I was pushed into a black helicopter that parked not too far behind the cabin. The mercenary who carried General Haynes dumped that poor man in the seat next to me, buckled him up, and then turned to me and attempted to do the same. I resisted.

"Settle down!" He smacked me across my face with the headset.

The hit blinded me for a second. My ears rang as if a thousand bells went off in them at once.

"Be gentle, boy." Meg sounded lazy from the front seat. "We don't want to damage 'em."

"You're lucky," the mercenary mumbled and sat down opposite me.

The helicopter went airborne. I looked down through the acrylic glass window. The cabin became smaller and smaller until it was nothing but a speck in a sea of waving grass. The sight reminded me of when we first got here, only in reverse. I could still see Lou and her tearful eyes. My heart sank at every horrible possibility of what could happen to her when she was tied down with those men.

Helpless. They all were.

I put Lou, Vince, Charlie, and Edgar in this situation.

When would this nightmare ever end? Could I see them again?

Meg turned around with a huge smile, interrupting my self-blaming session. "Smile, boy! We're on a trip! Pum, pa-rum, pa-rum..."

Her obnoxious singing and drumming drilled into my ears, turning my already unsettling stomach upside down. I closed my eyes and tried to block out the noises, but it was damn near impossible thanks to the headset that was glued to my head. My hands were still bound.

In the most hopeless moment, my frustration took the shape of a man who was behind all this.

General Fernando Castillon. My so-called father.

He had destroyed every chance I got of having a normal, happy life. Now, he was ready to do the same to millions of other people. I wanted to curse my fate for being related to that man, but what was the point?

I wondered if our sabotage attempt back at the company's headquarters had been a success. If the damage we had left behind was enough to stop the war machine. We couldn't double-check. I couldn't even stand on my own two feet in the end.

What a shame.

I looked out at the vast ocean, and all I could think about was how strange that the sun still came out. It would be a clear, beautiful day today, as clear as we could get in this unstable climate, but how could everything look so bright and normal when the world that we knew was in a shamble?

As bad as it seemed, however, I couldn't hold back a splinter of hope.

It isn't the end. It can't be.

Meg carried on with her songs. It was the only form of torture that she submitted me to, fortunately. The mercenary facing me had not moved an inch since, so it was easy to pretend that he didn't exist.

Unlike when we had tried to escape from the Diomede, the returning trip took less than an hour it seemed. I watched the ship's gigantic body slowly emerge from the sea fog as we descended. It was a formidable beast as I remembered, but its stern was covered in a sky-high column of smoke.

I did that. A strange sense of pride and achievement crept up in my chest.

The helicopter finally landed. Meg and her goons dragged me out before a soldier came running over with a stretcher.

"The General is waiting," he informed us.

The mercenaries helped him put General Haynes, who was still out cold, on the stretcher. We fought the nonstop winds from the ocean and aircraft landing and taking off to arrive at an elevator. The soldier pressed the button for the bridge level.

We were cramped shoulder-to-shoulder in that dimly lit and reeking-of-exhaustion box for a few minutes. The elevator moved so fast that I stumbled forward. The man standing next to me was less than thrilled when I stepped on his toes.

When the elevator finally opened, I saw a long, familiar corridor. I had been here before with Charlotte.

Now, the young woman was standing at the end of it in front of a door.

She stared blankly at us. I had never seen that look on her face before. Charlotte was always full of poise. Now, her face was pale, and her eyes were bloodshot as if she had cried not long ago. She leaned against the wall, waiting for us to come very close before nodding at Meg.

"We've arrived. With the goods." The psychotic woman didn't seem to notice anything out of the ordinary. She looked back and winked at me.

"Of course." Charlotte opened the door with her badge like a robot.

I tried to communicate with her using my eyes, but she refused to cooperate. Charlotte also didn't follow us inside.

Everyone lifted their heads and stared at us when the sketcher's squeaky wheels cut through the fragile tension of the room. Castillon stood in the center with a trademark cigar on his lips, surrounded by a group of men in service uniforms. I didn't recognize a single face besides his. Not that it mattered.

