EHG— CHAPTER 589 (Patreon)
Content
Title: Hired Help
Nik and Ava placed their slices of pizza down simultaneously as Phil smiled wryly. "It isn't that bad," he explained, "You just need to help this man secretly. Nik," Phil gazed at the dark-haired youth with simply a face that every man might wish to have, "You're right for this job!" Nik looked at the picture of a smiling blonde man. Slightly slanted and squarish jawline, dreamy sky-blue eyes and his body covered in the army-code belonging to the time of world war. Not only that, Nik actually knew this man from myriad documentaries and any person the least bit interested in the American history would recognize this man, too.
"Steve Rogers," Ava contemplated, "We all were informed that after being dismissed from his care facility, he actually made a trip to Mexico."
"And now he's in San Francisco. And this is supposed to be our second mission should you choose it," Phil looked at Nik, "While me and Ava would be on this regardless of your agreement."
"We shouldn't discuss things here but I can only explain things further if you want in on this mission."
"Sure. Anyway, what's the price?"
"Of?" Ava inquired.
"My services," Nik stated bluntly. He had been living on Mary's salary for a whole month now and while he, of course, didn't mind being afforded by a woman instead. Things were starting to get tougher and extra pay would always help. "You don't get paid for being hero," Ava scoffed as Nik looked at her strangely, "Sure. But what about agents? Are you saying that S.H.I.E.L.D offers you nothing in return?"
"Well..." Ava looked towards the counter, slightly embarrassed, "Not monetary benefits, no."
"But the organization takes care of every single payment for Ava. Including her rent. Meanwhile, for her own sustainability, like meals and clothes, she has taken a part-time job." Phil continued, "And I have the limits of offering you this much," Phil extended three fingers. "Thirty million?" Nik exclaimed with a pleasant expression, "That's generous." His words instantly making Phil choke on his pepperoni delight. Forcefully chugging down a glass of water placed beforehand as a compliment, he whispered raspily, "I meant thirty thousand aside from the expenses."
"Oh," Nik nodded, "I'll take it," he smiled. He would have negotiated if he was being pressurized to join or if he was in extreme need of money, or, if his life would be at risk in every mission. This wasn't the case at all and aside from Nick Fury who quite possibly was a really advanced android. A feat of technology, in Nik's eyes and he really wanted to know how to create an android. After all, this was one of the greatest steps to 'create' a life in some manner and Nik was extremely fascinated by it. And... why wouldn't he take on a mission for thirty thousand bucks? "How will I receive the money?" Nik inquired.
"It would be presented in cash. Since you'll be our hired help, the organization still hadn't set-up a cover line for the bank transactions so you could be traced by... other interested parties." Phil tapped the table softly.
'He means Hydra, huh...' Nik thought as Pickle exclaimed. "As expected. You can see through the most deceptive of behaviors."
'He wasn't being deceptive though...' Nik continued.
"I am extremely sorry. I am still learning all the words... you just know too many languages."
'Work hard,' Nik praised Pickle internally before looking a little concerned. "Why isn't he exposed already? The Captain is... quite a popular figure even if he isn't known to live. So someone must have already figured it out, right? Did you provide Captain with a foolproof backstory?" Nik inquired.
"Yes, we did. And now, Captain has pushed himself in a local feud. And how should I put it... he is trying to pull the inheritor of the Mexican Mobster out of the life of crime so you can see how the gang and the competitors might react."
"You just explained everything, even after saying that we'll talk on the way back," Nik pointed out as Phil stiffened. "I didn't explain everything," he looked like a drowning person trying to find a log for support. "Oh, I misjudged the situation," Nik picked his slice up, providing Phil with a log as Ava felt distressed. She wasn't getting paid but everything she gained until now was monumentally greater than 30000 bucks. In fact, if she had to choose between her current mode of payment and the one provided to Nik, she would pick her choice but... that's thirty thousand dollars! She hadn't even seen so much money aside from the occasionally bust of major drug deals and that, too, had been lowered in frequency after joining Nick Fury.
"Aside from the Mexican cartels," Nik smiled, gobbling the crust filled with molten cheese, making Nik lick his lips, he continued with a satisfied expression, "The treat really was satisfying. So how would this go? Does the organization pay for our food, too?"
"Not personal treats like this one," Phil grinned, "This one's on me. But every place selected for our stay comes with a food corner. Our motel comes with a partnered restaurant and any meals in that place are free." Nik nodded at the explanation as the trio wrapped up and stood up. As they got out of the hut, Ava spoke up. "Phil, I wanna hang out with Nik for a while. What do you say?" She looked towards Nik with an inquiring gaze as Nik nodded with a smile. "Sure thing."
"Alright, I'll meet you two in your rooms. Don't get in trouble," He unlocked the car and drove off as Ava silently took out her cellphone and switched it off, gesturing Nik to do the same. Unwilling to explain how his mobile phone was extraterrestrial, Nik simply switched it off. "Huff, don't get me wrong, I don't know if we are being spied on but it's always better to keep electronics off if you are trying to discuss important stuff. There's always a chance that someone might be hearing you." She turned onto the street, beckoning Nik to follow him. "I actually... tried to get Purple Man," Ava whispered as the duo found a rather secluded spot. But her words still required a soft volume with a few civilians still crossing every now and then. "What he was doing... isn't right but I could barely resist his abilities." She blushed harder this time, amusing Nik slightly as he leaned against the wall and crossed his hands, clearly enjoying Ava's predicament. "So? What did he 'almost' make you do?" Nik inquired. Any mind controller with desires would love to make the world dance on their fingers, even Nik barely resisted his urges and if he wasn't easily popular with ladies, then his story might have been different and he knew it.
"He..." biting her lips, averting her gaze from Nik, unable to hold the burden of his eyes, she whispered, "He almost made me unmask myself."
