We leave chief's office and stop in front of Neha's desk. She looks at me and makes a relieved face, albeit for a moment.

'Is it my imagination or did she just seem relieved?'

[Hey Neha.]

"Hey Roy. You leaving?"

[Yes. And you got a package for me?]

"I do. Just wait a moment... Here you go."

[Thank you. See you tomorrow.]

"Yeah, see you ... tomorrow."

I go to the elevator and push the button. Elevator door promptly opens. I am about to step in when Neha called out to me.

"Ummm Roy, about tomorrow ... You will be there, won't you?"

I stop in my tracks.

'Does she think I will just forget her after I leave the building?'

I turn around. Neha is standing up from her chair. She is fiddling with her fingers and has a bit of tear in her eyes.

'I see. She is afraid. She probably thinks I am giving her false hope.'

[I will call tomorrow morning and let you know the place. Make sure you wear a cute dress.]

Neha stares angrily at me for a minute. Then she laughs a little and wipes her eyes.

[I will.]

She is still teary eyed but sense of uneasiness from before is gone. Smiling, I wave at her and step in the elevator. Before the door closes, I see she is waving back.

~ She is a good woman. Got the curves exactly where it's needed. ~

[Don't go laying your hands on her, Mike.]

~ I wasn't thinking of stealing her. ~

[No 3P either.]

~ Hey no fair man, stop reading my mind. At least let me say the words. ~

I stare dumbfounded at mike for a bit. Then we both burst out laughing.

[Pftt ... Haha ... HAHAHAHAHA]

~ Kukukukuku ... HAHAHAHAHA ~

We laugh heartily at our own stupid conversation.

It's been a long time since I have let my guard down and laughed from my gut. It's probably the same for mike too. In this line of work where you walk a fine line between life and death, you don't get many chances to relax and enjoy.

************************************************************************

Neha's POV:

He asked me out.

YES! (Makes a victory sign)

I am the luckiest girl alive. OK now that he is in chief's room, I got some time to think.

Thinking back, he didn't tell me where we will be dining right? Maybe he wants me to suggest the location. Or maybe he will tell me later. Or maybe.

HE WANTS TO DINE ON ME!

Oh crap, what I am gonna do! I am going to have my first with a man I barely know! Well it's not that I don't want to, but I want us to know each a bit more other before actually doing it! (Holding both cheeks and shaking head)

I am gonna wear my lucky underwear tomorrow. So that when he pushes me down and gets on top of me...

LIKE HELL THAT WILL HAPPEN! (Tsukkomi)

OK Neha, calm down. He won't pounce on me on our first date. I least I hope he won't.

Calm down. Take a deep breath.

"Fuuuuuu."

I can't calm down. Once more.

"Fuuuuuuuuuu."

Still not there. Once more.

.

.

.

It's no use. I can't calm down.

It is not the excitement of a maiden in love. I am worried. Something tells me the moment he walks into the elevator, that will be the last time I see him.

He is coming out of chief's room. I am a bit relieved to see his face. Yeah, don't worry so much Neha. The name Mysterious Roy isn't for show.

He is stepping into the elevator. That uneasiness is coming back.

Why did I ask him something like that? To ask him he will be there or not, it's as if I am declaring I don't trust him.

Really? Here I am spilling enough tears to fill a bucket (exaggerating juuust a little bit) and he tells me to wear a cute dress? Brace yourself Roy, tomorrow you will kneel before me and call me queen. Just you wait.

There. He is gone. That uneasiness is coming back again. Just come back safely Roy. If you come back safe and sound, then I promise I won't mind even if you push me down and get rough with me.

WHAT THE HELL AM I THINKING! (Tsukkomi again)

************************************************************************

Kaushik's POV:

We exit the elevator and head towards our car. We establish a communication link with each other's car so that we can talk while driving.

~ How's the comm link buddy? Can you hear me? ~

[Loud and clear.]

~ Good. So what have you been doing for the past five years? ~

[Mainly I have been doing jobs, chief included me in the stealth team ... I was also polishing my skills. You?]

