Guidestar Combatants

The Gate

"Aronik, what are you doing here?" Jai asked, his voice laced with a mix of fear and curiosity as he shone a flashlight in Aronik's face. Aronik stood frozen, his eyes wide with shock at the sudden appearance of his cousin. He shuddered, feeling a chill run down his spine.

"Get the damn flashlight out of my face," Aronik snapped, his voice trembling with a mix of anger and anxiety. "I was just trying to come into work, but it looks like someone's trying to kill us all. And I really hope I don't get pointed for this. Dammit!"

Jai lowered the flashlight, his brow furrowed in concern. "I don't think you'll get pointed for this. I'll talk to Dillman about putting up the shield."

Just then, Aronik's phone vibrated with a text message. His heart sank as he read the words.

Cord is in trouble. The military wants him dead. They're sending someone by plane to Harrisburg, and they'll be escorted to GuideStar to kill him.

"Fuck," Aronik cursed, his mind racing with worry for his friend. "We need to get that shield up fast."

As they hurried to set up the shield, Aronik couldn't help but think about all the secrets and lies that had led them to this moment. The complex web of relationships and motives that had brought them all together at GuideStar Aluminum. And now, with the military on their tail, everything was about to unravel.

Aronik's heart raced as he frantically typed out a message on his phone, his fingers trembling with fear and adrenaline. He knew that every second counted, that one wrong move could mean the difference between life and death.

"Go to Hargrove and get Cord's family," he said, his voice tense and urgent.

Jai raised an eyebrow, still holding the light towards the ground. "Why do you care about Cord getting killed?"

Aronik took a deep breath, trying to calm his racing thoughts. "Because he's the only one who has ever treated me like a real person. Everyone else just sees me as a means to an end, a pawn in their game. But Cord... he's always seen me as something more. That's what makes him my friend."

Jai just stared at him, his expression unreadable. Aronik could tell that he didn't fully believe him, that he thought Aronik was bluffing about his feelings for Cord. But he didn't have time to argue or convince Jai otherwise. He had to focus on the task at hand.

Aronik's phone buzzed again, and he quickly glanced at the screen. It was a text from Jai, a reminder of their past together. A past that Aronik had tried so hard to forget, to bury deep down inside.

"Do you believe that Jesus will take us, being the way we are?" Jai's text read.

Aronik's heart clenched at the memories that flooded back. He remembered their conversations about faith, about the future, about the possibility of redemption. But in this moment, he didn't have time to dwell on those thoughts. He had a mission to complete.

"Jai, we have to focus. We need to find Dillman and get that shield up," Aronik said, trying to shake off the emotions that threatened to overwhelm him.

Jai's phone vibrated again, and he pulled it out of his pocket. Aronik could see the hint of a smile on his face as he read the message. A hint from their past, a past that they shared and that no one else knew about.

Aronik could feel his heart swell with a mix of emotions - fear, sadness, nostalgia. But most of all, he felt a sense of camaraderie with Jai, a bond forged through their shared experiences.

Without a word, Jai started walking into the darkness, and Aronik followed close behind. They may have their differences and their own secrets, but in this moment, they were united in their mission and their determination to protect those they cared about.