Chapter 19 (Part 3)

Rethinking the brunette's words, I try to process them. I never imagined I could capture the interest of the girl beside me in this way. Yet, considering she's already seventeen, it shouldn't be surprising. Girls tend to mature emotionally faster, so it's natural she would start showing interest in boys early on. Until now, I never even considered her as a potential partner. To me, Kiwi has always been like a younger sister, bearing emotional scars from a difficult childhood. Reflecting on the reasons and consequences of her behavior, I realize I inadvertently became the image of a reliable figure who helped her through the toughest times of her life.

"I see you've finally grasped it," Mitchell's voice interrupts my thoughts.

"Understanding and accepting are two different things," I sigh heavily, hiding my face behind my palm. "I don't even know how to react to this."

"Why not try to respond to her feelings?" the brunette raises an inquisitive eyebrow.

"Do you think it's that easy?" I retort sarcastically, tiredly massaging my temples.

"At least it would be better than just avoiding her and ignoring her," the woman shrugs. "Think about what I said."

"I'll try... Sue," I call out to the girl who's already preparing to leave, "thank you."

"Don't worry about it. Adults should help kids with their problems," the brunette cheerfully winks at me and turns around, quickly heading for the exit.

After Susan leaves, I continue to sit on the crate, pondering her words. They've made me see the girl, who has already grown considerably, in a new light. Previously, she didn't even register in my mind as someone I would consider having a future relationship with. She evoked feelings more akin to family, which eventually played a cruel trick on me.

Kiwi has grown up and, like any other girl, has started to take notice of boys. If we were still living in the city, perhaps she would have found herself a potential suitor. But being nomadic changed everything. There aren't many people in the camp, and those who are either too old or simply don't interest her. Thinking along these lines, it seems I'm the only viable option for her. Han and Shiro are too focused on their pursuits, and Vincent is still a child who hasn't outgrown his teenage years. The other guys are even more isolated, and I can't recall Kiwi having any close contact with them whatsoever.

"Perhaps it's better to focus on work for now and think later," I mutter to myself, cracking my neck as I rise from my seat, confidently making my way towards my unfinished powered armor. Work has always made it easier for me to think. Maybe this time, the answers to my questions will come to me as I work...

I tinker with the armor until evening. I couldn't finish everything at once, so I decide to leave the work for tomorrow. It's better to take things slowly than to rush and later regret making mistakes due to haste. After finishing today's tasks, I stretch contentedly and head outside, letting the dry, cool wind of the wasteland brush against my face. Folding my arms behind my head, I begin to whistle a tune unfamiliar to this world. The good old Linkin Park always leaves me with positive emotions, and even after so much time, they remain one of the best rock bands.

Before going to bed, I decide to briefly visit the communal fire pit, where cheerful chatter fills the air as people cook something tasty. Approaching them, I am immediately handed a steaming plate of food, which I promptly start to devour. Nomads know how to relax, enjoying lively gatherings every evening accompanied by the sound of guitars. Amidst the cheerful noise of the others, I quickly finish my portion, scanning the surroundings for a familiar shock of blonde hair. Kiwi is nowhere to be seen, and it seems she has already returned to the tent. I don't intend to postpone our future conversation any further, at least not after being literally nudged in the face with my own shortcomings.

"Hey," for some reason, facing Kiwi right now feels slightly uncomfortable, but after taking a deep breath, I quickly dispel the approaching unease. "Listen, we need to talk seriously," I sit on the edge of the folding bed, turning my torso halfway towards the girl. "You're not against it, are you?"

"No," the blonde replies quieter than usual. She is always more talkative in private, but now an unmistakable sadness seems to emanate from her.

"Alright..." I gather my thoughts and continue slowly. "You know, until recently, I still saw you as that little girl who needed care." After my words, Kiwi flinches, barely clenching her fists. Perhaps I need to soften my words a bit. "But now, a good woman helped me understand that the little girl has grown up and become quite a beautiful young lady, while I remained an isolated nerd." I sadly smile, shifting the focus slightly onto myself, indicating that the problem lies within me, not her.

"And now?" Kiwi asks, her expression unchanged.

"Now," I straighten slightly, lowering my head, "I'd like to ask you something... Think and decide if you truly feel something for me, or if you're confusing ordinary gratitude and sympathy with love. I won't rush you." I turn my face away, awaiting my companion's response.

"I like you," Kiwi's quiet voice breaks the silence after a few minutes. "You understand me and always support me. I enjoy spending time with you, and there's a lot more that I can't put into words." The blonde bursts into a long tirade, gazing tenderly into my lowered eyes.

