6-7 Broken Strings

GreyThroat! What's your position?

Amiya, I am providing support to an L. G. D. team.

We're about to engage!

Attention all elite operators: this may be our first, last, and only large-scale battle in Lungmen.

Everyone take objective one as your primary mission.

My team and I will be focusing on engaging the enemy commander.

I want you all to remember: top priority is completing the terms of our contract, that is to work with the L. G. D. to ensure the security of Lungmen.

But Rhodes Island's mission in this battle is to reduce the friction between the Infected and uninfected people, to prevent clashes!

We are Rhodes Island! No matter what else we carry into battle!

No matter when, no matter where!

And of course, if at any point our operations fall outside our standards, we will put a stop to them at once!

As such, we go into battle with a heavy burden of responsibility on our shoulders.

That was for my sake, huh?

She's such a worrywart...

You saw what tough customers those Infected were back there. That's a lot for one operator, or even one team to handle.

I really should've put that kid to bed once and for all back on the rooftop.

Oh, copy.

If you don't get your butt to the ambush point, I'll take all of last year's disciplinary reports and hand them over to Dr. Kal'tsit!

......

Settle down! I'll be there right on time!

Blaze!

What am I supposed to do? We have to hurry...

(You'll pay for that one!)

Why so quiet, Doctor?

......Blaze!

I didn't do anything! It's the Doctor who clammed up!

Tell her already!

Come on, say something...!

Huh...?

Sorry, Doctor. I forgot you and Blaze would definitely go at it like this...

I do what I gotta do.

Why are you so pleased with yourself?

Anyway, all I need is your location and current operation.

You two seem to be getting along.

Sure are!

...Really?

......

(Wait, what's happening here? What should I tell her?)

(This is bad! Red alert! I'm taking psychic damage! I need guidance!)

Keep at it.

She hung up!

Oh no. We're in trouble.

But at least we're here. Let's take a load off.

Well... shit.

You know what they say, the shortest distance between two points is a straight line. Let's hop down.

Yep. Yawn.

Hold on... If I'm not mistaken... That's Mephisto's team over there to the east, moving to the ambush zone.

And over there... the scaly kid?

He's taking his team to fight something. What is all that black there?

Is that the herd...? With those numbers?!

Looks like we can't rest here, Doctor. Let's go. Time for the final battle!

Hey, Amiya. Hey!

I'm taking the Doctor into the fight!

What are you thinking?

......

We let a small Reunion group go, then we track them into the slums.

Weren't you leaving that to the special forces?

No reason we can't take the opportunity.

I've already looked into the situation once and one thing is clear: as long as we're there, the special forces can't act openly.

Once the fighting stops, they won't be able to do much.

You're not worried about orders from the top?

Who's going to stand up and take responsibility for the team?

All right, so you've got it all figured out. What's going on in the slums?

My informants have been busy. There's a few sectors I haven't been able to contact, but we have a lot more intelligence than anyone else.

This is a big gamble. But I guess we have no choice.

The L. G. D. is the only group that can face down the special forces.

Amiya, do you copy?

Officer Ch'en, we're in position!

...Mmhm.

I need to apologize for the whole ordeal with Reunion scooping up the Infected. That wouldn't have happened if we'd been more thoughtful.

...It's thanks to the L. G. D.'s quick action in the slums that Lungmen is able to plan against Reunion.

On a strategic level, I think you're fine, Officer Ch'en. But personally...

Officer Ch'en, Misha is dead.

......

And I can't condone your opinions of the Infected. Even you know...

The Lungmenites who love their city will fight for her, no matter who they are.

Wow, what an awesome little bunny.

Did I just hear Miss Swire?

Don't mind her.

Hey!

I agree with you, Amiya. Fighting for Lungmen can unite the people... except those tied up with Reunion.

But actually living in Lungmen is another matter. Time can't solve everything.

Of course. We have to solve everything ourselves.

Wishful thinking. The Infected and uninfected live in different worlds.

It's not wishful thinking, Officer Ch'en. It's thinking about Misha, and the countless other Infected who died just like her.

It was the gap between those two worlds that killed them. Are we going to let that divide define us? Are we not going to fight to bridge it?

......

I hope you can understand, Officer Ch'en, why it is that the Infected and uninfected of Rhodes Island come together to fight for Lungmen.

They're here, Officer Ch'en.

Prepare for battle.

It's an ambush! The L. G. D. is pushing us in!

Push through to the slums. Even though we haven't heard from Crownslayer... the slums are our only way out.

Take him.

What are you going to do?

Me and a few teams have encouraged the 'herd' to gather up here.

They won't attack me, so I can fight alongside them.

Fire in the hole!

We can't hold for long!

Ugh... Guhhh!!

It's those special Infected! Look out!

You'll bring up the rear?

You're not coming back.

......

Mmm! Mmhhh!!

......

Let him speak. He can't do his Arts like this.

What are you doing?!

Mephisto...

What are you doing?! You can't do this! Come back! Please! Come back here!

You once told me you would do anything I asked you.

Sasha!

You said you don't want to make decisions for yourself.

It's just, if you have your own ideas and your own goals now... I can't blame you for your choices.

If that's the way it is, Mephisto... Well, that's great.

But...

I'm out of options.

So let me tell you my last wish.

Sasha...? What are you talking about? I don't understand!

