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The universe is an ideal playground. Dozens of cute little planets dancing around hundreds of stars merging in thousands of galaxies and all of it multiplies into millions of variants only for Aha to amuse themself.
The opportunities were infinite and Jarilo-VI was the tiniest grain of sand in the sea of the Universe. Belobog was even smaller.
They liked to pretend to be its most pathetic inhabitant, the littlest man of the littlest planet. Chased by one of the most important people of its small world. Oh, it was so cute how Captain Gepard Landau thought what he was doing was significant. Wake up, captain, you are trying to catch a con Aeon pretending to be a con man, and the Universe doesn’t give a fuck.
It was what they currently liked. To pretend to be much smaller than they really were and engage in a cat-and-mouse game with a being who believed he had power over them.
The joke was maybe he actually had power over them. Damn, they were stuck in a fucking cell of the pettiest little planet the Universe could born. By choice. They had power to turn cell bars into candies or simply vanish into the air to chase this funny Stellaron human container. This one promised to bring chaos to such a larger scale of things it was truly ridiculous they wasted their best gigs on someone like Gepard. But since when they started to care what made sense and what didn’t?
There was no one in the precinct except for two of them. Sometimes Sampo let Gepard catch him because it was cute how the captain thought he had influence over him or that the law had strength. Gepard never had solid proof against him, but he could legally keep him as a suspect for several hours in the precinct cell, and what are hours for Aeons, right? Another little measurement system for little concepts like time.
Sure, he could please the captain, giving him an opportunity to provide Sampo some inconvenience. He could play along.
“Captain, my Captain, it is getting so late, don’t you pity your youth you have to waste guarding an innocent man?”
“Your innocence is under investigation. Legally, I have another hour to keep you here, who knows, maybe some of the staff will show up soon enough with something that would allow us to arrest you properly.”
“You know that won’t happen.”
“If I have an opportunity to give Belobog some rest from you even for a second, I’ll take it.”
“Oh, why are you so mean to me?”
Gepard gave him a lazy look. Sampo sweetly smiled at him back. He was so pretty. A golden boy, truly.
Aha liked their current form but they wondered if they should have come up with something else. It’s not like you could win with looks, especially someone like Gepard, but hey.
“You know, it’s cool you are so protective of your people, that truly deserves some admiration. Plus it’s not like I am that annoyed.”
“How come?”
“Well, it gets me spending some time with you.”
Gepard furrowed his eyebrows. He straightened his posture and looked at Sampo a little bit more attentively.
“Are you messing with me?”
“Nooo, I would rather call it… flirting? Like sending you hints that this, here, is a date.”
“It’s not. I’m here guarding a suspect in a laundering money case.”
“Yeah, I mean, how else can I get your attention without letting you catch me? And I am innocent, just saying considering you don’t find me innocent, but I also don’t mind you questioning my innocence because it grants me some quality time with you.”
“Enough!” Gepard turned away flustered. He rubbed his nose bridge. “I don’t know what for, but you’re just trying to get into my head.”
Sampo gave up a little giggle. It would be easy to ignore his flirting if there was no mutual tension, he was pretty sure Gepard was not that indifferent if he lost his cool for a moment.
“Nah, it’s your heart I’m trying to get into.”’
“You are serious?”
“I never lie, you know.”
“You just twist your words, omit the details or, rather, major points, and tell half the truth, yeah, yeah.” Gepard was looking frustratedly at his table. A second of silence later he grabbed the keys from his table in one rough movement and opened Sampo’s cell.
“Go.” He commanded.
Taking his time, in a playful walk, Sampo left the cell. He wanted to tease the captain more, but Gepard just stood there holding the door, his gaze empty. Sampo pouted his lips.
“Don’t we have an extra half an hour, though?”
“Leave.”
“Captain, you’re breaking my heart!”
“What did you expect?” Gepard straightened his back and lifted his head even more. But his expression was unreadable, what was he thinking, what was he feeling? “If what you say is true, or partly true, then I strongly recommend you to cease your actions because they will lead you nowhere and they do harm the society–“
“Easy-easy! I harmed no one, at least you don’t have any proof. I’m just an unfortunate man who always gets caught up in the most confusing circumstances.”
“Right.”
“Your accusations are so shocking! Still, can’t really mind them…”
“?”
“Can’t hate even the most offensive words coming from your mouth ‘cos I still get to hear your voice–”
“Leave. Now.”
