Across the hall, Sebastian was already sitting at the end of his bed as was Andre, both with mini game controllers in hand, playing a racing game from the projection screen off of one of their mobiles aimed at the wall between them. There seemed to be no sense of tension in the air between them, much unlike the two girls from earlier.

[I didn’t take you for the gaming type, no offense,] Andre spoke in Spanish with an accent notably different from that of Sebastian’s.

[I used to play too much when I was a kid. One of my friends back then, he was rich. He’d bring over his stuff to the boys on our apartment floor on the weekends.]

[I grew up on bootlegged stuff, man. Wasn’t until I got my first job I could afford anything good. Same for you?]

[No, I quickly left the gaming scene once I got hired by a local paramilitary. Haven’t played one of these in years. This really brings back memories,] Sebastian said as he began to subconsciously reminisce, causing him to overshoot a turn and clip a wall.

[Yep, I see the rust,] Andre jabbed lightheartedly. [You know what I have been wanting to do real bad? I want to see a beach. It’s been months for me.]

[Ah, no simulated beaches in Space, huh.]

[I’ve been here six freaking months, man, and every country we go to is coastal! Only once did I get a day to go. Hey, after a few rounds, wanna go hit one up? You been before, right?]

[No, actually never been before.]

[What?!] Andre shouted, nearly crashing into the car braking in front of him. [What a waste! You even got a coast and everything!]

[I never got invited! The hell you want me to say?] Sebastian joked back.

[Then it’s settled! Easy as that.]

Sam had paused before knocking on their door, hearing their conversation but without the translator in ear as she had gotten used to leaving out over the past few days. “I would’ve never imagined hearing this going on. You knew he spoke Spanish?”

“Who, Andre? I thought Spanish was the official language for the Casares nations. He just happens to speak English really well. They’re like Europeans. Many I think are bilingual from childhood, unlike us Americans.”

“Or us Edenites,” Sam added, thinking back to how much her second language skills severely lacked. She then knocked, hearing the sudden pause in the background noise coming from the game. “Guys, we’re leaving. Are you figuring things out?”

Sebastian opened the door to his surprise, seeing Sam for the first time dressed that far down. It was also to his surprise seeing the two seeming to be getting along judging the atmosphere. “Thanks. We are finishing this game, then going to find a beach. You two are OK?”

“Off to get her hair redone,” Kerry answered for her.

“Oh, white stripes again?” Sebastian asked.

“Nah, different color this time. Anyway, since you guys seem… busy… we’ll be off! Will see you at four!” she said with a wink and turned down the hallway.

The sun was much less intense than she remembered it being back in Bogota, but it was still summer heat nevertheless hitting the two as they exited the building, heading for the shuttle bus rotary. “This makes me think everywhere on Earth is this hot. Second month straight of this…”

“I’d prefer this over fake satellite weather if you’re going to start complaining. If you want, we could join the boys later at the waterfront. I know satellite countries don’t have lakes, ponds, or even pools.”

Sam hid her reaction to what she considered another callous remark, unsure whether to feel welcomed or offended by Kerry’s upfront nature. “I did make sure my missions don’t ever put me over water.”

The two got on a shuttle bus that would take them to the train station at the far end of the complex from where their dorm area was. Once they sat down, Kerry continued: “So, forget all that boring talk. What’s with you and that dude? Y’all a thing?”

“You mean, like, a couple?” Sam hadn’t talked to anyone since the night before the departure she backed out of to stay with Sebastian, unable to come up with a straight answer.

“So y’all not-”

“-We are. Don’t get me wrong. We are but he… isn’t the kind to like telegraphing private life. You know what I mean?”

“So… like… a work in progress? Alright, I got you,” Kerry said with a smug look, turning her attention to the window as the bus took off.

Sam could see the engagement ring now that Kerry had her left hand supporting her head against the side of the bus, reflecting the incoming light. “How about you? Or should I say, congrats. When will you tie the knot?”

“Thanks. As soon as we both agree when to quit and move on to something more… regular.”

“I imagine he must be worried a lot about you. You’re in an awfully dangerous job and all.”

“Well look at you? I know what I’m doing. Can’t you say the same?” Kerry waited for a response, disappointed in her silence. “Don’t tell me you’re in some kind of early life crisis or something. Let’s get you to the salon and then into some fresh air.”

Sebastian, dressed in swim trunks and a t-shirt, found a sandy bank just past the boardwalk and took a seat as Andre remained standing.

[Don’t know how to swim?] he asked to Sebastian as he set his duffel bag down.

[It’s not that I can’t, I just want to enjoy the view. This is all new to me, you know?] He then looked back up with a content expression. [You can go ahead. I’ll join you in a minute.]

[Suit yourself,] Andre replied as he placed his shirt over the bag and started to walk off to the water before he saw a group of young women in their swimsuits walking across their path. He looked for a brief moment before looking back to Sebastian, seeing he was looking as well. [Hey, wait, that reminds me. Is that Samantha chick your girlfriend or something?] Sebastian took his time to respond, drawing a shake of Andre’s head. [Man, you can’t do relationships and this job at the same time! Come on! Trust me. I’ve seen drama get people killed… well, almost killed, but still!]

