WHITE

Eighty looked at the handshake and after much contemplation took it, but still had her guard on for any unwanted movement that may come from him," I'm Eighty."

Twenty's smile suddenly grew wider and he nodded at her to acknowledge her name. After the handshake ended both were suddenly thrown into an awkward silence, but it didn't last as it was diffused by Eighty asking the obvious question in her heart.

"...umm why did you help me just now?"

"....Well I just wanted to be a knight in shining armor, saving the beautiful damsel." He answered cheesily, which earned him an eye roll from Eighty and a deadpan expression telling him to be serious.

Raising his hand in a you caught me gesture," Ok, truth be told when everyone sees a sweet delicate girl, I see your strength and a formidable Neo who is simply being underestimated."

A little blush crept up Eighty's cheek, with her wondering how Twenty knows her so well. Being the youngest person taken by PAX, she had always been underestimated even by her sister who always tried to protect her at any cost.

She hated that, hated being seen as just a child who needs protection, she hated being seen as vulnerable and now finally there's someone who doesn't see her in such a light

She didn't let the praise affect her reasoning though, "where are you going with all this?"Five asked with her hand folded around her chest.

"I want us to form a team and try to survive this, after that we can try to kill each other." Twenty replied.

"I don't have time for that " Eighty scoffed.

"What do you have time for then?"

"I'm looking for my sister"

"I can help you look for her, but I don't think there is much you can do today again." Twenty pointed to the sun which had already started to set making Eighty realize that the day had ended.

*

*

Five and Forty-Four were lucky enough to have found shelter before night fully settled in.

They found a cave nestled in a small hillside, with a narrow entrance that's partially hidden by overgrown shrubs and tall grasses.

The cave itself is fairly shallow, with a low ceiling that's only a few feet high. The walls are rough and uneven, with jagged rocks jutting out at odd angles.

The air inside the cave is cool and damp, with a faint smell of earth, vegetation, and animal urines.

Despite its small size, the cave feels cozy and sheltered with a sense of quiet and solitude.

"Give me the rifle, take a rest I will keep watch for the first half of the night. " Five said to Forty-Four, who didn't bother to say anything back, 'cause this was the most reasonable thing to do in such a situation.

He unstrapped the rifle on his back and threw it to Five and then made his way to the end of the cave and lay down while munching on an energy bar.

Five took the sniper rifle and positioned himself at the entrance of the cave by lying down flat with the rifle facing ahead and his eyes on the telescope which had infrared technology on it for visibility in the night.

He completely blended with the night, as the grass-covered him, the only movement coming from him was his subtle eating of one of the energy bars he took from the Neo he fought with during the day.

His mind couldn't help but drift, to the Fight he had with the Neos during the day and he realized that it was easy to defeat them, except for the inconvenience of their powers. It seemed the Neos weren't as almighty as they thought.

*

*

In an unknown location, the room is dimly lit, with heavy curtains drawn over the windows to block out sunlight and moonlight.

The walls are painted a deep shade of blue, giving the space a somber feel. In the center of the room sits a large wooden desk, with a man seated behind it

He's dressed in a crisp white suit and trousers, with a white tie knotted neatly at his throat. This was the same man who wasn't a hologram in the meeting room nine years ago. He is known as White a mysterious figure in PAX, who none has ever seen before except some few Zeros.

Though there were rumors that he was the first Neo and the founder of PAX.

His face still retained the same expression as usual, stern and focused. His eyes were fixed intently on the painting behind his desk, backing the laptop screen in front of him.

The laptop is opened to a video chat currently going on. The room was quiet except for the sound of White's voice and the person on the video chat with him who was no other person but Blue Zero.

"What's the total number of survivors left?" White asked in a somber tone.

"83, Sir" Black Zero responded with a respectful tone, which no one has ever heard him with, "This number is expected to drop by dawn because most of them are still active at night."

"What about the Expendables, did anyone show remarkable feat."

"Except for one sir, who managed to defeat a fire-wielding Neo by himself, the others either lost or banded together to do so."

Hearing that, a minuscule glint of surprise appeared in his eyes for only a second as he asked," What's his number."

"Five sir," Black Zero answered immediately with no hesitation, but after a little contemplation, he deemed it fit to add. "Though he managed to defeat a Neo, he isn't the one that killed him."

"Hmmm," White acknowledged and continued, "Just keep an eye on him, you are dismissed."

Black Zero saluted and the chat ended, making the room fully quiet once again, leaving White alone with his thoughts.

His eyes never left the painting he had been staring at the whole time, which was of a young man in black camouflage.

No one knew this, but unlike everyone else White doesn't care about the Neos, even if his a Neo himself.

He knew without their powers, compared to the Expendables, no one regarded they were nothing. For example, when it comes to combat and weapon usage, the Expendables were far more trained and experienced cause that's basically what they rely on always to survive.

Their survival wits were off the charts and that's all that is needed out there in the real world.

Unlike the Neos, no matter how they try not to, they eventually grow reliant on their powers and PAX never seems to care about this as the Neos were trained more to develop their powers than their combat skills

And unlike anybody else, he knew firsthand from experience what that can do in a real life and death situation, what will happen to you if you deplete your mental strength in a real battle.