"Only the mask?" Laughable. If it was just unmasking, Ava would be fuming, not twitching with her scent unconsciously leaking.
"He made me... almost made me," Ava corrected herself, "Get completely naked in a restaurant." Taking a deep breath, she looked Nik into his eyes once again, "The point is, you admitted that you find sexual offenders unsightly. Me, too. You can deal with the person from a distance, hidden from plain sight and I can provide you his location. Help me," She asked out with a serious expression as Nik thought carefully. It was only out of personal reasons that Nik didn't enjoy non-consensual activities. In his entire life, the only time he engaged in such act when it wasn't the best option was with Megumi and it still hurt him. Well... he did tame Klas but all rights are revoked from those who try to kill him.
"Actually," Nik spoke, "This 'Purple Man' that almost got you," recalling the event of the manipulation of the crowd, he continued, "Might possibly be able to affect targets at a longer range."
"Please," Ava spoke up, taking a step forward, her expression anything but pleading, "He's got women stored in his room. He's making them do wrong things and it isn't just sex. Crimes!" Ava hissed.
"Why doesn't S.H.I.E.L.D. send a sniper?" Nik inquired.
"Because New York City is a high-profile area. Masked individuals like us can operate freely because of our hidden identity but not S.H.I.E.L.D. There's no proof that Purple Man has women in his captivity. He is also a slick person that hardly appears," Ava stated, making Nik look a little impassive. "Alright, no reason to not help you out," Nik nodded as Ava sighed in relief as Nik grinned, "Now, did you really not take your clothes off? You know, sharing embarrassing stories can also earn my respect and belief."
"I don't wanna talk about it," she grumbled.
"So? What now?" Nik inquired, "Do you want to hang out? I'm going to go buy some stuff for Anna." Nik invited. Taking a few moments to consider, Ava nodded while taking out a handkerchief from her pocket and wiping her forehead clean. 'How is he not sweating?' Ava eyed Nik suspiciously as he looked like a breath of fresh air. Even his clothes seemed 'too' fresh.
---
"That's it!" Kiria shouted, hugging Gwen's body pillow and rolling on her bed while Gwen looked at her friend with a helpless expression, sitting on her table and trying to focus. Sitting up, Kiara licked her lips with a maddened glint in her eyes, "How dare he break-up with me? Me!" She hissed, "I just wanted him to be a good person. Just get good grades, good job, get into a good neighborhood, stop talking to freaks like his friends, and give all his remaining attention to me! Is that so much to ask?" Kiara inquired rhetorically as Gwen worked on her assignments. 'What about his family, though?' The blonde thought internally.
"Let's curse him!" Kiara snapped her face towards Gwen's direction, almost making her pee in her pants as she gulped. It wasn't the word that brought fear to her but Kiara's expression itself. "C-curse him? Like calling him and abusing?" Gwen really hoped that it was this kind of curse that Kiara wanted to do since her friend is really into...
"No! We'll get a doll, paste Brandon's photo on it and stab its crotch!" Kiara hissed.
Horror genre.
---
"So these are the kids," An old agent nodded towards Nik and Ava who sat opposite to each other with the agent himself sitting across Phil. They were back in their motel as Phil replied with an easygoing expression, "They are the enhanced individuals, correct. Would you please bring out the contract?" He inquired, making the old agent reach out for his briefcase and take out a thin stack of papers as Phil explained, "These are the terms of your hire," Phil gestured towards Nik, making the man push the papers towards Nik who went through them casually. "Usually, we would have brought a lawyer alongside us, just the way we did with Luke and Ava but since we are borderline... less ethical, there is no need to give a third-party any form of leverage."
Nik nodded as the group concluded the contract rather quickly before the agent coughed and looked at the report prepared by Phil. "I think it's necessary to inform that Felicia Hardy has escaped charges once again."
"This early?" Ava raised her eyebrow, clearly displeased with the information as the old agent continued, "But she hasn't left the city. We lost her at noon but it is possible that she might have a new job already or... she might be after you. So keep an eye out for her, too." Nodding once again, the agent stood up and left the room silently. "That's her name? Felicia Hardy," Nik smiled and muttered to himself. "Now I really wish she comes after us," standing up, Nik walked towards the door when Phil called out, "We'll move out tomorrow morning. Be prepared."
"Yes!" Waving his hand, Nik walked out of the room, Pickle now speaking once again, "Nik, when will we have our first sexual experience?" She seemed eager as Nik walked into his room and inquired, "You mean like me, you, and someone else? Hopefully, Ava."
"No!" Pickle instantly denied, "I mean me and you."
"But you are asexual. You don't have the same receptors as me due to biological differences," Nik explained patiently while making Pickle recede back into his body, turning him naked as he jumped into the bed, "I can share my senses and experience but that might cause experience since my excitement would conclude in a fulfilling release but yours might not."
"Hehe, I can experience sex. Take that, you slut!" Asmodeus clearly wasn't happy with her chance of hanging out with Nik in the real world.
"I sense jealousy, Nik," Pickle resounded, "Is some whore burning around me?"
"When did you learn to curse?" Nik inquired in amusement as Pickle replied, "Just now. I can even curse that whore in runic language! Anyway... is there no way for me to experience the same things?"
"Well, now that we are out of the restraints of Paradise, we can always try to evolve. And not only our bloodline." Nik smiled as a thick pink tendril formed out of him, morphing into an oval structure with wide white space that denoted the eyes. "That seems possible. Let us devour more of my kind and evolve quickly!" Pickle prayed before reaching out for Nik's forehead and entering Nik once again. "That was me kissing your forehead goodnight," Pickle explained softly as Nik turned his body and hugged a pillow while closing his eyes. "I know," he smiled.