As soon as we entered, a dull, steady snore broke the silence. We reacted instantly — froze in place, caught off guard. In the dim light of the lamps, the outlines of the room gradually became clearer.
— What the… — I whispered, looking around tensely.
The room turned out to be unexpectedly spacious, almost like a hall. Along the walls stood tall cabinets with expensive dishes, display cases with vintage weapons, a couple of exquisite chairs with carved armrests. Opposite a massive window was a huge canopy bed, on which lay the source of the snoring.
— This is… a bedroom? — Gin was surprised, catching his sword — right in the command wing?
— Apparently, our valiant commander decided to live in maximum comfort, — Karina muttered, slowly closing the door behind us.
On the bed, reclining like a noble pig, sat a man in a white frock coat, with a partially unbuttoned collar, a large belly, and a stupidly open mouth. A mouthpiece stuck out from his mouth, and on the nearby table stood a half-empty bottle of rum.
— That's Nelson… — Sabo nodded, looking closer. — Recognized him from the photo in the dossier.
I stepped closer, covering my face with a marine mask — the snoring hadn't stopped. He was clearly drunk and deeply asleep, completely unaware that an enemy squad had infiltrated his private bedroom.
— Alright, we have little time, — I said, pointing at the cabinet by the wall. — We need to find his personal safe or archive. The documents should include a loan, a paper about the ship, and any evidence tying him to the schemes.
Karina was already rummaging through the dresser, sorting through papers, folders, and some magazines.
Sabo approached the writing desk, slightly opened a drawer, and pulled out a pile of papers, tossing aside everything unnecessary. Meanwhile, Gin was examining an old briefcase standing at the foot of the bed.
— Hey, guys... — he suddenly said. — And here we have…
He pulled out a folder with the base's crest, and inside were filled-out sheets, sealed with stamps.
— Take it, might come in handy! — Sabo said emphatically.
— Wait, — Karina stopped them, lifting a small key hanging on a nail under the lamp.
I quickly glanced around, but besides the massive wall cabinet, there was nothing else resembling a storage.
— There are no more cabinets here… — I muttered, frowning.
— Under the bed, — Karina suddenly suggested, looking down and already kneeling.
I nodded and crouched on the other side, lifting the heavy edge of the coverlet. In the depths between the legs of the bed, a narrow metal box was clearly visible. It was fixed on a sliding platform and looked far more secure than the others.
— Found it… — Karina began, but at that very moment…
— Hey, what are you… what are you doing here?! — a hoarse, angrily sleepy voice sounded.
We froze.
Nelson woke up on the bed. His drunken eyes were half-closed, but he still raised himself on his elbows, staring in our direction. The mouthpiece fell out of his mouth, and his mouth immediately twisted into a grimace.
My heart skipped a beat, but I immediately switched into actor mode:
— Commander, you ordered us not to wake you, but… you said you were uncomfortable sleeping and needed your pillow adjusted and mattress fixed, — I quickly said, putting on a strict and maximally "official" face.
Nelson blinked as if trying to remember whether he said that. He tried to lift himself up but immediately fell back onto the pillows.
— Aaah… damn pillow… — he muttered and seemed to drift back into half-sleep.
We exchanged glances.
— Quick, before he wakes up, — hissed Sabo.
Karina carefully pulled the metal box toward herself — it slid out with a quiet click. Inside lay documents with personal signatures, papers, and a small box with an engraving in the shape of a sea lion.
We quietly, almost on tiptoes, left the office, closing the heavy door behind us. Sabo was the first to peek around the corner and gave a sign — clear. We moved forward, staying in the shadows, trying not to make noise.
The corridors were narrow, winding, with metal partitions and windows through which the night port was visible. Everything was going well. We were almost at the turn to the stairs down when…
THE SIREN WAIL shattered the air.
Piercing, sharp, it instantly filled the entire building with alarm. Loudspeakers roared in the walls, and all over the base the announcement blared:
— Attention! Security breach! Unidentified infiltrators on the base! All units, take your posts! They are dressed in marine uniforms, four of them, moving from the warehouse 20 minutes ago!
I froze in place, then sharply turned to the others:
— We have to run! — I shouted, already breaking into a sprint.
— They found us?! — Karina exhaled, clutching her straps to keep up.
— Looks like they found the sergeant! — Sabo growled, catching up with me.
Less than a minute later, the second siren sounded, unidentified moving from Commander Nelson's office! An attack on the commander has been made!
Red lights flashed on both sides of the corridor, blocking some doors. We rushed, jumping over fallen crates, maneuvering between walls and ventilation grilles like in a labyrinth.
— Right! To the fire exit! — Gin shouted, outrunning us and kicking the side door.
We sped down the narrow corridor lit by the alarming red light when loud footsteps sounded around the next corner.
— Contact! — a shout rang out, and suddenly two marines armed with rifles appeared before us.
— Halt! Identify yourselves immediately!
We didn't answer. I dashed forward and from a spin struck one in the temple — he fell silently. The second didn't even have time to aim — Sabo was already behind him, striking the side of his neck with the edge of his palm, and he collapsed like he'd been cut down.
In the next second, we burst through the door leading to the fire escape. Cold night air hit our faces, but there was no time to linger — downstairs, on the lit platform, stood a whole hundred marines, running into the base armed to the teeth.
— We need to get to the city faster! — I said, scanning the base territory and looking for escape routes.
