FA Chapter 13 Contact

Bora took a whiff of the slightly sweet scent wafting from the flowers below, having closed her eyes such that memories filled with nostalgia could be dragged to the fore.

Like the always warm hand that had rested upon her head when her mother caught her within the flower garden, chasing pretty butterflies and squishing the gross yacky caterpillars. She had only revealed those moments of gentleness those times when they were alone. At any other time, there was this seriousness that always took over, as if she had tasks or things that had to be done. 

She had managed to sneak a peek into one of the documents she had been perusing, managing to glimpse terms like mission, target, search and whatnot. Her perfect recall after her advancement to a Forger had allowed her to revisit the memory, where she had managed to learn of the fact that her mother had been taking on missions issued by the Forger Association. 

Too bad her awakening had only come about after her passing. She had wanted to know why, with all the riches of her father, why did she have to take on such risky tasks?

A sigh escaped her lips as the good memories were replaced with her dark ruminations. She opened her eyes and took in the sight of the artificial garden, housed within this branch of the branch headquarters. The flowers had petals akin to those of her pupils, purple five outgrowths that formed into a star shape. These petals were valuable because of the fact that they could be used as tea flavourings, mostly for the rich.

Apparently, some ancestor had admired them immensely to the point of genetically altering his genes to have eyes akin to the petals, even going as far as making the particular trait hereditary. 

"You and the madam have always puzzled me with your fixation upon these flowers." The puzzlement and curiosity within Luna's words had always been like that since before. A smile graced Bora's face at that.

"Even I have no idea. I copied my mother during my younger age and now, countless years later, it stuck. I'd have said it has become habitual, but I have come to love the scent emitted genuinely."

Bora herself didn't really have an answer to the question about why she loved the scent, nor when she had come to love it. Maybe it had happened after her mom had died when she had visited the flower garden as means to feel closer... She didn't know. But she could say with certainty that now, she loved the smell of the petals. 

It was like a drug that made her forget all the worries and trivialities of life. It made her forget the constant mind battles with her siblings. It made her feel as if she had gained freedom during those precious few minutes.

"Luna, how much have we managed to earn?"

"A few hundred million credits. I believe that they are enough for now. Though, we require the power of the crystal stage in order to enact our plan. Your father isn't someone that can be handled easily."

"I know. After this month, I plan to lay low and await my or your ascension into the crystal phase. Though, it will be better if the both of us manage it."

"Yeah. But don't you find it odd? Why haven't we heard of any of the children that left your father's care? Its like they simply vanished into thin air!"

"It is suspicious..."

Bora paused here as she took in the various utility bots that were working to tend the flowers, from the nutrient feeders to the harvesters. This was eerie. The lack of humans in this place except for them gave her a feeling of dread. Her mother had at least tried to get genuine humans to tend to her crop. But this was simply cold. She wrapped her arms around herself as she contemplated Luna's words.

"...but we have my mom's legacy with us. I have a feeling we will survive."

"No no no! Extensively activating that thing brings with it a myriad of side effects! We need to rely less upon it!" The vehement rejection by Luna was warranted. Bora too, didn't like activating the thing on her own volition. But in order to survive, that might be the only way. 

A request for communication came through from an unknown source during a temporary lull in the conversation when she was about to get out of this cold dead place. It really was a pity that her favourite things had been left to be tended upon by these unfeeling things.

She accepted the request but kept quiet, waiting for the person on the other end to initiate conversation.

[Miss Bora, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. There's a discussion that I have been meaning to have with you, something that requires that you don't contact the authorities...]

Her eyebrows raised at the unique way the conversation had started. She hurriedly signalled to Luna, allowing her to tap into her neural link, such that she could listen in on the conversation.

[We have here a Mr. Larssen, a Mr, Bosingwa, and a loudmouthed fellow called Drekov. And if you haven't made the connection yet, they have been captured. All we require from you is to appear at a location, whose address is going to be sent shortly.]

Bora frowned. Three of her people had been captured. And on their day off! This had most probably been orchestrated by one of her siblings, but who?... That didn't matter for now though. What mattered was the fact that they were trying to have her leave her father's domain, his sphere of influence. That meant that they didn't have the capability of taking him on, meaning no crystal stages among their ranks. 

Now, with that out of the way, she had to think of what sort of response to go with. The person hadn't severed communication, meaning that he was waiting for her response.

[...and let's not go through the hassle of you pretending that they don't matter. Before a mission, we investigate a target very very thoroughly. And you aren't capable of cold heartedness.]

-----

"Tell me something I don't already know. Why did I have to be notified by others first before you three?"

Bora felt as if her chest would explode from the anger and rage she was holding in. The kidnapper had to be the one to contact her first instead of those who had managed to escape! She hoped that they had convincing reasons as she would terminate the contract. She wouldn't kill them, but place them under her in eternal servitude. The awakening serum couldn't be given for free after all!

"I thought they were just some street thugs." Mrs. Namatovu answered. Bora stifled the urge to let out a sigh. Such experienced people were taken to be just thugs?

"I mean...their bodies had been modified yet their martial arts were somewhat below mine. I had thought of it as an isolated incident until Ice contacted me."

"I mistook them for someone else's goons." Spoke Flame, who had changed her entire outlook. Her skin had become chocolate colored while her eyes had been shifted from red into green and her hair, a brown. Bora had learned of that incident where the woman had lost her marbles upon catching sight of that idiotic Forger called Zeus. 

She had probably taken them to be people sent by him. But what about Ice?

So far, the other two's explanations had somehow calmed her rage. Though, it was still simmering beneath the surface.

"I had thought that they were people from my previous occupation, having managed to track me down."

Finally, the sigh that had been fighting to be let out was released from its prison as Bora walked towards the window and proceeded to stare out into the buzzing metropolis that was Kampala city.

The skies were gloomy, with a bit of a drizzle, heralding the advent of rain. Hover vehicles were flying down below, with some even above the floor she was currently situated upon, ferrying people and luggage. Not to mention those privately owned with the various logos and sigils upon them.

Her eyes narrowed as she caught a vehicle with a particular sigil right next to a purple flower. One of her brothers or sisters had just returned to the building it seems.

Plans had to be made. The location had been sent to her and it was somewhere on the edges of the city proper. Those people had to have holed up in a training room to prevent attracting any special attention to themselves. And the training room was the optimum place to stage a battle.

"It looks like a battle will be unavoidable. Are you three prepared to accompany me in rescuing the others?" After a deep breath to get rid of any superfluous thoughts, she turned her back to the window and asked, taking in their expressions.

"...of course you can't refuse as my protection is what the contract states. Meaning that whatever I choose to do has no need for your input. You just have to follow me. But this is a risky endeavor. If you decide that you don't want to, I will honor your decisions."

"Since they have no relation to that man, I will participate. A battle is always welcome." Flame was the first person to speak. Bora wasn't surprised by the excited gleam within those eyes. After her previous outburst, Bora had investigated her origins, allowing her a glimpse into a particular incident that had shaken the state of Greece a month back.

"How many liquid states can we expect?" 

As expected, the one with the opposite namesake was still the levelheaded one of the others.

"Since they claimed of having done their research, there must be three or more." Bora was honest with her answer.