Chapter 191: Chapter 190 – Other Side

“What do you think so far?” 

Akira paused, a glass of wine on her lips. She considered Erica’s question for a bit. Whether it was about the party or the mission, she wasn’t quite sure.

“It’s been decent on both fronts,” Akira replied.

“Both?” Erica said, tilting her head. Then her eyes brightened. “Oh, I didn’t mean the party, but yeah, it’s been okay so far. I was talking about the other thing.”

“Oh. Well, still. It’s been decent,” Akira shrugged. “I just hope that we make some progress soon. We’ve been searching for a while, haven’t we?”

“I think?” Erica pursed her lips. “I don’t know why there aren’t any clocks around here. It wouldn’t hurt their wallets to get one.”

“Based on this place, they’ll get one that’s solid gold and encrusted with natural diamonds,” Akira replied dryly. “So it actually might hurt their wallet.”

“That’s true,” Erica laughed. Still smiling, she looked around. “Maybe we should meet back with Zero and Diana. See how they’re doing.”

“Why not. That sounds like a plan.’

They began to search for the other two, stopping here and there to grab something off a tray of a passing server or to take something from a table. They made their way around the ballroom slowly, chatting with each other.

“How are things going with Boss lately?” Erica asked as they stepped aside to let a couple pass by. “We haven’t seen her all that much the last couple months.”

“Why do you ask?” Akira replied.

“I just was curious if you had any progress with her, is all.”

“Maybe~,” Akira smiled. “I’m not sure actually. Does she seem different to you lately?”

“Hmm. That’s a good question.” Erica twirled her hair with her index finger, frowning. “You know, she does seem different lately. But I can’t really place my finger on it.”

“You can tell, too? Watch your step.” Erica sidestepped a veil dragging across the ballroom floor at Akira’s warning. “She seems more, I don’t know, expressive? Is that the word?”

Akira thought back to the last few times she saw Yuki. Those rare times that he showed an expression of any sort seemed to come more and more often. Small smirks and light laughs weren’t impossible to elicit.

“Yeah, I can see that,” Erica nodded. “Did I tell you that found her wearing some interesting clothes one day?”

“What do you mean?”

“Some dresses. That looked like they could have came from my wardrobe,” Erica grinned. "I think she was really bored that day."

“Where? In her room?” Akira asked.

“No, in the base actually. Well, yeah in her room, but at the base,” she clarified. “Which is pretty risque, wouldn’t you think?”

“Mmm. That’s true.” Akira paused for a moment before opening her mouth a bit hesitantly. “So, um, how did they look on her?”

“Those clothes?” Erica smirked.

Akira bit her lip, feeling her neck redden. But she nodded stoutly.

“You see what I’m wearing?” Erica gestured towards her own dress that was form fitting and open in quite a few places. 

It resembled those Chinese qipaos. But with carefully located openings. Akira stared at one such opening around Erica’s chest area, before ripping her eyes off. She nodded again.

“Well, think of something like this, but tighter and about as if not a little more revealing.”

“Oh.”

“And she looked so hot in it, I need a drink right now just thinking of it,” Erica said before swiftly going up to a server passing by. She grabbed two glasses and handed on to Akira. “You look like you might need one too.”

She winked and downed her glass. Akira accepted the offered drink and gulped it down. Then she shook her head and began searching around the room. She forgot that they were trying to look for someone.

“Is that them?” Akira said, pointing towards two people that were slow dancing tightly together. “They seem close.”

“Yes they do~,” Erica laughed. “Zero is probably playing with her, but I think she’s over doing it a bit. Couldn’t help herself.”

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“I think we should help then,” Akira replied, holding down a smile. “Come on.”

As they approached the two that were still slow dancing across the dance floor. When Akira got closer, she noticed that Zero was talking to Yuna very rapidly, her lips quickly forming words that she whispered into Yuna’s ear. Zero’s eyes went up suddenly, locking onto Akira. A bright smile blossomed on her face.

“I was just about to go looking for you, Autumn,” Zero said, separating herself from Yuna who looked quite out of breath. “Eri, you’re here too.”

“Having fun?” Erica smirked.

“A little,” Zero replied, grinning. “I was just filling Diana in on a few things that she needed to know and that I’m about to tell you two as well. Come on, let’s walk for a bit.”

They grouped up, Akira and Zero in the middle with Erica and Yuna on the outsides. Walking leisurely but not slowly, they made a path through the party, people parting to let them pass.

“So the main thing is that I’ve found the target,” Zero began. Erica’s mouth opened but Zero quickly shushed her with a finger. “Let me finish, Eri. I did a quick search around the entire building here when we entered. That came up with nothing, so the thing isn’t in this room with us right now. But it’s pretty close since I could pick up it’s signature.”

“The wind jewel?” Yuna whispered.

“Mhm. Also, speak a bit louder. And relax your back,” Zero instructed. “Anyway, I could feel it, but couldn’t see it, so it was probably in an adjacent room. So I just went around to each of the doors until I felt the strongest signature.”

“Where’s that?” Akira asked.

“Somewhere back there,” she waved. A server promptly came up to her, offering a tray. “Oh, thank you~. Such diligence.”

Zero smiled at the young boy whose expression immediately brightened. She took a glass of cider thanked the boy again before he went off to serve others.

“Anyway,” Zero continued. “I’ve looked at the blueprints of this place, so I know all of the rooms as well as the little nooks and crannies. So I can say with moderate confidence that I know where the jewel is.”

“So what are we going to do?” Akira said as Zero took a sip of her cider. 

“That’s what I was speaking with Diana about. I have my instructions. If my part fails, then we go to plan b and wait for the jewel to be displayed.”

“Fail as in just the mission, or are we talking major fail?” Erica asked, frowning. “Like dangerous fail.”

“I’m not sure. I’ll know when I get there,” Zero replied, tapping her chin. “I’m fairly confident that I can get out if something happens. It shouldn’t be that big of a deal. Especially since I have back up.”

“What do you mean?” Akira asked.

“I found a computer.”

“Oh.”

“I should be fine,” Zero smiled. She reached out and touched Erica’s shoulder. “Don’t worry about. Just have fun while I’m gone. I’ll be back before you know it.”

“If something happens, we’ve got your back,” Erica said. 

“I know. I trust that you do. Anyway, if all hell doesn’t break loose, then I’ll be back soon. If it does, then you need to escape. If you can’t, well, things might become a little, um, let’s say messy?”

“Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that,” Akira sighed. “We’ll see you soon, Zero.”

“Count on it,” Zero nodded. Then she split off from the group, disappearing into the bustle of people still partying. Akira watched as she left, her gut tightening.

“Are you three close?” Yuna asked.

“Hmm?” Akira said, looking at her.

“Zero, you, and Eri,” she clarified. She scratched her neck as she stared at the ground. “I don’t mean to pry.”

“No it’s fine,” Akira replied. “Are the three of us close?

She looked back at the place Zero had vanished from sight. 

“I would hope so.”

 

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