The metal railings of the fire escape trembled under our feet.
— Grab onto me! — I said, suddenly turning to the others. They didn't ask questions — Sabo, Karina, and Gin quickly grabbed my shoulders and waist, holding on tightly.
— Don't let go. This is going to be… a little wild.
I took a deep breath and focused — my legs and arms began to transform, twisting and compressing like springs. The metal framework beneath my feet creaked.
— Bane Bane no Mi... Spring Evacuator! — I roared, and with a powerful spring release sound, we shot up and forward like a catapult, launched into the sky above the base.
The wind whipped across our faces, the base rapidly shrinking below — and we flew, piercing the air like a projectile, straight toward the night silhouette of the city ahead.
For the first couple of seconds, there was a deathly silence around — we hovered in the air, frozen in the moment. But as soon as the jump's force weakened and we began to fall rapidly, panicked screams rang out.
— Ahh! — Karina screamed, her voice cutting through the air. — Hey, could we have gotten there some other way?!
I barely had time to think I agreed when the city rushed toward us at a crazy speed. Houses and streets flashed below, and my only wish was not to crash into any balcony or roof.
My legs had already turned into real springs, ready to absorb the impact, and my hands instinctively clenched into fists. At the last moment before hitting the ground, I felt a strong push — the springs compressed and amortized the fall, making my body slightly bounce and slide on the asphalt.
We landed heavily, but all in one piece. Karina was breathing hard, still stunned.
— Well, that was… extreme, — she exhaled.
— Yeah, — I smirked, trying to lighten the mood, — your bags dragged us down a bit.
I looked at two heavy bags nearby.
— Gin, did you find the documents we need?
— Yes, — he replied, running up — they were under the bed, but there are too many papers and contracts with various employees here. I don't know which one we need.
— We'll figure it out on the spot, — I said as we ran out into the fresh air.
When we ran into the port, marines were already bustling around, shouting over each other and checking weapons.
— Let's run to Bean's ship, — I announced without wasting a second.
— Let's go! — Sabo echoed, and we dashed to the dock where our chance of escape was rocking.
Uniforms still help, — I thought as two marines thundered past us without even glancing. We blended into the background, and it worked in our favor.
Quickly, almost running, we reached the ship. The wooden gangplank creaked, the muffled sound of waves — and now we were already on deck. But the scene before us sharply took the breath away.
Bean sat on a bench by the mast, arms crossed over his chest, and beside him, with an icy smile on his face, stood Eric.
— You still came here… so I understood everything right, — he said, lips curled in a smile.
I just opened my mouth but didn't get a word out before Gin silently, as if on command, crossed the distance and dealt a crushing blow. Eric barely managed to dodge, skillfully stepping aside.
— I'll take him off the ship. He's annoyed me for too long, — Gin said, turning back to us over his shoulder.
At that moment, two blades made from a sharp gust of wind flew at him with a whistle. But Gin already raised his tonfas, deftly blocking them, sparks flying in the air.
— Fine. He's yours! — I shouted, gritting my teeth.
— Hey! He needs help! — Karina exclaimed, stepping forward.
— He'll manage himself, — Sabo said calmly, not taking his eyes off the fight.
— No growth without challenges, — I added and rushed forward, straight to Bean, who still sat as if uninvolved.
— Larson already told me everything, — Bean said, sharply raising his gaze, his voice trembling though he tried to appear calm. — From the noise on the island, it's clear: you managed to get the documents?
At that moment, a heavy crash sounded behind us. Eric, flying back from Gin's strike…
— Yes, but not without adventures, — I replied, nodding at the bag of papers Sabo held. — Half the base was alerted. We barely escaped.
— There are dozens of contracts and plans, — Sabo added. — But I think the one we need is definitely among them.
Karina opened the bag and quickly started sifting through papers, her eyes scanning the lines at inhuman speed.
— Give me those, I signed them myself — I'll find it faster, — Bean said, quickly snatching a pile of documents from Karina's hands. He knelt next to a barrel, spread the papers out, and began frantically flipping through the pages.
— Not that one… not this one… — he muttered, flipping. Page after page flew aside until finally his fingers stopped. — Here! Found it! Contract number C-114, signed two years ago. This is it!
He lifted the paper, which in bold letters read:"Agreement on the transfer of the sum of 1,800,000 berry under the personal responsibility of base commander Nelson Royale."
— Nelson Royale… — I repeated, looking at the name in the contract header. — Well, do we just destroy him now?
— No, no, wait, — Bean interrupted, still holding the papers. — If possible… I'd like to take all these contracts with me. I know dozens of people who were deceived just like me. These papers can help them get back what was taken: money, property, honest names. I want to fix at least something.
We exchanged glances, and I nodded.
— Take them. That's better than just burning everything.
— Then… maybe we'll finally buy a ship? — Sabo asked with a smirk, tapping the railing.
— Take it for free! — Bean waved his hand, a look of fatigue but without bitterness flashing across his face. — You already saved me… and all of us. Without you, I'd be rotting in the basement soon.
— No way, — Karina shook her head, stepping forward. — What about you then? Stay with nothing?
— Larson has already prepared a boat. We'll sail to the neighboring island. We need to return the contracts to everyone! And it might not be safe here either…
Karina hesitated, then took out a neatly tied bundle of money from her bag.
— Still… take it. At least a little — for a new start.
Bean took the money hesitantly, lowering his gaze. His voice trembled:
— Thank you…