Chapter 32: The Question
Fwoo....
The convoy sat motionless in the dead center of the abandoned Execution District of Gregor Naught.
VRRMM...
Engines idled.
Searchlights swept across broken streets and collapsed buildings.
Several Special Forces soldiers struggled to move the massive rubble blocking the road.
SCREEEEEECH!
Chunks of stone scraped loudly across the asphalt.
Inside the command vehicle, Director Cassian Vanderbi sighed in irritation.
His red glasses reflected the flashing lights of the convoy.
He tapped his finger slowly against the metal wall.
"…What is taking them so long?"
His voice came through the radio channel.
"Clear the road already."
A soldier's voice replied nervously.
"Sir the debris is larger than expected—"
Cassian cut him off.
"Yes yes."
He leaned back slightly.
"I hate waiting."
His voice dropped to a bored mutter.
"And it's so quiet in here…"
His smile grew thin.
"…I could use some company."
Without another word—
BAM!
Cassian opened the vehicle door and stepped outside.
Beneath the broken street…
Hidden inside the underground tunnel network…
Three figures froze instantly.
Zachia, Wei-Wan, and Avenor remained completely still.
Avenor's camouflage ability wrapped around them like liquid glass.
Invisible.
Silent.
But the moment Cassian stepped out of the vehicle—
Fwoosh...
Something changed.
The pressure in the air shifted.
It felt as if a predator had entered the area.
Zachia's jaw tightened.
"…What the hell is that guy?"
Wei-Wan raised a hand immediately.
A silent signal.
Do not move.
Do not attack.
Do not reveal yourselves.
Even Avenor—whose power allowed her to hide entire squads—felt her heartbeat spike.
Cassian wasn't just dangerous.
He felt wrong.
Above them…
Cassian walked slowly toward the rubble blocking the road.
STEP....
STEP....
STEP...
The soldiers stepped aside respectfully.
"Sir, we are still clearing—"
Cassian ignored them.
He looked at the massive pile of collapsed stone.
Then sighed again.
"…Incompetent."
He lifted one leg casually.
And kicked the rubble.
BOOOOOOM!
The impact exploded like artillery.
SWOOSH!
FWOOSH!
FWIISH!
Huge boulders—each weighing several tons—shot through the air like pebbles.
CRAASH!!
BOOM!!
CRASSHH!!
Stones crashed through the walls of nearby houses.
Others smashed into abandoned buildings across the street their windows shattered, roofs collapsed and dust clouds filled the district.
Fwoosh.....
The road was now completely clear.
The soldiers stared in stunned silence.
PAT–PAT!
Cassian dusted his shoe off.
"There."
He turned around casually.
"Problem solved."
Down in the tunnels, Zachia whispered slowly.
"…Yeah."
"…Let's not fight that guy."
Wei-Wan nodded.
For once…even he looked slightly disturbed.
* * *
Cassian walked back toward the convoy as if nothing unusual had happened.
He glanced over the line of transport vehicles.
Then suddenly stopped.
"…Actually."
He tilted his head.
"I think I'll change cars."
A nearby officer blinked.
"Sir?"
Cassian pointed toward the prisoner transports.
"That one."
The officer hesitated slightly.
"But sir those vehicles contain the inmates—"
Cassian smiled faintly.
"Yes."
"That's exactly why."
He adjusted his red glasses.
"I want to see if there's anyone… interesting in there."
The officers didn't dare question him further.
BAM!
They immediately opened the rear door of the selected transport vehicle.
The same one carrying Daito Greyhell and Monday Valhalla.
Inside the SUV…
Fwoosh...
The door suddenly opened and cold air rushed in, the prisoners lifted their heads slightly.
Then Cassian stepped inside.
The atmosphere changed instantly as his presence filled the cramped metal interior like an invisible weight, even restrained Savages felt it.
He looked around slowly....Studying the prisoners like animals in cages.
Then he casually sat down, right next to one of the armored soldiers.
That soldier…Was Daito.
For a brief moment—
Ba-dump...
Daito's heart skipped.