Sampo lowered his shoulders and sighed.
“Sorry. Is there a chance for me, though?”
Gepard frowned his eyebrows even more trying again to understand if Sampo was acting or not.
“I’m being vulnerable.” Sampo pointed at himself.
Gepard did not comment. Instead, he came closer and put his hands on Sampo’s shoulders. Before he could react, or sigh, or catch a sweet skip of his heart, Gepard turned him around and started pushing him to the door. A moment later the said door closed in front of him and he was on the street once again.
“It’s not a no!” Sampo cried back.
***
Maybe they needed a change of a plan. It was annoying to be one of the most powerful entities in the universe and still not get what you wanted.
Technically speaking, they could get Gepard dance under their flute but it involved fucking with his brain. They didn’t want a puppet. Only loser Aeons did that, because they don’t care about fun, only goals.
Aha doesn’t do goals, they prefer games. Games of their own craft, with rules because rules make it exciting and challenging and FUN. The general rule was not using your cosmic powers like loser Aeons did, words and actions were as powerful, they just took some more steps. Which was good, because while there was a risk of not getting what you wanted you definitely had no threat of being bored.
The problem was, when they came to Belobog, they didn’t have a plan to get a liking of any of its inhabitants, so they created themself a legend that was easy to act on, and it did not align with their current plans anymore. (Well, with one plan, it still worked enough for the Stellaron cutie.) If only they knew, they would pick up the role of some dirty money bag aristocrat so they could both do their bisness and still be, formally, on one side with Gepard.
Well, they just accidentally chose to play it on hard mode. But hard mode is still beatable, right? And some charity could help them with their endgame.
***
“Soooo… What’s up?”
“I am busy, Koski.” Natasha sighed. “Silvermane Guards will visit the Underworld today.”
“You don’t say!”
Natasha ignored him, checking her list or whatever busy work paper she was currently holding. She was actually one of his first clients on Jarilo-VI, and despite their long-term business correspondence Natasha still preferred him getting her her orders rather than him intervening into Wildfire-Silvermane Guards relationships.
“They will bring some new resources to Boulder Town, right?”
“Yes, some support for children and ill miner workers–“
“I know, I know, need some help? Some boxes you need lifting and moving around?”
“You wanna strip children from food and medicine now?”
“I genuinely want to help.”
“A-ha.”
“Listen, i just wish to clear some misunderstandings between me and… you know, the society–“
Natasha crossed her arms.
“Also the guy I like is into goodie goodies, so kinda want to impress him?”
“This is the most ridiculous plan I’ve ever heard!”
“What plan? To woo a guy by doing things he likes?”
“To try to get into the high-up’s pants to distract him from whatever heist you’re working on.”
“My intentions are pure!” Sampo exclaimed, scandalized.
Natasha pointed behind his back. It was the moment when the door of the clinic was opened and Sampo saw Oleg and Gepard standing on the porch.
“Is he getting you trouble?” Gepard addressed Natasha not really looking at Sampo.
“No, actually, I’m trying to win your heart here doing good deeds.” Sampo put his hands on his sides.
“It means yes.” Gepard sighed but before he could do anything Natasha suddenly interrupted him.
“I’m letting him.” She shrugged her shoulders facing the hesitant expressions of both Oleg and Gepard. “We need an extra pair of hands.”
Oleg quickly approached her to whisper about if she was sure but Sampo didn’t worry, he knew he made his stake right and Natasha was into fun too. Today she could profit from him a little bit and amaze herself with a cheap drama.
“You know my reputation, Captain.” Sampo whispered to Gepard, his eyes twinkling with mischief. “It would be wise to keep an eye on me and provide some personal surveillance.”
“You’re right. Fortunately, Dunn, being a Security Captain, is perfect for this job.”
***
Play stupid games, win stupid prizes. Not only Dunn was practically breathing on his neck due Gepard being cold to his charm, Sampo also got into a conflict with Julian and Alina. He was here to impress Gepard by feeding sad kids some candies, but not only the kids weren’t sad, they were savage in wanting to do all the heavy lifting themselves.
“Boulder Town is under the Moles supervision, you’re discrediting our authority–“
“With helping some seven year olds move some heavy boxes?” Sampo sighed.
“I’m eight!” Alina put her tiny hands on her sides, which was menacing. “And we can always divide everything and deliver it in parts!”
