The Plan

Rina rolled her eyes, letting out a sarcastic huff. "Jeez, what a nice person," she muttered, her voice dripping with irony as the team made their way outside, the tension still palpable in the air.

Darius crossed his arms, his expression a mix of annoyance and confusion. "That was honestly very rude. She didn't even give us a chance to contribute."

Kryzius let out a small, embarrassed chuckle, rubbing the back of his neck as if trying to brush off the awkwardness. "Yeah... it was a bit rough," he admitted, though his tone was more thoughtful than upset.

Alex shook his head, clearly irritated. "Captain, the way she was talking to you was not cool! She acted like we're just in the way."

Sara nodded in agreement, her brows furrowed. "I have to agree. She was so blunt... Why didn't you say anything? Stand up for us?"

Kryzius glanced at each of them, taking a moment to gather his thoughts. "Look, I get it—it was frustrating," he began, his tone calm but firm. "But protesting right then and there wouldn't have changed anything. They've been dealing with this mess for who knows how long, and they're probably not thrilled to have outsiders stepping into their territory. We're the newcomers, and they don't know us yet."

He looked at his team, his expression more serious now. "We have to prove ourselves first. If we start fighting back with words, we'll just come off as defensive and disrespectful. We'll earn their respect through our actions, not arguments. We're here to help, not to pick fights." 

His words seemed to resonate, calming the group. Kryzius's reasoning was sound—it was a delicate balance of pride and patience, and right now, they needed to play it smart.

Darius glanced at Kryzius, his eyes searching for guidance. "So, what's the plan? What do we do now?"

Kryzius rubbed his chin, lost in thought. The frustration of Feni's cold demeanor still lingered, and he knew cooperation wouldn't be easy. After weighing their options, he spoke, his voice steady but firm. "Alright, here's how we're going to handle this. Feni didn't give us much to go on, so we'll have to gather intel ourselves. Spread out through the city and start talking to the locals. Keep your ears open for anything unusual—rumors, sightings, anything that feels off. We need to piece together what's really happening."

He turned to Aeti, who had been standing silently by his side. "Aeti, you and I will stay here. We'll keep an eye on the Special Ops and try to pry more information out of them. There's bound to be someone who's more willing to talk, and we need to find out who that is."

Alex nodded, though his expression remained tense. "Got it. We'll dig up whatever we can."

Sara crossed her arms, determination flashing in her eyes. "We'll get to the bottom of this, Captain. They can't hide everything from us."

Kryzius watched as his team dispersed, each member driven by a mix of frustration and determination. "And remember, stay sharp. Don't draw unnecessary attention. We're here to assist, not to cause a scene," he called after them. As he turned back to Aeti, the weight of their situation settled over him like a heavy cloak. "Let's start with the people here. There's always someone who knows more than they're letting on. We just need to find the right angle."

Aeti nodded, her expression unreadable but focused. "Understood, Master. We'll find the answers we're looking for."

Meanwhile in the background, we see Feni as she was looking at kryzius and the others with her deep thought.