Lester's Solitude – Burdened by Memories
Setting: A cold, dimly lit room deep within the enemy base. The walls are bare, save for a single photograph taped near his desk—a faded image of Lester with a woman and two young children, all smiling in brighter days. Rain taps against the window, echoing the turmoil inside him.
Lester sits in his wheelchair, elbows resting on the armrests, his gaze fixed on the photograph. His fingers hover above it but never quite touch. His mind churns with thoughts, emotions colliding in waves.
"Evena left," he mutters under his breath. "She chose her path. Can't blame her... not after what I dragged her into." His hand clenches into a fist, knuckles whitening. His reflection in the window seems like a stranger—a man aged not just by years, but by choices and regrets.
He lets out a slow exhale. "I thought I was doing this for them... for my family... but what's left of me now? A commander of ghosts."
Memories flicker in his mind—the first time he discovered his power. He had been arguing with a co-worker who wouldn't stop talking over him. Out of sheer frustration, Lester had shouted, "Shut up!" And the man did. Not just stopped talking—but froze completely, eyes blank. Panic and confusion had gripped Lester. It took minutes before the man returned to himself, unaware of what had happened. Later experiments confirmed it—Lester could control people. But every use left him frozen, paralyzed in his own body, trapped in a prison of his mind while the world moved on. A terrifying gift... with an equally terrifying price.
He drags a hand down his face. "Didn't ask for this... didn't want it... but here I am."
Minutes pass. Or maybe hours. Rain turns into a downpour. Then, as if something clicks in his mind, resolve sets in. Lester wheels toward his console, fingers flying across the keys. Lines of code scroll rapidly. "If no one else is going to end this... then I will."
The Call – Unveiling the Past
Emjay's team command room—a stark contrast to Lester's solitude. Monitors glow, illuminating tense faces. Kai leans on the table, Yano sits with fingers clenched, Leon paces, Kazuki is absent (restricted to the base's medical wing), and Emjay stands at the helm, jaw set.
Suddenly, static floods the comms. The largest screen flickers before stabilizing—Lester's face appears, worn yet resolute.
"Lester?!" Emjay's voice sharpens. "How the hell did you—"
"Relax," Lester cuts in, voice gravelly but calm. "Hacked your system. Not here to fight—not today. Listen. I don't have much time."
Tension thickens. Kai glares. "Why should we trust a damn word from you?"
Lester chuckles, bitter. "You don't have to. But you'll want to hear this."
A pause. Lester's gaze shifts, distant. "Before this war... I was just a guy. Desk job, nine-to-five. Had a wife, two kids. Fridays were for ice cream runs and bad movie nights. Simple. Happy. Then... things changed. Found out I could control people—push into their minds. Thought it was a joke until I told a guy at work to hand over his coffee... and he did. Blank-faced. Like a puppet on strings. Tested it more... worked every time. Scared the hell out of me."
Yano murmurs, "And the paralysis... that started then?"
"Yeah," Lester nods. "First time I used it, my body just—shut off. Couldn't move, couldn't breathe right. Like being trapped in a coffin with your eyes open. That's the price of playing God, I guess."
He pauses. His face hardens. "Then I came home one day... and they were gone. My family. No note. No struggle. Just... empty. Then he found me—the traitor. Told me they were alive, with him. Said if I worked for him, followed orders... I'd get them back. So I did. Swallowed my pride, my morals. All for the chance to see them again."
Leon crosses his arms. "And you think switching sides now makes up for years of bloodshed?"
"Didn't say that," Lester replies quietly. "I'm not looking for redemption. I just... I can't keep lying to myself. Evena left. I lost her. This war's spiraling. Only one move left—Plan B."
Kai narrows his eyes. "And what the hell's Plan B?"
"Kill the bastard."
Yano blinks. "You? Alone? With your power and... your wheelchair?"
Lester's lips twitch into a half-smile. "Not just that." He holds up a small metallic vial filled with a glowing, crimson liquid. "One shot of this... and I won't need the chair. Strength beyond what I've ever had."
Emjay frowns. "Where'd you get that?"
"Remember when Yano got captured? That wasn't just a snatch-and-grab. We used her. Forced her powers into creating this. Explains why she acted off after you saved her, huh?"
Yano's face crumbles. "I... I'm so sorry. I tried to resist—"
Emjay places a steady hand on her shoulder. "Not your fault. They used you. No blame here."
Kai adds, "Hey, if it helps end this... it's being used for something good."
Yano nods, wiping her eyes. "Thanks..."
Lester leans forward. "Listen. I'm about to name the traitor. Pay attention—this is your only chance to hear it from me."
Static intensifies. The screen flickers. Lester's eyes dart off-screen. His face hardens. "He's here—"
The call cuts. Black screen. Silence.
Aftermath – Consequences of Victory or Defeat
Emjay's hand slams on the console. "Damn it! We almost had him!"
Kai paces furiously. "He was about to tell us!"
Leon mutters, "And if the traitor found him... Lester's probably fighting for his life right now."
Yano whispers, "He said 'he's here.' The traitor's close. Watching us, maybe... waiting."
The room grows heavy with uncertainty. Then Emjay speaks. "Let's think this through. If Lester kills the traitor... what happens? Does the enemy collapse? Or do we face a power vacuum? Someone worse might take his place."
Kai runs a hand through his hair. "Or Lester fails... and we're next. That guy's playing both sides. We can't trust him, but we also can't ignore this."
Leon frowns. "Even if Lester wins, he might not make it out. He's using that serum—god knows what that'll do to him."
Yano's voice is small. "If the traitor dies... maybe this ends. Or maybe it gets worse. What if Lester was just another piece on the board?"
Emjay leans on the table, eyes scanning the data feeds. "No good options. But we prepare for both outcomes: Lester wins—we stabilize the fallout. Lester loses—we hunt down the traitor ourselves."
Kai's gaze hardens. "Either way... this isn't over. Not by a long shot."