Getting out of the car, Alberu stares at the desolate place. His lips form into a straight line. He turns his head to every direction in case there are enemies lurking around, there is none. 

Only abandoned buildings are in front of them. The others have confused expressions on their faces. 

"Fredo, wh-" Bud trails off when he sees the car gone from behind him. He could not help but swear a bunch of nasty words. 

"What the fuck. Leaving us just like that?" Jack pats Bud's shoulder in comfort while laughing a bit hearing the wonderful colorful words Bud had been uttering under his breath.

Alberu cannot help but sigh. The worry intensifies when no foe is in sight. It would be great if there are people because they would know that Cale is in there yet the scene everyone expected to see is not there. 

Really, expect the unexpected. 

"Captain, what do we need to do?" Choi Han asks the question everyone is dreading to ask. 

They did not have the guts to inquire because Alberu's face has darkened the moment they step on the place. Alberu lifts his head up to the sky in time to see a drone from afar. 

Everybody follows the direction where Alberu had laid his eyes on, their faces pale visibly. Alberu stares right at the lens of the camera of the drone, not dodging it like the others he sees from his peripheral vision. 

There is a red light blinking continuously and has been hovering above them from a distance. Observing their every movement they would do. 

Alberu's eyes spark in anger because he knew, behind that drone is the man who had captured Cale. Willingly or not, he is sure Cale is with them. This friend of Cale might be part of the organization they are trying to arrest. 

He cannot help but open his lips to mouth his next words with no sound.

I'll fucking would kill you, asshole.

Alberu then retracts his gaze from it and bows his head down for a while. He inhales and exhales as he flutters his eyes close to restrain the anger building up. Clenching his fist, his nails dig into the flesh drawing blood. He felt a stinging pain before it disappeared. 

Alberu, being preoccupied with what they need to do, silently thinks about their next act. The rest wisely did not bother their captain, scared shitless to make a noise lest they step on a bomb which in fact is in a form of their captain. 

Waiting quietly, the crunching sound of branches being stepped on, hurried footsteps are heard. The blurry figure of a person can be seen from afar running towards their direction. Above the person, an identical drone is flying. 

But there is a difference. 

The drone chasing the unknown figure does not have a camera. It has…

"Guys, is that a gun?" Clopeh squints to make sure he is not wrong. 

"You're right. It is a gun attached to the drone." Witira confirms their thoughts. 

"That's a Smash Dragon! Quick, we need to take cover." Mary says, pulling the person close to her. 

"Wait, we need to save her. Look, she's bleeding." After finishing saying his words, Jack starts to run towards the woman, stretching his arm for her to take. 

The Smash Dragon, sensing another person, starts to strike its targets. It starts to shoot with accuracy, a bullet flying towards Jack. Jack, with his keen sense of danger, quickly dodges it and pulls the woman who held his palm.

"CAPTAIN!"

Alberu hasten looks towards the situation. He decides.

"Follow me!" Alberu calmly shouts, dashing towards one of the abandoned houses he sees near them. 

The rest follows his lead, dodging the bullets aimed at them at the same time. Their backs drench with sweat for their attention are being split. They need to avoid the danger behind them as well as they need to take cover. 

Alberu quickly opens the door of the house, holding it wide enough for everyone to enter. After verifying everyone is inside, he shuts the door; his back pressed on it. 

Ears perking up, his stance still tense. He listens to the whirring noises of the drone. The Smash Dragon had stopped targeting them since it did not sense any humans anymore. 

Everyone sighs in relief. Catching their breath from running, soon they observe their surroundings. 

"Is everyone okay?" Alberu checks his members.

"Yes. We are okay, captain." Eruhaben states he had been checking the members' well-being and confirmed they are fine.

Their eyes are now on the woman in Jack's arm who he currently is consoling with words. Bluish eyes narrow at the woman's figure. There were stains of blood on her clothes, tears continue to stream on her face,and her figure shaking; the emotion is transparent fear. 

Hannah strides at them, helping Jack to appease the scared woman. Alberu glances away from her, he straightens himself. 

