Arc - Genesis of Flux - Chapter 8

Chapter 8 - Unexpected Turns

December 18, 998

1 in the afternoon

The helicopter blades cut through the air as it approached the Leichein base. South sat silently in the back, the briefcase on his side. As they neared the landing site, the pilot glanced back. "We're here. Good luck with whatever's next," he said. South gave a nod, disembarking with a leap onto the ground below.

With the briefcase held firmly in his hand, South made his way toward the entrance. He took a deep breath, bracing himself, and dived into the water of the base's entry chamber. He reached the steel gate, which promptly closed behind him. The chamber began to drain, the water receding rapidly. When it finally emptied, the door in front of him slid open, and South stepped inside.

He started up the long staircase toward the conference room, everything was silent. The moment he reached the top, he was blindsided by a force that nearly knocked him out. He barely had time to react before a fist connected with his jaw.

"Shit!" South said, stumbling backward. He recognized the attacker immediately, Forsterke, his fellow agent.

Forsterke's fists rained down. "You think you're better than me, huh? Think you can just waltz in here like you own the place?" he laughed, his fists pummeling South's face. Blood sprayed from South's lip, but he managed to stay upright.

South spat blood and smirked. "You done yet?"

Forsterke pulled a pistol from his side, but South moved faster. He slapped the gun out of Forsterke's hand and reached for the knife strapped to his own shoulder. Then he plunged it into Forsterke's shoulder, Forsterke moaning in pain.

"Fuck off, Forsterke," South taunted, pulling the knife out and swinging a punch to Forsterke's face.

But Forsterke wasn't done. He grappled South, slamming him into the wall of the corridor. "Think again!" he bellowed, throwing a barrage of punches that connected with South's bones.

Before the brawl could escalate further, a shot rang out, a single bullet that whizzed between their faces. South felt the gust of wind from the bullet pass his cheek.

"Enough!" Zofia's voice cut through the chaos. She stood with her singular floating musket hovering beside her, its barrel smoking slightly.

Forsterke paused, pulling back with a scoff. He yanked the knife from his shoulder and tossed it to the floor, glaring at South. South wiped his bloody mouth, his anger boiling over. "What the fuck was that for?" he shouted, his voice echoing down the corridor.

Forsterke said nothing, his expression dead. He just turned and walked away, leaving South standing there, panting and furious.

Zofia approached cautiously, her musket lowering. "You okay, South?" she asked.

South shrugged, wiping more blood from his mouth. "Yeah, I've had worse." He picked up his knife and the briefcase, trying to catch his breath.

Zofia gave a small nod. "Come on, the conference room is this way. But maybe you should clean up first," she suggested. "Meetings not for another couple of hours, anyway."

South sighed. "Sure, whatever," he muttered, following her advice and heading to his quarters. He looked in the mirror and saw the bruises from Forsterke's beating. "Bastard..." he mumbled under his breath. He splashed water on his face, the water stinging his wounds. Anger simmered in his chest as he stepped into the shower, the hot water washing away the blood. He felt the tension in his muscles begin to ease.

After his shower, South dried himself off, the towel resting on his shoulder. He blow-dried his hair, flicking his eyes to the briefcase by his bed. He tossed the towel aside and lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling, trying to relax as he waited for the meeting. But the minutes seemed to last an eternity.

He let out a sigh and sat up, looking around his room for something to pass the time. He noticed a small, colourful cube sitting on his nightstand. He picked it up, turning it over in his hands. It was a Rubik's Cube, something he'd seen before but never tried. He rotated one side, then another, and immediately felt annoyed.

"What the hell is this?" he muttered. "A puzzle? Who has time for this?" After a few more twists, he tossed it aside, the cube clattering onto the floor. "Waste of time," he grumbled.

His stomach growled, so he opened his mini-fridge, which had been restocked, probably while he was away on the extraction mission. He pulled out some snacks, beef jerky, nuts, and a couple of chocolate bars. He devoured them quickly. Then he spotted something else, a carton of chocolate milk.

