Jack's thoughts raced as he closed his eyes, preparing for the worst. But when he opened them, he was greeted by the warm smile, the smile that always soothed his heart whenever he was at his lowest.
"Hey, hey, you know you killed them because you had to. Remember what Grandpa used to say? Don't think of terrorists as people, they are vermin that are loyal to none but their own love for destruction. If you say that, then think about it, isn't every military officer a murderer? Every policeman, every war hero, including your grandfather, aren't they all murderers?" she said in a soothing voice.
"What matters is that you know you did it, and if you hadn't, it would be you, Diana, Ethan or all the other people you've saved that would be dead right now," she continued.
"Then what am I supposed to do? Just be okay about it and shrug it off? That sounds evil, and heartless. Then what's the difference between me and them?" Jack said, his voice shaking.
"I'm not asking you to shrug it off. Nope, that would just belittle the meaning of life in your eyes. You've killed someone, and you acknowledge that. You feel the guilt of taking a life. Keep that feeling alive, it's what sets you apart from those monsters. It's what makes you 'you'," she said, offering him a smile.
"Whether you kill someone out of revenge, a sense of duty it doesn't matter. What you must know is that you killed someone, acknowledge it. Think what that person would've done if you hadn't killed them, if you feel a sense of relief upon doing so, know you did the right thing," Enak said in Jack's head. A sentence his grandfather always used to say.
"Thanks Mom, I needed that," Jack said with a smile, his confidence back. "I was scared what you would think of me if your son had become."
"I see my son has become a strong handsome young man, a fearless protector who is using his powers for good," she said smiling warmly. "Now tell me, did you confess to Diana or something? You two seem awfully closer. Taking advantage of being the knight in shining armour are we?"
"I— I Did NOT," he stammered.
"I see, that's a bummer, thought I'd hear some great news when I come out of here," she said with a sigh.
"Yes, about that. Since we have your location, I will go shower, have breakfast and come rescue you. Will take about two and a half hours to get there," he said getting up and stretching.
"You will come alone? No way."
"I am the only fighter here, Diana can only fight so much with the help of Kratian armour."
"She saved you two times when you almost died young master, her skill with the blades and weapon is better than yours, the only thing holding her back is a lack of a proper Ikanami," Enak said teasing Jack like always.
"All the more reason to bring them along with you atleast till here, anyways you can't enter, they've blocked the entrance with completely. With live mines and stuff and they have constant surveillence over it, the only way you can enter is if you enter through the roof of the observatory, which opens for the telescope imaging every week. It is set to open in three days at sharp 12:00 A.M."
"I don't care, I'm more than powerful enough to bust through the main door."
"I know you are, but let's not take the dangerous route deliberately, I've been scouting the area every night and I have found a safe route there, I will have the other people I am protecting stay in the portal room and I will sneak outside, you don't have to come, the best I will allow you is to meet me outsid— Risa who are you talking to? Don't tell me you've Gone insane as well."
"Oh, Maria, I'm talking to my son. Look~ uh how do I put the screen on holographic display?"
"Drag the window with your eye movement to the far corner to the side of the arm you wanna put it on," Jack instructed.
"Ah there we go, thanks sweetie... see Maria? I'm not insane," she said with a smile.
Jack looked around the place, his mother was sitting in the corner of a room with a lot of beds, probably the room in which all the women were residing in. Besides her, stood a woman in her forties, with a look of worry on her face, which slowly melted away when she saw Jack.
"Hey there, nice to meet you, my name is Jack Hauston."
"Hello young man, my name is Maria. Nice to meet you too. Well, Risa how are you—? You know what nevermind, you always have the stuff that leaves us gaping. I will let you two talk, just don't forget to tell us any news you've got," Maria said before leaving with a nod.
"What's all this going insane thing?" Jack asked.
"Well, because people are reallly going insane. We have to keep them restrained and locked away in a room, otherwise they attack us with their Ikanami or insist on going out."
"Those people must be under the extensive mind control. Wait, that means the terrorists are aware of your hiding place. They came to check didn't they?"
"They did, so I had to change locations right away as soon as they left. I've locked this place, only I can move in and out. I fetched all the snacks and food I could find around that wasn't poisoned."
"Poisoned?"
"Yeah, thankfully, the armour warns me whnever it detects a foreign substance in the food."
"I see, okay for now, stay out of earshot from the 'insane' ones alright?"
"Will."
"And I will come get you, no ifs and no buts. Expect me around 12:15 right in front of your hiding place," Jack said sternly.
