Ters-Ly War (2)

  “So, what is it?” After walking away for a bit, Fox stopped with Vanessa and asked. She turned to Fox and looked at him for a moment, making him feel like she was comparing him to the first time they met personally. “How much do you make a month?”

  “…” Fox negligibly smiled, almost going with improbable words. But seeing her face was enough to see she wasn't playing around, much less insinuating. He blinked twice in a row before speaking with a blink, “A few million, I'd say, at best.”

  “That doesn’t seem much for the man who liberated the country of the organized crime.” Vanessa danced her eyebrows, from right to left. Fox smiled wryly before shaking his head. “It might not be, but it’s what I like. Otherwise, nobody can put me to it… I found out I liked it.”

  “Really?” Vanessa arched her left eyebrow. Fox nodded, “Very much.”

  “Then, how about you keep that going, with ‘nobody stopping you’, but… working for ‘me’ instead?” Vanessa proposed, not giving circles around any bushes. Fox tilted his head, feeling her obvious discomfort at the end of her very own words.

  “I’m not working for Luis, but with. I believe I have a bit of a rebellious nature.” Fox added, shrugging a little. To his surprise, Vanessa whiffled out her nostrils, simple and brief, but it was the first he ever saw it. She said, “That makes sense… I see, better now.”

  “…” Vanessa grew silent, knowing it was also a rejection, but not a straight out one, so she could round a bit. She lifted her chin after a bit, “What about your projects? I’ve seen and heard of your purchases some days ago.”

  “You want to invest in me?” Fox lifted his eyebrows, wondering. Vanessa didn’t nod, but she looked at his eyebrows, fleetingly glancing at his polycoria eyes. “You can call it that way.”

  “Hmm…” Fox didn’t respond at once. Vanessa cocked her head a bit, offering, “How does 100 million sound?”

  “Cough…” Fox reacted with his eyes enlarging, taken aback by the sums of money she was willing to put, and in her first investment at that. His boutique could do that money in only 2 years, at least from its current state. Fox cleared his throat, facing this immense opportunity, “In that case, I can take it. It just so happens I’m trying to plan for some… things to be grabbed around.”

  “But I don’t want it outside Lymoca. Tell me, what do you plan to do with that money?” Vanessa crossed her arms and looked up at him, staring into his eyes this time. Fox looked at this and knew she had entered her work mode on.

  “Something good, for the Lys.” Fox looked at her for half a second before speaking in a clear, unhurried tone. Vanessa looked up into his eyes some more, not worried about being looked back by them, which currently were, and nodded.

  “I believe you won’t lie with this. Well then, you’ll receive them in 3 hours. I have some ‘moving’ to make.” She kept her arms crossed, but she seemed visibly better than when Fox rejected her. Looking at her sides, swinging her arms and shoulders a bit, she returned her azure eyes to his glabella, “It isn’t as good as I thought it would be, but that’ll do. It… was good, doing this.”

  “I thi- believe so.” Fox nodded a bit. He asked right away, also not wasting time. “Do we have anything to sign?”

  “With so much money being moved from one person to another, you think some legal papers are necessary now?” Vanessa looked at him with slightly side eyes and a scoffing face. Fox blinked. It was also the first time he saw something like this from her.

  For a person to move 100 million credits to another, and to be able to use 100 million credits like from some big pocket money… How much did this Supreme Justice Minister make a year?

  Furthermore, while everyone in the judicial branch was supposed to earn less than the president of Lymoca, they all had an official, higher-paying salary. Even then, even with all the Supreme Court Ministers’ salary and hers, Vanessa shouldn’t even have a third of that money. Yet, she seemed to have way more than that.

  “Well, that’s better. I don’t like papers.” Fox nodded, giving a piece of his person. Vanessa nodded before arching her left eyebrow, “Is that so?”

  “Mn,” Fox nodded. “Especially if I have to sign them.”

  “I see…” Vanessa replied with another nod. Then, her eyes seemed a bit lost as she fell pensive. Fox patiently waited, not moving from nor fidgeting on his spot. She looked up at him with slightly narrowed… and vulnerable eyes?

  “Are you… going to the war?” Vanessa seemed heavy hearted. Fox looked at her expression before nodding a bit. “I am, I must… Well, more or less.”

  Putting his hand in his left pocket, Fox shrugged a bit after speaking. Vanessa looked at this and fluttered her eyelids, lowering them a bit. She asked again after thinking for a couple of other seconds, “Will you be alright? What are you doing there?”

