"So they've been operating in England this entire time?" Lance asked Volkov rhetorically.
Volkov, who was practically fully healed, shook his head. "From what I gathered, they've just begun operating here recently." Volkov explained, "It seems they truly only wanted those generators for some reason."
Melvin, who was sitting at the head of a large oval table, sighed deeply. "This doesn't make sense, we have generators in circulation all over the globe, why would the Kiba group go after one here?" He asked, rubbing his chin in thought.
"First a rank-two anomaly goes missing and this mess." Commander Evert, who stood beside the administrator, shook his head in frustration. "I can't help but feel it's all connected somehow."
"Commander, If I may?" Volkov spoke up, raising a hand.
"Proceed." Commander Evert nodded.
"When I was navigating through the airstrip, there was talk about the buyer for the generators." Volkov began, crossing his arms. "I've sent reports and recordings, but in case you have heard them, there was talk about the buyer coming from Japan, I didn't hear much, but from what I did hear, he's a wealthy man coming from an upper-class clan."
Volkov then paused as he crossed his arms, "he was looking to buy the generators for 2 billion dollars, American cash."
Commander Evert grimaced, "That explains why he wanted the generator, and the Kiba mercenary group was involved, but why come all the way to England, wouldn't a generator from Japan suffice?"
"Maybe because of the exams." Lieutenant Revia suggested as she crossed her arms, "It's easier to steal something from here when most of our assets are being used to train the new cadets."
Melvin nodded. "That makes sense actually, and it doesn't help that we're low on staff as is, the exams have already taken a dip in quality due to the lack of personnel, so it figures that others would notice as well."
Commander Evert sighed. "Hmm, I'll report to HQ, and talk to the council about securing more officers for protecting England, in the meantime I want you to speed up the examination process. The cadets get two weeks of training as their second exam, then move on the third, I want these exams over within the next month and a half."
Melvin's eyes widened as he looked up at Commander Evert, "Sir, with all due respect, this batch of cadets have already had it rough as is, I really don't think–"
"That wasn't a suggestion, it's a command." Commander Evert said coldly, his gaze undeterred and authoritative.
The tension in the room skyrocketed. Commander Evert's strong decoration shook everyone in the room, leading to an intense silence.
Melvin was shaken, his old body trembling as he met Commander Evert's gaze. "As you wish sir." Melvin said softly as he turned his attention towards Lance, "Put out a call for a meeting in thirty minutes, it'll be held in the auditorium."
Lance nodded as he immediately stood up from his chair. "Right away sir."
Melvin then turned his attention towards Lieutenant Revia. "Prepare a strict training regiment for the next two weeks, every cadet should have a basic grasp on their abilities and how to cycle ether."
Lieutenant Reiva nodded.
"Someone get me access to a roster, we need to begin preparing cadets for a pairing with an officer after they graduate," Melvin ordered.
"On it." Another officer said as they exited the room.
Commander Evert nodded his head in approval, "Good, I expect a batch of prepared officers when I'm back, and this will be the last exam this facility runs until we get this situation under control."
— — —
Meanwhile, in Marcus' hospital room, he watched as Luna slept peacefully in his arms. Her small frame was covered with his blanket, making her look like a burrito.
"How'd I ever get so lucky huh?" Marcus asked as he poked the sleeping Luna. If you had asked him just a year ago how he felt about having companions, he'd probably have answered with something cold and edgy, but now it was almost impossible to imagine life without Luna.
As Marcus continued to cuddle Luna, the intercom above his room door crackled to life. "Attention all cadets and officers, you're to report to the main auditorium within the next 25 minutes, I repeat, all cadets and officers are to report to the main building's auditorium within the next 25 minutes."
Marcus felt a sense of dread wash over him as the voice crackled through the intercom. It appeared that the conversation he wanted to delay, was coming faster than expected.
Luna stirred awake, her eyes snapping open as she quickly rose up. "What's happening?" She asked with concern as she turned to look up at Marcus.
Marcus shrugged his shoulders. "I honestly don't know, but I think it has something to do with what happened at the airstrip." He answered,
He then sighed. "We should probably get going, do you know if I have a change of clothes in here?" He asked as he gently unwrapped Luna. "Yes, Volkov requested some." She gestured towards a stack of neatly folded clothes in a drawer by the window.
"How convenient," Marcus said with a smirk as he finished unraveling Luna's makeshift cocoon. He then removed the blanket from himself, swinging his legs off the side of the bed he stood up.
Marcus realized that all of the pain from before was now completely gone.
Leaving him a little shocked but impressed nonetheless.
But that did remind him of something, none of his wounds from before he received the implant had healed. He then thought back to Sang-hee and her previous wounds, his mind racing with ideas on how she got them.
"Marcus?" Luna asked with worry in her voice.