“Listen, I’m here to be your flunky guy, you’ll get your job done faster, more efficiently and you’ll take all the credit. I don’t know, it sounds like a good deal to me!”
“The Moles don’t do deals and don’t need anyone to fulfill their duties!”
Sampo rolled his eyes and bent down to pick up a supply box, but kids were quick to stand between it and him and spread their tiny arms to prevent him from further actions.
“This is hell.” Sampo murmured, straightening back.
“What? Helping children?” Of course Gepard had to witness this disaster. Sampo looked at him helplessly. Usually children liked him because he was fun, but the Underworld kids were just built differently. “Grab some boxes from there, then.” Gepard showed him where with a bow of his head. “It’s mostly fragile stuff, and chemicals, so we don’t want kids on it.”
Gepard and Sampo (and Dunn) approached the boxes and the captain gave them brief instructions on what should go where.
“Huh, helping me help you…” Sampo murmured, picking up the first box.
“Well, I'll tell you a secret. The kids are not letting some Silvermane guards help too.” Gepard smiled and Sampo gulped his spicy comment on having a mutual secret just not to mess with this smile. “Good luck.” Gepard said to him (and Dunn) and went further to check on others.
Sampo sighed and got into work. He did it quite honestly, without even taking a break. (Mostly because while he was moving he could catch a glimpse of Gepard here and there, and probably be in the corner of his eye too).
“Tell him I was good today, okay?” Sampo sighed when they were finished.
“I won’t.”
And that was Dunn for you.
***
Sampo was sipping a coffee in the busy lounge of Goethe Hotel, listening to its guests’ conversations. It was quite a valuable source of information, and he was getting bored and wanted to do a quick job for a warm up. What he didn’t expect is to overhear a conversation between two young ladies discussing their last visit to the museum and an excursion led by – surprise, surprise – Captain Gepard Landau.
Sampo was glad he messed with all of this Belobog museum restoration process prior to his decision to get into actively seeking Gepard’s favor, because 1) he didn’t have any big job right now to catch the authorities’ attention; 2) the Stallaron sweetie filled some documents for him so he could be listed as the museum’s volunteer skipping a troublesome interview part.
So if Gepard still does spend his free time volunteering in the museum, so could he.
That's how he ended up in the restoration room with Pelageya Sergeyevna trying to pick up an artifact for him to restore. She strived to figure out what was not a big pity to lose, but everything was of equal value for her.
Sampo wanted to try to sweet talk her, but she stopped him with one very convincing look. She didn’t want him guiding the visitors (frankly, he agreed with her, some extra publicity harmed both the museum and him), there was no one to look after him except for Boris who was too eager to talk to anyone that it damaged the span of his attention and there were too much valuables lying around. Nothing of crazy price, of course, but it was easy to up the exhibit’s worth as long as there was any historical value.
Another ten minutes later Gepard showed up as he, apparently, needed Pela’s assistance as well. He momentarily tensed seeing Sampo here too.
“Don’t ask me, what he’s doing here!” Pela complained. “I don’t know why the Trailblazer decided it was a good idea to scout him too, but he was there before I noticed all the papers were accepted.”
“Normally, I would trust the Trailblazer’s judgements, but…” Gepard hesitantly looked at Sampo himself. Sampo tried his best making the puppiest puppy eyes one could imagine, but unfortunately it didn’t look that good on him, as Gepard couldn’t help but grimace. “You know what, give him that music box we were talking about. The one I wanted to pick it up for Serval to fix its mechanics, but she can’t do the decoration part herself, so he’ll do it. And he will be under my responsibility.”
“If you say so.” Pela was still not completely sold, but she gave Sampo the said music box with some old photos of it. The box was varnished black, with a miniature painting on the lid, which was the main problem, as the time and not very careful previous owners left a bunch of scratches and dents that violated the painting’s integrity.
“Okay, I’ll need something to remove the old varnish, some sandpaper, tempera paints– Can I make a list?” Pela was a bit surprised Sampo treated the task seriously and didn’t need much instruction.
When Sampo got his materials both Pela and Gepard left him, so he could start the work. He was quickly joined by Boris, who had his own item of interest to restore and enormous desire to talk over work. Well, Sampo didn’t mind the background noise, maybe the loose tongue of his companion could accidentally give up something useful. Though, it was mostly about scoop on the museum’s personnel and Boris’ hopeless crush on one of the guides, with which Sampo could actually simpatise.