His eyes fixed on me for a moment before moving to the unconscious General Haynes. Some strange emotions flashed through those brown irises.

"Continue," Castillon snapped his fingers at the man who seemed to swallow his own tongue.

"Uhm, yes." The man cleared his throat. "The latest update that we received just a few hours ago was that the Hansens agreed to discuss possible withdrawal from Nalka, District 3 and 4 in Nova Aria, Koln, and Alkastead in exchange for our cease of activities around these areas, and... They expected a full report on our asset."

"You're joking, right? Our asset is the only reason why the Hansens haven't marched straight to the Citadel. It's our advantage. Our saving grace!"

"Yes, but what options do we have? We're cornered. Our troops are struggling. We've received serious pressure from the public to end this war. We cannot continue taking losses-"

"The problem is with the supply routes. The Hansens know exactly where they are and when to attack. We cannot reach our troops in time, if at all."

"You're telling me that's not something we can rectify?"

"We don't have time to fix this logistics problem. It's bleeding into the second month now, and the typhoon will start soon. It will be much harder then for the troops to reach their targets."

"Then let's put the asset to good use! What are we waiting for? We've invested so much in it already."

"Aye, but there are some issues regarding the release locations. As we know, the testing result is more than promising, but the level of destruction is also something we have never seen before. It will be hard to contain and explain not only to the citizens but also to our allies. If we can take a moment to reasse-"

"We don't have a moment." Castillon, who had stood quietly, interjected. "If we yield now, we will yield forever. The war can go on on their terms. Is that what you want? Are you suggesting that I should just give up and surrender?"

"No, Sir...Of course not."

"THEN WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU SUGGESTING?" Castillon slammed his fists on the table. "You forget who the Hansens are? Who they back? If you want to yield to those terrorists, just take off your damn uniform and get out!"

The room quieted down before Castillon's wrath. The smallest beeping from the computers became deafening.

Castillon took a draw off his cigar. "As you can all see, we have an Ace in our hands. They don't. Asking for a negotiation is a sign of weakness. It's time for us to take back control. About the release locations... It's just a technical issue that is being dealt with at the moment we speak. We will know soon when and where we can drop the asset."

A few hems and haws were thrown around before Castillon walked over to the sketcher.

"Wake him up," he ordered no one in particular.

A man, one of Meg's mercenaries, opened a bottle of water and splashed its contents on General Haynes's face. He jumped up as if being electrocuted.

"WHAT? WHERE?"

"Welcome back, Jon." Castillon spread his arms. "We're waiting for you. Well, I am. I want to inform you about the exciting news regarding our asset release and hope that you're on board."

General Haynes folded over while holding his chest in a coughing fit. That soon turned into boisterous laughter.

"I don't see what's so funny here, Jon," Castillon frowned.

"I don't even know why you bother with the pretense." General Haynes lifted his head. " I mean all of you. There aren't any cameras or concerned citizens around, are there?" His eyes dashed in a dramatic manner before fixing on Castillon. "You made the decision to kill us all already. What do you need me for?"

"Don't be dramatic, Jon," Castillon sighed. "You're still the head of the Budget Committee. I put you there. We have a procedur-"

"Procedure, my ass. As if you care about these things."

"Well, I don't. Not really. But my advisors do." Castillon laughed, followed by many forced laughter. "I just hope you can see how this is an opportunity for us to come out stronger and better in the next term. Getting rid of all the rotten elements. It will even benefit you and your family."

"How?' General Haynes scoffed. "How will it benefit us when everyone is incinerated? Tell me, Fernando."

"Imagine when you get off this ship," Castillon puffed a smoke. "That's in the case that you cooperate, we'll add another star to your epaulets. Let you command our newest X Division. I know you've been having your eyes on that one, Jon." Castillon tapped his cigar on the ashtray. "I get it. Changes are scary, but I promise it will all make sense when the smoke is clear. The Budget Committee is behind you, Jon. It doesn't suit you. Time for a switch. X is our future, and I can think of no one more suitable to lead it than you."

