●　● Unknown Location, North of Buenos Aires, Argentina, SAU

“The loadouts have been prepared and are in place as ordered.”

Adrian, still donning his former SAU officer’s uniform, spoke over a highly encrypted line as he entered what looked to be a makeshift sleeper car out of one of the train’s unused compartments.

“No, no sign of him. Why?” He turned the corner as he took off his coat, tossing it over the lower bunk as he took note of one of his crewmen laying face up on the top bunk.

“Your mother? You mean…” Adrian scoffed. “I see. I never knew. Well, even so, the only one to even come close to us was one of Rex’s men. Never got a sniff of us in the end, though.” He then allowed himself to plop down onto his bunk’s mattress, letting out an exhausted sigh. “Understood, and yes, I did get word from Sly and Rook just as you said… No, they didn’t see him, either. But they did confirm that they have your package on the way.”

He kicked his boots off, letting them cool off in the better climate-controlled air of the compartment as continued listening. It went on for quite a while, giving the crewmate above reason to look down out of curiosity. “Yes. Understood. Bender out.”

[Was that Reaper again?] The crewmate asked from above, showing his face enough for Adrian to see it was the same one from days prior that listened to his stories of the past wars there in the greater southeastern SAU region.

[Was just confirming we had everything ready to go,] he calmly replied, tossing his headset to the side as he rubbed his ear. [A woman named Angel used to work with my mentor. You know, SAU Representative Omar Orsi. Turns out she was all back in his business and got caught.]

[Wait, why would Reaper mention that?]

Adrian shrugged, leaning back against the wall as he reached for his bag. [That’s his mother. Which means his sister really is our number one concern.]

[Shit… that’s pretty heavy. All this just happened overnight or something?]

He grabbed and took out a water bottle, taking a long sip before responding. [No clue how fast this all went down, but I’m starting to regret not taking her out when I had the chance.]

[But that’s not you, right?]

Adrian chuckled at the irony. [No. You’re right, but if I had at least tagged her better I could find out more on where she is. She’s holed up with Enrai. No telling where they have her, especially now that not only has Hexa holed up as well, even fucking Rex hooked up with them. The whole damn trio is thinking they can fuck us over.]

[Wait, is Hexa even able to do anything within our borders, though?]

[Not directly, but they’re sending them whatever technology they want.] Adrian huffed at the thought of such disadvantage, but then resigned to a smirk and a sigh. [But then again, we do have Hexa to thank for considering what Reaper’s connections across the Atlantic are bringing him. Reaper will soon be blessed, as will I.]

[You speaking of the Big One?]

Adrian’s smirk widened with reawakened confidence. After all, this wasn’t just an event he was looking forward to participating in directly, it was the coming of a major change he spent so many years looking for, undelivered promise after promise. [Hell yes, brother. One more night to sleep before we bring it out.]

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●　● Belgrano District, Buenos Aires, Argentina, SAU

Sam and Dani’s absence, while fortunately not a cause for any particular delay in the meeting’s progress, wasn’t exactly welcomed, either. Ever since getting back and taking her seat, she felt the judgmental stares from both Eryx and Remus, and despite Sebastian and Renzo’s attempts to redirect the negativity, even Kaylen couldn’t help but join the side of doubt.

[I don’t see what difference it makes,] Kaylen spoke up in Sam’s once Remus finished his part, repeating the same dilemma they faced as to whether or not leave Sam at the forefront of their baiting operation. She spoke through the holographic projection of Palermo District’s map and right towards her as she continued: [Ella knew what she was signing up for. She knew the risks, and she can’t act differently now that her mother is involved regardless of how much we can sympathize with her situation. Reaper has always been after her, and not putting her in the front would be the stupidest decision we could make on our one chance to get this over and done before more damage can occur.]

[How many times do I have to tell you,] Sebastian barked back, unable to comprehend why Kaylen could keep a straight face. [You can’t put her out there if she’s not ready to fight! Have you forgotten the value of our only Arondight pilot or what?!]

[No shit!] Kaylen huffed, rolling her eyes. [Again! Being our best active pilot is exactly why she should and it’s also why she should shake off whatever is left! She asked for this, now she is going to see it through!] She then took a second to adjust her posture and collect herself. [Just like myself. I willingly cooperated with Hexa with involving myself the way I did so that I too could get something major behind me. So, you know, why would I do anything else to get in the way of accomplishing that?!]

Sam knew that last part was the only thing Sebastian could objectively use without looking like a mere boyfriend looking out for his girlfriend, and she was fine with that. She however was hurt by Kaylen’s seemingly backstabbing approach to it all. She expected different. What or why, she wasn’t sure, but it stung. “No, Sebastian, she’s right,” she answered with her hand up to both Navarre brothers’ surprise, voice still with a slight tremble.

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Dani helped me regather myself. I can’t just crumble again at this stupid, fucked-up business transaction that I need behind me more than anything. More than blondie over there, even.

She took in a deep breath before finishing, having spoken for the first time since returning. “I currently have the equipment best suited for stopping Reaper, and I just have to adjust myself as early as right now. I have to get this done before they can think about doing anything to my mother, right?” The three next to her still gave off uncomfortable vibes, but didn’t have the confidence to contest. But Sam felt the confidence given to her by Dani minutes ago, and with another glance to her left and right, she knew this was the best way forward if running away wasn’t an option. “And it’s not like I have to do anything alone. I have the best team here with me. We are facing Reaper, so it’s a ‘we’ issue, not a ‘who’ issue.”

[So, are you done holding us up, then?] Remus snidely remarked as he began moving the projection screen.

“Yes,” Sam nodded without comment. “Please go ahead with the instructions.”

