New Hire

Amro walked over to the front desk. He was about to ask Jarvis about a new hire but an area in the lobby caught his eye. "Why is that taped up?"

"Ms Coby and her bear, sir!" replied Jarvis.

"That girl has tested my patience far too long!"

"Any plans, sir?" Jarvis turned his computer monitor to face Amro.

Amro smiled mischievously as thought swirled in his head. "Ms Coby has generously given us full authority to decide her new identity. I believe you will do well here Jarvis."

Jarvis had a devilish grin flash across his usual emotionless face. "Understood, Master Amro!"

"Now, can you get in touch with 'The Cloud'. I need them to get in touch with Ms Eliza. She should be reporting for work today."

"She had just arrived a few minutes ago, Master Amro. She is waiting in the lounge." Jarvis pointed to a girl that had long and flowing blue hair, wearing a midnight blue school uniform, seated in the lounge.

"Ah! Then, I best speak to our new nightingale!" Amro rubbed his palms together and walked over to Eliza.

"Have you been waiting long, dear?"

Eliza brushed her hair off her face, revealing deep crystal blue eyes. "Hm…"

Amro stretched his hand out. "Amro, Amro Stark! You must be Eliza!"

Eliza blushed and looked down to the floor. "Um… Pl… Pleasure to meet you… Master Stark."

"May I sit?" Amro grabbed a chair and sat in front of Eliza. "You have such breathtaking eyes, Eliza. Why hide your face?"

Eliza pinched her skirt. "Um… I need to change…"

"Change?"

"Costume."

"Oh! You mean for your performance, right?!" asked Amro.

Eliza looked up at Amro, pursed her lips and nodded.

"Are you sure you can handle it? You'll be in from of a crowd."

"I can… I just need to buy protection…" Eliza meekly replied.

"Protection? Do you mean a weapon?" asked Amro.

Eliza stared up at Amro, keeping her head slightly tilted downwards. "I just need a weapon to protect myself! I lost mine in the last mission I got!" Eliza bowed with her hands on the table, almost like a 'dogeza'!

"Child, you will be a part of Inkstone, Inkstone's Discord Bar! We protect our own! If you just need a weapon, all you need to do is ask."

Eliza raised her head and bowed back down in reverence. "Thank you, Master Stark! Thank you!"

Amro stood and invited Eliza to join him. "Let me introduce you to our Sommelier!"

Amro waved at Jarvis to leave Eliza to him and keep to his post. They walked a small wine shop in the back. It had rows of wines displayed in the front. But the further you walked, the display items change to weapons of various disciplines. Most were guns as the tried and tested weapon chosen by the many.

"Our Sommelier is named Felix. He used to be known in our circles for his 'Insanity'. But one night, while on a black ops mission for the army, he shut them all up when they saw him act like a 'Reaper' out of Hell. In the middle of the night, he sieged an enemy camp all by himself, killing everyone in his wake."

Amro brushed his hand over a beautifully displayed Type 92 Shiki Kikanju Heavy Machine Gun. "After the dust settled, the army was forced to discharge him. However, before they did, they gave a label. Codename: UWG, the Undying War God."

Eliza started to sweat, fearing for her safety. Amro saw this and chuckled a bit before reassuring Discord's new nightingale. "Worry not! Felix has come to Inkstone to be just our Sommelier. And we have an ironclad rule here in Inkstone. No one can kill another in the grounds of Inkstone. This is our Sanctuary!"

Amro opened the curtains, revealing Felix seated at a desk as he cleaned a Desert Eagle Pistol. "Ah! Felix! Come, meet our new nightingale!"

"Humph! I'll only listen to Leonore!" grumbled Felix.

"Come now, Felix! Don't be like that! You know Aurina has chosen to start trying to live a normal life! She can't always be in Discord now."

"The Lone Lion shall always be my muse!" pined Felix.

"You already know why she had to take time off. Whenever she uses Time Turner, she draws closer to her own death!" reminded Amro.

Felix stood up, sulking at reality. "I know…" He tugged his tux before greeting Eliza. "Good Afternoon, Miss Eliza?!"

Eliza hid behind Amro in fright. "You… you know me?"

"I know everyone that I need to know. And I need to know you, Eliza!"

"Oh…"

"What brings you to my shop?" asked Felix.

"I… I need a weapon!" mumbled Eliza as she gripped on Amro's shirt.

Amro let the poor girl do what she wanted. It was her first time to become a member of Inkstone's Staff. She'd meet Felix no matter what. This was as good a time as any.

"What caliber did you have in mind?"

"Nothing too loud or big! Something handy… Powerful, but compact!" detailed Eliza.

Felix walked over to a clear glass display that housed a few pistols. "Any maker? We have Germans, Austrians, American… Basically all makes from anywhere in the world. You desire it, we will have it for you within 24 hours."

"Can… can you recommend me one?" requested Eliza.

Felix smiled at the trust he had just received. "Gladly! Here is our Glock 34, specially made all of Inkstone." He placed the gun on top of a wooden table in the center of the room.

Eliza walked over and slowly picked up the gun. But the moment her fingers touched the grip, her movements drastically changed. They became sharper! Eliza started to aim and try to reload the Glock. She quickly turned to aim behind her then place the gun down to her waist.

"The grips are contoured, with a flared mag-well for easier reloading. A lot of our members appreciate the custom porting." Explained Felix.

Eliza released the empty magazine then tried to load it back in the gun to aim at Felix. Eliza felt satisfied with the recommendation but felt it wasn't as unique to her style. "I need something a bit more robust." Announced Eliza, clearly no longer the meek girl that walked in the room with Amro.

"Am I in the presence of Lady Ice?" wondered Amro.

"Uglies stay quiet when I'm talking! You only speak when you are spoken too! Got that?!" warned Eliza as she glared at Amro.

Amro raised both hands in the air, happy at seeing the 'Lady Ice' he had heard about. He moved his hand to draw a line over his lips, making sure to close them for now.

Felix nodded to his manager and continued on with Eliza's preference. "Robust…"

Felix walked over to a wooden chest behind him, picking up a modified Remington 870 shotgun with a sawed off barrel. "Will this suffice?"

Eliza held the gun in hands, eyes focused. No hint of any emotion could be seen from it. She immediately aimed and tried to cock the pump-action shotgun, getting a better feel for its use.

"I'll take it!" declared Eliza.

Felix was caught off-guard by the sudden decision but got back to his sense quickly. "Will you be needing it wrapped?"

"Nonsense! I'll just strap Henry to my leg, making sure he never parts with me."

"Henry?" asked Amro.

"My new partner!" Eliza lifted her new shotgun to remind Amro what her new partner was.

"Right! Right! Right! Well, Felix, nice work! I'll see you later!"

-----------------------------

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