Chapter 57 - A Rat in the Base

Claire knew where this was going. She fought her thoughts that was protesting for this to happen, becoming determined to push this through if it meant to earn his whole trust and loyalty no matter what she does.

Then she can feel Raphael's hands slowly sliding down from her back to her ass, making her have second thoughts on her decision. She went with the flow and placed her hand on his chest and mimicked him by sliding down her hand from his chest to his manhood.

But she was stunned the instant her hand felt his incredibly huge bulge. Raphael also snapped back to reality and pushed her away looking all red and embarassed.

"WHOA!"

"E-Err..."

Claire almost thanked him for stopping her from escalating the situation to a horrendous nightmare.

She thought she's prepared to go to such lengths such as handling him from down there, though it got her flabbergasted to touch and discover something she know she can't handle.

"W-What?... do you not like t-this?..." Claire asks, seeming concerned that he didn't like to do it with her but begged in the back of her mind that was the actual case.

"N-No!! It's not like that—it's just that!!—"

Raphael turned his back on her, uncomfortable with her staring on his lower part with an indescribable look on her face.

"—I just think this isn't the appropriate time for t-this. We still have to deal with those bastards who were making all those false accusations on you."

"R-Right! T-That's right..."

She was glad he thought of dealing with that problem first.

"But how are we going to solve that?" It won't be easy to stir down the rumors, especially when everyone is already on Claire's tail.

And in a gentle tone, Raphael tried to assure her even though he couldn't face her properly at the moment. "Don't worry about it Claire. I'll do everything I can to prove your innocence." But the problem is that she's not innocent at all.

The conflict got her scratching on her head. She still hesitates to admit that the accusations were true, but she can't afford to lose her one and only support. "...in the mean time, we should find a way to get you out of the base. You won't be safe staying here."

"Alright! We should get going right away."

Then as the two plans an escape, Captain Wright along with Bernadette and several of the high ranking fighters of the special infantry troop have gathered outside the main building of the E.D.L. base for a very important mission.

"...I didn't know about any of that until now." Bernadette was quite in a shock learning about Julia's death and the trecheary of Claire Duvent.

Felix shakes his head in dismay. "And it's a shame how Raphael chose to protect a traitor."

Their attention was then caught by Captain Wright who stands before all of them and gave an order. "Everyone!! I assume everyone knows the reason why we're all standing here altogether, and that's to apprehend a traitor hiding in this very building disguised as an ally!!—" as the captain spoke, everyone can tell he is furious about this.

"—at all cost, CAPTURE THE TRAITOR KNOWN AS CLAIRE DUVENT!!!" His enraged expression stiffens the posture of his subordinates, feeling the weight and pressure of this situation. They all proceed to march into the main building on Captain Wright's lead in search of Claire.

They started searching in every nook and cranny of each floor on the main building, and as for the pair attempting to escape, they almost ran into their pursuers.

"Shit, they're already on to us!" Raphael told Claire, he saw Captain Wright inspecting rooms at the end of the hall when they were about to turn that way.

Claire have gone pale on this news. "L-Let's hurry!! Is there another way we can go to escape?"

Suspecting that there are already people on guard on the entrances and exits of this building, Raphael can think of only one place they can head to. "The rooftop!"

"Quickly!!" The two made a run for it, and the people they passed by noticed and recognize them, alerting Captain Wright and his subordinates of their target's detected presence. "NOVICK'S OVER THERE WITH THE TRAITOR!!"

Right after hearing those words, Captain Wright rushed his way to where the witness was pointing to. Bernadette and the rest quickly follows after him to chase down Raphael and Claire.

"THEY'RE HEADED TO THE ROOFTOP!!" Captain Wright announced. His intuition telling him the obvious escape plan of their targets.

"Captain! How are we going to capture Duvent when Novick is protecting her!?" Bernadette asked.

It was going to be a problem confronting Raphael which is the strongest man known in E.D.L., and Captain Wright has already thought of a last minute plan for that. "I believe everyone is capable enough to seperate Novick from Duvent and keep him busy. In the meantime, I'll be the one to capture Duvent! Is that clear?!"

"Understood!!"

Then while on the chase, the targets were suddenly faced with people that received an order to block their way. "Hold it right there, Raphael Novick!!"

"...step aside if you don't want to get hurt." Raphael threatened while putting Claire behind him as he face these people.

Refusing to do as he say, the people that blocked their way have all been knocked out by Raphael in a minute. And through each floor they pass through, people keep on getting in their way letting their pursuers catch up to them.

"If this keeps up, they'll get us from behind!!" Claire started panicking while their going through the stairs.

"We'll make it! There's only one floor left until we reach the rooftop!..." then as they reached the last floor, another wave of people blocks their way and had their weapons pointing at them. "Stop right there!!"

"These damn bastards!!" Then as Raphael dealt with them, Captain Wright and the others have finally reached them. Claire met gaze with the Captain, intimidated by his fierce glare along with the rest of the top ranking fighters going after her.

Claire's eyes widened, her mouth hung open in shock. "RAPH!!!"

"Claire!?" Quickly turning to look behind, he saw that they finally caught up with them.

Captain Wright's tone brimmed with commanding authority as he spoke. "CLAIRE DUVENT, YOU ARE TO BE DETAINED DUE TO THE ALLEGATIONS SURROUNDING THE FATALITIES OF MULTIPLE SUBORDINATES AND THE SUSPICION OF POTENTIAL AFFILIATION WITH THE I.E.A.!!"