Sebastian picked his mobile from his pocket to see Sam was calling. He switched the screen to video call to see Sam was walking out from a hair salon. “Pink hair?!” he blurted out, seeing the once-prominent white stripes on the left half of her hair were now a bright fuchsia.

“Well, hey to you, too! What, you don’t like it?!” Sam shouted back.

“Where did the idea come from to do pink?”

“Kerry here knows all about the girl who does these styles, said fuchsia would go best. Or, pink, if that’s what you want to call it.”

“You should do white like before.”

“Cruella!” he heard Kerry shout from behind her in a mocking voice.

“See?”

“Whatever!” she replied, rolling her eyes. “Hey, where are you two?”

“Place called Central Changi Beach!” Andre stepped in, slightly pushing Sebastian over a bit to fit in the screen. “I’ll send Kerry the location if you are coming to join!” He then took a seat next to Sebastian as he waved, hung up, and put his mobile away.

[I thought you were going to swim?] he said to Andre.

[Nah, I’ll wait a bit. We will get another chance since we are here for two weeks.] He could now see that something still had Sebastian not at much ease at all, even after doing what seemed to relax him. [Still worried about where we are going after this?]

[It’s not that, really. It’s just…] he answered back with a shrug. [I know what I came here for. I know exactly what the new director has planned and I know who I am hoping to find. I’m just nervous about myself having what it takes to see it all through, you know? So much new I have to learn… so much to be responsible for in so little time. All the while I have to adjust to the fact I won’t ever really see home again.] He took a deep breath, keeping himself from going off that emotional deep end. [I have to admit… I don’t see how you two are so relaxed. I guess it comes with experience?]

[You don’t look like a newbie, to be honest. How long have you been serving for Hexa?]

[Not even a month.]

[What?! So you’ve only been paramilitary all this time? How’d you get LTAC training?!]

[Internet… UTV,] Sebastian nonchalantly revealed just the same as he did to Sam the other month.

[Man…] Andre said with a roll of his eyes. [So, Colombia is that bad, huh?]

[No. It wasn’t bad until last month. Foreigners came and screwed everything up, destroyed everything we tried to hold together. All started with that old war A-7 that came crashing in.]

[Wait, hold on, was that your group that took it down? We heard about that in the news.]

[It all went downhill after that. And the men that killed my old team members and almost killed my brother and sister? That’s who I am chasing.] Sebastian then let out a somber sigh. [I didn’t even get to see my sister wake up before I got sent here. Everything in my life changed so quick with no warning, and now I feel this is the only thing left to do if I am to make anything right out of so much that has gone wrong. You know…?]

[Damn, man, I kinda picked up on something like that earlier, but didn’t know it was like that.]

Some awkwardly silent seconds passed before Sebastian broke it with a deflection. [So, why did you come to Singapore here with your friend?]

Andre spent a moment looking at the waves crashing into the shore before standing up with a smile and a gesture from his tilting head. [Let’s drop the heavy talk and shit and go for a swim, man. Come on.]

“So much ocean everywhere… hard to adjust,” Sam said as she and Kerry sat at a table by the railing of the café’s balcony floor. The wind carried the warm, humid, salty air through their hair as her partially drank smoothie. “I have to admit. I kind of like the experiences I get from all of this. I had been holed up in tin cans hurdling through orbit all my life with the one exception of a trip to Europe when I was too young to remember a whole lot.” She then looked over to Kerry who was more than halfway done with her latte. “How many regions have you been across since I assume you’ve been with Infinity for a long time?”

“Well, I didn’t travel much, either,” she said as she put her drink down. “Makes us the same there. I didn’t leave Nola ‘til I set off with the National Guard, then college, and then again for when I joined Infinity. Life just keeps tossing me here and there ever since.”

“And you’ve been in Bangaldesh up until now?”

“Trained in Australia, got further training with Ms. Norris in Jazira…”

Jazira Station? I’ve been back and forth there so damn many times over the years, how’d I not see either of them before?

“…Hit my first duty rotations in Myanmar and even stayed here for a good while until everything settled down. Then, they put me in Dhaka in April, but that’s when everything started going crazy. People don’t ever talk about anything beyond the protests and damages. I’m talking about a whole underground militia taking over and… just… sweeping the floor with us. It’s a wonder Hexa hasn’t thrown in the damned towel.” She then looked to Sam, figuring she might have similar stories. “I heard things were crazy where you were, too. A whole A-7 came to town?”

“That was before my time. I came in after, but not before long the SAU finally stepped in and quashed the whole mess.” Sam now thought to bring up what had been bugging her since seeing her and Andre’s name in spots over her’s and Sebastian’s. “Hey, I saw they got you in a squad command position. I guess I have to admit that surviving that cloaked LTAC better than I did gives you that merit. I’m sure what you went through must have been absolute hell compared to my limited experiences.”

“Well,” Kerry said, dodging the bait, “they’re about to be our experiences real soon. And just between you and me,” she continued with her cup lifted, pausing in hesitation. “Never mind. Let’s stick to the more fun topics, huh? How about that *chilli crab restaurant I told you about? Since you say you love seafood, you have got to try it.”

