Pride

"Not only that, we lost etherians and the Talos Machina. The Cult of Decker wants out and is pulling their money out of our hands for failing to secure the goal. How did this happen? How did we lose to a group of bodyguards?"

Yuki stood in front of the desk, clutching her bandaged arm. Her etherian aura slowly kindling back to the third layer of aura. The man in front of her slammed his hand on the table. The lamp on the side shook and the stack of books and documents moved to the side.

"We sent you there for a reason and you made it back looking so pathetic!"

Yuki glared. Froze spread all over the office and yet there was a force that kept the man in the office able to stand the freezing in the room.

"You saw the clip?"

"I did! They should be the one responsible for our troubles. To think they would find a gem."

The clip played. It showed the person she fought hacking his way into the crowd of Cultists. Killing the etherians with devastating strikes that split them in half. And even fighting a Talos Machina without a single fear in his expression. He naturally blended with the battlefield. He fought crowds like a devil, and the video captured from those who fought him showed how devastating he was in the field. Then a clip showed Yuki fighting Flatline. Yuki felt shame knowing how minor the damage had she done to him. She was sure that she froze his suit's system. But he still fought as if he expected something like that to happen.

"Are you sure that he's not an etherian?"

"Even the etherian aura leaks out of our suits and integrates with it. From what I can observe, he's just another abnormal with a stronger physique and insane perception. He's peak human abilities are probably because of drugs, but his fighting style is something that even drugs cannot make. So I think he might have taken body enhancements and his powerful physique resulted to this kind of monster. His blows were powerful. He even suppressed my etherian abilities."

"Do you know he did it?"

"I don't know," she shook her head. "I couldn't follow what he was doing. He rained me with punches and blows that crippled my suit. If he didn't let me go, then I am sure that I would have been the fifth one who died."

"We lost too much in this deal with the Deckers. The four etherians who died were going to be the future of our organization, but they are dead because of this Flatline bastard. Now Aured is going to protect Ursula Louis. I could not see her spirits down in her interview. Not even a budge on her mind. "

"So what do we do?"

"Nothing at all. What can we do when the whole of Aured is watching now? Not only that people are sympathizing with Ursula Louis, they have pointed their sights on the Cult and us as well! Forty mails from the last hour alone sending their threats to the Black Hand."

"We let it go then."

"Not a choice that I would like to make. Those recruits who died are a problem. I sent the cleaners to do their jobs and rid of any evidence, but it's likely that even they won't be able to cover our tracks when there was a personal testimony from Haven itself."

Yuki lowered her head. The chill in the air disappeared. A clip of her insignia was on the screen of the pad.

"Not only that, they have evidence about our involvement. They saw the insignia and identified the Black hand from it. We wear our colors proudly because of our records, but it seems like this has caused problems."

"Are we going to avenge the recruits?"

"We don't," the man said. "There is nothing to avenge when they fought a Haven member. The moment they joined their missions, we know that Haven would send someone to interfere. We run on the practice of business. It's nothing personal, and it is not a direct attack against us. We lost, and that's the truth."

"So you say that the mighty black hand doesn't even want to avenge its members?"

"And for what? To have you fools lose and declare another bout with Haven? In this time we have too many to lose? Revenge is something that we do when there is a need for it, Miss Yuki. You killed a lot in your way there. Our members butchered because there was a need to. They paid us to do it. We don't fight battles we do not benefit from. The Decker Cult won't cooperate with us, and thus we point our blades towards them for not even being able to take out the Star."

"Is this wise?"

"Wiser than picking a fight with Haven. I thought they were bragging, but it seems Old Haven still has their own bite. You won't fight for those members, Yuki. I know that you are not the kind who involves herself in revenge. But I understand that you'd want to settle the score."

Yuki stilled. Her expression turned from blank to a grin.

"You know me too much, boss. But I am not as petty to say that I do not appreciate that favor. He knew who we are and instead sought to spare me after killing four. It's not personal to him. That I can understand. But we have this emotion called pride that I cannot stand. "

"Black hand will have their time. But I assure you that this is not the time. It should have gone well if it wasn't for the loose cog that made this affair troublesome. Flatline huh, I wonder if we should start finding out who you are? I'll send you to settle the score, Miss Yuki. But know that what happens to you is through your own volition."

Yuki left the room with her mind in repeating one name. Flatline. The Etherian Killer who appeared in Haven and proved his abilities within a single mission. Outside of the office, the members of the Black hand showed interest in Yuki's shame. Her mind churn as she thought of how to find this man who let her go. She would make him regret that mistake.