The Khalanium Blades

Chapter 20: A Team

Baron's body plopped down on the ground, dust coming out from the gash where he had been shot. Pia put her gun down, sighing before attending to her hurt leg. Kent suddenly had a change of perspective of the woman who left his father to die. He saw Ray unconscious and black smoke, coming out from the cracked orbs, block the Specials and Rook's vision entirely. He longed to help, but Baron's backups surrounded him. Of all eight armed recruits, one who wore blue, the leader, walked up to him with an unforgiving face.

"You're not going anywhere, Mr. Wilson. You're going with us, just as your leader was," he said, emphasizing the statement dramatically. Kent shook his head, a determined new attitude taking over. And following their cue, five of PROTECT's fighters, who apparently didn't accompany their other comrades in escaping, closed in on the circle.

Kent smiled. "This is my personal elite force, and I guarantee you they really don't like seeing their settlement destroyed. So, anyway, this is going to be a blast!" he exclaimed sarcastically. The circle now faced the elite force, aiming their guns just few feet away from their new opponent's. While the skirmish started, Kent, having planned it from when he was first threatened by Baron, made his sneaky way out to go help the Specials.

Kent, seeing PROTECT's champions on their knees, guarding their eyes from the dangerous chemicals, closed his and randomly threw the orbs as far as he possibly could. The smoke followed and cleared, revealing the victims with sore eyes. He didn't say a word and ran towards Ray. The young leader lay on the ground, his head turning slightly. "Well done, but I think I'm paralyzed at a small extent." His gaze fell down.

"No you're not, Ray," Sam called out. "Here, watch." He kneeled down beside his best friend on one knee. Before Ray could understand what was happening, his "mighty" buddy slammed his hands in a chopping position into his back. Ray's body convulsed sharply, and he let out a small shriek. He hated himself for acting like a baby, but felt like he was made new.

Ray jumped up and felt a surge of energy flow through him. He ran to the nearest enemy and punched her square in the face. It felt good. But before he and and Kent's personal elite force could finish off Conquest, something caught his eye. It was like a light fireball falling from the sky, but Ray knew it was just a jet facing Korpus's gravity. The vehicle crashed down into the trees, flames erupting shortly, and everyone stumbled backwards. The Specials used this opportunity to fight off their attackers.

Once the remaining Conquest fighters were down, Kent received a call from someone. "A.D. Kent? This is Pilot Borris Dome. We have a major problem. The Director has been taken from our escape jet, and as you might've already seen, we crashed. Five are dead, and everyone else survived. I don't know why Quick specifically, but I do know we need to get him back."

"Indeed, Borris. But right now we cannot risk our jets knowing Conquest is still out there, waiting. So call everyone back, and we will rebuild our campsite, while the Specials retrieve the Blades," Kent replied and frowned. Ray sighed. They had just beaten Baron and Conquest, but

now Quick was captured. Pia got up and slapped Kent in the face.

"Do you know what you just did?" she began angrily. "You betrayed PROTECT and everyone in it, just because you thought you could save your own life by sacrificing Quick's!" Ray agreed with his coach. Straight away, he had lost all respect for the man, knowing what he did was selfish, and his objective turned out useless anyway. Kent, full of shame, turned away and walked away with his escorts.

"Come on, team. You guys did exceptionally well today, and I am very proud of you all," Commander Rook said, smiling with exhaustion. "We have new orders to be dispatched tomorrow for your greatest and last mission in the service of PROTECTto retrieve the Khalanium Blades. After that, you'll all be sent back home. Your real home on earth." Ray could hardly contain his great excitement of going back to his family and planet. It seemed so near now, and he would surely miss everyone in PROTECT. Just one more day.

Rook snapped his fingers to wake the five out of their daydream. He continued, "But don't get too ahead of yourselves. Get some rest if you still can, and we'll be out first thing in the morning." Everyone returned to their respective tents and enjoyed the safe ones and tried to fix the broken. By sunset, the campsite was restablished up to the degree of functionality.

* * *

The Specials stood in a line, facing the spectacular sunrise above the trees. Ray himself was tired, having been abruptly woken up five in the morning. Some might say five isn't that early, but the five friends spent their rest time playing games like truth or dare, telling secrets, and just socializing until midnight.

In front of them were A.D. Kent and two escorts, their hands behind their backs. And behind them were Rook, Pia, and a man they didn't recognize. For the first time in the entire period he had been "working" for PROTECT, Ray actually felt safe. He now had a secure team he liked to think of as his second-family. But that day, he would finally reunite with his first family.

"First and foremost, I would like to apologize for what I selfishly did yesterday, and I accept full responsibility for whatever happens to our Director," Kent humbly confessed. "Next, I would like to acquaint you all with the eight member of your team for Operation Blades." The unfamiliar man walked out of their arrangement and faced his team. "This here is Pilot Borris Dome, and he is the best pilot I've ever seen, also a great fighter and gunner." Borris smiled with pride, excited to be part of something of great importance.

But Kent was finished yet. "Rook, you are to be the leader of this team and reknown as commander. Sophia, to fulfill Quick's promise to you, PROTECT trusts you enough to reach out an invitation for the title-agent, if you accept, of course." Pia sharply shook, the words waking her up from her daze.

"Yes! I accept. Thank you, Sir," Pia said, awkwardly bowing.

Kent couldn't help but laugh a little. "Now, the most skilled and talented number of individuals I've ever seen forms an unstoppable team. Therefore I have chosen to call you eight the first and only Special Elite Force, representing the best of PROTECT across planets. Are you up to the task of retrieving the Blades, despite what you may encounter in the jungle?"

Ray imitated Rook and respectfully nodded, but was also pressured to live up to the compliments. Like what if he did something wrong? Everyone would blame him. Still, he had his friends to back him up, and he would do the same for them. And as usual, he thought of Rob and imagined his teacher standing beside him, smiling in pride. Ray knew if Rob was still alive, he would have been very proud of them all, and how far they've reached so far. Ray grinned.

It was time.