This is my rampart against the spectres

And then Enoch concentrated, and then he started to grow…and grow..and grow some more, until he was the size of the surrounding buildings.

His booming voice, admittedly, hurt his ears and grated on his nerves. He did not, however, back down. Both of his hands were now on his bat, gripping tightly as he moved into a more professional batting position, and he glared up at Enoch — the final guardian he thought he’d killed.

Enoch quickly slammed his fist down at the spot where the Batter stood, who predictably, dodged with all the nimbleness of an acrobat. Enoch then reflexively swiped to the  left and managed to slam the Batter into a wall.

“Well of course Okuu!” Enoch said gleefully.

“And yes….all our food for the workers is made right here. Of course, this being a sugar factory, sometimes, when our workers do their jobs ESPECIALLY well, we let them have a small bit of our sugar as a reward. After all, what’s the point of a sugar factory if you can’t have any sugar?”

Utusho stared at the veritable banquet that was on display in front of her. She scrounged enough money so she didn’t starve, and swiped what she could get away with. But she hadn’t seen nearly this much food in one place since she’d left home. And it had certainly never been offered to her.

In an instant she fell upon the mass of edible fineries in front of her. Devouring food at quite an alarming rate for someone with only one hand. She stuffed her face uninterrupted for a good half a minute before remembering that she wasn’t alone. 

“Mm- hank you… really… his is amazinn” She spoke muffled burst between swallows. “sugar huh” Sugar was pretty great. There was never much of it at home, and the amounts she was allowed were fairly restricted…

After a solid portion of the table before her was cleared, she swallowed the last of it and licked the remains for her hand for good measure. 

“Aaaaahh” She let out a pleased sigh, and for a brief moment a deep glow shone from beneath her skin, accompanied by a low and almost inaudible hmmmm, before the light receded. 

She turned back to Enoch smiling.

"Well, I am glad to see that your appetite is quite healthy! Ah.... without further ado, shall we head to the dorms?" 

Enoch led Okuu down another narrow hallway, filled with the occasional worker heading down in a rush. Finally they made it to a long row of doors, and as Enoch showed, each room housed a dormitory which seemed like it was fit for at least six people.

Enoch scanned the row of buildings…..surely they would expect us to search in order of size…..these factories were quite large, but nothing compared to the entirety of Zone 3, where he could have hidden an entire armada if he wished.

“I thought we were looking for the detonator, not the bombs? I suppose we can try looking for them too but they might be spread around the city as well… “

“…well, what I’m saying that if it’s a switch they can place it anywhere. If it’s explosive device, you are naturally right.

"But nonetheless, we must think. If we try to get ahold of the bombs, then we risk some maniac detonating them while it is in our possessions. But if we were to search for the detonators, then that means the bombs will be harmless, and completely in our control!"

“Well of course Utsuho!” He beckoned her to follow along as he got up from his chair and opened the door.

They walked down the hall and reached a door which led to an open area filled with rows and rows of tables as far as the eye could see. Walking through the area were countless blue collar workers going about their business and eating meals which seemed almost impossibly delicious.

“Damn, and all that gets made here? That’s crazy.” 

She paused, taking a moment to process the entire room. 

“Meal time, huh?” Now that was familiar “Do you have like a bell or something?” Meal bells she recognised. Meal bells were good.

"And yes....all our food for the workers is made right here. Of course, this being a sugar factory, sometimes, when our workers do their jobs ESPECIALLY well, we let them have a small bit of our sugar as a reward. After all, what's the point of a sugar factory if you can't have any sugar?"

Pucci and Enoch drove straight to the long string of abandoned factories bordering Sectors oo2 and oo3. If there was ever a place to hide a large explosive it would be this.

“Now….these factories have been long out of comission, apparently due to nuclear fallout. But let me tell you Father, this is no nuclear fallout that is the issue here…..”

”..it doesn’t seem witless thought. This is remote enough for that.”

However one worry remained in Pucci’s thoughts. 