Curious, he popped the lid open, poured it into a plastic cup, and took a sip. His eyes widened as the sweet, rich taste hit his tongue. "Damn, this is good!" he muttered, taking another sip, then gulping it down in one go. He licked his lips, looking at the empty cup. "Why haven't I tried this before?"

Feeling a bit better, he stood in front of the mirror. He'd seen people flexing in movies as a kid, so he decided to give it a try. He flexed his biceps, trying to make them look as big as possible, though he had no idea what he was doing. He shifted to a pose that looked more like he was about to punch someone rather than flex his muscles.

He glanced at his reflection. "Yeah, looking good," he laughed. "Maybe I should be in a movie," he joked to himself.

Still feeling restless, South opened the cupboard beside his bed and found an old sketchbook and a pen. He sat down, flipping open to a blank page. He hadn't drawn anything since he was a kid, but he figured it might help pass the time. He started with a drawing of a cat, which somehow ended up looking more like a raccoon with a very large tail.

"Nice," he said, moving on to draw a tree that ended up looking like a giant broccoli stalk. He smirked, turning the page. He tried to draw a person next, a heroic-looking figure with a sword. But the result was a disproportionate stick figure with a massive head and tiny legs.

"Well, I'm clearly no artist," he said with a laugh, tossing the sketchbook back into the cupboard. "I guess drawing isn't my thing either."

Feeling bored again, his eyes fell on a book at the bottom of the cupboard. He grabbed it. "How to Have Safe Sex: A Comprehensive Guide."

South's happiness disappeared. "Are you kidding me?" He hesitated but, seeing no better options, opened the book anyway. The first chapter was titled "Understanding Your Body." He skimmed over sentences like, "The human body is a complex system, and knowing your anatomy is essential for healthy sexual activity."

South rolled his eyes. "Yeah, no shit," he muttered, turning the page. The next chapter was about consent, which was at least vaguely interesting, but it quickly devolved into awkward explanations like, "Remember, always ask before you touch, this includes feet."

"Who writes this shit?" he grumbled, flipping to the next section, which was even worse: "Safe Words: How to Choose One That's Both Serious and Functional."

The page suggested a list of bizarre words like "octopus," "watermelon," and "pineapple."

South rolled his eyes, muttering to himself, "Why would anyone yell 'pineapple' in a serious situation?" He shook his head, genuinely baffled by how absurd it all seemed. He kept reading, but every page just seemed to get more ridiculous.

As he turned another page, a small, square foil packet slipped out of the book and landed on his lap. He picked it up, examining it. It was shiny, thin, and crinkled in his hands. Curious, he tore it open with his teeth, hoping it might be something useful or interesting.

Inside, he found a small, rubbery object. He stretched it out, trying to make sense of it. "A balloon?" he guessed. He blew into it, but the material didn't expand much, snapping back at him in a disappointing flop.

Annoyed, he tossed it into the trash. "Whatever, useless piece of crap," he said, unimpressed.

He continued flipping through, hitting chapters like "Proper Use of Protection: A Step-by-Step Guide," complete with overly detailed illustrations that made him cringe. "This is ridiculous," he pouted, slamming the book shut.

But curiosity got the better of him, and he found himself opening it back up. Near the end, he spotted a chapter titled "Advanced Techniques: Positions and Practices for Maximum Pleasure."*

He stared at the title, then muttered, "Well, I didn't have parents, so obviously, I never learned about this..." He started to flip to the page, almost against his will, wondering just how ridiculous this was going to get.

Just as he was about to see the first diagram, his tablet buzzed loudly, breaking the awkward silence in the room.

Meeting in 5 minutes. Please proceed to the conference room.

South jumped, startled. He looked down at the book in his hand, feeling a mix of relief and annoyance. "Saved by the bell," he said, gladly. "Probably for the best."

