Children of the Virus

26: Pursuing Pawel

The first light of dawn cast a golden glow over the Althea farmhouse, illuminating the surrounding olive grove as if awakening it from a deep slumber. Toshiro squinted against the sun, his prosthetic arm, Kura, making minute adjustments to shield his eyes. He scanned the ground and noticed a series of tracks leading towards an outpost in the distance.

"Looks like that's it," Baz murmured, his voice tinged with apprehension. Ren nodded silently, her eyes wide open and focused on the path ahead.

"Stay low and follow my lead," Toshiro instructed, his heart pounding as adrenaline coursed through his veins. Stealthily, the group made their way towards the outpost, their footsteps soft on the dew-laden grass. They moved as one, a cohesive unit strengthened by their shared purpose.

As they neared the building, the distinct sound of footsteps echoing within reached their ears. Toshiro signaled for the group to stop, his senses heightened and alert. Then, without warning, the door to the outpost swung open, revealing a group of burly men adorned with red scarves—the unmistakable mark of the Rebellion.

The men quickly surrounded the trio and ushered them inside. "Stay here!" commanded the head honcho, his eyes scanning the group with suspicion. Toshiro exchanged glances with his comrades, silently gauging their reactions. There was no turning back now.

After what seemed like an eternity, the door flew open, and a tall figure stepped into the dimly lit room. The man's presence immediately commanded the attention of everyone there. His icy gaze rested on Toshiro, Baz, and Ren, assessing them with thinly veiled disdain.

"I take it you're Kenji's rebels from the Fortress?" the man barked, folding his arms across his broad chest.

"Who told you?" Baz interjected with surprise. It was unsettling to hear their plans had already reached this man's ears.

"Not important, but if you must know, Desaka informed me," the man replied, his tone harsh and indifferent.

The three of them fell silent and Toshiro wondered what was going to happen next.

The man rolled his eyes impatiently. "Names?"

Toshiro spoke up. "I'm Toshiro. This here is Baz, and that's Ren, our drone teaser."

"And you're the leader?"

"Leader? Well...I mean—"

Baz interjected, "Yes, sir. Toshiro's in charge."

The man leaned forward, his fierce gaze aimed directly at Toshiro. "Alright, what's your plan of action here?"

"I'm sorry, sir. I didn't catch your name." Toshiro demanded, trying to project confidence despite his unease. The man smirked, seemingly amused by Toshiro's bravado.

"That's because I didn't tell you my name." The man paused as one of his men whispered something in his ear. Letting out an exasperated sigh, he said, "The name is Darko, and I'm in a bit of a hurry, so let's move this along."

"Okay, well, the thing is—"

"You're secretly the famous Hayato, right?" Darko said, the corner of his mouth twisting into a sardonic grin.

Toshiro nodded reluctantly, not entirely comfortable with being identified as the legendary figure again.

"Desaka tells me you're looking for Pawel and his son," Darko said dismissively. "Seems like a waste of time, but who am I to argue?"

"Yes, sir. Our plan is to find Pawel, then find his boy, Alex, so that we can get him to Damascus where he'll be safe."

"Damascus?" Darko laughed. "You honestly think taking the boy there would make any difference? You must be more naïve than I thought."