Restoration process was easy. It didn’t need as many shenanigans as forgery, just make it the same as it looked before and make it last. No need trying to find the chemicals that were used 150 years ago simultaneously coming up with a believable story of how the object was acquired.
By the end of the working day Gepard showed up again to check on. Sampo proudly showed him his work.
“Look! But don’t touch it, it hasn’t dried up yet. You’ll need to take it to Serval tomorrow, or I’ll have to redo my work once again. And it’s a threat.” Sampo winked and Gepard rolled his eyes. He still leaned to look closer at the music box.
“It’s… well, actually you did great!” Gepard mused, tilting his head to get a view on the sides.
“Why are you surprised, I am crafty.” Sampo muttered, crossing his hands.
“I am not, though.” Gepard laughed chastely. “And, you know, the painting here, I know it is a reproduction, but still it needs some artistic skills, right? Pela teaches me to draw sometimes, but that journey is a long one. So I can’t help but admire when people are good with brushes and paints.”
Sampo was taken aback by having a normal conversation with Gepard. Usually he calculated everything so thoroughly he always was prepared to take action on any branch of events the situation could get, but he didn’t predict Gepard would want to talk to him casually so soon.
Damn, he made them feel so human. What was that special about this guy anyway? They needed to experience more of him to get the understanding how possibly he could make an Aeon feel so silly.
“Wanted posters. Didn’t you paint some of them? I liked them. Hope to see more.”
“Really? Aren’t you into cleaning your reputation now?” Gepard patted his shoulder in good humor. This was nice.
Before Sampo could reply something smart, Pela showed up too. Overall, the day came to the end, and while Pela liked the music box and wasn’t against Sampo coming again, he still felt he needed to do more.
***
Now things started to feel a little bit more real. Like progress. Like cosmic dust finally started agglutinating together to form a planet. They felt torrents of new energy provoking their patience, all their entity just needed more .
It was ridiculous how the small gesture of Gepard warming up to them could spiral their mind that badly. How drunk they got on a faint shimmer of soft eyes.
Oh, they desperately wanted to give him what it meant to love an Aeon. To burst his three-dimensional being with the explosion of supernovas, colliding black holes and the collapse of time itself. To make him feel everything every being of every species ever felt, to bring him beyond life and death, existence and nonexistence.
They would make him forever happy. Because they were the Aeon of Joy.
***
The next time they were destined to bump into each other was in front of the flower shop at the Administrative District. Due to honorary deeds of the Astral Express, Jarilo-VI was once again opened to intergalactic trade so for Sampo personally it meant new clients and new deals (all legal for the time being). He was wandering around the streets searching for a potential commissioner when he spotted Gepard with a giant plant in his hands.
“Another weekend for the Captain! Doin’ shopping, I see? Want to cozy up the precinct with some decorations?”
“No, actually…” Gepard looked a little flustered. “This is for me.”
“You like plants?”
“Well, yes… I try to take botany as a hobby, but…” Gepard coughed. “I’m not that good.”
“Hey, that’s actually cute!”
Gepard’s hobbies were really something. Growing flowers, drawing pictures… Creating. Aeons used to be into creating too before they got into hobbies like destroying each other and let the universe continue to reproduce itself so they could fuck it.
“Are you patronizing me?” Gepard looked a little offended. Well, maybe it was a vulnerable zone. From what Sampo knew, Gepard was a gentle kid raised by strict parents into your classic definition of a real man, and it seemed the hobbies he had he picked up only lately. Well, he fulfilled his parents’ desire to be a manly man so it was time to live for himself and have some fun, and Sampo loved fun for this guy.
“No-no, man, it’s cool. Honestly. Like, you know, look at me, I don’t have any hobbies.”
“…” Gepard was hesitant to continue the small talk, it meant they were on amicable terms. But he made his step. “What do you like to do in your free time, then?”
“The same thing I do in my busy time? Having fun.”
“How do you have fun? Without having any hobbies.”
“Well, networking… Just hanging out, talking to people?” Sampo shrugged his shoulders. He smiled a little teasingly. “Talking to you.”
Gepard scoffed. He also looked a little saddened.
“Right, screw me, for thinking I can talk to you like a normal person.”
“Hey, sorry, just saw an opportunity for a pick up line, had to grab it. You wanna have me to stop, you wanna reject me properly.” Aaaand, he promised he wouldn’t do it, but now he was suddenly going va banque. It was a huge risk he was taking, especially at this stage of their relationship.
