Bounded by Secrets

"Ties that Shackle, Hearts that Resist"

A tense silence filled the air as they both watched Mayumi nearing the encampment. Suddenly, several tribesmen surrounded her, their faces menacing.

"No… this isn’t good," Jack whispered, his jaw clenched.

Mayumi’s face twisted in fear as she felt rough hands grab her. "Let me go!" she shouted, struggling as they tried to restrain her.

"Jack! Norio!" Her voice broke as she yelled, but the men around her only laughed, pulling her deeper into the camp.

Jack clenched his fists. "We need to get her, now!"

They sprinted forward, but the tribesmen were prepared. Several armed men met them, and despite Jack and Norio’s efforts, they were quickly overwhelmed and forced into a tent. Struggling against their bonds, Jack tried to see what was happening outside.

Through the tent’s opening, he glimpsed the tribal leader approaching Mayumi, his intentions clear from the twisted grin on his face. Mayumi screamed, "Jack! Help me!"

Jack’s face hardened, rage boiling within him. "I can’t… I can’t let this happen!"

Norio looked at him, worry etched on his face. "Jack, we’re tied up. There’s no way out."

But Jack’s eyes glinted with determination. "There’s always a way out."

Outside, the leader’s voice was a low, mocking growl. "Scream all you want, girl. No one’s coming to save you here."

Mayumi’s eyes filled with tears, her voice a choked whisper. "Please… don’t do this."

In a fierce, sudden movement, Jack broke free from his restraints, slamming his body against the tent pole to loosen Norio’s bindings as well. "Stay close, Norio. We’re getting Mayumi out of here."

Bursting out of the tent, Jack took down the guards around him, his focus unbreakable. He advanced toward the leader, who sneered at him.

"So, you’ve come to play the hero? Foolish boy."

Jack’s voice was steady, his gaze unwavering. "Touch her again, and you won’t live to regret it."

The leader laughed, a dark, eerie sound. "You think you can stop me?"

As he spoke, high-beat drums began pounding from somewhere in the camp, and the leader struck Jack with a powerful blow, sending him crashing back. Dazed, Jack struggled to get up, but the guards were on him again, restraining him and throwing him back into the tent with Norio.

Moments later, the tribesmen punished Mayumi, throwing boiling water at her while tying her beneath the blazing sun. Her screams pierced the air.

Norio looked at Jack, fear in his voice. "We’ve gotta do something. She’s… she’s suffering out there!"

Jack’s face twisted with guilt and fury. "I know. And I won’t let this end like this. I’ll fight to my last breath if I have to."

As Gaku took a deep breath and explained the dire situation over video call, Ren’s expression shifted from concern to fury. Watching the footage from Jack's collar camera as Mayumi struggled in the hands of the tribesmen made Ren’s blood boil. Immediately, he dialed Zeo, his voice tense.

“Zeo, we have a problem,” Ren began, his face hard as he spoke.

Zeo, who was nearby in Zaihad handling diplomatic issues, picked up, her expression instantly serious. “What is it? Is it… about Mayumi?”

Ren nodded grimly. “She’s been captured by the local tribe along with Jack and Norio. The situation is critical.”

Zeo’s brows knitted in anger, and she muttered, “That girl… I told her to be careful!”