Arknights: When Hunters Meet (A Tacet x Projekt Red novel)

Chapter 6 - Anomalous Processing

I was in a grey metallic meeting room with the people I came to know as Doctor Kal'tsit, the de facto leader or Rhodes Island Pharmaceuticals. Amiya, a young bunny girl who was her apprentice at that time. Doctor Warfarin, a pale vampire girl who from what I could guess was the Chief of Operations Officer. And a man in a tactical outfit who called himself Ace. Who at first seemed like a regular human being until I noticed his thin scaly tail.

-''So, I heard you were forthcoming with Kal'tsit. So we will be inclined to cut you some of the proverbial slack.'' Said Warfarin.

Indeed, I could well regard that I was being given some measure of slack since the seat prepared for me was somewhat comfortable than what I had expected. And what was more important was that I wasn't tied to it. I also had a little table besides me with a serving of some strange aromatic berry tea, which I found quite to my liking I could say. With no drugs in it either from what my gift could detect.

-''First thing's first. I would like you to corroborate the apparent reports we have of your person from our operator's sightings.'' Said Amiya the bunny girl.

-''Very well.'' I replied.

-Well. We first had reports from our extracted team from Mirny that a seemingly unknown person provided covering fire for them in the form of very accurate sniper shots from a nearby building. While our forces were being heavily pursued by Reunion forces.

-We also have a report that at least one unknown person of possible Reunion affiliation had escaped the building that the supposed sniper was in.

-''What can you tell us of these reports from your point of view?'' Asked Amiya.

-I was the one who provided the cover fire for your team until I've spent my last bullet. As for the Reunion escapee. I was the same, one and only, who evaded your Red assassin.

-''But why did you help us, and why were you there in the first place?'' Asked Kal'tsit.

-I was hoping to use the conflict as a cover to slip through and continue my journey south. I was about to head off from the top of that building to the next when I decided against it.

-''And why have you decided against it?'' Asked Kal'tsit further.

-Your people were protecting wounded and civilian looking folk. I decided I would help since the man I killed this robe from gave me enough insight into his organisation to know it was driven with... hate and revenge in mind.

A shadow came over me. Memories of when I was the same kind of bitter and vengeful seeking man way back. Nobody could stop me or my mentor then, and the world ended.

-''You saved the lives of everyone in that team and the Ursus civilians we were evacuating. I personally thank you for your intrusion into our problem. It would have ended very badly without your help.'' Said Ace.

-''I guess you're welcome.'' I said simply with no real interest.

-I see this checks up with our own reports then operator Ace?

-It does doctor Kal'tsit.

-Thank you. You are dismissed from the meeting.

Ace rose up and left the room with no further word.

-''You escaped afterwards but almost blew the entire building down with you. That could have ended a lot of lives that were nearby, though fortunately all were spared. Was that really necessary?'' Asked Amiya.