Gepard didn’t know what to reply.
“But, really, why won’t you formally reject me?”
“Didn’t take you seriously.”
“But what if for a moment you let yourself believe I’m serious?”
“Can we not talk about it here?”
“Where else?!”
“It’s just… You know, not private.” Gepard looked very uncomfortable. He was hugging his plant like it could protect him from further embarrassment.
“Well, there is a nice little cozy nook and cranny just behind you.” Sampo suggested.
Gepard looked towards the backstreet and sighed.
“I am gonna regret it, but my place is nearby. Let’s talk there, okay?”
***
Gepard’s place was unexpectedly small (wasn’t he from some rich family?) and very clean and very cozy. Basically it was more like a studio, with a stairs that led to the bed area, and the ‘first floor’ was occupied with a tiny kitchen, a sofa and a decent amount of plants. The ‘decent’ part was at risk to become ‘crazy’ as Gepard placed the new purchase to the collection.
Gepard invited Sampo to sit down on the sofa and placed his chair against him. He took a deep breath.
“Before I embarrass myself, could you promise me, you’re serious when you speak about… you know, us, together? Because if you’re not, here is your win, I completely believed you on you wanting to get involved with me romantically, and I was a fool to take some responsibility to address it.”
“No-no-no, I’m serious. Listen, I’m not taking a joke that doesn’t work too far, I let it die immediately. I would not bother you for days like that. Too much work if I wasn’t serious.”
“Yeah… Right. I have noticed your name disappeared from the latest reports in the precinct, then you volunteered in Boulder Town, and here, in the Belobog Museum, and do I interpret it right that that’s your way of getting on my side?”
“That’s my way of actually being a better person, like all these miscommunications are standing between you possibly liking me, so I thought I should clean up a little bit.” This was a shitty reply because Gepard twisted his mouth in a sort of disappointed way. “Listen, I can’t admit to some parts of your inquiry, maybe it’s just your way to interrogate me by letting me believe you believed me I’m attracted to you.”
“You now sound more guilty.”
“Can we go back to talking about feelings? Let’s just admit I’m trying very hard to be liked by you.”
Gepard sighed. He rubbed his hands, hesitating if he should continue speaking or not. Finally he lifted his eyes up to meet Sampo’s ones, and Sampo suddenly felt it won’t be fun anymore.
“You are liked by me.” Gepard admitted it. And he admitted it sadly .
Sampo was sure these words, if he heard them, could erupt long frozen volcanos of Jarilo-VI. Instead, the way Gepard said it felt like acid, like dark matter was suddenly hollowing him, when it was supposed to fill him with exaltation. And then Gepard continued.
“At least I can’t explain why I have these weird sensations when I see you. You are bothersome and give me a lot of trouble, but I also wait for another day just to see you. When you started to tease me I thought you somehow noticed my feeling, and it felt cruel. But also like a relief, because it could sober me and kill whatever I felt, but you constantly claimed your sincerity.”
“And… well, what’s wrong with having mutual feelings?”
“I just… I don’t know you that well. You are keeping a lot from me, and I know you will prefer to keep it away forever. And I’m just… I’m not sure if you will love me or will you love my love .”
Oh.
Huh.
That made sense.
“I should not have mentioned the word love, you are probably just seeking something casual, but… I don’t do casual.” Gepard continued to vent. “I don’t know, if you are honest about your intentions, I want to answer you with honesty, tell you my fears, because when it comes to relationships I am not that strong. But if you were messing with me… Could you stop?”
“I said I wasn’t messing…” Sampo murmured. Damn he was, for once, at a loss for words. “I… uh… I need to think.”
It stopped being fun. Or joyous, or rapturous, or… anything good at all. It was not the first time Aha miscalculated and what was supposed to be en elation was spoiled by the inability of the other party to take a good joke. But they were not joking this time. And it was on them.
Normally, when things stopped bringing them joy they would explode a planet and unleash chaos just to make up for their efforts. The commotion would satisfy their frustration before they would find something interesting to mess with. They didn’t want to do that. This time they wanted to make one single being happy and they faced the truth they could not do it.
“I… I don’t know what to do.” Sampo said plainly. “Huh, you seem to understand what I am, without necessarily knowing it.”
“…What do you mean?”
