[Is this supposed to be a communications station? It's obviously a poorly managed warehouse.]
I complain as I'm led to the "communications" station. Literally, it's a windowless room with an old radio on a desk, surrounded by all kinds of dusty boxes.
[Ahem, I admit some areas are a bit neglected…]
I ignore my aunt's excuses and approach the table. There's a paper with a "communication protocol" and instructions that amount to syncing each frequency and repeating the message.
Why did the rat kid come here? Because, if possible, I'd like this bunch of filthy monkeys to wake up quickly. Every second I waste here is a second further away from my sponge bath.
[No wonder you don't get any answers. What kind of shitty message is this? "This is Puerto Azul station, blah blah blah." Assholes.]
The monkeys' faces turn red when I rant, but before they can say anything, I grab the radio and tune it directly to the army frequency.
[This is the central police station of the "Costa Verde" province, in the main city "Puerto Dorado". We have decided to take the heavy weapons from the armory for defensive purposes. Over and out.]
[[[[…]]]]
The room fell into an uncomfortable silence after my words. Everyone looks at me, uncomprehending.
[Hey, the point is that the frequencies are down. What's the point of saying that?]
My aunt asks, skeptical, but I raise a finger to signal her to be quiet for a second.
Three, two, one.
[This is ARCADIA army central command, re-establishing communications with all our brave branches in the fight. We're glad to hear you're okay, Puerto Azul base. Negative, you do not have access to the weapons armory. Teams have already been deployed, you will be rescued soon. Everyone will return home. You just have to wait a little longer.]
[[[[…]]]]
A heavy silence spread as the response came over the radio.
[Kekeke] – of course, I couldn't help but mock.
[Station here. Negative. The generators are about to fail and the power shows no signs of being restored. We must take the weapons now or the doors will seal automatically. Over.]
I continue the farce, just in case things weren't clear enough for them.
[Negative. The forces are already deployed. You will be safe in 48 hours. You just have to hold on a little longer.]
My smile deepens at the response. Veins have already appeared on the orangutan grandpa's neck. It's a little scary, to be honest.
[…This is central command, confirm you understood the order. Also, identify yourself. Who is speaking?]
Maybe because there was no answer, the guys on the radio got impatient, so I spoke to them one last time.
[Kekeke, I am your father. Over and out.]
......…
[YOU BASTARD SON OF A BITCH!]
"CRACK."
In a fit of rage, the orangutan grandpa curses as he slams both fists on the table. The impact made the solid oak table creak and crack.
Fear. That blow would definitely kill me.
[Grandpa, please calm down, remember your blood pressure] –Carla persuaded.
What pressure? The only thing under pressure is the poor table.
[That bastard saw it coming] - the gorilla tamer complained.
The reason is simple. Even though we decided to ask "politely" for the codes, the bastard in the suit barricaded himself with the civilians and started some kind of brainwashing. In other words, a hostage situation.
[Put some men to guard the armory. We don't need that bastard arming a crazed mob against us.]
The orangutan grandpa orders quickly. Done. Inefficient, but done.
Then, my aunt looks at me again.
[Now what?] [Easy.] [Make it something that doesn't involve slaughtering everyone in the station.] [Tsk…]
Why can the rat kid never go the easy route? Is the world against me?
[The door has an electronic device, doesn't it? Can't it be hacked like in the movies?] – Carla asked, half-doubting her own words.
[Well… we've heard of cases, so it's technically possible, but…]
The orangutan tamer glances at me, as if asking for my opinion.
[Is that what the rat kid is to you? A hacker rat?] [You can't? I thought you were good with technology?] [Don't confuse knowing how to restart a wifi with being a fucking hacker.]
[Wait, there is one.]
We all look at the receptionist, who seems to have remembered something important.
[Chief, remember? We arrested a girl shortly before all this started.]
[The rat kid has already seen that movie. Bad idea.]
[No, it wasn't that serious. She was just arrested on suspicion of hacking a satellite internet provider's system to get free high-speed internet.]
