“Sam,” he spoke back as he pulled his hand away. “Only three of us know. Tyrus, myself, and Tricky here. We just found out this afternoon.” He then sat back in his seat, taking in a deep breath, letting it out slowly as he gave her a chance to settle in. “It was a message Tricky intercepted while she watched over your scuffle with Revenant. Revenant had… called out to Reaper not too long after, swearing to kill his sister right then and there. Well, that was obviously in reference to you, wasn’t it?”

He watched her head slowly droop downward in realization, now as if staring through the table. “This is why Tyrus wants you to have that offer on the table. Reaper, or should I say, your brother Isaiah Knight is no one to ever come face to face with on the battlefield. We’ve already gotten so much from you as is, so we could never ask this of you in addition to all of that and still call ourselves human.”

Sam had faced him before, twice; once in Sebastian’s Ap50, and once with him inches away. She flashed back again through those memories, still unable to bring up those experiences through words which remained a heavy lump deep down in her gut.

“Listen, Sam,” Tricky joined in as she rested her hands on the table. “We say this because it is very, very difficult to track or trace Reaper, but we can tell he is moving big, and moving very soon. Even Rex has lost control of him lately, it seems.”

“Is he after me?” Sam inadvertently blurted out through a murmur aimed at her still-crossed arms.

“We don’t know,” Devin responded, taking another breath as he treaded around the conversation carefully. “He’s a slippery guy even for the Underground. Most of us speak openly and that’s how we always react so quickly to each other and move so quickly, but that bastard does everything the old-world way… analog. It makes him damn near impossible to track, even when his accomplices slip up like Revenant did so many times lately. All it does is expose that one individual, not the head of the pack.”

There was a long silence ensuing that last comment. The air remained heavy, and Devin and Tricky remained patient, awaiting Sam’s response.

Her head finally picked up a few inches, enough to speak more clearly. “What if I don’t return? What is Tyrus’ other message?”

Devin shook his head, amazed and in disapproval. “Sam, you don’t know what you’re up against if you stay,” he huffed.

“What is his other message?” she insisted flatly.

“The message was only for if you decided to stay,” Tricky answered for Devin as he leaned back in his chair, eyes closed in disbelief. “He wants you to know that if you stay, you must remain with Infinity. You and your mech are a must-have combination, and we fear the worst coming from outside forces sometime soon next week.”

Sam found some focus for a change, realizing Tricky was going on about something she had been pondering for a good while but never stopped to ask. I do need to ask what the hell is going on. “Who is coming? More foreigner pilots and soldiers?”

“No. China is coming to take us again.”

China?! What? Why?!

“I got it from here, thanks,” Devin leaned back forward again, nodding to Tricky. “Tyrus has us on the best path to putting us people back in charge of our country, meaning we will take the long road to recovery but it’s the one we chose. One we can use to wash out a lot of the corruption that set in over the past decade. It’s unclear exactly who tried to involve the NAU in the transition, maybe for the corruption clearing to be by force, but now we have intel saying either Rex or his now-uncontrollable Reaper is bringing in China instead.” He sighed, pausing to collect his thoughts. “Meaning it would likely be a move to restore the former China-Sphere Alliance,” he concluded in a heavy tone.

“The Alliances of the Confederacy…” Sam mumbled as hearing that alliance brought up things she picked up in her old history courses. The Philippines to the China-Sphere, Bangladesh to the IndoPakistan-Sphere, Colombia… it’s already the SAU in name but not in actual form… or is it about to be? Her fists balled up as she bit down in frustration. “This doesn’t make any sense!” She now looked up at Devin, continuing: “Isaiah would never fight to restore the old Confederacy after fighting in the last war! Why would he do this?!”

“It’s not just him or Rex who thinks so,” he replied, shaking his head. “He has a group behind him who wants our country to be washed of not just the built-up corruption but also our economic disaster that has become of our country’s finances.” Sam could see the frustration pent up in Devin’s aura as he kept on: “It’s the only reason we’ve had any real unrest the past months. Someone has them believing the best way is through joining in on the rebuilding of the old China-Sphere and bring back what they all say will be an instant return to the stability of that era. But no one with a sane mind knows it’s not that easy.”

Sam still couldn’t add up how any of that would give cause for Isaiah to join what she felt may be nothing more than some pro-Confederacy extremist group.

“I think it’s because maybe your brother is answering the call for old war pilots to restore the world in general, not just the Confederacy,” Tricky added calmly. “We are only worried about our country and we say to hell with China, but maybe Reaper’s moves are not about the China-Sphere but about his place in life… maybe?”

“Yeah.” Devin’s expression hinted he was about to say something he would regret, but spoke anyway: “They say both wars created pilots who can only see the next mission, the next operation. Maybe your brother is hoping to create the ultimate ‘next mission’, even. Who knows.”

“Then I have to stop him,” Sam’s lips slipped again, immediately feeling a sense of regret kick in.

Tricky, unlike Devin, let out a confident smirk. “Then, that means you will stay and join Infinity in our fight, together.”

The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

“Tricky-” he spoke in an attempt to prevent her from egging on Sam’s rash decision before being cut off.

“-We only stand a chance because Hexa is helping us stand up for what we know is right for us,” she spoke back with a growing frown of disagreement. “Why would y-”

Devin wasn’t going to sit back this time as he interrupted back: “-She didn’t ask to get involved, before you ask, that’s why! I always kept things as a set of choices between me and her because she deserves that choice, right?!”

“Stop!” Sam spat out, putting her face in her hands a moment before continuing, having their attention. “I get the situation, and just like with my friends back at base I also owe both of you for me being alive and able to argue with someone like this.” She pulled her face back up and let out a huff. “Let me speak to Tyrus and I will give my final decision.”

