Epinephrine's Rage

Chapter 08: Vacation Planning

01

That day, the base commandant summoned Leonardo in his office in a haste.

Leonardo arrived at the office and knocked on the door. The metal door hushed open sideways.

Colonel Winston was seen very upset and tensed. He was leaning on his chair with his hands on his forehead, thinking deeply. It seemed various things were going on inside the colonel's brain.

Leonardo entered the office room quietly, and Colonel called him when he saluted. His face was pale, and he sighed in depression when he looked towards Leonardo.

After a long gap of time, he finally spoke, "Things are not going well on Defter recently. Another ore mine was looted and destroyed yesterday. More than 500 people, including workers and soldiers, were killed."

He stood up suddenly. "I cannot believe that a pirate group got such capability and firepower to destroy a whole mining zone."

With rage, Colonel smashed on the table and said in an anxious voice, "Something fishy is going on in defter. Someone is fueling those pirate bastards for genocide. I want your team to find out the root of this problem and eliminate it permanently. No matter where he is and who he is, I don't care."

Leonardo was finally thinking that he could get out of Kallos and appear in a real fight-what he missed the most within the last few months. Though he was tensed after hearing the details, he was a little happy. He nodded with the colonel's words.

"After two weeks, you will be sent to Defter with your team for investigation."

"Sir," Leonardo responded and left the room politely.

05

In the evening, Isam was staring outside through the large glass window from a large leisure room within the mountain.

He was sitting on the ground, spreading his legs forward right in front of the window. A campfire was lit in the middle of the room, and the smoke of the campfire was sucked out of the room through a large chimney tube. People were gossiping all around him, and some were drinking, some were having their snacks, and other such things. Soft relaxing music was playing from the music player in one corner of the room.

Isam was admiring the beauty of the falling snow and thinking about the precious elements of his life. His lifestyle, home, parents, friends, and other important things of his life were in his mind.

He was imagining the house of theirs on a snowy winter evening on the outskirts of Nordon. Those days were the golden days of his life. He imagined his mother bringing popcorn to him and his father while they were hyped by the football match on the TV.

In the present time, he decided that he would visit that home and again go through all the staff of his parent's room. He truly hoped that he would get some clues about their disappearance in that house.

At a moment like this, Leonardo came to him with two cans of beverage in his hands and sat next to him.

"And there you are!" Leonardo offered the can towards Isam.

"Thank you, but I don't drink."

"Don't worry. It's non-alcoholic."

Leonardo urged his to take it. Only after then, Isam took it and opened it.

Leonardo bragged, "So you are watching the snow alone. Why don't you find yourself a girl to watch the snow together?"

He laughed as he teased. Isam looked at him with no expression and then again turned towards the snow.

"Looks like lots of things are going inside of your head right now. Might wanna share some burden to feel better?"

Isam had never told anyone about his parents before, but this time he felt like expressing his heart to Leonardo.

"My father was an officer from the Vinius army, but he quit his duty and came to Crantor to stay in peace with my mother. But they never told me about it."

Isam sighed. He looked lost while talking.
"Before joining the academy, one month prior, my parents suddenly disappeared, and I tried various means to find them, but I couldn't, which meant they were no longer on Crantor. But one day, the principal of Nordon College showed me the way to find them, and for that I joined the military. But now I think that it wasn't the way at all. My parents are somewhere else while I'm freezing in this mountain range of Kallos. What am I really doing here?" he asked himself.

Leonardo was listening attentively. He took a sip from the can.

"May you choose it right, and you are on the right track." Leonardo assured.

"But how will I find them..."

"Have some patience, pal, and you will know it yourself."

Leonardo seemed confident in his tongue. To cheer up Isam's mood, he changed the conversation.

"By the way, what will you do when you return to the capital this time?"
Leonardo asked.

"I'm thinking about returning to my parent's house. That house has been empty for nearly three years now. Maybe I can get some clues about my parents there."
Isam kept staring at the snow.

"Ok then. But if you ever need any help, just consider me as a big brother. I will be there for you."

He put a smile on his face while saying so.

"I will be expecting you on Defter after two weeks. Till then, try not to run into any troubles and enjoy the leave. And as I have advised you earlier, get yourself a girlfriend." Leonardo mocked while standing up and left the leisure room. Isam again dove into the thoughts while looking outside the window.