Weeks of rigorous training had passed. The crew had grown accustomed to their grueling schedule—and to one another. With no more bad blood between them, their bond only grew stronger.
But on a fateful morning, instead of heading to the training quarters, they all lined up in the Superintendent's office, awaiting his address.
Pacing back and forth, clad in his soldier's apparel, Sp Jeremy began.
"As you all know, three weeks of your stipulated one-month training have passed. That means you have one week left before your mission unfolds."
He stopped and faced them squarely.
"In a week's time, you will be conveyed to the Vatican Forest Reserve to fulfill your assigned duties."
Valtor's gaze subconsciously met Orea's at the mention of the familiar venue, while Zara and Kymani shared the same reaction.
Sp Jeremy continued, "For this reason, I commend you all for your hard work, discipline, and sacrifice. Remember this: when you arrive victorious, the world will be forever grateful. After completing your tasks, you will become renowned heroes. You will be rewarded for your service, and of course, the council will fulfill its promise to reunite you with your families."
Lying son of a b****, Valtor cursed silently, staring at the older man.
"So keep up the good work and hang in there, it'll all be worth it in the end", Sp Jeremy ended.
When the Superintendent finished, the crew was ushered out of the office and back toward their quarters. They moved in silence until Lynx gently nudged Valtor's arm.
"So, about this runaway plan of yours—have you gotten the proof we need?"
The others turned to Valtor, waiting for his reply.
He hesitated before answering. "I… haven't spoken to my dad yet. He's been busy."
"Busy?" Lynx's brows rose in disbelief. "You heard the old man, right? We leave in a week. We can't go along with your plan unless we have proof that what you're saying is true."
"He's right, Valtor," Rowynn added. "I know we decided to believe you, but we need something solid to back it up. This has to be worth the risk—we can't just take your word for it."
Valtor sighed and ran his hands through his dark hair, hanging his head low. "My dad's coming over today," he said, raising his head. "So, I'll find a way to talk to him. Promise."
Satisfied, they continued toward their rooms. But Orea stopped suddenly and turned to face him. "I'm not trying to add any more pressure.. but I hope you didn't make that up just to get Lynx off your back."
"I had to," Valtor replied quietly. "I haven't heard from him in two weeks, and I've tried reaching out."
Orea folded her arms as she watched him.
"So, what're you going to do now?"
Valtor shrugged. "I'll try again. Hopefully, he responds this time."
Lynx walked back to the Superintendent's office, a deep frown lining his face.
He couldn't understand why he, of all people, had been called back just minutes after the group's meeting with the soldier.
Moving briskly through the halls, he finally arrived at the office. After a quick knock and a firm "Come in," he stepped inside.
"Sir, you called for me?" he asked, getting straight to the point.
"Yes, Mr. Orion," the soldier replied without looking up. "Please, sit down."
Lynx obeyed, his gaze fixed on the older man, who continued scribbling on a stack of papers.
He began tapping his foot on the tiled floor, growing more impatient with every passing second.
Finally, Sp Jeremy set his pen down, picked up a small photo from the desk, and handed it over.
Confused, Lynx looked at the picture in his hand, then glanced at the Superintendent.
"Do you know who that is?" Sp Jeremy asked.
Lynx looked back at the photo, eyes narrowing on the image of a middle-aged woman.
A faint memory tugged at the edge of his mind, but her face remained a mystery.
"Who is this?" he finally asked.
"That's Mrs. Luna Orion," Jeremy replied.
Lynx froze. His eyes snapped back to the photo, widening as the name hit him like a jolt.
"Is this…"
"Your mother," the Superintendent cut in. "That's correct, Lynx." He leaned back in his chair, silently watching the youth's dumbfounded expression.