Chương 124: CDM 2, Chapter 60: Aptitude Test

"I think it has a certain kind of charm," Beth said, looking around at the guild house basement.

"I don't hate it."

"You know, I don't hate it either," I replied from the couch.

"Does that make us weird?"

"Lots of stuff makes us weird, but not this." Beth laughed.

"I feel safe here," I continued.

"I know a mortgage isn't that different from rent on paper, and Nathan is the one who actually owns it, but this… I guess this feels like mine. Like this is stable. How it looks doesn't matter."

"You've always been good with words. Thank you for bringing me along."

"You don't think you deserve a part of this?" She shook her head.

"I do this too, and I really want to stop."

"Do what?" she asked.

"Make myself feel miserable because something good happened to me," I replied.

"I can feel shitty all the time, no matter what."

"You think it's possible to stop that?"

"Shit, I really hope so. I like how this feels, and it'd be cool if I got to feel like this a few more times." Beth looked around at the brick walls and dusty concrete floors with the contentment of someone seeing the promised land. After a moment, I asked, "How are things with Frank?"

"I don't deserve to have him in my life," she answered.

"He gave me a heart-to-heart before the memorial, and he said he wished someone had been patient with him when he struggled. Instead, he was made to feel more alone."

"Did that make you feel better?"

"I'm still really embarrassed, but yes, a bit. How do I stop being such a fuckup?"

"You've said a few times it must have been hard for me to go out on my own like I did."

"Yeah."

"I made all kinds of mistakes," I said.

"Unlike you, I wasn't anywhere close to figuring out a career or a life plan. I got to screw up when I was a student, and that was easier because that's what people expect students to do. I was still a kid doing kid things. You went right into building yourself a future, right into being an adult."

"I guess that's true."

"Well, you don't have to guess, because it is the truth. I don't know what advice to give you on how to handle all of that together. Wish I did. I do know, though, that it's hard. And I know that you're doing much better than you think."

"I've been really worried about you," Beth admitted.

"You've been through a lot. I'm here for you like you're there for me."

"I know that."

"Just don't try to do this alone, please. I know that's how you want to do it, or maybe that's how you had to do it. Leaving home by yourself like that… You must have felt so alone so many times." I tried to reply, but tears threatened to follow my words, so I didn't say anything, only nodded.

"I'm so proud of you," she said.

"You should be proud of yourself too."

"Thanks."

"We never talked about Kielar," she added after a time.

"No, we haven't. How are you hanging in?"

"He got off easy," she said.

"He can't hurt anyone else now, though. That's comforting in its own way."

"Jonathan deserved better, but you're right. The world has one less bad person." A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

"Baker is still out there." I sighed.

"He is."

"I'm sorry. That's awful."

"There is no real justice. I keep expecting there to be."

"Because there is supposed to be. The rules say so. Good people are rewarded. Bad people suffer."

"Jesus," I groaned.

"Another piece of church for us to reprogram, expecting the universe to care about good and evil and justice and whatever. I overlooked that one completely."

"I still want to do good in the world, you know," she said.

"That was one part of it I liked." I smiled.

"What?"

"I said something similar to dad the other night. Geez. That feels like years ago already."

"Did you really?"

"Yep. I'm glad you get it. You make me feel a lot less crazy."

"Dorion?"

"Yes, Elizabeth?" She scowled.

"Really? I'm being nice, and you drop that on me?" Laughing, I said, "You're right. I'm sorry."

"At least mom could spell my name right."

"Low blow."

"You asked for it."

"In the interest of peace," I said, standing.

"Can I get you a beer?"

"Yes, please."

"Enforcer Gray," Enforcer McDouglas said, looking up from his desk.

"To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"I know what I want to do."

"Shut the door. Let's hear it." I handed him a printout of the job posting for the Stage 2 Rapid Dungeon Surge Response Agent. He read it, and I watched his face sink. He had bad news and was sad that he had to share it.

"I see why you're interested in this, but you can only be so ambitious," McDouglas said as gently as he could.

"This is just the first wave of what's probably going to be a long-term necessity, so you'll have chances to get the training you need sometime soon."

"I can do this."

"It's not about can or can't. I read the brief on this project, and they're looking for serious killers right out of the gate."

"People who have wild monster hunting experience."

"Yeah, and that Taiwan trip you took helps, and so does your YouTube stuff, but that's a lot different from what these people will be doing. They're closer to being like the boosters you ran with instead of the clients."

"I have wild monster hunting experience."

"Gray, listen-""I'm serious," I said.

"I told you what position I really wanted, and you told me that to be a fit for that, I would need both dungeon crawling and wild hunting experience."

"I remember."

"I took that seriously, so I've been getting that experience." McDouglas leaned back, his face still skeptical.

"Okay. I'm listening."

"I've been doing wild hunts, and I think I'm kind of good at them. My YouTube channel proves that. You've seen the videos."

"Yes, I suppose I have."

"Then you know that I'm more committed to wild hunting than anyone else applying for this position." Chuckling, he said, "I'm not doubting your commitment, Gray."

"Before you knew who was behind the channel, would you have said the Dungeon Divas had enough experience for this position?"

"Anyone who has killed a goblin champion would get serious consideration, yes, but that doesn't change the fact that I know who they are now."

"You could argue that was actually my second goblin champion kill."

"Riiight, you killed one with poison in those caves. Giant water moccasins, trolls, werewolves. Do you realize how many times you should have died?"

"But I didn't." McDouglas chuckled.

"Who's the drone pilot? Your roommate?"

"I can't comment."

"What if I ordered you too?"

"If it seemed like he was going to get in trouble for helping me, I'd rather go back to jail."

"That's the right answer. Loyalty is important. You really started all of this because of that day with the records?"

"Yes, sir."

"Alright, Gray. Well-played. I don't get surprised very often, but damn, you're right. I guess since you did the killing, you deserve to know that there's news about the werewolf."

"Oh?"

"The EPA is prepping a press release, but keep this under your hat until then. That werewolf was an Earth human."

"Huh?" McDouglas nodded.

"Yep. First ever recorded case of the virus jumping. He lived nearby. Ah, actually, sorry. I need to remember you're a Dungeon Diva. He was in your video. Freddy with the shotgun."

"What? That doesn't make sense."

"Welcome to Stage 2," he said with a shrug.

"Okay, I have one more question: If I give you the chance–and that's not confirmation that I will–are you becoming a solo artist for this job posting, or can we get the Divas as a package deal?"

"That depends. What do you have in mind?" See you in book 3.