Defi and duel

For a long moment, no one dared to speak a word, the three people just stayed there staring at Andre with a dumbfounded expression stuck on their faces, after a moment, the latter even started to look a little worried, believing that he had said something he shouldn't have.

" E-excuse me, " he stuttered as he thought that he couldn't bear that awkward situation anymore, " it's just that it seemed you were up to something very important and after what I have heard from Volga earlier as she had mentioned that there is maybe something threatening the peace of the city I... I just wanted to help somehow ". Andre bowed his head and started scratching his chest, " I'm sorry I got carried away, I know you think I'm not cut to be one of you yet ".

Jamal's expression suddenly changed, he leaned a little bit forward while frowning when he asked the young man, " Volga told you that there is a problem? "

Andre suddenly raised his head, looking surprisingly excited for some reason. " So there is... " he coughed after he noticed that he lost his composure and quickly calmed himself before he rectified his reply, " I mean, yes. I was practicing with her yesterday and at a moment she said that the city was in danger and that you were hiding it while trying to deal with it only by yourselves ".

Lina gasped slightly while looking surprised before she turned to gaze at Jamal, " Jamie, that woman is sharp ".

" Yes... indeed, " the latter simply said while staring away, " she sometimes has a terrifying intuition ".

" So what is it? " Andre couldn't hold himself to ask as he was just simply too interested. Only when they all directed their attention on him again that he realized that it was maybe not convenient for him to ask such things since he was not a member of the team but just someone who happened to interrupt their conversation, he pulled himself backward before returning staring down, " S-sorry I know it's not my place to ask such questions, I'm of nature too curious ".

" Wait. you didn't hear us talking? " Matteo was looking more surprised than confused when asked him.

" I just- "

" What part of our conversation did you manage to grasp? " he thought that it's better to be more specifically this time.

Andre looked confused when he articulated, " the part you said that... you will fight ".

The three people before suddenly sighed while looking relieved.

Andre would have wanted to ask what was wrong but he held himself to do so this time, thinking that it would be too indiscreet, instead, he took a deep breath and decided to go straight to the point.

After he caught their attention once again, he declared, " I want to help protect the city so what can I do so you can count me in for that upcoming battle? ".

They glanced at each other and Andre understood that they were having a silent discussion to decide what to do about him, he thought that he didn't have other choices but to wait for their reply. A few seconds later, they finally looked at him, and as he expected it was Jamal who took the responsibility of responding to him, but what he said didn't miss to surprise him since he didn't immediately get the point of asking such a question.

" Do you remember our battle of two days ago? "

The young man looked confused but he, anyway, replied by nodding. There was no way he could forget that day where they battling those monsters who just had the shape of humans but were nothing of humans, he remembered how terrifying they were since no matter how many times they would get shot with bullets they would continue walking as if they were kind of immortals, only people like Natasha or Carla who could manipulate the weapons Jamal had invented could actually kill them definitively.

" Do you think you could handle battles of that scale? " Jamal unexpectedly asked with a serious expression on his face.

Andre almost startled and found himself having difficulties hiding his optimism as well as his excitement but he managed to quickly pull himself together, " I-I know we can't kill those things by normal means but I plan to train very hard these days so that maybe I would be able to manipulate those weapons you have forged to kill them, just like Carla and Natasha ".

However, seeing Jamal's disappointed expression after he answered him made him feel anxious.

" So Volga told you about the threat as well as the combat which is to come but didn't tell you about this? " He sighed.

" Huh? " Andre was lost.

" Look, do you really believe that story of special weapons I developed? " The way Jamal was looking at him in the eye made him feel like each word was important.

" Y-yes, we have witnessed it that those undead were impossible to kill except by using the weapons Carla and Natasha were holding, moreover, you once said that you hate lying so why would I not believe that? " Andre gave him the best answer he could think of, but Jamal was still wearing the same disappointed expression.

He shrugged, " Well, technically I didn't lie, you just have misunderstood me. When I mentioned weapons I have forged I wasn't referring to the objects but rather the people holding them ".

