What needs to be done for a better world

Chapter 10

The command center was a hive of movement and noise, a sharp contrast to the tense stillness of the briefing room. Soldiers darted between stations, voices urgent as they finalized details for the mission. The weight of their previous failures hung heavy in the air, driving them to work with even greater determination.

"So, what's our next move?" Samantha asked, breaking the silence as the trio made their way from the briefing room to the bustling command center. The decision had been made, but the weight of it was only just beginning to settle in.

Anders responded with resolve, "We follow orders: eliminate any remaining targets and recover Irina's body."

Samantha nodded, but her expression quickly turned to one of concern. "Do you think Ray will be alright?" she asked quietly.

Anders glanced at her from the corner of his eye, a flicker of uncertainty crossing his face before he spoke. "Honestly, I don't know," he admitted, his voice tinged with worry. "It seemed pretty serious, and while we have a lot of powerful medicines, none of them are really effective in cases like this. We can only leave it to fate."

Samantha's ears drooped at the news, her expression darkening with worry. Julie, standing nearby, couldn't help but notice the deep concern etched on her friend's face. It made her wonder what exactly had transpired between Samantha and Ray when she had brought him back to his room.

As the silence lingered, Julie found herself lost in thought. Something suddenly clicked in her mind, and she turned to Anders, needing to confirm her suspicion.

"What do you think will happen to Ernst?" Julie asked, her voice carrying a mix of curiosity and the weight of what she knew about the consequences he might face. She was well aware of the severity of his actions, but she also knew about his influential background. Ernst had pestered her enough, trying to woo her with tales of his family's power and connections, that she understood just how protected he might be.

Anders scratched the back of his head, pondering the question for a moment before replying, "Nothing much, truly. The General will probably just reassign him to the regular army, but I doubt anything more will come of it." He sighed, the frustration evident in his tone.

"What?!" Samantha's voice erupted, a mix of incredulity and anger. "It'll end just like that? He's responsible for the death of one of his squadmates and nearly got two others killed! And we're just going to slap him on the wrist, tell him it's no good, and keep him in the army?!"

Her disbelief hung in the air, thickening the tension in the room as her outburst echoed. Her voice was far louder than she had intended, drawing the attention of many in the bustling command center. People turned to look at the trio, but Samantha paid them no mind. Her gaze flicked between Anders, who was caught off guard by her usually composed demeanor, and Julie, who appeared unsurprised, as if she had expected this very answer.

"Sadly, yes, that's likely all that will come of it," Julie said softly to her fox friend, trying to soothe her agitation. "Even if we had died there and they knew it, I doubt much would change."

"But why? It doesn't make any sense!" Samantha replied, her confusion evident.

"Oh, but it does make sense," a voice suddenly interjected. The group turned their heads to find Artis as the speaker. "He's the son of THE Christopher Black. How do you think someone as incompetent as him could join one of Death's Hand's squads otherwise?"

This revelation was shocking to Samantha, who had only known Ernst as one of Julie's squadmates and was unfamiliar with his background.

Christopher Black was a name of immense prestige. As the founder of the most successful pharmaceutical company in the world, he was renowned for his groundbreaking discoveries, including the ECR, the very medicine Julie had used on Ray after Ernst's assault. Many of the most advanced medical treatments carried his name or that of his researchers. In addition to his contributions to medicine, Black also owned multiple successful research centers dedicated to developing next-generation weapons. His dual legacy could be seen as both a harbinger of destruction and a savior of the sick.