“Are you insinuating that the nuclear incident never happened or do you mean that they were put here because it happened here? I’m a tad worried of the possible radioactive remains here… I’m but a priest so I’m afraid I don’t have much defenses against such a thing…”

Despite the words Pucci was already heading towards the factories and gestured the other to follow. It didn’t mean that he was going to turn away. What it meant that they would need to hurry up even more.  

“If you have an idea of where exactly it might be located, feel free to state it now. Otherwise we’re starting from the main reactors.”

Enoch scanned the row of buildings.....surely they would expect us to search in order of size.....these factories were quite large, but nothing compared to the entirety of Zone 3, where he could have hidden an entire armada if he wished.

“Let’s quit wastin’ time and get the hell outta here!!!!”

Enoch sorted out any extra papers, and had Utsuho sign a few documents, and then she was all set.

She didn’t particularly enjoy having to write, even if it was brief. But she figured it must be a necessary part of the job. She’d probably written less in her lifetime than a human one tenth her age, keeping her signature mostly the same was a bit of struggle. 

She wasn’t sure why, but when he said she was an ‘official member’ her eyes brightened, and she felt a rush. It was the first time she’d been part of something in, well. As long as she could remember. She was going to be the best at what she did, and she was going to make sure what she was apart of was the best at what it did.

She completely up to date on the fineries of improving… What exactly? Sugar production? Eh, it’d work itself out.

They walked down the hall and reached a door which led to an open area filled with rows and rows of tables as far as the eye could see. Walking through the area were countless blue collar workers going about their business and eating meals which seemed almost impossibly delicious.

Enoch turned around and faced Graham from his swivel chair.

Graham swings his wrench up above his shoulder and grins at Enoch.

“It is vital that we reach the area before any other……interlopers. After all, there are many in this city who would want something like this on their hands wouldn’t they?”

Pucci gave rather cold look at the other man.

“….my priority is naturally to simply prevent the destruction of the sector so naturally the faster we get there, the better.”

Pucci might have been half serious saying that but you could have said that it was also about his own life rather than of the other’s. How aware he was of this was a whole another thing. 

He glanced the vehicle and then offered a nod back to the other. It’s something he needed to give the other credit for. With this they should be there fast enough.

“Well-thought”, Pucci applauded then stepping outside making his way to the car, “are you driving?”

Pucci and Enoch drove straight to the long string of abandoned factories bordering Sectors oo2 and oo3. If there was ever a place to hide a large explosive it would be this.

"Now....these factories have been long out of comission, apparently due to nuclear fallout. But let me tell you Father, this is no nuclear fallout that is the issue here....."

“Well…from what I have gathered….the detonator has something to do with a sort of “plant” with no leaves. Now seeing this city’s infrastructure, it wouldn’t be off the mark to deduce that this is referring to an industrial plant rather than cacti, YAHAHAHAHAHHA!” Enoch always loved his little jokes.

So he nodded as a sign of agreement. 

“I can’t say I see any other possibilities either. Therefore…” 

No time to waste. The bomb wouldn’t wait them forever. A quick turn and few steps were taken to the outer door. The door opened with a creak revealing the still raging storm with all its’ lightworks.

“Let us hurry then.”

"Err..I believe it would be more convenient to go in a vehicle....so luckily I have procured one for easier travel, if you do not mind." Enoch then pointed to a large truck parked outside of the church.

He did not want to make a bad impression on the priest…and the key to a first impression was manners.

If the other hadn’t mentioned possibly having clues on the situation Pucci would have put the matter off much much more reluctantly. The words sparked immediate interest and made it easier.  

“…fine.”

"Well...from what I have gathered....the detonator has something to do with a sort of "plant" with no leaves. Now seeing this city's infrastructure, it wouldn't be off the mark to deduce that this is referring to an industrial plant rather than cacti, YAHAHAHAHAHHA!" Enoch always loved his little jokes.

Oh man, this is exciting! Graham’s used to being able to break what he wants back home, since he was the boss of his little group, but he was expecting a little limitation now that he’s under new management. But now that that’s not true, he likes this gig even more now.

Enoch turned around and faced Graham from his swivel chair.

At first glance, it should have been obvious to spot the rather large man standing in the church, but Enoch had his ways. 

“It seems that there is a device that will destroy the entire sector, and I think that if these scientists won’t help us, then it’s up to people like us to get to the bottom of this.”

