Ɵ

Even though the explosion destroyed only the upper left of the chemical building, the structure stands still but some parts of it are prone to crumble. The night shares its light to the man who swiftly moves and carefully hides in the dark.

Port observes at the surroundings in the ruin-like section of the KelbyHives secret chemical factory, slowly walking across the fragments of the structure. He easily passed the security of the building by crawling into the sewers and simply opened a hatch that is connected near to the building.

The stench of it didn’t bother him, what matters is to know what happened in this place, and now he stands at the open part of the building where it resembles once as the balcony and glances down at the Kayon City.

“Where did he go wrong?” He said inside his mind.

He reached out his hood, unraveling. Then again, he surveyed the entire surroundings. He finally confirmed that this is not the right place.

After a few moments of walking, he found a place that was not fully destroyed and saw empty glass cages, he altered his look at the left side and found a computer blinking on and off.

He tried to operate but it didn’t properly respond, out of annoyance he slammed his hand to the panel and luckily the computer turned on. He began to tap at the keyboards and one by one he opened the files, his eyes widened on what he just saw, he clenched his hands forming into a fist as he witnessed the hideous act of the man behind all of this.

“I didn’t expect that it would turn out this way,”

A man voices out as he walks out in the darkness, his outline is menacing, the eyes of his gas mask glow red, and the black coat trailing down with its gun resting at the back at his waist. Port quickly holds out his gun directly pointing at him.

“Relax, it’s just me.”

Port sigh, “Crap, you should have said that you will come here. I thought you were busy searching for those kids.”

“I was, and I met one of them that night.”

Port returned his attention at fiddling at the computer, raising his brow and stating “Those kids know what they were doing and if I were them, I would lay-low for now, but to be able to know how the shipping and to this building, they must have an insider.”

The mysterious man came closer and watched what Port’s doing, also thinking, and said “Glade.”

Port is confused about the word he muttered, “Do you think they’re part of this mess?”

“I think so.”

“They are maybe skillful, but that doesn’t mean they’re part of that organization.”

“That would be a correct way of thinking, but also you must consider that no sane mercenaries would take the job taking down a huge company that has their super-soldiers.”

“Hm, I guess so.”

Port clicked a video file after opening the folder of saved security camera videos, he forwards the time stamp onto the night, and he’s suspicious is right, those kids that he fought before are the one who’s responsible for this wreckage.

“It seems that they’re on the move again.”

“I met one of those kids when I was scouting outside the area.”

“What do you think about them?”

“Reckless yet resourceful.”

“Hm, why does it feel like you compliment them?”

Instead of responding to those words he just walks in the staircase. Port followed him; something tells him that this guy picks up a lead.

“Where are we going actually?” Port finally asked.

“Vault.”

Hearing those words, he fell again in silence and silently followed the man to the not seeming end of hiking floor to floor. Right now, Port thought that they’re in the highest echelon of the building.

“We’re here.” He mumbled.

Port raised his brow concerningly looking around at the empty room that is only visible of the light of the moon.

“I am not sure what you’re thinking, but I see no vault in here, this is dead-end.” A bit annoyingly Port said.

“You don’t understand. You see our friend Theo likes to hide his toys, that even his intruders couldn’t see it.”

He knelt and raised from a fist knocking down the floor. It didn’t take long enough to find what he was looking for as when he changed his position to knock again, it sounded not alike to the other, it was wood covered the same to the color of the floor. Port knelt opposed to him and reached the pluck out the wood and saw the item they sought.

“Well, what’re we waiting for? Let’s go get it.”

This is way too easy

“Wait, this could be a trap.”

Port stops then grab a flashlight to confirm the position of them hidden into a glass-tube.

“What do you think about this?”

“I see no opening into the glass tube, pressure bomb, perhaps?”

Port looked at him and the two of them nodded, breathing heavily as preparation for what’s about to happen. Port holds the glass-tube with no intention to remove it yet. Port’s glands sweat. He anxiously looks at him.

Three

Port strengthen his knees, and his companion holds his grappling hook,

Two

Port looks at him once more with a face of determination to let go and when it comes to feeling the two of them while holding the glass tube run as fast as they can and jump outside the building.

One

The blast came roaring and the tremendous force can be felt from behind as he shoots the grappling hook, clinging at the ledge, slowly descending to the surface just outside the premises,

“We only have two minutes before they will check this area and another ten minutes to lockdown the fortress.”

