9 Episode 2: Suddenly, It's SciFi! (Part 4/Ryuu)

_CIB custom undercover van

I clambered up the back seats in an unsteady manner, panting heavily.

Ugh...

It sure feels like all this craziness has shaved off at least a third of my life.

I hurriedly tried to calm my breathing and looked around the interior of the vehicle. A beautiful smiling face greeted me, catching me by surprise.

"Hey there kid. You ran pretty fast back there. We almost couldn't catch up." a gorgeous, platinum blonde haired woman who was sitting beside me spoke with a playful, teasing tone.

—Hey... Hold up. I think I know her.

"Y- You're the Job Center lady, right?" I asked her, a little unsure.

"Oh. You recognize me? Heh. I look totally different from earlier. Not just some superficial difference either. I replaced an actual employee over there and copied her appearance completely. I'm surprised you even noticed." she said in disbelief.

"I dunno... Intuition, I guess. Though, if I have to point something out, it would be your eyes. There's just something... familiar about them. Something I felt I saw just recently. The only other ladies I talked to today are my sister and my homeroom teacher. And both of them don't have eyes like yours. So, uh, I figured maybe... Y'know..." I explained.

She looked stunned for a moment, then she made an amused grin. For some weird reason, I felt a chill run down my spine.

"Hmm. Hehee. Chief, I think this kid has the makings of a great agent. How about we scout him?" she turned towards the driver's seat out front and asked something incredulous sounding to Uncle Hal, who had remained silent until now.

"Whoah! Settle down girl. You know who has their eye on the kid. Scouting him is an absolute no-go. I'll get you your chew toy later." Uncle Hal replied, sounding half-amused and exasperated.

The beautiful lady pouted. "What am I, your pet dog? And what do you mean 'chew toy'? You talkin about Gibbs, Chief?"

"Yup. You've already been running him ragged for weeks ever since you two partnered up. Guy has the eyes of a dead fish now. It's quite the pitiful sight." Uncle Hal answered back and let out a playful sigh.

The lady laughed and quipped back. "Gibbs is cute too, but I just thought it would be interesting to have a fresh faced rookie following me around, that's all." She then flashed me another one of her showstopping smiles. The chills on my back intensified.

Ah... Now I think I get how I recognized her. Her gaze. I also vaguely felt it in the Job Center earlier.

It's kinda like a predator eyeing her prey. It's calm. Like a quiet lake. Indifference stemming from a belief that she was looking at something completely at her mercy...

Dammit! This lady is scary as hell! She's really gorgeous though...

I gotta change the topic, and fast!

"Uh... I'm sorry, but... Could someone finally explain this crazy situation to me now?" I inquired in a weak tone.

"Haha! Silly me. Sorry, Ryuu-ryuu. We were just trying to give you some time to calm down." Uncle Hal guffawed.

'No, I think you guys made me feel even more nervous instead.' I retorted inside my head.

"Well, long story short, your parents were actually the main researchers working on a top secret military project. The munitions factory that blew up was the cover for a secret military research facility. The ones who attacked and destroyed it were sleeper agents working for the Emperium. Since they ultimately couldn't get anything out of that, they decided to settle for the next best thing. You. Oh, and your sister too." Uncle Hal explained like he was saying something totally normal.

"Eh?!..."

My pupils narrowed into dots in shock. What the heck is he talking about?

"My parents were researchers?"

"Yup."

"They were working for the military?"

"That's right."

"My deadbeat dad, who comes home totally plastered every weekend after your drinking sessions, has an unhealthy obsession with kids toy gachas, and blows a third of his salary drawing them from the local arcade?"

"The very same."

"My silly mom, who follows after boy idol groups like some diehard fan despite her age, has a closet full of idol memorabilia, and attends live concerts in teenage clothing borrowed from my sister, but actually gets away with it because of her height and the fact that she actually has a very convincing baby face?"

"You got it."

WHAT! THE! HELL!!!?

I think I just heard something incredibly hard to swallow as the truth.

Wait. That's not important right now.

"My sister! What about my sister? Are they after Rin too?! Is she okay?!" I shouted in panic.

"Calm down kid. Your sister is currently in the safest place in the entire Solaris Confederation. You'd be hard pressed to find somewhere more secure. So she should be okay. More okay than you are anyway. Though I must say, your sister sure has some superb social skills." the gorgeous lady told me in a placating manner.

I somewhat calmed down after hearing that. Though I'm curious about what she referred to as the 'safest place in the Solaris Confederation' and my sister having great social skills. Which I don't doubt in the least by the way. She's really charming after all.

...Ahem.

"Well, that's the gist of it Ryuu-ryuu. We're a squad from the CIB, and we're currently tasked to protect you from the Imperium agents and bring you to safety." Uncle Hal concluded.

"You're a CIB agent Uncle?" I asked, still half in disbelief. "And stop calling me Ryuu-ryuu!" I then demanded.

"Yep. Betcha didn't see this coming huh? And no, you guys will always be 'Ryuu-ryuu' and 'Rin-rin' to me." Uncle Hal answered affirmatively, but completely denied my request to be spared from the cutesy nickname.

I gave him an annoyed look. But then—

*rumble

Tremors rocked the entire van. Something was coming after us. Something big... And heavy...

"Well damn! Guess they brought out the big guns huh? We're in a bit of a pickle now folks." Uncle Hal said in his familiar mirthful manner.

"Um... I think that's a real understatement Uncle." I retorted.

I faced the back window of the van.

Coming after us were three towering steel gray colored Tactical Frames, which seemed armed to the teeth and meant some serious business.

"Oh shit..." I gulped.

Yep. Real understatement right there.