Agent Blaze - Aimed To Kill | SFW ver. [Blaze-Blue-Duet Part One]

Chapter 46

Three weeks later...

"Why do I know for a fact that you didn't pay with this card?" Connor says, while holding up the credit card Adira was given – his credit card.

She wanted to return it to him, officially, before she could start into her new life. So, she requested to meet up with him here – in a small park, on a bench, while fog surrounds them both. Nobody of interest would be bold enough to overhear this conversation.

Adira shrugs and stuffs her hands into the front pocket of her sweater.. "You have to check your balance."

The look he gives her is... surprising. Almost challenging. "I would have gotten a notification."

Damn.

"So, what are you going to do about it?" Adira mumbles in a teasing tone. Connor leans back on the bench and fixes the sleeves of his sweater. "I gave you the choice to finally pay your parents' debt and you didn't? What has gotten into you, Adira? Where is your prissy demeanor?"

"Where are the insults you'd have normally thrown at me?" he seems to want to say.

"I knew that if I did I'd never get away from this whole damn thing – the job, the missions, the... the kills," she suddenly admits.

Connor leans forwards to be on her level. "I never named any consequences, nothing."

She knows, she knew.

"So why... didn't you trust my word enough to do it?"

"I did. I did trust your word, with everything you said. I never doubted it. But-"

"But what?" his voice suddenly becomes warm, empathetic.

Adira feels it, things might have evolved in her life and in his, but the sizzling tension is still between them both - now, she is uncertain if it's hatred, competitive behavior or genuine feelings.

"It was drilled into me that words don't have much value. That things were spoken softly, for something to be added to, later."

Connor raises an eyebrow and exhales. "Well," He types something on his phone, "whatever it is that kept you from paying, you can't change the course of things anymore. Not when I did it. It's my money after all."

"What- Connor, what did you do?" Adira perks up, her heartbeat quickens.

But Connor shrugs. "Paid the debt."

"What- Why?"

"Because you couldn't. Someone had to, eventually. These two were close to eviction, again."

Eviction.

"How did you manage?" Adira sighs and slumps over, burying her face in her hands, frustrated now. "How did you manage to find out where they even live..."

"Just gotta know where to look."

A groan escapes her lips.

Suddenly, she feels a hand on her back. "If it helps you sleep at night, I never felt good with seventeen million sitting on my ass. I'm not the type to be a rich guy."

Adira brushes her hair out of her face. Weird how she's gotten so used to his touch by now. "Still, there's... charity and make-a-wish..."

Connor snorts. "With that type of government, we both know where the donation is going."

After a moment of them both sitting like this, on a bench in the middle of a park, while cold damp fog surrounds them, Adira seems to forget what kept them apart from each other all along.

"You know I can never pay you back for what you did," she suddenly says.

He shrugs. "Consider it your payment for the missions, after a long time, to be fair."

Adira is still speechless.

After a moment, Connor stands up. "Well, what happened happened. Good luck in the world out there. I hope you get to live the life you deserve."

"So, this is Goodbye, for real now?" Adira asks. He nods.

Adira stands up to stand in front of him. "What will your life look like? Now, after the world's been fixed?"

Connor sighs. "This world is too broken to be permanently fixed. But I'll try my best to continue. Without you. But... you still know the address."

In other words, "You're free to visit."

Adira grins. "Good luck then, asshole."

"For you too, rodent."

Adira wants to shake his hand but instead of returning the gesture, Connor wraps his arms around her. One last time. A hug. A Goodbye - for real now. Adira inhales his scent for the last time, feels his warmth for the last time, feels him for the last time.

After a moment, he peels his arms from her waist and waves her goodbye.

Just like last time, this should be easy, damn!

But then, Connor walks away. Without her.

And she looks after him, even after his shape was swallowed by the thick fog and as a gust of wind blows the swath of fog away in the next moment, not a trace of Connor's existence is left to be seen.