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Settling down, Marian finally got a chance to speak up as they hit wider streets with room to spare. “The bloody hell were you doing?! You were seconds from either dying or getting caught just now!” she fussed through a cracking voice, keeping her eyes on the road.

Isaiah continued to rub his eyes and take in slow, deep breaths, almost as if he were still confirming his status as alive and well. “I knew to fear that thing, but… Marian, I…”

She let him take his time now, realizing something deeper had him completely off his usual game. “What was it?” she asked after letting him gather his thoughts, toning her emotions down.

More moments flashed back in his head with much deeper clarity. Watching teammates in their previous war mechs being shredded from behind supposed cover, recovering the bodies, and trying to jump back in the fight as if he had to pretend he never saw anything all felt like it just repeated itself, but this time he was on the run. He counted the LTAC units he watched drop like flies, remembering it was only he and one other than made it out of Manila that evening. And then the regret that immediately ensued delivered the strongest kick to the gut. “Why did I insist on getting back at her?”

Marian eased her grip on the steering wheel, letting out a sigh of concession. “I know. Vengeance would have been on my mind pretty powerfully as well had that been me.” She too had a few memories from the previous war flash through her mind, one ending with an ever-burning image of her holding Lance as he looked to be lost in a deep slumber as her tears fell over his face. “But we have to move on. We can take what we gained and go to the next phase, just as you always say,” she continued before looking over to him with a forced subtle smile. “Right?”

He couldn’t return the look and gesture just yet. He knew they would end the evening with an overall victory, but this one lost battle stung sharply, and would continue for some time. “I just need an evening to clear my thoughts. So many things going through my head right now that I can’t lose track of.” He then finally looked back over to her, though unable to return a smile. “I have to apologize. I will take responsibility for the lives lost in due time.”

He then looked out the window as they started to hit the outskirts of town. “And so will the one behind this whole operation.”

“Vrey?”

“No, I’m not talking about his Operation Excalibur- that’s not even over as long as I am still alive,” he flatly responded. “I am talking about this unannounced operation someone Underground organized to help Vrey find and outmaneuver us. We might actually have a two-fronted campaign on our hands. We need to not only regroup but perhaps go and backtrack… re-establish connections and make amends before we try to move any farther forward.”

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●　● Near Infinity Marikina HQ, Manila, The Philippines

“…I have nothing left. I can’t face the dark without you.”

Sam tried so hard to speak what she heard repeating over and over in her head to Sebastian as he looked away, feeling tears help up in her eyes but never able to fall. Something held her back, struggling to inch closer, but nothing seemed to work.

“There’s nothing left to lose, the fight never ends. I can’t face the dark without you.”

It was as if some invisible force began to separate them, reaching out but ever so far away. And then a solid kick shook everything up all in an instant.

She awoke, slowly but through a dense mental fog, making it hard to focus on her surroundings as it became clear she was only dreaming. And as she finally got a good look at who it was crouched next to her with a hand wrapped around hers, she now realized where the words stuck in her head came from as Sebastian continued humming a somber melody.

The hot sensation of built-up tears now started to flow finally as the medevac carrier began its short descent while hearing more of the landing gear retracting and locking into place. She squeezed his hand firmly, grabbing his attention as he looked back, locking gazes for an instant before he too returned a firm but gentle squeeze and a sigh of relief.

She desperately wanted to hold him or to be held, but the stretcher had her locked in place for the most part. But that was alright for now, feeling safe even if just for the moment. And with a wave of stabbing pain across her head reminding her of her condition, she was all the quicker take things for what they were and just close her eyes.

“We have to keep this quick!” a loud voice over the speaker rang out. Sam, only slightly fazed by the unwelcomed drone, continued squeezing his hand as she added a gentle rub with her thumb while the pilot continued: “Philippine National Guard still not agreeing to anything yet, so be prepared to be evacuated out at any moment!”

Wait, this can’t be just me.

She then found the strength enough to push some air through her vocal cords. “Did Andre make it? Where’s Kerry?”

“Kerry is over there in front of the ship, looking like you,” he said before the attempted smile rapidly faded. “They said Andre is still alive somehow, but I don’t know if he will be OK.”

Guilt she felt earlier started eating away at her again despite hearing he might have a chance. After everything she could have prevented that day, this one continued to hit the hardest. Isaiah escaped again, just as always, but she didn’t care one bit what happened to him after their last encounter.

Andre… I am so sorry…

Al sat alone at a table just outside a small, quaint, open-air eatery. The aroma of seasoned ground beef only slightly soothed his shot nerves and defeated spirit, but he was drawn to the area regardless after having heard this was the last place outside of HQ that Sam willingly visited. He held the warm, still-wrapped empanada in front of him, not able to open it just yet.

He then caught the sound of familiar feet approaching, knowing it was his expected company. He looked up to see Tricky approaching him in the same way she had approached Sam the day before, but this time as the invited. “Thanks for coming all the way out here,” he spoke up to her in an exhausted tone.

She returned the notion with a weak smile, seeming as if she had just finished surviving her own tough battles. “Strange seeing you like that,” she responded, noting he had since removed his Infinity Admin jacket and ID lanyard. Even his earpiece was missing. She then took a seat before continuing: “I guess today was both our first and last day to meet, Mr. Knight?”

