Regretful Merc #1 - Subject: Why

Night has well and truly set in. The pouring rain impacting the concrete outside echo's through the cavernous chamber.

Its peaceful here, just women hanging out. The sweet scent of the bodywash V-Corp uses lets you know they're present.

I seen her walk from the showers pulling her mask up, her sharp razor eyes caught mine. I walked up to her and told her what I am doing here "I'm a journalist talking to the women here, would you mind answering a few questions"

"Yeh sure" She seemed like the sort of person who doesn't like to disappoint.

How did you end up here?

"I'm 24, I did my first contract with Black Faction and blew my money"

Ok that is pretty unbelievable, how did you blow that much money?

"I bought an apartment in Monty, I bought a flash car, handbags, vacations, by the time I had settled back I realised I didn't have enough to live where I bought my apartment"

You can't afford the levies?

"Yeh I took out a loan to pay the next couple of years but after that I cant afford to live in my own apartment"

So why didn't you stay with Black Faction?

"Why would you want to? Its so dangerous you could be ki--I mean expended at any moment. You have to shoot people, get shot at, deal with Azologoth, if it wasn't for the money no one would be there".

But V-Corp is going to be as dangerous if not more dangerous than Black Faction isn't it?

"Yes, but they offered an 18 month contract instead of 4 years, so that's better in my eyes"

Couldn't you have stayed outside of Mallera-9 and got a regular job? Maybe move somewhere cheaper?

"I have my heart set on Montevideo, its got everything I want. I can't work a regular job I tried. I got caught calling my boss Ma'am who was a man. I felt hostile towards people, people caught me gazing into the distance, no one there knows what its like here."

Can take the girl out of Mallera but cant take the Mallera out of the girl?

"Right, I met up with some other women there who served with Black Faction, we shared stories, I told them what had been happening..."

She paused so I asked "and what?"

"When I told them I was going to join V-Corp they told me they were going to take me out when I got back"

I was shocked "As in expend you? in the real world?"

"yeh they're older ladies, like 40s and 50s, real loyal to the Mistress, but left years ago. Fucking psychos think all of this matters outside".

So you're here now, and if you survive you have some old Black Faction women out for you?

"Yeh, so I guess I'm screwed either way"