QLSolutions was an up-and-coming company-a rising star in many fields-but not a lot of people knew its CEO had almost driven the company to the ground.

In fact, no one had known how bad the company's finance was until it got audited. Turned out, besides millions of krones QLSolutions had owed with back tax and bad loans, its CEO had also been lying to the shareholders for months about how profitable the company actually was.

After the news of QLSolutions being in the red came out, the company's stocks became worthless overnight. Herman Lang, the CEO, had some choices. He could either file for bankruptcy and step down, sell the company, or find a way to pay back all debts. The man didn't want to let go. QLSolutions had been Herman's brainchild since the day he graduated from college. His blood and tears had been poured into it, but Herman also couldn't pay the debts.

In the middle of that storm, a blessing had been bestowed upon Herman Lang.

For years, everyone had heard about the conflict, or more like a full-blown war, between General Fernando Castillon and two other generals, Regan and Stanley Hansen. The Hansen brothers came from a long line of politicians and businessmen. The older one, Regan, had wanted to run against Castillon for a long time.

The Federation, at its core, was a dictatorship. To sit in the Citadel's Red Office, one needed a strong military background and the support of all the top generals. Regan had control over many with his unlimited pocket and influence, but some still refused to come to his side.

Castillon had been in power for decades. Many of his loyal subordinates were in core positions. Many owed him favors throughout their careers. Defeating Castillon was as challenging as uprooting a giant tree with bare hands.

When Crow's people attacked Nova Aria, one of the Federation's major cities, the demand for clocyn skyrocketed. Clocyn was the heavy metal used in almost everything. It could only be extracted from a handful of mines around the country. The Hansen brothers had been fighting with Castillon for years over the right to control them, but everyone knew it was time for a substitute.

Herman Lang had promised the generals he could deliver something like that. This could be the most genius or stupid plan Herman Lang had come up with. Either way, he was desperate. His intention was to make something similar to clocyn, knowing it could be costly and nearly impossible. He only needed it to be close enough to fool everyone, then sell it to whichever party paid the higher price while getting a few extra favors from both sides to get his company out of the hot water.

Little did Herman know, Castillon had come to me.

Zedlum, or Element Z as we called it, was a synthetic element that my team had accidentally created. It would've been a 'happy accident' if it didn't get me visual impairment, but that was a story for later.

The element was highly active and unpredictable in its natural form. It had all the characteristics of clocyn, plus more. The potential was unlimited if we could find a way to effectively control it. Needless to say, Herman was happy out of his mind.

***

"...Z is not really ready. We need a little bit more time to fully understand it."

Across the giant desk, General Castillon leaned back in his chair and looked at me through the curtain of smoke. His whole office always smelled like expensive cigars. I still didn't understand why he asked for me specifically every time, but I didn't ask-as long as they paid me extra.

"Time...That, I'm afraid I don't have, son."

The pair of sharp brown eyes drilled into me, freaking me out a little, and I was not the type to get freaked out easily. It felt like I was looking into my own eyes, only thirty years in the future. That thought was so absurd that it almost made me laugh out loud.

"Sometimes, you do remind me of her, you know?" The general suddenly said, throwing me for a loop.

"Who...What are you talking about?"

General Castillon looked at me as if he wanted to peel my facial skin off to see me better. For a moment, he looked determined. Then his face softened. Saddened, even. The man was lost in his thoughts. He didn't see me anymore, only someone else through me.

"I wish you could resemble her more, but instead...." He chuckled and shook his head.

I was perplexed, but it was one of those things that even when I didn't fully understand it, I could feel it. Something was wrong and I was unsure if I wanted to know what.

"I don't know what you're talking about, sir, but if there's nothing else I can do for you, I should go. It's rather late..."

"Please, son...Just let me finish."

Castillon leaned forward and grabbed my hand. His grip felt like a plier. I didn't know what the great general, who I only had seen on TV wanted with me, but a mysterious force held me in that chair and made me listen to him.

It was a classic story of what one would do for power. Fernando Castillon had not always been the five-star general and the Federation leader who commanded thousands and scared his enemies out of their skin. He once had been a twenty-something-year-old private with a young wife and a newborn son whom he had to support. Life had been difficult but happy for the most part until the day a senator's daughter laid eyes on him. Castillon had seen a way to achieve all of his lifetime's dreams and goals, so he had quickly ditched his old family for a new one that could help him climb the political ladder.

I sat there and listened while picturing vividly the day my mom and dad-who now I knew was my stepdad-died. Shortly after, it was my grandparents. Those were the last memories of my childhood. After that, it was just days, weeks, months, and years of shuffling through the motions, passing from one house to the next, without a place to call home.

I had thought, after all these years, it didn't matter that much anymore, but it did. It stung like hell.

I stood up abruptly, making the chair I was sitting on fall backward. My clenched fists were shaking. I wanted to deny what the man had said, but when he opened the drawer and pulled out a black and white photograph of a young couple and a baby, there was nothing I could say.

"I didn't mean to upset you or interrupt your life, Robert." Castillon caressed the old picture as if it was the most valuable thing in the world, "I just want a chance to make it right. I was not there when you grew up, but I'm here now. I want to go public with the information about you and your mom. It is long overdue..."

"Don't! Don't talk about me or my mom. You don't know us. You were never a part of our lives. She's dead, and I don't need you to do anything for me."

I grabbed my folder and staggered toward the door, leaving the man who clearly still had things to say behind. My phone rang. I looked at the screen. It was Lou.

***

I waited for the SUV that took Vince and Lou to get far enough before driving out of the hospital's parking garage. Vince's RV was a monster. Hard to look at, harder to drive.

My heart still beat out of rhythm. More than physical weariness, I could feel the weight that had crushed me since day one.

Many people would kill to be related to Castillon, but I would rather be anything than his son. It had brought me nothing but pain.

Lou hated me. It was a fact. I had thought I was fine with that until recently. I should've just stayed away as I had always done. That would've been better for everyone.

I had to meet Castillon today and listen to what he said one last time. The man sounded like a nervous wreck on the phone. After that, I would be done. There was nothing anyone could do about Element Z now. I just hoped Castillon was smart enough to stay away from it.

After two hours, I arrived at his office in the Citadel. Outside looked the same as ever. Walnut double door and marble walls. Beautiful and intimidating. The crystal chandelier lightly shook with the movements of heavy tanks nearby.

"Come on in." Castillon opened the door himself just enough for me to squeeze in. His secretary was nowhere to be found. The permanent frown on his face seemed to deepen.

"They are gone," he wiped his mouth, staring blankly at the computer screen in front of him, "Barker, Castro, and Parsons' signals have been off since last night. Now I've just lost Norris and... uhm, Haynes."

Castillon peeked at me. I knew it was a slip of the tongue, but it didn't matter. I heard the name loud and clear.

"I know what you think, son," Castillon smacked his lips, "But the Haynes kids are most likely fine! Even if they're not, and that's unlikely, there's nothing you can do for them now. They're not your responsibility. I have arranged a flight. You're coming with me."

[12873]