“I am delivering as promised, so, in that sense, yes,” he replied as he reached over to his pocket to pull out his mobile. “I just need you to confirm the details I put in. Once sent it will arrive in their account by morning.”

“Are you sure you are going to eat that?” she delicately changed the topic, seeming to avoid saying what she wanted to as she pointed to his uneaten empanada. “You don’t look like you eat Earthside food much,” she added as a forced joke with a smile.

“This?” he chuckled as he picked it back up with his left hand, examining it once more. He knew it smelled like beef to some extent, but everything else to its aroma turned him off completely. “Sam said she loves these. She described them to me when she was in Colombia, said I need to try them one day… figured why the hell not since I haven’t eaten in over a day, but I guess I chose the wrong day to venture out.”

He then picked up on her aura when he remembered what it was he had wanted to do, right hand extended so that she could see his mobile’s screen. He paused, pondering the situation. “Sorry, I really do apologize. I realize what it is you want me to ask, but I can’t. I have to do things my way.”

The façade was up, and Tricky let it be known with her sigh. “Hexa isn’t going to let you. We heard the exchange between you and Mr. Vrey earlier. We might be your only avenue to your son.”

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(Moments Earlier)

●　● Akkadia One, Eden Space Territories

“What the hell just happened?!” Lucian roared from his seat at the director’s table, more notably next to Al’s empty seat. “Why was the Galatine being fed two different directive sources just now!?”

“Marikina just reported a hacked line of command channel!” an assistant from behind shouted from their station. “Now reporting all channels as secure!”

The announcement drew quite the ire from the directors as much as it drew confusion and disbelief. “Was this some breach from the Underground!?” Zaeras was the first the speak once they gathered their thoughts.

“Wait,” Lucian spoke with a hand up, leaning over one of the Operation Excalibur files. “What were its modified directives in the end?” he asked to the assistant behind him.

“Primary objective was to disable and capture Reaper and to bring in for interrogation! Secondary objective was to ensure the safe return for the Axiom pilot!” the assistant answered back after a moment.

“The same objective as Knight’s…” they all seemed to mumble in response to the hacked directives before it quickly became clear to Lucian.

“No, you mean to tell me Knight ordered this?!” Lucian spat out in deeper disbelief, turning to see Vincent bursting in from his office. “Sir,” he spoke out as he stood up from his seat. “Knight was behind this?!”

“He knows something we don’t,” he started off with a stout grumble before stopping at his seat at the end of the table. “But no matter, he will be here tomorrow to clear his office.”

“But why?! Him of all people- do we have proof?!”

“I just got off the line with him overtly admitting to it,” Vincent continued through his attempt to contain his anger. “We’ve lost track of Reaper and almost lost the Galatine all because of this stunt he pulled.” As he finished pulling up several screens from the table’s console, he took in a breath to collect his thoughts amidst the heavy silence.

“As far as damage recovery, we aren’t out in the clear just yet but as far as you should be concerned, even Knight’s stunt didn’t derail the operation necessarily. Minimal structural damage was sustained by the Galatine and the damage dealt to the LTAC Reaper piloted was damaged beyond repair. All support LTAC units to Reaper are confirmed destroyed, so we will have time to regroup and continue the chase once we reestablish safety and security for our men on the ground.”

“Sir,” Lucian broke his silence. “Do you think this… Reaper pilot… has any connections to Knight himself?”

“We will continue that investigation. But until then,” Vincent spoke as he pointed to the satellite imagery of the region surrounding the Marikina HQ. “Popular acceptance of our presence is about to take a turn for the worse after today and after a new injection of pro-Alliance sentiment as a result of our use of power to prevent the invasion Rex’s Underground had almost pulled off,” he spoke in reference to the orbital strike that destroyed the cargo ship targeted earlier that day.

“Our immediate objective is now to coordinate the repairs and reinforcements for our base there before things go south.” He then huffed at the thought things should have ended so much more smoothly. “Let me personally handle Knight.”

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Al cleared his throat, knowing he had to avoid the topic in the open. “This is my family I have to take care of. My mess. My mistakes and the responsibility is mine to bear, not your group’s.” He straightened back up, placing his mobile on the table face up before relaxing his posture a bit. “Trust me. I have my ways around anything in my way, just like you do with matters you take care of in protecting your own.”

Tricky finally broke down and took her defeat, looking at the details on the screen. “Yes,” she replied with a subtle nod. “Everything looks correct.” And as Al took the mobile back into his pocket, she stood up with a hand up as if to wave. “Well, I take it you will be on your way home, soon?”

“After I stop by to see Sam, yes. I have to clean my office out soon, of course,” he answered with a wry smile before he too stood up. “Again, condolences for those you all lost, and may I come back one day to see greater peace attained,” he finished speaking with a hand extended.

Tricky knew enough of Al’s background to realize this kind of situation was something Al had to have experienced many times. Unable to sympathize due to a lack of her own war experiences, she simply offered what she could on the spot as she returned the handshake: “Everything in the world here and in space seems to operate like it’s stuck in a loop. A figure eight of sorts. But as before, we will continue to pray that we all will see better days.”

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Al let those words sink in as he couldn’t help but think back to the peaceful years he had taken for granted; all of those years with both of his children at the same table in the same room. Somehow, year after year, he had let so much go to see it all culminate into the chaotic mess that just happened before his eyes.

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“Better days, huh…”