Chapter 195 - Hopes Dashed

"You've gotta be kidding me...seriously, this is a complete waste of time," I muttered to myself irritably, as I leaned my head against the window by the bus seat I was slumped in. 

Yesterday, about an hour after we left the Academy, we finally received the details on today's Mission...and I was decidedly unhappy about it, to put it lightly. Basically, the requirement of this Mission was to protect a group of six people...some rich guy and his harem of five wives. 

Apparently, he's the heir to a successful business in the South Quadrant, and as a result of his immense wealth, managed to attract five woman willing to marry him. I looked into him after we received the Mission details, and he seems like kind of a scumbag, at least on paper. 

He first got married when he was twenty-three, marrying five woman that were all around eighteen or nineteen years old. And then, a couple of years later, he divorced most of them and replaced them with a fresh batch of eighteen year olds. 

In other words, he marries barely legal teens, loses interest in them shortly after they get into their twenties, and then replaces them. Of course, all of them are almost definitely gold diggers, so I doubt that he's actually left anyone with a broken heart. 

His current wives probably know what they're getting themselves into, they likely intent to leech off him for as long as possible before he inevitably dumps them. 

Anyway, I'm getting off-topic...our Mission is to escort him and his wives outside of the Sanctuary, and even further, outside of the range of all the bases. Why, you ask? Because they want to do some sight-seeing. And also, because this guy wants to be the first civilian to venture past the bases. 

The wall that was being built on the outermost ring of bases, at the one hundred and twenty-five kilometer radius mark from the Sanctuary, was almost complete, and as a result, some of the upper-class civilians had started requesting to be allowed to explore the area we've expanded our territory across. Stupid rich people. 

Anyway, after a lot of deliberation, the X-Warrior Zone and quadrant governments relented, but only for Paragons, those that possess XFE. Because those that don't will get affected by the weak, but still-present, radiation left over from WWIII. 

Pretty much everyone below the age of thirty-five are Paragons, with a tiny handful of exceptions in people that didn't evolve. In a few decades, it's likely that all humans will be fully resistant to this radiation, though by then, it's highly probable that the currently lingering radiation will have completely faded. 

We've been able to find new water sources since, A, we've developed better methods of nullifying radiation in water and other objects, and B, because overall radiation levels have dropped so much in the last three or four decades that it's much easier to nullify and negate. 

From what I've heard, measures to grow fruits and vegetables outside the Sanctuary are being taken...we've treated the soil to rid it of radiation, and they've been able to grow stuff like potatoes and carrots. But the air is still too toxic for most plants to survive in, so there isn't a great variety available outside of the Sanctuary, not yet anyway. 

Oh, looks like I've arrived at the meeting spot. We were told to gather in one of the X-Warrior Zone buildings, where they issued X-Warriors' Missions, kinda like guilds in action RPG games. We were supposed to get teleported to the north-most base on the outer ring, where we'd meet the clients, and then begin the Mission. 

Ugh, I really don't like this, why should I have to play babysitter for some random rich guy, huh? I'm totally fine with Mutant-hunting Missions and stuff like that, but this is gonna be like that but with a ton of dead weight along for the ride. 

I was muttering to myself irritably as the bus stopped and I hopped off, before heading into the building with a sense of annoyance and frustration. I don't care if this sounds arrogant; but I just can't help but feel like this assignment is beneath me. I'm not a fucking tour guide. 

Alright, that's enough complaining, I think...let's just get in there and get this stupid Mission over with already. I headed into the building and towards the hall where we were supposed to meet up at, where a teleportation platform was set up to transport us. 

I soon found my way there and entered the room after knocking on the door, walking in to see that most of the others were already here. Seila was the only one yet to arrive, but she'd sent a message in our chat group saying that she was close by a couple of minutes ago, so she should be here soon enough. 

It's 7:50 AM right now, so there's still ten whole minutes before we're supposed to depart. That shithead Yugi was also yet to arrive, hope he fails to show up entirely. That's probably too much to hope for though... 

"Hey, good morning," Suri greeted me, as I walked towards me, Katie giving me a small wave as well. 

"Hey, everyone. You all prepared for this?" I inquired in response, as I stifled a yawn. 

"Sure, I mean, it's only gonna be a short Mission, right?" Replied Mitchell with a shrug.

"Right, we're supposed to head out for about two hours and then head back, so at most, it shouldn't take more than five hours," Chimed in Grey, before adding with a sigh, "That said, simply fighting Mutants and having to fight Mutants while protecting a bunch of people are two very different things. This probably won't be easy."

"We weren't given a choice to accept or decline this Mission, so if we fail, it's not on us," Spoke up Katie. 

"I don't think that's how it works, we'll probably get penalized in some way or other if we fail to accomplish the Mission," Argued Suri, as the door opened and Seila walked in. 

"Hi, guys, what are you talking about?" She greeted us as she approached us. 

"Just about this shitty Mission," I sighed in response. 

"Oh, I see. I've actually been thinking about it too...and something's occurred to me. This isn't simply just an escort Mission, since taking the clients from one place to another isn't the primary objective. We're just bodyguarding them while they sight-see. In other words, we can't just rush this Mission and try to get it over with...we probably can't come back until they're satisfied with their sight-seeing," She pointed out with a look of concern. 

"That, uh...that sounds like a fucking pain," Spoke up Mitchell with a nervous smile. 

"Yeah, it does. This feels more like some kind of punishment than an actual Mission," Agreed Suri with a grimace. 

"Well, I can't say that I disagree with that notion, but let's not allow ourselves to get dragged down by this client. Let's just suck it up and get through this...and if he refuses to turn back after two hours, I'll freeze time, knock him out and we'll return right away. Sound good?" I suggested with a sigh. 

"Hmph, I guess I can work with that," Grumbled Suri in response.

"With anyone else, I'd write that off as a joke, but with you...you actually mean that, don't you?" Remarked Mitchell with a raised eyebrow. 

"Huh? Of course I mean it, why would I say it if I didn't?" I replied bluntly. 

"You, uh, probably shouldn't do that for real, you know," Said Grey with a wry smile. 

"Maybe we can ask that Yugi guy to use an illusion to knock out the client instead," Suggested Suri. 

"That'd be effective, but...I don't want to ask that bastard for any favors," I grumbled in disgust. 

"Yeah, I agree with that," Nodded Katie immediately. 

I then glanced at my I-Watch as the others began talking amongst themselves, checking the time. Less than a minute to go, I might actually get to see one of my hopes come true...the hope that Yugi fails to show up on time, meaning that we have no choice but to leave without him. 

Please let that be the cas-...I then felt my spirit shatter as the door opened, my hopes dashed, as he entered. Ah, yes...this truly is a cruel world. 

"Hey, you're totally thinking something way overly dramatic, aren't you?" Inquired Mitchell dryly, as he gave me a nudge. 

"Activate the teleportation platform already, you little shits, let's hurry up and get this crap over with," Complained Yugi, as he walked over to the platform with a frown.

"Just a few more seconds and we'd have been able to leave without him," Muttered Katie in disappointment. 

God is dead. Well, not that I ever believed in God in the first place. Or no, maybe a God does exist...and they really don't like me. I mean, come on...what did I do to deserve this, huh!? 

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