My name is Holly Laus. I, along with my little sister were just ordinary girls from a normal family. That is, until one day….
Some months after I turned six, a great earthquake occurred in my hometown. The earthquake was so devastating that it claimed many lives.. including… our parents….
After we lost our parents in a great earthquake, we were taken into an orphanage. But at that time, we did not know that the orphanage is a den of raider. The orphanage master, our “mother” is the leader of the well-known Raider called the Hellbind Raider. As we have been taken in by the orphanage, rather… mother who is the leader of the raider, we are to become their members.
Being a raider means that we will attack people and steal from them. But at that time, me and my sister were very young. We don’t know anything. We simply thought that what we did is normal. But as time goes by, as we grow and learn more about the world, we started to realize what we do is very wrong.
Many times I wanted to defy mother for being a raider, but.. I can’t…. No matter what, I cannot disobey mother. Mother’s order is absolute. That was what have been engraved to us when we were little. That have been etched deeply into our heart and soul. Such a thing has made both of us powerless to stop.
And because of that, we live our life as raiders. Day by day, we continue our terrible acts. We are sinners, we are guilty of many crimes, and we know that. We want to stop, but we cannot stop. Until we realized that we have been doing our illegal activities for too long and have fallen too deep. Now that we have already passed the point of no return, it’s too late for us to turn back. It’s too late for us for salvation.
In the end, we can only accept our fate to live as raiders for the rest of our life.
My sister has been trained to become a great assassin and fighter. She have mastered the daggers, blades and all kinds of firearms. She is especially a very great sniper. Whereas for me, I’m good at gathering information, hacking and infiltration.
As we live as raiders, for one reason or another, mother promoted me to become one of the Four Heads. She did said that I have worked hard for the group and deserve promotion. While my sister have become the captain of my unit.
One day, mother ordered me and my unit for our next mission. We are to destroy the new company that was recently opened in Borneo, the Rubywing Company. She said that if we managed to do something big such as destroying a famous company, even if it’s just its branch, our reputation would soar and we would be a force to be feared.
Heeding mother’s desire, my unit headed to complete our mission. But as how we usually do, I would first infiltrate the place and gather information about it.
This is not my first time doing infiltration mission. I believed this would be just “another mission”. But my expectation was shattered…. when I meet them….
When I was infiltrating the building as a new recruit, I accidentally bump into Ian and Jake, who are new recruits themselves. Our meetings lead us to be acquaintances. And later on, we met and befriend Sheema, who’s another new recruit.
My initial thought was perhaps I could use them to my benefit. As a spy, I could use them as my cover or gather information through them, but….
Spending time with them, they showered me with kindness and love. They care for me and showed me great consideration, even though we just met few days ago. As I spend my time with them, I felt great happiness. They have become someone who’re very close to my heart, especially Sheema, who is like a sister to me.
This happiness…. This is something that I haven’t felt in a very long time… Something that…. I have craved for a long time.. I want to spend more time with them. I want to be with them…. And pretty soon, I started to forget about my mission.
Perhaps realizing I started to went astray, my sister decided to wake me up. That day… out of nowhere, my sister in her black assassin clothes came at me with a dagger. And as expected, seeing her immediately returned me back to my senses.
Yes… I may feel happy to be with them. And they may have become someone close to my heart, but… I’m a raider. I’m part of the Hellbind Raider. I must fulfill the mission mother entrusted to me.
But even so…. the time we spent together….. my feelings for them… How I love them.. how I wish to be with them.. It’s all real. They are my light, my solace. From the bottom of my heart, I wish to stay together with them. I wish our time together will not last… However, I cannot disobey mother.. No matter what I do, I cannot disobey her…
I was trapped inside this dilemma, and before I realized it, I started to cry. Ian is the first one to notice. He gently asked if there’s something wrong. I give it my best to hide it and told them that I’m okay, as I truly genuinely feel that I don’t want them to worry about me.
