Unbreakable Duty

Making It Right

The snap of the paintball hitting Fahlada's vest echoed louder than it should have.

The red burst bloomed across her chest like a flower of violence. But it wasn't the color that hit Earn. It was the placement. The angle. The way Fahlada's body jolted back, just like that day.

The river.
The forest.
The smell of smoke.
The screams over comms.
And the sound of real bullets.

Earn's vision tunneled. Her fingers trembled around her rifle. Her breath caught.

Then...

Flash.

A firefight.

She and Fahlada, surrounded. Crawling through leaves soaked in blood and rain.
They were told backup was coming. Rossami, Bow, Tan, and Hop.

Her brother.

He was part of the extraction unit. The one leading them out. He was supposed to keep her and Fahlada safe. Supposed to protect them both.

They had all worn masks. But...

She saw him.

He had turned into chaos. The flash of his muzzle lifted—not toward the enemy, but—

Toward them.

Fahlada saw it, too. She had screamed. Shoved Earn.

Earn had fallen just as the shot rang out.

She shouldn't have seen his face. But his mask had slipped just enough.

And his eyes—the color of burning amber, just like hers. Eyes she grew up with. Trusted.

And when he turned his face fully toward her.

He knew she saw.

==========

Back in the present, Earn's knees hit the dirt.

Her hands clenched at her chest. "It was Hop..."

Fahlada froze mid-step. "What?"

Earn's eyes were wide—glassy, faraway. "It was Hop! In the forest. That day. He was part of the team. He wore the same mask as the others. But, he aimed at us."

Fahlada's blood ran cold.

Dao, who had just reached them and was about to speak, went rigid. "Wait—Hop? As in your brother, Hop?"

Earn's head slowly nodded, her voice broken. "I saw his eyes. My eyes. He didn't miss. He chose."

Fahlada dropped to her knees beside her, her arms immediately wrapping around Earn's shoulders.

"No, no. Earn, look at me." Her voice cracked, but she stayed steady. "You didn't imagine that?"

"I thought I did." Earn's voice shook violently. "I tried to forget because it didn't make sense. Why would he... why would he shoot you? Why would he turn on us?"

Dao, stunned silent, finally spoke. "We were told there was misfire confusion. That the insurgents got the drop. No one knew—no one even mentioned Hop being on that extraction detail."

"Because General Phongpipat told everyone not to." Fahlada said quietly.

"What?!" Earn asked.

"Your brother. He was brainwashed by Wisanu. Planted jealousy and hatred towards his own family. Towards me. Hop thought that I was part of the insurgency. That I was planted to infiltrate your father's inner circle by marrying you." Fahlada explained.

Flashback (2 years ago)

The door creaked open. Hop stepped inside stiffly, his uniform still stained with mud and sweat from the forest. His jaw clenched as he approached Wisanu, who stood by the window with his back turned, hands behind him like a man always watching something no one else could see.