  “Will you be going alone or with the army?” Vanessa asked with a frown, but in her last question, she relaxed her face and looked into his eyes directly, letting Fox see some glints. He shook his head, though, wryly smiling as if embarrassed. “Supre-”

  “Just call me Vanessa. I call you Fox, not Phesx, or Caolia, do I?” Vanessa interrupted Fox before he knew it. Fox dropped his expressions and looked at her with a calm one. “Then, Vanessa. Ahem. Regardless of why you ask me, while I could tell you, I can’t let the Supreme Justice Minister know. Especially with such a trial still undergoing.”

  “…” Vanessa looked at him, her mind thinking many things. Should she drop it then? But it was so much money… She shut her eyes tight for a second before looking at Fox, in the same manner, but without the heaviness from before.

  “Then I hope you do well and return. Lymoca… shouldn’t lose you.” Vanessa nodded and prepared to walk away. Fox heavily frowned with her words, unable to stop himself as he spoke before he could think. A rare occurrence.

  “What do you mean by that, Vanessa?”

  Vanessa Valyer stopped. She turned and saw Fox’s chin over his shoulder, looking back at her. She turned her body fully before frowning a bit, seeing the inner debating in his expression. “You’ve done so much for the country. Despite being born in an independent Nation State before, one that belonged to a country in the past, you are a Ly.”

  She walked a couple of steps towards him, her head held high, and her chest out. “I won’t speak the same for Luis, regardless of the good things he has brought to the country as the president. His doings are those that can be undone. Yours? It might be 5 centuries before the organized crime or anything similar on equal grounds surfaces again.”

  “Of course, that is only if they are allowed, which I believe Lys won’t let happen again.” Vanessa stopped and looked up at Fox, almost moving her left arm to raise her hand. It twitched, though. “If Lymoca was to lose you now, beside that president losing the chances he has gained with you, even with how he treats you, he’d have lost already. But Lymoca…”

  “…” Fox could see emotion and honesty in Vanessa’s eyes, darting from one polycoria eye to another, even though he didn’t have to to know she wasn’t ‘playing’. She concluded, “Can’t lose you. You are unruly, but when you act, you do it to do well— when you do. I have the… sensation that you could be a good President one day, too. Even if it bothers you to death, or so…”

  Fox nearly burst out laughing. What kind of words were those from a woman to barely a young man? Regardless, he got the answer he wanted from her. Vanessa looked into his polycoria eye like she was staring at gold some more before lowering her chin, turning around and leaving without saying another word.

  “…” Fox looked at the woman whose overall power was something not even the District knew with utmost certainty. However… however.

  … Leaving Fox behind, Vanessa walked for a minute before someone found her when that someone was just turning around a corridor. Javier Laran looked at the Supreme Justice Minister’s back before hurrying towards her.

  Vanessa heard the running footsteps but didn’t look back, although she wasn’t distracted. Then, Javier Laran voiced out loud, almost yelling. “Vanessa! Please, wait!”

  Vanessa looked back at Javier, who ran towards her with a slightly sweaty expression. She rolled her eyes and loudly expressed with dissatisfaction after turning her head back to the front. “This again? Didn’t I tell you to eschew what you’re doing now? That you should be doing this?”

  “It’s been days already. First, once every 3, then twice, and now every day? I wonder, do you just not know when to use Jennifer as well? Or do you think you can talk to me alone through it?” Vanessa added once he caught up, walking beside her.

  Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.

  Javier breathed a bit harshly, looking at her with widened, side eyes. Once he had enough air to talk, he did so. “I want to talk about it because it is important. Now you know they aren’t clueless. Somehow, whatever you’ve been doing is not secret for them. Do you know what that means?”

  “Unsafe!” Javier Laran exclaimed with a strong emotion. Vanessa narrowed her eyes and looked in the opposite side. Javier carried on, “If this didn’t concern me, do you think I’d just tell you once and never bother again? Who are even those you are talking to!? So secretive. They clearly don’t want to be noticed. What when they know they are already in the government’s ‘list’?”

  “Do you want to be taken behind bars and filmed to show the world, too? If something doesn’t happen to you first?” Javier exclaimed with a semi desperate expression. Vanessa felt she had enough, so she threw him a glare, and her voice echoed with a slow, low tune.

  “They are only some people I talk to for the judicial branch’s sake. Do you think that money came from the ‘secret’ and ‘good’ government hidden from Luis’s- the Lymocan government? It is the same money you and everyone else has gained, not just me. So, why are you here, really?”