Finally at the set date, our time has come. The time where we have to proceed to the next phase. The time where I have to say goodbye to them. I…. I have made up my mind. I have to follow mother’s order. As I made that decision, I feel an unbearable pain in my chest. It’s so painful.... but…. I have to keep going. I need to keep going for mother’s sake.
I have gone too far as a raider…. It’s too late for me to turn back…. someone as sinful as me do not deserve such kindness and happiness.. Yes… All those time together.. all those happiness I felt. It’s all just wonderful memories of the past.
Although I know I don’t deserve to be with them…. at the very least, I want to keep our time together as my precious memories.
But…. the unthinkable things happen.
“Holly, let’s go back…. okay.” [Sheema]
After somehow escaped and confront me, my former friends wanted me back, but….
“You already knew I’m one of the Raider. So why? Why do you still come for me?” [Holly]
Yes.. Someone like me… someone who have gone too far, too deep. I can’t……
Happiness? Kindness? No! Such a thing is too good for someone like me! I’m beyond salvation! I’m…. a raider..
I try to stay with my principle, even to the point of pointing my gun at them. But then, as if they haven’t given up on me,
“Holly.. Do you remember our time together that night. Back then when you said that the four of us will become agents together?” [Ian]
“That is a complete lie! Mere words to fool you! I…. I never once cared for any of you! You’re just tools for me! You were never someone I hold dear in the first place!” [Holly]
“Then why… why are you crying?” [Ian]
Cry….? Ah.. he’s right… Without me noticing, tears have flowed down from my eyes. I’m…. crying….? No.. why did I…. It can’t be…. I try to stop my tears, but no matter what I do, it won’t stop. In fact, my tears flowed even greater.
“Holly…. Your body and voice have made it clear. You never want to do this as well.” [Ian]
He’s right… In the end, I cannot deny it.. I do not want to do this…. From the bottom of my heart, I want to stop being a raider.. I want to stay with them….
“Holly, come back to us.” *extend her hand* [Sheema]
“I…. I’m a raider….. After all the things I’ve done….. It’s already too late for me to turn back…” [Holly]
“No Holly, it’s not.” [Sheema]
As Sheema said that, she gently hold my trembling hands. As she hold my hands, I can feel her warmth, as if the gentleness of her hands itself slowly warm my cold hands.
“It’s never too late. Let’s return back together. Let’s make the rest of your life, the best of your life.” [Sheema]
“Sheema….” [Holly]
“Yeah. We promise we’ll help you too! Holly, you’re one of us. No matter what, you’re our friend.” [Jake]
“Jake….” [Holly]
Hearing their words, and feeling the warmth of their hands, I can see their hope. They still trust me. They still believe in me… That even someone like me can still turn back. That someone like me can still be saved…. and that, they will stand together with me to help me.. And as if a dam broken, tears heavily flowed down from my eyes.
After I was stopped and arrested, my friends are still there for me in our farewell.
“Holly, I know that you’ll be arrested for your crime and as a raider, but…. We promise we’ll wait for you. And after you’re back…” *hold Holly’s hand* “Let’s become agent again.” [Sheema]
Hearing their gentle words and their hope for my future, once again my eyes can no longer hold my tears.
“Thank…” *sob* “Thank you…. Sheema…” *sniffle* *sob* “Thank you…. everyone….” *give her best smile while tears flow* [Holly]
For someone like me to still be trusted, to still be given a second chance... I am very grateful… My heart felt so much joy that I can’t even word my words correctly. I am such… a lucky girl..
As I was taken away, I apologized to Eclair.
“Eclair… I’m really sorry…..” [Holly]
“Hmph! After all our efforts and preparations, you blew everything up! And you even have the gall to get us all caught! You’re really are worthless!! I wonder what mother saw in you that she made someone like you one of the head!” [Eclair]
“…..” [Holly]
“But still…… I’m glad that you’re finally free, big sister….” [Eclair]
“What?” [Holly]
“Nothing! I didn’t say anything, okay! So forget about it!” [Eclair]
Free? Even when we are currently handcuffed…? But still.. thanks to them, I somehow managed to go against mother’s order. I can finally stop myself from being a raider…. … Ah! Perhaps this is the “Free” that you meant, isn’t it Eclair?
