by Eric S Kim
Kurt rolled his eyes. “You say that, but I bet you sleep with your hundred-dollar bills every night.”
Murdock narrowed his eyes at Kurt. “You better watch what you say, Mr. Nguyen. He’s your Chairman.”
Quintana intervened. “Let him be himself. It is better that way. Tell me, Mr. Nguyen. What do you truly believe?”
Kurt continued, “It just pisses me off how some people are lucky and some are not. I’m the one who has to worry about gas money while you don’t. That’s kinda messed up, really.”
Quintana chuckled. “I am glad to hear your honest opinions. The truth is, however, I used to have the same problem when I was very young. Back in Argentina, my family and I could barely survive with the only resources we had. Fortunately, when I became an American citizen a few years later, I promised myself that I would never succumb to the same fate that my parents had. I had to work harder and smarter. And now, I would say that my struggles were worth it. Would you agree?”
Kurt sighed. “I still think you sleep with your piles of money every night.”
Quintana still wasn’t fazed by the remark. “Sure, believe what you want.”
Hamilton waved it off. “Forget about Mr. Nguyen. He’s can be a little off sometimes.”
Lionel whispered something to Kurt that Jerome couldn’t hear.
Rebecca raised her hand. “So we brought all those weapons to you. I was just wondering…what do we get out of this?”
Hamilton answered that for Quintana. “Well, the usual. All of your will receive a special bonus for your yearly salary. Remember the prizes for your assignment at Fireside Air Base? We’re adding some special utilities. In addition to an extra one-hundred-thousand dollars for each of you, there will also be given free maid service for the next twelve months. Let’s throw in some free gas for your cars, too. A gift card that’ll last for the next six months.”
Bryce wasn’t enthralled. “How about some more free cars or something?”
But everyone else seemed intrigued.
Woodrow rubbed his chin when he said, “Maids of honor for the soldiers that keep this nation untainted in its unbreakable shell. I’d say it’s worth it.”
Hamilton added, “The rewards will just keep coming as long as you complete your missions.”
Elliott laughed with glee. “Well, I’m just glad that I signed my name on that paper.”
Jerome replied, “I share the same sentiment.”
Hamilton laughed. “Good.”
The servers had finally arrived with the beverages that the Blackjacks had wanted. They served the cold bottles of beer without a single glass. Lionel and the others didn’t mind it. As for Jerome, he took one sip of his soda, and the cold bubbly sensation from within was able to soothe him for a moment.
Murdock asked, “Are they to your liking?”
Victoria replied, “Very much.”
Oswald raised his glass of lemonade. “L’chaim!”
Hamilton raised an eyebrow while Quintana gladly raised his wineglass in return.
1:08 PM
Everyone received their lunch. The lunches were diverse. Meat and vegetables were the most common dishes. Jerome had ordered lamb chops with mashed potatoes, green beans, and a salad. So far, he admired the execution. Everything about his lunch was gorgeous on the outside. And when he took his first bite of the lamp chops, the warm and moist piece was pure ecstasy to chew on. Everyone else enjoyed their meals equally.
Quintana, Hamilton, and Murdock had no complaints, either. Their steaks were made by experts. Quintana took his time consuming his lunch. He took another sip of his red wine and said to Lionel, “So tell me about your trip to Green Brigalvic. I know it was not as perfect as you would like, but it still must be as fascinating as I hope it would be.”
Lionel disregarded his pork chops for a moment and recounted the events from last night. He started with Otis Cooper using Lanzira’s Diamond to produce a transparent portion of the concrete barrier. He moved on to how they lost their SUV’s to Bolvi. He didn’t leave out the important details. He told Quintana everything, from Sidsum the Vulture to how Artyom Trutnev was finally defeated with Pelkitay Mushrooms. But Jerome had already caught on to the information that had been missing from Lionel’s account. He never told Quintana how he used a Varivorian sword to fight back against Artyom.
So far, Quintana had listened to Lionel’s narration all the way through. “How were you able to escape from Artyom so quickly?”
