Zeo

The intense light of a lamppost cast a reflective sheen on the car's exterior as Zeo organized Amy's belongings within the trunk. At his side, his friend stared intently at the red sedan, her eyes wide like two green emeralds. In the background, the symphony of crickets serenaded from nearby bushes while a gentle breeze dragged papers and dust over the asphalt.

Amy tapped on the rear window where Stella rested. "Who is this?" Amy asked, scowling at her. "Your girlfriend?"

"Of course not." Zeo slammed the trunk shut and opened the passenger door. "Let's go."

Amy looked at him suspiciously. "Weird!" she said before hopping inside.

Zeo shook his head, closed the door, and stared at Manzur, who sat on a motorcycle across the street. Several presences hid in the shadows, guarding the place. Unfortunately, none of them was allowed to help their lieutenant Ozura.

Manzur waved at one of his men to come and gave him instructions while the rest dispersed into the town. Zeo sat behind the steering wheel and took a deep breath, bracing for what lay ahead.

Amy was poking Stella's cheeks and nose. "Is she dead?"

"No." He grabbed her wrist. "And please, don't do that. She's hurt, so we'll be taking care of her. Okay?"

She nodded and looked out of the window.

Manzur gestured at Zeo, letting him know it was safe to move, and drove away in his motorcycle.

Zeo started the vehicle and thought momentarily, analyzing their route and eventual challenges. Manzur had already given him instructions to find Ozura's hideout. However, he still had to decide where to go from there.

"When we'll go to see Rem?" Amy asked.

"Soon." He reached out for her head to brush her hair. "Meanwhile, be patient, okay?"

"Yes, sir!" She gave him a military salute, making him stifle a chuckle.

Gripping the steering wheel, Zeo adjusted the rearview mirror and stepped on the gas pedal, marking the start of a long journey. He rolled down the windows, allowing Amy to stick her head out of the car to look at the orphanage for the last time. She waved at the old building while Zeo glanced at her, surprised by her mature reaction.

As they took the main road, the street lights slowly disappeared until deep darkness consumed the car. Staring at the white lines on the asphalt, Zeo wondered why Ozura had abandoned her daughter in such a place. Yet he chose not to judge her decision, knowing she had saved both of them from The Hunters.

Boredom took over Amy, and she began touching buttons and asking Zeo about their functions. He answered all her questions, and time seemed to move faster.

There was a short silence.

BOOM!

A flash turned the night into day, blinding him momentarily.

A giant fireball rose from the west, shooting glowing debris-like projectiles into the town. Zeo grabbed the steering wheel with his vectors and hugged Amy, shielding her with his body and covering her ears.

The shockwave reached the car one second later, shaking it violently and shattering the windows.

Amy screamed while glass splinters hit Zeo's body. He stopped the car and held his friend tightly for a moment that seemed to last forever.

The explosion echoed across the land like an endless roar, lingering around them for several seconds, and immense flames erupted like a volcano on the horizon.

"Are you okay?" Zeo asked, inspecting her face and body for injuries.

She nodded, trembling while she gripped his body.

"Good." He caressed her face and looked into her eyes. "There's a fight going on, but don't worry. We're safe here."

"Is this a war?" she asked, her dilated pupils reflecting the inferno in the distance.

"No." Zeo swallowed, trying to convince himself too. "Someone is fighting The Hunters, but I'm sure they will win."

Amy dragged herself closer and cuddled her body tightly against his. "I don't like it."

"It'll be okay. Trust me." He allowed her to sit on his lap, ensuring to remove all glass debris from him and the seats. He held Amy tightly with his right arm and accelerated again.

When the heat of the explosion reached his skin, Zeo thought of Ozura and hoped she was still alive.

The journey continued, and Zeo distracted Amy with questions and different stories until she fell asleep on his chest. The fireball vanished in the distance, yet a hellish glow persisted on the horizon.

They advanced through a dirt road for several kilometers and reached a small cabin in the middle of endless walnut fields.

Zeo left Amy sleeping in the driver's seat and stepped out to inspect the place. It was a small cabin with an iron door and walls with multiple layers of steel painted like wood. Manzur waited by the entrance while Zeo used his vectors to scan every corner in search of threats. "Where's Kristina?" he asked.

