Chronos in DC

The entire journey to the plane was quiet and peaceful. It turns out my client is a pretty good driver. No, that's not right. She's a monster behind the wheel! Can you imagine a regular yellow taxi driving at over 100 kilometres per hour during rush hour in New York? Well, you can congratulate me. I got to experience it firsthand. Where do they teach such extreme driving? Maybe I should sign up as her student? Ha ha ha, why not? I did say I wanted to learn how to drive.

We ended up on the private property of one of her friends, who owned a private airfield with a bunch of planes. She gave him money for the plane and the pilot. It was a small but rather expensive passenger plane for transporting small groups of people. The interior was tastefully decorated with brown leather, armchairs and lots of interior details. There was a refrigerator with instant food and fruit, a bathroom with a toilet, and a couple of insignificant trinkets in the form of family photographs. All this expensive nonsense and outward beauty did not appeal to Rose Wilson in the slightest. Sitting in a leather chair, she thoughtfully held her black Beretta pistol in her hands.

"Maybe it's none of my business, but I think you're rushing things.

"No," she replied sharply. "I've been looking for him for too long and I won't let him disappear again. Not this time.

"May I ask what happened?" She looked at me sternly with her one blue eye. "I know, no questions, but I'd just like to understand why I'm risking my life."

"It's none of your business. Consider it a 'family matter'. You're just my insurance. I'm sure I'm not the only one who knows his location, and some 'clever' idiots will decide to use me as bait to get to him. I don't want anyone to interfere with our meeting.

The tone of her voice and the way she clenched her hands around the weapon told me that Slade Wilson was more than just a father to her. He meant a lot more to her. I may not be able to read minds, but I've learned to read people by their body language. I notice details and form an image of a person before they even tell me anything about themselves. Usually, when someone is seeking revenge, they are impatient, aggressive, and unrestrained when the object of their revenge is nearby. One might assume that her goal is to take revenge for his selfish abandonment, but the most important clue in her words is that she doesn't specifically mention killing him. She wants to meet him, which suggests that what she really wants is a heart-to-heart talk. Although it may be in a slightly "heated" tone. An attempt to shoot or beat him up is welcome.

"Okay, let's do this," I say, drawing her attention back to me. "Let me tell your story for you, and if you don't like it, then so be it, I'll be silent as a fish until the end of our mission," I cleared my throat and began to gesticulate playfully, as if in a theatre.

"Once upon a time, there was a very famous, harsh and dangerous mercenary. And then one day he was given another assignment to protect some influential figure. This figure turned out to be a girl who was as pleasant to look at as she was pleasant to be around. A ray of light that melted the heart of our well-known "anti-hero." They both understood that their position in society would not allow them to be together, so they decided to keep their relationship a secret from everyone. However, an unaccounted factor appeared in their lives, and that factor was little Rose Wilson. She grew up in secret from her father and did not know who her father was until that fateful day when her mother was tragically killed by mercenaries who somehow found out about them. When all hope was lost, she was miraculously and heroically saved by her father, the world-famous mercenary Defstrouk. The girl had reasons to hate him because he was, in essence, the reason her life was now ruined. However, she also understood that this terrible man was her only family, and so her hatred was overshadowed by another feeling. Pride. After all, he was the strongest man on Earth. The most famous mercenary. But Slade Wilson was far from being a loving father. Firearms were replaced by stuffed toys, and free time was replaced by fencing lessons and hand-to-hand combat. In the end, despite all his attempts to make her stronger, he always remained... disappointed. It was evident in his gaze, in the tiny changes in his facial expressions, and so, to prove that they were equals, Rose Wilson decided on a desperate act.

I stopped the fictional story I had created based on her appearance and the reputation of the mercenary himself. After all, the very existence of Deafstruck's daughter would not make sense to anyone, and here again there were several interesting details. First, the clothes. In some places, she simply copied her father. Orange and black colours. Secondly, her equipment and weapons, and the most important thing that caught my attention was her swords. No one in their right mind in the twenty-first century would use swords in close combat. The only person who uses them most effectively is... That's right, Defstruck. Which, again, made it clear that her teacher in this field was none other than her father.

"Continue...

