Love and Madness
"It's nice to see you after a few months, but let's get out of here first."
Amon grabbed Kashi's wrist. Her gaze flicked toward his face for a split second before dropping back to the floor. He didn't ask why she kept avoiding his eyes. There wasn't time, and it wasn't important anyway.
They bundled her into the limousine and sped out of the residential district. Inside the rocking car, the mute sniper gripping the wheel sent a telepathic message.
> Pursuit?
"I took care of it already," Sonia replied, flicking away a stray bullet.
The mute sniper flashed a thumbs-up over her shoulder. The limousine, driven by the sniper, cruised slowly through downtown, looping around the same streets to throw off any potential tails.
In the plush comfort of the seats, Kashi kept staring at the floor. So when she finally spoke, it took her comrades a beat to realize it was her voice.
"How'd you get here?"
"Was that you talking?"
"...Yeah."
Amon, quickest on the uptake, responded a little late. "You mean how'd we get here so fast? Well... it's kind of complicated to explain..."
He rolled his eyes, choosing his words carefully. The explanation itself wasn't hard. They'd gotten her message and latched onto the word revelation that had stuck out. So they'd headed to the cathedral where her big brother hung out and found the supercomputer. It was blasphemy incarnate, so it should've been scrapped on sight—but Amon was a rational man. Instead of torching it right away, he'd run a simulation to figure out why the word revelation had slipped from the chairman's lips.
The problem? Neither he nor Sonia knew how to operate the damn thing. So they'd punched three words into the input field like some half-assed hashtag search: Recetio Chairman, Kashi, Owen.
The simulation ran, and an hour later, Amon knew Kashi was about to be in mortal danger.
"So we called the crew and hauled ass. It was close, though."
Of course, they'd burned the blasphemous computer on the way out. But even with that, Amon's story left one gaping hole.
"Why was a computer that predicts the future sitting in a cathedral?"
Silence blanketed the car at Kashi's sharp question. Everyone except her exchanged glances.
I skipped that part on purpose!
He'd deliberately omitted the computer's origins. Explaining it meant bringing up her mother.
How the hell do I even say that?
Her mom had turned into a computer. No way could he drop that like it was nine o'clock news. Even if Kashi hated the woman, she was still her birth mother. And right after nearly getting assassinated by her own brother? Terrible timing.
I was gonna tell her eventually, but...
Not now. Amon prayed she'd let the awkwardness slide. Unfortunately, her brain worked just fine even in this state.
His gaze shifted from the top of her head to the others. The androgynous mage looked away; the water buffalo tank squeezed his eyes shut. The ogre was doodling on the window. A glance at the mute sniper in the rearview got dodged as she angled the mirror away.
You explain it.
Finally, he looked to Sonia. She shook her head.
That's your job.
Amon sighed deeply and began spilling the truth. About how a mother's love could twist into madness.
By the time his explanation wrapped up, the car was nearing its destination.
"...And that's how it went down."
"..."
Kashi fell silent. Her comrades watched her with worried eyes. Her head was still bowed, so they couldn't read her expression. But as her body curled inward, they got the picture.
Sniffle.
The sound from her corner plunged the limo back into hush. It rolled on in silence toward their goal—a hotel Amon had scouted ahead of time.
Going home was out. The enemy could see the future. Who knew how far? They might have goons waiting at the front door. It wasn't foolproof, either.
"Worried about... the families..."
The ogre's mutter drew nods all around. They'd evacuated the families—who could be hostages—but was it enough? Without knowing the enemy's foresight range, anxiety lingered no matter the prep.
> This is why I hate future-seers...
She spotted Kashi's flinch and added,
> Not that bad, but tricky as hell.
The others wanted to agree but held back out of consideration for Kashi, staying mum.
Soon, they pulled up to the hotel. A valet approached. Just as he closed the distance, Amon snapped into combat stance.
"Battle ready, everyone. That valet's suspicious."
His movements were too precise for a bellhop—like a seasoned assassin. Overreacting to gait and stride? Maybe, but the chairman they were up against could see the future. Killers popping out of nowhere wouldn't shock anyone.
The party tensed, weapons concealed but ready. If he twitched wrong, they'd pounce.
The valet reached the car, flashed an awkward smile, and spoke.
"Forgotten me already?"
"...?"
"It's me. The executive director who showed you around. Ex-executive director now, I guess."
"Huh? What are you doing here?"
"Sent by the Chairman."
No mix-up on who he meant. This guy had quit the second Owen took over and followed the old man without hesitation. He had only one "Chairman."
The party's guard eased. The executive director grinned warmly.
"Room in the car? I'd rather you head somewhere other than this hotel."
Amon nodded. The limo peeled away toward a resort.
The place where Kashi's vanished father had holed up was a resort. He'd bought the whole damn thing as his private bunker. He wasn't alone—executives who'd quit with him or gotten chased out by Owen, plus their families, were there too. Even Amon's party's families waited inside.
"We brought 'em."
The bodyguards who'd protected Amon's crew for four months spoke up. Trusted enough to follow, apparently.
"Your rooms are in the West Gold Club wing."
The executive director handed over a fistful of keys, adding they could use any extras freely. Over twenty keys. Amon's party blanched at the overflowing generosity.
"Miss, you can stay in the same building as your friends."
"D-Dad said that?"
"Yes. He said you need your friends right now."
"...Got it."
