Russian Roulette /̵͇̿̿/’̿’̿ ̿ ̿̿ ̿̿ ̿̿
CHAPTER 4
There was no need for further deliberation. Tessa decided to start the discharge process immediately. The doctor was reluctant to let her go but ultimately couldn’t argue with her reasoning.
“There’s nothing more the hospital can do for me,” she had said.
With all treatments complete, any further recovery depended solely on a Guide. The hospital had essentially done all it could.
Once she had obtained permission to leave, Tessa rummaged through the wardrobe in her hospital room. Her original clothes, now nothing more than tattered rags, were nowhere to be found—likely discarded. Instead, a set of new clothes was waiting neatly for her, as if placed there in anticipation.
The outfit was brand-new but identical to what she had been wearing when she was shot.
Without a word, Tessa put on the clothes. She was certain Vicente had ordered them to be brought there. Would he ask her to pay for them later? As someone who had only ever worked for him and never owed him anything, the thought of accumulating any kind of debt to him felt unsettling.
The fact that she was alive, these new clothes—everything about her situation felt foreign and unnatural.
Tessa hailed a taxi and headed to the building where she had been staying. She preferred walking, as she disliked being in someone else’s vehicle, but the pain was too severe for her to manage the journey on foot.
Her home was an unremarkable apartment in a plain building. As soon as she unlocked the door and stepped inside, she compulsively bolted all the locks. The sense of safety upon returning to her personal space made the tension in her body melt away.
It was a modestly decorated place, with only the bare necessities to make it livable.
Tessa instinctively reached for the bottle of guiding supplements, opening it out of habit.
It was empty.
‘Oh, right. I ran out a while ago. That’s why I feel like this.’ It felt as if someone were wringing her brain like a wet rag.
Vicente’s prohibition on supplements resurfaced in her mind. Setting the bottle aside, she grabbed a cheap bottle of liquor with a heavy sigh. It tasted awful, but for a fleeting moment, it could dull the pain.
She drained the glass in one go and sat on the edge of the bed, staring into the distance.
What am I supposed to do now? Cut ties with the intelligence agency? That was absurd. Doing so would mean falling entirely into Vicente’s hands.
That couldn’t happen.
She couldn’t allow herself to be cornered like that.
Determined, Tessa connected the cord of her rotary phone and dialed a direct line known only to her. The signal rang a few times before someone answered.
– Hello? Tessa?
“I… I…”
Tessa’s mind raced with countless thoughts, but she struggled to find the right words. Finally, she managed to speak.
“I… I’ve been exposed.”
– What?
“They know. Vicente knows I’m working for the government.”
– …
On the other end, her handler—likely lounging comfortably in a cushioned chair at headquarters—fell silent for a moment.
– Is this an emergency?
“Yes.”
– Are there people coming to kill you?
“No, not yet… but… I’ve run out of guiding supplements.”
The faint sound of a derisive chuckle reached her ear. Tessa clenched her trembling hands in anger. This wasn’t a trivial issue—it was a matter of life and death. For a Sentinel without a Guide, the supplements were the only thing that kept her functioning.
Without them, the only option left was Vicente.
“Do I sound like I’m joking?” she snapped.
– Calm down, Tessa. Explain the situation.
“If I don’t have supplements, I’ll collapse. And if that happens, I’ll be forced to accept guiding.”
– Guiding?
Her handler, fully aware that Tessa didn’t have a Guide, sounded taken aback.
– Who’s going to guide you? You’re alone, aren’t you?
“There’s someone… someone nearby.”
– Who is it?
“Vicente Zermo.”
– Hah.
Tessa was aghast. Here she was, facing a dire situation, yet her handler reacted as though it were an amusing twist in a story.
“So send me the supplements! Just get someone to deliver them to me!”
– Vicente Zermo is your Guide?
“Are you even listening to me?”
– Tessa, I know you’re not in good shape, but don’t lose your composure. Did Vicente guide you? How was it?
“It… it worked.”
She hated admitting it, but it was the truth. She pressed a hand to her forehead, still reeling from the realization.
“He’s definitely a high-match Guide.”
– Strange. He knows you’re a spy but still guided you?
“Do you think I can read his mind? Can you grasp how serious this is? I might die. Or worse. Please… just get me out of here.”
Her voice cracked with desperation.
– That’s not possible.
“Why not?”
– Because Vicente Zermo knows who you are and hasn’t killed you. That’s valuable information. We can’t pull you out now. This is an opportunity—you might be able to infiltrate his world even further.
“Why does it have to be me?”
– Because it seems he’s chosen you.
“Damn it, Alex…”
Her handler, Alex, waited in silence as Tessa’s voice broke. She sank to the floor, tears welling up. She didn’t care how pathetic she sounded. She was utterly desperate.
“My Guide… the one I searched for all these years… it’s him. Vicente is my Guide. Do you understand? The only person who can save me is him! Why did he know, but I didn’t? Huh? Explain that! Why didn’t even the matching agency know?”
– You know that’s not within my jurisdiction, Tessa. I can’t give you an answer.
“Can you even imagine how horrible this is? If you won’t help me, I have no choice but to go to him for guiding! Just this once, help me. I won’t ask for anything else—just this one time!”
– I told you, Tessa. This can’t stop here. The mission continues. Stay close to Vicente Zermo. Report any suspicions immediately. That’s your job—monitor him.
“Alex!”
– Turn this crisis into an opportunity. If this mission succeeds, you can go anywhere you want. Don’t even think about quitting now—it’s not an option.
“You bastard, are you even listening to me?”
Tessa shouted into the phone, but Alex remained unflinching.
– From now on, we’ll use a more secure method to relay information. This means you’ll be spending even more time near Vicente. Stay sharp, Tessa. You’re the only one who can do this.
“…”
– We’ll talk again soon.
“Alex! Hey, Alex!”
But the line had already gone dead. Tessa slumped against the table, feeling utterly abandoned. She was risking her life for her country, yet even a simple request for help had been heartlessly denied.
It was clear Alex wouldn’t provide her with guiding supplements. He wanted her to grow closer to Vicente, even if that meant accepting his guiding—or worse, bonding with him permanently.
The thought made her snap. Tessa kicked the nearest chair, sending it crashing to the ground with a loud bang.
“Damn it…”
Running away crossed her mind. But that would be suicide. It would lead to an ending no one wanted—not even herself.
Alex’s words echoed in her mind.
‘If this mission succeeds, you can go anywhere you want.’
Succeeding in the mission was the only option left.
Her country wouldn’t leave her to rot forever. Surely not.
Vicente had said nine o’clock.
If she left now, she’d arrive early. It wasn’t as though he insisted she come precisely on time.
Before leaving, Tessa stood in front of her mirror. A woman with pale blond hair and violet eyes stared back at her. There was a resolute look in her gaze.
She fixed her disheveled appearance and left the room. She was going to meet her Guide, the ruler of Saint Leroi—Vicente.
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