“You can’t,” Tricky flatly replied. “With Reaper possibly going rogue and on the move, Tyrus must stay low. They aren’t friends, you know.”

“It’s OK,” Devin spoke with a hand up. “Sam, go take your time and think it over. Talk it out with Kerry if you have to, but think this one over long and hard tonight. You know how to get back in touch with Tricky here once you make up your mind.”

Oh my God, all these ultimatums… one after another, Sam thought as she closed her eyes. Doesn’t help to call it a choice when… ugh… what am I doing- I can’t keep this whole solo act. Who was I kidding? I do need my friends right about now.

Sam then felt her head starting to throb and ache as her meds finished wearing off. She had forgotten to think that there could be something painful to go with her trauma, making it that much harder to continue in thought. “Alright, I really need to get back to base and see about something for this headache I feel coming on.” She now felt the bandage-covered micro-incision site at the base of her head and neck joint as she rubbed around that area. “Not like I can do anything anyway. I’m inactive until the doctors clear me.”

“Alright, then. Let’s wrap this meeting up. It has been a long time,” Tricky spoke in agreement with the direction the conversation was headed.

“Yes, please do so, and thanks for coming all this way, Sam,” Devin, who had calmed down significantly, replied with his signature sincerity. “I’m glad you hung in there. Tell Kerry hey for me, and to keep waiting for me- oh, and keep watch over her for me, too!”

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The street lights farther towards down town were fully lit, mixed in with the surrounding building lights near a shopping area less crowded than usual. The masses had been apprehensive lately with the LTAC scuffles spilling into the streets two days in a row, but something in the air had everyone sensing they had already seen the worst of it.

The quaint shopping area was situated very near to Infinity’s HQ, being only approximately ten minutes away by foot. Most employees and crewmen frequented the area, and security systems were extended up to that point for better surveillance while members were off duty.

Inside the pub at the back corner of the center, Sebastian was seated next to Andre and across from Kerry, all on their mobiles. A variety of empty glasses and mugs were spread across the table, and silence befell most of the empty interior as it was still a bit early for the usual patrons. It was a heavier silence, however.

And with a matching, heavy sigh, Andre was the first to break what seemed to be quite the long pause in conversation: “So, I guess it has to be me to address the elephant in the room, huh.” He paid no attention to the looks he received from the other two, placing his mobile on the table and leaned back. “We’re all beat, dragged out, drinking at this time of day thinking about what the fuck to do with our down time whilst the true source of our problems sits in bed with top priority treatment.” That last comment drew ire, but he remained unfazed. “I promised myself to wait until this last leg was over, but I don’t know if I can anymore- I mean, is it just me that thinks that finishing the last portion of our contract may not be worth it?”

“Andre, really?” Kerry huffed, turning off her mobile screen and folding her arms. “And here I was biting my tongue about your attitude since we got here, but guess that’s off the table now.”

Andre chuckled in disbelief. “Wow. You two really are in something together, then, am I wrong?”

“Andre!” Kerry fussed back, rolling her eyes. “You were all over the idea for Sam’s exfil and now you despise her all the sudden? Listen to yourself! We came here to relax and you’re still on one! You tell me why we have to be changing our attitudes so suddenly!”

“Of course, you aren’t willing to hear me out properly,” he mumbled with a shaking of his head in return. “I said,” he now spoke more emphatically. “Maybe the rest of the contract isn’t worth it! And I said that she’s the cause of this mess! That’s why we went out on that suicidal exfil op that did almost get us killed because of shit I got no clue about. But whatever it is, it follows her, clearly, and that’s regardless of how much we care to help watch each other’s backs,” he finished as he calmed himself back down.

Kerry held her response, realizing what he was getting at.

Sebastian chimed in directly after, however. “Andre is right, we have to be more careful and think again about our situation.”

“Well, so much for the relaxing part,” Kerry replied as she leaned in with one side of her lips curled up. “Alright, what is our situation, then?”

Sebastian had been mulling over the idea night after night his reluctance to speak his mind more often, always afraid to cause more trouble than its worth. He had long felt like the black sheep of the group, completely out of his element, but this was the path he had to be on. It was getting to be too late to revert to his original way of taking each situation by the horns, and something made him feel like now was perhaps his last shot, even though Sam wasn’t around.

He slowly breathed out, collecting his final thoughts before starting: “Please forgive me for speaking slowly, but… I have had a long time to think about things- especially when I was in Space. And… Andre is having the correct thoughts.” He took a few more moments to gather his words, seeing he had drawn their attention. “Sam… she survived as the only pilot from the first drop in my home country this summer. Now she survives not just one but two Cloaks, Cloaks who easily killed so many, including my brothers. And now to see that… there are so many trying to follow her and then we see so much special treatment for her…”

“You mean you think there is some hidden plot here?” Andre interrupted casually.

“I don’t know,” Sebastian shrugged. “But I think from how her father spoke-”

“-You met Mr. Knight, too!?” Kerry also interrupted, shocked.

“Yes, I did. And I met her mother, too,” he continued as his voice tapered off. “Very short visit, but Sam doesn’t know who she is. Everyone else knows, even the Underground knows, but she doesn’t… and I am afraid that, well, while we do not know her really, either... I feel that we are not supposed to know. That’s what has me worried.” After a long, heavy silence, he finished the last of his thoughts. “And it has me scared for her. I can’t leave her, but I can’t follow blind, either.”

“Aloof,” Kerry huffed. “That’s been the word to describe her in every aspect. I wish we all had the privilege to be such,” she admitted openly that she had been harboring such feelings after all, and not just the others. “Well, what do we do in moving forward, then? I think she’ll be waking up soon.”

Her mobile then began to buzz with the incoming call signal marked "Sam", bringing about an awkward, panicked pause from each of them.