Patriots and Renegades

XII. Bonds

THE ELITE

Timothy's fleet is back from Aurora by using their hyperdrive. However, the mystery remains.

Who replaced the decoy with a real missile?

With Timothy still enraged with this matter, he almost doesn't trust anyone in the Navy except for Nether.

"Timothy!" Nether joins him outside the base after their arrival. "You shouldn't be too obvious you know?"

"Pardon? Did you just say Timothy?"

Nether chuckles, "Why not? We're not on duty today! Plus, I think we will not go out soon."

"Touché."

"So, what are you going to do during your time off?"

He sighs, "I'll take the time to rest first. So should you."

"Yep! I will."

Meanwhile, Tanner and Methyl encounters each other again. "So.. Things didn't seem to go as it was supposed to be." Tanner puts his hands in his pockets.

"You know well that we are in big trouble for not telling them sooner." Methyl adjusts his rectangular glasses.

"Man, you're so negative!"

"And why shouldn't I? So easy for you to say, Lord vuie Davis." He walks past him but Tanner pulls the back of Methyl's coat and drags him back to where he stands.

"We need to explain everything to Admiral vuie Anderz you little——"

"Little what?"

"You little hardheaded person!"

"Right, I'll take that as a compliment." He tries to walk past him again. But Tanner just blocks him multiple times. "Let me through."

"No."

Methyl gives up as he places his hand up in the air and places one hand on his hip. "What do you want me to do?"

"We need to reassure His Excellency——"

"Reassure him with what?"

"Well— you know—"

"Exactly! There is nothing to reassure him about! Nothing!"

"Then we'll say sorry."

"For what?!"

"I don't know.. I just.. I just feel so sad— and mad— and I don't know.. After you said to them that it was a real missile.. I just couldn't stop the thought of what happened and what might've happened.." He looks away from Methyl. "Plus, you looked so gloomy after that."

Methyl struggles to find the words, but the only thing he does is—— turns his back on Tanner and walks toward the other direction.

"Walk away then!" Tanner shouts at him.

"I'm not!" Methyl turns to face him. "I wanna know who replaced the decoy." He turns back again and continues to walk.