"I told you, no. It's dangerous."
"They know how you will escape, and they will have additional protection around it now. We both know your armour can't withstand that much firepower and especially not one of the things you encountered at last. Did you find out what they were?"
"No, I didn't. I didn't catch a glimpse of it after that... Be careful, Jack. Don't come alone."
"I won't, if I find someone who can look after themselves in a fight, that is."
"Jeez, when did you get so stubborn?"
"It's either that or I'm busting through the front door within the next three hours."
"Alright, alright, listen—I have to go now. How can I call you again with this thing?"
"Just say 'Link' then my full name, or Diana's, or Ethan's. Those are the only registered people right now."
"Okay, bye now. Take care and don't do anything reckless."
"Goodbye, I won't," and with that he cut the call. Probably.
9:30 A.M.
Jack went back inside the pocket tent to find Diana and Ethan talking in the hall. He walked over to them and joined the conversation.
"So, when are we leaving?" Diana asked.
"We have to be there at 12:00 A.M. on the 28th. That's the only time we can enter the place," Jack said with a sigh, and he continued to explain the situation.
"Quite the predicament. I will try to hack into the observatory mainframe. Maybe I can do something," Ethan suggested.
"That's good enough. I will go take a shower, then I will make us breakfast," Jack said as he started to walk to his room.
"Diana took care of it while you were outside talking with Mrs. Hauston."
"That's wonderful. Thanks, Diana."
"No problem. Now go wash up. We will all eat together," she said with a smile.
"Okay. Viora, are the rings done?" Jack asked, walking to his room.
"The components are complete. Only assembling them is remaining. It should be done by the time you come out of the shower."
"This lady works fast," Ethan said, nodding.
"Thanks for the compliment, Master Ethan."
And with a smirk, Jack vanished inside the room. Inside the shower, he remembered he had forgotten to check in on the other pocket tent.
"Viora, download all the data about the structure of the Stamford research lab. And remind me to go visit the other pocket tent around six P.M. I will go train after the breakfast, and spend some time in the strategy room after that," he instructed as he stepped out of the bathroom.
"Noted."
He got ready and walked over to the other two, who were waiting for him at the dining table.
As they were talking, a notification came on Jack's holo watch. It was from Viora, informing him that the rings were ready.
"Hey Ethan, the rings are ready. Please go and register everyone in the other tent on the Kana network. I need you to do so by evening. It's about time we get everything organised."
"Alright."
"So what will you do today, Jack?" Diana asked.
Jack informed her about his schedule.
"Nope, that won't do. I want you to have a good sleep from 12 P.M. to 6 P.M. No arguments. Right, Ethan?"
"Y-yeah," Ethan agreed.
"What? But why?" Jack protested.
"You should be in the best condition. You need your energy. As our strongest fighter, we can't have you tired in case something comes up."
"You should agree, young master. The longer you stay to argue, the lesser time will remain for your training. And she is right, and you know it," Enak suggested.
"Fine," Jack said with a sigh as he went back to his breakfast.
The rest of the morning passed away with Jack pushing his limits in the training room, improving his techniques and mastering his power under Enak's guidance. At 12 P.M., he came out to find Diana in the main hall, waiting for him at the dining table with lunch ready.
"Go wash up. Ethan already ate and went to the job you assigned him. Let's eat. After that, I will help him distribute the rings while you rest," she said, narrowing her eyes at the last part.
"Yes, that sounds like a plan. I will join you in a bit," Jack said, avoiding eye contact.
"Good."
Jack washed up and joined her at the table. Throughout lunch, they talked about various things—from how they will manage the people in the other tent to how they will break into the observatory.
After lunch, Jack helped her do the dishes, hoping that she would leave to join Ethan soon so that he could spend some time in the strategy room. Diana sensed it as well, and well, she didn't go out until Jack retreated back to his room. Even after that, she stayed in the hall for half an hour more just in case Jack tried to sneak up again.
Jack couldn't help but chuckle lightly at this exchange. A smile tugged at his lips, and he found himself grinning widely as he thought about how insistent she was being.
Things have started to look up a little. Maybe it wouldn't hurt to just give in and rest for now, he thought to himself as he considered all the good things that had happened today.
He cleared away his thoughts and rested, the sound of his own heartbeat lulling him to sleep. But instead of a refreshing sleep full of peaceful dreams that everyone had hoped for him, he found himself in for an uneasy rest with a reoccurrence of a nightmare he had been having for quite a while.
A nightmare that made him live one of the coldest and traumatizing memories of his childhood.