Strike Witches: Black Masks

Chapter 5: The Team Part III

Date: March 20th, 2019
Location: London, Britain, United Kingdom, Europe

"The view from here is amazing."

A person is looking out the window of the pod. He takes a picture with his camera. "I will never get bored of this."

"Wow, Corona."

"I am easily impressed and I like the London Eye. Also, please stop calling me Corona, Glenn."

"I can't deny that the view from up here is amazing but isn't that your given name?"

"Yes but I don't like that name. I'd prefer either Pierre or Arthur."

"I'll just keep calling you Corona."

"..."

Corona looks at the Palace of Westminster and Big Ben. He takes a few pictures of the two. He also takes a picture of the Charing Cross and Waterloo railway stations. He looks at the few clouds in the blue sky. "Today sure is peaceful. Don't you think so?"

"Yeah. Want to head to the park once we get back down?"

"Sure."

Corona glances at the other occupants in the pod who are all looking out the large windows.

After some time, their pod reaches the ground and the door splits open. All the occupants walk out. Corona and Glenn look back at the pod and continue walking.

After they leave the area, they walk towards the Jubilee Gardens. "Do you know what you're gonna do once you get older?"

Corona looks at Glenn before turning his attention elsewhere. "I haven't given much thought on that." He notices a statue. "The memorial..."

"The International Brigades Memorial was erected to honor those who have fallen during the Spanish Civil War, especially the British Battalion." "I know that. It's just... we shouldn't have gotten involved in that war. It was Spain's problem. The other countries shouldn't have gotten involved in a conflict that had nothing to do with them."

"..."

"Anyway, let's just pay our respects and walk around some more."

There was an awkward silence between the two as they walked. "Want to get something to eat?"

Glenn chuckles. "Sure." "Okay. We'll get some food after we're done with the park."

As the two reach the memorial, they look at it and clasp their hands together and close their eyes. After a few seconds, they stop and open their eyes. "Thank you for your service."

An hour later, after walking around the park and eating at a café, Corona and Glenn walk around the city. "Today has been fun." "Yeah it has."

"I wonder what happened to those missing teens."

"You mean the ones who enter some portals and are never seen again?"

"That's what I'm talking about."

"No one knows. People have tried to stop them from entering the portals but are pushed back. I think it's a futile effort to save them. No matter what people do, they always fail."

Corona looks at the London Eye. "Let's hope that doesn't happen to us. Let's go for another ride on the London Eye."

"Alright. After that, let's head back to the hotel to rest for a bit."

"Okay."

As the two got inside a pod, two more people joined them. "Corona?"

Corona turns around and sees a young woman just as the door closes. "Jess..."