144 Right hand man

Leo didn't move a muscle and simply looked at Valentina before speaking. "Sorry, but I will have to decline your offer," said Leo in a formal tone.

The shock could visibly be seen in Valentina's eyes. However, the shock quickly turned into annoyance as she sat down again.

"Tell me, why would you decline? If it is money I have you covered, I am able to shield you better from the foundation, or at least better than those fuckers at MC&D. Tell me your reason, Leo."

"I wish to separate myself and work on my own. I don't want to be tied to anyone."

Valentina slammed her fist against the table before looking toward Leo. Leo didn't move a muscle nor did his expression change.

"That is fucking bullshit! You should also know that you won't be able to separate yourself now that you've been contracted by MC&D! Once they learn that you breached containment they will surely come looking for you in order to bring you back, you are just a resource to them! I can offer you much more, either way, you don't have a fucking choice! This is the way of the world!"

Valentina picked out another cigarette from the box and lit it.

"You know smoking is bad for you right?" said Leo in a relaxed tone.

"If it wasn't for you giving me such bullshit answers I wouldn't be smoking this much."

"Whatever," said Leo in a calm tone.

Silence remained for a while before Valentina spoke again.

"Do you not know how incredibly hard I can fuck up your life? If I contact MC&D and tell them all you have said and that you are trying to separate from them, they will surely come and get you and lock you up, with the simplest of orders you will be detained and your life will be shit again, what I am offering you is an actual successful life."

"Why do you even want me specifically?" asked Leo.

"all delta command members must have at least one person to guard them at all times, however, all of them are incompetent and braindead creatures, the other command members have given me numerous "elite" agents to choose out of but all of them are braindead or simply incompetent. I give them an order and they follow it mindlessly, they are the exact same as a worker bee working for their queen. I need someone who is powerful enough to keep me safe and to be able to give me reality checks when I go too far, when it comes to strength you have proven yourself at site Phobos, not to mention that you were smart enough to realize my intention, you would fit the role perfectly."

"So practically you just want me because I think about myself?"

"To put it bluntly, yeah. All of the other combative were trained to follow every order, I need someone who is able to think about themselves and is capable of thinking along with me, filling in on my ideas."

"And if I decline, what then?"

Valentina put out her cigarette before responding.

"I will keep you here and inform MC&D about your escape and about you trying to separate from them, this will most likely lead to you being incarcerated by MC&D."

Leo remained silent for a while.

"Listen Valentina, the best I can do is to stay with you as your right-hand man for a while now, but this will be give and take. I will be your right-hand man if you can guarantee some benefits for me."

A slight smile appeared on Valentina's face as she noticed that Leo would accept her offer.

"Sure, what do you want?"

"First of all I want you to help me reconnect with my contacts, most of them went in hiding after I got captured. Second of all I want protection from the insurgency against the foundation, truth be told I don't really wanna be captured again. Third, we will more or less be partners. I will assist you but I will not comply with every order you give me, if I think something is stupid or just too risky I will not do it. And finally, most importantly, I will not be here permanently as I am looking to establish my own group of interest soon, when I do so I want your support. And lastly... I need a civilian woman and man, alive."