  “Don’t you just want to save your skin? The seat of the Supreme Justice Minister isn’t as powerful-passive as before I took it. Is it that much to slabber for? I know, with how I’ve conducted it, I’m sure everyone else just knows what to do to make it all better, isn’t it?” Vanessa proceeded to ignore the Supreme Court Minister and walked away, towards the Supreme Ministers’ hall of justice.

  “…” Javier Laran looked at her back again, this time a little helpless, stopped. He lowered his head and slowly turned around, while Vanessa wore a complex expression. It seemed like the whole world wanted her- no, was telling her what to do…

  ***

  Terka. More than a hundred kilometers into the Terkan territory’s shores, north. 4 days later.

  In one of the abandoned cities the Terkan army managed to evacuate before destroying it. Now, after the first few bombardments to destroy their own cities, the Terkan army didn’t stupidly wait for the Lymocan army to arrive, immediately bombing after evacuating.

  … 4 days ago, the Lymocan army found out a hidden Terkan force. They sneakily followed it, taking a detouring route towards the next city. It seemed like they intended to strike the Lymocan army as soon as they moved this way, just how they wanted it.

  But what they didn’t know was Lymoca now knew, and that this wouldn’t have been their route had they not seen the tracks. The Lymocan army notified the rest of the army stationed behind to slowly form a perimeter to advance with, just in case this wasn’t the only occasion.

  While that was still undergoing, the Terkan soldiers launched their assault, their ambush proving fruitful as the Lymocan vehicles were struck. They turned, and some were rolled to the side, but almost immediately, combat helicopters flew over, dropping heavy firepower on the enemy, who were out in the open for them to strike.

  Then, a furtive team of Lymocan tankettes rounded and struck the hidden enemy from behind, rapidly encircling them as the ambushed Lymocan soldiers endured and suffered some more before striking back, going all out.

  The Terkan force, no less than 10,000, were shrunk upon by the Lymocan encirclement, further wasted by the combat helicopters. The latter weren’t safe, though, but while they went all out to attack, the light support helicopters flying in between or above the rest defended the others with anti-missile devices.

  This was only known the next early morning, with the casualty of more than 8,000 Terkans before they realized how awfully they were dying, surrendering in their own ambush. Lymoca’s second skirmish showed great promise, and every neighboring nation felt their presence in the region.

  But more was still needed before Lymoca’s advances and doings could be… ‘seen’.

  From then on, with new discoveries of Lymoca finding out hidden Terkan forces between settlements, the former hunted the latter. To the Lymocan soldiers, it wasn’t too different from the bandits, who only had firearms, some high caliber, potent firepower, and armored vehicles.

  Naturally, the Terkan military had anti-missile and mounted turrets. While they also had tankettes, they were of a lower quality, and less than Lymoca’s. With just the motorized infantry beginning the combat, the hidden Terkan enemy forces were downed a lot before they surrendered.

  It wasn’t strange for at least a notable portion to surrender, with how they were the first country to be invaded in hundreds of years, and the first to suffer such defeats. Furthermore, Terka was one of the countries to do nothing to do with war after their foundation once the Lylaco Empire fell. Their country was like a backyard ‘another’ was supposed to take care of, but now…

  With the first few days after Lymoca entered Terka, showing the news and truths of the Terkan government, the people from Terka, especially in the northeast of the country, saw the Lymocan army differently.

  They offered some food and large pieces of fabric they wouldn’t utilize, wanting to help the Lymocan army once it was clear it was their government who destroyed the city, and then the next.

  The army refused them, however. There was more than enough for the army to take from these people. Furthermore, they carried research to discover if the food was poisoned. After all, they had to ensure the safety and properties of the war, which they explained to the Terkan civilians.

  … Currently, in the abandoned city and its western outskirts, there was an ongoing battle. The Terkans must have wanted to catch the Lymocans in the city, but they were late. A third of the still marching Lymocan army was already out, who easily saw the approaching enemy, and more with the army’s air forces. With their temporary HQ settled near the first abandoned city.

  There were dozens of combat helicopters, with some light support helicopters inbound from Lymoca, being prepared before sent to the war. And another dozens of warplanes, from fighters to bombers, who were similarly being prepared.

  The Lymocan navy’s aircraft was still helping, full-time, to aid the marching army. Thus, as the Terkan army was seen from afar, the Lymocan army prepared before advancing towards the enemy. The remaining ? in the city hurrying out and preparing to take on the Terkan enemy, just in case.

  In but half an hour, both sides met outside the city, facing each other with their soldiers alone, while some enemy artillery aimed and fired at the city, which the Lymocans were prepared to endure. Then, Lymocan combat helicopters flew to the battlefield, barraging the enemy with firepower and some missiles to whatever armored vehicles approached.

