Chapter 547 (2/2)

“See one you like?” Tatiana said, elbowing Randidly.

He chortled lightly. “None more than you.”

“Well then,” She said, smiling back at him.

They fell silent, just looking at each other. In fact, the silence lasted so long that Randidly began to get uncomfortable. And she was just looking at him, sizing him up again.

It was a relief when she spoke. “So, you just… found these people?”

“Yep.”

“So I’m to believe that it is a coincidence that you and… your group is the only few that have found these tortured people?”

“Yes.”

“... you realize that makes me wonder whether YOU are the group that is hurting these people? No one else has even noticed they were missing.”

Shocked, Randidly blinked at her. Did she really think…? But Tatiana laughed and slapped his shoulder lightly. Before she got over her giggles, both her and Randidly’s watches beeped and flashed red.

Frowning down at it, Randidly almost didn’t notice that Tatiana took it in stride and pressed a button on the side. A voice began speaking out of her watch.

“Warning! This is not a drill. We have breaking news. Approximately two hours and seven minutes ago, a military bunker was attacked by an unknown terrorist assailant. The assailant himself did not appear to use exosuits, but his accomplice had an extraordinarily powerful energysuit that made him glow and emit vast amounts of heat.

“In the course of his actions, the terrorist killed a dozen employees at the facility, even taking the time to execute sick civilians that were being treated at the facility. Attached is a depiction of the terrorists. If you see this man, please contact the authorities immediately. I repeat, this man is highly dangerous, and-”

Before the message could continue, Tatiana touched the button again. A face appeared above the watch, a cruel and haughty face with a strong nose and bright orange hair. Randidly frowned. Not that it was a problem that he possessed an illusion that was labeled as a fugitive, but there was something profoundly disturbing about the whole thing.

Why had the location he had attacked been called a ‘military bunker’? Was it just a coincidence, or-

“This was you guys, wasn’t it?”

Randidly jerked upwards, staring at Tatiana. Her face was very close to his. Her eyes were bright. She looked down and tapped the button again. The holographic display changed to a fuzzy approximation of his Lava Golem. It was crouching on the ground, above ripped metal that had previously been a drone. She hummed softly and pressed the watch again. The display went dark.

“...What?” Randidly asked, trying to scramble to figure out what to say.

“Your hands smell like blood, Viking. How many did you kill?” Tatiana said, not looking up at him.

Randidly took a step back and looked down at his hands. How could she-?

Then she reached out and took his hands in hers. She was looking at Randidly with a face filled with worry. “Jesus, are you a war veteran or not? Look, I didn’t mean to sound so accusatory. I’ve seen these people. If this was you, it was the right thing. I just want you to know… I trust you.”

Randidly looked at her. That feeling was back. This was… becoming intimate, the way they treated each other. Wasn’t this fast? They had only known each other for a little over two months…

Randidly cleared his throat. “... you sound like a Unity Church member, talking about trust all the time.”

She punched him in the gut.