Leo stood near the old crates, arms crossed, watching Jake, Cyan, and the other two merc members discuss their departure plan.
The other two members' names were Tosh and Yash. Both of them were bald and had beards. Leo noticed a slot near their ears. It looked like it was used to insert something.
Tosh cracked his knuckles loudly and stepped forward.
"Alright, kids… your big brother is here," he said with a lazy grin. "So go on, make a choice. Can you all come with us without resisting?"
Bonk.
Yash struck the back of Tosh's head with a flat hand. "You sound like a kidnapper, idiot."
Tosh glared. "I'm trying to sound professional."
"That's the problem," Yash said with a sigh.
Even though they weren't brothers, they acted like it. They were constantly bickering; even Leo felt they were close.
Jake stepped forward while checking his guns. Leo also noticed those giant arms must be cybernetics too.
"Leo," Jake called him and said, "You're a smart kid. You already know we mean no harm. Tosh may talk like a thug, but he's right. We need to finish the mission. And we want you all to come with us. In Echo Haven, you'll get proper shelter. You can find real jobs and earn a lot of money, you all will get a better life than this slum."
Before Leo could answer, something warm touched his shoulder.
It was Cyan.
"This is what Natasha wanted… It's kind of like her last wish… to bring every one of you to safety." She rested her hand on him, and when Leo looked back, she winked playfully.
Instinctively, Leo stiffened.
Anya, Rem, and Tessia noticed instantly. Their expressions froze mid-smile. Tessia nearly dropped her snack. Anya's nostrils flared like a tiny dragon. Rem's eyes narrowed in slow motion as if she were ready to shoot lasers out of her eyes.
Meanwhile Vince, Levi, and Nick stared at Leo like he was a legendary protagonist who had just tamed a dragon queen. To be honest, Cyan was the hottest girl they had ever met.
Leo swallowed and gave Cyan a stiff nod. "Alright."
Jake exhaled in relief. "Good."
A few minutes later, when leaving the hideout, the kids felt strange.
The moment Leo and the others stepped outside, they couldn't help but turn around and look at their hideout one last time.
They lined up at the doorway. Seven kids staring at the crooked walls.
"I'm gonna miss this place," Levi whispered.
"Same," Nick muttered.
"It's alright… I can manage…" Vince said, but he already had tears in his eyes.
Anya hugged Rem and Tessia. "This is like a home for us…"
Cyan gently rested a hand on Anya's shoulder.
"Don't worry. Home is wherever we stay together as one. As long as we are together, then that is our home," Leo said to cheer up the kids.
He simply looked at the walls one last time. The place where they survived. Where he killed the thugs five years ago to save his siblings. Then he simply turned around and followed the mercs outside.
---
There were two vehicles parked outside:
A four-wheeled armored hauler and Cyan's sleek combat bike.
The four-wheeler looked like a beast, all sharp welded plates, reinforced corners, and narrow armored slits instead of windows. Even though there was dust coated on its metal frame, it still looked awesome.
Jake opened the front door.
"Kids, welcome to the Thunder Hauler V019," he announced proudly. "This is good for wasteland travel, raider ambushes and all. It's bulletproof, shock-resistant, and moves quietly."
"Why not bring hover vehicles?" Vince asked.
"Because we don't wanna attract attention from other mercs, wandering Rangers, local gangs, or the city's corporations," Jake said. "But we can change the vehicle once we reach enough distance."
"Actually, it's better if we can reach safely without attracting anyone…" Tosh said.
"Don't jinx…" Yash sighed.
Jake took the driver's seat. Yash sat beside him.
Tosh guided the kids inside.
The middle cabin… not so much. It had a three-seat bench, but the shortest, Levi, ended up squashed along with three girls and Tosh.
Meanwhile, Vince and Nick got shoved into the tiny back alcove, where the seats were barely more than thin metal with a cushion glued on.
Then Cyan revved her bike as Leo sat behind her.
A highly tuned combat machine with mounted guns, reinforced armor, and a sleek design.
The girls moved toward the window and stared at Cyan's tight white jacket, then stared at how close Leo was forced to sit behind her. They also squeezed Levi even more.
Levi's muffled voice squeaked from between them. "I can't feel my ribs—!"