"Rose Wilson blinded herself to prove their equality. Exhausting training, constant stress, and her own self-doubt did their job. Her father was shocked and... scared? It's hard to say what a person might feel in such a situation. I don't know how this tragic story ends, but one thing I know for sure: Rose Wilson was exposed to the super soldier serum as a kind of parting gift from her father, and he himself simply... disappeared.

"Who. Are. You. Damn it. Take it. Off me!" The barrel of the gun was pointed at my forehead. Oh-ho-ho! I never thought that my story, based on assumptions, facts, details and a little bit of imagination, could turn out to be true. "How do you know all this?"

"Honestly? I didn't know. I just voiced the most likely outcome, noticing some important details about your appearance and behaviour. By the way, I wouldn't advise you to shoot yourself on a plane. It's not the most pleasant way to commit suicide.

"Trust me, I won't miss," her wariness and tension were understandable. After all, I had revealed all her cards and now represented an unknown variable.

"Another mercenary in disguise who wants to kill Defstrok through me?" — that's what she's thinking right now.

"I want to hear your whole story. If you're so smart, tell me: why did he leave me?

"Hmm... everything I say is just my theories, assumptions and ideas about a person's reputation. Let's say I'm the world's number one mercenary. I have a daughter who will surely be targeted by mercenaries in order to get to me, so the only way to protect her and keep her out of trouble is to make her stronger. But seeing how dependent she is on me, I would decide to leave. Not because I realise it's not my style or because I don't love her, but to give her a chance to live her own life. To give her the opportunity to gain her own experience of life in the real world. Why wouldn't I worry about her safety after that? Hmm... maybe it's all because of the serum. Self-confidence? Who knows, I shrug, turn away and, taking the orange juice out of the fridge, decide to pour myself a glass.

"You mean all this is for me...?" I seem to have confused her even more.

"I'm not Deffrost, and I'm certainly not your father. It's just a theory, nothing more.

"This..." Her gun trembled and dropped slightly. "It's a damn plausible theory. Especially for someone who's never met him. And you still haven't answered my question.

"A simple mercenary. Only a month on the job! I'm not one for arguing over nothing! Honestly! — I beg you to believe me, making a gesture of supplication.

"Argh..." She sighed wearily and put the gun back in its holster on her belt.

"Since I told such a wonderful story about your touching and sad past, would you like to tell me some of your interesting stories?" He took a straw for his juice and entered her personal space, sitting down on the edge of her chair.

"Interesting stories?"

"Despite being nicknamed 'Snake,' I describe myself as a cat, because I'm more curious and interested in observing things that would be unattainable to me if I were... well... I don't know... 'normal'?" I shrugged at the last word and finished my juice through the straw.

"I wonder if they're interested in how I killed someone for money or how my father once threw me into a well forty metres deep?

"Ha ha ha! I'd definitely listen to the story about the last one!

"You're crazy...

"Just stating a fact," I shrug. "Speaking of me, I've also been through some tough times in my life. I've re-evaluated some of my views on the world, and it's made me stronger. I've found my truth.

"Truth...?

"It's a rather complex concept. In short, it's what you enjoy doing in life. If you find it, consider yourself stronger.

Her father always said, 'Never trust anyone. It always ends badly. Only rely on yourself.' This rule saved her life more than once, but the flip side was constant loneliness and the expectation of being stabbed in the back. All smiles seem fake. All good intentions feel like they're just for her own gain.

That snake-like smile. Those weirdly slanted eyes that made her wonder how he could even see. Everything felt fake. It was all a game and nothing more. However, there was something else, something incomprehensible. Despite the fact that it was all fake, she believed in his abnormal motivation and believed in the sincerity of his desire.

"What's your real name, 'Snake'?

"Alex T. Keeper. Close friends can just call me Alex or Al. Whatever you prefer.

"Alex, when all this is over...

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves. First, work, then plans for the future. After all, who knows what awaits us after all this, right?

"Right.

Rose Wilson +100 (Interest)

The island of Madagascar was quite large, and finding one person in such a place was problematic. I didn't want to waste time searching for her father, so I decided to share my compass with her. In order to find something of interest, it was necessary to focus on it. I was a little hurt to see her doubt and scepticism in her eyes, but to my great surprise, she decided to believe in its functionality after all.