After my cooperations with the police, a day after, the Hellbind Raider was taken down. It was the biggest news of the day. The great Hellbind Raider was finally caught.
The next day after, a very surprising event happened. For some reason, both me and my sister are allowed to go free. But how is this possible? We have confessed that we are one of the raiders, and we are more than happy to accept our punishment too. To atone for what we have done.
As we walk out, we saw Marge, the president and a muscular staff. Noticing our confused expression, Marge told us that since we are free, we should look happy. As I ask her what happened, Marge revealed everything. It seems yesterday after the Hellbind Raider was caught, the president paid our penalties, and today we’re allowed to leave. Hearing what has happened, we are very surprised. How can someone that we hurt saved us like that? And now we feel even more indebted to them. The president only laugh and said that since we have been bought out, he is expecting us to show good results in our works.
The muscular man who’s referred as Pelangi immediately hug my sister and said his congratulation for her freedom. He also said that she is now hired as one of the chef. Turns out Mr. Pelangi is the head chef of the company, and ever since he tasted my sister’s food, he immediately fell in love with it and recognized my sister’s cooking skill. My sister, of course, on top of being surprised for the sudden turn of event, she was very flustered and beg him to let her go.
Returning back to the company, I learnt that the president and Marge have spread the words that both me and my sister were captured and forced to do the raider’s bidding. I believe this news were spread to improve our working condition.
And then, that time comes.. The time when I finally get to meet them again,
“Um… E-Everyone… I.. I’m back…” [Holly]
I said while holding my tears. The tears of happiness that I’m able to see them once again.
We have a very great reunion together. And amidst our reunion, we received a good news. All of us passed and accepted as agents. We will be the agents of Team 10 with Ms. Marge as our chief.
Later, we are divided into groups. Each groups consist 2 agents. I am grouped together with Sheema, while Ian is grouped with Jake.
Some time later, as Sheema and I talk with each other, I once again thanked her that back then she came for me. And that she and everyone haven’t given up on me. They truly gave me hope. Sheema replied that it’s fine, we are friends after all.
“Say, back when we are imprisoned, we were locked into an active computer room with many tools at our disposal to escape. Say Holly… back then, you were the one who prepared it for us, right..? That means in the end, you wanted us to stop you, right?” [Sheema]
Did I really do that? I can’t remember. But perhaps I did... I’m the one who planned the rooms for the hostages after all. Maybe… I really did that because I subconsciously wanted them to stop me… But whether that’s true or not, I’m glad everything turns as it did.
And so begin our days working for the Rubywing.
Eclair seems to be doing fine working as a new chef. Everyone in the kitchen are so kind to her. They have already accepted her as their own. It appears all the kitchen staffs were grateful to my sister for helping them back when they were hostages. They also like Eclair’s riceballs.
Eclair looks so happy with them, although she try to hide her happiness by being rough as always.
As for me, I’m also happy at my work. There was a time when we were gathered together for introductions. Back then, because I feel I can no longer live in lies, I confessed to the other Team 10 members of my wrongdoings. I revealed the real truth of what had happened. But even after my colleagues learned the truth, they still accepted me. They took my hands and welcomed me with warmth. I remember tears of joy fell as I felt their kind and warm eyes….
I have thought that someone like me have gone too far…. I have thought that there’s no salvation for me.. that I will have to live the rest of my life as a sinner…. But my friends showed me how wrong I am. They showed me that it’s never too late.. That no matter how far I have walked astray, I can still turn back. I can still have a second chance and start my life anew. And for forever, I am thankful to them.
My name is Holly Laus, a former raider. From now on, I will live my life to help others, especially the weak and unfortunate people. I will do my best to give them happiness and hope, just as how my friends gave me mine.
My name is Holly Laus, an agent of Team 10.
And this is… my new dream.
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Notes:
Thank you very much for reading the very first case~
Please notify me if there are typos or grammar mistakes. Once again, Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoy the story~ (￣∇￣)ゞ
