Chapter 67

In fact, none of us thought Becca was hysterical, we understood that she just had an explosive temper and didn't like to admit her mistakes. Not can't, but she doesn't like to. And that's why she often starts arguing if there's an opportunity. And now there was such an opportunity.

In fact, she doesn't allow herself to do such things when there is no such opportunity... It's just that in this particular case, there was an opportunity to make a fuss, and it's not even an empty reason...

But when we finished talking, I went to my workshop and began to drown myself in work, because despite the realization that I was doing the right thing... Despite the fact that Vee was still essentially a good friend to me, and Jackie was still a hello-bye...

Despite all that, I didn't feel good about the realization that I was leaving two sentients I knew to die. Well okay not two, but one, since Vee kinda has to survive... But that doesn't change the point much...

Except that in this state, the work didn't stick...

Totally...

"Worrying..."

Lucy was behind me.

"Yeah. (chuckles)"

"Uh, uh. I can help you de-stress.

"Have you made up your mind?"

"Well..."

I turned to her and she looked away.

"Anyway, I don't think it's a good time for debauchery. I'm not in the mood."

"And I'm not talking about sex. but, uh."

She walked over to me and lowered herself onto my lap with her luscious ass.

"...just cuddle. We'll be quiet. maybe kiss a couple times."

"Well..."

I shrugged.

"...let's give it a try."

And we tried it.

Oddly enough, being in close contact with another person, even though I knew that maybe she didn't fully support my idea, proved easier to bear that I was an asshole...

After a couple dozen minutes of reasoning, I chuckled sadly.

"What are you doing?"

Lucy turned slightly toward me, causing me to pull away from the top of her head, where I had been resting my nose.

"It's just, uh. you know, I've done so much since Gloria died. I've zeroed in on so many people. I thought I didn't have any of those stupid feelings like sympathy and conscience left. But here they are. came out at the worst possible time."

"Well, if you didn't care, I think that would be a wake-up call for us. So it's good that you realize how ambiguous your decision is. ambiguous.

I sighed.

"Uh-huh. very considerate of me as the bastard who left his own to die...

"How much longer are you going to be a narcissist?"

Becca peeked into the room, looking first at Lucy sitting on my lap and then at me with a look of annoyance.

"Late again?"

"Well..."

Lucy shrugged.

"...We've already kissed a couple times and cuddled a bit, so I can cede David's lap to you..."

"I..."

Becca was clearly very confused by Lucy's words. The confusion didn't last long, though.

"...what the fuck?!"

With that Becca quickly moved closer to us and climbed onto Lucy's lap, but whereas Lucy was now sitting with her back to me, Becca climbed up so that she was facing me and without thinking long she reached out to touch me with her lips.

"Dha!"

Becca was in a much more positive mood when she pulled away from my lips. She looked at Lucy for a moment with a satisfied look on her face, and then kissed her. And I was sure that Lucy was very shocked at her friend's twist of fate.

She's not the only one, though...

"Hmm... no, I like David's lips better..."

And right after she pulled away from Lucy's lips and said that phrase, Becca reached for my lips again. I didn't refuse her, but this time, after the kiss broke, I lifted the girls up a little, sliding my hands under Lucy's ass and turning them so that I could kiss both of them comfortably.

And naturally the next kiss went to Lucy...

For a while we just kissed each other. Even Lucy and Becca kissed each other again from time to time, though I could see that they were only doing it because I liked the sight. But even so, I kissed them a lot more than that...

At some point, the kisses broke off and we continued to just sit side by side, cuddling and enjoying the silence...

Our idyll was interrupted by Judy...

"David, there's Victor on the phone..."

My eyes widened in shock and I looked at the fool with surprise and judgment.

"I couldn't help but put his number on the exclusion list. He's not gonna set us up, so I--

I sighed and nodded at her, waiting for Lucy and Becca to get off me before I got off my chair and stretched a little to get dressed. I'd been in just my underwear the whole time.

"You and me?"

"No..."

I shook my head.

"...you're staying home."

"David, you don't understand, Judy didn't ask you a question. She just told you the facts. We're coming with you."

I sighed, and looking at the stubborn faces of my girls, I could only agree. Because arguing would only delay things. And while that was desirable, it wasn't for Victor.

We packed up pretty quickly...

And it didn't take very long to get to Victor's clinic.

"Who?"

Misty's voice, and we decided to enter through her store, was tearful.