Lionel replied, “We had our own ways. Artyom wanted a fistfight, but I gained the upper hand.”
Jerome continued to pay close attention to how Lionel changed reality with his vernacular. His father never mentioned anything about a sword. He concluded that he killed Artyom with the mushrooms and never mentioned anything about slicing the mutated Russian’s head off.
Murdock asked about the Zatrad, and the subject had moved away from Artyom’s confrontation and death. Jerome was not in the mood to just butt in and tell them the truth. Hamilton and Murdock would have already known about Lionel’s past, but there was a good chance that Quintana didn’t. Jerome and his teammates moved on to more trivial matters.
Some of the Blackjacks didn’t even attempt to demonstrate the manners required for such an exclusive restaurant. It wasn’t horrible, but the behavior was still quite obvious. Cliff and Kurt started a drinking contest and emptied their beer bottles in one sitting. After being the victorious one, Cliff threw the empty bottle against the wall and demanded another. Shards of glass had landed on the floor. Nick called out to the servers and demanded a Cuban cigar or else he would sue the restaurant. Bryce threw a piece of steak right into Rebecca’s open mouth. She caught it from the other side of the table and howled like a cheerleader. All the while knocking over Woodrow’s beer bottle on accident. She apologized, but Woodrow didn’t say anything to her. Oswald enjoyed his lobster tails so much that he didn’t even mind the numerous drops of lobster juices that landed on the two teammates sitting between him. He grinned like a maniac as he tore the tails apart after consuming the meat of it. Sabrina was about to steal Victoria’s garlic bread without her looking, but the older woman quickly turned and swatted the arm away without hesitation. Sabrina threatened to fight her for it, but Victoria just continued enjoying her meal. Preston tried to repeat his teammates’ actions by throwing a piece of meat at Elliott’s open mouth. But it landed on a server’s shirt. The food stain had become apparent in size and color. The server silently cursed as he left the room.
Quintana and Hamilton just ignored the squad’s behavior. Murdock would be the only one who was rather annoyed by it. The Blackjacks had grown louder and more abrasive as time flew by. Jerome, on the other hand, refused to submit to the attitudes. He ignored his younger teammates laughing at Elliott’s joke and consumed his lunch in silence. He had eaten at an exclusive restaurant before, and he repeated his patterns without his teammates interfering with his own personal way of enjoying his meal.
1:46 PM
When everyone completed their meals, the dessert would be the last to be feasted on. The Blackjacks had their choice of cheesecake, chocolate cake, or red velvet cake. Hamilton and Murdock dealt with a business issue away from the table. The Blackjacks stuffed their mouths with their desserts. Sabrina still tried to steal Victoria’s cheesecake without her looking, but Hector grabbed her hand and gave her a menacing stare. Sabrina immediately backed away in fear. Oswald used his hand instead of a fork to eat his piece of chocolate cake. Preston asked Kurt if they could switch their desserts just because Kurt’s piece looked better than Preston’s. Kurt shut him up by threatening him with a fork.
Jerome and Lionel sat beside Quintana as they shared a more private discussion. Jerome greatly enjoyed his piece of red velvet cake. He ate every piece as slow as possible, savoring the flavor by keeping it in his mouth longer than expected. He wiped his lips with his napkin after being halfway done with the cake.
Quintana wanted to know more about how the
Blackjacks managed to retrieve the Varivorian Artillery despite being overwhelmed by the Zatrad. Lionel explained it further, though he still left out the part where he used a sword to rescue his teammates and take down Artyom for good.
Quintana listened carefully while finishing his glass of wine. “It must have been a struggle to even leave that cave.”
Lionel replied, “It really was. Lanzira’s Diamond was the only thing that saved us at the end. That, and the dragons, obviously.”
Quintana had already finished his meal, so he was free to engage in a conversation without interference. “It leaves me to wonder why you kept that sword along with you all this time.”
