Jake’s eyes snapped open to chaos.

Nurses were screaming at Nathan, who lay blankly on the floor. Another nurse was reaching for Sophie, who clasped Nathan’s wrist tightly, Shizen tangling up her wrist, a dark bark creeping up her arms.

Confusion crossed Jake’s face, he saw Nathan’s hand grasping to his own. He quickly shook it lose and it fell to the floor next to Nathan. “What is going on?” he asked Sophie, staring at his best friend worriedly.

“He healed you,” she whispered, holding Nathan’s hand delicately. “You took too much of his energy Jake, he couldn’t let go! Now if we don’t help him he could die.”

“Why would he be that stupid?” Jake growled. He glanced around the room and saw all the nurses and security guards stop dead in their tracks, frozen in place like time itself had stopped.

“What the hell is going on?” roared Hyung, appearing instantly in the door way. The old man with the use of Chronos had stopped all commotion in the hospital room.

“Nathan healed Jake, but now Nathan is unconscious,” Sophie relayed swiftly, still clutching Nathan’s hand, feeding him tiny amounts of life. She was sweating, the bark crawling further up her arms as the effort took its toll on her body.

Hyung mumbled angrily and Sam appeared behind him, “Sam, bring Nathan and follow me.” He quickly turned to Sophie who was sobbing, “He will be ok, you saved his life.”

Sophie nodded, “If we can get him to the forest I can help him more than I can here.”

“How long until he can restore energy on his own?” Sam asked seriously.

“Only a few minutes if we can get him to a garden or forest. He was almost dead,” she sobbed.

Jake watched the two in horror. Nathan almost died trying to save him. “What can I do?” he asked hoarsely.

“Nothing,” muttered Sophie.

Jakes heart sunk, he had nearly killed his best friend and had pushed Sophie away without even being conscious. When am I going to stop burdening everyone? Why would Nathan risk his life to save me? He began to feel sorry for himself, but quickly shook it off before climbing out of the hospital bed, removing the lines and tubes that were helping care for him, “I will help you get him outside.”

“Wait, you were nearly dead, I don’t know if you should be doing that,” Hyung interrupted.

Jake shook his head and threw one of Nathan’s arms around his shoulders, “I have never felt better.”

Sam and Jake carried Nathan, following Hyung through the halls of the hospital. As they neared the entrance, Teresa walked past with two large hooded men following close behind her.

“I will clean up this mess,” she spoke quietly to Hyung, “You can let them go now.”

Hyung shook his head, “I will once we are outside.”

Teresa nodded, motioning for the two strange men to follow once more.

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Jake stared at one of the men, a chill moving up his spine. They reminded him of the Hunters, but had a different presence about them.

“Who were they?” Jake asked, struggling to keep up with the quick moving Hyung.

Hyung increased in speed, “A couple of Teresa’s colleagues, here to help clean up this mess.”

His voice sounded annoyed so Jake didn’t ask any more questions.

“Lay him down over here,” Sophie’s voice cut through the tension, motioning towards a bed of flowers.

Jake and Sam lugged him over, softly placing him in the garden in front of Sophie. She immediately set to work, forcing life into his unmoving body, flowery plants smothering and pressing against his skin. After a couple of intense minutes Nathan’s eyes opened weakly.

“Sophie?” He wheezed, looking her in the eyes.

She gave a relieved smile, “You’re ok! Don’t scare me like that again!” she scolded playfully before collapsing to her knees in the garden next to him.

“Is Jake ok?” Nathan asked, still not moving from where he lay.

“Fine, thanks to you,” Jake said with a grateful smile and a tear in his eye, “Why would you do such a stupid thing?”

Nathan let out a weak laugh, “You were going to die. It was the only way to save you.”

“You risked your life for mine? Why?” Jakes smile became a puzzled expression.

Through Sophie’s assistance Nathan regained enough energy to slowly sit up, “We are all in this together. I don’t want to see any of you guys die.”

Jake gave him a thankful smile as Teresa joined them.

“They don’t recall anyone being there with the name ‘Jake Sterling’ anymore,” she muttered giving Jake and Nathan a dirty look.

Jake looked around but the two men that were with her before had not come back out.

“Can you walk?” Hyung asked Nathan.

Nathan nodded and with shaky legs, stood to his feet.

“Good, then let’s return to the warehouse,” he turned and wandered off.

Nathan shot Jake a confused look, but all Jake could do was shrug.

At the bottom of the elevator Rocko and Paige were training in one of the giant gym like rooms. Large smiles crossed their faces when the group entered and they saw Jake healthy.

“Come with us,” Hyung called to Paige and Rocko before any exchange could be had.

They could sense something was troubling him so they all remained quiet, following him to a small meeting room.

He threw two envelopes, one at Nathan and one at Sophie, “These are your new assignments.”

They each ripped them open to reveal a set of instructions.

“Sophie, I have had the unfortunate news of discovering that the Hunters may have found another trumpet in the bare hills of Easter Island. You are to head over there with Teresa and stop them from retrieving it.”

“Just me and Teresa?” Sophie looked worried.

“Yes, you are all improving greatly, your missions will just be in pairs from now,” He turned to Nathan, “You are going to continue your journey. I am sending you to China to meet up with an expert in the blades, I think it is the one the Leviathan’s spoke of. If they cannot help you then I am at a loss on how we can help.”

“What about us?” Paige asked, she seemed a little annoyed that she hadn’t received a mission.

“I need you and Ben to stay here for the time being,” Hyung replied bluntly, “If something comes up, then you will go.”

“I am stuck going with her?” Rocko complained, slightly put out that he had to team up with her.

Paige rolled her eyes, “At least you get me. I am stuck with you!”

“I am loads better company than you will ever be,” Rocko shot back.

“Enough!” Hyung intervened before the two really got going.

Jake looked a little confused, “But what about me?” he asked in a soft voice.”

Hyung turned to him slowly and placed a hand on his head as if contemplating how to say it, “You… Should be dead. Or at the very least still in a coma. I did not have anything prepared for you.”

“Send him with me,” Nathan cut in, “You said we should work in pairs…”

Hyung took a deep breath, “I do not want him getting in the way of your training.”

A hurt look crossed Jake’s face Even Hyung doesn’t believe in me anymore…

“He won’t, he is a good fighter. And it will be good to have the company on the trip too,” Nathan placed an encouraging arm on Jake’s shoulder.

Hyung sighed, “Very well, but I don’t want either of you taking unnecessary risks, understood?”

Jake and Nathan both gave excited nods, “When do we leave?” Jake asked.

Hyung looked briefly at his watch, “In four hours. All four of you.”