CUT TO: Outside the bakery.
The remaining four team members were pushing their way through the chaotic crowd at the airport, heading toward the scene. The tremors had just subsided.
That's when they saw three figures approaching them from the direction of the disaster—Syd, Jody with a broken leg, and Sally toddling closely behind.
The moment they saw them, the team knew they had to get out—now. Chaos was the perfect cover.
The enemy was already breathing down their necks. Time to pick up the pace.
"The storm's over," Mickey said, glancing out the terminal windows. The storm had calmed, now just a light drizzle remained. (You could see the raindrops clinging to the glass.)
A glance at the clock—12:10 a.m.
"Let's go. Follow me," Syd said.
Seeing the state Jody was in, he volunteered to carry her. The less she had to walk, the better.
"…Syd?!"
The American girl hadn't expected it. One moment, she was standing—next thing she knew, she was already on his back.
"Hold on."
Syd didn't care who was watching. He slipped his hands under the backs of her knees and hoisted her up.
"Syd! N-no, it's okay—I can walk…"
It wasn't that she was grossed out or offended. Quite the opposite—she just felt bad. Embarrassed, even. She didn't want him to think she was so helpless she needed to be carried.
Covered in blood and grime, she felt disgusting. Syd had already given her his jacket—wasn't that enough?
But Syd wasn't thinking like that.
"Hold on, or I'll drop your ass. We'll go faster this way. What are you even embarrassed about? Nobody here knows us."
"But your jacket's gonna—"
"Who cares? I've got more. Just get on, already."
She didn't get a chance to argue. The boy lifted her with no warning and started running, with Sera catching up beside him.
"She's seriously messed up. Get her treated as soon as we're on the plane!"
"You think I don't know that?!"
Syd and Sera led the way, leaving Roxy and the rest to keep up.
Roxy looked at Jody—wrapped in her brother's red coat, clinging to his back—and a dark twinge stirred inside her. Not quite jealousy. Not quite anger. Just… discomfort. But there was nothing she could say. She just swallowed it down.
The group pushed ahead until they reached the private jet zone—similar to Sera's, but this time, they were directed to a separate tarmac outside the airport.
Jody and Sera both saw it—a mid-sized white private jet, clearly different from Sera's sleeker ride. It was the kind of aircraft you'd use for transporting government officials or VIPs.
The plane's door opened, and the team boarded one by one.
The cabin interior was nothing extravagant—simple, practical. Not like Sera's jet, but fitting for a covert ops team.
Sera and Jody were allowed to separate and rest. The boys and Roxy went off to hold a chaotic impromptu meeting.
"…Okay. Gently now," Sera said as she removed Syd's red coat from Jody.
As expected, it was soaked with her blood. But Jody herself was even worse off.
Her once-white sleeves looked like they'd been dipped in crimson and dirt, streaked and stained all over.
"…Ugh."
Sera started with Jody's leg, healing the worst of it first. Then worked her way up.
"Can you take the jacket off?"
"…Yeah."
Sera helped her peel off the blue-and-white NY jacket, leaving just a light blue t-shirt underneath.
Her pink aura buzzed softly as it healed Jody's wounds. Then the two of them wiped the blood away with damp towels until she looked halfway clean.
"…Ugh, just toss this shirt. It's wrecked. Ew."
"Heh… Yeah, probably."
Jody flexed her arms and legs to test if the wounds had fully closed.
"Thanks, Sera…"
"If I didn't help, who would?"
"Haha…"
Jody grabbed a clean shirt from her luggage and changed into it.
"What about this?" Sera pointed to the red coat lying nearby.
"I'll hold onto it for him."
Jody picked it up and neatly folded it. That's when Sera caught sight of the label.
"…Wait a sec…"
"Huh? What?"
"That jacket of Syd's… It's Burberry."
"Burberry?"
"Yeah, my dad wears it. It costs thousands. That brand's expensive."
"Really?"
"Totally. But I've never seen this design. Must be custom-made."
"So… even pricier?"
"Yup."
The image of Syd draping the coat over her replayed in her mind.
"…It is custom. Look."
Sera flipped open the inner lining. There it was—Thai lettering stitched neatly inside.
Phaitoon Gift Wongphudi.
"What does it say?" Sera squinted.
"…It's Syd's real name. I recognize the characters."
"You can read this? Seriously? I can't even tell where one letter ends and the next begins…"
"Look—'ไ,' 'พ,' and 'ร'—landmarks."
