The sound of alarms blared through the building, signaling an incoming threat. Panic surged as everyone in the room scrambled for cover. They hid behind walls and scattered objects, trying to find a safe place from the impending attack.
Teresa stood frozen in place, her face filled with uncertainty and fear. After a moment, she spoke softly, "I can't go with you."
Kael, who was standing nearby, looked at her in confusion. "What do you mean? Is it because of the guy earlier?" he asked, his voice tinged with curiosity and concern.
Teresa lowered her head, her heart heavy. "It's not that, Kael. I can't leave my family behind. If I go with you, they'll kill them one by one. I can't let that happen."
Kael's confusion deepened. He stared at her, trying to understand what she was saying. "Your family..." Kael repeated, his voice gentle, trying to grasp the gravity of the situation.
Teresa took a deep breath and met his gaze. "Kael, if I go with you, who will save my family? If they're still alive, they'll be killed. I need a guarantee, a plan to save them. Without that, I can't leave them behind."
Kael fell silent for a moment, digesting her words. He understood the importance of family, but he also knew that their own survival was at stake. He wanted to help, but the stakes were high for everyone. He looked at Teresa, his eyes full of determination. "We won't leave them to die, Teresa. I'll make sure we come up with a plan to save them. We can't give up on them."
Teresa's eyes softened as she listened to Kael's promise. "Are you sure, Kael? I can't do this alone. I need you, I need your help."
Kael nodded, his voice firm. "We'll make a plan. We'll fight for your family, just like we'll fight for everyone else we care about."
Teresa looked at Kael, a sense of hope stirring inside her. "But we need to move fast. Every moment counts."
Kael nodded again. "We'll do whatever it takes. But first, we need to get through this and survive."
Arek, still hiding behind the wall, approached and cautiously asked, "Teresa, where does your family live? If we're going to make a plan, we need to know where they are."
Teresa looked at him for a moment before answering in a quiet yet firm voice, "Texas, United States." Her eyes showed concern, and there was a hint of sorrow in her tone. "It's far. Even if we want to help them, the journey will be dangerous."
Everyone fell silent for a moment, contemplating how difficult a mission it would be to save Teresa's family so far away. But they all knew they couldn't let it go like this.
Suddenly, footsteps approached, and soon after, Princess Liana, Parker, and Mira appeared around the corner. They seemed to have just returned from a mission. Liana looked worried, while Parker immediately approached Kael and Teresa.
"Are you okay?" Parker asked quietly. "What happened with Teresa? We heard explosions outside."
Mira nodded and looked at Teresa with concern. "We also heard about the breach. What happened? We need to act fast."
Teresa sighed, looked at them one by one, and said, "My family is in Texas. They're in danger. I can't just leave without a plan. If I leave them, they'll be killed. We need to find a way to save them, or everything will be in vain."
Liana stared at Teresa seriously, as though processing the words. "Texas... that's far," Liana said softly. "But we can make it. Maybe we can contact other rebels or allies closer to that area."
Parker nodded, adding, "If we can gather information on where Teresa's family is, we might be able to plan a rescue. We can't just leave them."
Teresa looked at them all, gratitude in her eyes. "You're right. But... we need to move quickly. Time isn't on our side."
Kael stood up, looking at them all with the same determination. "There's no perfect time. We'll do what we have to. For our families, for everything we love. We'll find a way."
With a plan slowly forming in their minds, the group reunited. They knew their journey would be full of danger, but they also knew there was no other choice but to move forward.
One by one, they looked at each other, ready to face the greater challenges ahead to save Teresa's family, and to continue their unfinished fight.
Outside the base, the atmosphere suddenly became tense. As they were about to exit the gates, a loud noise echoed through the air. They were surrounded by military forces from all directions. However, before they could move any further, a small explosion shook the ground, and in an instant, the soldiers dropped to the ground, caught in a chaotic mess. It turned out that Tarren and Darren had been hiding in the shadows and had disguised themselves.
The two of them quickly ran toward Kael and the others. "Hurry! Run!" Darren shouted, urging them to move fast. They began to run toward an exit, but Kael, who was at the back, suddenly felt a sharp pain. Without warning, a shot rang out from behind and hit Kael square in the back.
Everyone froze for a moment, their eyes glued to Kael, who staggered and was knocked back by the bullet. A man in a black suit stood calmly in front of them, his pistol still aimed. Kael turned slightly, his blurry vision catching sight of the man one last time.
"Kael!" Parker, Arek, and Teresa shouted in unison. They watched as Kael's body wavered and slowly fell to the ground. Their faces filled with panic and disbelief. "No!" Mira cried out, her body trembling with fear.
Kael, struggling to stay on his feet, gazed at them. His eyes couldn't focus, and his body felt heavy. He knew this could be his last moment. "You… go…" Kael whispered weakly. "Save Teresa's family… quickly…" His final words shook them all.
Suddenly, Tarren screamed and rushed toward Kael. "Kael! Hey!" Tarren ran to Kael, trying to help him, but he was stopped by more gunfire. Darren quickly grabbed Tarren and pulled him back. "We can't stay here! We need to go!" Darren shouted, pulling Tarren away from Kael.
Parker looked at Kael with tear-filled eyes, unable to believe what had just happened. "We have to leave, now!" Parker said, pulling Teresa's arm as she stood frozen in place. Princess Liana tightly gripped Kael's hand for a moment, feeling a deep sadness as she watched her friend suffer.
Without another word, they all ran toward the ship that was waiting for them. Every step felt heavy, but time offered no choice. They knew they had to move quickly to save Teresa's family, even though their hearts were left behind with Kael, who lay wounded and motionless.
Amid the panic, Tarren and Darren helped the group escape from the military siege. They kept running forward, each second feeling like a battle against time and the overwhelming sadness in their hearts.