Ch.85Chapter 11. Doing Our Best in Our Respective Positions (End)

Cassandra started the car in a hurry, but Virginia didn’t fall off. Instead, she clenched her fist.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Even with rider gloves, this doesn’t make sense. That woman is pounding on the armored plating with her bare fists!

Crack! She finally tore off the armor plate and started hammering the bulletproof glass with her revolver.

“I’ll say it one last time. Stop the car!”

A low, growling voice. I responded by raising my middle finger. Hmm, why are those purple eyes spinning?

Bang! Bang! Bang!

This crazy woman is pounding on the bulletproof glass with her bare fists. What’s more alarming is that the glass was actually moving.

Camilla and I grabbed the glass panel. Fortunately, it seemed sturdy enough and firmly attached to the car frame, so it probably wouldn’t break.

Seemingly giving up, she pulled out her revolver.

Bang! One shot made the bulletproof window shake violently. Bang! Another shot created spider web-like cracks. Bang! A flattened bullet lodged in the glass.

We were so close that I could see the revolver’s drum. One shot left. As far as I know, the Colt Python holds six rounds, but if there’s one left, I suspect it’s been modified with a seven-round cylinder.

Camilla and I simultaneously aimed our guns at her. This puny gun won’t penetrate bulletproof glass anyway. But we can still taunt her.

“Go ahead and shoot!”

I pointed my middle finger at my forehead, then at my heart.

“If you fire all your shots, you’ll be out of bullets! And if this bulletproof glass breaks, you won’t be in one piece either!”

Virginia tapped the barrel of her revolver with an expressionless face. The direction… it’s aimed at the back of Cassandra’s head. It’s clear. She means to shoot Cassandra whether she gets shot herself or not.

“Stop the car! You can’t escape!”

With one hand aiming the revolver, she pulled back her other clenched fist. She intends to break the rest of the bulletproof glass with her fist and fire the gun no matter what.

If the window breaks, I need to shoot immediately. But considering that crazy woman’s reaction speed and that brutal revolver, it would easily penetrate the driver’s seat.

I need to figure out how to stop her from getting to Cassandra…

“You.”

Those purple eyes turn toward me.

“You’re Lambert’s man, aren’t you? V.”

“You’ve got the wrong person.”

“I’ve changed my mind.”

This woman really doesn’t believe anything people say. The revolver barrel points at me.

“You’re five times more dangerous than Cassandra. Dead or alive, you’re coming with me.”

I aimed at Virginia’s head. Specifically, at those purple eyes. If I aim there, I’ll definitely take her down. I don’t know whose head will fly off first, though.

“Go ahead and shoot.”

Still aiming at me with one hand, Virginia clenched her other fist. She seems to think she can break through bulletproof glass with her bare hands.

“Don’t worry. I’m faster.”

Camilla quietly offered encouragement from beside me.

“Don’t die, you two,” Cassandra muttered. Virginia’s fist reached its peak.

But suddenly, Virginia jerked upright and raised her gun. She wasn’t even looking at us anymore. One of her arms was trembling, but she didn’t pull the trigger.

“What’s this? A trick?”

Isn’t this that typical fishing method? When you’re both aiming guns at each other and then someone goes, “Hey, look behind you!”…

“There’s something on the overpass.”

Just as Cassandra spoke, there was a dull thump. The sound of a grenade launcher firing. Thud! Something landed on top of our car. It rolled around and then landed precisely on the trunk.

Hiss!

“Smoke grenade?”

– Ma…Magical! S-Smoking!

I’m not sure if it was being said through a loudspeaker, but something was off. Not just the content, but the voice was strangely compressed.

I’ve heard that voice somewhere before.

Thump! Thump! Smoke grenades went off all over the road. Red, green, yellow. Quite colorful. For such abnormal content, the smoke deployment skills were good. They knew how to spread the smoke according to the wind.

Soon, the road became impossible to see through.

– Ma-Magical! Tear gas!

Bang!

Virginia pressed down on the top of the car. It couldn’t be, but it felt like the car frame slightly sank. But the next moment, she was nowhere to be seen.

“Cough! Cough! Ca-Cassandra! D-drive!”

Tear gas had entered the car. Camilla trembled and fell into my arms. Fortunately, we both had handkerchiefs wrapped around our faces.

“Close your eyes. Don’t rub them. It’ll sting.”

“Are you, cough! Are you, cough, alright?!”

“Cassandra is fine.”

She really does look fine. Not only is she calmly holding the steering wheel in this situation, but she’s even accelerating.

– St-stop! If you don’t stop, I’ll use my magical grenade!

Cassandra didn’t stop. She calmly drove past the overpass. She even operated her phone with one hand and showed us the news footage being captured by a helicopter.

A motorcycle was parked on the overpass. Next to it stood a woman. She wore tight black leather tights that revealed her figure and held grenade launchers in both hands.

Of course, since she couldn’t properly hold those heavy things, she had them propped against the railing, but her aiming angle and skill were remarkable.

– Co-cover your head! You could get seriously hurt if you’re hit wrong! Magical Smoking!

I couldn’t see her face. She was wearing a mask like one would wear at a masquerade ball.

But the more I listened, the more familiar that voice seemed.

– Oh, that’s a Pink Pink Transformation Princess mask! It’s what Elsa’s children love the most!

The news anchor seemed excited for some reason. Looking at the screen, I could see the chaos on the road more clearly.

Citizens and soldiers united in picking up jewels from the road, rolling on the ground after being hit with tear gas, and in the midst of it all, trying not to shoot each other by removing their magazines.

Yeah. It must be quite entertaining.

I could see military police motorcycles rushing onto the overpass. But it was too late. Ammunition spewed from the grenade launcher with a “poof.”

Bang! Bang!

