Route B

"Would you join me?" The Chief said.

"Join you? I don't even know what the hell do you want to do." I replied

"Mr.Barbatrous, truth to be told I've been a bit insincere. I have actually heard of you before. You have quite a reputation when it comes to theft and infiltration. If my memory serves me right you are also worth 530,000 sieverts in bounty money." He said.

"Y-yeah....you sure know your stuff." This was slightly disturbing to me. I'm worth a lot like he said, and well...a situation with hundreds of rats all with scripts vs us three may not be the prettiest of battles. Hell just touching one of the rats is a disaster in and of itself. I don't wanna get the black plague. So I was kind of hoping this wouldn't result in any sort of battle. But The Chief was very quick witted and he picked up on that right away.

"Don't worry. As a rat I have no use for money. But I do have use for talent."

"As a rat huh? Well let me ask you this. As a rat, what use do you have for scripts?"

"I'll reward you adequately. It'll be worth more than your biggest heist."

"That's not what I asked." I said.

"You're a bandit am I correct? A thief. You steal from the people, you deplete the town of its riches for your own personal gain. Well with us you wouldn't be doing anything different. What we need is this town, as in the space that this town occupies. All the riches within it are of no concern, they will be yours."

"Oh...that's pretty grand isn't it? And what do you need the town for?"

"That's hardly any of your business isn't it?"

"Sorry old man, I don't do gun for hire. I either know what I'm getting into or I don't. Too much of a hassle getting roped into unnecessary business."

"Some things are better left unknown." He said.

"See, that just makes me want to know even more." I laughed.

"I see, well it is no secret. It's about the black plague."

"The black plague?"

"Yes, as you know rats for a long time have been afflicted with the black plague, they....we transfer it upon any touch with any other living being. This has causes us to be hunted, experimented upon, oppressed and rejected. I must say, for you to stand in front of hundreds of rats...you really are not an ordinary man."

"You flatter me." I chuckled. "But what does that have to do with anything you said?"

"I aim for the betterment of my kind." He spoke with a proud soulful tone. As if he was a commander rallying troops to battle. He definitely was some sort of commander before becoming a rat. He continued "We intend to create us a safe haven on this town. We'll spread the black plague at every corner of every street, every house and every pub. We'll keep spreading it until this is known as Plague town. A town that no one will approach. A sanctuary for me and my kind until the black curse is either lifted or cured."

"..."

"What I require of you is simple. It's within your line of work, not much different. However I can't tell you what it is until you agree." He continued. "What do you say?"

"...So...to summarize. You want to destroy this town?"

"Only for humans. Barring you and your team of course."

".....HAHAHAHAHAHA" I laughed. I laughed like I haven't for the longest time. This was too precious. The moment that this rat told me that he wants to destroy the town of Balda; it's probably a moment he and I will remember vividly, for different reasons.

"Have I said something amusing?" He asked with an annoyed voice.

I didn't respond. I couldn't. My laughter wouldn't stop. Sam and Carolina by my side were not too surprised by this outburst, they knew exactly why, yet they couldn't help but show worried faces, after all should we anger the rats this would be a very dicey situation. And I agree. In situations like these I usually would show some restraint. But can you blame me? When me, gets asked that.

I'll be damned if that's the unluckiest rat I've seen.

"Chief." I said.

"What?" He said, still irritated.

"Do you know who I am?"

"What a stupid question. Are you mocking me?"

"No it's not. Cause there's no way you would've offered if you did."

"What do you mean?"

"Never mind that now. More importantly chief. I got a counter offer for you."

"I'm not interested in counter offers."

"Oh just hear me out. You won't lose your balls don't worry. Your end goal is to find a an ailment for the black death correct?"

"...yes." He said begrudgingly.

"That's something we can agree on. I've had people who passed away by the plague too. People I've had to abandon in order to save the rest. And if there's anything I hate the most it's abandoning your people." I stopped. A bad memory came to mind again. That's why I dislike bringing up solemn subjects like this. After collecting my thoughts again I continued. "Then how about we work together? I have money to spare. I'll provide you and your people with shelter, I'll give you all the tools you need to research, it's basically like investing in a possibility where I don't have to abandon anyone ever again. And instead of going for something radical like wiping out the town you could just leech off of us. Sweet deal no?"

I didn't know who he is. Who they are. But to be able to manifest as a rat but be a human, that's something almost impossible to do, they were far from normal, I had a feeling that if anyone could ever cure the plague, it's them.

This may seem like a bizarre decision to make. Just to give money away to random strangers. But I'll never forget it. The feeling of having to lock up one of your friends away cause they got the plague, leaving them to die away from the rest. It's the worst betrayal of all. The more I remember it the more I feel like human scum. But that's the kind of decisions you have to make as a leader. But there's no glory in unnecessary suffering. If I had even an ounce of hope that I'll never have to make such a decision again. I'll gladly bite into it as hard as I can.

"So Chief. What do you say?"