SOTF: International - Teaser #5

#1

With an impotent thud, the small metal boat nudged the side of the pier as it settled with the waves at the harbour. Before the rest of the boat could get its bearings, the group’s leader had already grabbed onto the ladder and pulled herself to the top in one swift motion. In an instant, Prodigy was already reading from a list.

“Okay, so welcome. To those who weren’t already aware, I am Prodigy, and I will be instructing each and every one of you on how to set up this island for the main event. Remember that I have a direct line of communication to Overlord himself, so whatever I say, goes. That means literally everything I tell you, you have to follow to the letter, or there is a very good chance I will be given the go-ahead to leave you here until you learn your lesson.”

Prodigy’s eyes sailed from her sheet to the boat of huddled technicians and gunmen.

“When I say literally, I mean it in the original dictionary sense. Literally. So if I tell two of you to start making out, tongue in mouth and everything, you better pretend you’re 16-year-olds again.”

The eyebrows of everyone on that boat furrowed. They had all heard tales from the underlings in the tech department of just how eccentric their manager was, but as of now she just seemed to be as “upper management” as everyone else, only with a more juvenile sense of humour.

Regardless, the group began filing out of the boat, which had been secured to one of the pier’s beams, and heading into town. Everyone put their boxes in front of the large fountain and pulled out small devices, each marked with their own maps. Prodigy had gone over this before heading out from the mainland - the green blips were where they were meant to put cameras, while the red blips were where they were meant to put signal relays.

Two of the group were staying in the village - Merton was meant to be setting everything up in the general area of town, hitting every blindspot imaginable in every nook, cranny, walkway, building or crevice underside, while Royce was essentially meant to assist him. The entire expedition was no skin off Royce’s back - he’d previously worked under Polar, who had the warm friendly disposition of the eponymous Bear, so he was just grateful to not have to sit in a warehouse stockpiling strange weapons.

“So how’d they get you here?” Merton casually asked, as the two entered the small chapel.

“Oh, y’know, Prodigy just sort of raided our department, asked if Polar could spare anyone who was good at following instructions for an expedition-” Royce began to answer, before being immediately cut off.

“No I know that, I meant…’here’.”

Royce raised a singular eyebrow.

“You know we’re not supposed to talk about that, right? At least, not on duty.”

“Bro, I work under Freebird, we’ve got nothing but duty. Besides, it’s basically the same story as everyone, why not just skip the boring parts and say where they got you?”

“Yes, I’d really love to hear where they ‘got’ you, Mr. Miles.”

The entire drill set that Merton had set up on the nearby pew was suddenly knocked over, scattered to the wind, when Merton accidentally walked into it, surprised by the voice of his temporary superior, standing at the door of the chapel.

“M-ma’am! I was just-”

“Let me guess, testing Mr. Harlan?”

“Y-yeah.”

“Mm. I believe you.”

Both Royce and Merton stood still for a moment, before returning to their work. After almost ten minutes of silent work, closely observed from a distance by Prodigy, who sat in one of the benches, the first camera had been drilled into a wall attachment.

“Very good work, Mr Miles.”

“Thank you, ma’am.”

Both sides were silent, with Prodigy watching the two with sharp eyes and a faint smile. Without a word, they began working on the next cameras. Every time they looked over at their temporary superior, she was looking straight back at them, although every time they returned to their work they could hear faint taps, clicks and blinks coming from devices neither of them could see.

After a lengthy work, the two had finished installing the cameras and relays needed in this particular building. As Merton began to pack up his drill set, he turned around when he felt a presence behind him.

“Royce, I need-”

As he turned around, he realised it was not Royce who was in his personal space, but Prodigy. For a second time, Merton stumbled backwards into his drill kit, but thankfully did not knock the entire thing over.

“How are you finding your work here today, Mr Miles?”

“V-very good, ma’am.”

“Mm. I’m glad. I’d hate to bore you.”

“Could never be bored with this work, ma’am.”

“That’s very good to hear.”

A silence leaked between the two people standing with not but an inch of space between them, as Royce returned from the sacristy with his own drill kit, slowing to a stop noticing the two.

“How do you enjoy working for Freebird, Mr. Miles?”

“It’s challenging but achievable work. He’s one of the best bosses I’ve ever had.”

“Yes, I noticed. You have an interesting history.”

Merton blinked, but did not betray his expression or thoughts.

“If you say so.”

Prodigy also blinked, and held her stare for a few moments longer..

“Mr. Miles, you know we now need to test our cameras motion sensing capabilities, yes?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“You have a very nice face, Mr Miles.”

“...Ma’am?”

“Mr Harlan, could you hit Mr Miles as hard as you can for me?”

An empty moment of shock evaporated in front of Merton as Prodigy stepped backwards.

“Wh-”

Before Merton realized, Royce had closed the space from the sacristy to the arch and landed a hard punch to the side of Merton’s face, sprawling him backwards and bouncing him from the side of a pew. Sounds of pain and protest were the only ones coming from Merton’s mouth as Prodigy turned back towards them, device in hand.

“Considering the time of day, performance exceeds all expected parameters. Will have to perform night tests, of course, but otherwise successful.”

Prodigy looked up to see Royce, staring at her, while Merton curled in pain on the ground. She stared back at him for a few moments, before quickly walking up closer to Royce, grabbing his face with one of her hands, and looking into his eyes.

“I do feel sorry they weren’t able to help. Or didn’t want to help.”

Royce blinked in surprise, before his face felt the ease of pressure from Prodigy’s hand leaving his face. The man gave no response, only silence, as Prodigy continued staring into his eyes.

“I wonder what you’ll achieve.”

Royce gave no more response than he had already given, and before he realized, Prodigy was striding through the nave towards the door, leaving only himself and the fellow underling he was forced to punch inside a house of God.