Testing The Waters & Former Friends

Getting everything together, Heskins did a final objective check on the group's list. Only a mere two days since Alice's fight and all the men were in the lobby ready to venture outside with reason. This important list wasn't really that long, however, it portrayed the following goals they had to achieve here before going after Youden:

- Find others that fought against Youden

- Come up with a plan to gain control of the city, as quick as possible

- Generate and compile supplies that will last in the worst-case scenario

- Capture city with the rebels once ready and rush the airport

- Have the civil war and opposition begin, and inspire other areas to join them in reforming back Saputa

"Are you sure this is it?" Heskins looked back at Jamal, who was busy talking to Ula and Laken before heading off. "Or not."

"I mean, it should be the gist of it overall. No need for it to get more complicated." Leon reached his side, causing Heskins to be surprised. "However, I'm quite sure neither of us knows the area that well."

"Yeah, let's hope Jamal and those that were with him know where to look." Heskins watched Jamal and Ula temporarily kiss before the man parted and moved towards the pair of men.

"I'm guessing we're clear to go." Jamal heaved one of the duffel bags they were going to be carrying with them, full of supplies just in case things went awry. "Alright, we'll hopefully be back by tonight guys! Stay careful."

"Bye Pa!" Laken waved erratically towards him, to which Jamal waved back.

"Wait!" a female voice ran out through the hallway, unrecognizable to just about anyone here.

"Who was that?" Brat himself made his voice clear, waiting to get on with the action.

"I'm not even sure myself." Hops was still rubbing his head in pain, still clearly exhausted. "Man, my head hurts."

"You sure you don't want to sit this one out?" Heskins checked the man, "I mean, what were you doing?"

"He'll be fine." Jamal interrupted, watching a bandaged woman move their way. "Right, Hops?"

"I think so." Hops tried to shrug off, before leaning against the wall. "Ugh."

"Yeah, he's fine." Jamal refaced back towards the hallway to see an injured Sera still holding onto her sword, "I'm surprised you're up and about."

"I'm not trying to talk about that right now. I overheard Alice talking about you guys looking for people prior to the battle to fight with us?" Sera questioned.

"You're correct."

"In that case, I want to join you guys."

"For someone that's pretty hurt and visibly weakened, would probably be more hurtful than helpful. I'm rather impressed with the turnaround of attitude."

"Do you want my help or not?" Sera eyed Hops, who was snoring against the floor. "I could take his place?"

"Hops?" Jamal turned around, "Oh, he's taking a power nap right now. He's good."

"Jamal, I highly doubt this man has the energy to even stand up right." Leon noted, "Let's not kid ourselves and actually move on without him. If the woman is good enough, why couldn't she just take his place?"

Looking back at Hops, Jamal could see Hops attempting to shake his head and trembling against the wall, still fighting the urge to stay awake. It almost disgusted him to see him in the condition, but Jamal himself was forcing him to be in this position in the first place. It was disgraceful.

"Fine, if you say you're good then so be it. You'll have to take the face covering off though." Jamal circled around his left eye to show the area.

"I'll be back in a minute. Won't be long." the woman turned around, barely avoiding an enraged Alice who briskly walked down the corridor and almost knocked her down.

"Hops, what did they do to you?" Alice quickly crouched down next to him, who was nodding on and off.

"Train. I must-, must train." Hops whispered as Alice began to grab his arm and place it over her shoulder.

"Hey, don't worry about that right now. I'm here." she attempted to comfort him, before staring at the rest of the men, "As for all of you, you be ashamed of yourselves!"

"It was his own free-will. He wasn't forced to come with us." Jamal shrugged off, as Alice managed to straighten up, "That was just stupid on his part."

"Let me see anyone of y'all treat him like this again, and we'll see what happens!" the male group noted a shine between the serious woman's pupils. "Trust me, you don't want to see that with me."

They all stayed silent without another word as Alice stared back at them intensely for a moment before the shine of her eyes disappeared and looked the other way. Luckily for them, Sera was returning back with a jacket covering most of her wounds, and a slight redness from where the bandage was.

"What was that about?" Sera said, looking back at the couple making their way towards the stairwell.

"It's nothing, we're done waiting around." Jamal opened the door, not willing to make more unnecessary discussion. "We got work to do."

Just with that statement, everyone wasn't too willing to continue onward with the narrative, as the outgoing group slowly filed outdoors. As Brat was about to leave, he turned back to face the silent lobby with only Fonda, Ula, and Laken watching them with a nervous feeling.

"We'll be fine, don't worry!" Brat cracked a smile, seeing Laken smile back, before calmly walking towards the outdoors and potential danger.

.....

Just within the city's sole military base, several of the soldiers on guard watch were currently on break as they were reading over the latest news. At least for one of them, it was a bit surprising of the news that they were all reading at the current moment.

"This has to be some type of prank, Jamal Wrint inside Port-O-Bea? I mean, this is unreal." one of them had said.

"I mean, why don't we ask our officer over there? Surely he's heard of the news by now." another said, before calling him over. "Sir!"

The group watched as their officer stared back, before slowly walking toward them and away from the other group of commanders he was with. Each step quickly alerted the seriousness of the situation, before the man was momentarily staring at all of them.

"What requires my presence men?" the man said with no remorse.

"Have-, have you seen the news?" one of the soldiers trembled as he was slowly handed him the paper.

Without grabbing it, the officer read the major news on the cover. The group just watched before the commander took a deep breath and stared at the sky. It was just coincidental that one of the stationed tarrs was starting to move towards the gate as if hearing the news with them. None of them knew the situation at hand, or how severe it was, but it seemed like it was so.

"I thought it was a one-time report, but more news of it is starting to circulate and witnesses. Jamal Wrint, I welcome you back with open arms, but not in a manner of friendship, but rather a form of hostility." the soldiers opened up, as their officer, Zim Cambino responded with assertion and in a passive-aggressive manner. "This will be quite the reunion men, so let us properly prepare. We need to increase the military presence twofold if we're going to do what needs to be done."