"Do you need any water Henry?"
"Yes, sir, I'm kinda tired after all that."
"Just call me Hans, no need for the formality when it is just us here."
Henry is now alone with Hans and his daughter, Dani. The feminine voice that he heard back then was apparently her.
Half of the other soldiers are on the other vehicles, and the other half are staying at the rebel's camp to guard it. They will wait for the army to send someone to collect everything before returning to their base.
"How long have you lived there Henry?" Dani asked.
"Around 7 months."
"We have seen a few kids like you when we are attacking the camp. Some of them are.. dead, but a few others have escaped. How many of them are there, actually?" Hans then asks Henry.
"42. All of them are the same as me, kidnapped."
"Kidnapped?! They are not the rebel's kids? If so then why are they shooting at us?" Dani ask.
"Every day, we are being fed with their propaganda and told why we should rebel. Some of them probably get brainwashed in the process. And those who are not either commit suicide or get killed trying to escape."
"..."
Both Hans and Dani are quiet after hearing Henry's explanation.
"Luckily, I'm not tho." Henry then laughs softly, trying to lift the heavy atmosphere.
"That's answered where all the missing children in this country went, I guess." Hans says as he tries to move on to a different subject.
"So, about my offer.."
"I don't know, Hans. I just want to return to my family."
"I know Henry. After you give me your name, someone on my squad has told me your real identity. After you went missing a few months ago, Selena has done many things in order to find you. She even manage to get you on TV and luckily someone on my squad notices that you are the same person she is trying to find."
"Really?"
"Yeah, you really have a loving family didnt you?"
"..."
"I know this is stupid, but why don't you join us? You already have the skill and potential. Maybe even more than me. In the future, if you are successful in the army, you can make your family proud and return the favour."
"..."
"Its okay if you reject the offer Henry. If i were in the same position as you, i will reject it too. But please think of it first."
"Thanks Hans.. for understanding. Give me a bit more time for me to decide."
"Its all good, Henry. You can take all the time you want."
"Umm, Hans? Can i ask something?"
"Yeah. What is it?"
"Didn't you say that your rank in the army is 'Chief Warrant' something? Didn't you like suppose to be the one commanding or training the soldiers and not directly doing any 'combat'?"
"You are somewhat right. But that changed after my daughter decided to join the army last year. Even after I tell her no-."
"Well, I want to! We have had this conversation many times already, dad. I will kill all the rebels after what they have done to me." Dani replied to her father sulkily.
"I understand Danielle. In the end I accept your decision didnt I? I just want to tell Henry the full story."
"Humph!"
"Back to the topic, Henry. She, Dani, have decide to joined the army even after I beg her not to because worried of her safety. But even after trying everything i can, she still didn't change her decision. Dani lost his mother 3 years ago because of the rebels and it looks like that has make her scornful and wanting to join the army solely to hunt them." Hans explained.
"She being my only daughter make me very worried about her. I have lost my wife to them, and I dont want the same thing happen to my daughter. I then make a request to the one in charge above me to let me be with her until she is strong enough to survived alone."
"Thankfully, he approve of my request and let me make a new squad entirely on hunting the rebels throughout the country. After Dani officially joined the army last year, I quickly put her in my squad and a few other talented beginners and trained them as good as I can. Finally here i am, in my middle forties, and still goes to do some combat."
"So thats how it is. You really trained them good didnt you? You manage to easily captures a rebel's base that have over one hundred rebels with only 25 of you. At first, I thought that there is atleast 60 soldiers attacking the base."
"I wouldnt say its easy. Without you, the one who single-handedly set their armory on fire, our mission would be alot harder."
The fire that Henry started before has left the armory a mess. It has wholly engulfed the armory and had also set some grenade inside of it explode. The bullets inside are also ruined because of the fire's heat.
"By the way, Henry." Dani suddenly comes into the conversation.
"Yes?"
"How can you fight with those?" Dani asks while pointing at Henry's prosthetic leg.
"I just.. do it i guess? It has been like a part of my body so maybe thats why."
"Damn, thats cool! You are like cyborg. Does your leg shoot bullet?"
