Let's return to school

There was a moment of calm where nobody couldn't pronounce a word. Among the group of people, Nelson's men were particularly quiet. They were all immobile, surrounding the stack of bodies while staring at them deeply as if they were admiring a painting.

On their side, the other army was completely lost, they didn't know what was going on or why their allies were acting like that after they just won their battle against the outlaws. They didn't stop glancing at each other as if it was the other person who had the answers.

Sania who had enough of this situation discreetly stepped back and, still without drawing the attention, walked toward Volga and Jamal who were a little bit farther away from the crowd plotting alone as their usual. " If I didn't know you, I would think you are dating each other, " she said, once she arrived near enough to being heard, " your woman should be now more worried about her than me ".

Jamal, who was still on his motorbike leaning on Volga's car door, had an embarrassed smile while recalling what happened between her and Lina the day before, during the little party. On her side, Volga, who didn't catch that detail, just smiled happily, " my heart belongs to my beloved Donald and no one else, " she said proudly, which put smiles on Sania and Jamal's faces.

Then, her face changed, becoming a little more serious as she was concerned about the current situation, " what is happening to them? They have been staring at those dead bodies for 5 minutes now ".

" They are just shocked, their situation is quite different from yours as I had the time to warn and accompany you all along the battle but for them... it came too suddenly, " Jamal replied with a sorrowful voice, " what would be your reaction if you have been struggling to heal from a dreadful illness for two years and you wake up one day and you see it's gone and that you are completely fine? "

Sania found herself speechless, she was staring at him quietly and stunned, she couldn't find any words to express what would be her reaction except that she had a feeling that she would be lost. " You see? That's exactly what they're feeling now " he said with a smooth voice and a calm tone as if he had just read in her heart, then, he directed his sight toward the group of soldiers and added, " just give them the time to pull themselves together, it won't be too long before they wake up ".

" Well, enough of contemplation, " Nelson shouted to his men, unintentionally matching the timing with Jamal's words. " Get me rid of these filthy bodies and don't forget to collect from them their weapons and anything valuable, got it? "

" Yes! " they all said in the same loud voice before they dived into the work. They began by placing the corpses in some sort of lines, then, they started collecting their guns and any kind of weapons they had in their hands before they rummaged them to see whether they were carrying valuable things they could take. The other group in front didn't hesitate to go help them as it was obviously not an easy job and more than that there were still some outlaw's corpses some places away they had to rummage.

While they were working on that, Nelson walked toward the three people who were sitting away from the groups, he couldn't stand to meet the so-called Jamal anymore, the man who had fought alone against the outlaws of his hometown and won over them. He also had some other questions he wanted to ask as he didn't expect to see him before the next day.

" Hi! Mister commander, " Jamal started while raising his hand to greet him, " are you doing well? "

" That reckless attack could have cost the lives of many of my soldiers, at that time we were completely exposed, if they... " he paused, shook his head and corrected himself, " no, if even one of them had the guts to shoot... ". Nelson was standing two steps away from Jamal, in a way that the latter, who was still on his motorbike, had to lift his head to look at him. " I've thought you were a great and smart fighter but it seems that what it's said about you was wrong. You're just an irresponsible leader ".

Sania nearly swore to him to defend Jamal but hopefully, he stopped her, before any words could come out from her mouth, by putting his arm in front of her. " Before I respond to you, can you tell why didn't you stand against this plan because if I remember well my teammate here, " he pointed to Sania, " came to expose you my plan and I'm not wrong when I affirm that you totally agreed, right? "

" Yeah... but I didn't think it would be like that... I thought we would gather in the same spot to surround them and crush them... but what you made us do was far more hazardous, " Nelson stuttered a little while he was replying.

Jamal nodded comprehensively before he continued with his calm voice, " well, now let me explain to you why I was so sure that they would have never been able to shoot. First, when we ran toward them they were already too busy fighting against one of our teams in front of them ".

" But they could have turned to fir... "

" Tell me something " Jamal cut him, " if, for example, you were facing enemies in an intense fight but then appeared a huge fire, coming at you from the back, would you stop the fight to try desperately to stop the fire knowing that at the moment you will turn away you will be killed by your enemies or would you rather continue the fight? "

Nelson looked confused, " but anyway, whatever I choose I will die... there's no meaning of... "

" There is because that feeling of 'there is no way I would survive anyway' was an important factor in my plan, so what would you have done? "

" ...I would have continued the fight while waiting for the fire to come to eat me, " he responded honestly, " but that my case, what if there was someone braver or deeply stupid who decided to shoot? "

" To prevent that case I added the fear " Jamal replied causing the man to be more confused.