The island's climate was too unfamiliar for someone like me. Tropical trees, piles of leaves, plants and insects of abnormal sizes. I had to change my traditional clothes for a plain white T-shirt and shorts, and replace my hat with a white bandana. Only Rose, walking ahead of me, seemed completely comfortable with it all. Her breathing was steady and there was no sign of sweat. Was this the usual permanent effect of the serum? Out of curiosity, I glanced at her stats and was surprised to see that her physical attributes were slightly higher than Batman's. Everything else was normal. Only her "Intuition" was abnormal, at over 300! Even Batman's was only 250! Although I should have expected this, since that's the whole point of the super soldier serum, which gives ordinary people superhuman strength, speed and reaction times, where you literally have the ability to dodge bullets.

Rose Wilson stopped abruptly and raised her fist, which, according to her beloved father's teachings, apparently meant "stop." A shot rang out, and I instantly deflected the bullet with Talos' dagger.

"Scatter!

I didn't argue and went into stealth mode. There was only one attacker, shooting at us from somewhere in front, and he clearly had us in his sights. The funny thing is that even in stealth mode, the bullets were flying straight at me. Does that mean our enemy has a tactical thermal visor? Otherwise, I just don't understand how they could have spotted me so easily. I got to him first. It was him — Defstrouk. His equipment matched his image perfectly. Black and orange armour with a black and orange mask with a single eyehole. In his hands, he held a modern sniper rifle that fired in bursts. I closed in on him quickly, but even with my speed, he managed to pull his sword from behind his back and block my dagger. I wonder how he blocked it, considering the special feature of my dagger? I guess it's not the right time to ask."It looks like she found me after all," he says aloud, not giving any importance to the current situation. As if I were just some kind of extra. It was a little hurtful. "Who are you, and what is your connection to my daughter?

I decided to gradually remove my invisible cloak and say, slightly offended:

"Do I really have to answer? You don't even consider me a threat, yet you dare to expose your back to a sudden attack.

Immediately after my words, Rose rushed out of the bushes with two swords at the ready and attacked. I was kicked aside, and I deliberately let him do it, and he crossed swords with her.

"Rose, listen...! Now is not the time to sort out our relationship! The mercenaries, they...!" It was funny that even during a fierce series of attacks with her swords, he found time to speak.

"Talking during battle is an unallowable luxury. Isn't that what you taught me, Father?" Rose shifts back slightly and pulls a pistol from its holster. The bullets fly in a split second, deflected by his sword with yellow sparks, followed by a full-blown flashbang grenade. I would have watched them some more, but I had to stop time urgently and, appearing between them, knock them away with my palms because some kind of explosive projectile was flying straight at them from above. I looked closely.

"A mortar? Seriously?!" I returned time to its normal course, and Rose looked at me in amazement, then looked around in confusion. The explosion and the roar of the shell didn't even give her a chance to ask what had happened, and before she could rush back into the arms of her beloved father, I held her by the shoulder and prevented her from leaving our position by the rocks.

"What are you doing?

"I'm not letting you die for nothing. I can imagine how you feel, but I can't let you throw your life away. After all, it's my 'job' to protect you," I say without my usual smile, taking her hand seriously in mine, hinting that I'm not joking in the current situation.

Rose Wilson +50 (Warmth)

"What do you care about me...? I have to... I have to beg him on my knees for forgiveness. I... have to prove to him that I'm not weak.

Oh, poor girl. Despite her superhuman abilities, she still can't escape her father's shadow. I couldn't help but feel sympathy for her.

"You're not weak, but right now you're letting your feelings get the better of you. You said yourself that you needed to talk. To sort things out between yourselves. Now some clever people are taking advantage of the situation and trying to kill two birds with one stone. And that's why...

"Rose! I know you're very angry with me right now, but the past is the past. It can't be changed. We can talk or fight like normal people, but only after we've dealt with the rats who decided to take advantage of our differences.

Rose didn't answer, but just nodded her head in agreement, her teeth grinding.

"All right, let's hunt rats.

"Well, it's time for me to join in the fun," she said, her usual smile returning. "I was getting bored.

