[Small announcement]
[28k views?! Huh. That's not a milestone—it's a full-on riot. BFN is officially out here breaking the scale, and I couldn't be more pumped. Strap in, because if you thought this was wild… just wait. Also, yes, I'm secretly trying to turn this into the best anime of all time. Don't tell anyone.]
The road stretched endlessly ahead as Nomad rumbled across the uneven terrain, its heavy wheels devouring gravel and dust. Inside, the atmosphere was calm—until Angelo pulled out Grant's notebook.
Hale glanced sideways. "You're not seriously about to read that while we're moving."
Angelo, flipping the cover open, smirked. "I'll be fine. I've got a strong stomach."
Ryan raised a brow from the backseat. "Famous last words."
Ignoring them both, Angelo dove into the contents. The first few pages held dense notes—diagrams of gravitational fields, scribbled thoughts on plasma behavior, musings about planetary orbits, black holes, and the birth of stars. Grant's handwriting was chaotic, but the information was fascinating. Angelo was just starting to read a section titled 'Entropy and You!' when it hit him.
His stomach twisted.
His face paled.
Hale noticed instantly. "Uh-huh. Yep. There it is."
Angelo tried to hold it in. "I-I'm good. Just a little… spatial turbulence."
"Spatial turbulence?" Hale grinned. "That notebook's gonna cause a black hole in your gut."
"Just… stop the damn car."
Hale slammed the brakes with a laugh, and Angelo practically launched himself out the passenger side. The moment his boots hit the ground, he keeled over and hurled into the dirt.
Behind him, both Hale and Ryan burst out laughing.
"Ohhh, the mighty slayer of angels and monsters—undone by a moving vehicle and a science lesson," Hale teased. "You were zipping across battlefields like a jet engine. No vomiting then. But a couple of bumpy roads and boom—exorcist-level purging."
Ryan added, "We should've brought a bucket. Or maybe some crayons so you could draw what you learned instead."
Angelo, groaning between dry heaves, managed a breathy, "Ha ha… hilarious…"
"'Strong stomach,' he says," Hale mocked in a sing-song voice. "'I eat danger for breakfast,' he says…"
Angelo wiped his mouth, still hunched over. "When I recover, I'm setting your boots on fire."
"You'll have to catch me first, champ."
After a few more minutes—and a good laugh at Angelo's expense—they loaded back into Nomad. As Hale revved the engine, she glanced over and said, "Next time, just listen to the driver, genius."
Angelo slouched in his seat, face still green. "Next time, I'm walking."
Ryan handed him a bottle of water from the back. "Hydrate, soldier. You've just survived your deadliest mission yet—Reading While Moving."
And with that, Nomad pressed on, heading north—toward whatever waited in the shadows.
Nomad rumbled through the remains of a once-bustling city, its heavy tires crunching over scattered debris and cracked pavement. Buildings stood like hollowed-out corpses, windows shattered, signs hanging by a thread. People lined the streets—scattered, frantic, wild-eyed. Some clutched their children, others screamed prophecies into the cold evening air.
"The end is here!" one man shouted, his voice hoarse. "They've come for us all!"
Ryan glanced out the window, unease crawling up his spine. "They're losing it. Why are they this panicked?"
Angelo leaned forward slightly, watching the chaos unfold. "I'm not entirely sure… It could be the presence of the beings. Fear like this doesn't spread without reason."
"They look ready to riot," Hale muttered, tightening her grip on the steering wheel. "Keep your eyes open. If they rush the vehicle, we're not stopping. I'll plow right through."
As Nomad crept down the cracked street, some people suddenly froze—eyes widening, bodies trembling. A few turned and ran, screaming as if death itself had just looked their way.
Ryan blinked. "Okay… what the hell just happened?"
"They felt me," Angelo said, his tone colder than before. "My presence. It terrifies them."
Ryan raised an eyebrow. "Even the animals back there looked ready to bolt."
Angelo gave a faint nod. "I guess I scare them now too."
Ryan asked, "Why aren't we affected by it?"
Angelo shook his head. "I honestly don't know."
"Maybe we've been around you too long," Hale offered, keeping her focus on the road. "Got used to the ominous death aura and all."
Soon the city faded behind them, replaced by open road and the eerie quiet of dusk. They drove until the last sliver of sunlight disappeared beyond the horizon.
"We've covered good ground," Hale said, finally slowing Nomad to a halt beside a small patch of trees. "We'll camp here for the night."
Angelo closed his eyes for a moment. "They're changing course," he murmured. "The plan worked. They're following me now."
Ryan looked over at him. "How do you know for sure they're coming?"
"I feel them moving. Like a chill crawling through my bones… I don't know how or why. But I'm glad I can."
"Alright," Hale said, hopping out. "You two set up camp. I'll get dinner started."
They moved quickly—assembling tents, unpacking gear, preparing rations. Once everything was in place and they had eaten, Hale turned to Ryan. "You're up first for watch."
Ryan gave a casual salute. "Roger that. I'll wake you if anything happens."
Inside the tent, Angelo lay back, staring up at the fabric ceiling. "Is Ryan gonna be alright? No offense to the colonel, but the guy doesn't exactly scream hardened soldier."
Hale chuckled softly. "Oh, him? Don't worry. Ryan's one of the toughest guys in the base."
"Then how'd he get caught by the watcher?"
She paused. "He was… taking a piss. Got caught off guard."
Angelo turned his head slowly, brows rising. "You're joking. Please tell me you're joking."
"Nope. True story. You can ask him yourself."
Without a second thought, Angelo scrambled out of the tent and walked up to Ryan, who was leaning against Nomad with a rifle in hand.
"Hey, uh… quick question," Angelo said, arms crossed. "Were you seriously caught by a watcher… while taking a piss?"
Ryan let out a laugh. "Yeah. That was on me. Bad timing. Lesson learned."
Angelo stared at him in disbelief. "You just admitted it? That casually?"
Ryan grinned. "Would lying about it help?"
Angelo sighed, shaking his head. "Just… try not to make it a habit. Please."
With that, he walked back to the tent, mumbling under his breath. Hale raised an eyebrow as he flopped onto his sleeping bag.
"Well?" she asked.
He covered his face with his arm. "He admitted it."
She snorted. "Told you."