" Fear? " Nelson repeated while trying to guess what he meant.

" Yes, fear, " Jamal said. He sighed while getting off of his vehicle and he slowly stepped toward him, " what happens to someone so afraid of something that he starts seeing dreadful visions of the death coming at him from the front without any way to escape? "

Nelson couldn't reply, a cold sweat ran down his back while Jamal was walking toward him. When he was just two steps from him, he pulled his knife from its case and approached it slowly to Nelson's heart what scared the three people around him as they gasped quite loudly at the same time. And obviously, Nelson was more afraid than the others as he was the target. As he was delicately putting the tip of the knife on his chest, Jamal stared deeply into Nelson's eyes while the latter was too scared to even move a finger. Even though he just had to step back to get away from him, as Jamal's move was very slow, for him it seemed impossible. He was paralyzed.

Then, in a quick move, Jamal put off the knife and hid it back in its pocket, and with an innocent smile, he declared, " you see? In such a situation combining that with the fact they were already mentally exhausted from these many daily battles with you there was no way for your opponents to run away, let's forget harming you. So... are you more reassured now? "

Nelson looked at him, still with scared eyes, while slowly nodding as his words couldn't come out yet. When Jamal handed him a piece of tissue to wipe out the sweat on his forehead, he found out himself when he extended the arm to take it. It took him a little while before he came back from his state of fear and it seemed the two women needed time too, to calm down as they couldn't stop themselves from staring at Jamal, stunned.

" Well, I think it's about time to go, " Jamal declared after making sure that Nelson completely cooled down, " it even seems like your men have finished the job you have given them earlier ". The commander turned his head and saw that his men were standing away staring at them while waiting for him to finish his talk with Jamal so that he could come to give them the order to leave.

" Yes, you're right. I'm going to tell them that we move right away. You, just gather your soldiers and follow us to our HQ ".

" OK, " Jamal replied before the man headed back to join them.

" I better go call back our troops as he said, " Volga decided spontaneously, " Sania, you can get in the car, seems like Jamal won't let go of his motorbike until we reach our destination, " she said to the young woman while smiling provocatively to him. The latter stared at them and sighed while shaking her head, " you better stop acting like that, you're starting to look like a couple of lovers, " she affirmed before she jumped in the convertible, she then said to Volga, " I don't want to see you getting murdered by his girlfriend because she saw you talking to him a bit too friendly ".

" Stop saying such things otherwise she will end up falling for me, " Jamal said jokingly.

" Impossible, I already told you that my heart belongs to Donald and no one can ever change that, " Volga replied before starting on the car and rolling toward her troops.

Minutes later, they were following Nelson's group to head to their HQ. They didn't take more than one hour. Jamal observed the city and he remarked a few things such as the fact that the city looked more damaged than Short-river, showing that the place of the battle has not always been where they were. " The truth is that the outlaws used to control a larger zone but Montclay's army managed to push them until the zone we were earlier where the outlaws started to get the upper hand before it turned into the balance of forces we knew " Jamal explained to the two women after they interrogated him about it.

" But what happened in that period for the outlaws to suddenly turn the table over Montclay's army? " Sania shouted at Jamal while he was rolling very closely to their car.

" We believe that it was actually their territory so considering it is comprehensible that they became temporarily stronger since they had the advantage of the terrain " he replied while turning the head from road times to times, to glance at them.

Instead of the previous city, the HQ of Montclay's army was a school. Jamal noticed it by reading the plaque hanging on the top of the gate at the entrance which seemed to be capable of unhooking at any time and fall down, by the way, as it was supported by one single nail on a corner.

On the plaque was written 'Raymond Eastwood school', Jamal didn't know who was this Raymond but he must have been really happy that his school became such useful. A high wall was surrounding it and there were some two to four armed guys who were watching it and consequently they were the first ones to notice the cortege of cars coming.