We had many targets. To be more precise, there were about two hundred of them surrounding our territory. Even some rival groups agreed to join forces to get rid of the Wilson family once and for all. But they didn't take into account that for them it was a one-way trip. Fear is a powerful weapon in the right hands — it can paralyse and disarm the enemy. Perhaps some of them were experienced in carrying out assassinations, but none of them had the experience or knowledge of how to fight superhumans. Defstruck and Rose were experienced in killing people and could predict the course of battle in advance. What motivates these people to throw away their lives so easily? Money, a thirst for fame, or both? However, they chose their own fate when they came here, and it's not my place to feel sorry for them. Let them feel sorry for themselves for their idiotic choice. I wasn't interested in wasting bullets on this rabble. I wanted to participate, like in some kind of competition: "who can kill the most enemies." Cut off a head with a slashing blow, become invisible, and strike the next one in the back.

For fun, I decided to try out a new time-related skill. So there I am, standing next to the only survivor of a group of mercenaries, spreading my arms wide with a smile on my face. He's screaming furiously and hysterically, emptying his entire magazine into me, while I, like an agent from The Matrix, blur my movements slightly, rendering his attack completely useless.

Skill learned: "Shift." OD consumption: 10 units per second.

At the moment of the enemy's attack, you accelerate your body several dozen times and distort it in space, making it intangible to physical attacks.

Warning!!!

If the character is on the verge of death, this ability has a small chance of erasing you from space.

So it's better to be careful, right? I noticed that in this state, I have to be extremely focused on the desire to "dodge," and if I am mentally unable to control it, the consequences can be extremely dangerous. Even to the point of my disappearance. I'll keep that in mind. I walk calmly past him and toss the dagger into the air. Spinning, it stops abruptly in midair and sticks into the poor guy's forehead with a whistle. I beckon it back to me with my fingertips, and the weapon returns to my hand.

This is what is known as "Battle." It didn't last too long. Somewhere between ten and twenty minutes. It was extremely difficult for me to call it a battle for the simple reason that any witness to this scene would have seen it as a blatant one-sided slaughter. Where poor mercenaries try with all their might to fight back against us, monsters. It was the most obvious example of how people couldn't outnumber us. It was useless. I silently and calmly watched as the remnants of the mercenary groups, in a deadly synchronised dance, tore this "Family" to pieces. How each swing of their swords cut and killed everyone in their path, and even despite their own conflicting feelings, they could calmly lean on each other's backs, and somehow it was no longer possible to believe that his daughter hated him so much. When it was all over and Slade Wilson finished off the last mercenary with a sword to the back of the head, I expressed my utmost admiration for these people with my applause.

"You guys are really something. I'm impressed.

"Your friend...?" her father asked sternly, removing his steel mask. Outwardly, he looked like a middle-aged man, but I wouldn't have guessed he was much older than forty. He had a strong face, a black eye patch, ash-coloured hair braided into a single plait, and a small, well-groomed beard.

"Not exactly. He just helped me track you down.

"I see. So, what do you want from me? I heard you were looking for me. Are you seeking revenge? Let me tell you right now, I don't care about any of that.

"I'm looking for answers! Why did you abandon me when I needed you most?

"Because I had no desire to raise another version of myself. You are young, hot, and have your whole life ahead of you. You shouldn't become like me, so I gave you a chance to get out of that cosy little nest called 'family'. You had to face the reality of this world. To realise that people like me can only live for one purpose — to kill. Not for money or respect, but to prove the limits of human potential. Only those who have killed, survived and continued to kill can call themselves the best of the best.

"So you describe yourself as a living weapon of mass destruction? 'Sport'... An eternal hunter of your prey? Is that why you abandoned her? To prevent her from becoming a copy of you?

"That's right. She has a choice. I don't.

"So your reputation and fame have become so ingrained in you that you have no choice but to continue holding on to the title of 'Best Mercenary in the World'?

"Your friend is terribly perceptive," he said suspiciously, squinting with his one eye.

"And you don't care about me at all...? Then why did you train me and give me this... 'gift'?!

"I was naive and foolish. I won't repeat my mistake.

