The morning sun cast a golden glow over the bustling city, the sounds of life filtering through the open windows. I made my way to Deborah's office, a place of discussions and important decisions. As I approached, I could hear her voice loudly, It sounded firm and stern like usual, she discussed with Liam and Marcus about city affairs and the task to be done.
"We need to increase patrols on the southern border. I don't want any surprises," Deborah was saying, her tone leaving no room for argument.
I knocked on the doorframe, leaning in with a smile. "Deborah, why are you working so hard sweety? What about our twins?" I asked, leaning in behind her.
Deborah turned to face me, her stern expression softening slightly at the sight of me. "Ace, I have to ensure everything runs smoothly. Besides, the twins are with Mary. They're doing just fine."
"Still, you should take a break. You can't do everything yourself," I said, grabbing her by the waist, as I gently tucked a loose strain of hair behind her ears.
Liam chimed in, nodding in agreement. "Ace is right, Deborah. You've been at this non-stop. You deserve some time with your family."
Marcus added, "We can handle things for a bit. Go see Hope and Leo. They need their mother."
Deborah sighed, rubbing her temples. "I know, I know. It's just... there's so much to do. But you're right. I should spend some time with the twins."
I gave her a reassuring smile. "Exactly. Hope and Leo need you. Take a break. We'll manage here."
She finally relented, a small smile playing on her lips as she leaned into my chest. "Alright, alright. I'll take a break. But if anything happens, you call me immediately. Okay honey?."
"You got it," I replied with a wink.
Deborah stood up, stretching her arms. "I'll go check on them now. Thanks, Everyone."
As she left the room, Liam turned to me. "You have a way with women, Ace. She never would listen to us."
"Just doing my part," I said with a shrug. "Now, let's get back to work and make sure everything stays on track."
Liam and Marcus nodded, and we dove into the city's affairs, ensuring everything was running smoothly while Deborah took the much-needed time with her twins.
Suddenly, Keinan burst into the room with Bill, Ava, and Mia, excitement radiating from them. "Ace! You have to hear this!" Keinan exclaimed.
Bill, Ava, and Mia shared eager glances before Bill steps forward to show me groundbreaking discovery, all of us stared at him expectantly. "We've made a breakthrough," he said, barely containing his enthusiasm. "By gathering samples from the mutants, we've found the key to a potential cure. But there's a catch... we need more samples. And not just any samples—alive ones."
"A cure?" I repeated, my interest piqued. "That's incredible, and capturing a mutant alive might be tricky though."
Ava nodded, her expression serious. "We know it's risky, but this could change everything. If we can get our hands on a mutant that is alive, we can further our research and develop a cure."
Mia added, "We've already made significant progress with the samples we have. This is the next step."
I couldn't help but smile at their enthusiasm. "This is amazing you guys," I said, looking at Bill and his daughters. "Thank you for the incredible work you're doing. This is a game-changer."
Bill beamed, clearly proud of their accomplishment. "Thank you, Ace. This could be the start of something amazing."
I glanced at Liam and Marcus, who both looked as intrigued as well. "Alright. We'll need a well-coordinated plan for this. I will head out myself to get your sample"
Ava and Mia exchanged relieved looks, their excitement evident. "Thank you, Ace," Ava said.
"We're all in this together," I replied. "Let's make it happen."
The stakes were higher than ever, but so were the potential rewards. If we could pull this off, it could mean a new beginning for all of us.
After thanking Bill and his daughters for their breakthrough, I made my way to Deborah's quarters. The weight of leadership often bore down heavily on my family time, but that only made me cherish every moments with them more, and each time I get to spend my time with them I feel my soul become lightened by it.
Opening the door, I found Deborah seated on the floor with Leo and Hope. Hiro and Emi were also there, their faces lighting up as they played with the younger children. The room was filled with laughter and a sense of normalcy that was a rare treasure in our world.
Deborah looked up and smiled warmly. "Hey there, Ace. Come to join the fun?"
I grinned, stepping into the room. "Of course. How are my little warriors doing?"
Leo, a bundle of energy with his mother's eyes, crawled over to me, giggling. "Dada!" he exclaimed, reaching up with chubby hands.
I scooped him up, nuzzling his neck. "That's right, Leo. Dada's here."
Hope, more reserved but just as curious, was playing with Emi. She looked up, her big eyes full of wonder. "Dada!"
Deborah laughed softly. "I think they're happy to see you."
I sat down with Leo on my lap, and Hope quickly crawled over to join her brother. Hiro, ever the protective older sibling, watched over them with a smile.
Hiro looked up at me, his expression serious. Big brother, can we play too?"
I nodded, ruffling his hair. "Of course, buddy. Let's all play together."
We spent the next hour playing various games, from building block towers to a makeshift obstacle course. The room was filled with squeals of delight and the pure joy of being together.
Emi, with her usual enthusiasm, suggested, "Let's play tag! Ace, you're it!"
I chuckled. "Alright, you better run fast!"
The kids scattered, their laughter echoing through the room. Deborah and I shared a look, a silent understanding of how precious these moments were.
After a while, we all settled down, the kids curling up with their favorite toys. Deborah leaned against me, her hand resting on my arm.
"Thank you, Ace," she said softly. "For taking the time to be with us."
I kissed her forehead, feeling the weight of gratitude and love. "There's nothing more important than family, Deb."
She smiled, her eyes reflecting the same sentiment. "I love you, Ace."
"I love you too," I replied, pulling her close for a nimble kiss.
As the children began to drift off to sleep, I held Deborah and our little ones, feeling a profound sense of peace. In this moment, surrounded by those I loved most, I knew I would have to work harder to ensure that they can grow up in better future and most importantly to keep them all safe.
Balance Update:
Good Karma Points= 25B
Bad Karma Points:=1B
Ace Lackey's:
Ibliss: Guarding Kingdom gate, cant be summoned.
Cronus: Guarding Kingdom gate, cant be summoned.
Reaper: Can be summoned.
Demoniac: Can be summoned
Dawn Jester: Can be summoned
Undead Soldier: Can be summoned, 2000 unit
Samael: Can be summoned