was the usual teacher and who wasn't any usual teacher.
"Please, Del, put it right here."
Del put the books on the table. Ok, so far was so good, nothing had happened to him. The teacher thanked him and he walked back to his classroom. However, as he walked to the classroom, he felt something odd was happening to his body.
His eyes were getting heavy and his legs were wobbly. He slept well last night, there was no reason for him to be sleepy. Unless… that teacher poisoned him. But how, Del didn't remember something pinched him.
He must scream, but he couldn't. His mouth became very heavy as well. What was going on? He felt more sleepy and tired and he fell to the ground. Nobody took care of him. Nobody cared. Nobody knew why he fell to the ground either. However, Del had known what would happen to him after this. It would be a nightmare.
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"Wakey, wakey, Moore. How was the sleep?"
He didn't know how he ended up in there. It was a room where he was tied down to a chair, butt-naked. The people in front of them were wearing a balaclava. They looked pissed, and there was a desk.. And no, Del didn't think they would be nice.