A/N: So my last work didn't do so hot plus I've struggled to write it. As such, I have decided to make some progress on my next work starring Elsa de Sica on the one year anniversary of my first Gunslinger Girl story which also starred Elsa. I just can't stand her tragic fate so I've decided to create a new destiny and hopefully a happier outcome for her. I hope you enjoy this new work.
Disclaimer: I don't own Gunslinger Girl
In Rome the darkness of the night sky engulfed the whole of the city while the only source of light in this dark abyss was the artificial glow of lamps. The still darkness of the night sky lay undisturbed in the city except for a park downtown where a man and his cyborg assassin were going for a late night stroll alone.
"So, what exactly did you want to show me out here again?" asked Lauro de Sica displeased about being dragged out at late night by a girl he hated to be around outside work.
"But Lauro, don't you remember this park?" asked Elsa as she felt her heart dropping in her chest, You brought me to this park and this is where you named me, Elsa de Sica."
"Oh, you serious?" asked Lauro rubbing the back of his head as his amazement, "I can't believe you would remember that."
"It's just an important moment I would never forget it. I would never forget the beautiful gift you've given me." answered Elsa as she tried to stay calm.
"Are you done? We have an early morning. I can't believe you dragged my out here for this." replied Lauro walking off as Elsa could feel her heart breaking.
"This is where you gave me life." said Elsa devastated as she turned and began following Lauro knowing her course of action. As the two walked Elsa drew her SIG P229 semi-automatic and aimed it at the back of her handler's head then pulled the trigger killing Lauro.
"Lauro." said Elsa sadly as she simply felt like breaking down but instead she put the barrel of her gun up to her eye and pulled the trigger. However, when she pulled the trigger nothing happened.
"What's going on?" asked Elsa pulling back the chamber she realized the gun had jammed.
"Damn." said Elsa who pulled out her cartridge so she could unjam her gun. Unfortunately, the cartridge fell from her hand and landed on the ground with a bounce that caused the bullets to roll out of the cartridge and away from Elsa.
"Oh no." gasped Elsa who quickly feel to her knees and began grabbing the picking up the bullets before she lost sight of them in the night's darkness.
Elsa managed to grab most of them and was getting ready to reload them into her gun when she noticed one more out of the corner of her eye. Reaching over she grabbed the bullet only to feel something wet on her hand.
"Please don't let it be that." begged Elsa as she slowly pulled her trembling hand back to her face. Once she did Elsa's worst fear was realized: the wet liquid on her hand was the blood of Lauro.
"No. No. Lauro...I'm...I didn't mean to...Please forgive..." stammered Elsa who dropped the bullets she had picked, fell to her side and curled up in the fetal position.
A few hours later Jean Croce passed back and forth in his office like a zoo animal in its cage.
"Where the Hell are Lauro and Elsa." said Jean displeased at the absence of the two and worried they had been ambushed as word of the missing fratello quickly spread around Section 2.
"Lauro may be cold-hearted but he's always been a consistent agent. Give him that much. I can't figure out what could have happened." mused Jose as a group of agents sat around waiting for the two to return.
"I'm sure he's fine." replied Marco, "Then again he won't be once your brother gets done with him."
"Can't argue with that." said Jose.
"Lauro and Elsa are a good team and since they're gone it can't be good." said Hilshire not knowing how right he was at that moment.
"Has a search team been sent out?" asked Priscilla.
"Jean is using old friends from the Military Police right now. He and Director Lorenzo don't want Section 1 finding out about this. It'd only give them more fuel to attack us." answered Jose.
"It might have been a kidnapping." said Alfonso.
"But we would have heard from the Padania. Hell, they would probably be gloating about it." pointed out Olga.
"We might have heard from them." replied Amadeo.
"Nothing." said Jose.
"If the Padania have taken Lauro and Elsa we would negotiate for them back?" asked Giorgio.
"We don't negotiate with terrorists." answered Ferro as the others grimaced knowing what that meant.
In the dormitory the girls had caught wind of the ongoing situation and were themselves just as puzzled as the adults.
"I wonder why Elsa and her handler aren't back yet." said Henrietta as the girls sat around the room shared by Triela and Claes eating fresh pastries the latter girl had just made.
"Maybe they ran away together." proposed Rico.
"Lauro isn't the type of guy to do that. He and Elsa are a great team but off duty he doesn't seem to like spending time with her." replied Triela.
"Whatever happened I'm sure the Ice Queen will be fine." said Claes as the girls heard somebody quickly walking by. Popping there they heads out they saw Jean walking quickly down the hallway.
"Sir." said Rico who instinctively stood at attention.
"They found Elsa. Wait here." said Jean and in two minutes he was headed out of the Agency with Lorenzo while Rico waited behind.
"It's a terrible scene." said the police detective as he and his partner stood over the body of Lauro.
"He was probably murdered at night." replied Deputy Inspector Valachi as he inhaled from his cigarette.
"Is the motivation robbery?" asked the detective.
"It doesn't look like it. His wallet and passport are untouched." answered the Valachi, "The victim is a man headed home with his kid."
