Part 3

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Part 3

“Did you really have to do that?” Mark was shaking his hands violently in the air. “It was our only way out.” Pointed Yoh. “What? Do you even listen to yourself? Killing our own team is not a way out! Killing the very people we were sent to save is not a way out!” Mark was furious. His training to be a leader made him feel responsible for the mission, which they had just failed. He had never failed a mission. He had never had one to fail, for that matter. But somehow, deep in him, he knew it was his fault. “Well, you didn’t really have to burst like that, Yoh!”. While Mark had been thinking, blaming himself for the failure, Torandis had engaged in a fierce argument with Yoh. “As I said, it was our only chance. We were being swarmed. I think it’s up to Captain Lyko to decide if it was the best move...”. A profound silence was heard, echoing through their heads as they remembered what Yoh had done to get them out of a surely rough situation. “Anywho, no matter now, it’s done. And we 3 are the only ones left to tell it.”.

They had made it safely to the bunker. Hurt, hungry, frustrated, they told Cap. What had happened. “I see. Don’t you worry. Now there’s nothing more we can do now. The whole of Europe has fallen. We better hurry to the UHQ. All the survivors of the overtaken zones have already been displaced there. It’s time for us to go. Gather everything up, the team is waiting in the displacement room.” As he finished, he took off through a corridor, and the 3 soldiers followed. They shortly arrived at a room, on the second floor of the bunker, where a thirty‑some people awaited. The room had about 100m², and was full of all kinds of equipment: cars, tanks, helicopters, weapons and hundreds of boxes filled with little gadgets, ammo and supplies. As soon as they got in, the Cap. closed the door and the lights went out. A strange sound was heard, something like a jet engine mixed with a guitar amplifier. Mark, Torandis and Yoh knew that sound well. It meant home. Instantly, they could smell it. That familiar smell, the same one their childhoods were made of. Being born and raised in the Union, they had been trained to be super soldiers since a young age. And it was all in the Union.

“I must hurry and report to General Sorges! You guys go into the Healing Chambers ASAP.”. Captain Lyko made his way into a large circular room with 10 chairs all around. Opposite the steel door was the biggest chair, coated in red satin. The cloaked man sitting there was the only person in the room besides Cap. “May I, Sir?”, “I was waiting for you. How did it go?”, “We lost, Sir. Five dead, mission failed. Berlin was completely destroyed. One of my men burst. I sent them to the Healing Chambers. What shall we do about it, Sir?”, “Why, follow the protocol. Give him the container.”. The General’s voice was deep and firm. He liked every Captain to report directly and personally to him. “We have the situation under some control here. Though, we have met a small setback. I will soon summon all Captains for a briefing. Make sure your team is reassembled. Prepare all equipment and crew, for the next few days will be the worst you have ever lived.”

The next day, Captain Lyko was woken by a horn. In his room, there was little comfort, but who could afford that during war? His MInfo displayed the words: All team Captains summoned for a top-level briefing at the First Conference Room. Cap. flew out of the room, having only time to put on his uniform, his MInfo and his belt. He got to the First Conference Room, a large auditorium-like facility, as fast as he could. The General didn’t like delaying his affairs. Over 300 Captains from all over the world were there. Some of them had grown up with Lyko. Other that had grown up with him, were missing. He sat on the first free chair he saw. They waited for some minutes until the rest of the Captains arrived. About 500 of them. General Sorges was sitting down there, in his large red chair, cloaked, with his whole body covered as usual.

“Ladies and gentlemen, thanks for coming. This is a very special meeting, one we have never had before. We are officially at war with Genar. We foresaw this day, we trained for this day, we lived for this day. Now, I feel like most of you need to be put up-to-date on some topics if we are to have a serious chance at winning. I’m sure you are all familiar with Mr. Jerome Ony and Mrs. Martha Ony. So far, all you know is they are of extreme importance to the Union. Ladies and gentlemen, it is with uttermost sadness that I have come to know they were killed during the alien invasion.” As he said this, he displayed a photo of Martha’s and Jerome’s bodies on everyone’s MInfo. “But the real problem, ladies and gentlemen, is that they had a son. We have found no evidence that he has been killed. What is the big deal, you ask. He is the reason we had to keep Martha and Jerome safe. He is the single most valuable man on Earth.”. The audience gazed at the General, speechless. They didn’t know what to expect. One of the Captains requested to intervene. “Sir, with all due respect, aren’t you supposed to be the most valuable person?”, “I have still a long story to tell...”