Bray sat down, waiting for Alexander, who stood over the map rubbing his chin, his mind grinding as he tried to form a plan.
The mission was brutal. It relied on numbers—and numbers were exactly what they didn't have.
You couldn't stay purely defensive; capturing another residence was required to win. But you couldn't remain on the offensive either, because risking your own base meant certain death.
A difficult scenario.
The kind that was perfect for Alexander's intelligence.
On his system screen, his stats glowed:
Strength: 30
Agility: 30
Endurance: 20
Speed: 40
Intelligence: 65
Mana: 30
Combat Experience: 35
Level: 65
Click.
The door opened, and Jamie stepped inside.
They had sent him earlier to Greg, hoping he could convince him to work with them on the mission. The weight of that conversation still clung to Jamie's face.
"The guys think we have a good chance of winning if we work together," Jamie had said, recalling the moment as he stood watching Greg wash the plates from his meal.
"I know, I know! Tell them I'll join you later," Greg had replied with a smile, not even glancing up.
Greg was disturbing. Sometimes friendly, other times cold and rude. But no one confronted him—he was simply too strong.
Now Jamie closed the door behind him with a firm push, still wearing a faint smile as he tried to hide his unease.
"What did he say?" Alexander asked, curiosity flickering in his eyes.
"He'll join us later."
"What!? He knows if we lose, we die together, right!?" Bray barked, his voice rising into a shout.
Alexander's eyes darted to the time.
[3:40]
Twenty minutes gone, and they had accomplished nothing.
Who knew what might have already happened by now? Maybe the Commander had already captured a base. Maybe the girls had already been overrun—outnumbered and defenseless.
Whatever the truth was, they had no time to waste.
"Okay, boys. There are three crucial things we need to do."
Alexander began, his tone sharp and commanding.
"One—make sure this base is completely protected.
Two—launch an offense strong enough to determine our success.
Three—because of the alliance, we need to back up the girls. It's highly likely they'll be targeted first."
"So how do we do all those things at once?" Bray asked.
"We can't. It's impossible."
Alexander paused briefly before continuing.
"So this is what we'll do. Bray and I will go to the girls' base to help defend them. While we're there, we might even reduce some enemy numbers. From that, we'll know who's weakened enough for us to attack."
"What about the ladies in that case? We made an agreement, remember?"
"Helping them defend is already enough. Jamie will stay here and defend our base."
"Me!?" Jamie blurted, startled.
"Yes. You have an unused Golden Point. And if that doesn't suffice… maybe Greg will join you."
Bray stammered, the words catching in his throat. Leaving Jamie alone didn't feel right.
But they had no choice.
"Don't worry. I'll handle it," Jamie said, forcing confidence into his voice. Deep down, fear raged inside him, but he straightened his back. "It's time I show my worth. I won't weigh you down."
The others looked at him silently.
To them, Jamie was like a younger brother—someone they always wanted to protect.
But this time, they had to let him fend for himself.
"Alright then. We move at 330 hours."
Confusion filled the room instantly.
Bray and Jamie stared at him, completely lost.
Alexander's eyes widened in disbelief. "I mean… 3:30!"
They nodded quickly, now understanding what he meant.
"Didn't you guys watch soldier movies?"
"No. I never had a TV," Bray replied bluntly.
Alexander turned to Jamie, his eyes silently asking the same question.
"Not much… Most of the time I was studying or running," Jamie admitted.
"When we get out of here, go watch some movies," Alexander said, dead serious.
[3:30]
The time had come.
They wore identical black jackets they had found in the closets. If this was to be their last day, they wanted to go out in style.
Masks pulled over their faces, Bray and Alexander set off.
Their journey to the girls' base had begun.
As they disappeared from sight of their residence, Bray glanced back one last time, his eyes heavy with unspoken thoughts.
"You've grown closer to him," Alexander remarked quietly.
"Yeah… Believe it or not, I used to have a younger brother just like him," Bray said softly.
"He died?"
"Yes. Hit by a bus while trying to save a kitten."
"I'm sorry."
"It's okay."
"I don't mean to sound harsh, but you do know that sooner or later Jamie has to adapt, right?" Alexander continued as they kept moving.
"I know."
"Don't shield him too much. He won't be safe that way."
"You're right, Alex. Sometimes I wonder how the son of the richest man on Earth turned out so cold-hearted."
Alexander smirked faintly.
"And sometimes I wonder how a boy from the slums turned out so caring."
"Who knows? It's a mystery only the universe knows how to solve."
"Yeah… a mystery," Alexander murmured, his eyes distant, as if remembering something.
Their pace quickened as they closed the distance to the girls' residence.
But hidden in the shadows, a suspicious figure crouched in the bushes outside their base, watching every move.
Jamie remained inside the house.
The doors were locked. The windows sealed shut. He had flipped couches over, barricading the entrances.
Knock. Knock.
The sound at the door froze him in place.
His heart pounded, torn between fear and curiosity.
Who could it be? The guys, returning because they forgot something?
No.
He couldn't waste time on questions. He had promised to protect the base.
Gripping his kali sticks—both ends glowing faintly—Jamie crept toward the door.
"Open up, it's me—Greg!" the voice called.
Relief washed over him.
He quickly unlocked the door, revealing an energetic Greg standing outside. But something about his expression felt… off.
"Where are the guys?" Greg asked.
"They're gone."
"Already?"
"Yeah. They left me on defense duty."
"That explains the furniture arrangement," Greg chuckled, glancing at the barricaded chairs.
"You can come in."
"Yeah, sure."
As Greg stepped inside, Jamie's eyes flicked toward the fence outside.
A tall spear stood planted in the ground beyond it.
Jamie frowned.
"Greg… who's that?"
"Shit! Ass Broke Shields!" a familiar voice roared from outside the fence.
"I'm out here with my team—and we've totaled your base!"