“It’s Smash Daughter She asked me to do a little something for her; she said if I could help her surprise you, she’d do whatever I asked.”
“Bwah-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!! Checkmate!! Who’s the mother now, bitch???!!!”
✦ ✦ ✦
With Kaname’s hands under her armpits, she looked like a small child or a lost kitten, but she was an expert in nonlethal takedowns. She wore a school swimsuit, a witch hat, and a towel, and her semi-automatic rifle fired electric rounds and sported a stun gun attachment in place of a bayonet.
Mother Loose’s face was paler now than it had ever been before. She stared in shock as Smash Daughter tried to wriggle her way in through the open window.
“I can’t believe this!” she shrieked. “How rude!! Child, if you’ve done all this, you must know exactly what I fear most while bathing!”
“That’s right, lady!” the small girl replied. “There’s nothing scarier than an electric shock while you’re naked in the bath! Everything’s wet, so there’s nowhere to run, and the shock’ll be even more powerful!! Bwah-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha—huh?!”
The reason Smash Daughter’s laugh ended with a rising inflection was that the tanned Apsaras Magistellus standing next to her had snatched away her rifle at the same time Kaname gave her tiny bottom a good push. The girl went head over heels like she was performing on the parallel bars and fell headfirst into Mother Loose’s bath.
There was a mighty splash, and then the mouth of the Venus flytrap slowly unfurled.
“Tee-hee-hee. Oh my, now this really is a surprise… What a lovely gift, child. You really know how to make me feel like a woman ”
“Shut the fuck up, bitch! You think I’m just dropping in for tea?! Shit!”
“Ahh, I never thought this day would come. Mother and daughter enjoying a nice bath together… It’s like a dream come true! Tee-hee-hee! Now then, which soap do you prefer, solid or liquid? Sponge, towel, or brush? No, I think the softest thing for that delicate skin is my fingers! Just sit tight; Mommy’s going to clean you up ”
✦ ✦ ✦
“Gyaah!!” Smash Daughter squealed like a cat whose tail had just been stepped on.
Kaname closed the frosted glass window, locking the two of them away.
Mother Loose was motivated by the desire to fill the void of her own loneliness. To do that, she used to go from one group of Dealers to the next, offering her unconditional love and support, oblivious to the fact that by doing so she was tearing those teams apart from within. However, if her loneliness was dealt with up front, she could be reasoned with normally.
Kaname leaned against the customized camper van and turned to the tanned Apsaras girl by his side. There was something he needed to do before the tiny, violent Dealer came back out, fists flying.
“Jamty, you’ll serve as our witness. As you can see, I’ve fulfilled my obligations to Smash Daughter as stipulated. Make sure the young lady doesn’t renege on our deal, okay? No matter how she might personally feel about it, breach of contract is a no-no.”
“Okey dokey! I’ll make sure she backs you up against Criminal AO ”
The girl gave a cheery salute. Kaname wasn’t sure how far he could trust her, but the two tapped smartphones and swapped contact details. It was good networking, if nothing else.
Just then, the phone in his hand rang. It was another tanned girl—this time, a dark elf with glasses.
“Kaname, I’m seeing movement at the container yard on Mega-Float III. #flash.err has been transferred to another container and loaded onto a truck; it’s leaving the yard as we speak. We are pursuing it in the yacht.”
“Where’s it headed? No need to be exact.”
“It is leaving the float via the circular bridge, heading clockwise. The road is clogged with morning traffic, so the truck is continuing via the fast lane, opposite the exits. For now, at least, it doesn’t seem like it will disembark onto any of the islands.”
“The peninsula financial district, then. Got it. Cindy, keep an eye on it as best you can. Tselika and I will take over in the coupe once it makes landfall.”
“Roger that.”
“Don’t overdo it. That weapon’s as powerful as a warship cannon, and we still don’t know what hidden effects it might have. One wrong move and it’ll blast you out of the water.”
“You don’t need to worry about me, Kaname. We Magistelli are only Downed for a short time when we’re killed.”
“Even so. Be careful out there.”
“…Ooh, I’m so excited.”
“Cindy. Please don’t attack it on purpose. If you do, you’re on your own.”
“Hee-hee. Then I shall await my reward for being a patient girl. It’s been a long time since Ayame left, so there’s lots to make up for ”
With Short Spear back in his hands and Smash Daughter at his side, all that was left was to follow #flash.err back to Takamasa’s lair.
It had been a long and treacherous road, but he was finally nearing its end.
Soon, it would be Kaname’s turn to strike back.