coffee break.
They were supposed to return to the organization immediately after every mission, but even a square like Mark didn’t follow that rule to the t. The Umbrella wanted them to operate like lean, mean, killing machines, but even robots needed electricity to run.
“Want to get a coffee?” Time to get recharged. “I won’t tell if you don’t.” He didn’t actually wait for a response before pulling over neatly and putting the car to park. See, there were benefits to being the driver - nobody could leave without you because you were the one holding the keys. “This one okay?” He pointed to the coffee shop about half-a-block down the sidewalk. It was one of his favourites to visit in the spring because it had an outside sitting area right underneath a huge cherry blossom tree. His nostrils could use a break after smelling blood and guts all day long.
He walked on ahead, already thinking about what to get, but fate decided to take an unfortunate turn. No Mark, destiny whispered, you don’t deserve a break. Instead, let’s give you...trouble.
And trouble took the form of an angry old lady and a young couple in tears.
“Give me back our daughter!” The woman yelled, sobbing into the shoulder of her husband. “You stole her away without even letting us say goodbye...How could you?!”
The old lady came at Mark with the cane, waving it enthusiastically in the air. She was making some threats but excessive anger made her slightly out of breath and difficult to understand.
“Who is your daughter?” Mark asked with a sigh. They couldn’t have waited until after he got his coffee to jump him, huh? “This one?” He gestured at Yuri ( @umbyuri ), but already knew it was unlikely. The couple didn’t seem like they were old enough to be Yuri’s parents, unless they were very naughty in their teenage years.
“No, you monster!” The woman yelled. “The child in green sweater. And two braids. You took her last month!”
She seemed quite offended that he couldn’t recall this child. Perhaps he should explain.
“Our schedule is very tight,” he said. “Last month I recruited four girls in green with two braids. I don’t know which one your daughter is.” Mark casually dodged grandma’s cane when it came down towards his head. “Good news, though, out of the four recruited, I think only two died so far, so the chance of your daughter still being alive is a healthy 50%.”
