The group of Radiant Awakeners finally woke up thanks to Ezekiel’s healing spells and knowing they couldn’t do much after being beaten so severely, they left, promising terrible retaliation.
In any other case, James would have stopped them there and made sure they understood they couldn’t get away with threatening anyone, especially someone who had just finished beating them up, but since it was the entire point of this encounter, he let them go.
Then, Team 0 had to wait until the AA urban repairs team arrived, since they couldn’t very well leave the broken park like that. Thankfully, Miss Walker had signed off on enough budget for this mission that they didn’t need to worry about paying out of their own pocket.
That done, they had gone back to their own homes to get some sleep in, knowing that the following day would be one of great excitement.
It was unsurprising, then, that James found everyone in their training room bright and early, eager to get the show on the road.
They all looked at him as he came in with a pumpkin spice latte, to which he shrugged uncaringly “What, I like it. It’s like drinking pie.”
“That’s exactly why it’s an abomination. Pie is to be eaten, otherwise the calories you take in won’t give you the satisfaction that makes them worth it.” Lauren replied vehemently.
“Alright, guys.” Daniel interjected exasperatedly “I don’t think that’s the most pressing question today.”
“Still nothing.” James answered the unspoken question. He had reassured the others that, having named Callum directly, he would be the one to contact him, but he had yet to do so.
James wasn’t particularly worried. Knowing Sally’s ex, it wouldn’t be long before a message arrived. Likely within the next few hours, even.
The others deflated at his proclamation, having spent the night waiting for the big day.
“We should go over the plan one last time, kids. Things change at the last moment, and it’s important to have your options be clear.” Miss Walker’s voice came from the shadows, which slowly coalesced into her form in a somewhat theatrical show.
She adjusted her uniform’s straps, with an emblem of AA subtly embroidered on the pocket. As she walked to the center of the parlor, her heels clicked authoritatively on the floor.
She cleared her throat before continuing, her piercing red gaze scrutinizing each member. "I've just returned from a high-level meeting. The brass is watching this operation with keen interest. They believe the outcome will serve as a stepping stone, an experiment of sorts, if you will.”
Maria frowned. "So what are we looking at, Miss? Do they want us to change our approach? Is it likely that they leaked something?”
The older woman shook her head, eye-smiling dangerously. “I’ve made sure nothing could interfere with this operation from above. It’s all on you, kids.”
James felt a shiver go down his spine and decided it would be better not to ask what exactly she had threatened their superiors with.
“Give me the rundown, James.” Miss Walker finally said, and he shook himself out of his contemplations.
"We want Callum Wright out in the open and to fight him by himself. Given the disparity in rank and our recent show of strength, he’ll likely take the bait of facing Team 0 alone, if only to restore the Radiant Guild's tarnished reputation. He’ll want an audience, but I’m pretty sure I can goad him into fighting us one versus five.” James said, turning on a sleek tablet, swiping to display a detailed city map. He pointed to a series of highlighted locations. “We’ll have to wait for his message, but I expect one of these places to be where the confrontation will happen.”
They were all spots he had met the man at, with the old rat dungeon’s entrance being the one he believed to be the most likely.
Ezekiel raised an eyebrow. “Those are all open spaces. Lots of potential for collateral damage.”
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It was an issue they already had gone over, but they needed to be as thorough as possible. Flexibility was good, but some things needed to be ironed out early.
James smirked “Exactly. We're not just baiting Callum; we’re pushing his pride to make him think he has the upper hand. The more public and open the confrontation, the more he's likely to bite. It’s the only way I can be sure he’ll agree to face us all together. Besides, if he chooses the rat dungeon’s entrance like I suspect he will, it would mean a place far away from most citizens but close enough that the AA can get there quickly, if and when their presence is needed.”
Miss Walker leaned forward, her keen interest evident. "Once Callum takes the bait and we have our confrontation, what then?”
James shrugged. "We fight him. Ideally, we defeat him. Show the Radiant Guild and any other potential troublemaking Guild that rank isn't the be-all and end-all. That strategy, intelligence, and teamwork always have their place. That the AA has the resources necessary to turn even rookies like us into powerhouses able to take on Awakeners of a rank - and more importantly, an Awakening tier - above.”
Miss Walker nodded in satisfaction. “Very good. And once Callum Wright is out of the picture, you anticipate that the Radiant leader will have to intervene, right?”
“Correct.” Daniel answered “He will most likely be monitoring the whole thing, but interfering with such a low rank fight would be humiliating if not absolutely necessary. The only thing that could possibly push him to action is… Well, he’d have to silence us to ensure their reputation doesn’t suffer even more. It’d be a death blow for their chances and open them to unsustainable pressure from major Guilds.”