As Andre seemed to not understand yet Jamal carried on giving him some more clues, " think about it if I indeed could make such weapons why wouldn't I have made one for me to defend myself? Where would I have found the knowledge to develop such objects? You have even witnessed Carla in action, so do you really think that it was some kind of weapon I or anyone could have invented? "

Andre's eyes were slowly widening as he started to figure out the reality of things. " Do you mean... that... those girls have some kind of superpowers allowing them to do what they were doing? "

" That's right and only they can kill the undead, " Jamal nodded. " So I repeat my question, do you think you can handle battles of that caliber? "

Andre didn't speak by just lowered his head but as everyone started to think that he had given up he began to open up his heart to them.

" I'm not saying this because I want your pity or anything but I think that when people lose all their memories like me, it's only natural that they struggle the rest of their lives to try to remember or find a place they belong according to what they once were. This kind of life... waking up the morning to go to work, hanging out with friends chatting about this and that, returning to home, eating dinner and going to sleep while waiting for the next day to do the same thing, living day after day to see the same normal things... it doesn't look like me, I'm not suited for that kind of life. I don't know if you see what I mean, I don't feel like I belong to that world ".

" So you want to say that only between the danger and the risks of losing your life at any time is where you feel you belong to? " Lina reformulated for him.

" I know it may sound weird but I deeply meditated about that and I really feel like my place is more in the battlefield than in that quiet and peaceful life I just described ".

" If you have discussed with Volga she surely has told you that you're not forced to think that way, " Jamal tried to change his mind and convince him to think otherwise, " if you seek wisdom or an example to follow you should see her, she more than anyone else can understand what you are living now ".

" That's what I did, and I clearly understood her point... but on contrary to me she is not currently looking for an identity, " Andre put his arms on his knees and clenched his fists, " before I start looking for a peaceful place to stay I think... no I mean, I need to first find who I am ".

" I understand " Jamal nodded but he didn't intend to let it go so easily, " but that doesn't answer my question, do you think you have the capacity to follow us in that path? " Though he was moved by what Andre said, he couldn't just say yes to him since he had his responsibilities to fulfill, in his role of leader he could not permit himself to be emotional in a matter of life and death.

Andre immediately wanted to respond yes but he held himself after he crossed Jamal's sight, he thought that he looked more emotionless than serious. The young man understood that he couldn't give a simple yes and act boldly as in Jamal's eyes it would just look stupid.

[ Playing the brave and hot-blooded guy won't lead me anywhere ] Andre took his time to think [ I can't lie to him. He is surely aware of my capabilities, and anyway, I knew from the beginning that it would be pointless to rely on my aptitudes to convince him. I cannot play the card of the guy who wants to help, either, because if it was just for that he would have already asked Volga ].

He kept thinking for a short time without finding the right strategy, he then simply decided to be honest with Jamal. " No, I clearly don't have the aptitudes and the skills to fight the undead ".

" What can you bring to the team? " Jamal asked Andre.

The latter wandered his sight from Lina to Matteo, " you have already two women with superpowers and the two people besides you seem to be very smart and not forgetting that you pretty strong and smart yourself... so honestly, I don't have anything special I could bring to boost the team ".

" So for what reason should I take you in? " Jamal was completely conscient how harsh it sounded but he knew it was necessary.

At that moment, Andre didn't flinch. He wouldn't go as far as to say that he wasn't intimidated since it would be an obvious lie but, without knowing how to explain it, he felt his mind was clear, and when he talked his response was just instinctive. " Because I feel like doing it ".

" If it's that so... I'm sorry but I have to refuse ".

Andre didn't look so surprised neither was he disappointed as if somehow he was expecting that answer.

Even before he gave his answer to Jamal, he thought about the latter's position in that story and he came to understand that Jamal was responsible for the lives of all the people in that city included those in the team, due to that, he needed a guarantee that no matter how dangerous the situation would be he had some kind of certainty that they would not die on him. For example, for Natasha and Carla, he had the confidence that thanks to their powers they would be able to protect themselves, and for Lina and Matteo he was confident in his ability to protect them.

