Nathaniel cautiously stepped into the cabin, following the mysterious man who seemed to have some connection to Jericho. However, as he ventured deeper, he soon found himself alone and confused, the man seemingly having vanished without a trace.
Realizing he was in an off-limits area, Nathaniel grew more anxious. He knew the corridors were strictly reserved for higher-ups, and passengers like him were forbidden from wandering there. He had to be careful.
"It's so eerie in here. So quiet and empty," he muttered to himself. "Why are these hallways restricted to us? We can only use the restrooms, but that's just not fair." He treaded lightly, moving cautiously across the polished marble floors, hoping to either find the restroom or catch sight of the man again.
"At least there aren't any cameras in these halls," he recalled from what he had been taught at the marine base. "If I stay quiet, I should be fine."
But then, his breath caught. The faint sound of footsteps echoed down the corridor, growing louder and closer. Panic surged in him. "Someone's coming! I need to hide!"
Spotting an open room, Nathaniel darted inside, scanning it quickly for any signs of someone else. Seeing no one, he rushed to hide under an office desk, hoping to remain unnoticed. "Please don't come in here," he whispered, holding his breath.
But the footsteps grew closer, and to his horror, they were headed straight for the room he had chosen. The man entered, continuing a conversation over a communication device. "Yes, the ship's full of passengers and hunters..." he said, his voice calm and steady as he walked toward a shelf, pulling down a book.
Nathaniel could barely contain his anxiety as the man walked closer, each step louder, closer to the desk. He could hear the man muttering quietly to someone on the other end of the call.
"Right. 74 passengers, 32 marksmen..." the man continued, his feet stopping just before the desk. Nathaniel held his breath, hoping he wouldn't be discovered.
The man grabbed a notebook, flipping through it with a casual air. "Jericho... The old man? Yeah, he's on the ship, too. Been ages since he took on a hunt. He even brought some kids."
Nathaniel's stomach twisted as he overheard bits of the conversation. His heart raced, and he gritted his teeth to stop himself from making a sound.
An ambush. He heard the man ask about the kids. "Bring them back after the hunt," he replied, his tone matter-of-fact. "What if they try to escape?"
The man considered the question, then nodded in agreement. "I'll handle it."
"But, sir... they're too young for this," the same person protested, but the man just sighed and agreed to the plan.
The weight of what he had just heard slammed into Nathaniel. They were walking straight into a trap. His hands shook with fear, and his mind raced with thoughts of what he needed to do next.
Nathaniel's thoughts spun as he listened, his heart pounding in his chest. What did Jericho do? Why are they after him like this? His confusion deepened as the man pulled out a sheet of paper, eyes scanning the list of accusations.
The man's tone grew colder, filled with contempt. "Cooperation with pirates… unauthorized missions that defied official orders… smuggling dangerous materials through the borders… endangering civilians for personal gain… bringing underage kids aboard a classified mission… instigating conflict with higher-ranking officers… even attempting an assaulting on the headmaster himself… And now this—betraying us all."
Nathaniel's stomach churned. Each accusation piled on top of the other, and it became clear that Jericho's actions were more than just reckless—they were unforgivable in the eyes of those who had been betrayed. The man's voice dripped with finality. "It's time to take you in, Jericho."
The marine commander rose from his chair and moved toward the shelves, giving Nathaniel a brief window of opportunity. This was his chance to slip away undetected. Quietly, he slipped between the furniture, inching his way toward the door. With careful precision, he opened it just enough to step out and gently closed it behind him, breathing a sigh of relief when it clicked shut without a sound.
"That was too close…" Nathaniel muttered under his breath, but before he could take another step, a hand shot out and grabbed his shoulder. His heart skipped a beat, and before he could react, another hand pressed firmly against his mouth.
"Shh. Stay quiet," the voice hissed. Nathaniel's eyes darted to the mirror nearby and saw the same man he had been searching for.
"You're out of your mind, sneaking around in the restricted section," the man continued, his voice low and urgent. "Let's get out of here before we both end up walking the plank."
Nathaniel froze but obeyed, silently following the man's lead. They hurried down the corridor, trying to avoid further attention, but as they reached the end, a marine officer stepped into their path.
"Jinzo! What are you doing with that kid in the restricted area? You know that's punishable," the marine barked, arms crossed and eyes narrowed.
Jinzo flashed an awkward grin, clearly caught off guard. "Sorry, commander. This kid was wandering around looking for the restrooms. I just showed him the way so he wouldn't go poking around places he shouldn't. We're leaving now. My apologies." The marine eyed him suspiciously but, after a tense moment, sighed.
