💎A Collision of Fates💎 (Straight to Gay) (MxM) (18+)

113 - Nick

The lockdown was short-lived.

Nick and Breck ran to the defender's base, navigated through the torch-stained darkness and found the duty Commander. The bell was rung, the defenders were mobilized, and the city was placed in stasis as all streets were searches and the walls were secured. Thankfully, with the curfew in place, there weren't many citizens to shuffle back into their houses.

Teams of defenders were sent to every house of importance, including Commander Teel and Commander Unil, to ensure that their lives weren't being put in danger by cultist assassins.

Breck and Nick joined the group of defenders sent to Commander Teel's residence. Ollow, Kreese, Jefflo, and Nollan were sent, as well. They gathered in the defender's base, and then headed straight for Teel's residence, which was apparently located where The Square met Hilltown.

When they arrived, the large manor-house was dark, peaceful. There were no lights coming from inside, and the door to the house was still closed. The only thing that Nick noticed as they approached was that one of the upper-storey windows was open, letting in the cool, night air.

Around them, defenders were criss-crossing The Square, torches in hand, loudly announcing that all citizens were to remain in their homes.

Jefflo marched up to the front door of Teel's house. He knocked. "Commander Teel." His banging was loud, sure to rouse anybody in the house. "Commander Teel, we have come to ensure your well-being, please come down."

Silence. The dead house remained still and peaceful, but the connotations of that were starting to become ominous. Where was Commander Teel?

Ollow crossed his arms. "Maybe he's gone down to the defender's base?"

"We would've seen him," Nollan said. "If Commander Teel had been involved in the lockdown, it would've been noted, we wouldn't have been sent here." The young yevan's intelligent eyes were fixed on the open window.

Jefflo pounded on the door again. "Commander Teel!"

"We don't have time to stand here," Nick said. Jefflo turned to him and frowned, but he didn't say anything. "Did you hear me?"

Jefflo took a step back from the door, and then kicked in the frame. Nick jumped at the sudden, startling impact.

The wooden door tore off of its hinges, splintering wood and snapping boards. It skittered backwards, falling to the ground, revealing the dark interior of the home.

"Alright, yevans. Stick close to me." Jefflo gestured at Breck and Nick. "You two, stay out here, keep watch."

Nick bristled at that. He knew why Jefflo was making him wait outside, it was because he didn't trust him, and the only reason he didn't trust him was because of his shadow casting.

But he didn't protest, there would be no point to that. The four of them, Jefflo and Ollow at the front, Nollan and Kreese at the rear, entered the house, moving quickly but cautiously.

"I don't think Jefflo is ever going to trust me again," Nick said, looking at their surroundings, not seeing anything but dark streets and scattered, lit windows. Distantly, he could hear loud voices call out that all citizens were to remain in their homes. But the sound was muted, lost in the air.

"Nollan said he just needs some time, but, the longer this goes on, the more that feels unlikely."

"How can this squad work if we don't trust each other?"

From the top floor of the manor-house, Jefflo's voice rang out, echoing below. "Stop! Get on the floor! Stop!"

Then, a blast of light, a column of fire exploded out of the open window. There was a cry, and then a thump.