●　● SE Asia Orbital Region, Space

A sleek, tactically re-outfitted freighter began to rotate back into its normal orientation as a pair of long cannon protrusions retracted back inside the hull. The bridge was mostly silent, manned by a skeleton crew dressed in Infinity attire. The main screen changed from the satellite imagery of Philippine airspace to Vincent’s office at Hexa’s HQ.

“Confirm collateral damages,” he flatly spoke after clearing his throat.

“Yes sir,” the ship’s supervisor answered. “Twelve smaller commercial vessels capsized; rescue crews active on site. Two barges with compromised ballasts; mechanical crews on response. Sea barrier system damages are not reported and expected to be minimal to none. No shoreside injuries expected.”

Vincent took in a slow, heavy breath, taking his time before continuing. “Any signs of activity from the target freighters?”

“None, sir, completely destroyed as intended.”

“Prayers that none of the civilians swallowed up by this were lost in the process,” Vincent thought aloud before looking back up at the screen. “Very well, we must continue the operation. Release the eye and commence phase two of four. Prepare for phase three in the meantime; the Arondight and the Curtana will be shipped from FL’s facility shortly and we must make their transition to Earth seamlessly.”

“Yes sir,” the supervisor nodded before closing out the call. He then nodded towards one of the crewmen.

At the back of the freighter, a large pair of bay doors opened, releasing a large military scale satellite and allowed it time to set itself into an adjusted orbit.

“The eye will be up and online within the hour, sir,” the crewman informed the supervisor as the screen was now showing the boot status of the advanced communications satellite. “Running initial diagnostics now. Stand by.”

.

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●　● Infinity Marikina HQ, Manila, The Philippines

Sam and Kerry reached the end of the hallway at the gate that led into the main hangar bay as Sam intended to see her off at the very least before doubling back to the control room. The warning sirens had died down, but the tensions were still running high all around. But at the very least and as far as they could tell, nothing catastrophic had happened by the lack of news. But no news wasn’t exactly reassuring, either.

“Are you sure about this? We still don’t know what all’s going on out there even though they’re expecting everyone to be on the ready.”

Kerry returned a reassuring smile sent through the heavy anxiousness all over her face. “You have to let us cover for you this time. We owe you, so go help your dad out and keep your head safe,” she spoke as she put a hand on her shoulder. “The last thing I want to see is someone I care for… you know… given the physical state you’re in…” she continued as her voice trailed off, looking away in her pause.

“I hate not being out there like I promised, though,” Sam answered with a hand over hers, remembering the previous night’s confession and realizing the incident earlier was most likely out of Kerry’s genuine intent to keep the situation from exploding.

“You said you’d stay, and that’s good enough.” Kerry let her hand slide off naturally, adjusting her shoulder bag. “Maybe they’ll let you help us clean up once we take care of the big dogs, huh? Because we know they’re coming if that alarm means anything.” she added with another attempt to comfort her before backing away. “Anyway, gotta-”

“-Wait!” Sam suddenly reached out to grab a hold of her as her other hand reached for her pocket. She had completely forgotten she moved her Underground communicator from her bag earlier, feeling it go off. She fished out her headset and reattached it without thinking what possible attention she could get, clicking the button with her hand back in pocket. “Yes?”

Kerry finally understood what was going on as she looked up in anticipation. “Who is it?” She quickly grew worried as Sam blankly stared back before finally looking straight back at her.

“Devin’s brought his squad. Dad apparently took them all in, not sure how but he did.”

“He said what?!” she elatedly replied as she nearly started to dance in place. “Where is he!?”

Sam finally eased up as she realized no matter how unexpected or shocking the news was, this was going in a direction she couldn’t help but accept whole heartedly, feeling Kerry’s elation. “Hangar Annex B. Tricky says he’s there and wants you to go join him before you load up.” She then gave her a joking push as she put her earpiece away. “Go on! I’ll get back with you on the LOS comms in a bit!”

“Omigod, omigod!” Kerry excitedly squeaked as she turned and took off, leaving Sam to watch her off to see her significant other.

It was in that same moment she realized it was something she hadn’t felt and wouldn’t be able to for some time, leaving her now feeling empty. She wanted to be happy for them, especially knowing Devin found a way to work his way back into not only her life but back into hopefully a sense of normalcy for himself. Perhaps it was the desire to just swear everything off that she couldn’t control, unlike the one thing she had been able to all this time: the world inside the cockpit of the Axiom.

If only…

She then turned to the window above the gate from which those in the control room observed, thinking it was time to head back up. But before she made it halfway there, she felt she heard her name being called. Grumbling while rolling her eyes, knowing who it had to be, she turned to face him. “This clearly isn’t the time! I have to go get checked!”