Miss Walker chuckled, her eyes glinting with mischief. “And that's when I step in. While you kids are talented, some things require a touch of seniority.”
James nodded. He couldn’t deny that a part of him, however much he suppressed it, would have liked to be the one to take down the Radiant Guild by himself.
But to do that, years would have to pass before he had the power necessary to face the Guild Leader. And considering how precarious things were now, he wasn’t likely to have that time.
That meant using all resources available now, which included Miss Walker and the full weight of the AA.
Despite how mocked and ineffective it is, it still has several high-level teams in its employ and when they want to bite, they demonstrate they have teeth. The Golden Sun didn’t fall by itself. It’s not the perfect revenge I would have liked, but it’s something.
“Now, the two weak points I can immediately notice in this plan are Mr. Wright falling for the bait and agreeing to fight alone and the Guild Leader interfering, but I imagine you have something since you are so certain, right?” The teacher asked James.
He did “I know Wright. He won’t be able to resist showing off, especially since it’s against me. He’s had to keep his hands to himself several times, but he won’t miss this opportunity now that we have beaten up his guild-mates.” Then he sighed, feeling much less confident about his last part “As for the Leader, I have only seen him once in person, but from what I have managed to find on him online and in the AA files, he’s someone that takes honor and PR very seriously. He must be under a lot of pressure, given how weak they appear at the moment, and it seems only logical that he’ll try to step in when we humiliate them further.”
Miss Walker's gaze sharpened, looking beyond Team 0. "There's one last thing we need to address. The aftermath of this operation is crucial. With the Radiant Guild gone, there will be a power vacuum in Brooklyn. We can't afford a repeat of what happened in Queens last summer.”
Maria visibly winced. Everyone knew about the chaos that had ensued when several minor guilds and independent Awakeners had fought over territory, causing significant damage to both the Awakeners and the city.
It wouldn’t surprise me if she had been involved in that mess. Every time it’s referenced, she makes a face, and her reaction to us being under surveillance tells me she has her own fair share of problems.
Daniel chimed in "We need a plan to secure the borough. If we just defeat the Radiant Guild without thinking of what comes next, we're setting ourselves up for disaster.”
James nodded in agreement "We need to ensure that the AA directly fills that void. This operation could be a double win - not only taking down a problematic guild but also increasing our influence in the area. I guess I wouldn’t mind if the Bastion Guild stepped in, but it would be much better for us to take control. I don’t think such an opportunity will repeat itself anytime soon.”
Miss Walker looked pleased. "Precisely. The brass sees this as an excellent opportunity. They're ready to deploy resources to hold and stabilize Brooklyn after the Radiant Guild falls. But we must be ready to assist and guide the transition. Stability in the aftermath is paramount. If the Director and his advisor see that we can handle this effectively, it will pave the way for further trust and more significant operations in the future.”
Daniel leaned forward, interest clear on his face. “So it’s official. We're not just taking down a guild. We're essentially setting up a new order in Brooklyn, right?”
Miss Walker’s eyes half-closed, expressing her amusement. “Why do you think so much leeway has been allowed? I can only push those old fogeys so far by myself. If we manage to do this, we’ll prove again to the entire Awakener community that the AA isn't just an old relic but a force that can adapt, evolve, and still dominate when necessary. And while once can be happenstance, twice is much less likely to be dismissed.”
James took a deep breath. The weight of the operation felt heavier now, but also more significant. He should have expected that, since things were going too smoothly. Obviously, they wouldn’t allow us to do this if they didn’t think there could be something to gain for the AA at large. I’m still too naive.
Ezekiel, who had been silent for a while, finally spoke "What's the backup plan if things don't go as expected? We should be prepared for any curveballs.” The white mage seemed by far the most worried about the whole thing, probably owing to his limited offensive abilities and likelihood of being immediately targeted.
Miss Walker eye-smiled reassuringly. “As I said, I’ll be there on standby if things get too dicey. And the AA has several teams ready to be dispatched immediately once it’s over. They won’t be able to intervene before, since that would make it clear that this is an entrapment operation, and that could weaken the case against the Radiant in front of a judge, but I’ll be there.”
At that moment, James’ phone dinged, drawing everyone’s attention to him.
He usually wouldn’t keep the notifications on, but he had allowed those from a specific social network through that morning, knowing that if their target had to contact him, he’d go through there.
His predictions turned out to be correct, because a blinking notification from one Callum Wright told him to meet at the abandoned lighthouse next to the old rat dungeon, to bring his teammates and no one else, and that they would end this like men.
Lifting his phone up so the others could see, James felt a devilish smile grow on his lips.
Yeah, we’re gonna settle this once and for all, alright. Just not the way you expect.