I'll stick around. Not that I have any other choice.

You don’t have any other choices on the table. You trust Scarlet’s advice and agree to sign on with the ARS bit longer. When you ask how much longer you’ll be staying as a contractor, Amara dismisses it with a wave of her hand. “Consider it a month increase. When things calm down, we can discuss how much longer I’ll have the pleasure of keeping you around.”

“The pleasure?” you laugh.

“Yeah,” she nods. “Scarlet is quite fond of you, you know? And Kenji seems to like having another guy around. And Flora…Well, I talk to her enough to keep her entertained.”

She shakes her head, groaning. “I’m getting side-tracked now. Listen, I talked to Scarlet, and it’s time to make sure our slate for contracts is cleaned out. Since Kenji is close to terminating his contract, I’m giving Scarlet the lovely task of cutting off loose ends and getting rid of the competition before the Spring-thaw is offered any chances.”

“I understand.”

Amara grimaces. “You don’t understand, actually. This is where ARS contractors really test their reliability and their limitations as hired help. In order to maintain our monopoly on business, we smudge out all the others in the area. Of course, we have a couple of groups, like the TC1, that help out, but we don’t hand out business offers to every ass out there, especially if they’re trying to cut in on our profits. We don’t just deal with firearms, after all.”

“What makes this so different from what I’m used to, then?”

“Because we need to send a message to the bandits, the raiders, the mercs, and other crackheads on there that think they can fuck with our supply chain and get away with it,” Amara’s voice takes a different tone now. “I had Kenji and Scarlet do this stuff for me last year, but…I don’t need need to circle back to this, right?”

“No,” you chuckle to lighten the mood a bit, and it seems to work. Amara straightens herself and nods. “I get it.”

“You’re record is enough for me not to drill into your too hard, but my name is on the line, Warren. Not to mention, until I can pull in resources, you and Scarlet are kind of the only bodies I use to put out to conduct work.”

“I’ll make sure I’ll do what needs to be done. Scarlet is my partner, and she’s been seasoned longer with your crew, so I’ll make sure I follow her instructions,” you explain, making Amara smile a bit wider.

“I couldn’t ask for a better soldier,” she winks. “I hope you’re not just blowing smoke up my ass. I’ll even throw in a little bonus if you manage to do a good enough job with Scarlet.”

“Maybe just one of your rifles,” you wink back at her, but this doesn’t seem to have the desired effect on her that you wanted. She frowns and glances at her desk in the room.

“I have a uniform for you on my desk,” she says, staring away from you still. “Grab that uniform and meet up with Scarlet. She’ll inform you on the finer details of what’s expected of you.”

“Am I not able to ask any questions?”

“I hate questions,” Amara’s smile has faded completely now. “If you have any, which you shouldn’t by now, you can ask Scarlet yourself.”

…

…

Scarlet was in her room, going through her equipment and hardware alike. She was still in her pajamas, too, but in a uniform similar to yours was displayed on her bed. Scarlet looks over at you and exclaims.

“Oh, you’re just going to come in without knocking now?”

“Was I supposed to? Your door is hanging wide-fucking-open,” you spit.

Scarlet knits her brows. “Calm down, sport. I was joking. You’re filled in with the outline of our work now?”

“Yeah. She gave me a quick rundown, but none of the specifics– you know? The details that matter when doing contracts.”

Scarlet smiles, walking over to you to close the door behind you. “The details are with me, but before I spill my guts out, I need to know…”

She waits for you to chase her, but you don’t. She narrows her eyes and turns away from you before continuing. “Did you sign an extension?”

“I agreed to one, yes.”

“Oh, good!” Scarlet cheers. “I didn’t want to be buckled in with Amara for no reason. Now we really get to become the best of friends and do all of this amazing work together!”

Your stomach churns. Scarlet must be more insane than Alexandra. Scarlet then grumbles. “I’m kidding, Warren. Fuckin’ lighten up a little, would you? Shit. I didn’t take you to be the overly serious type to be overthinking all the time. I’ve got some things I need to talk to you about. To make sure I’ve got your attention for the matter, I’ll tell you now that it involves your precious girl Flora.”

“What about her?” You bleed out instantly and then regret it.

Scarlet places her hands on her hips when she turns to look at you. “Fuck off. Seriously? Get your head out of your ass and stay focused on the task at hand. Flora is safer here with Amara than she is with you. Now get over here.”

It’s impossible to hide the blush that is now burning on your face, so you just walk over next to Scarlet and loom over her desk with her. There are guns, knives, matches, and other objects there. But the only thing that has your attention is the stack of papers lying there. Scarlet grabs those first and straightens them.

“This is our work,” she explains. “It has Amara’s reputation and my record on the line. Frankly speaking, I couldn’t give a damn about Amara’s reputation, but I want my record to be perfect when I complete my contract with the ARS. Up until now, I haven’t had one failure, and I would like to keep it that way, got it?”

“I got it.”

She studies you for a few moments before returning to the paper. “Amara likes to make sure that we put a message out every time we kill off a branch of bandits. There’s politics involved here, but it’s also the fear that keeps the rest out of any major operations, yeah? This whole town is under our influence because they know they can’t shit in their own houses without us knowing. It isn’t as kept as Amara thinks it is, but we still have spies running around and narks that keep tabs on everyone.”

“And where do we fall in here?”

“We send the message,” she looks at you firmly. “We kill the bandits. We make sure that the bodies we lay build a foundation that makes our lives going into the next winter easier. We don’t leave behind anyone alive. We don’t leave any witnesses behind. There’s no legend to behold. Only a vague rumor could be bounced around campfires at night.”

“If that’s what’s intended, then I don’t have an issue with that.”

Scarlet perked at your comment and shot you a quick wink. “Kenji was an amazing partner when it came to such bounties, but I’m sure Amara is just itching to get us two working together.”

“I think I’d rather be working with you than Alexandra,” you say, and then wonder if you should have even mentioned the name. Scarlet smirks and lols her tongue over her lips. “What?”

“I was just thinking the same thing, is all,” Scarlet says easily, eyeing you with a friendly glance. She didn’t give you a reason to think otherwise, so you believe her.

She strolls over and checks the door before she returns to you. “Wanna fool around a bit?” She asks casually, her eyes now taking on a less-than-friendly glance.

You pause and then speak. “Are we sure that’s a good idea?”

“Amara can’t afford to fire us, and now that I’ve got a clear head again, I think I would like to fuck you,” she grins and bites her lower lip seductively. “Don’t tell me you don’t want to fuck me.”

Scarlet rubs her body against yours like a playful cat. You laugh under your breath and grab her hips, pushing her gently back, still nervous about getting caught. And you were worried she playing you. “I don’t think so should, Scarlet.”

Scarlet grabbed your cock through your pants and squeezed, making your throat close, and your voice became trapped. “I’m not asking you if we should or shouldn’t, I’m asking you if we want to~!”

Scarlet presses her lips against yours while pushing you towards the table she was looming over not long ago. Your butt knocks into the table, and you hear some things fall over. Still sensing your reluctance, Scarlet rolls her eyes and studies you.

“Listen,” she starts. “I know you’re probably thinking about our last conversation when we returned from our little, uhm, mishap, but forget about it. We’re adults, aren’t we? We both desire the touch of our opposite genders.”

“So,” you smile slightly. “You’re just horny, and you see me as a useful tool?”

She shakes her head. “You shouldn’t talk down about yourself, Warren. You’re my partner, and I think being intimate with each other with increase our bond together.”

She squeezes your cock again and then giggles. “Plus, don’t think I can’t feel how hard you are in your pants right now. I know you want to fuck as badly as I do.”