"Then I'll just take away your title of strongest mercenary and force you to acknowledge my existence! — crossing swords. — Don't interfere, Alex!

"I wasn't going to," he crossed his arms over his chest. "I'll be rooting for you, Rosie!

"Rosie?" Defstruck repeats with obvious mockery and a hint of interest, to which Rose just rolls her eyes and sighs wearily.

"Just... don't pay any attention to him.

I tried even harder to draw attention to myself and completely kill the serious atmosphere by taking a large plastic cup of lemonade with a straw and a bucket of popcorn out of my inventory. I sat down comfortably on the corpse of some nameless mercenary and began to watch their battle intently. Their expressions were priceless.

Have you ever seen two samurai fight? That's what I was witnessing now. I assumed the battle would be fierce and long, but in fact, it ended before it even began. Both stood in their fighting stances for what seemed like a minute. They didn't blink or breathe, as if they were statues. It was a psychological battle in which both men calculated their moves like an invisible chess game before the fight even began. I could even feel the invisible pressure and thirst for blood between them in the air. As expected, Rose was the first to strike, with a battle cry, she moved sharply towards him and first attacked with her right hand from top to bottom and brought her left hand up for the next attack. But Slade Wilson had no intention of meeting her attack and kicked up a handful of dirt with the toe of his boot and threw it straight into her face. A second of blindness and loss of spatial orientation cost her the fight. He closed in sharply and was already behind her, and a horizontal cut across her stomach caused heavy bleeding. She barely managed to stick her swords into the ground to keep from falling completely, leaning on them.

"I've told you many times that there are no rules on the battlefield. You've grown stronger and gained some experience, but your emotions have played a cruel trick on you.

"Enough, just... come back to me.

"I won't do that. You have to grow up and find your own way. Until then, you're nothing but a selfish child to me, nothing more." With that, he strikes her temple with the hilt of his sword, knocking her out instantly. Despite his cold attitude towards her, he catches her before she falls, lifts her up and rushes towards me.

"You're her accomplice, aren't you?

"Something like that.

"Does she trust you?

"I don't think so.

"Do you trust her? 

"Are you trying to figure out who you're dealing with? This isn't about trust, it's about doing my job. She originally assigned me to protect and escort her, so that's all I'm supposed to do. I had no ulterior motives, and even if I wanted to, I could have killed both of you. I had plenty of opportunities.

"And yet you decided to just stay and watch.

"Is that so strange?

"Yes. It is strange. Especially with your appearance. You remind me of an unpleasant clown that no one wants to deal with.

"Even you...?

"We're not talking about a clown right now," he said. Funny that he decided to change the subject. Could it be that even the great Defstruck is afraid of the Joker? Heh heh, okay, I won't troll him or laugh at him, or he'll get offended and try to shoot me. After all, these questions definitely have one specific purpose. Can he leave his wounded daughter with me?

"Are you connected to the organisation and carrying out its orders?" Judging by his tone, it sounded more like a statement than a question. "How long have you been with them? What's your nickname?"

"Oh, I'm so flattered that one of the most famous mercenaries is interested in me. I'm Alex Ti. My nickname is Ghost Snake. I've been with the organisation for a month.

"I've heard that name. A Cleaner-class mercenary with a record number of completed missions without a trace.

"You're very well informed. I didn't even think I was that popular," I said, joking again and scratching the back of my head in embarrassment.

"You like to play dumb? That doesn't work on me," he quickly saw through me. "What's your real goal? Mercenaries are usually willing to do anything for money, but this is different, right?

"I dream of seeing the world and becoming the greatest mercenary! Have you ever watched Van Piss or Naruto? Isn't that a cool goal?

"I'm not getting anywhere with you," he muttered wearily, but still put Rose down on the ground next to me. "On the other hand, I can't just leave her here because I don't know anyone I can trust.

"What's stopping you from staying with her until she wakes up?

"Then she'll try to stop me again and ask me to stay. This... conversation was hard enough for me," he said, taking a medical bandage from his belt and a regular water flask. He carefully washed the wound and bandaged it.

"I'm entrusting her to you not because I trust you, but because if anything happens to her, you will automatically become an enemy of the organisation.

"Insurance in case you get stabbed in the back?

