episode_0192

They can’t get in touch with the Chief of Staff who went on a business trip.

The fact was known, unfortunately, the afternoon of the day after the Chief of Staff left for the business trip.

On the day the Chief of Staff left for the business trip, they simply thought that he was too busy to contact them due to the business trip.

However, even during the promised regular contact time, they couldn’t get in touch, and even when they called the next day, they couldn’t connect. Only the response that the machine was turned off came back.

Next, they contacted the other organization, the Chief of Staff’s destination for the business trip.

The answer that came back was, “He didn’t come.” That can’t be.

They still can’t get in touch with the Chief of Staff.

They have no idea where or how he disappeared.

The situation is already complicated due to the Boss’s problem.

Really, it was a situation where the saying, “Misfortunes never come singly,” fit perfectly.

* * *

“How can you cause problems in this situation, what are you thinking, Number 13!”

Dorothy’s lab.

Dorothy was scolding Number 13, who had just returned, in front of her.

However, Number 13, who was listening to the scolding, had a very fierce face, and didn’t seem to think he had done anything wrong.

He had just returned from storming the other organization, the Chief of Staff’s destination for the business trip.

Of course, there was a limit to what he could do on his own, so he took a Hero from Team 7 with him.

When he took Check and Spade, the two of them overwhelmed the other organization. This was partly because the other party was not a very large organization…

“We received a call from the other organization. They seem quite angry.”

“……..”

“Number 13, why don’t you say something?”

Number 13 turned his fierce eyes to Dorothy.

Dorothy flinched for a moment at the look, but instead glared even more fiercely and stomped on Number 13’s instep.

Only then did Number 13 realize his current state, and he took some of the force out of his eyes.

However, his restless attitude remained the same.

“The Chief of Staff has disappeared.”

“I know.”

“Do you think I can just stand by?”

“…I know that.”

Dorothy sighed deeply.

Of course, she can’t help but feel uncomfortable in many ways if a colleague disappears.

However, with the Boss in that state and even the Chief of Staff absent, Dorothy is taking on the work that the Boss should originally do, as well as external responses.

Dorothy is not originally familiar with such external affairs. Thanks to this, she also did not hide her displeasure.

“Calm down, Number 13. Although it has improved a little, our position within the 『Alliance』 is still unstable.”

“…Even so.”

“I know how you feel about being angry. I know you’re anxious. But you can’t just vent your anger. What you did just now was too reckless. They’ll find fault with us. The other organization is also saying they’ll reconsider their deal with us.”

“……..”

“You should have consulted with me first before taking action. In the first place, we don’t even know if the other organization did anything to the Chief of Staff.”

In fact, even after Number 13 took the two Heroes and went on a rampage, the existence of the Chief of Staff could not be confirmed.

Even though they were pressed so hard, they didn’t seem to know anything at all. Number 13 didn’t think they would. If there wasn’t that much trust in the first place, they wouldn’t have sent the Chief of Staff on a business trip.

According to the words of their organization members, the Chief of Staff didn’t even arrive to them on the day of the business trip.

If that’s the case, then after all, did the Chief of Staff suffer some kind of misfortune on the way to the business trip?

In any case, what Number 13 did was just nitpicking and venting anger.

At least for the organization, it’s not a good thing at all.

The Boss is in that state, so it’s hard to expect mediation.

While thinking about those things, Number 13 frowned and looked at Dorothy.

“More than that, what happened?”

“What?”

“They said they contacted you. They asked if the Chief of Staff hadn’t arrived. They asked if something was wrong.”

“…Enough, Number 13. Are you going to turn the target on me this time?”

Dorothy’s eyes became much fiercer than before.

Dorothy and Number 13 stared at each other for a long time.

The one who backed down first was Number 13.

He obediently lowered his head and apologized, “…Sorry.”

At that sight, Dorothy sighed again.

“…I did get a call. But I knew the Chief of Staff had left, and I just thought he was a little late because of something else. I didn’t think something serious had happened.”

Dorothy says with sullen eyes.

Frankly speaking, this wasn’t something that Dorothy could be blamed for.

Number 13 also tried to contact the Chief of Staff, but he couldn’t get through.

Still, he thought that he just couldn’t be contacted because he was busy right now.

In addition, if Number 13 had requested a consultation with Dorothy, Dorothy would have informed him of that fact.

Before hearing anything from Dorothy, Number 13 felt uneasy and immediately ran out.

It’s no wonder Dorothy got angry, saying, ‘Consult with me!’

Anyway, the situation is not good in many ways.

There’s the Boss’s matter, and there’s the Chief of Staff’s disappearance. Whether these happening at the same time is a coincidence or whether there’s any connection.

At times like this, she wants to rely on Aria’s 『Precognition』, but she has temporarily been ordered to return to headquarters.

Due to the policy of the department she’s in, all contact with the outside is impossible, so she can’t rely on her.

‘And to make matters worse…’

And even worse, today was the D-day designated by Violet.

