Much to Mordred’s dread, it was time to head back to the SDU base. He knew what would be awaiting him, he knew what would be awaiting his older brother and twin sister, he knew what would be awaiting his friends, but he still had to go. He had no other choice. He bit his lip as he walked through the forest, the leaves beneath his feet crunching as the town closed in before them.

A beep could be heard as Ryder stopped, bringing out his communication device.

"Vizican sighting in Fridlet Street; any squadrons nearby?" Ryder sighed as he pushed in the button after gaining a nod from everyone. Mordred smiled slightly as Ryder spoke. This would be the group’s chance to get Aiden to see them in a somewhat positive light.

"Squadron 001 here. We are just a few minutes away from Fridlet Street and should be able to handle this task. " Announced Ryder

"Okay Squadron 001, I shall inform Aiden that you may be a bit late back."

"Okay, thank you."

The group looked at one another with determination in their eyes. Mordred felt slightly nervous but pushed the feeling down. They had to get this right no matter what.

Fridlet Street was among the slums of the town. On entry all that could be seen was chaos. The elderly were trampled upon by panicked civilians while children were crying by the sides of their mothers.

"We need this area evacuated. Milo and Myra, you guys split up and help citizens get out while me, Mort and Avery will look for the Vizican." A wave of nods travelled throughout the squadron as Milo and Myra began evacuating people from their houses and from the streets where they dwelled. Myra looked at Milo, yelling something about going to help some people further down, gaining a nod in response as she disappeared around a corner.

"Hey, who reported the sighting on Fricklet Street?" Ryder inquired into the communication device.

"Grace Truntire." A voice responded. Mordred, Avery, and Ryder approached a group of civilians on their left, who were currently being escorted out of the area.

"Are any of you Grace Truntire or know of her whereabouts?" Mordred asked. A few seconds later, a girl came out of the crowd. She looked around eleven and was gripping onto a younger girl’s hand, who looked barely three.

"That’s me." She stuttered as Ryder sighed, approaching her as he sank down to her level.

"You reported the sighting, correct?"

"Ye-yes I did, sir." She said, tightening her grip on her sister.

"Where was the Vizican?" he asked.

"In an alleyway near my home." She replied.

"May you take us there?" Mordred questioned receiving a nod from the girl as they walked through the crowd of people towards a building. It was crooked, with holes in the roof and only two rooms within.

"That’s my home and the alley is to the right of it."

"Thank you, Grace. Why don’t you two go back and find the people you were just with, yeah? Ryder said.

The girl nodded as she walked away, her hand still within her sister's.

"Alright, let’s find this thing." announced Avery, bringing up her gun as she began walking down the alleyway. Mort and Ryder did the same, walking behind the girl as she advanced into the alley. The alley in question was a long one with lots of turns and twists, but, eventually, they came across two Vizican’s. One with yellow eyes, clearly wounded, the other one having orange eyes.

Avery’s finger immediately hit the trigger, only for her shot to miss the duo. She wanted them alive. She was then flung to the ground, pinned down by a familiar figure in a cloak. Mordred immediately jumped at the cloaked person, pushing them off Avery while punching them in the face. Meanwhile, another gunshot echoed in the condensed area to scare the hooded figure; it didn’t work.

The yellow-eyed Vizican was helped up by the other and was immediately brought to safety, the insane person encouraging them to escape as they wrestled Mordred.

They were gone in a flash, the only noticeable feature about them being their dark pink cape that rushed after them as they bounced across the rooftops.

"Who... Who was that?" Ryder questioned Ryder in confusion.

"That was the person from the forest." Mordred furrowed his brows in realization.

‘There's no way I’m losing to that damn rebel again.’ He thought as he went behind Ryder, looking in his bag and digging out a grappling hook.

"I’m going after them, trying to find the Vizicans." He said, his decision finalised as he shot the hook in the same place they had when they had made their grand escape, not waiting for a reply.

He flew into the air, spotting a spark of pink disappearing down into another alleyway. With a snarl on his face, he launched himself over, looking down into the alley to see if Nobody?

"Shit..." He thought as he climbed down in confusion, only for the cloaked person to appear from behind, taking his grappling hook before flying off.

"Hey!" He yelled in anger. After realising that there was no catching up with them, he flung his fist into the brick wall in anger, tears pricking at the side of his eyes.

"Mordred?" A boy’s voice questioned as he came around the corner to reveal himself as Milo.