"Go and see if there is something useful here." Alberu ordered. The others nod and start to walk around the tarnish place. 

Going inside the rooms they could see and look around if there is something useful. Alberu treads on the corridors, taking a peek on the room before doing the same to the others. Setting foot on the end of the corridor, he stands in front of a closed door. 

He extends his arm to hold the door knob, pushing it downwards. It's locked. His eyebrow raised in confusion. 

Why is this only door tightly locked? As if someone had hidden something here. He took several steps back, his left foot raising up, whole body not stumbling down then he kicked the door. 

The door is violently open. The hinge broke from the strength Alberu had inserted. The door drops with a loud bang. 

Putting his left leg down, he silently contemplates, scolding himself in an instant for using too much force. Even so, he entered and a big monitor caught his full attention. 

***
Cale sat quietly in the white room. In front of him, a bomb is placed with wires connecting to the ceiling: multiple colors of it. 

Cale has been studying what might be the use of it when the screen mounted on the wall lights up suddenly. The image flickers to Cale Barrow wearing an expensive black suit. 

Eyes narrowing on the screen, Cale's lips lift upwards and he cocks his eyebrows. His mouth parting to mock his enemy,
"You're getting ready for your funeral. That's good."

Barrow snorts at the commentary. He did not deny though but shrugs it off. 

"I want you to see something interesting." Barrow utters, his smile wide making Cale feel iffy. 

The image of Barrow on the screen shrunken. The thing Barrow wants Cale to see appears. Cale wants to curse.

He curses. 

"What the fuck. Don't you dare include my team members here you fucking bastard."

Barrow's eyebrow rose, taking in the way Cale lost his cool. Right this moment, it was the first. Cale has always been passive when he tries multiple ways to hear a violent reaction from him. 

His smile gets bigger, and his finger on the armchair starts to tap in a silent rhythmic pattern. He watches Cale's face getting drained of color. 

Every second passes by, his face gets paler as he continues to watch. A sigh of relief escapes from his lips because of the way Alberu handles the situation. It was fast and decisive, Cale couldn't help but be impressed and in awe. 

The video ends, his attention zeroed on Barrow's face. The color of his face went back to normal and his eyes shine in undisguise gloating. 

"Didn't you see what Alberu enunciated? He sa-"

"He'll fucking kill me." Barrow cuts off Cale's next words. His tone is certain with no fear of death. 

Cale leans on the chair, his posture relaxed, observing the man on the screen. He can see he really is not afraid of death. 

Barrow was once on the justice side of the spectrum. 

Barrow was once his friend and a partner.

Barrow was once a care-free guy, punishing bad guys he sees and arresting them. 

Yet, he changed. 

Cale's mind wandered off to the memories they had shared together. The memories of them having a shared laughter, complaining about their work from time to time, the cases they had handled. 

Where went wrong?

Cale contemplates, his head lowering to think of the reason why Barrow changed. The cases they handled before are coming to his mind. His head starts to ache trying to remember the exact interval then he jolts; eyes snapping to Barrow. 

"The person who took care of you. The case we handled before. That's the reason?" 

Barrow silently stares deadpan at Cale. Not denying or saying any words of confirmation. However, his habit of tapping his finger in a pattern pauses. His finger curls and it does not escape Cale's prying gaze. 

"So I was right." Cale whispers. Downhearted he did not think of it. 

The higher-ups…

The higher-ups had a hand on that case. The criminal was set free because his family was a prestigious one. A core household in the city. They have many connections even in the police force. 

That time, they did not have power. Both of them were just rookies serving. Regardless of how they want to protest, give evidence, everything just to justify the criminal must be sentenced to jail, it all fell into deaf ears. The justice system is rigged on those who are not influential. 

Nelan Barrow. 

His name.

The man who took care of Cale Barrow from a young age. The man who Barrow respected so much after his parents' death. 

Cale had met him before. And he was such a nice goofy guy whose mission is to make the world a better place in his own way such man got convicted of murder. A scapegoat for that criminal. 

Cale understands Barrow. He cannot blame his former friend. Because if he's in his shoes, he might or he really would wreak havoc in the society. 