The old man beckoned for someone to come, and a girl walked out

fearfully. Kristina. She stood before Zeo, avoiding eye contact and hiding her hands behind her back. "I'm sorry I've failed my mission," she confessed, ashamed.

"That doesn't matter. Are you okay?" Zeo noticed a bruise on her forehead.

She nodded. "They could've killed me, yet they treated me like an equal."

Zeo tightened his lips, realizing that having been mere slaves all their lives, they didn't know any better. "Good." Zeo cracked his knuckles. "We should keep moving then."

"Why don't you spend the night here?" Manzur interrupted.

"There's no time for that." Zeo didn't even look at him and opened the back door to move Stella and make room for Kristina. She looked at Zeo nervously and thanked Manzur for his help before rushing to the car.

"You don't even know where you're going." Manzur narrowed his eyes.

"I'll figure it out." Zeo picked up Amy carefully and held her in his arms.

"We got food and beds inside. You might not need it, but the girls with you need to recover." He folded his arms and stared at Amy. "Especially the little one. She needs time to assimilate the sudden changes in her life. And do you even have enough fuel?"

Zeo hissed, realizing the truth of his words, and looked at Amy's sleeping face. He hadn't decided his next move yet, didn't know the road ahead, and ignored whether the car would last the whole journey.

"If you stay, I promise I won't become a nuisance to you. I'll remain outside, patrolling this place for your safety and hers." Manzur locked his gray eyes on Amy, the daughter of his lieutenant.

"If Ozura loses . . . Will this place still be safe?"

"Our only mission here is to keep her child safe, young man." He tilted his head. "If this place weren't safe, I would never ask you to stay."

Zeo clenched his fists and took a deep breath. "Alright." He glanced at Amy. "Only because of her."

Manzur nodded with relief and turned toward the house, beckoning for them to follow him.

The hideout was small and cozy, with its interior finely painted in apple green. There was a table with four chairs, a fridge, an oven, and two small rooms. Zeo placed Amy on the softest bed he found while Kristina left Stella in a different room. He observed the cramped place and frowned. It smelled of dampness and dust and barely fitted two beds. The walls were light blue, and wood filled with cobwebs completed the ceiling.

He covered Amy with a bedsheet and walked into the dining room, seeing Manzur had placed food and drinks on the table.

"What do you know about Ozura?" Zeo asked, clasping his hands.

"Alive for now."

Zeo widened his eyes. "Are you sure?"

"Underestimating The Chaos Wind is many men's greatest mistake." He sipped from a tea cup with the childish design of bears.

"You think she'll return?"

"She never promised me to return."

"Why aren't you fighting alongside her?"

Manzur finished his beverage before answering. "I would if that was my mission." He placed his cup on the table and locked his eyes on Zeo. "But my lady's orders were clear: to protect her child with my life."

Zeo gave Amy's room a sidelong glance, ensuring she was asleep, and then leaned closer to whisper. "Why did she abandon her own daughter?"

A tense silence filled the room. Manzur processed his question for a moment, his lips hesitating. "She didn't choose to have her," he confessed.

"What about her father?"

Manzur furrowed his eyebrows, and Zeo felt a sudden rush of anger emanating from that man. "If that bastard is still alive, he must be walking among the files of The Hunters."

Zeo swallowed and remained pensive with his eyes on the colorful tablecloth. "So Amy is . . . "

"A child of rape." Fury flashed in his eyes.

Zeo buried his nails into his skin and cursed The Hunters once again. "Thanks for telling me."

"You're welcome, young man." Manzur returned an empty look and turned toward the door. "Please, enjoy your food." He walked outside and closed the door behind him, leaving a heavy aura to linger in the room.

Zeo grabbed a piece of sweet bread from a plate and took a bite, wondering how much pain Ozura had endured before making such a drastic decision. Blaming her for abandoning her child didn't feel right. Nonetheless, Amy deserved to know her mother was still alive. But how much time did Ozura have left?

As he satiated his hunger, dozens of questions invaded his mind like a storm of uncertainty.

