The Soul Conflict

Chapter 22: Reinforce

"What!? How did he get here? How did he know?" I half shouted. There is no way Senar should have known about us being here...it just isn't possible.

"Hell if I know. The point is, he's here and now we have to beat his ass." Nigel said.

"What? The Unity Lance is here?" Emin said with a look of surprise.

"No. Someone else who we have next to no information on other than they are hunting the same thing as us." Marshall said.

"Ah, the Jiwa?" Emin asked. Wait, how does he know about that?

"Yeah...how do you know about them?" I asked suspiciously.

"That is a good question..." Marshall matched my suspicion. Emin is starting to grin nervously...this guy is a really bad liar. What the hell did he do?

"I may have gotten some information from O'Reily about your mission. It's really not a big deal, gentlemen! I hardly know what the Jiwa even are." Emin said and clasped his hands together.

"What did he tell you?" Marshall pressed.

"Eh...just that the Jiwa seem to be these soul things. Fiery souls, so I've heard." Emin said. A door opened on the far side of the living room and out walked a tall dark woman with long black hair. She was wearing an elaborate dress with what seemed to be animal fur around the collar. "Ah, Fera! You've finished with your phone calls. This is Ibis and Nathan, two lovely new additions to the Sunai squadron. Say hello!" Emin said as he turned his full attention to whom I assume to be his wife.

"Hi." Fera said and made a slight wave. She did not make eye contact with any of us and simply walked over to sit down next to Emin. She seems quite shy.
"It would be lovely to talk to you again, Fera, but we have to go fight a metal cyclops and prevent him from stealing a necklace. Keep in touch, okay?" Nigel said as he rose to leave.

"Oh no, not the Unity Lance's wretch. Be most careful, Clovers." Fera said.
"Huh? Why do you say that?" Nigel said as he refocused his attention back on Fera. That's not really a typical response to talking about a metal cyclops.

"...What do you two know?" Nigel said, and now he too was suspicious.

"Senar works for the Unity Lance?" Ibis said.

"Apparently...?" I said uneasily. Fera looked to Emin for answers, but it doesn't look like the rich man has any. He smiled again and shrugged.

"Ahah, Fera. You must have just fumbled over your words again, right? Right? What did you mean to say?"

"You guys are so bad at lying it's actually giving me depression. Did you tip the Lance off?" Nigel said and he wore a scowl on his face. That is most unusual for him...

"..." Fera hung her head low and did not reply.

"Well? Did you!?" Nigel asked again. I haven't seen Nigel this enraged before. It's actually pretty scary to see the jokester turn so sour like this, not that I blame him for it.

"...Yes. They offered us money and peace." Fera said. Emin put his hand over his head and slumped over. Yeah, you should feel guilty you pieces of shit.

"Why I oughta-" Nigel began but Marshall stepped in front of him. Nigel's face is turning an angry red color, making him look kind of like a tomato. A very frightening tomato.

"Peace from what?" Marshall said.

"The war. They said that the war will soon escalate, and it won't be just Saudi Arabia and Indonesia involved." Fera said in an increasingly choked voice. "I'm sorry Marshall. I was scared." She continued. Marshall frowned and his gaze darkened.