“No, you have to listen to me just for a minute!” Sebastian quickly answered back as he caught his breath. “I have a real bad feeling about what’s going on outside and I can’t…” He was always poor with his word choice once flustered, but knew lately to slow down rather than say something on accident that he’d regret. “I can’t keep letting you walk away with no telling you how I feel… after all this time.” His face was mere inches from hers, slowing his breathing down, trying to keep a firm lock on her eyes. His nerves were frayed, but something had him convinced that it was now or never to at least get the ball rolling on repairing what little they had left by this point.

Sam could only return the notion wearily: “I have to go get checked out and my Dad is still looking for me.”

“Sam,” he persisted, now gently putting his hands on her shoulders. “I haven’t been clear with you, and I keep avoiding you, and I feel terrible. I have so much to tell you, and so many things I was afraid to explain.”

I bet he does, she thought as a dry grin started to grow. “Sebastian, why did you wait until now to say anything? I have been through so much-”

“-We all have.”

“Let me finish, please,” she curtly replied, stolidly resetting her expression. “I don’t think now is a good time to have a heart-to-heart conversation.”

He let off of her but only for a moment. “When is?”

She shook her head softly, looking away. “I don’t know. But not now, clearly. Maybe once this whole operation is over?”

He thought to agree for a second, but then unbridled frustrations took over as the welling of tears started up again as a continuation from earlier. “Then why do you make time for others in a time like this? Why not for me?” he managed to speak through his barely opened lips, unable to look her in the eye.

The seeming attack caught her off guard, returning with an equally barbed response: “They earned their time after consistently having my back, Sebastian.”

Emotions taking over like this was a rare incident for him, but his usual calculations were already long out the window. “I did everything I could to come back to you and to do that! That’s why I couldn’t tell you that was me who stopped the Cloak that day!” he continued with arms up.

“So, all of the sudden you’re worried if I will thank you or not?” she returned with a lowered voice and narrowed eyes. “Is that it? Will that make you feel better?”

“No!” he fiercely shot back. “I want to start over and fix things! Please!”

“I see your priorities, Sebastian,” she continued with her refusal but felt something inside her hurting more by the second. She wanted to open up… to let him open up, but she couldn’t allow herself to and not knowing why made her even more guarded. “I know, you came all this way to get revenge and I was to stick with you and help. I will do just that, but here at the control room until released by the medical staff, OK?”

“Sam, be fair, please,” he pleaded, knowing this was going down a path he had no way of getting through to her. “It is not like that- it never was like that. I don’t even care anymore if we don’t find the last Cloak. I just want to fix everything we had.”

“Look,” she said with a hand up. “I really have to go. But I realize you got a lot of secrets or something that’s bothering you, so if you want to tell me about them when we’re all back, I’ll listen.”

“Secrets…” he huffed before starting to chuckle through his nose, looking away again. “Secrets?” He now looked back at her with insult added to injury. “Like the secret friend you just talked to on a wireless line? I saw you answer your headset. We are jammed, Sam. Who are your secret friends?”

He then felt like he was watching his razor-edged accusation slice through whatever thread still had them hanging together by. He knew that moment he had taken a step in the wrong direction that he could never take back.

“Good luck out there,” she managed to respond after spending the past eternal moment holding back her rage. She turned and walked off briskly, never turning back to see if he would follow. The yelling out through feelings of deeper betrayal continued in her mind, forcing herself to keep it and her approaching onslaught of tears suppressed as she continued up the stairs. What the fuck was I even thinking- no, what was I expecting?! Why do I still latch on to someone so damned insensitive!?

“But you said we were a team!” she heard shouted at her from beyond the corner, but she fought through the sharp pain that went through her chest as she turned her head to shout right back at him:

“Yeah, right! And I thought you’d be a team player all this time!”

.

As she passed through the door that led her back into the control room, she wiped away the traces of tears she felt before facing her father who she knew would be waiting on her. But when she looked up, she saw him standing amongst two others, both a surprise. Director Lau, wearing a bandage across his head and in a shoulder sling, stood reading from a notepad with his only useable left hand, and next to him was Tricky, leaning over several devices hooked into the mobile workstation her father was using.

“Dad? What’s going on?” she asked as she attempted to straighten up, walking towards them.

“A lot just went down, but I think you were already aware of that,” Al dryly replied, keeping his eyes over the paper he and Lau were looking over. “The specialist said he’d be right back to check on you once you got back. Come, sit and wait here,” he gestured with his free hand, pointing to the chair beside him.

“But,” she started to respond before closing her mouth, instead quietly and awkwardly taking the seat that put her right beside Tricky, who was still busy with her equipment.

Why is she here of all people? I get Devin, seeing he was originally a Hexa employee, but her? Why would the Underground send their people here exposed and out in the open?

“You told off the wrong man just now,” Tricky spoke aside to her in a small voice without losing focus on her work. “Sounds like you are trying to isolate yourself and someone important in a time of most need.”

“What? Excuse me?” Sam then realized her entire conversation must have been listened in on just now, leaving her at a loss of words.