“I already mentioned that Sidsum had stolen that one first, so I brought it along before we retrieved the rest of the weapons.”
“And you had no intention of using it against Artyom?”
“None at all.”
Quintana leaned forward in his seat. “That seems rather strange, considering how special that sword must have been for you.”
“I don’t quite follow you.”
“That sword belonged to one of the Nevinoth Riders. It was lost, and is now found. I expected you to take it with great pride and remember the skills you have learned in the past to defeat Artyom like how they managed to do in the forgotten generation. You still remember your skills, or am I wrong?”
Jerome stopped chewing as he immediately caught on to what Quintana had been referring to.
Lionel remained calm as he said, “What makes you think that I would know how to use a sword?”
Quintana smiled. “Because I would never forget what I have seen a long time ago. I am not ignorant to your true accomplishments. I have seen you and your friends in the media and I would never forget. In fact, they would never even make me forget it. The revival was well-earned by your friends, however brief it would be.”
Lionel slowly exhaled through his nostrils. “You wouldn’t be furious for what I could’ve done, is that right?”
Quintana had grown serious. “It would lead me to a serious dilemma. I would be forced to choose two options. Either I forgive you and show the entire world that you did it because it was done as a last resort. Or I put you under house arrest because you broke a single law and basically ruin your reputation. Gorvex would never permit you to break the law. I, however, had to decide whether to give the people what they want or try to prove them that what you have done turned out to be a rational decision. And the majority of my civilians would disagree with your actions. With everything that happened in La Palma, I cannot afford to deceive the public with false heroism. We forgave you once, but we cannot do it twice.”
“What do you believe? Did I do a bad thing or not?”
“I have learned to accept Gorvex’s laws as the definitive instructions for human civilization. I would never bring myself to let him down in the worst possible way.”
“I understand.”
Jerome had grown rather nervous with what Quintana had revealed to both father and son. “So, uh…what’s gonna happen?”
“My mind is already made up. If it is confirmed that your father is being dishonest about your most recent adventure, then I have no choice but to choose the second option. Put him under house arrest and have him fired from the company.”
“Now that’s a scary thought.”
“Which is why I am hoping that Lionel is telling the absolute truth.”
The other Blackjacks did not pay attention to anything that Quintana had said as they were too busy enjoying their own desserts.
Quintana leaned and whispered to Lionel, “You do not have any secrets, do you?”
Lionel didn’t flinch. “None whatsoever.”
Jerome anxiously waited for Quintana’s next reaction. A phone started to vibrate. Quintana pulled out his smartphone and checked to see the text message sent to him. Lionel briefly glanced at his son as a way of acknowledging his insincerity. Jerome still didn’t know what to believe. With such a powerful man like Quintana around, no one would even dare to keep the truth away from him.
Quintana put away his smartphone. “Well, I have to go. I still have plenty of work to do today. Lionel, you and your squad are off-duty for the rest of the day. Hamilton and I have decided that your work will resume on Friday. As you can see, everything worked out.”
Lionel replied, “Thank you. We’ll take care.”
Quintana smiled as he stood up from his chair and informed the rest of A-X-9 that he had to leave.
“It has been a pleasure meeting all of you. Always remember that there will be more adventures for you in the future. It will not be an excessive workload, but there will be plenty of opportunities to venture outside of Southern California, and even out of the country.”
Nick gave a hearty laugh. “I’ll be the first to say yes to everything.”
Elliott added, “Yeah, I can’t wait to see what happens next.”
Quintana put on his coat and said his goodbye before he exited the restaurant alone. The Blackjacks stayed at the table as both Hamilton and Murdock returned from their business discussion. Hamilton reminded them that the lunch had been paid for by Quintana himself.
“By the way, check your bank accounts. We’ve got a little surprise for you.”
Several of the Blackjacks immediately pulled out their smartphones and used their banking apps. Jerome was one of them. He checked his bank account, and much to his surprise, the direct deposit had already been confirmed. He had received his five-hundred-thousand-dollar bonus. Everyone else must have had the same sort of payment at the same time.
