I tossed a coin into the air, watching it spin before it slipped from my fingers, clinking as it rolled across the wooden floor—straight to Akito's shoe. He didn't look amused.
He picked it up with a sigh.
"Stop messing around. We need a game plan."
At the far end of the room, the others sat drinking, playing cards, gambling loose change. For a moment, it felt like normalcy. But we all knew better.
"I don't know, man," I replied, slouching deeper into the couch. "If anything, we wait for Ace to get back. He's got our ride, remember?"
Across the table, Chester tapped his finger against the wood, his face stiff with unease.
"He shouldn't be taking this long," he said, eyes narrowed. "Ace is quick. Efficient. Especially with missions like this."
"You think he got caught?" Kenji asked, lighting a cigarette. The smoke curled toward Jun, who coughed and waved it away.
"No way he got caught," Chester muttered. "And if he did… it wasn't by Lunaris. Someone was tailing him. Maybe tailing us. Could've been watching from the beginning."
"So basically," I said, voice flat, "we're completely screwed."
Everyone turned to look at me.
"Lighten up, will you?" Akito snapped.
"Alright, alright," I muttered, stretching without a care in the world. A lie. I was cracking inside.
Jun leaned forward, fanning out the five strange keys on the table.
"We need a plan. One of these opens a path through the border. The rest… I'm betting they connect to something inside Lunaris. Headquarters. Labs. Possibly where the diary is kept."
Kenji took a drag from his cigar and exhaled slowly. Then, changing the topic, he turned to me.
"Ren. Ever wonder why you got a different ability than the rest of us?"
I froze.
That question hit like a blade to the ribs.
All my life, I've felt cursed. Like some ancient energy clawed its way into my veins and never left. My thoughts spiralled like a broken toy train on repeat. That question haunted me more than any nightmare.
"…Yeah," I said quietly. "I've thought about it."
"Hey, Ren?" Chester called.
I didn't respond.
A thud cracked against the back of my head—a book.
I blinked. "My bad. I was… thinking."
The room was dead silent. The guys exchanged worried glances.
"I'm still here, you know?" came a voice from the back.
Elara.
The blonde leaned against the bar, cigarette in hand, eyes tired but sharp.
"Elara…" I stood slowly. My voice was cold. "You betrayed us. You reported to Quinn. Why should we trust you?"
Kenji blew another puff of smoke. Jun played another card, unfazed.
"I thought he was loyal to our people," she said, unflinching. "I only told him about the Moonris Serum because I thought he'd stop it. I didn't know he was working with Lunaris."
The tension eased slightly, but the glares remained.
"Anyway," she smirked, taking a swig of beer, "your little boys' club could use a woman. Tell me—how's that world-saving plan going?"
"We're doing just fine," Akito replied, arms crossed.
Chester checked his phone again, his face dark.
"He's not answering."
"Ace?" I asked, already knowing the answer.
"Yeah."
"Maybe he's—" Elara started, but the words died in her throat.
Knock knock.
The door slammed open.
Rander stood in the frame, soldiers behind him, face carved in stone.
"Jun Takara. You're under arrest for the murder of Haruto Whitlock."
Our jaws hit the floor.
"What…?" Kenji stumbled to his feet. "That's insane!"
Jun didn't resist. He was pinned, handcuffed harshly.
"Rander, explain yourself!" Akito barked, ready to lunge before Chester held him back.
"It's fine…" Chester whispered, pulling Akito down. "We'll get him justice."
Jun struggled as they dragged him away. "Guys! I was gonna tell you—The bullet… it wasn't meant for Haruto! It was for Aragon! I never missed before—never!"
We stood frozen.
"No way…" Kenji muttered, stunned.
At the door, Rander gave us one last warning.
"If something like this happens again, you'll disarm your team. The council will decide your fate."
Then he was gone.
The room collapsed into silence.
"This is all my fault," I muttered bitterly.
Akito turned. "What the hell are you talking about?"
"They're my brothers. I brought you into this. It's not your fight."
"Like hell it's not," Chester shot back. "This is our territory. Lunaris is trying to control our land. And your brothers are at the centre of it. It is our fight."
Akito stepped forward. "You always do this, Ren. Take everything on yourself. You think every damn thing that goes wrong down here is your fault."
I looked away, ashamed.
"You boys are stupid," Elara muttered, dragging from her cigar.
"Now's not the time for your shit," I growled.
"Be mad at me all you want," she replied calmly, "but you're missing something big."
Akito approached her, eyes blazing. He slammed his hand down beside her.
"Talk."
She didn't flinch—just looked him in the eye.
"Jun's ability. He's never missed a shot. Ever. You really think he missed?"
The room froze again.
"…You're saying his gun jammed?" I asked, slowly understanding.
"Or never fired at all," she said. "Someone may have planted a bullet after the fact. Someone else shot Haruto from a different angle. Out of view."
"That makes sense…" Akito muttered.
Chester's hands ran through his ashy blonde hair. "Which means someone framed Jun."
"And if that's true," I added, my hands clenching, eyes glowing orange, "someone's trying to turn us against each other."
"Who the hell would do that?" Akito muttered aloud.
"There's only one snake I know who would go that far," Elara said, narrowing her eyes.
I felt it hit me—like a steel bat to the gut.
"…Quinn," I said quietly. "Quinn Rome."
Elara grinned, dragging slowly from her cigar.
"Bingo."