Житие Мое / Life of Mine: Глава 9

Chapter 9
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Camrad_RIP 21.07.23 в 09:58

I arrived at the Mihandrov Watchdogs office at half past ten, like a well-mannered person. To be honest, I wanted to have a word with the lieutenant, but the tiny room was already occupied by blacks.

Camrad_RIP 21.07.23 в 10:36

Gorchik flaunted a broken face. To find trouble in a quiet town like Mihandrov in one day, you'd have to be a real battle mage! I knew from Madame Parker, with whom we were now getting along well, that the incident had taken place in the one and only local beer house, which was not open after sundown. A visiting black man of unusually slim build had quarreled with the owner of the establishment, who was surprisingly melancholy by nature and had been thrown by the scruff of his neck into the street to cool off. Gorchik could only use battle magic against the burly brewer, but he was fixed in time by his colleagues. I think the thought of having to become sober for the rest of their business trip was a much better incentive than the prospect of Shackles of Deliverance for their buddy. There was a bitter crease in the unfortunate mage's brow as he tried to think of a way to reappear in the establishment without losing his dignity.

Camrad_RIP 21.07.23 в 10:39

There were not enough chairs, so Lieutenant Clarence stood. It's a very disadvantageous position psychologically. I carefully removed the pots of flowers from the windowsill and gestured for him to sit next to me.

Camrad_RIP 25.07.23 в 14:03

"Well," the petty officer squirmed, trying to get comfortable in the stiff chair of the master of the office, "shall we get acquainted?"

Camrad_RIP 25.07.23 в 14:04

I poked the lieutenant discreetly with my finger and waited for him to continue. The cleaner didn't notice the pause and introduced himself first:

Camrad_RIP 25.07.23 в 14:04

"Petty Officer Otto Claymore, my assistants are Philip Gorczyk, Keane Rispin, Polisant Regional Rapid Response Team."

Camrad_RIP 25.07.23 в 14:05

"Not an Artrom?" I clarified. It was important.

Camrad_RIP 25.07.23 в 14:06

"For civilians, it's Artrom, and we're sitting in Polisant," Gorchik grinned contentedly.

Camrad_RIP 25.07.23 в 14:09

Apparently some kind of local thing, and they still have Axel as their Regional Coordinator.

Camrad_RIP 25.07.23 в 14:09

"Thomas Tangor," I introduced myself modestly, "a freelancer."

Camrad_RIP 25.07.23 в 14:10

"What do you mean?" The petty officer didn't understand.

Camrad_RIP 25.07.23 в 14:10

"That means I work two days a month."

Camrad_RIP 25.07.23 в 14:10

The cleaners were silent, pondering such a blatant injustice

Camrad_RIP 25.07.23 в 14:11

"Neat," the petty officer commented, "I hope what we've seen isn't an example of your work?"

Camrad_RIP 25.07.23 в 14:11

I shrugged my shoulders and didn't make any meaningless excuses: he understood the situation without me, and I let him keep his jokes to himself. Claymore finally felt the pressure and sat up straighter:

Camrad_RIP 25.07.23 в 14:12

"I take it this case is closed."

Camrad_RIP 25.07.23 в 14:13

It's so typical - he's just arrived, and he's on his way back. He will leave if I give him even half a chance to leave the work to others.

Camrad_RIP 25.07.23 в 14:14

"О? So have you found all the missing people yet?"

Camrad_RIP 25.07.23 в 14:15

"It's just a matter of time to find the corpses. You don't need a battlegroup for that."

Camrad_RIP 25.07.23 в 14:25

"Pardon me, but how was your task formulated?"

Camrad_RIP 25.07.23 в 14:25

"What's it to you? We took out the undead."

Camrad_RIP 25.07.23 в 14:26

"What does this have to do with the undead? The undead go to hell. You'll be responsible for the Artificer."

Camrad_RIP 25.07.23 в 14:27

"Are you being rude?"

Camrad_RIP 25.07.23 в 14:27

"Yes!"

Camrad_RIP 25.07.23 в 14:27

Clarence's desk, where Claymore had come willingly, now prevented the petty officer from simply walking over and grabbing me by the chest. Besides, I was sitting so that I had all three of the cleaners in front of me, with the door next to me. Very disadvantageous to the conflict, nevertheless the petty officer tried it. He stood up. I stood up, too. The petty officer stared defiantly at me and received the same blatantly defiant look in return. We were the same height, and that made it easy.

