Finally, after a long drive in silence, they arrived at their destination.
"There we are," Alex said, stopping the car. "Put on your mask."
Emrys stepped out, staring at the massive facility before him.
So this is where it begins…
"Not exactly," Alex added. "This is just an outpost. New recruits get trained here and then assigned to the front line, so don't be too on edge."
"I see… alright. Let's go in."
"Oh, hold your horses, buddy. I'm not going in."
Emrys turned to him, confused.
"…What?"
"Yeah. I'm not a soldier, and I'm definitely not becoming one. Plus, there's an old man in there who really hates me, so I'm good. You go ahead."
"You're not a soldier?" Emrys asked. "I thought you were with Jhin."
"What? No way," Alex scoffed. "Joining the army with all their rules and hierarchy? No thanks. Me and Jhin met on the battlefield, but I was stationed there as a mercenary."
"…I see," Emrys said. "Then why do I have to join the military? Wouldn't it be better to stay hidden as a mercenary too?"
"I told Jhin the same thing," Alex replied. "But he thought someone your age needed discipline or something. Whatever. So—are you going in or not?"
Emrys frowned. "Damn. You can't wait to get rid of me, can you?"
"That's not it," Alex said. "I've been away for two years just to train you. I need to go back—my money's running low."
"Yeah, yeah," Emrys muttered.
"…Alright. I'll get going then. Thanks. For everything."
"Don't sweat it," Alex replied. "Take care of yourself."
Emrys stepped out of the car and headed toward the outpost.
The moment he disappeared from sight, Alex's phone rang.
"Is he in?" a voice asked.
"Yes," Alex replied. "Don't worry. Everything is going according to plan."
"Good. You did well."
"Of course," Alex said, his expression darkening. "It's not like we could afford to fail. There's too much on the line."
He hesitated.
"But I have to admit… I feel kind of bad about this. Because basically—"
"Shut up," the voice snapped. "You know we don't have a choice. An order is an order."
"…Yeah. You're right."
Alex sighed.
"I just hope he doesn't hate us when the time comes."
Beep.
The call ended.
Alex stared at the phone for a moment.
"…You really are heartless, Jhin.".
"There we are," Alex said, stopping the car. "Put on your mask."
Emrys stepped out, staring at the massive facility before him.
So this is where it begins…
"Not exactly," Alex added. "This is just an outpost. New recruits get trained here and then assigned to the front line, so don't be too on edge."
"I see… alright. Let's go in."
"Oh, hold your horses, buddy. I'm not going in."
Emrys turned to him, confused.
"…What?"
"Yeah. I'm not a soldier, and I'm definitely not becoming one. Plus, there's an old man in there who really hates me, so I'm good. You go ahead."
"You're not a soldier?" Emrys asked. "I thought you were with Jhin."
"What? No way," Alex scoffed. "Joining the army with all their rules and hierarchy? No thanks. Me and Jhin met on the battlefield, but I was stationed there as a mercenary."
"…I see," Emrys said. "Then why do I have to join the military? Wouldn't it be better to stay hidden as a mercenary too?"
"I told Jhin the same thing," Alex replied. "But he thought someone your age needed discipline or something. Whatever. So—are you going in or not?"
Emrys frowned. "Damn. You can't wait to get rid of me, can you?"
"That's not it," Alex said. "I've been away for two years just to train you. I need to go back—my money's running low."
"Yeah, yeah," Emrys muttered.
"…Alright. I'll get going then. Thanks. For everything."
"Don't sweat it," Alex replied. "Take care of yourself."
Emrys stepped out of the car and headed toward the outpost.
The moment he disappeared from sight, Alex's phone rang.
"Is he in?" a voice asked.
"Yes," Alex replied. "Don't worry. Everything is going according to plan."
"Good. You did well."
"Of course," Alex said, his expression darkening. "It's not like we could afford to fail. There's too much on the line."
He hesitated.
"But I have to admit… I feel kind of bad about this. Because basically—"
"Shut up," the voice snapped. "You know we don't have a choice. An order is an order."
"…Yeah. You're right."
Alex sighed.
"I just hope he doesn't hate us when the time comes."
Beep.
The call ended.
Alex stared at the phone for a moment.
"…You really are heartless, Jhin."