"Misty, it's us."

"А?"

Misty looked at our procession in surprise.

"We got a call from Victor... what's up?"

"David. he died."

"Victor?"

I blinked in surprise, and my question made Misty freeze in place, only to shake her head and sob a couple seconds later.

"Uh, no. Jackie. he's dead."

I took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.

"Vic has the body?"

"No..."

I raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"...the jackets from Arasaki came and took the body. We won't even have anyone to bury!"

Misty just sobbed, but I sighed, and mentally counted to five and went over to her and hugged her. The girl hugged me back, literally clinging to me. I moved my hands lower, under the girl's ass and lifted her slightly. She didn't say anything, but wrapped her legs around me like a koala...

I sighed to myself and slowly, so that she wouldn't realize what was going on, I walked out of her store towards Victor's clinic.

"А..."

Vic wanted to say something when he saw me, but when he saw Misty in my arms, he immediately turned sad and nodded understandingly. He hadn't looked happy before I got here, either. But I had come here with Misty for a reason, and coming to Vic, who was sitting in the chair, I gently lowered Misty into his lap. At the same time I carefully unhooked the Velcro from me and she immediately clung to Vic.

"А..."

I pressed my finger to my lips and called Vic, who, purely automatically, put his arms around Misty and pulled her against him. She nuzzled her nose into his neck and continued to cry.

"So?"

Talking on a call, when you're right next to the caller... but given Misty's condition, I didn't want to disturb her with conversation.

"Jackie's dead."

"Already got it..."

"V-- I don't know what's wrong with her.

"Me too..."

I covered my eyes.

"Did you shut down the comms on purpose?"

Opening my eyes I looked into Vic's eyes.

"Yeah. (chuckles)"

"Why?"

You could hear the displeasure and condemnation in his voice.

"What could I do?"

My gaze became much colder.

"I woke up to the whole city on its ear and all the TV channels screaming about the attack on Compecy... What was I supposed to do? I did everything I could for V and Jackie. Brainwashed them into not working for DeShawn. Advised them to update their Chrome. What else was I supposed to do? Get in a fight with Arasaka?"

"They're your friends..."

You could hear the condemnation in Vic's voice.

"Friends? More like acquaintances. Even so, if I were responsible for myself, I'd help, but I'm responsible for my team and Aldecaldo, and to expose them to Arasaki's wrath..."

I shook my head.

"I see..."

Vic covered his eyes and his hands began instinctively stroking Misty's back.

"So why'd you call?"

"Actually wanted your girls to calm Misty down a little..."

"Well..."

I shrugged.

"...sounds to me like you're doing a pretty good job with it yourself."

"This is..."

A slight embarrassment could be heard in Victor's voice.

"...well, I guess..."

"Shall we go?"

"Well..."

Vic looked uncertainly at Misty and nodded.

"All right, well, if you need anything. call me."

I cut off the connection with Victor and smiled sadly as I left his clinic, quietly closing the bars behind me and then the door.

"What is it?"

"Well. turned Misty over to Vic's lap."

"You're hoping it'll work out?"

"Why shouldn't it be?"

"Uh, no. we'd be delighted. Where to now?"

"Where, where, where..."

I sighed.

"Home."

The girls looked at each other.

"Uh-uh!

Panam decided to voice the general thought.

"Hmm?"

"Back home, you're gonna get depressed again. So let's take the meat and drive towards our beach house. There you will provide us with a tasty kebab, and you will have some rest..."

"Take a break from cooking for you?"

"And you're against it?"

Judy joined the conversation. She looked at me like a prosecutor looking at a defendant.

"Uh, no, uh. it's just, uh. why don't you cook something for once for a change?"

"Are you so eager to eat something burned at the stake?"

Kiwi raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"No..."

I sighed.

"...got it... I'm only on this team as a cook..."

"Girls, I think he's figured something out!"

This was whispered very loudly by Panam.

"Quiet! He's right there! He might hear!"

"Judy joined the game with a slight smile on her lips. However, she whispered even louder than Panam."

"Oh, come on..."

Kiwi decided not to lower her voice at all.

"...he's gonna find out anyway. Yeah, we only need you to eat good food and that's why we're giving you access to our bodies. It's just a way to tie you to us more tightly."

The brief silence was interrupted by light chuckles. The mood, though not elevated, was clearly creeping upward... living... wrong...