Camrad_RIP 25.07.23 в 14:37

The further mattered only for blacks: it was a question of whose will was primary, who was ready to cause the enemy more trouble and go to the end. As a matter of fact, most blacks were interested in this, not in any nonsense like law and duty. The petty officer had seen a white one in the office and thought he could just call it a day and get away without fear of repercussions. But now Mihandrov was my town, and a black one would tear up anyone for his territory and hang them in shreds. Gorchik fidgeted uneasily in his chair, but I was sure I could awaken the Source faster than he could. And don't talk to me about arrogance! That asshole has never seen anything scarier than a Bane, and I've taken down three Ghouls - that's awesome! I'm gonna put a zombie dog on them too. I'll bury them alive in the ground, and whoever comes next will be looking for eleven corpses.

Camrad_RIP 25.07.23 в 14:38

And Claymore flinched. He didn't want to challenge the ownership - it would be a hassle - but he couldn't afford to retreat in front of his subordinates - it was bad for discipline. Everything said that the petty officer was looking for a way out of the conflict: his posture, his body language - one shoulder slightly forward, as if taking a blow, his gaze was not averted, but he looked askew and kept his head low. Fuck him! I closed my eyelids, breaking the confrontation, which Claymore took advantage of immediately:

Camrad_RIP 25.07.23 в 14:39

"Uh, kid, don't get so worked up. We'll find the scumbag, we'll clean up the neighborhood, and then we'll do what the bosses tell us to do. We're men of the service."

Camrad_RIP 25.07.23 в 14:40

I nodded, accepting the new terms. The petty officer was absolutely right - there was no reason for them to go against orders. So we'll keep working, and I had a lot of interesting ideas about it.

Camrad_RIP 25.07.23 в 14:41

The cleaners filed toward the exit, eyeing me warily. I poked Clarence with my finger again. He better not start apologizing! It would spoil the whole situation - as long as they felt they were in foreign territory, they wouldn't be tempted to slip up.

Camrad_RIP 25.07.23 в 14:41

"Quiet, sit back down," I whispered to the lieutenant as soon as the door closed behind Rispin.

Camrad_RIP 25.07.23 в 14:42

We sat in silence for a few minutes while I wondered if Gorchik would dare to eavesdrop. Should I peek out? I'd never gotten to this stage in my relationship with my own kind, and I'd just drained the conflict with Satal.

Camrad_RIP 25.07.23 в 14:43

The first one who couldn't take it was the lieutenant:

Camrad_RIP 25.07.23 в 14:43

"It's outrageous!"

Camrad_RIP 25.07.23 в 14:44

"What is it?" I didn't get it.

Camrad_RIP 25.07.23 в 14:44

"That's all this is!"

Camrad_RIP 25.07.23 в 14:45

"They wanted you to write a waiver?" I guessed.

Camrad_RIP 25.07.23 в 14:45

"Exactly!"

Camrad_RIP 25.07.23 в 14:46

The poor guy was offended in the best of feelings.

Camrad_RIP 25.07.23 в 14:47

"Hey, Rudy, did you know any black ones at all?"

Camrad_RIP 25.07.23 в 15:48

He jerked his shoulder vaguely.

Camrad_RIP 25.07.23 в 14:48

"I see. Remember, or better to write down: the first thing a black mage who has been assigned a job does is to try to get rid of it. It is useless to scare or appeal to his sense of duty, but it is necessary to outline the possible consequences and emphasizing personal responsibility."

Camrad_RIP 25.07.23 в 15:49

The lieutenant frowned uncertainly. Naive child!

Camrad_RIP 25.07.23 в 15:49

"Don't look at me. I was raised in a white family. I'm like a cripple. That's the way a real black one should act. Why should they have to clean up a mess they didn't make?"

Camrad_RIP 25.07.23 в 16:16

"But... What to do now?"

Camrad_RIP 25.07.23 в 15:50

"What we planned, only now you know why. Our target is still your main coordinator, so look for a way out to the journalists and shake up the principal of the boarding school - she doesn't look like a simple woman. As long as they know they're being watched, they'll do their best. And don't you dare show your weakness - they'll sit on your neck."

Camrad_RIP 25.07.23 в 16:15

Poor Clarence flapped his eyes in confusion, trying to turn his brain so that he could understand my logic. I don't think whites can do that, though... empaths do it somehow.

Camrad_RIP 25.07.23 в 16:13

"It's amazing," he finally summarized. "I took a course, even attended a seminar. Nothing to do with reality."

Camrad_RIP 25.07.23 в 16:17

"Theory without practice is dead! Get to work."

Camrad_RIP 25.07.23 в 16:17