[ However, in my case, I don't have the necessary strength to protect myself and he surely estimates that he is not capable of protecting me and fight at the same time, his answer is totally legitimate and logical and in front of that my request just look selfish ] Andre admitted, but in his eyes, Jamal could see that he didn't have given up yet.

" What is it? " he inquired, curious.

" Are we free in this city? " the young man asked as if nothing happened.

" Yes... " Jamal looked quite suspicious and immediately tried to figure out what he had in his mind.

" So let's suppose I decided to go on a journey all by myself would I be stopped? "

" No, but what do you- " before Jamal could finish Lina put a hand on his mouth and pulled his head backward to place it on her breasts, and at that moment, he didn't need to see her face to understand she was angry since the tone of her voice was enough. " listen, kid, I know what you have in mind and I'm warning you, you better quickly abandon that idea, " she spat. " Can't you understand why he decided to put you aside? That is because you're too weak and by following us you would die way too soon ".

" I know but I have told you, it's crucial for me to find my way and I'm convinced that I won't be able to find it by staying here playing to the good civilian ". Andre was too inspired and focused on himself to notice Lina's irritation.

Jamal tapped the back of Lina's hand which was on his mouth and once he caught her attention he asked her with the eyes to explain to him. Lina raised her head to glare at the young man while she groaned, " that kid is trying to blackmail us by menacing us to go on a solo adventure if we don't take him with us ".

Jamal suddenly turned his head and when his eyes landed on Andre, the young man felt a chill starting from the back of his neck until spreading in his whole body as if the temperature suddenly dropped. He, yet, was rational enough to understand that it was just an impression caused by the pressure Jamal was putting on him.

He removed his girlfriend's hand from his mouth and stood up. He started to slowly walk towards Andre and the latter realized that he had never seen him so intimidating before.

He was a few centimeters away from the young man who instinctively tried to step back but couldn't since he was sitting on a sofa, and he gazed down at him. " So you have chosen to play it this way, huh? Alright, let's do that. In 2 days I will organize a match where you will be opposing Carla and if you win I will let you join us. But if you lose you will no longer be under my protection, you will be free to do whatever you want and go wherever please you and... whether or not you lose your life it won't be any more my responsibility, " he paused to stare at him. " What do you decide? "

Andre's legs were shaking, he thought that it was convenient that he was already sitting otherwise he was afraid that he couldn't have been able to stand on his feet, but though he was scared as he had rarely been, he still managed to gather his last bit of courage, he gulped and replied, " yes... I-I accept, I will take you on ".

" Great ". Jamal turned around and he looked at Matteo, " please help him to leave, it seems like he needs to rest a little more, we will see you later ".

Matteo, who had not found an occasion to say a word since earlier, obeyed and went to help his roommate to stand up by lending him his shoulder, together they walked towards the door, and just when they were about to leave Jamal took a loud voice to shout at Andre, " you better prepare yourself well, you know what this girl is capable of ".

" Y-yes, don't worry about that, I will be ready... thank you ". Matteo waited for Andre to reply before he closed the door behind them.

In the living room, a long moment of silence passed before Lina stood up to go take Jamal in her arms, she put her head on his shoulder while delicately rubbing his butt. " What are you planning to do? First you faked that you were angry to intimidate him and now you proposing him a duel ".

" I'm trying to help that kid by giving what he wants... a chance to prove himself ".

" And the intimidation was just to give him an unreachable goal to aim during that time he will be training himself, right? " She stood on her toes to put a kiss on Jamal's lips, she then smiled delicately while staring at his eyes, " you are way too nice ".

" Is that a compliment? "

When Lina nodded, Jamal smiled too before he passed one arm below butt to lift her and carry her on his arm, " then let me show you how naughty I can become when it comes to taking care of your body ". And then he brought her back to his room.