But as they took off again a dozen soldiers showed up.

“You were saying?!” Port annoyingly said.

“Scram!” He shouted as he reached his guns, shooting at them, not holding back, and killed them without breaking a sweat.

The two of them run as fast they could across the alleyways that are passed behind the railway of the train,

“I think we’re safe now.”

“You know the plan.”

Both nodded and part ways, hiding effortlessly in the darkness.

“Whoever they are, they’re far more dangerous than I could ascertain.” The mystery man spoke in his thoughts.

Ɵ

“Boom, you lost!” Ken shouted as his eyes gleamed when he raised his palm to Tin “Now gimme my ten bucks.”

Currently, the two of them are sitting on a couch playing a video game that is now blinking the words GAME OVER.

“Err, Uhm, I think I left my money in my room.” Tin was about to stand up, but Ken stopped her by grabbing her right hand.

“No escaping.”

“I promise I left my money in my room.”

Ken looked at him, uncertain whether to trust her.

“Really?”

“R-Really.” Tin hesitantly said.

“Kay, fine.”

Tin was confident at that time while holding herself not to show the grin as she turned around, Ken saw it and threw a threatening word at her, “Hey if you’re not gonna pay my win, I’m gonna mess up your toys.”

Tin snapped about what he said, “Both of us know you’re not gonna do that.”

“Oh yeah? Try me.” Ken provoked.

“Hey, Stop it, you two.” Linda interrupted.

Ken and Tin just grunt as they slowly avert their gaze at each other.

“What’s the commotion all about?” Alastor came in.

“Nah, kids fight.”

“Right.” Alastor blankly looked at them before turning his attention to Linda “Anyways, how's she?”

“Getting good.”

“Really? fill me in.” Ken asked.

“Hey, calm down lover boy, she could barely mutter five or three words, and we’re not sure if she’s not or a liability to us.” Intercepted Alastor to the lightening mood of Ken.

“Hey, how ‘bout we talk to her and help her to remember somethings.”

“Interrogation?” Alastor questioned.

“No, talk to her like a normal person, soldier boy. She has amnesia; an interrogation is not a freaking pep talk.”

Alastor halted his motion and thought then he grunted as he walked outside the premise with an unexplainable reaction.

“That guy has a serious problem,” Ken added as though he’s mocking Alastor.

“Al is a bit of, um, how do I say this?”

“Edgy?”

“Edgy, right.”

“Yeah, I know. Some cadets get hang-ups even though he’s not looking at them.”

“The way he looks strikes fear onto the people.”

“Ken.”

“What?”

“Just don’t get it into you, alright? He’s a lot much more complicated than you think.”

“Right, I can already see it. Suck up the tension and use happy imagination.”

Ɵ

Port sighs as he passed the crowded Dove Alley. Entering the manager’s room, he scanned back outside to know if someone is eyeing on him and seemingly everyone is busy.

“Not sure if you’re allowed to enter the room of bar’s manager,”

Port locked the door and threw a quick smile to the man who called out to him.

“Hm, ‘you mind if I borrow you for a minute?” Port said to Harry.

“Sure, What’s it all about?”

“This,”

Port unraveled what he was hiding underneath his coat, it was a sack full of money. Harry's eyes widened.

“I know that your business’s income is low but with this, you can compensate for it.”

“Where did you get this?”

“Doesn’t matter. Just use it.” He insisted.

“I can’t take this.”

“Sure, you can, we’ve been doing this for a long time. Look just use it if you’re financially cornered, and I know that you guys needed to compensate the debts.”

Giving up Harry sighs and shows a wry smile “All right buddy, thanks for the concern, but actually… where—alright I'm not gonna ask, just be careful okay.”

“No problem. I think you should go now, things getting busy out there.”

“Right, see you later buddy.”

“Yeah.”

When Harry finally left the premise, Port slowly took out a box and proceeded back to the desk, putting his palm at the brick wall as if though he’s trying to find something, when he feels the different texture of the bricks and he presses it.

A faint moan sounded as the wall slowly opened wide. A stepping stone leading down covered in seemingly unraveled darkness. Port grabs a flashlight and walks down; the door slowly closes behind him. A few moments later, Port’s already reached down the basement wherein Harry and Port usually hangout.

He enters the dark corridor and presses the switch turning on the lights. Reaching the room, Port opens the safe, entering the password, and leaves the glass-tube inside of it.

After he leaves the place, he makes sure that everything is at place.