Bring Spade by today, Violet designated that.

If she talks about the Chief of Staff’s matter, will she show some flexibility? No, even if she shows flexibility, will she be able to maintain her composure properly?

Or will she say that she doesn’t care what happens to the Chief of Staff and demand that Spade be brought to her immediately?

Really, it’s a headache. She doesn’t know who the culprit is for this or that, but they’ve twisted the situation to the point where it’s refreshing.

“The Boss’s matter is just a matter of bringing that Spade bitch. Why are you dragging your feet?”

“…I don’t think the Boss’s anger will be relieved by that.”

Number 13 recalls his conversation with Spade.

Killing the Boss’s younger sister. Spade’s face as she talked about that incident.

The reason he gave Dorothy is just superficial, and the real reason he’s not bringing Spade is due to other emotional factors.

It’s hard to express in words exactly what that is…

Dorothy seems to have noticed it to some extent. She doesn’t know the details, but from Number 13’s expression, she knows that he’s hiding something.

And instead of digging into it, Dorothy sighs and picks up a bottle from the display case next to her and hands it over.

“Number 13.”

The transparent medicine bottle that was handed over.

What’s contained inside is a brainwashing drug that he’s also familiar with. It’s a supplement of the brainwashing drug that ran out a while ago.

“I won’t ask about the details. And in the first place, I don’t think it’s a good idea to bring Spade to the Boss either. It might even make things worse.”

So, she continues.

“I suggest that I think ‘this’ method is the most certain. This will be the most familiar to you as well──of course, the choice is up to you.”

Dorothy looks at Number 13.

His navy blue eyes, with dark circles deeply under them, are coldly facing him, excluding various emotions.

As if being pushed on the back by that gaze, Number 13, who had been agonizing, eventually accepted the bottle she handed him.

* * *

Drip… drip…

The sound of water droplets falling.

The strong smell of chemicals.

The noise of the machine running constantly deafening his ears.

A member of the villain organization 『Abyss』, and the Chief of Staff, whose whereabouts are currently unknown.

She, who dislikes her real name and is currently only called the Chief of Staff, was slowly waking up from her deeply sunken consciousness.

However, even though she’s waking up, she’s still not in her right mind.

Her head is dizzy, her eyes are blurry, and her body doesn’t seem to move according to her will.

‘Where… am I…?’

She can’t understand what situation she’s in right now.

She has no idea how she got here, where she is, or what she’s going through.

No matter how intelligent her mind is, it’s useless in the current situation where physical thinking is impossible.

Fwoosh

Sluuuuuuuuuuurp—

“Ugh… Keuh….”

At that time, the Chief of Staff groaned at the feeling of a small syringe stuck in her arm and her blood being sucked.

It doesn’t hurt, but the eerie feeling of her blood being sucked made her make a strange sound without realizing it.

“Stay still. It’s not much.”

The person who stuck the syringe in her arm and drew her blood said that.

She wanted to check who it was, but her head, which was dropped to the point where her neck hurt, wasn’t being lifted against her will.

Moreover, with her foggy eyes as if covered in fog, she probably wouldn’t be able to recognize the face properly even if she looked at it straight.

——Just one thing.

She could barely tell that the other person was wearing a white coat.

“After all, it’s good to have fresh blood from an Awakened. Moreover, it’s a special case.”

“……It’s hard to restrain her like this unless we make her unable to come to her senses with nerve gas and drugs.”

“Still, it’s good that the research is progressing rapidly because we have such a good test subject by our side. I think the desired result will come out soon.”

“If we’re greedy, it would be nice if it was a higher quality test subject.”

“That’s right, around here… was it Team 7? It would be nice if it was the leader of that place.”

“Other than that, well. The boss of the villain organization 【Abyss】, or that guy called Number 13, who’s said to be his loyal subordinate.”

“I’m interested in that side too. Ah, I hope they come into my hands as soon as possible.”

Was it because she reacted to the word Abyss?

Or was it because she reacted to the words Boss or Number 13?

A groan of “Eueueung…” flowed out of the Chief of Staff’s mouth.

A figure that seemed to want to say something.

Her half-open eyelids trembled, and she began to flinch as if trying to get up from her lying position.

“Oh dear, did I say too much?”

“Let’s not make any useless efforts. After all, none of your body will move as you please because of the nerve gas.”

“…Then good night, my cute test subject.”

The Chief of Staff lying naked on a small bed that looked like a surgery bed.

The person in white closed her eyes with his hand.

The Chief of Staff couldn’t resist and closed her eyes as they were.

The Chief of Staff, whose sparkling silver hair was attractive, but the silver hair had faded and become dry, perhaps because she hadn’t washed it for a long time.

Her limbs are fine, but electrodes are stuck all over her body, and a mask that periodically emits nerve gas is placed on her mouth and nose.

She, who is falling back into an irresistible sleep, vaguely thinks.

That the voice seems similar to that of a colleague she knows well….