Chapter Fifty-Five – Low Expectations

Chapter Fifty-Five – Low Expectations

“Don’t fuck with Samurai.

Don’t fuck with Samurai.”

–Excerpt from a corporate training video, 2041

***

I wasn’t fond of those weird platitudes, the half-true words people used to make something awful sound normal. They had plenty of euphemisms for the kittens. ‘Differently abled under privileged children with no solid parental figures,’ was an entire mouthful, but it’s what we heard whenever someone came along who was too pussy to call us all crippled orphans.

I hated that kind of crap. It was fake and it always sounded so damned condescending.

It’s why I knelt before the two kids in the group of seven, the only seven in the entire shelter who had survived and I did my best to meet their eyes.

“You came down here with anyone?” I asked.

They glanced over to the bodies. The soldier Monroe had left with me was covering each one with a blanket he pulled from the emergency supplies. He didn’t have to, but I appreciated the gesture.

“Mom,” the girl of the pair said. “She came with us.”

I nodded, worked my jaw a little, then bit the bullet. “She’s dead.”

The girl grabbed onto the boy. They had to be nine-ten years old. Smart enough to understand. Their eyes filled with tears. “You couldn’t save her?” she asked. “You, you saved us. I thought you were an angel and…” She clutched at her chest, pulling on a necklace.

“There’s no such thing, kid,” I said. “And I’m just a bitch who didn’t get here fast enough. But you’re alive. So is your brother. I’d like to keep it that way.”

I got to my feet and looked at the other survivors. The old woman looked like she could chew nails, the fat guy was teary-eyed, but wasn’t meeting my gaze. The others looked a little dazed, but they were healthy enough.

“We’re moving in three minutes,” I said.

With that, I moved off towards the shelter’s entrance.

Monrow met me halfway. “We’re hearing stuff out there. Our scanners picked up some motion too, but nothing actionable.”

That they had scanners was news to me, but it wasn’t too surprising. “Yeah, okay,” I said. “We’re moving in a little bit. I… need to set things up to dispose of the bodies. I’ll take point after with Dumbass. Can your guys keep the rear safe?”

He nodded. “Speedy reported that there are a few Model Threes out there. Nothing bigger yet.”

Right. I’d forgotten that we couldn’t afford to stay put forever. “Just get ready. I might give your guys some bombs with timers to leave behind. As a gift.”

I don’t know what gave it away, but I could tell he was pleased. “We’ll look forward to it,” he said.

Turning back to the rows of bodies, I let out a sigh that felt like adding ten pounds to my hack. “Myalis. We’ll need something for the bodies.”

A few Mark I Flesh Melters would work well enough, I suspect.

I nodded. “I guess so.” I waited for Monroe’s man to finish adding the last blanket, then waved him over. “We’re heading out. Wanna help me move everyone into the corridor?”

“Yes ma’am,” he said.

Getting everyone up onto their feet was a bit of a chore, they looked like people who had just gone all out at the gym and who were now regretting it. Even the kids had a hard time walking. Still, they didn’t complain. I wonder if it was because it took too much effort, or if it was because they realized how close they’d come to dying.

The girl tore her necklace off and flung it deep into the room before stepping out.

Tough little brat. She reminded me of my kittens. “Myalis?” I asked.

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

A moment later I had a trio of grenades in hand which I flung into the room.