A simple quest for freedom

[Erremnart]

A sidejob 2

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"Don't worry, I'm not going to hurt you.", Virginia whispered calmly at two children. Boy could be five or six years old while the older girl was around eight years old. They have been dressed in simple, cheap clothing, which looked like being stained only in past few days - they must have been lost rather than living on the street.
"Why aren't you with your mommy?", Virginia asked them quietly and did not do any sudden movements. She even had a relaxed smile on her face instead of her usual pissed off expression. Brown haired boy was too scared of her, but girl looked more courageous, perhaps because of semblance of responsibility over her younger sibling.
"Some mean woman took us. She was old and angry.", girl said quietly with her voice shaking a little bit.
"I know there are plenty of mean and scary people out there, but your parents must be worried about you. I can take you home. Do you want to see your mommy and daddy?", Virginia looked at them with surprisingly worried face. What's happening with her? She never cared about anyone but her older brother.
"Dad said that mommy is sleeping among the stars after her accident at factory.", girl replied and pulled her knees under her chin.
"I am sorry to hear that, sweetie.", Virginia sighed and nodded, "My name is Virginia. What's yours?".
"I am Nicole and h-", replied girl and boy finally found his courage to speak as well, "Martin.". "Nicole and Martin, nice names.", Virginia smiled and slowly offered them her hands, "Do you want to go home?".
Kids looked at each other and Nicole immediately changed the subject, "Virginia is a weird name.". Owner of said name grinned and nodded, "Yes, tell that to my parents, Nicole, but I should get you to your father first.". Virginia was still patiently holding her hands in front of her and strange thoughts were racing through her mind - Why is she doing it? Why does she feel so bound to the fate of these two random kids. She never did such things before.
Virginia squatted there for almost fifteen minutes in silence and watched Nicole and Martin as they gathered enough courage to place their small tiny hands into hers. "Where is your home - do you remember?", newly appointed caretaker asked them as she lifted Martin into her arms.
"I dunno.", replied Nicole and Martin shook his head, "I am hungry.". Virginia sighed, "Fine, tell me what interesting buildings are around your home?".
"There... a food shop with noodles...", said Nicole as she was pondering and trying to remember, "... ugly building with three large antennas. It looks like a bug.".
That was not much, Virginia said for herself but then got an idea, "If I will give you a datapad, can you draw it?". Nicole nodded and Virginia stood up, "Alright, time to get you cleanly clothed and fed - what do you say?". "Yes!", both siblings said.


Looked over cleanly clothed Nicole and Martin as they have been eating noodles from bowls in cheap looking bistro next to street marketplace and looked over the crude drawing which Nicole gave her. It was oddly familiar from some panorama pictures she saw before and all she needed was to browse enough of them at worn our and dirty looking public terminal next to street bistro.
Her aggressive and mean body language was gone as well as her usual angry expression. She could not help herself but to check on them by the corner of her eyes. She was sincerely worried about them, there was no denying of that. At this very moment - infamous Captain Virginia 'Crash' Belle looked like a simple young woman from poor Houston's streets.

Maybe she was too worried about the kids so she paid a little attention to her own surroundings. Slim hand grabbed her by the hair and yanked her head backwards while second hand pressed a sharp looking blade at her throat. A quiet rough voice said to her, "Aight, give me all yer credits or I gut ya. No quick moves.". Virginia slowly raised her hands so he can see them, although her stronger left hand was conveniently close to his blade, as thug released her hair and run it through her pockets in search for valuables, "Just please - don't hurt me.", she said as the knife on her neck felt very serious.
As soon as he found handgun in her pockets, he hesitated and Virginia did her counter attack. She quickly moved her left hand under his hand around her neck as he was distracted and hit his nose with the back of her head.
"Gaargh, you b**ch!", he cursed in pain as he covered his broken nose with left hand while had his blade pried from the right. Virginia grabbed her handgun with her left hand and switched the safety off with her thumb while grabbing malnourished looking street thug by the neck with her right hand.
I gonna blow you head head off, punk!, she wanted to say in her head as she pressed her handgun against his jaw, but caught scared looking Nicole and Martin by the corner of her eyes. She blinked a little confused about her current behavior and said quietly, "Get. The. F**k. Out. Of. Here.". Gunning him down was not an option here - not in front of the kids.

"Come on, we must go.", she said with sigh of relief and secured her handgun as the thug was running away from them, "Just another meanie, I scared him away. It's fine. I know where you home is. Let's go.", Virginia smiled at them reassuringly to calm them down. She really wanted to calm them down. She felt so ashamed that they had to witness more violent version of her.