They were already aiming at them with their guns and were ready to shoot when Nelson quickly called to confirm his identity. They, then, opened the gate, and when they entered Jamal noticed that they were staring at them with apprehension, surely because they were not used to see them coming back at such hour and especially accompanied by other soldiers.

Once they parked the vehicles, a group of people came to surround Nelson, as if they were interviewers who wanted to get some words from a personality. Obviously, they all wanted to know what happened for them to return like that. The poor man was submerged by a pile of questions at the moment he came out from his car. They were so insistent that he had to raise his voice.

" Shut up at once! " he shouted, " I will explain everything to you later, but firstly, let our fighters as well as the army, our neighbor city has sent to help us, have some rest! We will have a big meeting within 30 minutes in the gymnasium, but until there leave us alone, that's all! "

He invited Jamal and Volga, whom he had heard to be the actual leader of the army while Jamal was a simple helper, in a room that seemed to use to be the school chairman's office. He sat on the big chair of the director between the desk and the large window while the other two were invited to take the seats in front.

" Well, I call you here to first express my gratitude for the great help you have brought, " he paused and gazed at Jamal, " and also to apologize for the attitude I had earlier, I know that I was supposed to complain and been rude after you just gave us the victory... it's just that I got the habit to be overprotective when it comes to the people I'm in charge of. They... no we have lost many of our comrades and members of our families because of some of my foolish decisions and every day I try my best to protect those remaining, so I hope you will understand that ".

" You're totally excused and to be honest I kinda respect you more because of that, " he reassured him before he continued while glancing at Volga beside him, " I love working with people who care about the people they are in charge of ".

Nelson might have wrongly interpreted that look as he asked " excuse me, are you together... I mean, are you dating each other? "

They both stared at each other and before they could clear the misunderstanding a voice coming from the back responded, " no boss ". Jamal and Volga turned their heads and saw a big bearded guy walking toward them, " this dude, Jamal is the boyfriend of Stainfall's mayor, Lina Lavard if I'm not wrong ".

Jamal stared at him while trying to remember where did he already see him before he suddenly opened wide his eyes as he said, " Pat', right? You were one of the guys who escorted the refugees to Stainfall ".

" Yes exactly, glad to meet you again, " the man replied, then he turned to the young woman and added, " miss Volga glad to see you too ".

" Wait, you know each other? " Nelson asked, a bit surprised.

" Yeah boss, as he said we met each other during my mission to evacuate the non-fighter civilians, you remember? My wife Jess and I had to bring them to Stainfall and I met miss Volga on my way to Stainfall, in their town, they were facing an attack from the outlaws while they also wanted to send there their townspeople so she entrusted me to escort them while they would try to hold the criminals to not attack us, I'm particularly happy to see her alive, I didn't expect her to survive ".

" Next time, my friend, remember that it requires more than that to kill me, " Volga replied, " I'm tougher than I look like ".

" Okay I see, " Nelson said while nodding, " so, each of you dates someone else? "

" Yes," they both confirmed in the same voice.

" Alright, let's talk about something more important, " Volga said as she didn't want to waste any more time, " before we start celebrating the victory, we must inform you that, immediately after the party, we will leave for the next city to help them with their battle and we would want you to ask your men, or rather, those who are willing to continue the fight to join us in this journey. We do not want to force anybody but we would be grateful if you could convince them ".

She stopped and Jamal carried on, " we know that you had already given too much in the war, you've said you had lost many people and you just want to turn the page and offer to your men new peaceful lives. You are responsible for them, we know that, but there are so many other people waiting to be saved too. You saw what we were able to accomplish in the earlier battle and that was thanks to the few people we have brought with us from Short-river so imagine what we could do in the next town if we combine with you all. I'm not saying that it would be quick as what happened here or Short-river but, at least, it would be less difficult, so what do you think, will you agree to convince them? "

Nelson stayed quiet for a while then he glanced up at Pat' who, though he was silent, seemed to say that he was in. Then, he pulled out his finger from the button of the microphone which was diffusing the conversation or rather Volga and Jamal's speeches to the whole school without them noticing. He stood up and walked toward the door, he told them " mister Jamal, miss Volga, you better ask them yourselves, " before he opened the door. A bombardment of screams and acclamation invaded the office, they heard the soldiers shouting " Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! " while Nelson was proudly looking at his two guests. " it seems like they agree to join you to continue the fight and of course I'm in too " he declared.