"Milo?" The boy in question stuttered.

"What’s wrong? Why aren’t you with the others?"

"That damn rebel showed up and ruined everything." We could’ve had them, but they ruined it! " He complained.

"You mean the person from the forest? Shit, they may become more of a problem than I thought then. " Milo said, mumbling the final part.

"Yeah, not shit." Mordred replied, as he leant against the wall.

Milo looked him up and down as the question exited his lips.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, just a little irritated," he admitted, "but come on, let's find the others." He finished before leading him out of the alley.

An hour later, they found themselves standing in front of Aiden’s office.

"Let me go in first." Ryder said, pulling Mordred’s hand away from the door. He took his younger brother’s space and knocked on the door, the voice inside telling him to enter.

"You let them go!" Aiden yelled, clearly having been informed of the news beforehand.

"Yes and for that we are-" Milo began to say, only to get cut off.

"Sorry?" Aiden's question, turning around

"You can’t keep letting them go! For all you know, they could be killing innocent people like they did with your parents! " He yelled, looking at Milo, who sunk in on himself at the comment, while Avery looked downwards, tears pricking her eyes.

"Okay, Aiden, that’s enough." Ryder yelled.

"If you want to take it out on anyone, take it out on me." He spoke.

"Out, everyone but Ryder, out." He demanded.

Mordred’s eyes widened. He was going to hurt him.

"If you think I’m leaving, you are insane!" Mordred yelled, stepping beside his brother.

"Mordred... Please let me handle this." Ryder said, crouching down to his level.

"I—"

"Mordred leave." His brother said it more firmly.

"But-"

"Leave!" yelled Aiden, pushing the boy towards the door.

Milo grasped a hold of his hand, pulling him out of the room as he briefly made eye contact with Ryder, nodding as he shut the door behind him.

"Milo, you idiot!" Mordred yelled, tears spilling from his eyes as images flashed through his head.

He charged at the boy, only to get trapped in a hug.

"I’m not letting go until you stop resisting."

Mordred’s breathing increased in speed as more tears poured from his eyes.

He just wanted to protect his brother.

That night, Milo dragged Mort back to his room, shutting the door behind him.

"What was that about?" He asked the boy, allowing him to collapse onto his bed.

The boy let out an annoyed noise as Milo sighed, sitting on the edge of his bed.

"What’s going on with you and Aiden?" He asked in a soft, understanding tone. Still no response.

Milo sighed as Mort felt the weight on his bed shift as the sound of footsteps filled his ears. He didn’t want him to leave. He didn’t want to be alone.

"Please, can you stay?" He asked, although still not looking directly at him.

"Sure," Milo replied before the weight returned.

"Please tell me Mordred..." I just want to help. Milo asked after a few minutes of silence.

‘Should I tell him?’ Thought Mort.

'He's just doing it to help me. There’s nothing wrong with his methods, they could just be harsh at times.’ He thought

"Sometimes," he started as he turned over in his bed to face Milo. “Aiden likes to give me extra lessons. His methods can be abrupt at times.” He blurted out.

"What do you mean by abrupt?" Milo questioned, an unknown emotion, which would later be identified as fear, echoing in his tone.

"Sometimes I get lots of bruises and cuts." He admitted it as Milo’s eyes widened.

‘I guess when I say it out loud, the situation doesn’t seem normal.’ realised Mort as he spoke again.

“I’m probably just over-exaggerating. It's probably not even that bad. I’m just overreacting-“ Before he could finish his rambling, he was trapped in a hug.

"He has already begun doing it to you too, huh?" Milo asked Milo in sadness as his grip tightened, not in a harmful way like Mort was used to, no, a comforting way.

"What do you mean?" questioned Mordred.

"Shit..." He heard Milo mumble as he began to shake, sobs erupting from him.

"W-what?" Mordred asked as the boy began to sob.

I'm sorry, I'm sorry i-" He choked on a sob.

"What do you mean? Milo, what’s going on?" He questioned

"He said he wouldn’t hurt you. I don’t understand..." Milo said, in a mumble, still crying.

"What do you mean?" Mordred asked again.

“If I let him hurt me, if Ryder let him hurt him, he was meant to leave you three alone.” He stuttered.

"You weren’t meant to get hurt. I’m so sorry.” The rest of the boy’s words got lost in sobs as Mordred began stroking his back, only just processing his words.

They were getting hurt thinking they were protecting them in the process.