Ethos Code

Chapter 18

They continue to drive back to base, Iria stroking Kiyoshi's hair as his head rests on her lap.  The silence feels like needles in Atlas' ears, and he fidgets with the buttons on his blazer, keeping his tear-stained eyes out the window.  Vanta eventually parks, but none of them move an inch from their car seats.

"You guys can go inside, I don't want to get out yet."  Iria mutters, her face splotchy and her eyelids drooped.

"I... I don't want to get out either..." Atlas mumbles, taking his hands off his blazer and gripping the loose fabric on the shin of Kiyoshi's slacks, gritting his teeth.  "Getting out means it's real."

"Someone should have stayed with him."  Vanta asserts.  "Why the hell didn't we keep someone with him...?"

"We weren't thinking.  I wasn't thinking.  I chose the hiding spot, I should have stayed there too."  Atlas responds, taking a shaky breath.  "Why didn't I stay there with him?!"

"Yeah, you're right.  You should have."  Vanta snaps.  "I don't care that it was 01, we could have at least slowed him down so Kiyoshi could have escaped.  Hell, maybe he could have even finished his download!"

"I left him to die..." Atlas cries out.  "How stupid and useless am I to just leave him there?!  Somewhere so dangerous?!  It's my fault..." he sobs, snot and drool dripping off his chin with his tears.

"Yeah, you are stupid and useless.  The back of a dumpster?  Like no one's going to check back there?  What if, I don't know, the staff who were cooking for the event were throwing away their garbage?  Even in a scenario like that, he would have been caught!  And that seems like a given!"  Vanta turns her head to yell at him, but her eyes meet Kiyoshi's face on the way, and her anger softens.

"I... I have to call Dr. G.  Tell him to... cancel the appointment."  Iria mumbles.

"Iria..." Vanta starts.

"He's such a good kid."  She cuts her off.  "He was so patient too."  She leans in, brushing the hair off his forehead and kissing it.  "At least his head doesn't hurt anymore, one way or another.  I doubt his head hurts wherever he is now..." Her words slur into incoherency.  "I don't want to fight anymore.  I'm done with missions.  I can't do this anymore."

"Me too,"  Atlas adds.  "This... it's too much.  I can't..."

"I'll do them."  Vanta cuts in, gritting her teeth.  "I'll do every mission until I see 01 again.  Then I'll kill him.  I'll make it long and painful.  I'll make him suffer for this."  She gets out of the car, slams the door, and stomps her way inside.  A few painfully long and silent minutes pass before Atlas follows, leaving Iria in the car alone with Kiyoshi's body.  She watches Atlas shut the door before her posture sags, and she pulls Kiyoshi's body in close to her chest, wailing hysterically.

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Iria kneels on the kitchen floor, digging through the back of one of her cupboards, her dress becoming muddied by dust and crumbs before she finds her treasure, pulling out an old bottle of tequila and setting it on the counter.  She yanks the utensil drawer open, pulling out a bottle opener and taking the cap off with a pop.

"No mixer?  You madman."  Atlas comes up behind her.  "Would Kiyo want you to be drinking?"

"He'd understand."  She begins pouring the liquor straight into an empty tea mug.

"Whoa, easy there."  Atlas takes the bottle from her.

"Don't stop me."  She takes a big swig of it, grimacing.  "Frick, it's been a while..."

"I may not have known Kiyo as long as you, but I'm pretty sure he'd want you to take care of yourself."  He tells her, sighing.  "But I can't really force you to do that, can I?"