The Landlord

forty one - hidden mission

"May I get your order?" Florence asked in front of Larissa whose face is covered because she was reading the menu. Slowly, Larissa dropped the menu on the table revealing her as Jan Stevens. Florence eyes circled and her knees started to tremble because of fear. "Chief..." the only words that came out from her mouth.

"Hello, my so-called daughter." Larissa greeted as she raises her brow causing more trepidation to the young lady.

"C-Chief, what a-are you doing here?" she swallowed a big lump on her throat.

"Shouldn't I be the one who's asking you that interrogation, Stevens?" Larissa looked up and then she stared at her straightly into her eyes.  "Did she find out?" she added to her question.

"Chief?" Florence asked as if she did not hear what Larissa said.

"Did she find out that you work for me as my apprentice for your apprenticeship?"

"Chief, I swear, I did not tell the boss anything." She explained frightfully. She starts to play with her hands since she is really nervous.

"And that is the most stupidest thing I heard today." Larissa stood up infront of her, that's when Florence looked down. "You work for a Secret Agent and you really think she wouldn't find out in the very first place?" Larissa asked the young lady sarcastically.

"Chief, I swear—"

"Does Enid even know you're here?"

"N-No, chief."

"Then does it bother you that she would feel betrayed if she knows that her sister is doing a secret mission?" Larissa's question was a spike to Florence's heart. It's a way for Larissa to make the young lady tell her everything. Florence is known as a fearless woman yet she has a very fragile heart. It hurts her and haunts her ever since she started working for Lady Mir secretly because she knows that once that Enid knew about it, it would ruin something emotionally.

"Chief, you taught me, you raised me—us. And if there's one thing I will not forget among everything that you have taught us is...that...the mind and heart should not be opponents. Believe me, before I decided accepting missions, you were the first one that I thought of. You know that I cannot betray you because you are a guardian to me...even if you don't consider yourself as one. Chief, even if you won't take nor accept it, you raised us. Me and my sister. Even if it's against you, you still did. You brought us to this wonderful journey and I wouldn't do anything to ruin it." Tears starts to forge on her eyes, "But..."

"But what?"

"I just don't understand anymore."

"What do you not understand, Florence?"

"I-I don't understand our purpose anymore." She glanced at Larissa with an eyes full of agony. "I don't understand why it feels like you and Lady Mir are not one anymore. Waterloo Homes—"

"We are one." Larissa cuts her off by lying.

"Why do we call it when it doesn't feel like home anymore?" The young lady questioned her. Florence's sobs were present; the heavy feeling in her heart wants to come out.

"Florence, you know that you cannot discuss something against our organization, especially to your Deputy Chief."

"B-But I am not speaking as Florence. I am not speaking as an agent trainee. I am speaking as Yoko, as myself, and as the child that you raised."

"Yoko, I did not raise you—"

"You did! And you know what hurts even more? You raised us with all your hard work but you cannot still accept that. Enid and I are more than grateful than you would ever know—"