#18 Going Off Script

Good, and evil.

What defines goodness in a person?

What constitutes a person to be evil?

It is easy to cast someone to the sidewalk, defining someone unpleasant to us by our own standards. If they do not conform to our expectations of what is "normal" and "morally right", then they are "evil".

Yet that too, is misguided.

Very few in the world commit "evil" because they want to. Circumstances dictate the paths people take. Money, environment, personal experiences— Can we really hold ourselves to those standards to a fault? Can we truly ignore human bias in the face of tough choices?

That act of choosing who lives or dies. It is a terrifying decision to many.

But...

I stared down at a slightly obese man in his forties, as he struggled to push my arms that were strangling his neck. The tattoos etched all over his body, as well as the handguns sprawled around him as a result of a short tussle showed that he was supposedly someone not to be trifled with. But in reality, the man lacked exercise. He had lived most of his life standing on top of his subordinates in a commanding position, so his reflexes in a melee was nothing short of a joke. Perspiration leaked out of his forehead as his eyes shook fearfully at me, as if screaming for me to stop.

"...I told you, to send better people."

"...Gnnhhh... I-It's... m... unders... ing..."

"No." I sent a stronger glare back at the man.

"I don't think I'm misunderstanding anything. You ruined things, and now I have to go off script thanks to you."

"W-Wha... you talking... ab..."

"Haaah... That's fine. If you cannot be leashed, I don't have a use for you anymore."

Hearing that, the man became even more frantic, as he tried to exchange glances with his surroundings.

Around him in this extravagant looking room were numerous armed black-suits. Normally, even a fraction of this number would've been enough to restrain an impertinent intruder who dared to confront their boss this way.

However, none of them looked in the right condition to retaliate, as they could only groan and writhe on the floor.

Kasumi and Kokomi had dispatched them with relative ease.

Loosening the hold slightly, I asked again.

"So tell me while I'm asking nicely. Where are the rest of your colleagues."

"Cough... cough... ...khh... Y-You monsters... d-do you really think-"

"Ah, I've heard enough."

Having lost interest, I stood back up and walked towards the open balcony of the building.

Beating up a single mafia boss is simple. But the underground are like rats. Unless they're dealt with altogether, there's always certain risk of survivors returning with a vengeance. To extract that information is easy if I left it to that person, but towards her who had a true disposition of 'evil'; a sadist, I couldn't help but keep it as a last resort.

But this man. He's really stubborn for some reason.

...Even if he knew who I was. Thinking up to this point, I felt a bad premonition. I sighed, and uttered her name under my breath.

"...Tanya."

In that instant, something sitting at an inconspicuous corner of the balcony moved.

A person lunged towards me at a terrifying speed.

—Clang!

The familiar backs of Kasumi and Kokomi appeared before me.

Their daggers were repelling off 8 needle syringes held between each finger of the assailant. One could tell from the sparks crackling fiercely between them, that the syringes were beyond simple medical equipment.

"You crazy quack, what the fuck do you think you're doing to Master?" One spat out wrathfully.

"Fufu... quick reflexes as always. It's nice to see you two again~"

The moonlight revealed the woman with straight, dirt olive hair from under the shadows. Her unblemished snow white skin indicated of a foreign nationality, contrasting her fluent Japanese tongue.

"Fuck you! You pull this stunt every time you see the Master. Are you tired of living, ahhh?!"

The Russian woman called Tanya, simply smiled as if nothing was wrong.

"You—!"

"—Let it go, you two. I called her here."

""B-But...! ...No, we understand...""

Nodding to herself as if this was natural, Tanya returned the syringes into the deep pockets of her lab coat.

"Mister Kyou, it has been a while since you've called in for such a sudden request."

"Yes, I apologize for the abrupt summon. The job on hand is quite urgent, so I could only think of you to get it done as soon as possible."

"O~? You could only think of me...? Fufu... fufufu..." Tanya covered her mouth amusingly.

"Y-You stupid bitch, what are you misunderstanding?!" "It's a job! A job!!" The two by my sides cried out defiantly. Their eyes were full of deep resentment.

"But... it seems I still have some... jetlag left over... How about it, we could discuss the details more... privately in a hotel I've booked?"

Before Tanya manages to combust the twins into incarnations of wrath, I smiled weakly and responded,

"I appreciate the offer, but..." Staring at my watch, I could tell that she was arriving as expected.

"I'll have to entertain a guest. Of course, I'll pay for the lodgings during your stay here. Please bill everything to the usual number."

"Ahh, that's certainly a pity. Well then, I guess I'll take my leave then."

"Then I'll have to start preparing the scene for her arrival. Kasumi, Kokomi, stay at the entrance and keep outsiders away."

""Understood.""

I then spoke into the watch. "Megumi, send in someone to escort Tanya out with the guy here. And clean the scene up."

"Bzzt... Affirmative."

The 'guy' in question, who'd long lost all his face and authority now panicked, alongside his goons who were half-conscious, "W-Where are you guys taking u— ggh?!!?!"

Before the boss could utter any more words, he felt a cold sensation running down his spine.

Very literally. Something was freezing his spinal cord. He turned to look at his back, and saw a pair of emotionless eyes staring back at him.

"Fufu... you really shouldn't move you know? Otherwise, the pain will hurt even more later~"

Tanya, the source of his fear in the near future, revealed an enthralled expression on her face.