"Call it what you want. An experienced mercenary always has to think ahead and expect a blow in the back.

"I don't want your head or your daughter's head. I'm a peaceful guy and I don't like fighting!" I put my palms together and bow my head like a monk, a crooked smile on my lips.

"I have to go. I don't want to repeat this lesson. Rose has always been a smart girl, so she'll either understand, get angry, realise and move on, or drown herself in blood just to be like me," he says, slowly walking towards the thick forest.

"She's unstable," I added calmly, without my usual smile, "and you could break her by putting her through such trials.

"Only by breaking something can you create something. It's the first step towards self-improvement. The foundation. Every time you fall, you have to get up, because that's life.

He left me in the middle of dead bodies and burning cars with Rose Wilson. There wasn't much to do, so I decided to carry her in a "wedding" style and headed towards civilisation. There's a small resort town about fifty kilometres away. We'll stop there. I didn't forget to put her swords in my inventory, or she'd be upset that she lost her toys. In the town, I booked a room at a hotel. Once in the room, I carefully laid her on the bed. Before that, I insisted to the hotel owner that we were "good" people and to confirm my words, I gave him three times more than we would have paid as regular customers and asked that neither he nor his staff disturb us in the next 24 hours. I also warned him in a whisper that if anyone did decide to bother us, I would not be responsible for their safety. Fortunately, the hotel owner knew English and understood the situation well, so he shook his head insistently, nervously, like a bobblehead, saying that everything would be fine. The room was divided into two parts. The bedroom and the entrance hall with a toilet and bathroom, and it was not particularly large.

I plopped down in a comfortable armchair and turned on the TV. With nothing else to do, I just played with my semi-transparent dagger in the room. I twirled it in the air, holding its sharp tip on my index finger. The latest news was on TV. After the recent loud events on the island, the local authorities closed access to the airport, and the only way to leave was by ship. Only after an investigation and confirmation that the island was safe would they reopen access. They explained that they were afraid of a terrorist attack. An attack by terrorists on ordinary, innocent citizens. The local port was packed with tourists, and no one wanted to remain in the combat zone. Well, it's no big deal, they'll get worked up, calm down, and everything will go back to normal. I don't think that after all this fuss, mercenaries or hired assassins will want to cause even more trouble and attract attention. Still, it's not worth relaxing. Why wasn't the port closed? Most of the ships didn't belong to local companies and had no ties to the government, so they took advantage of the citizens' fear and situation to demand a hefty sum for their "cruise."

I was so absorbed in my game that I didn't notice Rose had woken up and was now watching my actions with some curiosity.

"What's that?

"A dagger," I replied with all seriousness and simplicity.

"I can see that, Captain Obvious. Why does it fly and look so weird?

"A ghost gave it to me," I shrugged. "It's just for fun. It even has a name: the Spectral Dagger of Talos.

"I see," she sighed wearily, apparently realising that she wouldn't get anything more out of me. "Did it say where it was going?

"Do you really need to know?"

"I don't think so anymore," she sighed wearily and fell back onto the bed. I got up from my seat and leaned against the wall with a certain amount of curiosity. "I was... naive and stupid. I thought I was strong enough to defeat him. I thought that all we needed to do was talk, and he would just come back to me and everything would be as it was before. But it was all in vain," she said with a short, sarcastic laugh. "And now... I have no idea what to do! Tell me what I should do!" She stood up abruptly and, half crouching, looked at me with her empty eyes. Ha, what a terrible look. It was as if she was begging me to turn her into a doll. I don't like that look. It reminds me of the past. Slade Wilson killed her personality, and that annoys me. Maybe it's not too late for her to become something more than just a weapon. I just need to guide her, and then it's up to her.

"Me? Tell you what to do? Ha ha ha, you've come to the wrong person. I just do what I want," I say, spreading my arms wide. "People like you are like a naked sword just waiting to be used. You feel no remorse, no emotion towards killing another human being. All you need is the thought that you are needed... by someone. That's what you were taught. That's your purpose.

"What are you trying to say?