"Do you think the perp dropped this gun?" asked the detective holding a SIG P229 semiautomatic pistol by the handle.
"German made automatic hand guns are rather rare here." answered Valachi who heard somebody call his name to see one of his men approaching him, "What?"
"A man from Intelligence is here." answered the officer.
"Bring him here." replied Valachi and the officer turned away and began leading the two men.
"What would Intelligence want here?" asked the detective.
"Looks like we've got a complicated case here." replied Valachi as the two men walked, "I've got a bad feeling about this."
"Are you the one in charge here?" asked Jean as the men approached.
"Yes. I'm Valachi, City Police Department." answered the Deputy Inspector, "The Ministry is involved here. Wonder what's going on."
"We assume this is related to some major case. We'll take over now." said Jean.
"All the necessary documents are here. If that's the case, please go ahead." said Valachi handing over the paperwork, "We can go on our Christmas vacation."
"Were they both dead?" asked Jean.
"Only the gun. The little girl with him is over there." answered Valachi pointing at Elsa was sitting in nearby wrapped in a green blanket, eyes as wide as saucers and mumbling to herself.
"Damn." said Jean as he and Lorenzo took in the site.
"I'll get out of your hair." said Valachi who then left the scene and headed towards his car.
"Inspector!" called out the detective who ran to catch up to his boss, "Don't you think something's strange here? Intelligence appeared so quickly."
"Don't worry about it. If they want to take this crap on themselves, let them." answered Valachi who then caught another glimpse of Jean who had made his way to the body of Lauro, "But that being said, I did feel something was different. For people from Intelligence, they were too well organized. And too eager to work."
"Are you sure he was one of ours?" asked Lorenzo while Jean knelt down next to the body.
"I'm sure of it." answered the blonde man, "This is Lauro de Sica and the girl was his cyborg Elsa de Sica. Lauro got his brains blown out and died instantly."
"Do you know who did it? Were these fratello on duty?" asked Lorenzo as Jean stood back up.
"According to our records they were on personal business. Our best bet would be talking to Elsa." answered Jean and the two men headed back to where the little blonde girl was sitting, "If it was an attack then it was likely the mafia or the Padania. Or Section 1."
"At any rate Section 1 will approach us about this so once the report is finished move the bodies. I'm going back to write the report to the damage manager. You try talking to Elsa." said Lorenzo as the two reached said girl and parted ways.
"Elsa, I need you to tell me what happened." said Jean firmly.
"Is Lauro okay?" asked Elsa nervously.
"He's dead." answered Jean which caused Elsa to begin trembling even more than she had been before.
"What happened?" asked Jean with force but Elsa began mumbling to herself and rocking back and forth.
"Answer me!" demanded Jean who grabbed Elsa by the collar and shook her but to no avail. Nothing wanting to be seeing shaking a visible distraught child in public, Jean placed Elsa in his car and they returned to the Agency. Upon arriving he gave Elsa to Dr. Bianchi for an evaluation and headed back to his office but along the way noticed Jose watching Henrietta trying out her new camera on Rico.
"How are they?" asked Jose almost afraid of the answer.
"Lauro is dead. Elsa is alive but apparently suffering trauma." answered Jean as he turned and watched the girls.
"They were a great fratello." noted Jose.
"Yes." answered Jean, "We're trying to wrap this up quickly."
"Section 1." replied Jose already knowing the answer.
"They haven't been too cooperative but they've left us alone." said Jean pulling out a cigarette and offering his brother one.
"I quit smoking." said Jose as Jean lit up his cigarette.
"For Henrietta?" asked the blonde man taking a drag.
"Yeah." answered Jose.
You're unbelievable." remarked Jean before taking another drag, "You're investing a lot of time in her."
"Something Lauro never did." said Jose as Henrietta took a picture of the brothers.
At Section 1 headquarters an agent stood in front of his boss.
"So you enjoyed your vacation then?" asked Draghi as he sat in his chair while Pietro Fermi stood in front of his desk.
"Yes sir." answered Pietro.
"Have you heard about the incident this morning?" asked Draghi.
"Yes. One of Section 2's agents was killed." answered Pietro.
"They haven't identified the perp yet. Serves the right for playing house." spat Draghi.
"I'm putting you in charge of the investigation. It'll be a great way to put Section 2 under pressure."
"What exactly would you want me to do?" asked Pietro.
"The key is to see if the cyborg has any practical implication in the future. If we can pin the agent's death on her then Section 2 is history." said Draghi with a sinister smile on his face.
"Roger." replied Pietro who then left the office and found his partner at her desk, "Eleanor! We're putting the report for yesterday's case on hold. We've got an urgent assignment."
"Yes sir." replied Eleanor who quickly grabbed her things and followed the male agent.
A/N: I'm going to end it there. I'm trying to get through the episodes/chapters on Elsa quickly so bare with me here. I will keep going on this story and "GSG: The Twilight Zone" flipping back and forth between the two. I will also be taking a hiatus from Gunslinger Girl soon because frankly I feel slightly burned out but I will return. I will get one more chapter of this story and my other up before that break. Anyway, I hope you guys will stick with me and please review!