"Haven't I done enough? Oh I've done enough but it's never enough. He's the reason why it's never enough! He's taking everyone from me expecting me to just sit and watch all that. I want my family back! I want him to fucking confess that he is keeping the one person away from me that I can do anything for! I want him to suffer in pain for snatching my happiness away from me!"

***********************

"Have fun." Neil said.

"Yeah." I replied disinterested. The fact that Yazan escaped irked each cell of my body even weeks after that failed mission.

"I told you James, you did what you could. You brought them all out without a scratch unlike me. Yazan is alive and that's bad but so are your men which is good. Don't worry. My birds are looking for him. He will return to the Kingdom one day and I'll gather as much information as possible. He'll soon be out and you can make the next move carefully. Till then you plan how to make the lady and Nick happy. And for God's sake, go easy on that boy. He hates you already!" Neil said.

"I'll try. Keep me updated, man. My guts are twisted right now." "I will. Stop thinking about it now. I don't want to see a sulking face tomorrow. Go pack." He said and cut the call.

I was dying to take his help for this mission. But there were just too many red tags on both of us that I couldn't. Talking to him today for the first time after he left without a goodbye - I felt both happy and hurt.

Flynn was facing difficult time at KMA. He had eyes over him all the time, it must have felt suffocated. He was not allowed to move around anywhere in the city without permission or step outside his workplace and room. He couldn't call anyone for the fear of his identity coming out in the open. He would get irritated that he can't even workout. I can't imagine how he was breathing in such a toxic environment.

I think more than the cadets, he looks forward to this half yearly leave. And his holidays start tomorrow. This would be his second freedom break since he got virtually jailed. I didn't contact him for the first time, being extra cautious. But this time I had to talk to him. It was getting too much for me to handle alone.

Luckily, I'll be able to meet him tomorrow outside Kravendale ofcourse, before we go on our ways. Now that I know that he's off Yazan's radar, I'll be relieved.

That mission for Yazan was a big screw up on my part. If Neil was there, Yazan would be in Interrogation Hall right now, and not a free bird. Man I miss working with him.

I took a deep breath and exhaled. Neil will take care of Yazan. His birds are just too good. After packing my luggage, I called my girl next.

"Can't wait to kiss you." I started off and got her lovely laugh in return.

"I can't wait to wreak you." She said and it was my turn to laugh.

I heard Nick's voice in the background. "What's my boy ranting?" "He wants to go to Lake Weswik. He's been asking me for three days." "I'll take him there." I replied confidently.

"Are you.. sure..?" Merlen asked like she didn't believe it either.

"Time to spoil my son. And my girl. I'll take both of you on a trip." "That's great, J! It will be so great!" She chirped happily and I felt like an ass. All she needed was some attention and I couldn't give it to her all these years.

***************

"So? What are you planning to do to your boy this time?" I didn't miss his 'don't kill him'.

"I'm going to give him a surprise." I say grinning to myself.

"What surprise?" Neil asked with eyebrows raised.

"Taking him to Lake Weswick." "Really? It's beautiful! And so serene!" Neil sounded so happy. That was odd considering his state.

"You've been there?" "Yes! With fire! It is such a peaceful place-"

"WHAT?" I shouted loudly turning a few heads towards us.

"What the Fuck did you just say?" I repeated my question while Neil sat with his eyes shut in embarrassment. He tried to distract me. "James you're swearing again-" I stomped my glass of beer on the table and got up angrily.

"Okay okay. Your wish. I.." "I heard her name, so don't you dare lie to me! You've been going around with Lauret and not even once did you care to tell me!"

Neil and Lauret got back into touch and have been to a freaking lake! And he kept it hidden from me. I didn't know whether I was angry or jealous or both. Fucker had his best friend watching his back and his lover next to him while I had none for last one year!

"I.. James.. Please understand. I didn't want, Infact she didn't want to tell this to anyone. Even lady Merlen doesn't know about this. We just wanted to spend some time together. She was having a tough time at work and I was on leave. So.. you know.. we just met and then went back to our own ways.." Neil was trying his best to explain me.

I was holding my laugh and putting on a fake angry face. "Neil.. I did not expect that from you." God forgive me for teasing his soul like this.

"I know I know. I'm sorry.. You did everything to keep me alive. You had all the right to know about it. I would have told you too, but she insisted I don't. And you know.. words of a lady.. I'm messed up. Just forgive me okay?"

I sniggered into my sleeve while he turned around, not having the strength to look into my eyes. "Forgive you for a fling?" I said knowing damn well that will get him off.

"Watch your words, boy." As expected, his tone changed drastically.

He must not have even touched Lauret and I'm accusing him to be selfish and alluring her into having sex with him.

"What else is this? You meeting her, keeping it private.. What's all this? Who knows what happened between you two? What else should I call this?" I said sternly using his own move at him.

"You don't trust me? I would never do that! I would never play with her life, James!" "Then why raising her hopes? Why making her get close to you when you're going to push her away? Clearly you don't care that she'll be hurt."

