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Discuss why you are remaining on the squad.

Discuss the impact you feel Infinity’s presence has on local events.

If the base was attacked now and SOP cannot be executed, debate what you think the ideal plan of action should be in its stead.

If you and your LTAC suddenly found yourself in the sights of the Cloak, debate the best plan of action as a team.

Determine the directives leader for your squad. Elect only one.

The above was on each of their mobile’s displays as they sat across from each other between tables in the courtyard. Each also had a notepad and a pen behind them as instructed; each response had to be written down and turned in physically.

Sebastian didn’t seem too fazed by the assignment, rather he seemed as if this should be a cakewalk compared to previous expectations. Sam and Kerry on the other hand seemed caught between several different emotions no matter which question they looked at, but Andre had the heaviest aura of the four. His eyes remained nervously locked on the first question.

“This is one dumb ass assignment. What as my Dad thinking,” Sam huffed with a shaking of her head, leaning back and eyeing her notepad and pen. “And why the hell are we using this to write?”

“It’s nice that something like this can be clear and concise for once,” Kerry added, sitting upright with a stretch. “But this is just… odd. It’s like Mr. Knight wants us to argue each other to death because I know that’s exactly what’s going to happen. Is it some sort of mental toughness test?”

“Please,” Sebastian responded with intent to redirect the group, unwilling to participate in the current trend. “I think we need to answer. I don’t think it is a good idea to add more questions.”

Andre’s hands began to tremble, clearing his throat and speaking in spite of the ongoing conversation: “Mr. Knight paid off my mom’s reconstructive neural surgery along with the rest of the healthcare debt we had piled up… even paid off the final session she put off for so long because we couldn’t afford it.” The others turned to him in surprise that not only was he seemingly taking the assignment seriously, but also in reaction towards the meaning of the statement itself. He sighed, leaning back against the table’s edge with his elbows propping him up. “I tried to leave, but…-”

“-Did he bribe you!?” Kerry popped off, processing the sudden influx of information.

“No!” Andre fussed. “He didn’t even ask me. He did it before coming here, even.” Kerry backed off as Sam and Sebastian listened in more earnestly. “He said nothing other than a thank you for my volunteered service. Said he did it as a token of his gratitude.”

“Then, why’d you come back?” Sam asked. “I heard you left for good, even though I guess I really don’t even know why.”

Andre let out a mirthless chuckle, looking down. “I couldn’t. I called my mom right there on the spot, and she said… come home as soon as I can and that everything was going to be alright now.”

“But you could have.”

“Was a perfect opportunity.” Andre shook his head. “But… I felt too chickenshit to just keep walking. I turned and caught back up with him… asked to stay until the contract runs its course.”

Kerry still felt hurt from the night before, unable to take his response at face value, but Sam seemed to have had a different take as she had been pausing in thought. “I promised Sebastian to help him avenge the ones he lost to the Cloaks,” she spoke as she looked back over toward Sebastian with a half-smile.

“Ew.” Kerry rolled her eyes with a nasal laugh. “For me… this job will secure the last of the funds Devin and I needed to move where we wanted to and start our new lives, but I have to hang around even more in hopes we get him back.”

Sebastian felt immediately better at the sudden taking to the task at hand. “I have to do what Sam said, and we only have one more Cloak left.” But he kept looking back at Sam, as he wasn’t comforted by the mentioning of their promises. The nagging deep within continued to bother him, knowing Sam was hiding many things including the ones she had toward her brother somewhere out there. He was convinced there was no way she could even be remotely comfortable as things were. His thoughts then trailed off into the notion that Kerry was having an unhealthy influence on her lately, but Andre spoke up, interrupting those thoughts.

“You guys make me sound even more chickenshit for my reason, so let me add that I need to hang around to save your ass next time it’s needed.” His gesture, which was difficult to tell whether or not it was soaked with sarcasm, pointed toward Sam. “Don’t start going off again thinking it’s OK to solo or some other stupid shit like that, alright?”

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Al watched the ensuing argument from the security camera at the desk where he sat, letting out a heavy sigh. “If they can’t handle this,” he spoke into his headset. “You have to send them home. If they can’t work as a group under what’s about to be some serious pressure, they are nothing more than liabilities. This isn’t a situation with unrestricted ROE and potential enemy personnel built for the meat grinder like last time.”

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●　● New San Mateo, Manila, The Philippines

Marian was near the edge of town at the foothills of the mountain, seated at a bar’s outdoor patio section. It was a location conveniently near her outpost they set up and used the other night, but this was a chance to unwind after spending the prior evening and this morning doing work she never liked to begin with. She leaned back after another sip from her mestiza, pulling up her vibrating mobile to check the incoming call. She hesitated before answering, letting out a slow sigh.

“I’m taking my time if I may,” she answered the call in a soft voice and a look to the cloudy, late morning sky. “I don’t care how early it is. Bugger off.” As she listened to the call from her earpiece, she propped her head against the chair back, looking now over the fence and past the tree-shrouded ravine. “No, actually. On the contrary, they’ve started to split. Quarrels and whatnot, but perhaps it was only the alcohol doing the speaking. Time will tell.” The sounds of distant, calming music coming from inside and passing cars from the other side of the building continued to mute out the voice coming through. “Right. That’s why I put it on the back burner. I am now focused on what the hell Knight made his visit for. It was not only unplanned, but I can’t imagine there’d be much way around his security detail… Well, if you think so. But I will keep my channels open, because a lot can happen between now and then.”

Something seemed to catch her attention as she looked to her right, noticing it was perhaps just the now-seated couple sharing a laugh. “You just focus on the plan. I will worry about Knight in the meantime.”

But something kept itching her conscious. Perhaps it was because of the nature of the topic, afraid to draw any unwanted attention. She tried to shake it off, but the other side of the call could tell. She straightened up with a huff. “Sorry, come again? … No, no sign, no traces.”

But something drew out another long, uncomfortable, distracted pause from her as her eyes started to wander to the area to her left. She leaned forward and peered casually around the windowed area that showed party after party seated inside. And then something she caught out of the corner of her eye startled her as she instinctively turned back to face the patio. “No. Stop. Hold on,” she spoke in a quieter tone as she turned back to the window once more, seeing the corner table now empty when she could’ve sworn that she saw someone seated there, staring out at her. She was convinced of it, now; those judgmental blue eyes she hadn’t been subjected to in over a decade. There was no other glare that sent such a shiver down her spine as one person could possibly send her way almost exclusively.

She nervously grabbed her mobile and opened the payment app to clear her ticket before getting up to leave. She left her other end of the line on hold until she exited the rear entrance at the back of the patio, quickly finding her way across the street and into the brightness of the limited sunlight pouring through a gap in the clouds. The shadows were the scariest places to be for her when put under such rare circumstances, and she wanted to be seen by anyone’s eyes, not taken in silence and darkness.

“Isaiah, I’m being followed.”

She turned to check her surroundings once more. “Who? Who the bloody fuck else would know how to find me much less follow me?” She straightened up and hurriedly walked toward where she parked her truck with a nervous shudder. “Kaylen, that’s who. The foul bird herself is here already, and I got the feeling no one is daft enough to let her loose on her own.”