The Hunters would find him sooner or later, he knew. He was a deserter and had aided others to do the same. Was Amy safe with someone like him? Was he selfish for wanting to be with his friend?

Answers were blurry, but when Zeo finished the food, his heart reached a conclusion. He rose from his seat and glanced over Amy's room with nostalgia, knowing that his next step would change the fate of his dear friend and himself forever.

*°*°*

Outside, Zeo unpacked Amy's belongings from the car, his heart kicking in his chest while he analyzed the future consequences of his actions. Be it by pride or honor, Zeo couldn't abandon the woman who had saved Amy's life. Besides, he still had a mission; running away and living like a fugitive wasn't the life he wanted.

Manzur leaned on a tree, observing him. "Why do I tell her when she wakes up?"

"That's up to you," Zeo replied, placing her bags in Manzur's hands. "I know Amy won't forgive me for this anyway. I've abandoned her twice." The thought of her reaction—when she found out he was gone again— stung the depths of his soul. He only hoped Amy would understand him when she grew up.

"I'll protect her with my life." Manzur handed Zeo a metal box with a Karx's emblem shining in gold. "I gave my lady my word, and I'm giving it to you too."

He took the box between his hands, feeling its heavy weight, and quickly understood what it contained inside. "Thank you."

Zeo left the box on the passenger seat and glimpsed someone storming out the door. It was Stella. She looked exhausted and dizzy as she stumbled, her reddened eyes locked on him.

"I was wondering when you'd stop eavesdropping and come out," he told her, closing the car door.

"What's this madness you were saying?" Stella stopped in front of him and shook her head. "This is a mistake!"

"My whole life is a mistake." Zeo shrugged, checking the tires with the tip of his boot.

"Zeo." She grabbed his arm to get his attention. "You saved my life. I thought it was a dream, but I heard your voice in the darkness. You protected me despite all the stupid things I did and said."

"Don't even mention it." Zeo stared at her, waiting for that request he would never fulfill.

Stella gritted her teeth, her face filling with frustration. "What's the point of everything you did if you're just gonna return there and throw it away by dying at their hands? What about your friend?"

"I'm doing what I must, and Amy will be fine. Her mother made sure of that."

"I won't let you go!" She raised her voice, and her pupils dilated as the veins of her forehead bulged. "I owe you my life. There's no way I'll let you do this!"

As Stella tried to attack him, Zeo summoned his vectors, grabbed her arms and legs, and pinned her against the ground. She contorted her body and cursed at him, trying to break free.

"Stella," he murmured. Guilt hurt his insides, but he was proud of her. "Thank you." He gave her a saddened smile.

She stopped fighting and froze with her eyes locked on him. A tear rolled down her cheek. "Why is it that every time I care about someone, they turn out to be such assholes?"

Zeo released her and stretched his hand at her. "Dying isn't part of my plans. I'll have to ask you to trust me one more time."

Stella wiped her tears and grabbed his hand tightly, standing up. "At least, let me go with you."

"No." He bore his eyes on hers. "You still got a place to return. They've waited for you long enough. Don't make them wait any longer, okay?"

Anger and frustration transformed her face, and tears flowed mercilessly. "I understand," she murmured, turning her back to him and began to walk away.

Zeo observed her disappear into the house and close the door. That was his own fight, and Stella had suffered enough. He took a deep breath, adjusted his cursed Hunter uniform, and looked at Manzur. "Rexton, right?"

He nodded. "It's the safest place for my lady's daughter right now."

"Any words for Ozura? Assuming she's still alive."

"No." He twisted his lips into a half smile. "She already knows what I feel for her."

Zeo stared at him for a moment and bobbed his head. He hopped in the car and grabbed the box that the man had given him. As it opened, three syringes glimmered with a cobalt glow. Zeo remembered Ronner's words that night: Liquid Cells of Tritium, also known as LCT, a dangerous chemical that boosted strength in exchange for destroying vital organs.

"When this is over, I'll meet you at Nebran then," Zeo told him confidently, grabbing one syringe in his hand.

Manzur bowed to him respectfully, recognizing him as his equal. "May the fortune shine upon you, young man."

Zeo bobbed his head, started the car, and pierced his veins with the thick titanium needle of LCT.

*°*°*