This time it was real explosive grenades. Even in the midst of this, she seemed to consider safety by not firing directly. Instead, she shot at empty bus stops and flower beds. But it was enough to intimidate the motorcycle police and make them run for cover.

– Ma-Magic Girl is leaving now!

The woman threw down the grenade launcher, hurriedly got on a motorcycle. It must have been stolen from the military police because when the siren went off, she quickly turned it off, threw another smoke grenade behind her, and disappeared into an alley.

“Driving. Hold tight.”

With a roaring sound, the pickup truck left the road. Cassandra drove the car boldly.

“Do you know where you’re going?”

“No.”

“What?”

“We just need to get to the highway.”

– Aaaaaaaaaaaaah!

A blood-curdling scream was heard. It came from inside the phone screen. Perhaps because the wind had blown, the confusing smoke had cleared.

People, motorcycles, and vehicles were sprawled across the wide eight-lane road. Only one person stood upright in the midst of the chaos.

It was Virginia.

She still held that revolver in one hand and a motorcycle helmet in the other. When she threw the helmet to the ground, it shattered. I thought those things were supposed to withstand being run over by dump trucks, but she broke it.

– Grrraaaaaaaaaaaaah!

Unable to contain her anger, she roared while looking ahead. The scream echoed between the buildings. The helicopter camera focused on her.

Silver-blonde hair blowing in the wind, purple eyes filled with rage, military police uniform torn and damaged all over. But she was looking in only one direction.

The military police and citizens around her retreated hesitantly. The atmosphere was quite menacing. She was like a beautiful blade without a handle. And when such a blade dances with the storm, anyone would react the same way.

“Cassandra. Let’s go quickly.”

Cassandra increased the speed. As a parting gift, I scattered another handful of jewels on the road.

Motorcycles and civilians who spotted us tried to follow, but the helicopter didn’t pursue us any further. They probably thought the enraged Virginia was more suitable for higher ratings.

Finally, we made it onto the highway.

* * * * *

The sun is setting. The military police were no longer in sight. Once we left the city, they followed for a while but eventually gave up the chase.

Ding.

My phone rang.

– Caesar, are you alone right now?

It was a message from Leticia. I signaled Camilla and Cassandra to be quiet and made a call.

“Hello.”

– Oh, um. Sorry for contacting you so much. Can we video call by any chance?

Camilla, who was watching from the side, signaled me to switch to speakerphone. I shook my head.

Then Camilla clenched her fist, pressed it down on my thigh, and twisted. When I tried to block her, she went for my crotch with her other hand. I had no choice but to switch to speaker.

“Uh, no. I’m heading out of the city right now, so it might be difficult. Why?”

– Are you on speakerphone right now?

“Yes.”

– Ah… are you with someone right now?

“Yes, yes. It’s a bit difficult to take it privately.”

– Then if I send you a photo, can you look at it alone? I tried on clothes I’m planning to wear next time we meet, and I wanted to show you first.

Camilla sighed, and Cassandra seemed to be glaring at me through the rearview mirror. Why do I suddenly feel like I’m being disliked?

“That’s possible.”

The call ended. A moment later, a photo arrived. It was taken in front of a full-length mirror, wearing a pretty sky-blue two-piece outfit.

However, the pose was… a bit… like a pin-up illustration with her buttocks pushed out and her finger pointing upward. Below was a note saying, “Save this and look at it whenever you miss me!”

“You’re about to get sucked into your phone, hey.”

“It’s nothing special.”

I showed her the photo. Camilla didn’t take my phone, but she frowned at the strange pose.

“What is this? Is she bragging about her big butt or what? And why does this woman keep clinging to you? It’s annoying.”

“Just let it be. She’s a business contact.”

Camilla, seemingly not wanting to argue further, slumped back in her seat. Just then, another message arrived.

– I have one more photo, want to see? It’s a different outfit. You should look at this one alone, just in case?

A moment later, another photo arrived. Despite the strange wording, it was just a plain H-line long skirt with a blouse. Nothing unusual, I thought. This one also said “Save and look at it!”

But as I looked at it, something strange caught my eye.

This was also taken in front of a full-length mirror, but from a different angle than before. There was something familiar on the sofa. It was a leather outfit carelessly thrown there. It looked quite similar to what that pervert on the overpass was wearing.

I glanced at Camilla and Cassandra. Fortunately, they were looking elsewhere. I pressed and held to save the photo.

“Filename – DontProvokeCaptorsCooperateAsMuchAsPossible.jpg”

What is this? I’ll come?

Wondering if there was something in the previous photo too, I checked.

“Filename – WillDefinitelyRescueYouContactMeUSBRemember.jpg”

She’ll definitely rescue me, so don’t provoke the captors and cooperate as much as possible? Use the communication app on the USB to contact her?

Ah. I think I understand what she’s thinking now. Leticia thinks that Camilla and I have been kidnapped by Cassandra. She thought my life was in danger, so she sent these messages to say “don’t worry, I’ll come rescue you.”

But Leticia is a military police officer. What she did on the overpass wasn’t helping the military police; it was more like hindering them. If it hadn’t been for Leticia, it would have been really difficult for us to escape.

Is there some reason she would interfere with military police work?

Or conversely, maybe I could track military operations through Leticia. As in Lambert, if the military decides to move in force, it’s hard to get out alive.

…Although I should be careful, it’s probably better to maintain contact. I sent a reply.

– I’ll contact you later. Everything’s fine, so don’t worry. I saved the photos.

As soon as I sent the reply, a “No Service” indicator appeared.

“Are you done with your business?”

Camilla’s somewhat grumpy voice.

“Yeah. Why?”

“…Nothing. We’ll talk later.”

Somehow, an ominous feeling was creeping up on me.

The familiar feeling of hunger began to set in.