Don't let them escape! Take out their commanders!

Ah...!

...The Rhodes Island swallow?

(Mouthing 'pull the trigger.')

Hit the deck! Watch the crossfire! We've got them surrounded!

——!

Fall back, Rhodes Island crossbowman! This corridor is ours!

Faust! Run!

No.

Crossbowmen, I know FrostNova is on her way. And even though Crownslayer is missing, her people are out there in the slums somewhere.

When FrostNova gets here, you're under her command.

I trust her. Once she arrives, you'll be okay.

And with my Originium Arts, you'll be invisible.

You can't, Faust! That will rupture your organs!

Doesn't matter. There's no reason not to do it anymore.

Retreat. That's an order.

And take him with you. But not to Chernobog.

...Faust...

You can't do this!

......

I hope you survive. Even on your own.

Don't die.

——That's my last wish.

Sasha! Sashaaaaa!!!

I don't want to hurt anyone. I don't want to get anyone hurt.

I wish we had just run away, back then.

We could have... just run away.

Sasha, you promised! We promised each other! We swore we would survive together!

It's too late... for me...

...I'm too tired.

Sashaaaaaa!!!

Goodbye, Eno.

......

He stopped crying.

His eyes... it's like he's braindead.

I don't care about him. I miss Faust. He saved my life. He was a good commander.

Faust gave Mephisto to us... It was his last order. We're going to carry it out.

None of my business.

Get out of the city with us and you have a better shot at survival.

...Okay. Let's go.

Where are you taking him?

Faust said he doesn't want us to take him back to Chernobog.

...So where can he go?

How long were you with Faust?

Um... At first, I'd say he was with us.

Four or five years ago, Faust couldn't use any tactics and he really couldn't shoot a crossbow. We taught him all that.

He studied hard, trained harder, compared notes with the Yetis, sparred with Patriot's boys, and got stronger and stronger...

Patriot and FrostNova both taught him. He became our leader, even though we never much called him that, it's what he was.

You lucked out.

No matter how Mephisto got, Faust never made us do anything.

Archers, don't save your high-explosive bolts.

Won't those bolts be useful against the L. G. D.?

Faust insisted we honor the dead like this.

'It's not a waste to show respect.'

GreyThroat?

He...

If I recall correctly, he was the crossbowman with Mephisto, and one of Reunion's commanders.

...You knew him?

I don't know. I'm not sure if you'd say we... knew each other.

Yeah.

This is how it is for Rhodes Island... most of the time.

But even if there's only the tiniest bit we can do, we will do it.

We have to.

What are you thinking, Doctor?

Are you thinking about... all the death we've seen?

I can't guess. And I don't want to take it from your mind.

Because... I think one day you'll tell me yourself.

The operators have put in the work.

But death makes a heavy impression, heavier than saving someone. Every time we witness such death, it hits hard.

Just remember that without the efforts of our operators, we'd be seeing a lot more death.

So much more death...

I used to think Rhodes Island fought for the Infected.

But now I see all the dead at our feet, they're all Infected.

Amiya...

Why does Rhodes Island fight?

Now you ask?

Blaze.

...Answer her.

Honestly, I ask myself the same question all the time.

We see people, Infected and uninfected, die every day.

We don't, and we shouldn't fight to stop every death. That would be meaningless in the grand scheme of things.

Like now... like in this battle in front of us.

It wasn't one crossbow, one Art, one explosion, or one wound that causes all the death.

What we fight to defeat is the source of all of this... the hatred the uninfected have for the Infected, and vice versa, is the reason they kill each other.

We must tear up the soil that nurtures the hate. Using our pharmaceuticals, and our operations.

Ah——

Did Reunion fire that?

That was an Originium-boosted crossbow bolt.

Pretty lousy fireworks.

Nearl said, back in Chernobog, the scaly kid was pretty strong.

She told me her arms nearly broke. And I'll tell you from experience, I wouldn't be able to break them.

But back there, I knew his bowstring was as good as snapped, and he didn't have much Arts left in his weapon.

What happened to you, you little shit?

I think... maybe... he had no reason to fight anymore.

Hey, Amiya, would it be possible that he used some sort of Arts and survived from the attack?

...I'm sorry.

What are you sorry for? I just pity the kid. Looking at him, I can tell he wasn't a bad guy.

It's too late for any of that now.

No it's not.

The tragedies of the past carry on into the present... And we still have a chance to stop the tragedies of the future.

......

I'll get his crossbow.

Did she have an epiphany?

You don't know what she's been through?

She never shared. We're not close.

Her parents were Oripathy researchers, doing work for the Infected. They died in a clash between the Infected and police.

She just thinks her suffering and ours are the same.

GreyThroat is more sensitive than you give her credit for. She just doesn't express herself.

How am I supposed to know if she doesn't speak up?

......

Was he your friend?

...I don't know.

Who are you?

Should I introduce myself?

No thank you.

It's dangerous to make friends with the Infected.

I don't care if my friends are sick or not.

Oh...?

You have my condolences.

Why did you ask me that?

Because I worried you were making friends with Infected.

Call for you, Amiya.

This is Amiya.

Gavial? Where are you?

Under the slums? There's a passage? How?

...Black raincoats, and...

Yeti Squad? Are they forming up with Reunion in the slums?

...The worst is yet to come.