Sector B

38

The bag was removed from Decha's head so harshly that his head was snatched forward. Decha blinked and got a good look at his surroundings.

He was in a small room. Because of the concrete floors and brick walls, he knew he was underground somewhere. A small beam of light coming out of the ceiling helped him make out the objects and furniture placed.

He felt cold metal binding his wrists down to a surface. His hands were cuffed to a chair. A foggy hand placed a cup of warm liquid on a table in front of him. Then the dark figure of a person sat across from him. "Sorry for the inconvenience, N96."

The voice was deep, but it didn't make Decha react one bit. He was more concerned about Jax. Where was he?

"Do you like tea or coffee?"

"Neither," Decha glared at the perpetrator. "Especially not from abductors."

"Oh, you're mad about that? It was necessary. You know it's not easy for me to approach you in the public eye."

"I don't even know who you are." Decha nodded at the weak light. The figure looked up and a warm smile spread across their face. The figure flipped on a switch, and the light became brighter.

It revealed more of the room. Decha squinted his eyes, allowing them to get used to the light. Then he looked at the person who had him choked, kidnapped, and bound to the chair.

"Antoine." Decha sneered. It was the criminal who distracted him at the Program.

"I know what you're thinking," Antoine pressed his lips thin. "Before you react, I need you to listen to me."

"You've got 3 minutes," Decha growled. He was already fiddling with the lock on the cuffs. He knew he could get out of them in under a minute, but he was willing to let Antoine explain before he wreaked havoc.

"I assume you remember our last conversation, at the event. I gave you a warning." Antoine sat forward. Decha watched him but kept his expression unchanged. "The bombs in Astell weren't meant to get this out of hand. We originally wanted to scare the Astellians. We wanted the Council to pay attention and treat the Brackets as an equal."

"Why don't you tell me who you're working for?" Decha seethed.

"I can't give any names. But I brought you here to ask for your help."

"My help?" Decha scoffed. "As far as I'm concerned, you're an enemy. You smuggled weapons across the border, helping out in wicked schemes."

"I know that, but right now, I'm in dire need of assistance. You're the only General I could trust."

"Me?" Decha chuckled sarcastically. Antoine's words humored him. He thought that Antoine hadn't heard the stories of his battles on the Outside. Even the Bracketers knew about Astell's fierce warriors. "I wonder why."

"I looked into you. Unfortunately, the resources I've been exposed to allow me to know more about your rank, your pins, and your achievements. But after the event, I wondered why you let me go."

Antoine crossed his legs and sighed. "Before the event, I tried to warn them. I sent an anonymous letter directly to the Council, but they ignored me and proceeded to host the event. I knew where the bomb was, and I went intending to ask you to help me stop it. But when I arrived, it was already too late. My warning came across as sudden, and it made you on edge."

Antoine looked up at Decha with a look of despair. "I revealed myself to you purposely. Out of desperation. Because I didn't want this madness to continue. And I surely thought I was going to die when you held the gun to my face that night. But you let me live."