Even through the helmet he could feel the Director's presence.
It felt like sitting beside a coiled predator.
Across from them, Monday watched carefully.
Electric sparks flickered faintly along his restraints.
Cassian crossed his legs comfortably as he leaned back, smiling.
Then slowly turned his head toward them toward Daito and Monday.
For several seconds he said nothing, Just watching, observing and analyzing.
Then he asked calmly—
"How long…"
His smile widened slightly.
"…are you two going to keep acting like fools?"
The words hit like ice water.
Daito's body stiffened inside the armor.
Monday's eyes narrowed instantly.
Neither of them spoke nor moved.
They didn't even know what he meant.
Cassian studied their reactions carefully.
Then chuckled softly.
A quiet, amused laugh.
"…Relax."
He leaned forward slightly.
His red glasses glinting in the dim vehicle light.
"You two are very entertaining."
Daito kept his breathing steady.
His voice disguised through the helmet filter.
"…Sir?"
Cassian tilted his head slowly.
His smile never fading.
"Oh please."
Tap...tap
He tapped his finger lightly against Daito's chest armor.
"You smell like prison detergent."
Then he looked at Monday.
"And you…"
His eyes gleamed.
"…stopped trying to electrocute your restraints the moment he sat down."
Monday didn't respond.
Cassian leaned back again.
Looking between them both.
The smile on his face growing wider.
"…So I'll ask again."
His voice dropped slightly.
"How long…"
"…are you two going to pretend?"
* * *
Inside the armored transport, the air remained heavy with tension.
For several seconds after speaking, Director Cassian Vanderbi simply watched them.
Then he suddenly chuckled.
"…Relax."
He leaned back comfortably against the steel wall.
"I wasn't accusing you of anything serious."
His smile widened slightly.
"I was simply asking how long you two were going to pretend you weren't talking."
He gestured lazily between the armored soldier and the bound prisoner.
"I don't mind conversation."
His voice turned mocking.
"Prison transports are terribly boring otherwise."
Across from him, Monday Valhalla tilted his head slightly, saying nothing.
Next to him, Daito Greyhell slowly released the breath he had been holding.
Good.
Cassian didn't know what they were talking about.
Just that they were talking, Daito kept his posture steady and his helmet forward.
Silent.
Cassian seemed satisfied with the awkward silence and turned his attention elsewhere.
He began studying the prisoners one by one.
Then he started talking again.
Mocking them.
"Oh look at this one."
He pointed casually at a massive prisoner across the vehicle.
"Three murders and an attempted rebellion."
Cassian tilted his head.
"…And you still got caught."
He shook his head in fake disappointment.
"Embarrassing."
The prisoner growled behind his restraints but said nothing.
"Ha.."
Cassian laughed quietly.
Then pointed at another.
"And you…"
"Arsonist."
"Two city blocks burned."
"Yet you fainted during your arrest."
He clapped slowly.
"Incredible bravery."
Several restrained Savages glared at him with pure hatred.
Cassian didn't care, because to him, they were toys.
Meanwhile…
Daito barely heard any of it.
Inside his helmet, a faint whisper crackled through his communicator.
It was Wei-Wan.
"Daito."
His voice was tense.
"What's the situation?"
Daito kept his body still while speaking softly.
"…We have a complication."
Wei-Wan already suspected the answer.
"Cassian."
Daito confirmed quietly.
"Yes."
A pause followed.
Then Wei-Wan spoke again.
"…That wasn't in the plan."
Daito replied dryly.
"No."
Across the tunnel network beneath the street, the team waited in silence.
Wasabi suddenly spoke up.
"Wait."
"I'm pulling up information on him."
Her gadgets hummed softly as data streamed across her tablet.
Several seconds passed.
Then she went quiet.
Too quiet.
Wei-Wan frowned.
"…Wasabi?"
Her voice returned slowly.
"…This is bad."
Wei-Wan's expression hardened.
"How bad?"
A pause.
Then she answered.
"…Really bad."
Inside the vehicle, Daito whispered quietly.
"What kind of bad news?"