"Thanks for the opportunity." General Haynes shook his head. "But no, thanks. I'm not for sale."

"Everyone is for sale. For the right price. And I promise you: You will be compensated properly. Besides, your worries are legitimate but please know that we have put every necessary safety measure in place. We have calculated the risk-"

"Excuse me for being a little blunt here, Fernando, but what you said would've worked if I didn't know better. No safety measure will be enough for Zedlum. None. We all witnessed the test. The explosion was something we had never seen before, but the chemicals released into the air, the soil, and the water were the real risk. It's enough to ruin us for generations. Don't forget a lot of people are still stuck in the front line at the moment. Civilians, soldiers. They cannot escape thanks to your policies, Fernando. They would be the first to bear the brunt. The only safety measure would be not messing with Zedlum. At all. Also, you have some nerves trying to buy me off after hunting me and my kids like animals."

General Haynes jumped down from the sketcher, swaying in his feet, but in my eyes, no one was more formidable.

"Like I said." He rubbed his bald head. "Not for sale."

"Then you leave me no choice," Castillon shrugged and turned to Meg. "Call them. Tell them to start with the boy. Vince."

"Yes, sir." Meg beamed and giggled while pulling out her satellite phone.

"What are you doing?" General Haynes froze. "You can't do that!"

General Haynes and I both screamed at the same time.

"Oh, I can." Castillon pointed at me, "Stay out of it, Robert," before turning back to General Haynes. "Don't blame me, Jon. I gave you many chances to get your mind right. To get on board, just like the old times, and work beside me, but you kept going and going. I don't understand it! I've offered you everything! Why can't you support me? Don't you see this is a one-in-a-lifetime opportunity for us to get rid of the Hansens for good?"

"Not at the expense of others! Not when millions of people will die, and millions more will suffer! And you could've easily replaced me with someone willing to do your dirty work, too. I wouldn't breathe a word against you. You know how I am with the press. I don't understand why you need me to agree with you so damn much."

"Because, like I said, there is a procedure. It just looks more legitimate with your support. Removing the Commissioner of the Budget Committee in the middle of a war will open me to a lot of attacks and criticism, but, honestly, I just hoped we could work together against my opponents. Like the old times."

"You keep saying that, but those days are long gone, Fernando. You've lost your way. I was blind to believe your promises to make the Federation better back then. You have no shame. No integrity. You are worse than the Hansens and Commander Singh of the old Vrago State, who was a renowned war criminal by the way. I don't need to name all the crimes you committed because everyone in the room is probably well aware of them, but you crossed the line when you targeted my kids!"

General Haynes roared while pushing away the first mercenary coming his way. I jumped to action, punching the second one in the nose, but the party didn't last long. The rest of them were on top of us in minutes. One pulled me back and slammed me into the bulkhead. My glasses broke, and my world was plundered into blurry shapes.

"You!" General Haynes screamed at the top of his lungs. "All of you! You sit there like a bunch of corpses while he is about to murder my family! A bunch of cowards! What do you think will happen next? He will come for yours after he's done with mine! Mark my words!"

The room was eerily quiet. No one uttered a word.

General Haynes laughed, "Just as I expected. Just like ten, fifteen, twenty years ago. I was there every single time you messed up. Foolish me to think I could work with a bunch of warmongers who care about nothing but their own ass. We can't bomb our way to peace! I'll be damned if I agree to sign that death sentence for our nation! Even if it means the end of me and my family. Do what you must, Fernando!"

General Haynes then inhaled sharply. The weight of his statement soaked through me like a punch in the gut. At the same time, every computer blared.

"Sir, we've detected potentially hostile vessels approaching."

"How many?" Castillon asked.

"Six, sir."

"Captain."

"Yes, sir.... Turn the ship 30-degree North. Man all air defense stations. Man all torpedo defense stations." He then asked, "Do we have permission to take track *, sir?"

"Permission granted," Castillon said.

"Take track 3349 with SM03."

"Sir, we need to contact them." Someone pleaded.

"For what?" Castillon asked

"There's a chance we can still work things out. We are outnumbered. It's not a good idea to-

"We received a message, Sir." Someone else called from one corner of the room.