"Alright," I take another deep breath, making a difficult decision for myself. "Let's give it a try. At least I'll meet you halfway. If it doesn't work out for us, then so be it."

"Alex!" My head is forcefully pressed into the woman's chest, causing me to momentarily lose my ability to speak.

Patting Kiwi on the back, I gently pull away, gazing at her blushing face. She truly looks happier than ever before...

***

Surroundings of the flooded city of Laguna Bend

April 23, 2065, 10:32 PM

Incoming audio call - "Best Hacker in the Universe"

Call accepted - connection established

"Alex, I've set up a secure communication channel. Evaluate the quality of the connection," a synthesized male voice echoes in my ears, tinged with a slight rasp.

"Solid four," I instantly rate the connection.

"One moment... Is this better?" This time, the voice sounds much more natural and doesn't cause me any discomfort in my head.

"Acceptable," I nod in agreement, meanwhile scanning the area for any unfamiliar faces.

"Great. Let's get straight to business. Our task is clear to you, and I won't repeat it several times. I'll be directing the operation, so all you have to do is get inside, upload the virus onto their main computer, retrieve the data, and exit unnoticed."

"That sounded too easy coming from you," I roll my eyes, checking the gear I've prepared beforehand.

"Don't be cheeky. The entrance is right inside the dam, disguised as a maintenance elevator. You need to sneak into the elevator shaft and descend to the -10th floor. The lab map has already been sent to your wristband."

"Received the package," I quickly scan through a rough plan of the underground building in my mind, noting possible infiltration points. "Raitch, I'm ready."

"In that case, let's begin. Be cautious and take your time; I'll be guiding you, so there's no need to worry unnecessarily."

"I'll trust your expertise," I smirk, activating the mimicry mode and making my way towards the dam with careful steps.

Along the way, I didn't see anything resembling disguised observation posts, which slightly puzzled me. Apparently, the corporation is too confident that no one can breach their defenses and cause a little chaos. Hopefully, after my preventive visit, they'll reconsider their approach to security and become much more cautious.

Arriving at the side staircase, I carefully descend, while checking the surroundings once again. To my relief, there were cameras at the entrance, with a decent level of protection, although not enough to stop me in any meaningful way. Raitch quickly hacked the cameras, freezing the feed, and without waiting, he also disabled all scanners, allowing me to slip inside unnoticed through the now-open elevator door in front of me. Stepping inside, I immediately glance upwards, pulling back the hatch and pulling myself up, inspecting the space available for my current observation. After looking around, I find a ladder installed in the wall, leading down to the very bottom. Shrugging, I grab onto it, activating the magnetic grips of my gloves, and carefully descend, picking up considerable speed. The suit effectively protects my hands from the heat, allowing me to slide along the iron railings without much trouble.

After a few seconds, I successfully landed on my feet. Glancing around once more, I noticed a technical hatch in the wall with a fitted plug, which had decent dimensions, allowing me to easily squeeze inside. It seemed it was intended for engineering personnel who serviced the laboratory.

Carefully removing the entrance cover, I slipped inside, pulling the panel behind me to avoid attracting any unnecessary attention. Squeezing through the narrow passage of the utility corridor, I managed to reach another entrance after a few seconds, which, to my delight, was left unlocked. Emerging outside, I carefully leaned the plug against the wall, making sure it looked natural. With a satisfied smile, I scanned the room for a possible access point, often installed in such rooms to facilitate the lives of the maintenance staff. It was conveniently located just around the corner, and judging by the fingerprints, it had been used relatively recently. Shrugging, I pulled out a cable from my hand and connected it to the access point.

"Access granted, wait a couple of seconds..." Bartmoss briefly interrupted, studying the security system. "From this point, I can connect to the sensors and cameras. Turrets and potential droids are connected to another control unit."

"Predictable, after all, they're not complete fools here," I disconnected the cable and briefly delved into studying my approximate location. It seemed I was currently in the first zone, and our target was in the third experimental section. Judging by the map, I needed to pass through a freight transport tunnel, stretching for a couple of kilometers, to reach the designated location.

"Anyway, the tunnel is practically unguarded, if we don't consider the motion sensors and a few cameras installed every few hundred meters," the mentor smirked, marking those cameras on my mini-map. "I've already hacked all the cameras, so you can enjoy your nighttime stroll."

"Thanks for the concern," I smirked back at Raitch, activating mimicry once again, and leisurely left the engineering room.