The night, once quiet, had erupted into chaos—a deadly symphony of clashing blades, ragged breaths, and desperate cries. The odds were grim: four against an unending tide of enemies, each skilled and determined.
Not that it mattered much to them.
Still, the endless waves of attackers were beginning to grate on their nerves.
"We need to move!" Frieda shouted over the noise, her voice sharp. With deadly precision, she drove her stolen blade into an enemy's chest before sending another flying with a swift kick to their stomach.
Leon ducked beneath a savage swipe, his fist connecting with his opponent's jaw in a satisfying crunch. He didn't waste time; his eyes flicked over the chaos, calculating their next move. "This way! Follow me!" His voice rang out, steady and commanding despite the frenzy.
Jarad and Frieda exchanged a brief glance, their silent understanding clear. With swift, synchronized movements, they cleared a path toward Leon, fighting as one. The attackers stood no chance.
From the corner of her eye, Frieda spotted danger—an assassin creeping behind Jarad, a blade poised to strike. "Jarad, duck!" she shouted, her hand already drawing a knife from her belt.
Without hesitation, Jarad dropped to the ground. Frieda's blade flew, finding its mark in the would-be assassin's eye. The attacker crumpled to the floor, silent. Jarad gave her a quick nod of thanks, springing back into the fight as if nothing had happened.
"J, catch!" Leon shouted, grabbing Frieda's wrist and yanking her closer. His other hand hurled something toward Jarad—a grenade.
Jarad snatched it from the air with a practiced ease, his expression unreadable. He yanked the pin and tossed it toward the ceiling. Then he sprinted for cover, his legs carrying him swiftly as the grenade exploded, a deafening roar followed by a cloud of dust and debris.
For a moment, the battle stilled, the air thick with the sound of crumbling stone and shifting rubble. The pause was brief, though, and they quickly pressed forward.
Soon, they arrived at an unassuming wall. A portrait of a doctor holding a key card hung there, standing out against the otherwise plain backdrop. Frieda retrieved a matching card from her vest, carefully aligning it with the painted one. A soft click echoed as the wall split open, revealing a hidden passage.
Leon ushered them inside, but paused at the entrance, glancing back with a grin. "Eh, why not?" he muttered, reaching into his vest. He pulled out another grenade and threw it into the hallway just as the entrance slid shut. The muffled explosion rattled the walls as the passage sealed.
Inside, they caught their breath, the silence hanging heavy in the air.
"So... that happened," Leon said with a wry grin. "Honestly, I always thought I'd die at the hands of a hot girl. Guess there's still time." He shot a sly glance at Frieda.
She rolled her eyes, clearly unimpressed. "Not with that attitude, Leon."
Before he could respond, Frieda silenced him by placing a hand over his mouth, her expression turning sharp as she turned to Toni. "For all we know, you're still working for them. Pretending to be on our side while feeding them information. You've done it before."
Jarad folded his arms, his expression hard. "She's right. Why should we trust you now? What's in it for you?"
Toni glared at them both, frustration bubbling to the surface. "The hell do you mean? So, me switching sides and helping you guys is an issue now? Should I have just killed you all?"
"First off, you can't kill us," Frieda snapped, voice cold. "You could try. Maybe you'd injure me or Leon, but Jarad?" She looked her up and down with disdain. "You wouldn't get past him. None of us have, and you won't be the first."
Toni's jaw tightened, but she stayed silent.
"Second," Frieda continued, her tone hard, "you still haven't answered the question. Why did you switch sides? You planning on telling us anytime soon?"
Toni sighed, her shoulders sagging as she ran a hand through her hair. "Fine. You want the truth?" She looked between them, her voice dropping to a more serious tone. "It's simple. The ORPHANAGE decided you guys were too dangerous. They think you've outlived your usefulness. And let's be real, if they're turning on you, I'm next. So I switched sides. Figured I'd take my chances with you guys."
She gave a half-hearted shrug, attempting to smile. "Cool, right?"
Her humor fell flat. The tension in the air was thick, unspoken distrust radiating from every one of them.
Jarad's narrowed eyes never left her, and Frieda's arms remained crossed, her stance unyielding.
"Cool? Yeah, real cool," Leon muttered. "Just sounds too convenient. I mean, what do you expect? You betray us and then expect us to just let it slide? Like we're all supposed to trust you now?"
Toni shot him a glare. "Got a problem with that, Leon?"
Leon shrugged nonchalantly. "Not at all. I'm just saying, it's a little convenient, don't you think? Just because you've got nowhere else to go, you show up here like we should be grateful?"
Frieda stepped forward, her voice cutting through the tension. "Enough, you two. This is not the time for this."
Jarad, never one for many words, stepped in as well. "What happens now? We're supposed to just follow you blindly?"
Toni's eyes locked onto his, steady and unwavering. "I'm not asking you to follow me. I'm asking you to trust me—for now. What do you have to lose?"
Frieda snorted. "Trust? You? That's rich coming from you."
Toni's lips twitched, but she held her tongue. There was a long pause, broken only by Leon's voice.
"Can we focus on something else now?" Leon grinned, rubbing his stomach. "I don't know about you guys, but I'm hungry."
"Seriously, Leon?" Frieda groaned, her irritation clear.
"Yeah, seriously. We just fought off a bunch of Toni's friends. I need to replenish my energy." He patted his stomach for emphasis.
Toni raised an eyebrow. "Really? Now? Why are you always hungry?"
Leon grinned wide. "Maybe I have a wormhole for a stomach?"
"Always gotta make jokes, huh?" Toni's voice dropped, annoyance creeping in. "What is it with you?"
"Maybe he's just trying to lighten the mood," Jarad said dryly, stepping forward. "But seriously, you shouldn't joke about certain things, especially not with the ladies around."
Leon winced. "Alright, alright. Sorry."
Frieda gave him an icy glare. "Piss off."
Toni shot him a look of pure disdain. "You're lucky Jarad's here. If it were just me, you'd never see that apology again. I'd shove it so far down your throat you'd be begging for mercy."
Leon laughed nervously. "You're... something else."
"Yeah, that's me," Toni shot back, crossing her arms. "And if you've got a problem with that, maybe you should shut your mouth."
Leon raised his hands in mock surrender. "Alright, alright. I get it. No need to get violent."
Toni smirked back. "Violence isn't the answer. But it sure feels good sometimes."
Frieda shook her head. "You two are impossible."
"Hey, we make a great team," Leon said with a wink.
Toni smirked back. "If by 'great team,' you mean 'disaster waiting to happen,' then sure. Yeah, we're a real dream team"