After the Yellow Door fell to the enemy, the squad faced its worst loss: Zaid had been captured.
"Kuze, Barthood, Leo, Picuper — check the other teams," Lorya ordered. "If anyone is still alive, send them back to camp for treatment."
"Understood, Captain," they replied, and they rushed out. They rescued ten soldiers from the battlefield.
Ruka turned to the captain, eyes burning. "We must go get Zaid back. If they harm him, I'll— I'll destroy the whole world. I won't leave a single soul alive." Her voice trembled with fury.
"Ruka, calm down," Lorya said. "We will bring Zaid back. Don't act rashly."
Chucky returned then, trying to smile through the smoke. "Captain, we fulfilled Leader Boketo's dream."
Lorya shook her head. "No — we didn't win. We lost our main weapon. Zaid is taken. We have to get him back."
"You were ordered to find his location," Lorya said. "Did you find him?"
"I found where they hold him," Chucky answered, "but the enemy has a large military presence there. I couldn't take him back alone."
Ruka heard and cut in. "If that's true, I'm going to take him back myself." She began readying her weapons.
"Are you out of your mind?" Lorya snapped. "If you go alone they will kill Zaid."
"I can't wait," Ruka shot back. "I won't leave him to die. I'm going now."
"Ruka," Lorya pleaded quietly, "he means everything to you and he is humanity's weapon. We must be careful."
"I don't care about humanity," Ruka said. "I only care about saving him. If everyone else dies, so be it."
Ruka staggered suddenly; Lorya rushed to her. "What's wrong?" she demanded. Ruka collapsed, breath shallow. Lorya checked her pulse — it was racing.
"Find Kuze," Lorya ordered. Kuze arrived, startled. "Captain, what happened?"
"Ruka has fainted. Move her to the camp for treatment. You stay with her. Do not let her go searching for Zaid," Lorya said.
"Two of you — watch her," she added, addressing two soldiers. "If she runs, you will answer to me for this mistake."
Back in her tent, Lorya tried to think like Boketo might: what would he do? How should she handle this? The questions crowded her mind.
Then Chucky returned with a messenger. "Captain, someone came with news," he said. "He claims to know where Zaid is."
Lorya told him to bring the man in. The stranger bowed and said, "My name is Marcho — Boxery alien. I've been sent to tell you: Zaid will soon join us. You should come and honor him."
Chucky barked, "Nonsense. Zaid would never join you. If he does, I'll kill him and every alien here."
Marcho smiled. "Don't be foolish. If you kill me, Zaid will take command and destroy your squad in an instant."
Lorya folded her arms. "We do not believe you or your leader," she said.
At that instant Ruka burst from the medical tent. Sword in hand, she thrust the blade at Marcho's throat. "Where is Zaid?" she demanded. "If you don't tell me, I'll tear you apart and send your pieces back to your own people. If you harmed him—"
Marcho backed up. "We didn't harm him," he said. "He is our Boxery brother."
Everyone froze, confused. Lorya stepped forward. "Enough of your lies," she said sharply. "We will not trust your words."
After Marcho returned, he hurried to Boxery with the news that Lorya had arrived.
"Did she come?" Boxery asked when Marcho reached him. Marcho nodded. "Yes, Captain — they have come."
Boxery laughed. "Excellent. Go and call Ario — tell him our leader summons him. Come quickly."
"I'm going now, Captain," Marcho replied, and sought out Ario.
"What are you doing here? Can't you see I'm busy?" Ario snapped when Marcho found him.
"Boxery calls for you at once," Marcho said. "If you don't go, he will come himself."
"Fine. I'm going," Ario muttered. When he bowed before Boxery, Boxery said, "We're close to completing our main mission."
"We must finish this in a single instant," Ario said, voice trembling with fear.
"I don't want to continue this battle," Boxery said. "End it now — with Zaid's help."
"Why haven't you killed him?" Ario demanded. "He killed my friend Danielle. If you won't kill him, I will — he must die by my hands."
Boxery slapped Ario's face. "He is like a brother to me," Boxery snapped. "We and he have both suffered because of our father, Draxel."
"Now, if you try to kill Zaid, I will never spare you — do you understand? Make sure Zaid doesn't slip from our hands again."
"I know the alien that devours squad leaders could claim him," Boxery continued. "Lorya is clever — I cannot lose to her mental power."
"When we reopen Zaid's memories, you must open your eyes and mind as well," Boxery warned.
On the other side, the squad was stunned. Marcho's claim — that Zaid would join Boxery and was Boxery's brother — left everyone shaken.
"Do you know Zaid's past?" Lorya demanded of Kuze and Ruka. "If you know, tell us — if you hide it, we can't save Zaid from Boxery."
"We don't agree with Marcho," Kuze and Ruka said. Then Kuze added, "Captain — Boxery has the power to alter someone's memories."
"Yes," Lorya replied. "I told you that before — I don't understand what you're saying now."
"I know Boxery's plan," Kuze said. "He will use Zaid to complete an old mission. He will fabricate Zaid's memories. If he succeeds, Zaid will control everything. We must stop the reopening of his memories and the alteration of his past."
Ruka exploded: "Why didn't you tell me, Kuze? You all use Zaid like a puppet!" She slapped him in anger.
"What do we do now?" Lorya asked. Kuze answered: "Find where they hold him."
"Chucky — where is he being kept?" Kuze demanded. "We have little time; we don't know what they intend to do with Zaid."
"Listen," Lorya said. "We move today. We find Zaid and bring him back now. Call every soldier — hurry."
"Don't take a single step without thinking," Kuze warned. "If Zaid senses we're coming, he might have his memories altered again that very day. Be careful."
"If Vice-Leader Chucky can kill Boxery in a single strike, our chance of victory rises."
"Now we all know the enemy has captured our main weapon, Zaid. We're going to take him back."
"If anyone makes one mistake today, I will kill them and hang their head upon the Door," Lorya said coldly.
"Ride now — mount up. We leave at once." The squad set off to recover Zaid.