Chapter 61: Potential Biggest Contract
The meeting ended with a handshake where Seraphine was escorted out by Elaina. With the agreement secured, Marcus knew this is going to be the first contract of the Atlas.
He waited for Elaina’s return which took about thirty minutes, and when she returned she looked at him with a sharp gaze.
"Woah, what’s with that look?"
"You were staring at her," Elaina said as she pouted.
"No, no, don’t misunderstand," Marcus chuckled as he waved his hand dismissively. "That was my first time seeing an elf."
"Hmm..." Elaina tilted her head slightly, still not convinced.
"...And?" she asked.
Marcus rubbed the back of his neck, letting out a small breath.
"And I got curious," he said. "That’s it."
Elaina kept looking at him.
Silent.
Her eyes narrowed just a little.
Marcus sighed.
"...Alright, fine. She’s beautiful. I noticed. But that doesn’t mean anything."
Elaina’s expression didn’t change immediately.
"...You noticed."
Marcus gave a small, helpless shrug.
"I have eyes."
That didn’t help.
Elaina crossed her arms lightly, still pouting.
"...You didn’t stare at me like that."
Marcus blinked once.
Then he let out a short laugh.
"Are you serious right now?"
"Yes."
Marcus shook his head slightly, stepping closer to her.
"That’s because I don’t need to stare at you," he said. "I already know how you look."
Elaina paused.
"...What does that even mean?"
Marcus stopped in front of her, his tone more relaxed now.
"It means I see you every day," he said. "I’m used to it. Doesn’t make you any less beautiful."
That made her pause again.
The pout didn’t fully disappear.
But it weakened.
"...You’re just saying that."
Marcus raised an eyebrow.
"You want me to prove it?"
Elaina blinked.
"...How?"
Marcus stepped a bit closer, lowering his voice slightly.
"I can start staring at you like that too if you want."
Elaina’s face immediately turned red.
"Idiot," she muttered, looking away.
Marcus smirked faintly.
"You’re jealous? There’s nothing for you to get jealous about as I only have my eyes on you. That earlier was just an observation, nothing more."
Elaina didn’t respond right away.
She kept looking away, but her shoulders relaxed just a little.
"...You better," she muttered.
Marcus let out a small chuckle.
"Relax," he said. "We’ve got bigger things to deal with than that."
That brought her back.
Her expression shifted, the earlier teasing gone, replaced by focus.
"...The mission," she said.
Marcus nodded once and walked back toward the desk, picking up the folder she had placed earlier.
"Yeah," he replied. "Let’s talk about it."
Elaina followed him and stood across the table.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
The weight of it settled in again.
A Red Dragon.
Marcus opened the folder and flipped through a few pages, then stopped.
"...First contract," he said quietly. "And it’s already this big."
Elaina nodded.
"It’s not just big," she said. "It’s dangerous."
Marcus didn’t deny it.
"I know."
He leaned forward slightly, resting one hand on the table.
"Let’s break it down."
Elaina straightened a bit.
"Alright."
Marcus tapped the paper once.
"Three main roles," he said. "They already mentioned it earlier."
He raised a finger.
"Suppression. We keep the dragon pressured when it’s airborne."
Another.
"Area control. Secure the surroundings, prevent civilian interference, track movement."
And the third.
"Firepower. We deal damage when needed and support their main assault."
Elaina listened carefully, then nodded.
"Are you going to use that magic of yours, the magic arrow that explodes mid-air?" Elaina curiously asked.
"Well, I can just use that but I have no idea what the Red Dragon looks like, despite the description. I’ll have to get a closer look but that would mean in the day of the actual mission. If it’s a large monster, we have other options."
Elaina narrowed her eyes slightly.
"...Other options?" she asked.
Marcus didn’t answer right away. He flipped the page in the folder, then closed it and rested his hand on top of it.
"Yeah," he said. "The kind you haven’t seen yet."
Elaina looked at him, already knowing what he meant.
"...The machines."
Marcus nodded once.
"The helicopters," he continued. "And the aircraft."
Elaina exhaled slowly.
"You’re really going to use them against a dragon."
Marcus leaned back slightly.
"If it flies, we meet it in the air," he said. "If it stays grounded, we pressure it from above. Either way, we don’t let it control the fight."
Elaina thought about that for a moment.
"...That’s risky."
"Everything about this is risky," Marcus replied. "The difference is we don’t fight it like everyone else."
He stood up and walked toward the window, looking out over the base again.
The vehicles.
The training grounds.
The aircraft resting in the distance.
"This is exactly why I built all of this," he said quietly. "Not for small missions. Not for routine work."
Elaina followed his gaze.
"...But for something like this."
Marcus nodded.
"Yeah."
A short silence passed between them.
Then Elaina spoke again.
"...What about the men?" she asked. "They’re not ready for something like a dragon."
Marcus didn’t turn around.
"It’s fine, we don’t need them yet anyways. I’ll personally handle this mission along with my other friends."
"I see," Elaina nodded slowly, taking that in.
"...Then this will be more of a test run," she said. "For you... and for Atlas."
Marcus turned slightly, leaning his shoulder against the window frame.
"Exactly," he replied. "I’m not throwing the recruits into something like this yet. Not until they’re ready."
Elaina crossed her arms lightly, but this time there was no tension in it.
"...You’re being careful."
Marcus gave a small shrug.
"I’m being realistic."
She watched him for a moment, then let out a quiet breath.
"...Just don’t die," she said.
Marcus blinked once.
Then he let out a short laugh.
"That’s your concern?"
"Yes."
There was no hesitation in her answer.
Marcus looked at her again.
This time, he didn’t joke.
"...I won’t," he said.
Elaina nodded once, as if that was enough for her.