Tessia casually elbowed him. "Stop complaining."
The only seat left for Leo was behind Cyan on her bike.
Cyan smirked, noticing the girls, and whispered loud enough for them to hear, "Hold on tightly."
Leo wrapped his arms around her waist securely. The girls' faces twitched in unison.
Cyan showed a smug look to the girls playfully. She liked teasing them.
Jake craned his head from the driver's slit, "We'll take another route and head straight to the ship. You two move slower and check out if there are enemies."
Cyan nodded, revved the engine, and started rolling forward.
The girls glared as if watching betrayal in real time.
---
Through the Slums, Cyan and Leo moved painfully slowly. The slum streets were narrow.
People watched the bike cautiously. The guns mounted on its sides made them keep their distance.
Leo glanced to the side and saw something familiar.
The Ranger Registration Office. And it was closed.
The drunken staff guy was sitting outside, crying and muttering about, "Why did I lose my only job… who reported me?"
Cyan felt Leo tighten his grip. She smirked.
"We're moving at snail speed. Are you taking advantage of me?" she teased.
Leo's ears turned red. "Big Sister Cyan… stop teasing. Why are we moving so slow?"
"I'm scouting." A mechanical bug fluttered into view, a tiny drone with thin wings. It hovered before them, scanned the area, then shot upward.
Leo's enhanced eyesight caught more mechanical bugs in the sky, traveling between buildings.
Cyan's eyes were receiving silent streams of data.
"I'm monitoring the area," Cyan explained. "Just in case, you know. We came without official registration. Rangers and mercs should get permission before entering this city, but we didn't."
Leo's grip tightened again "Are we expecting enemies…? The ones who attacked the orphanage? But how can they arrive at the same time you guys arrived?"
"Hmmm… there are chances our operation might have gotten leaked. But don't worry, we are here. Big Sister is professional after all… These are just precautions." Cyan reached back and gently caressed his hand.
Her voice dropped to a whisper. "Even so… yes, we're careful about those people."
"How did the attackers reach this city?"
Cyan frowned. "You ask too many questions."
Leo leaned forward, whispering softly into her ear. "Tell me, Big Sister. I want to join you… and work with you and avenge Sister Natasha and the other siblings."
Cyan's ears turned pink.
"Stop! It tickles…"
She coughed lightly. "From what we know… they hired a local gang from a city under Pentagon Corporation. Outsiders posted an underground bounty and the locals executed for money. But this time they won't use the locals because they already failed the mission…"
"Do you know the name?" Leo asked.
Cyan hesitated, and she told him the name.
---
The hauler was moving on a different route.
Unbeknownst to the kids, Jake, Tosh, and Yash were speaking through a call, faint floating tabs only visible to their eyes. They are using thought to speech function to speak without using their mouth.
Tosh smirked. "Kid really fell for Cyan."
Yash snorted. "Pretty sure it's the other way around. She volunteered to take him on the bike. She never even gave me a ride."
"Cyan's just checking on him out of kindness. But…" Jake's face remained serious. "That kid is… dangerous."
The other two blinked.
Jake continued, "He didn't rush in like the other kids. He used an alternate route to sneak in when he noticed our arrival. He then captured Cyan using that extinguisher in seconds. He's cunning, clever, and sharp-witted."
Images replayed in Jake's mind, Leo pinning Cyan down, Cyan laughing when he complimented her, the blush on Leo's face. It's like Leo is getting close to Cyan with ulterior motives.
"And now he's sitting behind her, acting all innocent. At the same time he is getting all the information he needs. Cyan is so naive, fell for that kid's trick. Maybe it's because he's the same age as her dead brother," Jake muttered.
On the bike, Leo sat with a completely deadpan expression while Cyan rode ahead smiling and chatting with him.
"That kid… don't underestimate him," Jake said.
Just then, a new call popped into their comms. It was Cyan.
"Speak of the devil…" Jake accepted the call.
"This is Cyan. Something is— krzz— something is wron—"
BOOM!!!
A massive explosion struck the Thunder Hauler from the side.
The armored vehicle flipped sideways; it rolled over and slammed into ruined slum structures.
The vehicle landed upside down as the walls of that house collapsed.