Present day:
Luke's POV
It was just another day.
The school had gone on mid-break, and while others rejoiced at the chance to ditch school, I knew I didn't have that luxury. No school meant more work for me, and I'd be losing more than I could gain if school were still in session.
For the four of us, no school meant there would be more opportunities to put our lives on the line.
No school increased the possibility that we'd die.
I directed the shooter jet through the vast skies, scores of other flyer jets flying with me, driven by my elite team. They were like family to me.
We had been patrolling since morning, marking our territories and searching for signs of interference from opposing factions. So far, there was nothing. Our territories were protected, and we'd encountered no resistance.
But that couldn't erase the uneasiness I felt.
This was too... easy.
"Lord Commander," Soren, our Recon expert in charge of surveillance, called. His uncertain voice resounded in my headgear.
I recognized that tone.
It wasn't good news.
"The energy readings are getting abnormal, Lord Commander."
"How so?" I asked, my voice calm.
"It keeps spiking up and going down within a 20-kilometer radius from us," he continued. "It might not mean anything, but it's been happening for a while now."
I cursed under my breath. Sneaky bastards.
"Activate the plasma core and raise your energy shields," I instructed through the general intercom. "All in formation. Things are going to get really hot from now on."
The scores of jets began to space out in the skies, arranging themselves into formation. The Omega team took the lead, giving the first shots and inflicting the initial damage.
The Alpha team remained hidden and placed anonymously within their ranks. They had the bigger guns, most of which needed time to activate. The Omega team provided enough cover for them to get ready.
Lastly, the Beta team handled coordination and worked directly with me. They specialized in strategy, staying hidden in the clouds and providing critical intel about the battlefield.
"Ember, Asher, Freya, Ryder, and Kael," I called to five members of the Alpha team. "Pull away from Alpha and join Beta. I have a feeling I'll need you for the endgame."
"Yes, Lord Commander," they all responded and obeyed, flying their jets toward the clouds in separate directions.
"Lord Commander, the energy readings are spiking up really fast now," Soren reported, his voice tinged with excitement. "Sir, should we fire first? I'm itching to grind."
"Wait," I instructed, raising an eyebrow.
For an enemy to come here, knowing just how dangerous it was to face me, meant they were confident. I was curious to see what challenge lay ahead.
Maybe the enemy had a weapon capable of annihilating us all at once.
That thought made me uneasy. But I cast it aside. If they planned on attacking, they'd be caught in the explosion too.
Unless they were suicidal. Nothing is scarier than a man fighting a battle he plans to die in.
I sighed.
God, how have I lived this long?
The opposing force came into view. They had as many jets as we did—maybe even more. A crest imprinted on their jets caught my attention: the shape of an "X" bent at all four ends.
But that wasn't all.
Hundreds of helicopters surrounded us in an absurdly terrible formation.
A rookie must be in charge.
I sighed. I recognized the crest—it belonged to the Sterling family. Only one member of their family had the audacity to lead this charade.
Magnus Sterling.
Looking at the setup, only one emotion overwhelmed me: shame.
I just had to get so serious because of this buffoon.
"Hey, dog," a voice boomed from a jet. I guessed it was Magnus.
He had a terrible, croaky, disgusting voice.
I should have opened fire immediately. But I didn't. I could win this battle with my eyes closed. I decided to let him speak his last words.
"Do you like what's in front of you? Are you pissing yourself in fear?" he sneered. "I've heard of you—Lord Commander of the Skybound Vanguard. The Skylord, the reaper, and the blade of the Nightshades." He laughed, his tone mocking.
"You sickened me. The airline families tremble at your name, and no one gives a shit about me. But I had an epiphany: why not take your head and solve all my problems?"
It was amusing how he thought my death was a foregone conclusion.
"Shall we blast this bastard to smithereens, Lord Commander?" Soren asked, clearly bored.
"Not yet," I replied. "We've been on patrol all day. This could be entertaining."
"You see the helicopters around you," Magnus continued, chuckling into his speaker. "You must be saying these are just ants—bothersome and useless in the grand scheme of things. But even ants can give you an itch, dog. Right, my friend?"
I gritted my teeth. He had called me "dog" so many times that I was sure no one in the universe wanted this idiot dead more than I did.
"Right," someone replied from one of the helicopters. Must be their rookie commander.
"On the orders of the Premier of Alberta, we have joined forces with the Sterlings to reclaim our lost territory," the man said. His voice trembled slightly. A rookie, indeed.