I want to tell her that hacking a satellite isn't on the level of "not that serious," but there's no point in explaining to monkeys how to use a cell phone.
[Let's go get the hacker.]
I declare, and we all stand up. I'm not asking for her to be Rat 9, but if she can hack a satellite, she definitely has some skill.
........
[But seriously, why do you keep criminals in the middle of the apocalypse? Do you have too much food? Give it to the rat kid.]
I complain as I arrive at the cell area with my aunt and the others.
[Ahhh, I'm telling you, there are no convicted criminals in the station. Most only have minor charges. And others were just awaiting trial.]
[Then take them out and put them to work, damn it.] [Is it impossible to win an argument with you?]
Is it the rat kid's fault now that they're dumb?
[Look, it's this one.]
As I was wondering whether to beat up the bastard prisoners who were looking at me with unpleasant expressions, the vixen receptionist points to a nearby cell. On the bed, on the other side of the bars, there was a bundle of sheets curled up in a ball.
The entire cell gives off a clearly more depressing atmosphere than the rest, and it's also emitting some kind of low, unintelligible mumble, as if it has lost its mind.
[[[[…]]]]
Everyone looks away when I demand an explanation with my eyes.
[I see. The rat kid has seen this +18 movie before.]
[[[WE DIDN'T DO ANYTHING TO HER!]]]
The monkeys justify themselves at my comment, but the evidence speaks for itself.
[Grandpa.] [No, honey, don't believe that about your grandpa.]
Kekekeke.
[Rat… kid?]
As I was having fun, a somewhat understandable mumble comes from the bundle. The voice sounded familiar.
[[…]]
When I look again, a girl's head had peeked out from the sheets. Delicate platinum blue eyes and hair. Her expression, frozen in disbelief, slowly shifted to understanding. You could say I'm in the same boat.
[Rat 9?] –at my question, the girl's eyes fill with tears before she leaps at me.
[WAAAAA, RAT 1! EVERYONE IS BEING MEAN TO ME, WAAAAA!]
I quickly open the cell door before the idiot can hit it.
[WAAAAA!] [GYAAAA!]
As a result, I'm back on the floor. What is it with the floor in this police station? Does it have a fetish for the rat kid? What a sinful rat kid I am.
[What the hell are you doing here?] – I ask as I sit up.
[Snif… There I was, stealing classified information from the Pentagon and reselling it to terrorists without bothering anyone, when this group of ugly monkeys invaded my house. Snif.]
Rat 9 replied, without unburying her head from my chest.
[[[[[WHAT?]]]]]
My aunt and the others flinch at 9's confession, but I ignore them.
[I see, you have suffered many injustices] – I console 9, who keeps rubbing against my chest as if trying to bury herself in it.
[[[[Injustice my ass!]]]]
The others keep complaining, but I just stand up while lifting 9. Even though she's a 21-year-old woman, her small build makes her easy to carry.
[For now, let's get out of here. You can tell me everything later.]
[Hey, don't just ignore her confession…]
The rat kid doesn't know what my aunt is talking about.
[What about these? Shouldn't you get them out too?]
As I was about to leave, the vixen receptionist changes the subject and asks me, pointing to the cell next to 9's. In it, a blonde-haired girl who looks no older than 12 was watching our interaction with a playful laugh, until she was pointed at and her expression changed to astonishment.
[Ue?] – she made that stupid sound as she pointed at herself.
The guy behind her also seemed surprised. Why do they put a guy with a yakuza face and a little girl in the same cell? Better yet, why is a little girl locked up? Not that I give a shit.
[Didn't you read the report you asked me for earlier?]
[What for?]
When I ask, the receptionist glares at me. But what does she want? I just need the information for my sponge bath. Why would I bother reading it?
[These two were among the people you asked me to find.]
[[[[…]]]]
[Ah…]
Doesn't that mean my sponge bath is a done deal? Go me. Go the rat kid. All according to plan.