Hamilton upped the ante by saying, “And you can go to your local car dealership and tell them that you’re from Squad A-X-9. They’ll automatically give you that brand new car you wanted. As for the prize for what you did last night, expect the next bonus on Saturday.”
Kurt called out for the servers. “Give me some more of that beer. It’s time for a celebration!”
Lionel stopped him. “Come on, Kurt. That’s enough.”
Kurt was offended. “Oh, what? I’m not able to have a good time?”
Hamilton stepped in. “Well, why not? You can afford all that beer yourself?”
“Wait, Mr. Quintana’s not paying for it anymore? Thanks, but I think I’ll pass.”
EIGHTEEN
3:40 PM
The Blackjacks started to leave the NESF Station. Since there would be nothing else to do for the rest of the afternoon, everyone decided to return home. Rebecca checked herself in the mirror hanging in the locker room. She kept her polo shirt on as she finally brought her brown hair out of its ponytail. She felt so relieved to return home that she wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. But then, Sabrina appeared and asked her if she wanted to join the other young Blackjacks as they would visit a car dealership. Rebecca changed her mind and joined the others.
But before they could leave, they stopped in the front lobby when Elliott had brought in something from outside. He handed it to Rebecca, who suspected a romantic gesture. They were a bouquet of flowers with buds in multiple colors.
She asked, “Who is this from?”
Elliott had the right answer. “Remember that guy you rescued a while back? This is his way of saying ‘thank you’ again.”
Rebecca remembered him. Kenny was a civilian. He was the same age as her and her teammates, and he would never forget the day when she saved him from being a victim of violence on the street. And it was confirmed that he still didn’t. First, he sent her numerous emails. And now, it progressed to a more genuine expression. This would be the first time that Kenny brought her flowers. It even came with a card. Rebecca opened it and read what he had written to her. It was similar to a love letter, but written with a near-juvenile vocabulary.
“Oh, boy.”
Sabrina lightly punched her on the shoulder. “You snagged a good one there.”
“Yeah, very funny.”
Elliott noticed the skepticism. “What’s the matter? Don’t
you like him?”
Rebecca set the bouquet of flowers aside. “Well, I thought it would just go away. But he keeps coming back. I know he wants to thank for saving him from those thugs, but it’s getting a little creepy.”
Sabrina understood. “Yeah, I told you that you wouldn’t like guys like him. Nobody does.”
Elliott appeared a little confused. “I see nothing wrong with a little appreciation. I mean, it’s obvious that cares a lot about you.”
Rebecca moaned. “Yeah, but I just see him as a civilian and nothing else. I mean…I don’t know. I get that he likes me, but I don’t think I can feel the same way. You know what I mean? I can only see him as a friend. And here, he’s still trying to win my affection. It’s like I’m the only thing in his life that he should care about. And I don’t think it’s gonna work out.”
Bryce zipped up his varsity jacket. “It’s because you think he’s a wimp, isn’t it? Come on. You can say it. We’re not gonna shame you for it.”
Rebecca shrugged her shoulders. “Yeah, it’s kinda like that.”
Sabrina laughed. “I told you he’s a wimp. He couldn’t even try to save himself. He had to take it like a complete wuss.”
Bryce objected to her beliefs. “Hey, try not to be a complete bitch about it. Not everyone knows how to defend themselves. Kenny just didn’t have a gun, that’s all. That’s why Rebecca had to save him. It’s pretty basic stuff. Judging him for what he doesn’t have isn’t really that fair.”
“Whatever. I still think he’s a wuss.”
Rebecca had already decided to leave the flowers in the front lobby. She couldn’t even figure out what to do with them. She had no interest in bringing them home with her.
“Does anybody want that?”
Elliott stepped away from the flowers. “Not interested.”
Oswald took a sniff of the flowers before giving an exaggerated look of disgust. “…Poisonous.”
Bryce sighed. “Come on. We’ve got some new cars to buy.”