Seagulls calling to others as they flew overhead quickly evaporated the heavy air surrounding them as Sam looked up in continued curiosity. Right. Despite the bad, so much else has been so nice. This almost makes me think Isaiah probably ran away here to Earth. Day by day I’m starting to wonder what was I trying so hard to return to?

(*Singaporean Chilli Crab)

.

.

●　● Dhaka, Bangladesh

A complex of raw materials warehouses surrounded the open streets, dust filling the air as industrial carrier vehicles moved about. The precinct was originally intended for helping funnel supplies to the rebuilding precincts according to the previous schedule but was now relegated to its former identity as an inexpensive goods distribution zone, never the recipient of reconstruction as had once been promised. As a result, the complete absence of any pedestrian activity suited Isaiah’s ideal choice of locale for his base of operations. More than a dozen LTACs were situated under the large five-story-tall abandoned warehouse, some receiving repairwork. Isaiah stepped outside of a temporary building attached to the main structure to see a pair of large freight trucks pull up. As the dust settled, he saw Revenant and Requiem hop out to approach him.

“Reap! Long time no see! So, no jungles this time?” Revenant joked.

“Glad you two made it without a hitch,” Isaiah nodded, ignoring the jab. “As we spoke, not a sign of any activity from any of the Hexa holding houses, but their activity across the border over in Kolkata has me concerned.”

“About what?” Requiem joked. “You mean we didn’t just come here to have a few drinks? I mean, hey, you guys took all the action before we could get here.”

Isaiah shrugged. “As you saw in Colombia, Hexa doesn’t run. You may be making it just here in time for all we know.”

“Not so fast,” Revenant said as he pulled up a news card from his mobile. “Dhaka Mayor spoke with the Prime Minister just now about relinquishing power. You mean you didn’t see?!”

Isaiah took a moment to read the text before pausing in thought. “No. No way he does. This is to buy time. Come, I have to finish our talks inside, safe from radio interception. As the three walked back into the temporary building, they each found a seat at the table cluttered with papers, journals, and clipboards. He passed the two a set of photos before continuing, noting an unsettled look in Revenant’s eyes. “This one lady here, that’s who has me worried about a counterstrike op. Danielle Norris, confirmed pilot from the last offensive where we cleared out their last holding house. Former communications and intelligence operative during the First Earth-Space war. Harbinger, both wars. Now I sense she’s collecting more authority over this specific campaign.”

“Hold on,” Revenant interrupted, eyeing Danielle’s bio. “Since when did Vrey start hiring old guns? This lady is 40 something years old and she pulled a slick one on you- yeah, I know, big time war vet, it seems.” He then caught more on her chart as he laughed in amazement. “Shit! This lady hung three KIA’s on that Hess trio all by herself? And I thought their whole policy was no war vets?”

“I started to play this to our advantage and let the locals run a smear campaign, but I decided that bringing attention to that would be premature. I’d want to see how their policy changes, first, then have her dead before speaking on the topic. Think how this would set the stage for later campaigns, no matter how much we win this one by. The more we know…”

“What has Rex said?” Requiem added. “Guessing this Norris lady our next target?” He then paused a moment, perplexed by something he noticed. “Hey, Reap, hold on. You never explained. What happened out there with her? Rare you let anyone get away, especially taking down that many of your men, assuming no locals were involved.”

Isaiah had no shame in the results. “You know to never worry about his opinions. We are the lucky ones to have had such an ill-prepared opponent in Infinity. The fact they had a Harbinger go rogue on us and pilot their little squad to a narrow escape doesn’t really faze me, nor should it faze you. It just means we have to prepare for her to come back with a strategy. Thing is, she served with my father once before, so she is likely to bring back formations they used last war. And for another, which is confirmed, she is beyond an expert shot. Enough to the point I had to speed up the reconfiguration of our shielding while you were en route.”

“But no smear campaign?” Requiem continued. “This means Vrey might bring along more vets in on the whole deal. I don’t think we are equipped to hold a war of attrition against any such solid talent with nothing on the line. This could be game changing if we don’t start putting pressure on the line this lady crossed.”

“I assume you know where she ran off to?” Revenant added before noticing it was odd that it was only the three of them. “Wait, where’s Cable? Isn’t she here, too?”

“She took off before me. She’s in the Kashipur Precinct working with an insider team linking us to the BNP. These locals have been far more useful than we expected and has our intel running perfectly as far as what happens within the country’s borders. As far as Norris goes, she and her team of two ran off to Singapore. Word has it they’ll be there two weeks. If they were to bring in more vets, they wouldn’t take their time.”

“Oh, shit, the election is in three,” Revenant realized as he had been looking at the event calendar behind them. “We need to just… what… hold down the fort? For what? This makes them the aggressors in the locals eyes- we don’t have to do anything. Right?”

“That’d be the safe way,” Isaiah nodded.

“Right, politics never go as you’d expect. Hell, remember the stories in history class about all that funny shit that went on in the 2020’s in the NAU? What, back when it was just the U.S.?” Requiem added. “Alright, Reap, show us what you have in mind.”