“Wait a minute, who are you?” Sally asked me the first time we met.

I could understand her confusion. She was under the impression that the previous class 13 who went and let Dr. Ratine out was me. I decided not to be petty and state the obvious for them.

“I am Torra. In the flesh,” I responded with gusto. My specially composed BGM began to play from the google home mini I had “modified”.

The class twelves looked surprised.

“The person who broke Ratine out of his cell is another class 13. One those fools at ASMR never noticed,” I decided to explain.

The class 12s surprise turned to shock. My google home mini began to play contemplative music as their shock turned to alarm a few seconds later.

“So there is another… then the reason you freed us is because… what exactly?” Old Wayfinder asked.

“Simple, I need you lot to try to figure out what he wants with my world saving solution before I actually make it,” I explained. There was indeed a reason these fellows were not class 13s, they weren’t bright enough. Perhaps getting them to help wasn’t a great idea.

“And you think we can actually match up to a class 13 together?” the old man raised an eyebrow at me. I really didn’t like his attitude.

“No, but if you chase after him trying to figure out what he wants with me, you’ll no doubt annoy him and then I can find a way to deal with him,” I couldn’t believe he really asked me such a foolish question.

“And why should we help you and not him?” Sally asked.

See, I thought Sally was the smartest of these class 12s, clearly that was a miscalculation. They are all, equally incompetent. None of them just gets it.

“Because he doesn’t need you. He’s planning to take over ASMR and use their resources to get my solution,” I stated.

After some more questions, they finally got the jist of what was going on. The other class 13 had been keeping a low profile to hide from ASMR and myself. Now that ASMR was going all out to try and capture me, he had decided to go and help them so that once they caught me, he could take my solution.

Or atleast, based on the information I had this is what I concluded. Given that he is a class 13 and I know next to nothing about him, there was a roughly 35% chance I was wrong. We class 13s are very quirky, if I am anything to go by, so it is possible that he doesn’t want anything with my solution and is instead after something else entirely.

Those were the thoughts I had as I guided the totally wowed class 12s through my makerspace. The trio were literally drooling over my machinery. As they should be. It is quite the impressive collection for my seventh satellite lab.

What? Did you think I brought them to my main lab? Please, I didn’t want them to die of shock. We need them to adapt to my seventh lab first before moving them up. These class 12s are delicate things.

…

“I was beginning to think you wouldn’t show up. Please have a seat,” Laico gestured to the seat next to him.

Just as he stated, Captain Wayfinder found him in the cafe she frequented on 12th street. He was sitting on the bar height table that was against the window looking out onto the street.

Hand on her concealed gun, she narrowed her eyes in suspicion as she took the seat next to the one he had beckoned her to.

“I see you are cautious. I like that. The world is a dangerous place and we cannot yet trust everyone we meet to be good people,” Laico smiled. His smile was… strangely enough very nice and sweet. You wouldn’t think he was some psychotic class 13 from how understanding he was being.

“Why did you call me here?” Captain Wayfinder asked not to let her guard slip despite his cute smile.

“For a date,” he said, “would you like your signature 50 chai 50 earl grey mix?”

Captain Wayfinder shook her head.

Laico sighed. “I see that you are still suspicious of me, Captain. May I ask, what can I do to allay your suspicions?”

“You could let me arrest you and not escape from prison.”

“Ha ha ha,” Laico laughed. “Let’s ignore the fact that I’m innocent and am also not planning anything nefarious, if I were to go to your prison, I wouldn’t be able to date you.”

“I don’t want to date you,” Captain Wayfinder blatantly stated.

“Honest as always, but it still stings a little bit,” Laico smiled.

“Perhaps I should reciprocate your honesty. Care to join me for a walk?” Laico asked getting up and holding his hand out to Captain Wayfinder.

She didn’t take his hand. She didn't fancy his gentlemanly antics either. She wasn't the delicate thing she used to be.