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Bryce quickly recovered, his shocked expression quickly becoming one of simple confusion. “Excuse me?”
“Armin Corbert.” Colette was quite visibly enjoying Bryce’s discomfort. “That was the name assigned to you as a nameless war orphan, wasn’t it?”
Bryce laughed nervously. “That’s my slave name; I go by Bryce Worthington.”
“I don’t care what you call yourself.” Lara walked over and handed a handheld computer to Colette who took a look at. Now a couple dozen of Colette’s thug were standing around to watch the spectacle. “We’re very much an international organization, so I was able to access the files on you four from Asmod’s government. You were raised at the same orphanage, and the fact that you’re all still together is both touching and pathetic.” She paused a moment to read some more. “I see you change jobs quite a lot, Armin. I’m guessing that was some sort of scam where you avoided doing actual work. Now, Doug Na’s work history seems more consistent with the typical worthless Child.”
“That’s not actually my last name; it’s more of a typo,” Doug said. “They somehow messed up and didn’t give me a last name as a kid, and then once I had to fill in a form and they told me to put “N/A” for my last name, but I though they were telling me how to spell my new last name–”
“Thanks. I’ll wait for the official autobiography. I think I understand quite well now why you were given an IQ test three different times to look for mental retardation.”
“They were all negative!” Doug asserted. “It says that there, right?”
“Next we have the ridiculously named Lulu Lui,” Colette continued. “Whose only value is plain for anyone to see.”
“I kinda like my name,” Lulu said. “Lui is more of a Chinese name, though, and I’m pretty sure I have Japanese ancestry.”
“Finally, there is Charlene Marshall.” Colette took a look at her and laughed. “The little warrior, and perhaps the most pathetic of you four in that her record shows that she actually tried to be a member of useful society. How did that work out, girl?”
Charlene looked enraged. “We get it. We’re the Last Children; completely worthless and not worth the time of someone as exalted as yourself. Still, we brought you useful weaponry, so why don’t you just give us what it’s worth and we’ll be on our way, never to offend your sight again.”
In the blink of an eye, Colette was on Charlene and holding her up by her neck. “Hey!” Doug shouted as he tried to draw his sword on her, but Colette swung out her arm. It felt to Doug like he was struck by a bat, and fell hard against the floor.
Colette threw Charlene into some crates. “Don’t tell me what I should do.”
Lulu helped Charlene back to her feet while Doug got himself standing again. Bryce still looked like nothing had happened. “Obviously, we’ve offended you, and for that I apologize, but–”
“But I don’t think you quite understand,” Colette interrupted. “Taroth allows Dammon to keep a base in this city so long as we keep things quiet. For that, I can’t just have any Child wandering in here thinking he can play big shot gangster. You four haven’t even followed the most basic channels for this line of work.”
“Oh, we have our registration form.” Lulu pulled out a piece of paper.
“I prefer if you submit electronically.” She looked back to Bryce. “So the question is how this Child found out enough about our organization to even attempt this. So, I ask my female employees which one of you was dumb enough to sleep with this idiot? Don’t think I won’t find out on my own, and you can guess what will happen to you then.”
Grudgingly, two women raised their hands — neither of whom were Lara. They first looked at each other with shock and then at Bryce with anger. “You weasel!” Lara just stood back laughing.
Now Bryce was sweating a bit. “I do have an explanation–”
“Here’s the deal,” Colette interrupted. “It’s actually kinda impressive that you stole that weaponry, and it is of value to me. Why don’t I take it as payment for letting you live, and if I have any jobs in the future that are best suited to desperate losers — and that happens from time to time — I’ll look you four up. Deal?”
“How about you let us live plus five thousand,” Lulu countered.
“Three thousand, but I kill you and donate it to a charity in your name.”
Lulu looked confused. “Charity?”
Colette sighed. “Money people give to help poor people. It’s something from before your time.”
“Isn’t the government supposed to handle that?” Bryce asked.
“Just never mind.”
“I know,” Lulu said, “how about four thousand, and you only kill one of us.”
Colette frowned. “I’m no longer amused by you four. Get out.”
“Wait. We have something else that might be of value.” Bryce motioned to Doug. Doug took the cube out of its sack, and he held it out as steadily as he could though touching it made him feel cold and miserable.
Colette was unimpressed. “And what is that supposed to be?”
“It’s what Asmod was trying to hide. It’s what Serpine sent Loch to retrieve. It’s what Elza’s minions were going to steal until we got it first.” Bryce paused dramatically. “And now, we offer it to you.”
Colette now looked somewhat intrigued. She snatched it from Doug’s hand and looked it over. “Why does it have drawings of rabbits scratched into its side?”
Bryce gave a very quick angry glance to Lulu and then looked back at Colette. “We’re not quite sure of the purpose of its symbols, but I bet you can sense what a powerful artifact it is.”
“It’s a metal cube with poorly drawn bunnies on it.” She tossed it to Bryce who fumbled with it like a hot potato until he passed it on to Doug who quickly put it back in its sack.
“Maybe you should ask Dammon about it,” Bryce suggested. “I’m sure he’ll know of its significance.”
“Yes, that sounds exactly like the sort of thing I should bother an all-powerful being about. Well, if I find myself in need of a bunny cube, I’ll know where to find you.”
Lulu whispered to Charlene. “I told you that’s what it’s called.”
“You’ve now wasted more of my time than that stolen military equipment bought you,” Colette told them. She turned to her people. “Before you send them on their way, beat the crap out of them.”
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