Right. She took in a more focused breath as she cleared her mind as best she could for the moment. I don’t even know what my mother had been for real, or what she really got herself into, but the only way for me is forward and stopping this madness A.S.A.P…

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●　● Palermo District, Buenos Aires, Argentina, SAU

“I’ll be there before nightfall,” Marian’s voice spoke through moderate interference.

“Thanks.”

Isaiah stepped out into the bright sunlight that next morning, headed for a black sedan surrounded by a tight security detail. He carefully tucked away his personal earpiece before affixing the one he had been using since arriving in the country, discretely enough to not draw much attention.

From the back of the sedan emerged Orsi, stepping aside to motion him in. “Rare form, I see,” he quipped, noting the tailored suit Isaiah wore. “I mentioned looking nice, but you already look like a full-blown lawmaker yourself.” He then noticed Isaiah’s aura off. He remembered how nervous Isaiah seemed the last time they met in person, but whatever had him scared had grown far beyond that. “Please, let’s go make things happen.”

Buckled in, Isaiah sat staring out the window, knuckles tight as his mind raced back and forth between his lines and his mother.

“I have to admit something, Representative,” he spoke once the car began moving.

Orsi knew why, but stayed open just in case. “I know you have a lot going on. If it’s anything I can help with, please.”

“It’s something I realize has me far more unsettled than I could have ever expected. Could you please move my mother to a different location?”

Orsi was taken aback, hiding his expression best he could with a scoff. “Your mother?”

Isaiah’s stare now focused on the Representative’s face, still trying to fight off his nerves. “She’s… unfortunately… quite good with communications, but you must have known that. But I have arranged for two former acquaintances who still technically… loosely work for Rex that I trust that can move her to isolation on a different continent.”

“I see,” Orsi nodded and looked away for a moment, realizing there was nothing to pretend to have no knowledge of. “I only hid that to spare you the extra pressure, but I understand. But why ask me? You have the authority to do as you need.”

Isaiah, having only just found out her mother’s true profession of her past life, still had no real confidence in the best move other than to distance himself for the sake of his goal. “I have to be considerate of your history with her as she just explained to me early this morning, albeit very briefly. If you had higher motives to keep her, I understand, but if you prefer my clearer mind in our upcoming business, I have to plead her safety.”

“We can always discuss such things after we clear our goals today. You can count on me. Just notify my men of your hands and when they will arrive.”

“I programmed a message to be sent to the holding cell staff within the next few minutes. But thank you.”

Orsi forced a smile back in return, hiding his irritation concerning how his mother was able to contact him despite the security they had around her. “Very well. And yes, I have utmost faith in what will have accomplished here very soon.”

Isaiah nodded without returning a glance, afraid he’d reveal how scared he was deep down for what was on the horizon. Not a fear of regret, but a fear of the absolute unknown, the unplannable, the unforeseeable. After all the years of preparation and working everything out through meticulous planning, this was his first full-scale move where he couldn’t.

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Sam awoke from her night terror in a cold sweat, finding herself catching her breath next to Sebastian, seated bed-side inside their borrowed room for the night. She couldn’t wipe the images of Devin’s lifeless hand hanging from the covered stretcher, constantly reconnecting itself with imagined pictures of the horrors he screamed when her brother’s sword descended upon the defenseless cockpit.

“Sam?!” Sebastian jumped in reaction, quickly grabbing a hold of her to help her come to.

Kerry’s soul-drained sobs echoed around and through Sebastian’s voice in her head, and the next second later it was his face and not Devin’s emerging from the opened stretcher. She instinctively squeezed Sebastian, frightened as if he was being dragged away.

“Sam, it’s okay. We’re in a safe place,” he more calmly spoke as he continued holding her, waiting for her to catch her breath. “You know, you really don’t have to do this. Nobody can suggest doing something like this with, well, the thought that your mother-”

“-No!” Sam fussed as she pushed back almost angrily. “I have to end these… these nightmares once and for all!”

“I’m scared you will create more nightmares, Sam!” Sebastian fussed back, letting more emotions slip out than he wanted, evident in his wincing.

“I saw it and I heard it all again,” Sam spoke through her hands as she rubbed her face in frustration. “As long as my brother is doing as he pleases and as long as those fucking condescending words stick around,” she spoke in reference to the phrase Danielle Norris once spoke to her. “None of this will end! I have to prove them all wrong- there’s no way this isn’t all coming from some sort of complex I’ve developed over all this time!” Her arms then fell to her side as she fought back tears.

“Sam,” Sebastian tried to lean over and console her once more but to no avail as she shook her head.

“It’s even my mother- I got all in a knot last night because I know what my mother is truly doing this for.” Her lips curled from the anticipation of uttering words she never imagined her uttering that next second. “My mother is there because she still can’t let either of us make our own fucking choices! She got herself in this mess and now I have to be held hostage to it!”

Sebastian now let her come to him as his own heart pained seeing her forcing out emotions he feared may have been buried deep down while under such immense pressure the past week. He remained quiet, unsure how to respond with the lump in his throat and the worry he’d say something to make it worse as she sobbed.

“I have to do this,” she mumbled miserably through his chest. “I have nothing left to return to back home. I have no home left. I have no family left. I chose this job and I can’t just… run away like I always do, but Sebastian… I’m so scared.”

“We are all family now, I feel,” Sebastian managed to force out despite his worries, more concerned with her fate. “I promise nobody will look at you bad if you sit down for this one time. But if you must, we will be by your side, and you know that. You always have me.”

Sam squeezed back harder, taking in several long breaths. “I made it this far because you were there for me. Help me finish this. I promise after this we will see those better days.”

After a long, heavy moment of silence, the two began humming their original song’s melancholy melody line. Knowing what time it was, she knew they had to leave very soon, but she wouldn’t let go until that very last free second elapsed.