"Give me," Castillon ordered.

"Hello, how is everyone doing?" A calm voice echoed from the speaker. "I hope you all have had a productive day. We plan to come on board to discuss the situation. It has rather gotten out of hand."

"Get to your point," Castillon said.

"Well." The person on the other end chuckled. "I don't believe you want to release Zedlum. I just don't. No matter what people say. Why don't we just put it all on the table? No more attacks. No more games until we can reach some sort of agreement."

"I believe Mr. Crow is there with you."

"Yes, Mr. Crow is eager to sit down with us too."

"He is not welcome."

"Sir!" Someone whisper-screamed. "We need to sit down and see what Edwin Crow wants. We have never gotten him to the table before."

"You want me to negotiate with a terrorist? Is that what you want, Herbert? To humiliate me further?"

"No, Sir, of course not. What I meant-"

"You said your piece."

"The vessels are within range," the captain announced. "Waiting for permission to release batteries." **

Before Castillon could give his order, a loud bang, followed by an earthquake-level vibration traveled through the bridge. I fell alongside the man who had pressed me to the bulkhead. Blood rushed out of my nose. My vision flashed and swirled just like what I had experienced in QL's tank room. I struggled to open my eyes and, in that instance, I saw General Haynes. He crouched in a corner with his head in his hands.

With every bit of strength left, I crawled toward him. "Sir, we need to get out. Now!"

"Where?"

"Anywhere but here. We can't stay here."

I grabbed his hand and pulled him up. I couldn't see very well, so General Haynes guided me forward. We were about to exit the room when I heard a click. Both of us instantly knew what it was.

"You're not going anywhere. Both of you."

Castillon stood with his gun pointed at us. I had no hope in him having any sort of sanity or conscience, but he continued to exceed my expectations.

"We will die," General Haynes said. "They will get here and kill us all, especially you. Or take us hostage, to say the least. Why don't you stop your psychotic act and save yourself?"

"Don't worry about me. You let go of him. Robert, go to the upper deck. There will be a helicopter there."

"I won't believe a word coming out of your mouth." I shook my head. "You never care if I'm dead or alive. You only care about yourself and power. Don't start now."

"Robert, please. Now is not the time for this. You're my son."

"No, your son died a long time ago when you abandoned him and his mom. Maybe he never existed. I've been an orphan for as long as I can remember. I didn't know family until I met them." I turned to General Haynes. Our eyes met and, at that moment, I believed he smiled at me.

He had never smiled.

A loud bang shook the air around us, followed by a blinding flash, and Castillon's gun fired. I didn't register what happened at first. All I knew was by the time we all fell flat on the floor, one side of my face was burning. The smell was overwhelming. There was so much smoke everywhere. My mouth gaped open, but no sound came out. I turned to General Haynes, and his face slacked. His eyes stared blankly into the distance.

I crawled toward him. "General Haynes! Sir!" I screamed while slapping his face as a dreadful realization sank in my stomach. Blood oozed out from a nickel-sized hole on the side of his neck, soaking his shirt. General Haynes gasped for air, but no matter how hard he tried, none seemed to reach his lungs.

I took off my flannel and pushed it under his chin. "It's ok, Sir... Everything will be ok... I promise I won't let anything happen to you. We're going home."

General Haynes heaved, "Leave...me..."

"No, no, Sir. Can't." I shook my head. "Lou and Vince will never forgive me."

"Lou...and... Vince...Promise... You go back... To them...Help them...."

"Of course, but we will leave together. Or none of us leave."

"You're...stubborn....son...of... a bitch."

"Hahaha, is that why you hate me?"

General Haynes chuckled weakly. "I... don't...hate you... Lou...and Vince...love you...."

"They love you too, General... Please, preserve your strength. We're getting out of here."

I threw his arm around my shoulders after securing the knot to slow down his bleeding. From the sea of smoke, Castillon emerged.

"Robert... Robert...Are you hurt?" He screamed while shaking me. His eyes dashed from me to General Haynes.

