Jared hid his face with a balaclava and a black cap, waiting cautiously for someone willing to trade their aircraft for his trooper pod. In this kind of transaction, it was crucial to inspect the goods before making a deal. After ten minutes of waiting—though it felt like an hour—a man with a wild beard entered the bar and sat across from him.
"You must be Byron!" the man greeted politely, extending a handshake.
Jared shook his hand, his eyes catching sight of a Jean Arvin winking tattoo on the man's forearm.
"Fan of an idol?" Jared asked, surprised. It was the last thing he expected to find here—an idol-obsessed Earthling among rugged outlaws.
"Love that pretty boy," the man replied with a hearty laugh. "He turned me gay."
The laughter was infectious, making it hard for Jared to take his words seriously. The man seemed so comfortable in his own skin, entirely unbothered by what others thought of him. That kind of freedom wasn't something many people could experience in their lives. Jared wondered what his reaction would be once he learned that the idol was nothing more than a vampire.
"Let's cut to the chase. Show me the key," Jared said, tilting his chin up.
The man revealed a camper pod key and grinned. "All good. It's parked in the lot if you'd like to take a look."
"Show me," Jared said, standing up. The man followed.
They walked to the parking lot, where Jared's trooper pod was also parked. The camper pod was in good condition, with every broken part repaired and ready to take off. The man's face lit up when he saw the trooper pod, clearly impressed. Jared quickly noticed how the man's easygoing demeanor shifted; a fiery, murderous glint appeared in his eyes as he admired the pod's armaments.
No need to ask—the guy was probably buying the trooper pod to avenge someone, most likely a loved one.
The exchange was simple. The engine worked well, they both took test drives and loved their new vehicles. Afterward, they said goodbye forever.
Jared hummed a song as he entered the camper pod and prepared to ignite the engine. But before he could realize it, someone walked into the driver's cabin and sat down right next to him.
It was shocking, yes, but the familiar citrus scent of the man's cologne gave him away before Jared even looked. Jared froze. Slowly, his eyes, glaring from beneath the balaclava mask, turned toward the blonde twink sitting beside him.
He couldn't find the words—not to ask how the man got there or what he was doing there.
"Hi," Charles greeted casually, completely unfazed by the intensity in Jared's gaze.
"No, I don't have anything to do with that buyer, and no, I didn't put a tracker in this camper pod. I promise," Charles said with a smile. But Jared knew that smile. It was a victorious one. Whether Charles was lying or telling the truth didn't matter—that smile told Jared he had already wormed his way under his skin once again.
"What is it now?" Jared asked sharply.
"I just want to..." Charles sighed. "...let you know that I don't want any harm to come to you." As nice as it sounded, Jared knew Charles too well to take it at face value—it was actually a threat. Then Charles's expression softened, his gaze tender in a way that felt both genuine and unbearable. "There hasn't been a single day that's passed without you on my mind. I love you, Jared. I need you back in my life."
He knew that one day, Charles would say this. For some reason, Jared had never felt like he would completely disappear from his life. But he had already made up his mind, and there was no turning back. He had walked away so far that the things he once had with Charles had already turned into memories he no longer cared about.
"I'm sorry, I'm not coming back to you. I've already made it clear why I left," Jared replied calmly, each word carrying a tone of respect.
"We were both too young when we started dating," Charles said, his voice laden with regret. "We focused on ourselves instead of each other's needs. But I need you to know—I'm not interested in anyone else. That's why I don't feel the need to clarify my feelings about Mourice or anyone that you accused me in the past. Because to me, it's obvious—they mean nothing compared to you."
"Charles, this isn't about jealousy," Jared cut in. He leans on the seat, "Besides, I've already moved on. I've accepted ev----."
"I don't want to hear anything else," Charles interjected, his voice firm, cutting through Jared's words with bold emphasis.
"--ery thing." Jared finished his sentence, exhaling with patience. "And I think you should too."
Charles's blue eyes shimmered with pain, betraying his emotional turmoil. "This is my last offer before I decide to do it the hard way." Then he softened his tone, his voice sounding genuine. "Please, come back to me."
Jared's frustration boiled over. Why are Earthlings so prone to obsessions?! "You're crazy!" Jared hissed. "What do you want from us?! What do you think could possibly happen between us? Think! Use your logic, as you always do!" He jabbed his temple with his index finger.
"My logic dies when it comes to you!" Charles snapped, his voice breaking. "Don't you have even a little heart left for me?"
"Heart?! This is how I love you! I walked away to protect your dream!" Jared shouted, his voice raw with emotion. "Think about it—what do you think it would be like if we were together?! You know what I am! I'd only hold you back from achieving your dream! Being with you kills me inside—we're not aligned. Wake the f*ck up!"
A heavy silence followed, broken only by the mocking tick of the clock. Charles wiped the tears from his cheeks. Without another word, he stood and left.
But Jared knew that it wasn't acceptance—it was a declaration of war. Just like him, Charles doesn't know how to quit.
Jared returned to his motel and quickly began packing, throwing all his belongings into his new pod. He meticulously checked every corner, ensuring no secret cameras or spying devices had been planted.
He threw away seven types of tracking devices and six spying devices, including spy cameras and audio recorders.
Once inside his camper pod, he stretches out the hologram map, analyzing possible routes for his escape. He doesn't have any tracking devices or high-tech tools to detect his enemy's movements, but his instinct—never having betrayed him—tells him something. Vivid images flash through his mind, showing him a way to leave the planet, even if it means making sacrifices.
The camper pod leaves the atmosphere without wasting time, once it reach the void, it found itself surrounded by galactic police.
"Spacecraft ID-445587925IJJSBD, you are under arrest for act of vandalism, refusing to cooperate will resulting additional charges."
Charles capture the aircraft, but he doesn't wait until they reach nearest space station. Because it's too easy. So he attach the camper pod to his pod, and enter the camper pod. Only to find it totally empty, it was auto-piloted to just launch it out of Stormborn's atmosphere.
Charles checked his tracker interface again and was shocked to find that the trackers he had planted on Jared's new pod were scattered everywhere. Some were still on the ground, while others were attached to another spacecraft, scattered in all directions.
"Inform all the space station, get the airbus, check everything that leaving Stormborn! He must be captured!" Charles commanded his crews and abandon the camper pod.
The galactic polices starts their pod and launches all over the planet's surface to chase for Jared. Every spacebus, space crafts, and when no one cares about the camper pod, Jared and Herman open the cramped stuffed secret cabin underneath the floor, that used to keep the engine.
"Bagh! I hope they all gone!" Jared grins. Nearby, Herman shakes his fur from head to tail, and jumping around in circle, feeling happy that he finally left that damp, cramped space.
"You don't growls anymore, means it's safe. Alright, let's get out of here!" Jared sits on the driver seat and starts the engine, he soars as fast as he could, to continue his journey.
"Hee-haw!!" Jared kick the charge pedal underneath the steering wheel excitedly, then he turn on music, blasting the whole cabin with upbeat music.
"I'm a fire, I'm infinity.
Through the storms and through the night,
I'll keep rising, chasing light.
I'll soar where the heavens meet.
No matter what you try to be,You can't take the sky from me,"
At the same time, a jingle sounded from Charles's device, informing him that Jared's camper pod was active and soaring at high speed towards the west. Growling, Charles commanded his fleet to chase the target at high speed. It didn't matter how fast a camper pod could go; the galactic police always had the best engines. It was just a matter of time before they caught up.