Neil didn't say anything. I knew he was torn. Just like I was back in my time. "Your oath is the stupidest shit that can hold anyone back from living his life."

"You're crossing lines." "Atleast I'm crossing some line. You're stuck there like a pussy! Damnit Neil! You almost destroyed your life for others! Now use this second chance that you've got!"

"Meeting you and my team was not destruction." he replied sternly.

"But not being able to live with your family and be the deserving king, is destruction." "I never wanted to be the king." He said and I took a few moments to let it sink in.

What did he just say? "What?" "I didn't want to rule people. I want to be with the people. I empathise with them." This time his tone was soft.

"And what empathy were you feeling by bossing over your juniors and being a heartless killer in the army?" "It's still better than ruling over the innocent ones. Atleast I was killing and working with those who were willing to die sooner."

"Well it's safe to say you top that list, don't you? Willing to die sooner." I snapped back at him.

"I have my reasons, James. You know that." "Yes I do. But what I don't know is- who's the hostage."

"What hostage?" He turned to me in an urgency and was dead serious.

"You tell me. Which member of Yazan's family have you held hostage that he wants to kill you while you confess about the same?" I asked him slowly placing each word one after the other as his expressions changed.

"I knew you didn't come empty handed from that mission." "I expect you to get to this point straight away."

"I... There's no hostage... We're equal after Zahra's death. I don't know what else he wants from me." He turned around looking away from me.

"You exactly know what he wants from you. Either it's not in your power to give it back to him, or you don't wish to." He turned to me angrily "You know nothing, James. Don't try to dig in this matter. Stay out of this."

"I know just enough, Neil. A little more and I won't have to ask you anything. For your peace of mind, I didn't try to dig this info out. Yazan was screwed up enough to say it all himself. But for the time being, you're not his target anymore." "What do you mean?"

"He thinks you're dead." "What? How...? They announced me MIA."

"I told him I killed you because you went rogue. That because your revenge wasn't complete, you wanted to break more rules and put more of our lives in danger. That because you had become unstoppable, you had to be put down. And I did it myself. He bought the lie. For now." Neil just kept looking at me blinking.

"I don't know how to react to this." He said after a few moments.

"Exactly my point. Don't react. Don't come out in the light till I finish him. Just stay down. And for God's sake if you have any other enemy that's planning to come to me, tell me now." He looked down ashamed.

"I'm sorry James. I just placed everything on your head. It was better if I died and everyone would see it with their own eyes. You wouldn't have to do all this." "That was not your decision to make. That was mine. And the discussion about you being better dead or alive is long over so suck it up. The least you can do to pay me back is listen to me." I replied sternly.

He opened his mouth to answer back but I raised my eyebrows and he got the message clearly - shut the fuck up.

"I'm listening." He said. There. Better.

"I thought your business was over the moment you killed Zahra. But I now know that it's far from over. You have, Infact, started a war where all of us are fighting on your behalf without you even being there. And no, you dying wouldn't have been the solution. Yazan would have gone for someone else amongst us just to make peace in his mind and complete his revenge for losing his family. Neil - your life is in danger if he comes to know that you're alive. And the next up in his list would be me and YOUR men. I won't force you to tell me everything about your and his past, but I deserve to know everything that matters to all of us. You'll be the best judge as to what will put them in danger and probably you'll be the first one to know about it too. I want you to tell us when that happens. Your classified info should not cost us any more life. Am I clear?" The chief in me was wide awake and the thought of 'Charles' happening again was unacceptable for that chief.

He just nodded and looked down. None of us said anything for a few minutes. The heat of my anger was palpable.

"Are you safe here?" I asked when my mind cooled down a bit.

"I guess." "What are your birds telling you." I know he's got new birds at KMA. I have no doubt about that.

"Nobody suspects that I'm Neil. I was being hunted before Flynn arrived but no one put two and two together. All they think is that I'm a thief in civil who has been sent here instead of being jailed. That's why they're treating me such." I laughed at that.

"If only they knew what all and how smoothly can you STEAL things from right under their noses, they'd really jail you." I scoffed. That made him smile too.

"So how did you manage to meet Lauret with all this?" I came back to the point where I was.

"They don't bother me once I proceed on leave. All they care is that I don't break any rule inside those four walls. They won't bother if a truck runs over me right outside KMA. The birds kept my track clean once I got out. She had done the bookings a day before. I didn't even have to show my ID." "That's good. What's her view on you being MIA and then coming out to her? How did you get back to her in the first place?"

"She had visited KMA along with senior doctors to conduct lectures and demonstrations. She looked at me when I came to serve and realised that it was her. I didn't come out again. At the end of the meal when I thought everyone left, I came out to find her still sitting there waiting for me. Even with all the changes from my head to toe, she recognised me in that one glance." "Damnit!"

"I tried to stay low and maintained my distance. She asked me if I can join the commander and the visitors in the bar. Who was I to refuse a guest's request. That too a lady. I stayed there till morning, serving them drinks after drinks, while she talked about one of her friends who she felt really happy with, but had to leave because of her work and wished she could meet again. I got the hint. Then she casually talked to me as the bartender and asked about my leave. I knew where this was leading. Cutting short the rest, I left for the location she told me that night without a second thought." He said smiling to himself.

