A Deal

"Special asset?"

"Yes, a special asset. Different from a normal one." Clara looked back at her phone, typing something down hastily..

'She's starting to get on my nerves.' Jacob thought, she could see the annoyance from him caused by her sarcastic responses.

Behind her, a large tv slowly descended from the ceiling. Clara stood up from the couch, walking next to the tv with a remote in her hand.

"Alright, I'll get serious with you this time." She cleared her throat and pressed a button on the remote and the tv glowed to life, immediately showing an image of a battle. 

It took a moment for him to understand what was being shown, but the realization suddenly hit him. Soldiers from City G, fighting against his country's soldiers and killing nearby farmers, stealing any harvest they managed to get.

"Familiar sight? You should know, or at least remember what they did." Clara continued speaking.

Jacob's hands clenched in anger, recalling memories of the soldiers wiping out entire groups of farmers he was in, stealing all their harvest to supply themselves. But more importantly, for what they did to him personally. 

"As you may know, City G is at war with our nation along with 25 others. Because of our position being so near, we lost thousands of soldiers in defending our core from them." The image on the screen changed, this time showing an image of a destroyed farming village.

"We were always on the brink of being wiped out, desperately relying on our allies for aid. But with a new discovery, and you specifically, we may have the key to bringing a victory we need." 

"What's in it for me though?" Jacob leaned forward, not convinced. Although he wanted to fight, his parents told him to only focus on studying and simply living in the comforts of the city and earning more and more money to live a better life. Not to die like a hero in the frontline.

To give her response, the woman showed a picture that shocked Jacob. The inside of his small cluttered apartment.

"Where did you get that!?" He shouted in surprise, standing up and looking at the screen in disbelief.

"Jacob we're the head of this nation, the ones that hold the power of the core. We have more than this. We know your past, your goals, and much more." Before he could even speak, the image changed again, now showing Jacob's school. Unremarkable in look, it was the only place his family could afford to send him to before leaving him.

It lay on the outskirts of the main city, filled with many students like him who could barely survive the inside of the city.

"Your school is well known for the large amount of work it gives. From schoolwork, to tests, and even homework." The picture changed once more, showing a picture of Jacob himself, face planted on the floor of a sidewalk with a stack of papers and an unbuttoned uniform.

Jacob's breathing increased, terrified by how they even managed to get these pictures and information from him. He sat back down to calm himself down while the woman continued to stare at him with a blank expression.

"Lastly, your goal." The screen showed one more image, a picture of him working in different places. From food places to convenience stores.

"You want to survive and live a better life, that's why you entered the city. That was your goal from the moment you entered, that and getting more money. You were rather strong, I must say, handling so much stuff to continue trying to fulfill what your parents wished for you to do." The last sentence hit Jacob like a brick, he looked at her with wide eyes and a frightened mind, now unsure of how she even knew of his goal.

"I'll be quick, we can offer you a way to achieve this goal, and without the constant stress and worry of failure that the school always gave you. And the bad odds of getting a good job in this place." Clara continued, her words dug deeper into Jacob until he remembered that one day.

Almost as if she could read his mind, she changed the image on the screen with her remote. The new picture showed a scene of civilians and soldiers alike getting killed near the walls of the city, the site of where he lost his parents and set out to survive on his own. And to try and achieve his goal in the city. 

He clenched his fist again, angered by the sight and remembering what City G did to him and his friends before entering the city. 

Clara shut the tv off and walked towards Jacob. She could see the anger and sadness overwhelming him as he looked down, silently cursing to himself and spouting insults to the soldiers that killed his parents before they managed to enter the city.

"I can help you achieve your dream, you can earn as much money as you want. And avenge your family, all of these will be given to you if you accept working for us." Clara extended her hand.

"Let us help you, we all have suffered because of G core, and now you have the chance to finally strike back at them. And even get a better place in this city once everything is over." Jacob's fist slowly loosened, he returned to reality, remembering what his parents told him, but feeling a strong desire to avenge their deaths.

Surely though, helping these people would also let him accomplish what they wanted him to do, a win-win situation for himself.

Jacob reached his hand, "Fine, I'll join." He calmed down, and any sadness he once had slowly went away. Clara nodded her head and flashed a smile.

"Good choice, come now. Your weapons and teammates are prepared." Clara walked behind the couch, pressing a button and revealing an elevator door. Jacob quickly joined before the doors closed, and the elevator began its ascent to a new area.

'Hope I made the right decision…'