Liam stepped off the plane. Behind him, Freya wobbled, struggling, their head lowered, clutching the ice crate that carried Liam's arm. They were visibly struggling; the thing was clearly too heavy for their small, delicate arms, but they refused to show weakness. They held it tight, back straight, pretending not to feel the strain.
Inside the crate, Liam's arm had been on ice for hours.
Nulln said nothing. He fished his keys from his pocket and tapped the button, unlocking the SUV with a soft chirp. Even now, in a secured private airport, his chest carried the familiar weight of anxiety. He knew the area was cleared… but paranoia was a habit he couldn't kill.
This job had given him, too much trauma.
Most people are dead or quit by age 27, and that's IF they make it to Infantry A in the first place.
But I couldn't complain. Out of all the branches in Mr. N's organization, I had one of the safest jobs. The air force was even worse. And the water....
"The water."
The only people capable of working the oceans are the people Mr. N scooped up from the hospitals of the criminally insane. Either that or the Elite Guard.
And I wish I was exaggerating.
But this job is hell on earth; the secrecy even makes it worse.
Liam climbed into the SUV. For a moment, a memory from the prison flickered in his mind, something Mr. N had said, but he shoved it away.
Siegfreed slid into the back seat beside him, leaving the front empty. Siegfreed placed the crate carefully on their lap, offering Liam a worried smile.
Nulln tried to break the tension as he reversed out of his parking space, looking in his rearview mirror.
"So, Freya—or Sig—whatever… how did yo—"
He froze.
While asking, he saw someone in his rearview mirror.
Deep in the alley beside the airport fence, someone was crouched. A figure with a pencil, sketching something in the palm of their bloody hand? The moment Nulln looked their way, the person slipped back into the shadows and vanished.
Nulln immediately stepped on the gas.
They needed to leave. The base was only 28 km away; once they crossed the narrow bridge, they'd be safe. Or safer, at least.
Nulln forgot his question. He just drove.
Siegfreed, nervous and unsure, noticed Liam's silence. They leaned in gently and wrapped their arms around him in a small, hesitant hug. A gesture of comfort.
They didn't let go.
Liam didn't respond at first.
Then softly, without looking at them:
"…I'm sorry, but… please don't."
Siegfreed pulled back instantly.
"R-right."
Silence filled the SUV again.
Until Freya started shivering. Embarrassed and hurt, they hid their feelings deep inside.
'Why, why can't he just accept me?'
I'd turn into a girl for you. I'd do anything for you. So why?
Why can't you just....
As they spiraled, they stayed there shaking.
Liam mumbled, speaking to Nulln, "I want to drive one day. You think you could teach me? Or is that asking too much?"
....
Liam's eyes went depressingly dark. "Actually, nevermi—"
Nulln, taken aback, smiled. "Na, brudda, I got you. Just tell me when you want to learn, I'm always down to help a friend."
Nulln felt safer now. In his line of work, he was always the driver. He was skilled—years in pilot school, years on the ground too but because he wasn't a veteran or didn't go on missions directly, he was never respected. But to feel appreciated… felt great.
In the back, however, Siegfreed stared directly at Nulln through the mirror in the front of the car their face comically upset. 'Liam doesn't like boys, why is he even trying to flirt with him?'
In front of me too. I have a plan for you. Just you wait.
Siegfreed turned their head away, looking through the window in an effort to calm down.
The area was horrible. Almost radioactive levels of waste, dead animals, homeless people everywhere.
They drove past a random drug addict eating the decomposed corpse of an animal. The buildings were destroyed. Only a few areas were open, and they weren't looking too good either.
I thought America was better than this. This is almost as bad as the south...
So much war, so much fighting must have turned this place upside down.
Nulln said, as if PR-trained, reading Siegfreed's mind, "It's just a bad area, to be honest."
Nulln smiled as he continued, a genuine smile. He opened his suit a little bit, allowing the cool breeze to hit his chest area. "Mr. N is notorious for lodging in bad areas, in an effort to build morale and recruit desperate people. All in an effort to make a change. It's how he gets the majority of his ballot votes."
Siegfreed just ignored him, still bitter.
The ride kept going for roughly 20 more minutes until they arrived at the base, seeing the giant wall.
As Nulln continued to drive into the private base, he entered through the hidden wall.
"This is as far as I go. You guys tak—"
He fixed his error. "And girls—you lot, take care, okay."
Liam waved with his only arm as he walked back into the base.
Siegfreed, angry, followed.
.....
.....
"Wait, brudda!"
As Nulln entered the backseat, he picked up the ice crate, running and carrying it to them.
"Oh shit." Liam held it in his one arm.
Nulln laughed. "How are you going to forget your arm, bruv?"
"I appreciate it." Liam waved.
Siegfreed rolled their eyes, annoyed.
Siegfreed whispered, "I don't think he's going to live very long."
Liam gave a short, small smile."You underestimate the power of hope."