"You little shit… You called me out for using designer stuff, but look at this! Hypocrite."
Meanwhile, in another cabin…
The four THRAK members sat in tense silence as the jet took off.
"CIA…" Roxy muttered, resting her chin on her hand.
"…Looks like they're chasing the same thing we are. That guy who ambushed the van with Sally—he's one of them."
Syd nodded.
"…You think they're also after 'Enlighten'?" Toshi asked.
"…Enlighten. Haven't heard that name in a while… Almost forgot they existed," Syd replied.
Mickey chimed in, "Doubt it. I think they're focused more on the human trafficking side. We're in it for the enhancement drug. They're in it for the test subjects. Two different streets… Same dead-end."
"You should've gotten more info. That guy—Autumn—didn't carry a phone?"
"…It got destroyed."
Roxy frowned. "Destroyed? How?"
"The three damn assassins."
"…Then we'll need to report this to HQ. ASAP."
Roxy flipped open her laptop and started contacting the base.
"I'm gonna check on Jody…"
Syd stood, but before leaving, he removed the zip tie from Sally's wrist, finally setting her free.
"I'm coming," Toshi said, rising. Mickey followed too. Roxy stayed put—cold as ever.
Then she said something—in Thai.
"She's with Sera. What are you still worried about?"
Syd took a deep breath… and let it out slowly.
"Jody has a fractured skull… a shattered hip… bullet wounds in her arm… How do you expect me not to care? She's under our protection. I invited her into this job. So I take responsibility."
"I just hope you're not doing it to avoid a pay cut," Roxy muttered.
Syd patted her on the shoulder.
"Of course I am."
Then he walked out.
Slide…
The cabin door opened, and there stood Syd Barrett, staring at Jody, now in just a t-shirt, stretching her limbs.
The two girls looked up.
"Syd… Your jacket…"
Jody held it out.
"Thanks."
"No big deal."
He reached for it—but she didn't let go.
"…Huh?"
"Is this your real name?"
She flipped the jacket to show the label. Thai script.
Syd's eyes widened. Crap. He forgot it had his full name stitched in it.
"Uh…"
"So it is yours."
"No! No, it's not—"
"I recognize the characters."
Persistent little brat… She knows too much. Guess she's all healed now.
"…Wanna know what it means?"
Syd asked.
"What?"
"It says…"
He pointed to each letter for them, deadpan.
"Don't-touch-my-jacket-you-nosy-buffalo."
"…Oh."
Sera's face changed color in 0.025 seconds.
"YOU called me out for being flashy, and you're walking around in a custom Burberry?! That thing's worth a fortune! Sure, it's basically a blood-soaked rag now, but I knew it! You hypocrite!"
She grinned smugly. Then Toshi spoke up.
"Syd didn't buy it."
"…What?"
Sera blinked.
"What do you mean?"
"It was from his mom. She gave it to him."
"Your mom bought it?"
"Yeah, duh!" Syd cut in. "She probably stuffed it in without telling me. Damn auntie."
"Why? Can't you buy your own clothes?"
Mickey muttered, "Ah… cultural differences…"
"As you should!"
A rare moment—Syd and Sera, in complete agreement.
Syd stuffed the bloody jacket in a plastic bag, grumbling.
"Stupid auntie…"
Then wandered off to the back of the jet to stash it.
Jody stood too—time to change into something cleaner. Honestly, they both needed to.
Thankfully, the plane had two restrooms.
"Where'd you guys put my luggage?"
"Back of the plane," Toshi said.
"You sure you grabbed everything?"
Jody narrowed her eyes.
"…You don't trust us?"
"..."
"..."
"No."
She walked off toward the back—same direction Syd went.
"…A hundred-thousand baht jacket… from his mom? Birthday gift, maybe?"
Sera turned and raised an eyebrow at Toshi.
"Something like that," he replied.
.
.
Soniya
Codename:LunarSea
Nationality: Brazilian
Ability: Can manipulate the molecular structure of objects, making them behave like liquid.
Power Type: Non-physical (no visible form)
Yuri
Codename: Unknown
Nationality: Russian
Ability Type: Martial technique (Poison branch)
Details: A poison-user who carries syringes filled with custom-blended toxins. Each poison is uniquely formulated based on her personal expertise. The effects are potent enough to destroy internal organs.
Marley
Codename:Lureman
Nationality: Unknown (Caucasian)
Ability: Can take control of a target's body. However, while using this ability, Marley must remain motionless with her eyes closed.
Power Type: Non-physical (no visible form)