"Fine, but hurry up before I report this to the boss."
Jinzo gave a curt nod and pulled Nathaniel along. "Right away, sir."
Once they had made their way to a safer part of the ship, one that wasn't off-limits to the passengers, Jinzo released his hold on Nathaniel's shoulder and glanced down at him. He folded his arms across his chest, his black coat rustling slightly.
"Kid, are you out of your mind sneaking into the restricted area like that?" Jinzo's voice was sharp, a mixture of concern and frustration. "You could've been shot on sight, and worst of all, they'd report you straight to the higher-ups. You're damn lucky I'm here. I got us out of there without anyone noticing."
Nathaniel stood silently for a moment, his mind racing. He felt a knot of guilt twist in his stomach but also a strange sense of relief. Jinzo had gotten them both out of the situation, but he couldn't help feeling like he had crossed a line. His instinct to find answers was stronger than his fear.
"I'm sorry…" Nathaniel muttered, looking up at the older man, his voice quieter now. "I didn't mean to cause any trouble. I was just trying to find you... I... I didn't know what else to do."
Jinzo raised an eyebrow, clearly taken aback. "You were looking for me? Why? We don't even know each other." His confusion was evident, his tone softening slightly as he considered Nathaniel's words.
Nathaniel stood a little taller, trying to gather his thoughts. Despite the tension, he felt an unexpected sense of trust toward Jinzo. "I know. I know we don't really know each other, but… I overheard something. You were talking about Jericho, about his problems. I needed to know what was going on with him. But, uh... I think I ended up hearing more than I should have."
Jinzo frowned, his arms still folded tightly across his chest as he leaned back against the nearby wall. He looked almost amused but in a detached, cynical way. "A conversation, huh? Marines always have their little talks behind our backs. Nothing new there. You shouldn't worry too much about that."
Nathaniel's expression shifted, his brow furrowing in frustration. He took a step forward, not willing to let the matter go. "No, you don't get it, Jinzo. This was different. This wasn't just some usual marine chatter. The conversation... it was about Jericho. They're planning something. When we get to the island, they're going to capture him."
Jinzo's posture stiffened at the mention of Jericho's name. His eyes narrowed, and for the first time, there was a hint of seriousness in his gaze. He paused, as though weighing Nathaniel's words carefully, his earlier cynicism fading slightly.
"You're saying… Jericho's in danger?" Jinzo's voice was quieter now, more thoughtful, as he processed the situation. He turned toward Nathaniel, his gaze intense, as if trying to read the truth in his eyes. "What exactly did you hear?"
Nathaniel's heart raced, but he stood firm, meeting Jinzo's eyes without flinching. "I'm not sure what all of it means, but I heard them talking about 'capturing' him once we reach the island. They were going on about some 'ambush' and other stuff—things that don't sound like any hunt we've been told about. They're planning something big. Jericho's in trouble, and if we don't do something..."
Jinzo was silent for a moment, his face a mix of suspicion and thoughtfulness. He rubbed his chin, processing the new information. "If what you're saying is true, then it's serious." His tone was low, almost to himself. "But why would they want to capture Jericho? He's been a part of this for a long time... this isn't like him."
Nathaniel shifted uncomfortably, his thoughts racing. "I don't know, but we can't just stand by and let it happen. Jericho's... he's not just some regular marine. He's done things for people. He's important to a lot of us. If they take him, we don't know what could happen."
Jinzo straightened up, looking over his shoulder to make sure no one was nearby before meeting Nathaniel's gaze with a serious look in his eyes. "You're right. If what you heard is accurate, Jericho's in more danger than we thought. But we can't go charging into this blindly. We need to be smart about this. You're already in deeper than you should be, kid. You have to trust me to handle it."
Nathaniel nodded, determination in his eyes. "I trust you, Jinzo. But we have to do something before it's too late."
Jinzo exhaled deeply, his expression softening just a little. "Alright, kid. We'll figure it out. But for now, you stay quiet about this. If anyone catches wind of what you heard, it could be bad for both of us." He placed a hand on Nathaniel's shoulder, his voice lowering. "I'll keep an eye on things. You just keep your head down."
Nathaniel nodded, feeling a sense of both relief and unease settle over him. He had no idea what was truly going on, but one thing was certain: things were about to get a whole lot more complicated. And with Jericho at the center of it all, Nathaniel wasn't going to let this go without a fight.
To be continued...