Looking For A Fight

Some time passed after Matt's execution.

While Shade hadn't murdered Matt, he was first beaten in front of everyone before being locked in TEC's prison. It was a brutal beating, and many feared making the same mistakes as him.

And there was a clear message to everyone: No one crosses Shade.

With Matt imprisoned, it would only be a matter of time until members from THE discover that their rat's been caught. Shade understood the severity: once THE is highlighted as co-conspirators, then war between both rebel factions will commence.

He sat in his chair and stared at the plan of action in his office while Aiden, Nia, and Stanley waited for him to say something. The room was filled with anticipation, tension, and something sparking between them.

The different emotions were quite evident in their expressions.

But partially, one's aura felt like wrath. Aiden stood there, his body stiff, his arms crossed over his chest, and his eyes in a volcano of fury.

"You should've told me..." he said, trying his best to control his tone in front of his boss, but his hands involuntarily clenched by his side.

Shade looked over at him, sighed slowly, and replied, or more like asked, "And what would you have done?"

Aiden frowned and looked at Shade's eyes through the mask. "I don't know," he sighed. "But he was my best friend, Shade. My brother." He let out a hollow chuckle and shook his head. "You truly didn't think I deserved to know."

The chair creaked as Shade leaned against it; he sighed and said, "I needed proof. If I had come to you with nothing but suspicion, would you have believed me?"

Aiden's jaw tightened; he was silent till he admitted, "Probably not."

The admission didn't make it easier.

Matt had been Aiden's shadow for years. If Shade had approached him before capturing Matt, Aiden would have fought tooth and nail to defend his best friend. But now, after the interrogation, after seeing Matt spill every secret to THE, there was no room left for doubt.

"He was a coward," Aiden said. "He did what he thought was best for himself. I get that."

"Do you forgive him?" Shade wondered.

"I… I do, yes. He was still my best friend."

"Good," Shade said, lowering his tone. "It would be problematic if you were blinded by resentment."

Aiden just scoffed, "Blinded? Resentment is just a weapon people use against others." He was frustrated, but his voice held something else beneath it, probably hurt, betrayal, and grief.

Before Shade could respond, another voice cut in.

"That's not what he meant," Nia said from where she stood near the door. She had been listening quietly until now, but the conversation had clearly reached its breaking point. "Shade isn't saying you shouldn't care. He's saying not to let it control you."

Aiden turned around and glared at her. "And what do you expect me to do, Nia? Just move on?"

'Gosh...' Shade turned back towards the board.

"No," her tone was firm as she walked towards him. "I expect you to remember that you're still standing. That TEC is still standing. And if Matt's betrayal shakes you this badly, then what happens when someone else you trust turns?"

Aiden flinched seeing this stern side of Nia and how true her words were.

Her tone softened as she walked in front of him and placed her hands on his shoulders. "Look, Aiden... I know it hurts, losing someone that close. It makes you question everything. But if you let it get to you, you're only going to make more mistakes.

He ran a hand through his hair, muttering, "Yeah, well, I don't exactly know what to do with all this."

Silence filled the room. Shade looked over at them, thinking it was finally over so he could discuss the plan, but the tension was still there – suffocation.

He opened his mouth to speak, but Stanley was faster: "You bury it."

Shade rolled back to the board. 'Not yet...'

"What?" Aiden asked, turning to Stanley.

"You bury it," he repeated calmly on the sofa. "You take your anger, that betrayal, and you put it somewhere useful. You let it make you sharper and stronger, and you don't let it rot you from the inside out, kid."

Aiden stared at him like he was joking, but then realized, with a shaky breath, he said, "And what if I can't?"

Stanley smirked faintly. "Then you don't belong here."

The words were blunt and brutal, but they held care instead of malice and a quiet truth.

Aiden's jaw tightened, his fists now white, but he exhaled all of the anger and frustration out. He then stepped back and turned towards Shade, being much calmer and tamer now.

Sensing his gaze, Shade turned in his chair.

"You knew this would happen," Aiden said. It wasn't a question—it was a realization.

Shade met his gaze. "I knew it would hurt. But I also knew you could handle it."

Aiden let out a bitter chuckle. "That makes one of us."

Before Shade could respond, the office door slammed open. Venn almost fell as he stumbled inside, breathless. "THE is outside the base!" he panted.

Everyone's expression visibly hardened instantly.

"How many?" Shade asked as he pushed himself out of his chair.

"A lot," Venn said between heavy breaths. "And they came ready."

Stanley sighed; he stood to his full height and did a slow stretch. "Well, that didn't take long," he muttered.

Nia's face darkened, but he instantly reached for her earpiece and said, "I'll get everyone ready and in position."

Shade came in front of the desk as he fixed his clothes and tightened his mask a little. The time for talking was over.

He was going to discuss an invasion strategy against THE, but it seems they decided to do the honors themselves here. And at TEC's home ground—a big mistake on THE's part.

Aiden, despite everything, was already rolling his shoulders. The fright settled in his bones.

"You all coming?" Shade asked everyone as all four of them looked at him.

Aiden cracked his knuckles and said, "I'm pissed off and looking for a fight."

"Definitely," Stanley's face fitted a dangerous smirk. "Wouldn't miss it for the world."

"Of course you all won't survive without my guidance," Nia said as she strolled out with a smile.

Venn nodded and said, after catching his breath finally, "Yeah, I have a promise to keep, you know."

All of them looked, waiting for the one man's answer to truly get things started. Without even hesitating, Shade said, "Then let's go."

And with that, TEC prepared for war.