PREPARATION.

"Trent remained fixed in place as the evening settled."Good evening Grandfather-in-law." Edward's jaws tensed, a sigh escaping his lips. "What's the purpose of this call?" Trent questioned.

"Is Ella truly on a mission or is she facing danger?". Urging honesty from Trent, who already had an inkling of his impending query but chose silence.

The entire family gathered – Ellis, Rose, Simon, Elijah, and Angel. "She's been taken, but I vow to ensure her safety," Trent assured. Edward felt a pang in his chest, recognizing his granddaughter's jeopardy, fervently hoping he was mistaken. He absorbed Trent's words in silence before concluding the call.

"Grandpa, are you alright?" Ellis inquired, moving closer. "Is Ella out of harm's way?" pressed Elijah. "Grandpa, what's happening?" joined Rose. "Oh no, Ella must be in trouble," fretted Angel. "Oink!Oink." Simon, caught off guard, wished he could vanish as they all stared at him, cheeks flushed with embarrassment."

"Stop it, Simon! It might have been amusing earlier, but we're seriously worried about Ella!" Ellis shouted in frustration.

Simon seethed with anger towards Trent. As his phone rang, he took it as a chance to escape, hurrying to the porch and answering the call with irritation. "After messing up my life, you call," he spat furiously. "Come to HOJ, I'll be waiting," he grumbled, hearing a beep from the other end. "Just great," he sighed, feeling trapped in his situation.

Meanwhile, Mila traversed the vent with his new rat companion, Gus Gus, perched on his shoulder. "Your drawings coming to life nearly gave me a heart attack. Hey, Mila, can you create a wife for me?" Gus Gus pleaded, but Mila disregarded him, leaping out of the large open window and sneaking into the garden from there. Gus Gus persisted with his request for a bride, receiving only silence in return.

Mila began digging the ground when music emanated from Faithia's room, causing him to furrow his brow. "I wonder who's reveling so enthusiastically in life," he mused, glancing at Gus Gus. "Let's find out. Aunt Faithia enjoys music but never this loudly." Mila approached her window, crawling along the wall and hiding amidst the plants nearby. Peeking inside, he observed Faithia twirling, laughing, and dancing, perched on her dressing room chair.

"I've never been happier! Alan is being sent away, giving me the freedom to deal with that bitch," Faithia exclaimed with glee. Mila's expression turned into a scowl. Gripping her left cheek, Faithia hissed in pain. Sensing a wetness, she withdrew her hand, her pupils dilating in horror as she discovered blood and a large sore with worms wriggling on her left cheek in the mirror.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" Mila was stunned by the sight. "What happened to her face?!" Gus Gus yelled in shock. Faithia continued to scream, standing up and then collapsing. "Curse you, Alan! I hope you perish, you scoundrel!" she wailed inconsolably. "I think we have our answer," Mila said, swiftly jumping down. "Aren't we going to do something?" Gus Gus asked, filled with concern. "Yes, we're going to unearth the bones of my deceased pet," Mila replied calmly. Gus Gus's heart began to race. "Why did you kill it?" he asked, a hint of fear in his voice. "Because it pestered me too much," Mila stated with a stoic expression. Gus Gus swallowed hard and shrank back, feeling a sense of unease.

"Trent Gauntlet was in the midst of an upgrade when Simon arrived. "There he is," Trent motioned him over with a wave. "Hi, Trent, thanks for turning my life into a comedy show," Simon quipped as he stood in front of him. "I'm Brian," he added, extending his hand for a shake.

Trent brushed off the gratitude. "No need to thank me. What kind of brother would I be if I couldn't do that small favor for you?" Simon abandoned the topic and shifted gears. "You called for me?"

"Yes, Brian, could you do us a favor and craft a weapon for Simon? He's joining our ranks," Trent said, flashing a smile.