Kashi's gloom lifted a touch. The director gave them the grand tour.
"Meals or fun? Central building."
He left them to unwind. Amon's party decided to trust the ex-chairman and relax—for now.
They divvied up the dozens of rooms as needed. Kashi got the one next to Amon and Sonia's.
After crashing to recover, Amon's party aimed for the next day. That night, a knock came at Amon's door.
Knock knock.
"You asleep?"
"What is it, Director?"
"Chairman wants you."
Amon rose reluctantly, threw on going-out clothes, and tucked his folding sword—the Ho-ok-sina or whatever—into his waistband. He followed the director.
On the way, the director smiled kindly. "Wondering why a director's hustling like this?"
"...Yeah."
"'Cause the Chairman trusts me that much!"
According to him, he had the skills and trust to fetch the daughter and her crew. Self-praise, sure, but Amon could see the Chairman doted on him.
The chatter didn't stop. "He made a nobody college kid like me department head out of nowhere!"
Amon glimpsed the man's loyalty amid the praise. Probably the same for the other execs here.
They reached the Chairman's room.
"I'll wait here. Go on in."
Amon bowed and knocked. Permission granted, he entered.
The charismatic young man from before greeted him—Chairman no more, but his aura hadn't dimmed. The room reeked of booze, though tidy. The whiskey display behind him was half-empty. A lush would've raged, but the Chairman didn't care.
"Sit."
Amon sat. The Chairman offered a drink.
"Drink?"
"Sorry."
He tilted his head. "Not against doctrine, is it?"
"Afraid I'll screw up drunk. Especially around Kashi."
A polite way of saying no time for booze mid-chase.
"Respect that."
Some might call it tone-deaf, but the Chairman approved.
"A straight shooter like you? I can entrust Kashi to you."
"...Pardon?"
"Not like that. I mean you can save her."
"What do you—"
"Long story."
He swapped whiskey for water and dove in. Recetio family secrets first, then why Kashi collapsed and shut everyone out. Amon understood her but stayed puzzled.
"Can I even hear this?"
Family secrets like that—okay to spill?
The Chairman smiled. "Only you can save her in that state."
"What..."
"I've listened to her futures nonstop. Endless chats... but one part keeps cutting out."
He investigated her circle, eliminating voices he could hear. Eventually, one person's talks vanished entirely—like they were edited out.
"You."
At first, it spooked him. An unpredictable variable terrified a future-seer. He'd seriously weighed assassinating Amon.
But...
- "Amon..."
- "Amooon!!"
- "Amon again, huh..."
His daughter's voice kept calling for Amon. Different tones—even angry ones—but always happy. He couldn't cut him out.
"So I tested a chat."
About booze. One talk sized up the man.
"Rare bird, upright in this world."
Some call it stupidity in harsh times, but not him.
"Seeing futures? You need loyalty over talent nearby."
Talent's worthless if betrayal looms at 0.1%. Bare-minimum skills suffice. Trust is key.
"That director who guided you? Same type."
Never betrays, any future. Amon had passed by coming this far, but one last check.
Slightly different, but the Chairman saw echoes of the director in him.
"Only him and you refused my booze to my face."
"Haha..."
"So, I'll gamble on you. Don't love bets, but... I'm human. Gotta trust optimism sometimes."
He leaned back. "Can I trust you?"
Amon nodded without hesitation. "I'll protect Kashi, any future."
"Splendid."
The Chairman nodded, pleased, and walked him out.
Back on the sofa, he grabbed a half-empty whiskey.
"Billions in dollars? Easy to make. Friends who take 'em and stay loyal? Priceless."
His gaze shifted. A half-full wine bottle caught his eye.
"Father. Looks like I'm saying the same."
Once-opened wine soured to vinegar stink. He eyed it fondly anyway.
"But Kashi's already outdone me."
Next shelf: four half-empty whiskeys. He placed the one from Amon's visit beside them, smiling at the five.
The next day, after Amon and crew visited the Chairman, they gathered in the hall before breakfast. But Kashi hadn't emerged, even in the morning. Right across the hall, room service came and went—she was eating—but she wanted no company.
Rescue her, then she holes up? They could've griped, but they got it.
"Makes sense."
"You heard too?"
"Torso heard?"
Not much of a secret with so many in the know, but Amon's party grasped her state fully. They brainstormed recovery pronto.
"Just drag her out?"
Amon brimmed with certainty he wouldn't betray her. The others too.
Plan set.
"Cleared it with the director."
The beastman tank had pre-approval.
> Not showering.
Mute sniper snake-cammed the room for safety.
"Explosives set."
Ogre rigged a small bomb at the door.
"Uh... better way?"
Hen's doubts on the op got brushed off. Why detour from surefire?
Hiss—BOOM!
"Breaching."
They stormed in on Amon's cue.
"Wh-what!!"
Kashi, balled up like an armadillo on the bed, jolted to the wall. She buried her face in the pillow, dodging eyes.
They grabbed her arms, pried up her head.
"Kuhehe—! Squirm all you want, missy! Useless!"
"Vox. What kinda line is that?"
"Grad school troll-hybrid buddy's line! For times like this!"
"Don't."
Ogre babbled, Hen shut him down, but they lifted her chin. Forced-open eyes met the sniper's. Then Torso's, Vox's, Hen's.
And Amon's. She stared blankly for minutes...
Drip.
Tears streamed down her cheeks in two lines.