Bzzt...
The signal crackled.
Distance was interfering with the transmission.
Wasabi's voice broke in and out.
"…Former… battlefield commander…"
"…suppression specialist…"
"…killed multiple Savages alone…"
"…rumored to—"
The signal suddenly distorted.
"…Daito… if that's really him… then—"
Static swallowed the rest.
The communication line went dead.
Daito slowly raised his head.
And froze.
Because Cassian was staring directly at him.
The Director's red glasses reflected the dim interior lights.
And he was smiling, that same calm, devilish smile.
"…Who were you talking to?"
The question was casual.
But the entire vehicle suddenly felt colder.
Daito answered immediately.
"No one, sir."
Monday leaned slightly closer to him and whispered under his breath.
"…You messed up."
Cassian studied Daito for a moment longer.
As he tilted his head.
"Oh right."
"I asked you something earlier."
His voice remained calm.
"Answer that question."
For a brief second....Daito had no idea what he was referring to.
He had been focused on the communicator.
Trying to remember…What did Cassian ask earlier?
The seconds stretched.
Monday quietly muttered beside him.
"…Think faster."
Finally—
Fwoo...
Daito remembered.
Cassian had asked earlier why the soldiers were sitted far apart from the inmates.
Daito answered quickly.
"Sir, they are taking measures to avoid either inmate to attack them unexpectedly."
"They've already noticed that it might happen."
Cassian stared at him for a few seconds.
Then suddenly smiled wider.
"…Correct."
He leaned back again, folding his arms comfortably.
"If only more soldiers could multitask like you…"
His voice turned amused.
"…my work would be much easier."
Daito gave a short nod.
"Yes sir."
Across from them, Monday watched the exchange carefully.
Buzz...
Electric sparks flickered faintly along his restraints.
Then Monday leaned slightly closer to Daito and whispered.
"…You just got lucky."
Cassian, meanwhile, was still smiling.
And though he looked relaxed, his sharp eyes never fully left them, like a predator quietly studying two very interesting prey.
* * *
VRRMM!
The convoy moved again through the ruined streets of Gregor Naught.
Inside the armored SUV the atmosphere was thick with tension.
Rattle....Rattle.
Metal chains rattled softly.
The engines hummed beneath the floor.
And sitting calmly among the prisoners was Director Cassian Vanderbi.
He looked relaxed.
His red glasses glowed faintly under the dim interior lights.
Next to him sat the disguised soldier.
Daito Greyhell.
Across from them, restrained and chained, sat Monday Valhalla.
Cassian tapped his fingers slowly on his knee.
"So."
He tilted his head toward Daito.
"You speak rather confidently for a soldier."
Daito kept his voice steady.
"Just answering your questions, sir."
Cassian chuckled quietly.
"No."
His smile widened.
"You're arguing with me."
The soldiers around them shifted slightly.
Even the prisoners looked up.
Cassian leaned closer to Daito.
"You know something interesting?"
His voice lowered slightly.
"Since I arrived here tonight…"
"…not a single person has dared to look me in the eyes."
He tapped Daito's helmet lightly.
"Yet here you are."
"…arguing."
Across from them Monday shook his head slowly.
"…Don't do this."
He whispered under his breath to Daito.
But Daito didn't stop.
Cassian seemed delighted.
"Well then."
He leaned back comfortably.
"Let's play a little game."
Several soldiers glanced at each other nervously.
Cassian continued casually.
"A questions game."
He crossed one leg over the other.
"We take turns asking questions."
"If the other person cannot answer…"
His smile turned sharper.
"…they must do whatever the winner tells them."
The vehicle went quiet.
Monday whispered urgently.
"Don't."
But Daito spoke calmly.
"…Fine."
Cassian laughed softly.
"Good."
He gestured politely.
"You first."
Daito leaned forward slightly.
His voice calm.
But his words sharp.
"What happened in your life…"
He paused.
"…that turned you into such an asshole?"
The soldiers inside the vehicle stiffened instantly.
Monday closed his eyes.
"…You're dead."
To be continued....