*Author's note: Changed the usual format of speeches not in English from italics to being encased in <<>> for clarity. Will try to keep this up moving forward.
April 12, 2050 - 9:46
Da Nang, Vietnam - Nova Oriental Nightclub's office
Huy tapped his finger impatiently on his desk.
Beside the usual stuff on his desk- his computer, stacks of paperwork, and piles of cash, both foreign and domestic - a smartphone sat right in front of him, next to his uneasy hand.
He had been expecting a call, and it was supposed to come about an hour ago, maybe even longer. And yet, here he was, still waiting for the call, as if he were a peasant who could be ignored.
<
The guards, understandably, nervously swallowed their own saliva and sweated profusely. They knew he wasn't the type to joke around, and he'd actually do what he said. Everyone who had ever worked for Huy knew about Steve and what Huy did to him.
Before the guards could get even more nervous, the phone rang.
Both the guards inside the room quietly let out a sigh of relief, unbeknownst to their boss.
Huy picked up the phone and answered the call.
<
<
"What is the result?"
<<... Uhmm…>>
Huy could feel his blood boiling and his vein about to burst open.
<
<
The guards gulped in fear. They both swore that they could see Huy's veins burst the moment he heard the reply.
While the guards were shivering in fear, Huy was seething with rage and barely holding onto the phone without crushing it with his bare hand.
<
<
<
He barely even noticed the crack on the table, since his focus was entirely on another matter.
<
<
<
<>
<
<
<
Huy cut off the call and threw his phone at the wall, nearly taking out his own guard. Not that he'd even care about his guard; all he could think of right then was that he wasted a perfectly good phone.
He took a moment to regain his composure before taking out another phone from his drawer and dialing a number.
The ringtone rang twice before someone picked up the call.
<
<<...>>
<>
<
<
<
<
<
<
<
With that, the call ended right after.
Huy leaned back in his chair and clasped his hands together. They might be small thorns on his side, but he needed to show his might to the PMC. Huy wasn't going to let some mercenary company push him around in his own territory.
April 12, 2050 - 12:10
Hue, Vietnam - VinaMed International Hospital, Hue Branch
Pvt. My Phan
The convoy arrived at the hospital without any further issues.
The trucks went to their docking bays, and the rest of the escort vehicles parked nearby. Since they'd been through an ambush and the evidence was clearly left on their hastily fixed vehicles, they gathered a crowd of onlookers. Hospital staff, patients, visiting family members, just passersby.
An attack on an armed convoy was a rare sight nowadays, at least not one that would leave a heavy visible toll, and the story must have already spread once they were strolling through the city, showing all the battle scars from the event.
After leaving the vehicles for repair and a post-mission debrief with an annoyed Trung, the Black Angels mercenaries were left to their own devices, at least until the appointed time to return to Da Nang in another convoy escort the next day. Luna told them not to worry, as she had made sure that the security for the returning convoy would be extra this time, and the route would be reconned thoroughly.
"I'm starving. Anything good to eat around here?" Enzi asked, rubbing his stomach.
"Bro, this is Vietnam. Hell, it's Hue. It'd be harder for you to find food that isn't good around here." Long answered.
"You're making me hungrier, my friend. So what's your recommendation?"
"I've been here only a few times, but Grandma Tien's Bun Bo Hue is straight fire, ten out of ten."
"Oooh, enticing."
"Count us in." Max and Luis joined in.
"I suppose if it's not far, the whole group could go there." Peter considered.
The rest of the squad also agreed, even the silent Katya.
"To Grandma Tien it is!" My announced.
Without another word, My started walking in a random direction.
"My… it's the other way actually…" Long called out.
"Oh… oopsie :3," My somehow pronounced the emoticon verbally, which left the whole gang confused.
April 12, 2050 - 19:53
Hue, Vietnam - Black Angel's operated hotel
Pvt. My Phan
My and Chisato were assigned a shared room to stay the night in Hue, to rest before returning back tomorrow.
Unlike the previous convoy, this time, they didn't have to wake up earlier to escort the convoy, so they had some time to waste before nightfall.
The whole squad had their dinner at a nearby restaurant before retreating to their hotel room.
My heard a lot about Hue's bustling nightlife, especially its night market, and Chisato, of course, would want to go around and see some new sights in a new country. They asked the other squad members if they wanted to join the girls for a trip around town, but most declined. Only Long agreed to go with the girls, and My and Chisato had no issue with that, since Long seems to know the city, at least a little bit more than both of them do.
The two girls changed out of their mercenary clothes and donned their civilian outfits. Chisato had a comfortable above-the-knee skirt and a turtleneck, nothing too fancy, but that was enough to satisfy My's hunger for her girlfriend's fashion.
My, for herself, decided to change up her usual outfit. After being chewed out by Chisato for her taste in fashion, My tried on something new. She wore a crop top, paired with a varsity-style jacket hanging loose on one side of her shoulder, and a baggy jean to finish the outfit.
"My my my, you're slowly learning the way of fashion. Something new other than just a leotard and shorts." Chisato complimented.
"You're a dad now? What's with the pun?" My giggled.
"What? Can't I make a pun about my girlfriend's name?"
"Nothing, I just thought that it's cute of you to do that."
The score went to My yet again in the "making your partner blush" competition.
"Oh my god, you're too cheesy. Let's go. We've messed around long enough. Long is probably waiting for us."
"Ah, two in one, very punny of you."
My was promptly left in the room alone.
"Haha, that's what I get for going too far~."
My laughed to herself before checking for her stuff, making sure she wouldn't forget anything.
Wallet? Check.
Phone? Check.
Gun?
My looked at the weapons they had laid out on the desk in their room.
Since the hotel was run and operated by the Black Angels Division company, the mercenaries were allowed to bring their weapons into their own room.
Both My's weapons and Chisato's weapons lay on the table. A Honey Badger PDW (Personal Defense Weapon) and an M4 Assault Rifle, My and Chisato's weapons of choice, respectively, as well as their pistols: My's unique Pit Viper and Chisato's generic Gen X Glock 19.
Chisato figured that since they were in a walled-off, protected city, she wouldn't need to conceal-carry a pistol around. My, however, was trained by Harrison, and one of his lessons was to always keep a weapon on herself - a gun if possible, or anything else that wasn't just her bare hands.
My didn't take long to consider.
She grabbed her pistol and concealed it within her jacket.
She would rather be safe than sorry.
After she finished getting everything else ready, she got out of her room and went down to the lobby, where Chisato and Long were already waiting for her.
"Sorry guys, took a bit long to handle my girly business."
"You? Girly business? Are you the same My that I know?" Long teased.
My swiftly delivered an elbow to his stomach.
"Alright, let's go check out Hue!"
My said cheerily as she held onto Chisato's hand on one side, while dragging the knocked-out Long on the other side.