Marcus turned to see Luna walking up behind him. He smiled briefly before removing the gown he was wearing. "Close your eyes, this is too much muscle for a petite woman like you." He said teasingly.
Luna sighed as she covered her eyes. "This is such a dumb hill to die on Marcus, I'm not human, logically I wouldn't be attracted to you." She responded with a factual tone.
Marcus chuckled. "You're saying I'm ugly?"
"Do you see dogs wearing clothes?" Luna quipped.
"No often." He replied as he slipped on his shirt.
Luna nodded, "so then, do you close your eyes every time you see a naked dog?"
Marcus chuckled softly as he slipped on his pants, "Yeah, but when that dog starts, walking, talking, and acting like a human, you better believe he's getting at least a pair of pants."
Luna giggled as she peeked through her hands, "Fair point, but what if I want to see you naked?" She asked challengingly.
Marcus smirked, "Well I'm only trying to spare you the trauma of gazing upon my naked form, but if you really wanna see…."
Marcus chuckled as lowered himself to Luna's level, he then pulled her hands away from her face. "No!" She exclaimed as she fought Marcus off, laughing at his attempts.
When she finally opened her eyes, however, she saw Marcus fully dressed, with a giddy grin on his face. "…so you're all talking?" Marcus laughed as he ruffled Luna's hair.
Luna giggled as she nodded. "Maybe just a little." She said with a pinch of her fingers.
Marcus shook his head with a playful smile as he rose up.
"Did you get your phone and cards?" Luna asked as she pointed to the drawer.
Marcus turned his attention towards the drawer, where he noticed his phone, key card, and another strange all-black card with no writing.
At first, he was confused until he suddenly realized that was the card that the woman who stabbed him gave him.
Marcus was a little skeptical about it, but he didn't think about it too much, pushing aside the thought of what to do with it for later.
Grabbing all the items from the drawer and pocketing them, Marcus then grabbed Luna's hand and exited the room.
As Marcus and Luna navigated through the building and toward the auditorium. Marcus' mind was wandering from topic to topic, from the safe house to the mercenary group to the twins he fought.
It was all so overwhelming.
Previously Marcus would have been a mess, but he refused to be like anymore. That wasn't who he wanted to be, so even if he had to fake it, Marcus would remain calm, and laugh even, if the situation called for it.
"Marcus," Luna stated his name quietly, the tension in the air palpable as they walked in sync. Her face was a mixture of curiosity and uncertainty.
"What's up?" Marcus asked as he looked down.
"At the airstrip, when Sang-hee and I fought, did that…. Did I frighten you?" She asked worriedly.
Marcus immediately shook his head no. "Of course not, you did what you did for me, and will always appreciate that, no matter what." He said reassuringly.
"You say that," Luna said softly. "But I say how relieved you looked when I was forced to spare her, you wouldn't have done that if you weren't afraid."
Marcus fell silent, thinking back on that moment, at first he was excited to see Sang-hee put back in her place, but as the beating continued, the more Marcus realized that something just wasn't right about it.
The old scars on her body.
How defiant she was when Luna was on the verge of killing her.
The pieces quickly began to fall into place.
"I don't know everything." Marcus began, "But, I think I understand why Sang-hee is the way she is." Marcus sighed deeply, "I don't know how it is for you, but with humans, especially ones that have been through a lot like Sang-hee, we tend to wall ourselves off from the world."
"I understand that," Luna commented.
"And people wall themselves off in different ways, sometimes people just physically isolate themselves, other times they choose violence and anger, I think Sang-hee is one of those people." Marcus said with a sigh, "When I realized that, my hatred for her faded, and then all I saw was a broken girl who was about to be killed by someone I cared for."
Marcus then paused as he turned to look at Luna. "I will never chastise you for what you did, but In the future, if Sang-hee lashes out at me, promise me you won't hurt her."
Luna frowned. "That's not fair, just because she went through something doesn't me you have to deal with it too." She said with irritation.
"I don't like her, Marcus she hurts you, she hurts you so much, and that hurts me, it makes me irritated and irrational, I can't process anything, I can't think straight."
Marcus smiled as he reached a hand for Luna's cheek. He gently rubbed his thumb against it as he nodded his head. "I know, but this only happened because I wasn't strong enough to fend for myself, but now I am and I promise you, I'll handle her from now on. She won't get under my skin anymore, or make me break down, or even cry, ok?"
Luna nodded hesitantly. "O-ok." She stammered, "But you just say the word Marcus, and I'll protect you."
Marcus smiled once more. "Thank you."
The rest of the walk to the auditorium was filled with a strange silence. Marcus was determined to not only prove himself but to make himself stronger both mentally and physically, so something like this wouldn't happen again.
As Marcus and Luna reached the auditorium, the atmosphere was thick with tension. Quiet murmurs floated around the audience as more people continued to gather.
Everyone's expression was either dread or emptiness.
Marcus and Luna found their seats near the back, blending into the crowd.