The team arrived back at HQ and started unloading their equipment. Jack, on the other hand, went to speak to his father and tell him of everything that happened. He explained that Stallone had lost his mind and that he did in fact have a bomb, but thankfully it never detonated. Jack would then talk about the group's encounter with Crow.
Harry was concerned, but Jack assured him that everyone on the team was fine, with minor injuries that would heal over time. Jack also mentioned that if Harry didn't give everyone the same upgrades that Jack has, then he would be the sole survivor.
Harry smiled at that news and told the group to get some sleep as in the morning the hunt for Stallone begins.
As the team left the meeting room, they made their way to the quaint diner nestled in the headquarters for a well-deserved meal before retiring for the night. Walking into the diner, the aroma of sizzling, freshly prepared dishes enveloped the air, creating an inviting atmosphere.
Anakin drew in a deep breath and exclaimed, "Ah, isn't that the most delightful scent?"
The menu for the evening featured an array of delicious options, including succulent steak, flavorful beef ramen, and zesty spicy chicken kababs, each accompanied by a vegan alternative for those who require it.
Eagerly, the group began savoring their chosen dishes. Jack, Kairi, and Troy indulged in the spicy chicken kababs, savoring the fiery flavors, while Asuka and Anakin relished the comforting warmth of the beef ramen. Ellie delighted in a satisfying vegan steak.
After finishing their meals, Ellie excused herself to head to the gun range to spend some time practicing with her weapons. Meanwhile, Asuka and Anakin retired to their respective rooms for the night. While they were doing this, Jack approached Kairi with a question.
"Are you up for a quick sparring session?" Jack asked.
Kairi agreed, and the two made their way to the training room. They each selected a wooden sword and prepared themselves for the sparring session. As they began to clash swords with lightning speed, mirroring each other's moves, an unusual tension started to build between them. In the midst of their clash, Jack unexpectedly leaned in for a kiss.
This took Kairi by surprise, and Jack immediately began apologizing for his actions. Still taken aback, Kairi reassured Jack that everything was okay and promised not to tell anyone about what had just occurred. Putting back the wooden sword, Kairi left Jack alone in the training room, her mind grappling with the sudden turn of events.
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“Nice work, idiot.” He said to himself before leaving the training room.
While all of this was happening, Troy decided to pay a visit to Lily. He opened the door to her office and walked inside.
Lily didn't have to turn around to see who entered her office. “What is it, Troy? Here for your precious drug again?”
“You know what? Forget it! I was only checking to see how you were.”
“You’ve never checked up on anyone. Why the change?”
“Doesn’t matter. Goodnight doctor.” Troy said as he left Lily’s office.
As Troy walked to his room, he barged shoulders with Jack.
“Watch it, golden boy.” He said.
Jack was confused by the nickname and questioned Troy about it.
“What do you mean by that?” Jack asked.
Troy looked annoyed. “Isn’t obvious. Leader of the team gets whatever he wants, and mustn't we forget about his lowlife father?”
“Keep my father’s name out of your mouth.”
“Why? It's no wonder your mother left him. Also, how can someone quickly forget about their son, who was clearly his favorite?”
Jack’s face changed. “Excuse me!”
“You heard.”
The two locked eyes for a second. In that moment, Jack was fighting back the urge to punch Troy in the face, but he knew that now wasn't the best time for the team to be at each other’s throats.
“What are you going to do? Hit me? You haven't got the balls.”
Jack calmed himself down and said to Troy, “Good night, Troy.” Before going to his room.
Before stepping inside the room, Jack found himself unable to shake off the curious thoughts swirling in his mind about the recent tension between his parents. Driven by a growing curiosity, he made his way back to the control room to speak with his father and seek some answers. Upon entering the room, Jack approached his father with a sense of urgency, pulling him aside to pose the burning question that had been consuming him.
"Dad, what's going on with mom?"
Harry, taken aback by the sudden inquiry, replied with genuine confusion, "What do you mean? She's absolutely fine. Why do you ask?"
Sensing his father's sincere confusion, Jack quickly brushed it off, deciding not to delve further into the matter. "Oh, it's nothing, just some random thoughts that crossed my mind."
Harry, still perplexed by the exchange, encouraged Jack to rest, reminding him of the busy day ahead.
Jack, letting the matter rest for the time being, retreated to his room, and despite the swirling emotions, he soon succumbed to sleep. However, his rest was interrupted as he found himself once again in that black void that he had been before.
“What’s going on? Why am I here again?” Jack asked while looking around.
A familiar voice said, “So, Troy, what's the deal with him?”
Jack turned to the sound of the voice only to see his brother playing with a knife.
“No... No... No! I'm not doing this again.”
“So, you're going to let that bitch talk shit about me! Our father! And even our mother.” Jamie asked.
"No, of course not.”
“Then why didn’t you punch him? If I was in that scenario, I would have beat the crap out of him until he understood that there would be severe consequences for disrespecting my family.”
“Why am I here again? I thought I was done with this place.”
Jamie smiled, “Think of this is a family catch-up.”
“No! No! I want out of here. I don't want to deal with this crap again.”
“If you want out, you’ve got to wake up. But if you do you would be missing the chance to talk to your brother.”