"I'm saying, Rose Wilson, that you've never lived the life you wanted to live. All your decisions were made for you by your father, and when he disappeared, you suddenly lost your reason for living. Rose, if you really want to become stronger and move on, you have to step out of your father's shadow and do what you want to do." I had spoken in a serious tone throughout the entire conversation, and only now, at the end, did I allow myself a smile. "At least, that's what I want."

"You were in my shoes too...?"

"Not exactly. Our situations are similar, but the circumstances are completely different. It was... easier for me to let go of my past. You're chasing yours.

"But I don't know what I want to do or should do, all I can do is kill.

"That's the whole point! That's what makes life interesting! — He plopped down next to her on the bed and sprawled out, throwing his arms up in the air. — It would be much more boring if we knew in advance what was waiting for us. Who knows, maybe you'll decide to become the head of an organisation of assassins, open a shop in some crowded city, or maybe even go on a path of redemption and become a champion of justice? So many options and so many possibilities. You've just never thought about it or considered them.

I raised an eyebrow in surprise as she slowly moved towards me and literally found herself in a "cowgirl" position.

"Um, Rose...?" I felt a little uncertain and embarrassed. This was the first time I had been this close to someone. Someone I liked not only for their looks, but also for their personality.

"Don't you want to...?" she asked quietly.

"I...

"What?! Are you serious?!" I wanted to ask, but I was speechless. I hadn't even thought about doing that with her, and here she was asking me outright about a little... game between us.

Your next action will determine your future relationship with Rose Wilson...!

Apparently, the system also wants to hint at the consequences of my decision. Mentally, I quickly close the panel.

"Is it because I have one eye, or am I just not your type?

"I wouldn't want to take advantage of my position.

"Hmph... it's not gratitude at all, it's just a way to take my mind off things. If you really don't like the idea, then... — I think I should calm her down, or I'll end up hurting her feelings.

Why am I even worrying about her?!

"No. It'll probably sound awful, but I've never had this before and... it was a bit unexpected for me. I have zero experience in these matters.

Rose Wilson +50[Total: 200](Attraction)

I feel like some kind of faceless character in a dating simulator.

"I'll prompt you.

Her long ash-coloured hair falls towards me and tickles my face slightly. She covers my lips with a light kiss. Slow and sensual, it lasts no more than a minute, after which she pulls away slightly and, sliding her hands under the edge of my T-shirt, silently gestures for me to remove it. I lift myself slightly and run my fingertips down her suit, raising my eyebrow slightly, asking a silent question.

"The clasp. At the neck."

I find it and slide it down, revealing her perfectly toned body with abs for... how old is she anyway? I think it's inappropriate to ask her now. And would that stop me now? I don't think so. I'm too excited right now to look at the situation from an ethical standpoint. I liked her breasts. I wasn't an expert on breast size, but I would definitely give her a solid "B."

"I have a small request. It might seem strange to you.

"Go ahead.

"Let me see your scar.

She knew which scar I meant, and the question puzzled her a little. Apparently, she just didn't understand why I wanted to see it. She moved the bandage slightly to the side with her index finger, revealing a neat vertical line. I touched the scar lightly and traced it with my finger, and she flinched slightly at my touch.

"Does it hurt?" No, I knew that scars like this didn't hurt when touched. It was just that her reaction was too sharp. A psychological wound...?

"No," she adds, barely audibly, "...not anymore."

"Let's not talk about sad things. We need to finish what we started.

It was a little awkward to give all the initiative to Rose, but, alas, I was still a "wimp" and was afraid of messing up. After all, my impenetrable mask couldn't save me in situations like this. Here, experience and understanding of your partner are what matter. Without words, you understand from body language whether you are moving in the right direction.

...She still occupies the dominant position of a cowgirl. She leans on my shoulders and impales herself on my penis, changing the tempo of her thrusts each time. She had a terrible habit of teasing me when I was almost at the peak. She took my warnings with the expression of an experienced sadist. It was as if I was trapped by an experienced predator. A terrible feeling...!

And yet I didn't understand Rose Wilson. Sexually, she seemed to have a split personality. "S/M." At one point, she asked me to be "rougher" and not to limit my imagination. To throw out concepts such as tenderness and caring for your partner.

"My client's desire... is law?"