Confusion swept over Simon. "Why would I need a weapon?" he inquired. Trent's usual smirk widened. "You're joining us to participate in a competition called 'war'," he revealed. Simon took a step back in disbelief. "Why didn't you inform me earlier, like a month or a week ago?!" he exclaimed.

Interrupting the tension, Brian asked, "What kind of weapon are you skilled at using?" Trent explained, "He's adept at using gold dust magic." "Ah, got it," Brian nodded, returning to his work. "You still haven't answered my question," Simon reminded Trent.

"Simon, the decision was made by the elders and the king today," Trent explained. Suddenly, the system connected to his gauntlet began beeping. Brian swiftly disconnected it and handed it back to Simon."

"I'm proficient with swords," Simon informed Brian. "Alright, I'll begin designing your weapon."

Trent spotted Chen heading towards the tech lab exit and called out to him. Chen approached with guns in both hands. "Hi, Simon, what do you need me for, boss?" Chen's long black hair cascaded over his shoulders and back.

"You're stuck with Simon," Trent stated before leaving the tech lab with his gauntlet. He spotted Acher, Joel, and Courtois outside and ambled sluggishly towards them.

The junior agents arrived in Willshade to a scene of numerous choppers circling above, buses, and ambulances entering the bustling town. Despite the organization's attempts to keep it under wraps, reporters had discovered the incident, swarming the entire area.

"We're in Willshade, where all citizens have been asked to evacuate their homes," Edward and Ellis observed the female reporter. Elijah descended the stairs.

"I spoke to my father. It seems there's going to be a war between the HOJ and the rogues," Elijah informed the two. Angel also entered the house. "My fake dad isn't answering the call. You were right, Old man Patterson, there's going to be a war."

"And our poor Ella is in the middle of all this," Ellis began to have a panic attack. Elijah rushed to her side, calling out to Rose, who quickly ran downstairs to fetch Ellis's medication.

Old man Patterson had an ominous feeling brewing within him. Meanwhile, back at the hideout, Ephyrus picked up his phone but was interrupted by the hurried clicking of shoes. A red-haired woman entered the room looking worried. She glanced at him in surprise before quickly averting her gaze.

"My Lord, I didn't know you would be here," she stammered.

"Where else would I be?" Ephyrus replied with a seductive smile. The woman continued to look down, fiddling nervously with her fingers. "What's got you all worked up?" Ephyrus asked, his voice low and flirtatious.

"The HOJ agents are evacuating the people of Willshade," she explained. Ephyrus burst into laughter. "So, my son has decided to move this forward," he chuckled, unsettling the red-haired lady.

"Amorah was in her lab, finishing fixing Milli's arm. Milli, still seething with anger, was told, "Calm down, Milli. She's got only two days left to live, let her be as wild as she wants." Hearing this eased Milli's temper. "But what made you visit her room?" she curiously inquired.

"My Lord sent me to check on her energy," Amorah chuckled. "He's suspicious about Elfira transferring her powers to Ella. Whenever I visit Ella, there's always this dark aura surrounding her." Amorah frowned.

Suddenly, Evan and Michael burst into the lab. Amorah glared angrily at them. "What's going on?" she demanded. "The HOJ is in Willshade," Evan announced. "They're relocating the people," added Michael. Amorah and Milli were stunned by the news.

"I need to inform Ephyrus. Where's Genesis?" Amorah questioned the two. "He went to see Ella," Michael replied. Milli clenched her hands in frustration.

Genesis stormed into the room where Ella was being held captive, acting as if it belonged to him. "Mr. Willow," Ella acknowledged his entrance.

"Come on, Ella, let's not dwell on that," Genesis said with a sorrowful expression. Ella rolled her eyes. "Just get to the point. Why are you here?" she asked. "That's why I like you. You know you're bolder than your older sister," Genesis remarked, causing a sense of dread to rise within Ella.

"You were the one tasked with eliminating my family."

"Wow! You catch on quickly." Tears welled up in her eyes.