"What did you do? What the hell did you do? No, no, no... You can't die. You old fool! You cannot die! I would release the bombs! You hear me? Who's gonna stop me now? Jon, wake up... Wake up, please! Goddamn it! Wake up!" Castillon coughed while slapping General Haynes.

"What are you doing?" I pushed Castillon away. "You're... killing... him..."

The smoke made my eyes tear up.

"I didn't...He's already...Who did this? Who?" Castillon turned around and whispered.

"We got to go." I shook my head. I had little patience for this madness.

"No, no, no! Robert, what are you doing?"

"I'm taking him to the med bay. A dying man has little use for you."

"I'll meet you down there," Castillon spoke fervently. "I need to grab the keys for the bombs. And after that, I'll meet you at the med bay. No one can have them. No one...The bombs cannot fall into the Hansens' hands... They can't. It would be the end of us..."

"Just stop!" I snapped at him. "There are no more bombs! No more. So, the keys are useless."

"What do you mean?" Castillon lowered his voice. His hand touched the empty gun holder before lurching forward and grabbing me. "What the hell do you mean?"

"Get off me!" I pushed him back. "There are no more bombs. No more Zedlum. We destroyed them. The last batch at QL's headquarters is a pile of mush now, and the formula Herman Lang has is no good, so don't keep your hopes up."

"You're son of-"

I would give him a meaningful comeback if it were not for a group of armed soldiers barging in at the right time.

"Sir, we have secured the parameter, but more hostile vessels have been detected. I suggest that you come with us, Sir."

"Robert, let's go." Castillon seemed to flip a switch back to the loving father he had tried to portray in the past years. He grabbed my hand, but I yanked it away.

"Thanks, but no thanks."

"Robert, don't be stubborn now! You can't escape without my help. They will catch you and-"

"Sir! We have to go!"

"Goddamn it! Don't you see that I'm busy talking to my son?" Castillon screamed in the soldier's unfazed face before turning back to me. "Please, Robert, just come with me. We can work out our differences later..."

The second explosion, much closer than the first one, shed away the last bit of the soldiers' patience.

"Sorry, sir."

They grabbed Castillon under his arms and dragged him away with little effort while he kicked and screamed.

"Let me go! I'll have all of you arrested! I'll kill you all! Robert! I'll come back! I'll come back for you! I promise..."

His voice faded, and I dragged General Haynes out toward the stairs. As I walked, smoke and blaring alarms engulfed the narrow corridor. Some people ran past me with fire distinguishers in hand. I bit my lip and lowered my head. Even when it seemed unlikely, I didn't want to be stopped.

I chose the smaller stairs that led down to where our bulk used to be, and then after that, the med deck on level 05. It was not too far and at least, I could find the way around based on my memory. There was a separate dock right outside of med deck where they stored lifeboat capsules. 

General Haynes weighed as much as Edgar, maybe more. My body had never had a chance to recover after our trip to QL, and it protested fiercely. I had inhaled so much smoke that by the middle of the first flight down, I was pretty much done, but I knew that if I gave up here, we would likely be dead.

General Haynes' pulses were hard to detect, but they were still there. Barely. I couldn't fail him.

My throat felt as if it was on fire. I willed my feet, one step at a time before tripping and stumbling down with General Haynes. He and I both hit the edge of the metal steps. General Haynes made a pained grunt in his unconscious stage. I tried to shake him awake but it was no use. My body was at its absolute limit, and when I looked up through the pothole window, the starry sky stared back.

I yearned for the cool winds in this inferno. My vision got dimmer and dimmer. Right before it turned black, someone kicked a door open...

GLOSSARY:

**Realease batteries: Engaging with surface fires (ie, guns). When a gun system is authorized to fire.

*Take track: Engaging a target with missiles prior to "release batteries" order. The gun mount is to target and track the contact but not fire.

Credit: Scott Hanson, Former Electronic Warfare Technician at United States Navy (USN) (1990-1994), Andy Burns, Former Surface Warfare & Naval Flight Officer at United States Navy (USN) (1999-2022) Quora.com