Kabul, Afghanistan, 13:35;

It made sense, Abram thought, as he retrieved a lighter from his pocket, pulling a cigarette from the packet. Of all the Eleven of them, Rong Xinghe was probably the most execrated one, therein. Not just due to how she had thwarted all of these terrorists' attacks recently, but also due to how openly she challenged them.

More than her words, her authority mattered, to such. The idea of a woman in power, suppressing them with her voice; was what disgusted them. It was inconvenient, really, to see their Great Commander being defeated by a woman, over and over again. It made them look weak, and it humiliated them, in front of the world, while they fought to inflict fear and pain around. Rong Xinghe made Lashkar ul-Mujahidin look like a joke. A sham, even.

They wouldn't refrain from skinning her alive if they were to ever recognize her in their territory, the Hybrid concluded. Besides, it wasn't the first time the woman had cross-dressed for a mission. She'd done it multiple times in the past, and never once had she been caught. So there really was nothing for them to worry about.

"Here.", the man offered the woman an unlit cigarette, passing the girl his Silver lighter next, "Have one. You look terribly worn out."

"I don't smoke. Not anymore.", Rong Xinghe rolled her eyes, exhaling a long deep breath.

"Woah! Really?", Orlov chuckled, a bit stunned, "You've changed a lot, Alpha.", he added then.

The girl remained silent, her eyes on the paper in her hands. Had she changed, she pondered. Thinking back on the Five years she'd had with the Ten men, the girl realized she had.

"Which version would you prefer?", the woman asked her Hybrid, still not looking at him, her voice distant, but deep.

Taken aback by the question, Abram gave it some thought before sighing, "The older one. The stubborn, and unstoppable, one.", he answered as a few seconds passed by. "You were free, back then, Xinghe. You used to laugh, and quite effortlessly, I must say. You used to sing songs with us all night long. You even taught us all how to cook food over forest bonfires.

"We had a lot on our shoulders back then, too. But you'd enjoy every part of our missions. The pluses and the minuses. Even after the whole experimentation issue, even as the Ripper, you were marvelously zealous. You were broken, and wounded, and angry, but you were you. You were our Alpha, and we were your pack.

"We were a team, Xinghe. The Eleven of us. And I miss that part of you.", he said.

"And now?", the woman finally looked at him, yet, lost.

"You do things because you have to. Not because you want to.", the Hybrid stated, the cigarette smoldering between his index and middle finger. "I know it's not my place to say this... but for once, on this mission, just act like a soldier. Don't think about Xi Yuan, or his family, or Country X, even.

"Because we're on a battlefield right now. Here, emotions can get us killed. So just live in the thrill of it all. Cherish the adrenaline rush this job gives you, Alpha. Live through it, for that's the only therapy you need at the moment."

__________________

City A, Country X, 19:00;

As media gathered around the Imperial Multi-Speciality, proving Mo Zixuan's predictions right, Xi Yuan and Xi Fang strode toward their BMW Alpina XB7, a team of well-equipped bodyguards shielding them from the vicious journalists.

Xi Yuan needed to investigate the attack. The Xis had to, for this was the second time in history that one of their own had been assailed so brutally. The man's grandparents had been the first ones. No matter how much his guilt tortured him now, Xi Yuan was well aware of how to handle the situation with a practical and rational mindset.

He had once made a promise to her. That she could protect the world while he protected her, with every breath he took. And he was going to keep his word. Hunting for the mastermind behind this pathetic exploit was the only way to keep her safe, and prove her innocence. Although there was no evidence against Rong Xinghe, Xi Yuan refused to believe that whoever had done this hadn't taken care of that.

Not to mention, Xi Yuan was still, but Xi Yuan. Just because he had chosen to change for his Xinghe didn't mean he had changed entirely. There was no way in hell that he'd stay quiet after what'd happened to his mother. He wasn't a saint. And he'd never admitted to being one.

"President Xi! Is it true that your mother was shot?!"

"Vice-President Fang, what do you have to say about this attack?"

"Do you suspect anyone, Sirs?!", another reporter demanded, "A business rival, perhaps?"

"Where is Military Chief when the family needs her the most?"

"Is she safe, Mr. Xi?! Who performed the surgery?"

"Why did Military Chief not join you here today, President Xi?"

As the crowd encircled the vehicle, Xi Fang and Xi Yuan slammed the doors to it shut, their faces void of any expression. Not even enervation. This was bound to happen. The uproar. The same had happened years ago after their grandparents' demise had been announced.

"To the Military Chief Office.", Xi Yuan commanded the driver, unbuttoning his blood-stained suit.

"Sir.", the man in his thirties nodded obediently, focussing his attention upon the steering wheel next.

"We need to change, Brother.", Xi Fang said after some time, looking at the man next to him who'd closed his eyes now, his head resting against the Black leather headrest.

"MCO wouldn't lack camouflage cargos.", the man said under his breath, "We'll just make a request to Xinghe's assistant.", he said.

Xi Fang stared at his elder brother, a bit shocked. Military uniform? Xi Fang had never seen the man in one of those, let alone considering wearing it himself. Though, that really wasn't the matter to bother about here.

"Alright.", the younger man said after a while, "From where shall we begin?"

"The fingerprints on the S&W Magnum.", Xi Yuan replied, "Her gun."