I narrowed my eyes.
The government knew better than to meddle in our affairs. A silent agreement existed between the underworld and the authorities regarding territories, ensuring neither side pushed their luck too far to avoid an all-out war.
But politics wasn't my concern—that was my old man's job.
"Do you hear that?" Magnus chimed in, his grating voice cutting through the comms. "I'm a merciful person, dog. Surrender yourself to me and spare your men. There's no need to involve so many lives in this."
I'd heard enough.
"Boom," I commanded.
One word was all it took for my team to act.
The Omega team struck first, firing Gatling cannons into the unprepared opposition. Chaos erupted as explosions consumed jets and helicopters, sending fire and smoke spiraling into the sky.
We spread out, maintaining formation.
"Alpha, get your missile pods ready and find your targets," I instructed. "Be subtle so they don't activate their flares."
"Cowards!" Magnus's voice boomed over the comms. "Fire at me, you fools!"
I smirked. Idiot. I'm saving you for last.
The helicopters were irritating, spreading wide and making too much noise. Their damage was negligible, but they were distracting.
I scanned the battlefield, locating the helicopter carrying their rookie commander. It was too exposed—a rookie mistake. Did he want to die that badly?
"All Omegas, target the helicopter with the commander. Our shields can hold up," I ordered.
"Yes, Lord Commander," they responded, moving into position.
Predictably, the enemy helicopters clustered around their leader in a protective formation, firing back.
"Alpha team," I said calmly, "activate your missile pods. You know what to do."
"Affirmative, Lord Commander," they replied.
The Omegas ceased fire, pulling back just as the Alphas launched five missile pods. The air went silent for a moment before a massive explosion lit up the sky. Helicopters disintegrated, their remains raining down like fireworks.
Looking at the destruction, I felt nothing.
Maybe I was really becoming a monster.
"Omegas," I commanded, "focus fire on the Sterlings. Keep them distracted. Alphas, get into position for the next wave."
The enemy jets retaliated with missile pods of their own, but their efforts were laughable. Our flares diverted their missiles, leaving them harmlessly exploding in the distance.
"Magnus is trying to escape northwest," Soren reported.
"Intercept him, but don't kill him yet," I instructed. "We'll make his death memorable."
"As you wish," Soren replied.
Meanwhile, the Omegas increased their assault, forcing the Sterlings into disarray. The Alphas, subtly maneuvering into position, awaited my signal.
"Alpha team," I called out, my voice calm despite the chaos. "Boom."
The Alphas fired their missiles, and the sky erupted into a symphony of destruction. The custom-built Sterling jets, strong as they were, couldn't withstand the onslaught. Explosions rippled across the battlefield, dark smoke blotting out the sun.
"So many wasted resources," I muttered, grimacing. "All because of a fool."
As the smoke cleared, Magnus's voice crackled weakly over the comms. "Cowards… you'll pay for this…"
"Hey, Soren," I said, ignoring Magnus's feeble threats. "Strap that idiot to a stick on land and send the coordinates to everyone. Make sure he has no clothes on."
"Yes, Lord Commander," Soren replied, chuckling.
I issued a final command to my team: "Follow the coordinates on your screens. We're heading down."
Our jets descended through the smoke, landing in a clearing within a dense forest. I stepped out, immediately spotting Magnus tied to a stick, stark naked. My Beta team circled him, laughing and hurling insults.
Magnus was trembling, covered in blood, his face a mask of terror.
I lost interest immediately. Torturing a coward like him wouldn't be satisfying.
Leaving my team to their fun, I walked to a quiet corner and checked my communicator. A message from Aisha flashed on the screen.
Aisha: Something's wrong, Luke. Ada isn't talking to me. I know she's worried, but now she thinks I don't trust her. Please, do something. Only you can help her right now. It's all my fault.
My heartbeat quickened.
Luke: I'm on my way to Singapore.
I turned back to my team, who were still tormenting Magnus. His screams filled the air, a grim symphony of pain and humiliation.
"Lila," I called to my communication officer. "Inform all authorities that I won't be available for the next two days."
"Yes, sir," she stammered, blushing.
Addressing my team, I said, "I won't be available for a while, but you don't need your Lord Commander to do all the work, do you?"
Their enthusiastic cheers filled the clearing.
"Stand tall, stand proud. You are strong," I finished, walking back to my jet under their fervent gazes.
To them, I was a god.
But in reality, I was just a boy.
And someone I loved deeply was in pain.
Wait for me, Ada. I'm coming.