"It's because of Uncle Nelan Barrow right? He's the reason why you want to destroy the imbalance in society."

Barrow neither denies or responds. He stares at Cale's face looking for the pity gaze he's so aware whenever someone has known his painful past. But there is none. 

This punk. 

No pity is on his gaze. Cale is looking at him with his normal stoic expression. Barrow does not know what to feel. His emotions are mixed and complicated. In front of him is his friend or his partner. 

Nevertheless, they can't be on the same side anymore. Learning from his painful past, only the person who has power in his hands can change the unfair treatment most average people receive. He took it upon his hands to help them in his own way.

And that is to keep balance in check. Eliminating some influential people in power. This was the only way for average people to thrive. 

"How about you join our side, Cale?" This would be the last question Barrow would ask. 

He had tried many ways to persuade him but Cale remained unmoved. This time around, knowing the reason why he built the organization, would he finally hesitate and think things over again?

"Cale Henituse. What would it be?" He inquires one last time. 

Cale parted his lips to utter his answer. 

"No. I won't join you." His answer is still the same as before. 

"In spite of your good intentions, your execution is wrong. I won't stop you because you are an adult. You know what is right from wrong. If you continue on this path, you know what is the end of the road." 

Death is the only ending for them. 

Barrow chuckles. He knew damn well how firm Cale is with his decision. He tried but he failed to poach him in the end. 

"Alright. I just want to say as your former friend, take care. Ah, congratulations. You finally got with Alberu. It might not be official yet, but I know eventually you guys will end up together." Barrow lightly teases him before his image vanishes from the screen. 

Cale's composure shook from the revelation. No amount of persuasion can make Barrow change sides. By virtue of knowing him for a long period, both of them are stubborn as a bull. 

All he can do in this situation is stare at the blank white wall. Overwhelming emotions swirl inside of him, his hand grips the edge of the table hard,for him not to lose himself on his drowning emotions. 

He waits for Barrow's next movement. 

***
Finally, after coaxing the woman, Jack can ask questions.

"Ma'am, you are?"

"Karin."

Jack and Hannah gaze at each other. Karin is wiping her tears away after she calms herself from crying.

"Then, the blood on your clothes." Hannah hesitantly points on the bloodied clothing. 

"Ah this? It's not mine. There are more victims here." Karin explains. The two are alarmed with her explanation. 

"You manage to escape?" 

Karin nods in response, her hands clutching the handkerchief Jack had given to her with force. Veins start to bulge soon, her hands pale from the strength she inserted. 

"I took it upon myself to escape so I can ask for some help. Officers, you're here to save us right?" Karin grasps Jack's hand, eyes pleading. 

"Don't worry Karin, we will save the rest."

"Then can you tell us where the base is?" Hannah questions, brows furrowed to think.

Before she could ask more, Alberu appeared. His face was serious. Everyone was waiting for the moment their captain arrived in the living room. 

"Hannah, Jack, Toonka and Clopeh. You stay here. Wait for the Ancient Oldies to come before saving the rest."

"The rest follow me. I found something." Alberu solemnly ordered, turning his heel to go back to the room he had stayed in.

The others exchange knowing glances before giving each other a nod. The people disperse to do their own things. 

"Is that your captain?"

"Mn. So can you continue on telling us the details?" As the three hurdle around, Toonka and Clopeh are watching the outside view from the window. 

Toonka places his hand on his chin to rub it, he quietly looks over on the three before giving his attention to Clopeh.

"Speak." 

Toonka clears his throat, he whispers.

"Don't you feel iffy around that woman?"

Clopeh averts his eyes to Karina before landing on Toonka again. Toonka feels troubled, he feels something is not right however, he cannot explain this feeling quite well. He can only ask his companion. 

"Yes, there is something going on. I don't trust that woman." 

Toonka let out a breath in relief.

"I thought I was the only one."

"Tch. Our instinct never lies." Clopeh states. 

Toonka silently agrees with Clopeh. Both of them remain quiet waiting for the Ancient Oldies to come.