He tossed the book across the room with a bit more force than necessary, letting it thud against the wall. "I'd rather fight a hundred Netherwraiths than read more of that," he laughed, grabbing the briefcase and heading out. As he walked toward the conference room, he couldn't help but mutter to himself, "Whoever wrote that damn book needs to get out more."

With a shake of his head, the door opened to the conference room.

South entered the conference room, where Fischer, Forsterke, Donjivuk, and Zofia were already gathered. Forsterke had a bandage wrapped around his shoulder and shot South a glare as he walked in.

Fischer turned to South. "Got the stuff?" he asked.

South handed it over. Fischer opened it, revealing the Flux sample jar inside. He inspected it closely, a satisfied smile. "Well done, South," he said, genuinely impressed. "That's exactly what we needed."

South shrugged. "Whatever."

Fischer laughed and nodded. "Good work. Now, before we dismiss, a few things." He went over the mission details and outcomes, addressing the group one by one. After a few more minutes of discussion, Fischer finally dismissed everyone except South.

"South, stay back a moment," Fischer called out.

South stayed put. As the others filed out, Fischer pulled out a small pouch and handed it to him. "Payment for the mission. Use it for whatever you need."

South opened the pouch, his eyes widening slightly at the amount inside. It was more money than he'd ever seen. "This... is a lot," he said, trying to keep his composure.

Fischer nodded. "You've earned it. Rest up, you have a few days off before the next cycle starts."

South nodded, slightly stunned. "Thanks," he said, turning to leave.

Back in his room, he set the pouch of money down and sank onto his bed. He wasn't used to being paid for his work. Most of his life, he'd done what he needed to survive, not for reward. The thought lingered in his mind as he lay back, unsure how to feel about it.

He decided to rest for the day, letting his body recover from the missions. Just as he started to relax, there was a knock at his door. South sighed, "Come in."

The door slid open, and Zofia stepped inside, a smile on her face. "Hey, South," she said. "I was thinking… Do you want to go out somewhere with me?"

South glanced up, feeling something strange in his chest, like a fluttering he couldn't quite understand. "Out where?" he asked, trying to keep his tone even.

Zofia laughed softly. "Anywhere but here," she teased. "We've got four days off, and I think you need a break. I could show you some places, get you to loosen up a bit."

South hesitated, feeling the odd sensation intensify. "Uh… yeah, I guess," he replied, unsure of what he was agreeing to. He noticed the way she looked at him.

Zofia moved closer. "Great! But we'll go tomorrow. I want you to pack a few things because I'll be at your door first thing in the morning."

He blinked, caught off guard. "First thing?"

"Yep," she said. "Trust me, you're going to need a full day. We've got lots to do, places to eat, sights to see… and you need to rest up tonight. So pack a bag and get some sleep, okay?"

South nodded, feeling his heart rate pick up again. "Alright, I can do that."

Zofia put her fingers on his fingers gently, holding his gaze for a moment. "Good," she replied. "I'll make sure you have fun. See you tomorrow."

She started to turn away but then paused, looking back at him. "And South, try not to overthink it, okay? Just go with the flow."

He let out a small laugh, nodding, nervously. "Yeah… Whatever."

Zofia winked. "Good. I'll see you in the morning, then. Don't keep me waiting!"

With that, she turned and headed for the door. As it slid shut behind her, South stood there for a moment, still feeling that odd fluttering in his chest. He took a deep breath, wondering why his heart was racing. He'd never felt like this before… it was different, confusing.

He shook his head, trying to clear the strange feeling. "Guess I'd better pack," he whispered, looking around his room.

He got up and grabbed the shirt and pants that had been sitting since he got here. Sniffing it made him pull back in disgust. He put it on anyway.

He stuffed a pouch of money, after ensuring he had everything for his date tomorrow, he zipped up the bag.

Feeling drained, his face planted onto his bed and fell into a deep nap for the rest of the day, his exhaustion catching up with him.