"..."
Henry is at a loss for words after listening to what Dani has just said. He just continues looking at Dani straight in the eye while looking dumbfounded.
"Sorry." Dani apologises to Henry while turning her body away to avoid him, having only just realised what she had just said.
The car falls silent once more before
*chuckle*
Hans can be seen trying to hold his laugh.
"What are you laughing at, Dad?!" She asks with mild annoyance.
*chuckles*
Henry also did the same thing.
"Not you too, Henry!"
"What? It is funny." Henry says as he tries to control his laugh.
The rest of the travels to the army base is filled with laughter and Henry telling Hans and Dani about his experiences in the rebel camp.
After they have arrived at the army base, Henry is brought to a room where he can rest. While resting, Henry keeps thinking about Hans's offer. After a few hours of thinking back and forth, he decides to stay in the army.
There are many other ways for him to make his family proud, but he chose this one.
He wants to get rid of the remaining rebel so that he and his family can be safe in the future without worrying about the rebel's threat.
He himself knows about it. While in the rebel's camp, he accidentally eavesdropped on one of the rebels' conversations. Apparently, the rebels have been doing the same thing throughout Erusea, and their forces are getting bigger and bigger.
After thinking about Morgan, Selena and Sera, he decides to write a long letter to them. He then went through the room to find any paper and pens.
He wanted to tell them that he is now okay and safe.
He wanted to tell them about his experience in the rebel's camp.
He wanted to tell them that he had decided to stay in the army.
He wanted to tell them everything in the most detailed way possible.
"..."
Importantly.
He wanted to tell them that he missed them..
After a long time of writing, he ends the letter by saying that he loves them very much and will return in a few years. He promises to come back as a different person to make them proud.
After he finished writing the letter, he put it inside an envelope.
As he writes his home address on the envelope,
*drips*
he himself didn't realise that he has starting to tear up.
'Huh? Am i.. crying?' He thought to himself as he let go of his pen to wipe his tear.
The more he continued to wipe, the more it came out. After he knew he couldn't stop himself from crying, he decided to just let it all go.
There is no reason for him to hold it back anymore. There is no bullies here to make fun of him. There are no rebels here for him to hide his feebleness. There is just him alone here.
*creak*
The sound of a door can be heard being open.
"Henry, my dad wants to meet y-. Henry!! Are you okay?!" Dani rushed inside and sat by Henry's side, looking concerned at him.
Henry took time before answering her.
"No-no, I'm okay. I just.. there is just dust in my eyes." He denies it as he tries to stop himself from crying.
Seconds after Henry said that Dani quickly hugged him.
"Do you think I'm fucking stupid? You can cry all you want, Henry. You have been through so much after all."
Henry, hearing Dani saying that, start crying even more. She reminds him of Sera, who always hugs and tries to cheer him up whenever he gets bullied.
"I miss them, Dani.. I miss my family so much.."
Henry continued crying in Dani's hug until he calmed himself down.
-----
"Are you sure with this decision Henry?"
"Yes sir, I have decide to stay here."
After Hans heard that, he stood up to shake Henry's hand.
"Congratulation Henry, thank you for joining us! Tomorrow you can start your training!"
"Yes, sir!" As he shakes Hans's hand back.
As Henry turns around to return to his room, he hears Hans saying something.
"Thank you Henry.. for making this decision. I know that it is hard for you."
"Your welcome, Hans.." Henry replied, smiling at Hans before making his way out of his office.
After Henry had calmed down yesterday, he told Dani that he would stay in the army. He then gives Dani the letter and asks it to be sent to his family.
Dani took the letter and told Henry that he could rest for today. She said she would tell Hans that Henry needed some alone time today and that he would be called tomorrow.
When today comes, someone comes to his room to bring him to meet Hans. After talking about his decision, Hans invites Henry to be working with his squad as a mercenary until the military officially accepts him into the army.
"Look like I will be staying here for a while, Sera. I hope you can wait for me." Henry says to himself as he walks to his room. In his hand, he holds the pocket watch Sera gave him dearly.