  Peeew-… tuk! Beep- whoooshhh… A light support helicopter shot a small semi cylindrical object to the ground, behind a hill. The object didn’t perforate fully, but enough to nail itself to the ground. It lighted up with a blue color, beeping before sending air out from its smallish circular hole compartments downwards. When a Terkan military unit saw this, a tank aimed and exploded it and everything meters in diameter around it to bits on its second hit, from its second cannon.

  However, the information was given in time, and the Lymoca army realized there was an ultramodern tank moving towards the battlefield from there. 3 combat helicopters flew over, immediately bombarding the tank with rockets, some missiles, and penetrating ammunition.

  Whhoooooosshhhh… Just then, as if waiting for this moment, the Terkan skies sounded with their warplanes flying over from the south. However, flying around in silence, some navy aircraft rapidly flew over, protecting the combat helicopters. They were fast, concise, and fearless, not caring to even employ anti-missile methods, and rushed into the enemy warplanes.

  The enemy missiles were, in the end, forced to detonate by spikes from the same enemy warplanes, who saw the Lymocan fighters and turned to flee. They didn’t even bother trying to face them, at least for most of them. The majority wanted to flee, but they were just turning.

  The Lymocan fighters caught up, flying near them, forcing them to use their anti-missile methods before the Lymoca slowed down a bit, using their machine guns to fire at the enemy. The enemy agilely flew, dodging as much as possible, but the fighters followed their movement as smooth as possible, leaving them helpless after they became more wasted than the Lymocan pilots.

  Once the enemy warplanes were on their way to the ground, without any mercy, the Lymocan fighters sent missiles to finish them and their warplanes before returning to the north. Not being bombers, they received information about some other tanks and enemy artillery to target them.

  After doing as much as they could, the navy’s aircraft, also installed within the temporary HQ instead of Omecó state, returned to the base for maintenance and repair if needed.

  This was the first battlefield after the Lymocan forces hunted the Terkan hidden forces in their own territory, imprisoning thousands of them in the end. Immediately outside the city, almost 200,000 soldiers faced each other, with military vehicles forcing a momentous battle in the war.

  ***

  Lymoca, Proteros. 6 days later.

  It was night, with Fox bringing Nala’s team, and people he handpicked from the District, who would come with them. Captain Nauer and Captain Lian were among the group with their teams. It was a crowded bar Fox rented with the District ensuring no information of this was revealed to the public. Luis wanted to keep the SAs hidden to the public for now, after all.

  Butler was in a corner with crossed arms.

  Fox entered the bar from the backroom with a full glass in his left hand. It had to be liquor, or everyone would smell it and feel he was exerting less effort for them. Human things Fox had to deal with on a daily basis since becoming the Chief Secretary of Security.

  “I’m not a great host, nor a warm person. Tomorrow, we depart for Terka, and it’s just another assignation. While it is new, it is also the reason special agents and secret organizations were made. It’s a bit ‘poetic’ to think we started the decrease in their use and are now giving birth to it again. I will lead us tomorrow, perhaps. But I’m only leading you to the war, not yourselves, and I’m only teaching you what I can… For the return of Piya Sanctum District!”

  “For the District!” After Fox raised his hand, the others followed. Nala silently raised hers, looking at Fox’s back just a few steps behind him. The rest raised their glass in their left hand and shouted, bringing the bar to a notorious ruckus from the outside before drinking up.

  White and Green Bloods outside, ensuring its secrecy, lifted their chins in a rapid nod upwards.

  The bar relaxed and became bustling. The special agents mingling with their own as they drank and ate pizza. It was delicious, and as they knew it, it came from Sargonde. Colmillo was seated in a table with Miros, forcing him to chat with her after arriving late. It didn’t escape her eyes that one of the pizza boxes were half-eaten, with a female scent coming from it.

  Thankfully, she didn’t find even a strand of hair, or Colmillo might’ve brought the kid to the bathrooms and analyzed every inch of his body, intent on finding out if it was an untouched body.

  “Hey, yoouu.” Nala walked to Fox’s right and said, drinking before looking at him with upturned eyes. Fox turned to face her, thinly smiling from just hearing her voice, leaning on the counter near him as she leaned on him slightly, keeping their public display of affection at bay.

  “…” - “…” Fox didn’t say anything. He grabbed her lower back, his arm around her waist, and pulled her close. Her pelvis against his hip, he lowered his forehead to hers and connected them. They said nothing, closing their eyes to each other, feeling and seeing one another.

  …