~ Same I guess. Chief included me in assault team, I was literally assaulted with mountain of jobs. I also grinded my skills. ~

[Makes sense. Unlike me who specializes only in stealth, you can be included in normal assault jobs.]

~ Exactly. Well I made a lot of money so guess it's okay. Hey I talked with mum and dad yesterday. Wanna follow in their footsteps? I can find myself a nice girlfriend and you have Neha. All four of us going on a trip. ~

[What do you mean I have Neha? We barely know each other. Anyway, coming back to the topic, yeah we should go on a trip. Mum and dad will be back in one year max. I can definitely use a break.]

Mike and I, well we are brothers but not blood related brothers. We are sworn brothers. 3 years after my parents' marriage, they discovered that mum can't conceive. Dad was thinking of adopting a child. That's where chief came in.

Chief never married due to being a work alcoholic. But he had to take care of two babies. According to him, he found us left alone road side. He couldn't bring himself to give us to orphanage, so he ended up taking care of us. But constantly caring for two babies with zero experience was proving hard for him. Voila, one plus one equals two. Dad wanted a child and chief needed someone trustworthy to take care of two children.

Dad told us all this on our 18th birthday and also told us that we are free to choose our own path. It came as a shock but only enough to make us sigh. We were not stupid. We always felt there was something more to us than just being brothers. On our 18th birthday, we became sworn brothers. Mom cried so hard from relief that dad had to pick her up in his lap and pet her for half an hour before she calmed down.

~ We are two hella lucky guys to have such stupid parents, right Roy? ~

[Yeah.]

'Heh, he was reminiscing the past as well.'

~ So, what's in the parcel? ~

[If my guess is correct, it's an encryption breaker. Atlas will have their servers thoroughly shielded, so we will need a strong sword.]

~ How strong is this encryption breaker? ~

[Last one I worked with could break through 512 bit SSH algorithm encryption within 10 second. So this one is either same or stronger.]

~ Wow cool. So, what's our approach? ~

[Stealth.]

~ You do know that I am an assault type right? ~

[I don't expect you to be a ninja. But I expect you to follow my lead.]

~ And you sure we will be fine? ~

[Almost 100%.]

~ May I get an explanation? ~

[Well, if you want one. Your suit already provides thermal masking and sound damping right?]

~ Yes. ~

[Security guards rely on their sight and hearing. So as long as we stay out of sight, suit's sound damping feature will make sure they stay blind. And drones use heat detection technology. This technology identifies and IDs a person through heat signatures. Our suit's thermal masking will counter that.]

~ But what about motion sensors? ~

[That's the reason I asked you to follow my lead.]

~ Then why are you not 100% sure? ~

[Because there is another factor I have no power over.]

~ And that factor is? ~

[It's called bad luck.]

Mike went silent for a while. I patiently wait for him.

~ Gahahahahaha, oh my, that was priceless. Hahaha ... Bad luck... Kukuku ... Oh god ... Hahaha ... That has to be the best of the jokes I have heard this week ... Gahahahaha... ~ (Eyes watering)

Like I said, I am patiently waiting.

~ Alright I got it. Almost 100% it is. What's our next course of action? ~ (Eyes still watering)

[Break.]

~ What? ~

[Hit the break. We are here.]

~ Oh. ~

Our car screeched to stop a kilometer before our destination. Before exiting my car, I make a call to chief.

[Chief, you there?]

"I am. What do you need?"

[A favor.]

"I am listening."

[If I don't come back after this mission, please tell Neha that I am sorry. I am sorry that I won't be able to go out on a date with her.]

"Understood. Anything else?"

[No.]

".... Roy. Make sure you come back alive and well."

I exit my car without answering.

~ Let's go buddy. ~

Mike has geared up already. I hide my car through optical and radar camouflage, put on my suit, and take my daggers, throwing needles, 300 rounds of laser and my non-lethal gun.

"Yeah let's go."