Red Princess

Prologue: Fords' Greatest Treasure

Leander Reed

28 years ago

"Tch tch tch, White Dragon, you are unwinding with time," I teased my best friend over the earpiece as I jumped to the next tree, keeping my moves covert in the forest. "Ice Princess keeping you too busy at night?"

Laila Cross, ex-agent, had the flashiest code name amongst all of us.

"Shut the fuck up, bastard. That's my wife you are talking about," he screeched, and I chuckled.

I glanced back and grinned in awe as he emerged, almost catching up with me. We were chasing a terrorist group that had its hideout into the deep centre of the forest. It was dark in the night, and we weren't carrying any torches to avoid alarming the enemy. The ground was full of traps, so we were jumping through the tree branches; one wrong step would mean death.

I was preoccupied with my thoughts on Raydon catching up to me when my leg skidded and the branch I settled on broke, and I almost fell. Thankfully, a rope appeared out of nowhere and tied my leg up to another branch. I hung there like a bat, laughing at my idiocy as a shadow emerged into my vision. There he stood, staring down at me, mockingly.

Black God. Eldon Cross, Raydon's brother. He was named as the God because he had one of the most unique powers known to humanity-- altering molecular structures to create new things. The rope he just saved me with was probably something modified as well.

I yanked myself up the rope, and it turned into a handkerchief which he folded and put back into his pocket.

"I can always rely on God to save me," I smirked at him and gave him a salute.

"Red Phoenix, you need to get a hold on your life."

"What's wrong with how I live right now?" Living at the edge of life, not knowing if you'll live to see the next day, I thrived on that thrill.

"You need someone you want to go back home to." He winked at me and then turned around to dive ahead.

I rolled my eyes and took my stance to jump forward. That was when I got my head jerked back by my hair, and I knew there was only one person who'd do that to me.

Silver Hawk. Sharon Cross, Raydon's little sister.

The four of us were signed up for this mission together, Ace Team Alpha-- Raydon, Eldon, Sharon and I. We were the best out there, the Cross siblings and I.

With my hair still in her hands, tugging harshly, I leaned my head a little further back to gaze at the upside-down face of this beautiful angel, and her sparkling blue eyes that were almost on the border of tearing up. But she had a frown on her face.

"Red Phoenix! Stay focused!" She reprimanded me. She was like the mother of the group, the one who brought the girly touch to our trio of guys. She was generally a very non-violent and sweet person, but when it came to our safety, she could get crazy.

Or maybe when it came to my safety.

I stared at her and smiled, recollecting Eldon's words to me from a moment ago.

Raydon got married about three months ago to his then partner Laila, who retired post her marriage to him. He took like a month off and enlisted back later.