...This time, I took a confident pace from behind and wrapped her ash-coloured hair in my fist. At that moment, I allowed myself to smile. I remembered my past life, when I first rode a horse. My father always said, "Hold on tight, don't be afraid, and move at the same pace as the horse." What a strange comparison, but somehow it fit the current situation.

I don't know about Superman or other superhumans, but even with my endurance, I couldn't keep going for more than four hours. And my partner was also terribly exhausted and was in a state close to nirvana, even with her superhuman endurance from the serum. I think she would have been very unhappy if I had ended up unsatisfied and able to continue, but as it was, we were both satisfied with the results of this... act. Was there love? I don't think so. She probably just wanted to relax after everything that had happened to her over the past 24 hours. To be honest, I did feel a slight attraction between us. We understood each other, and few people are capable of that. I couldn't tie her to me for several reasons. The first and main one. She is still at a crossroads and hasn't found her own path. If I recruit her, I'll just replace her father, which I really don't want to do. The second reason. I didn't want any extra worries. I didn't want anyone holding me back. Maybe it's stupid to constantly run away from close relationships, but I'm still a child in an adult's body, so I can be forgiven for now. Maybe in the future...? I don't want to get ahead of myself. Neither she nor I need that. I know that, and she knows that too.

—...You were almost right.

We're lying in bed under the covers, completely naked. Her head is on my shoulder, and my arm is around her.

"About what?" I didn't quite understand and moved my hand to her hair. It was very pleasant and soft to the touch. It was obvious that she took great care of it... or was that another property of the super soldier serum? I don't know. I loved this part of her appearance and ran my fingers through it as if I were petting a cat.

"My mother was killed in front of me, but they planned to keep me alive to attract Defstruck's attention. Before that, however, they decided to 'have some fun' with me. In your story, my father miraculously saves me, but in reality, he arrived too late. Drugged up and with a hazy gaze, I watched as he destroyed this trash one by one. As naturally as a professional would have done it. Clean and quick. He did it with particular cruelty and hatred. He wanted them to pay and suffer for everything they had done. And I found some kind of abnormal... admiration in it. It was as if I was looking at someone who would never be defeated. I wanted to be like him.

This revelation finally shaped my image of her.

"Thank you for trusting me, Rose.

"You're welcome, Alex. I don't know why, but for some reason I feel like you won't betray me.

"Ugh, you're putting me in an awkward position! You told me everything about yourself, but you don't know anything about me.

"You don't have to...

"No way! I want everything to be fair!

"You're like a child sometimes.

Argh! Where did you get that insight?!

I told her a brief story about my birth, my education, and my escape from the laboratory. Well, now she's up to speed.

"You were betrayed too...

"Yes, but he wasn't my biological father, and that experience taught me to see the world from a different perspective.

After we took a bath, we used Rose's connections to leave Madagascar by ship. We were dropped off in North America, near Bermuda. Upon arrival, Rose started talking about the reward and was ready to put the cash in a bank deposit box, but I hastily decided to refuse it. Not because I was a gentleman, and not because I didn't need it (which was actually true), but because I wanted something from her, namely driving skills. My request puzzled her a little, but despite this, she agreed, and after about two weeks, I was able to learn how to drive a regular car, mainly thanks to the system.

"Driver" Level 6 (34% to go)

The condition for unlocking the "Extreme Driver" skill is to complete ten driving scenes similar to "Fatal."

My driving experience grew rapidly with successful... driving? It sounds silly, but it's true.

I realised that if I stayed with her any longer than I should, it would be extremely difficult to part with her, so on the fifteenth day of our training together, I decided to leave her.

"What? You won't even hug me goodbye?!" I pouted and folded my arms across my chest. "I thought we were friends.

"We're not friends. We're partners.

She gave us an interesting definition of our relationship.

"Come on, come here! I hugged her tightly and whispered, "Good luck, Rose. If you have any problems, you know how to find me.

"Yes, thank you, Alex. I won't forget the time we spent together.

On that sad note, we parted ways, and my phone had several missed calls. Mostly from my "work." Apparently, they already knew about the events in Madagascar and now they couldn't wait to introduce me to their leader. Well, let's not keep them waiting and meet the leader of this mysterious organisation in person.

***

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