"Soo your own brother tried to kill you but now you've both made up?" Lennox asks confused.
"I know it may sound bizarre but trust me he's not a threat... for the time being." Kazuki says reluctantly.
" goddamn it... in a way I can see where your coming from,logically speaking if we want to get this mission done as soon as possible we have to get rid of as many Blackthornes as possible. Obstacles like your brother being removed from the scenario are much appreciated." Lennox says reassuring Aliyah who nods in agreement.
"Excuse my interruption but has Solomon San made his decision yet?".
"Not yet...Aliyah why don't you go ask him?" Lennox says while smacking Aliyah on the shoulder making her jolt she nods and quickly jogs off.
Aliyah knocks on a bedroom door but as she notices it open she slowly opens it and enters it and sees Ajax sitting on his bed staring at a crystal in his hand.
"Oh sorry I didn't hear the knock what's up?" Ajax says looking up at Aliyah. Aliyah starts to twiddle her fingers and sweat profusely.
"What in the hell this girl gone through to be taking this long to answer?" Ajax think to himself.
"H-have... you..m-made...your.. decision yet?" Aliyah asks Ajax while looking down.
"I'm sorry it's just...." Wait a minute I can just tell her my problems right? Its not like she's gonna think I'm weird.. I mean she's weird herself.you know what fuck it." Ajax thinks to himself.
"Growing up my life was kind of perfect, I had my mom and my uncle. My dad died in a military coup back when I was a kid and I didn't even know him that welll. But my mom and my uncle did everything in their power to make sure I was happy, and it worked and I couldn't thank them enough for it. But now....I've got nothing... I've got nothing, to make matters worse they both died because of me.. my mother when she was being burnt I- I could hear her screams.. and for these past two nights I've been hearing them... that scene won't leave my fucking head!" Ajax even when telling himself to have no filter still doesn't want to cry infront of someone.
"And now I have a chance to avenge my uncle... but I'm afraid I'll lose.. and ill let him down... just like my mom." Ajax says looking down.
"Stand up" Aliyah says sternly.
Ajax looks up surprised the girl strung together a sentence without stuttering. He stands up mesmerised by her sudden change in character. Aliyah walks over to him and smiles warmly at him.
"When Lennox...First saw you.. he told me.. you were.. on the floor.. bleeding out with a lost ankle.. cornered by an assassin and trained augmented user. A-and you were still... fighting back. She says nervously looking away.
"J-just like me you try... to doubt.. yourself but you clearly..show... resolve in terrible..situations." Aliyah says looking back at Ajax.
"Y-you said.. your.. family tried to make you happy w-when.. you lost your.. father..y-you... think they would want you... to be sad.. when their gone?"
Ajax looks away from Aliyah as she looks at him in the eyes.
"F-forgive me... if I.. seemed to be overstepping.. my b-boundaries." Aliyah says doing a quick bow and walking away.
"Thank you." Ajax says looking back at Aliyah.
"Thank you for listening to me Aliyah." Ajax says smiling." And by the way let the guys know I ain't going nowhere."
Aliyah looks back at him and smiles before leaving the room.
The next day....
"They'll begin the attack in the evening, my brother has given me three hours. If I don't return his family within those three hours, he will not betray the Blackthorne." Kazuki says polishing his blade.
" you sure you can take the assassin alone?" Lennox asks Kazuki while checking the power status of his arm cannon.
"I don't know if he's augmentated or not, but either way I know I can handle him." Kazuki says sliding his blade back into the hilt on his back.
"Ajax since you haven't grasped the full capabilities of your augment yet, focus only on long range attacks with that fire mouth thing you did back then." Lennox says walking up to Ajax.
"To be honest I don't even know if I can just throw that out again, I started vomiting blood straight after shooting it last time." Ajax says rubbing his temples.
"You gotta figure out a way to control it then son that's all I can tell you learn how to send it out in specific amounts in the next few hours." Lennox says before walking off,Aliyah walks by Ajax and gives him a thumbs up before trailing after Lennox.
Eight hours later...
Erik and Hiroki are on a hellicarrier standing by the cargo door waiting for the drop zone.
"You know my father use to-"
"Shut the fuck up." Hiroki quickly says quickly cutting off Erik. Erik raises his eyebrows and quietly goes back to looking at the large acres of forrest they fly by.
"Fifteen minutes out sir" the pilot says through the comns.
"We'll jump here don't want em to hear us coming." Erik says before jumping off the hellicarrier with Hiroki following. Erik lands on the ground creating a miniature crater due to the weight of his titanium skeleton, hiroki breaks his fall by creating a glider with his shadowcloak.
A few moments pass and they finally arrive in the area Lennox and his group seem to be located, Hiroki falls into his own shadow and teleports himself to the mountain top while Erik walks towards the hideout.
Suddenly as he emerges out of the bushes an arrow lands directly infront of him as Erik scoffs it emits some kind of gas. Erik quickly jumps back to avoid it, as he does two more arrows are sent his way & he narrowly dodges both of them. Erik is able to spot Aliyah on a nearby cliff & activates his augment.
"Platinum art: Thunder spear ."
Erik is sent hurling towards Aliyah by his platinum art and she's able to narrowly jump out of the way as Erik crashes into a cliff causing a surprisingly large explosion, Aliyah takes advantage of his supposed momentary entrapment in the rocks and fires two arrows that explode. Aliyah lands on the ground & backs off to reposition herself to fire off another barrage of arrows, as she finally stands her ground a blade is sent flying by her cutting her shoulder as she narrowly dodged once more. She turns around and sees Erik directly above her attempting to cleave her head off with his other blade, just in the nick of time though Lennox dropkicks Erik sending him flying back. As Erik stands up Ajax comes from his left and attempts to punch him square in the face, Erik catches the punch catching Ajax off guard. As Ajax attempts to throw the second punch Erik throws him towards the tree behind him, Erik then charges at Ajax attempting to finish the job.
"Die you piece of shit!" Erik yells out before a loud stabbing sound is heard.