“I mean you’re right. I like to be liked and it is what makes me happy. Is it not enough to be liked by me in return? I guess it’s not…”
Love is supposed to bring joy. How come their love didn’t? How come Gepard looked tortured by it? Especially when they didn’t even start anything? How was it possible?
Aha doesn’t harm anyone. Only loser Aeons did. Were they like loser Aeons now?
“I think, what I want to say, things are much easier for me, I think I did… I do want what you called ‘casual’.” Sampo hated when he broke character and when he was bad with words. “Let’s, well, let’s decide on that, then? I wanted ‘casual’, you didn’t, I’m respectful of boundaries and well… You are not hurt, are you?”
“You’re weird.” Gepard sneered and rubbed his forehead. He was smiling. Smiling was good. But that one smile felt bitter.
It was destroying Aha. Shit.
“I should leave. Like leave-leave. Not just your place but like leave Belobog.” Like leave Jarilo-VI and this tiny freaking galaxy. “It would be good, right?” Sampo jumped on his legs but that was pretty much it. Somehow he couldn’t move.
“Isn’t it a bit radical?” Gepard looked worried.
“I’m not from here anyway, I can do my work pretty much anywhere else. I don’t want to become a sour for your eye, so if I don’t care where to be, I should go.”
“I don’t know.” Gepard was looking at his hands again. “I don’t know why but I don’t want you to leave. And I don’t why I can’t reject you once and for all while I know I should, to save you and me some time and nerves. That’s not honest to do too.”
Aha couldn’t take it anymore. They were so powerful, but this… this sadness was much much more powerful than they ever aspired to be. They wish things could turn back…
Oh.
“I do have an idea, though…” Sampo said suddenly. “But you need to trust me and wait for tomorrow.”
“… Okay?”
Sampo moved towards the door but stopped almost immediately and looked at Gepard once again.
“I have one small request before I go, though…”
“How small?”
“Okay, it’s a biggie.”
“…”
“Can I kiss you?”
Gepard looked at him with his eyes wide open.
“Like a smooch? Not leading to anything? I promise to behave. And won’t ask you EVER again for something like that.”
Gepard shut his mouth he opened unconsciously. After a long, long pause during which, Aha thought, another universe could be born, Gepard finally stood from his chair and hesitantly approached them.
Then his hands were on Sampo’s shoulders and he leaned to kiss him.
It was a plain simple kiss. Firm, though. Very sweet. Sampo pressed his lips harder to feel every bit of it, and it was him, the fool, who thought he could grant Gepard the ephoria of love of the universe itself. But it was Gepard who gave him what nobody ever felt in the entire existence. Sampo thought it was a miracle to be loved by an Aeon, but being loved by a human was better.
Gepard broke the kiss and Sampo sighed not wanting to let go. But he promised to. From what he was starting to understand, it was a form of love as well.
“Thank you, Captain.” He grinned.
With a bit of hesitation, Gepard let off his hands and Sampo made a step back. He quickly went to the door, paused for a second to wave at Gepard, and disappeared for the night.
***
“Wait, what?”
Gepard was anxiously rushing through the Restricted Zone not quite processing the briefing Dunn was reading for him. All the clothes from the guards currently living in the barracks were stolen, all the weapons in the armory were replaced by children's toy analogs, and several military robots were reprogrammed to constantly dance… overall it was utter chaos.
“Our priority should be finding weapons.” Gepard needed to act and it should be fast. “Find any formal or informal clothes for the guards, turn off the robots, that can be dealt with later. Is the whole armory replaced?”
“Yes, sir.”
“The culprits can’t be far, we are talking about a lot of heavy merchandise… Whoever have stolen it–“
“It was not stolen, though!”
Gepard and his guards sharply turned back to the cheerful voice. Sampo Koski was sitting on the wall, dangling his feet, and was making a paper plane.
“What are you doing here?!” Exclaimed Gepard. “This area is restricted.”
“I’m an intel merchant, selling all the latest info to customers who need it! But just for you, today, it’s free!”
Sampo jumped on his legs, sending the paper plane towards them. The second later he was running away.
“Attend it!” Gepard cried to Dunn, pointing on a clumsy dance of the folded paper. “I gonna catch that bastard!”
And Gepard rushed after Sampo like cat after mouse. It will be a long, long day that will give him a headache for weeks. And then it would repeat and repeat and repeat, the infinite cycle of running, catching, arresting, interrogating, missing, not finding, investigating, winning and losing, and then running again.
Gepard didn’t know why but he was running and he was smiling.