Enoch did not want to make any enemies in this city, since he already had a pesky one in the form of the “almighty purifier”. And it seems like this priest would make a valuable asset.

“Pardon me but how did you get in?” he inquired. For a while he eyed on the hand reached towards him not accepting the gesture just yet. 

“I keep these doors locked, both the inner and outer.”

He did not want to make a bad impression on the priest...and the key to a first impression was manners.

“Hmm….interesting indeed…..with that experience, if you don’t mind, I may ask for your assistance with the processing team from time to time when something comes up. Don’t worry you will receive a bonus for your work, and free dessert. But never fret, you may not even have to worry about that for a long time!”

Bossman Enoch definitely seemed to sour when this bat dude was brought up, so that must be a sore point. She wanted to ask what he’d done, but he was already moving on. Oh well, whatever it was, she’d make sure she’d bludgeon a taste of his own medicine into him if they ever met. 

“Well like I said, you don’t need to sweat it. Bat or otherwise, I’ll make sure no troublemakers get inside. I like playing hard too.” She grinned “You look like you can play pretty hard yourself.” 

Enoch sorted out any extra papers, and had Utsuho sign a few documents, and then she was all set.

Enoch knew that Utsuho would be a valuable asset, for if Graham was busy developing his machines, he needed someone to guard his factory so that….a certain undesirable doesn’t get in.

“But do not fret, for I do not demand TOO much…only that you complete to at least the minimum amount, the job assigned to you. Since you are the security guard, your job is to guard the outer perimeter of the factory for any intruders, as well as to check any visitors to the factory to see if they are not a threat, you are free to do whatever you wish if they are though.”

Enoch suddenly remembered a vital piece of information

“Err….and one more thing, if you are to see a man in a baseball outfit, carrying a bat, kill him on sight. This is vitally important, and yes, you will get a raise for it.”

Though it wasn’t always her style, it was also pretty refreshing to talk to someone that seemed perfectly friendly. Almost all of her encounters so far had resulted in at least a couple of bruises to both parties involved.

“And don’t you worry, I’m perfect for this job; I’ll be the best security guard you ever had! I can fly, and I’m really good at spotting things, so ain’t no one going to slipping through.”

Then he went into a bit of oddly specific detail. A batter, huh? “Some baseball guy giving you a hard time, huh?”

“Don’t sweat it, if I say that guy, he’s as good as dust.” She wondered though, if it still counted if she saw him outside of work? Hm, well, that probably won’t happen.

Damn, she wished more people would apologise for talking extensively. But she was hardly bothered, she pretty interested.

“My last job? It was a lot of fun! I was in charge of managing the Hell of Blazing Fires, mainly making sure the fires stayed at the right temperature. Controlling the vents if it was high, throwing in more corpses if it was low. It was pretty important!”  

"Hmm....interesting indeed.....with that experience, if you don't mind, I may ask for your assistance with the processing team from time to time when something comes up. Don't worry you will receive a bonus for your work, and free dessert. But never fret, you may not even have to worry about that for a long time!"

“Hello hello hello, Utsuho! Welcome to Vespers, as you may already know, I am Enoch, your boss.”

Enoch motioned to the chair that was across from him.

Despite that, something held her back from trying to find out, which was entirely an alien sensation itself. Before she could ponder it further, he had gestured her over to the chair opposite his desk. She fluttered over without further hesitation, plonking herself down on the seat. He seemed ever bigger up close. She liked his smile.

Enoch knew that Utsuho would be a valuable asset, for if Graham was busy developing his machines, he needed someone to guard his factory so that....a certain undesirable doesn't get in.

"But do not fret, for I do not demand TOO much...only that you complete to at least the minimum amount, the job assigned to you. Since you are the security guard, your job is to guard the outer perimeter of the factory for any intruders, as well as to check any visitors to the factory to see if they are not a threat, you are free to do whatever you wish if they are though."

Enoch suddenly remembered a vital piece of information

"Err....and one more thing, if you are to see a man in a baseball outfit, carrying a bat, kill him on sight. This is vitally important, and yes, you will get a raise for it."