Chapter 12: Be better
As I set my glass down, the heavy silence in the kitchen was broken by the sound of more footsteps. Jessica, Erina, and Alice, Nila, Doo Hee wandered in, drawn by the lack of noise.
Jessica stretched, her expression still sleepy, while the Nakiri cousins looked remarkably composed, though Alice's curious eyes immediately scanned the room Nila and Doo Hee were in silence.
"Morning," Jessica said, her voice laced with concern as she looked at our grim faces. "What's with the atmosphere? You three look like you've seen a ghost. What happened?"
Gwen, never one to hold back, crossed her arms and took center stage. "We've had a visitor," she announced, her voice low and serious. "Scavaneger guild leader, the National Hunters."
Alice, who had been inspecting the coffee machine, froze. Erina's posture straightened, her warm morning demeanor replaced by a cool, focused alertness. Jessica's eyes widened.
"Andre Thomas?" Jessica asked, her voice barely a whisper. "Here? Why?"
"To recruit our boss, Jotaro," Gwen said, jerking a thumb in my direction. "He offered him a spot, and Jotaro, being the genius he is, told him to shove it."
The kitchen grew even quieter. The chefs exchanged a look that was more than simple surprise; it was a look of grim understanding. They knew what that name meant.
"You rejected an offer from the National Hunter leader?" Erina asked, her voice calm but edged with steel. It wasn't a question of why, but a statement of fact, seeking confirmation.
"I did," I confirmed, meeting her gaze. "I don't want any part of their world. I just want to be left alone."
Alice let out a short, humorless laugh. "Yeah, good luck with that," she said, leaning against the counter. "They don't just 'leave people alone.' Once you're on their radar, you're on their radar for good. Rejecting a direct recruitment… that's not just a door slammed in their face. It's a declaration."
Jessica looked pale, her earlier sleepiness completely gone. "So what does this mean? Are you in danger?"
Doo Hee answered before I could. "It means our little holiday just got a hell of a lot more complicated. It means Jotaro's 'normal life' just went up in smoke. We're not just crashing at a rich guy's house anymore; we're hiding out with someone the government's top dogs want on a leash."
Her words hung in the air, stark and undeniable. The easy camaraderie from the night before had evaporated, replaced by the harsh reality of our new situation.
"Chill, be optimistic. A rejection from nobody won't destroy his reputation." I said, a valid point I had in my mind. "Let's hope for the best."
"Anyways Chef, I want some food I'm so hungry? Nothing fancy, old gold fast food." I bid, last night's meal was good but it didn't fill up my stomach completely.
"We don't have much ration, for all." They pointed out the issue which can be dealt with by one slick on the screen of my phone. "Well I will order fast."
With that done, they started preparing and cleaning the kitchen as last night they didn't help everyone of course as they all had nothing much to do without complaining. "Jesscia, who are you. Or should I ask you, What do you think you are?" She and Mary Jane were alone in the dinner room lazying around.
"What do you mean?" Drew asked, the red head watching with confusion upon hearing what I was talking about didn't interrupt. "I mean, I read and searched about hydra and found out they are an old old organisation fixated on world domination."
"So why are they so desperate to find you, that you are an asset or a person of your own?" I insisted on asking her again, reframing the question with a choice for her.
"Now I'm a person of my own, I am done working for evil." She spoke with great conviction in her tone and eyes burning with confidence. "What you said…. Is it something that I would like to hear or what you said is the reality."
I inquired, again delving deeper in question, reading her Aura throughout the conversation. She took a pause as the question framed was too cryptic and deep even for her to answer right away.
"I.." She shuttered for a second as she looked at her new red head friend.
"Boss, I understand your concern and worries but she's a good person now." The red head interrupted taking sides with her friend. "I know you are working on the redemption arc of your story, Ms Spiderwomen but try your best to collateral damages like us out of your shit. I don't need any apologies or a verbal response."
"Just be better than sorry is all I ask." Was all I said after a pause. I hated excuses or meaningless talk if one didn't act like a responsible person.