Since I am still a cripple and currently got my both hands full, with a sack on one hand and a cane on the other, Ham, as he should, come with me with my newly bought Floating Eye Drone. I bought it of his hand for 50 coins, a price that he was happy to get from me. For him he got the deal and prices that he wanted, and for me, at that price I don't really care, he just brought me another useful Automaton, and I don't have to walked around the wasteland to find it. Besides, with 6040 coins physically on me, a 50 Coins, is and amount that I can afford to waste.
"Just put it on that pile over there…".
"Sure, Boss…there, I guess I should go now…Bye Boss Azra!". (Ham)
"Alright…".
As soon as he put down the Drone on the piled of junks near my truck, Ham immediately runs off to the town, probably heading home or something. Meanwhile at my stall/truck our business had already hanged the closed sign, Alfred is in the middle of packing everything up, putting boxes on the truck bed, wile what he actually doing is, just do the act of putting the stuffs in the truck bed while actually putting everything into my Inventory directly. The whole thing is just to keep a normal appearance and nothing more.
"Alfred… where's Natasha?".
I looked all around our stall, and I noticed that Natasha was nowhere on sight. So, I asked Alfred who moving back and forth packing and storing out stuffs
"[Madam is with Miss Selene… Miss Selene come to the stall, roughly about 20 minutes ago… she talked to Madam, urgently… and a few seconds later, both of them, ran into the town… Madam told me to finished up everything and waited for you to come…]". (Alfred)
"They both went into the town? …Why?".
"[Madam did not mention to me what is the reason for their rather rushed demeanor… but it appears to me, That Miss Selene, comes to Madam… seemingly in a distress manner, rather anxious and unsettled… I fear that Miss Selene might be in some sort of trouble...]". (Alfred)
"Hmm... that's not good.".
If Alfred said so, then it must be true. Why would Selene, the ever so calmed lady would appear so visibly troubled like that, and she brought Natasha with her as well, I got a feeling that something out of plans is about to happen. I supposed that the 2 went into the town, this means they are going to come back here at some point. So, I guess I should just wait for them to come and explained to me what is happening.
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Meanwhile, Inside Station Ail and Wail, inside one of the many houses in the town, right at the entrance of the town slums, inside of a wooden house, Selene and Natasha were inside the house, talking to another woman, roughly the same age groups as the 2. The 3 of them were talking seriously.
"Look, Selene… I… I just can't risk it… Look… Look all around us… all of our member is injured… none of them were fit to go out there… I am very sorry, Selene… as their leader…and this group leader, I cannot risk everyone lives, for a single person…". (Clarisa)
Seated before Selene and Natasha, who is clearly in disheveled state, her black hair was tied in a messy bun, there is a clear sign of injuries all over her body, is Clarisa, the Leader of the Left-Over Scavenger Group. A few days ago, the L.O Group returned from their hunting mission, riddled with all sort of injuries, although they managed to complete the mission, none of the members that got back from the mission were in a good shape.
Selene, was left out of the mission as she had to guard the base and worked on her mechanic jobs, which is another source of Selene income, which the group have to understand, after all, she is in a massive debt that she always has a deadline to pay weekly. The reason as to why, Selene and Natasha come to Clarissa asking for help is because, last night, Selene managed to get a jumbled radio contact from Scarlett, and Scarlett is clearly not in a great situation at all.
"But Clarisa… this is not somebody else! …it was Scarlett!! …we need to save her! …". (Selene)
"I KNOW! …I know that!... But, look all around you!... are all these women able to go out and save her?". (Clarisa)
The conversation started to get heated, Selene raises her voice and so did Clarisa.
"I reminded her so many time… asking her whether she really wanted to take those mission…. Multiple times! …and she said YES… I told her those Herman Group is a bunch of shady people… yet, she just took the mission and take off running! …Now look what happened...". (Clarisa)
Clarisa were visibly upsets, her fist slammed down on the table in frustrations, making her point even more apparent.
"Even so… you know that I won't be leaving her alone, right…". (Selene)
"And what… you wanted to go and get her from the Herman Group clutch? …those peoples are a big merchant group from the city, Selene… they were equipped with a lot of firearms and men… going there…would be the same as running to your doom…". (Clarisa)
"…If what I was about to do, would be the last thing I ever done…then so be it… no matter what, I will be saving Scarlett… either I would succeed doing it, or I'll die trying…but there is no way I am leaving her to die out there…". (Selene)
Everyone can see just how determine Selene are right now. No matter what anyone said, she will never rescind her decisions, the entire group knows how close the 2 are, and everyone knows that the 2 of them would always cover each other back no matter what the situation is for them, it has been like that from the moment they joined the group, until now.
"Sigh~ …If that is what you wanted to do, I cannot stop you, Selene… I know how important Scarlett to you… but, at the same time… as the leader of this group… I cannot put everyone lives in danger… to save a single person lives… Scarlett was in the Herman Group control now… and you know… that a small scavenger group like us… would be crushed to nothing… we were to go against them… I am very sorry, Selene…I really do…". (Clarisa)
Clarise for the sake of her other group members, bitterly had to refuse Selene plea for assistance, it wasn't just Clarisa were feeling that bitter, but the rest of the group member who was currently lying on their bed, recovering, were silently felt sad at the current situation. No matter how tight the group is, ultimately none of them wanted to step forward for this particular situation and offered their help. They were already struggling as they already are, each mission death and injuries constantly riddled their bodies and emotional state. For Clarisa and the groups, Scarlett situation is basically already a hopeless and doomed situation, going in there for her, in their state and their capability is akin to committing suicide, and Clarisa as the group leader cannot in her good conscience do that to everybody.
"I understand… so, I will not force all of you to help me in this matter… from now on… this will be a personal matter to me… so, I hope that… you all also understand my decision as well…. I will be leaving the group… and so does Scarlett.". (Selene)
With a heavy heart, Selene speaks out her mind and final decisions, and inside the house, everyone hears it, yet, no one objects to her decisions at all, and remained silent, it was a sad situation, but also, it was an understandable decision.