"I see. I was right all along. Now you have to agree that you love her." This idiot needs to realise this right away!

"I don't." He replied sternly again and I face palmed. God someone put some sense in him.

"Neil. Atleast accept the fact that you have feelings for her- feelings that you don't have for any of your men?" This may sound like a joke but he knew exactly what I meant. That's why none of us laughed. Instead, he just pressed his lips and gave a light nod.

"Yes.. But I.. My valazire will kill her if... Dah! I hate myself for being so helpless!" Neil smacked his hand on the counter.

"I used to think you are a wise man. But right now, you're being the dumbest! No man is strong enough to escape love. And rare are the lucky ones who get it back. So you're a dumb and a lucky man. Now stop blaming yourself for letting the beautiful feeling get in your heart. It's not making you helpless. It's making you a human."

"You sound like such a cupid right now." "Whatever you want. Now tell me when are you going to tell her?"

"Never. And before you give it a name, I'm NOT doing a fling." He defended himself.

I laughed at his stupidity. "You need to tell her, Neil. Otherwise you'll be more miserable than you're now."

"It won't affect me later. It's just that I'm acting like a teenage boy right now - falling for a pretty girl, letting my hormones control me." "Oh let me just confirm that. Which teenage boy makes her pretty girl stay safe by appointing secret bodyguards? How many are there keeping an eye on her? Two?"

He looked at me as if I caught him stealing. Then he looked down with a small smile on his lips. "Four." he said. "Damn. Double. And you call yourself teenager. I'll punch you!" He chuckled.

"What's holding you back? That uncle back home? He probably won't be able to fly till here, forget fighting or anything." He jerked up and looked at me angrily.

"He's not weak. My valazire is the strongest man I've ever seen." "You need to stop being his fan first!"

He looked down again. "I don't have any option, James. If I marry her, she'll die." "And if you don't, you'll die daily. Come on, man!"

"Better than her dying." "Screw it! Let me talk to this old man. I'll put some sense into his brain. That he has no business over someone's life - someone who left their god forsaken kingdom for good!"

"Don't even think about it!" "Then you talk to him. It's either you or me."

"James please. You don't know him." "Alright then we talk to your king."

"No way." He looked hard into my eyes this time.

"Neil he's your father at the end of the day. If he doesn't hear you out, who else will? After all you're living exactly how you were told to. You haven't even broken any rule since then! What's the harm in just explaining things to him? What if he understands and makes it a little easier for you, using his authority?" "He won't."

"But why?" I was really pissed at the negativity.

"Firstly because a King's order is for life. Second - he's not the king anymore." He replied turning around.

"What? Then who is the king right now?" "My brother, King Haneul. He was crowned an year ago." He said looking down.

What? An year ago?! He must have definitely wanted to witness his brother becoming the king. Fuck his restrictions!

"Does he have the power to take off the restrictions your father imposed on you?" I asked and he looked at me bewildered.

"Are you out of your mind?" "Does he, or does he not?" I had hope and I knew I'm going in the right direction.

"He does. But he will never. Nobody will ever! A King's order is for life. Whether previous or new! I will never ask him to do that! You're making me commit a sin!" He was defensive as heck.

"Just like you did to me! I never smoked a cigarette in my life. I swore not do!" "That was different! That was for your own good!"

"And this is for yours!" "I'm not calling him. I haven't heard his voice all these years. I'm not going to just appear out of nowhere and ask him a favour! I love him to death but I'll rather stay away forever than do this!"

"You haven't talked to him all these years? And he never called you either? Let me guess - orders?" He nodded in pain.

I punched the same platform he slammed a few minutes ago.

"James.. Listen to me. I can't ask him to do this." "No. You listen to me. You make the call."

"I won't call the king." "You'll not call Haneul. You'll call Ansel. Tell him you want to go back and meet the king and try to make things right. But you want to know whether he will spare you if the king allows." I deadpan.

"I'd rather die." He said and got up and started walking away.

He thought he'll get away by doing that. Little did he know that it's me who is hell bent on changing his miserable life, specially now that I got a lead. I have ONE friend in my life and he wants to rot in any hell he reaches. I can't sit and watch that. I am where I am because of him. And I'll take him where he deserves to be.

"You have few seconds to choose your words." I said as I dialled his Valazire's number and it started ringing almost instantly. The number was not that difficult to find in his contact list. He doesn't need to know how I decoded the password of his phone. I know him enough now.

Neil realised what I did and ran towards me. Luckily, he was late. The call had been picked up and a ruffled heavy voice came- "Hello?"

************************************

Have you held your breath too? Well same. ANSEL IS ON LINE! FIRE IN THE HOLE! 💀💀

This reunion was much needed. And glad to see their friendship hasn't changed much. If only, it has become better than before. They confide in each other more now.

And LAURET FARREL! Fire and Neil are together? My heart!!

Next update is going to be a roller coaster! And it will be out soon 😉

Votes and Comments are welcome.