Orea rose from her sleep, yawning as she rubbed her eyes. Blinking around the tent, she realized it was empty. She had overslept—everyone else was probably getting ready for the day.
Stepping out of the leafy abode, she basked in the sun's warmth as it kissed her melanated skin. She hurried through the bushes and accidentally bumped into someone.
"Sorry," she blurted, before realizing who it was.
"Good morning," Lynx replied, smiling warmly.
She froze, caught off guard by his easy expression. "Mo... morning," she stammered. He only adjusted his backpack and walked past her.
"Hey,... good morning," Orea greeted others as she passed, until she stopped upon sighting their captain. Valtor sat on a log, lacing his boots, his back facing her.
"Hey," she called, taking a seat beside him.
"Morning," he replied, glancing her way. "What's up?"
"Nothing... just woke up and ran into Lynx."
"And?"
"I don't know. He just seemed... normal. Maybe too normal, considering what he heard yesterday." She lowered her voice. "About the plan."
Valtor chuckled. "You're nervous."
"Maybe a little."
"Don't be," he said casually, standing up. She followed suit.
She leaned closer. "How are you so calm, knowing what might happen today?"
"Faith," he said simply. "I have faith Lynx will do the right thing—stay on our side. You should try it."
She sighed. "Yeah, I'll try... But first, we've got a mission to get to."
"Not while looking like that," Valtor teased, grimacing playfully as his eyes flicked over her.
"What's that supposed to mean?" she gasped.
"For starters, your hair's everywhere."
Orea stared at her hair, her curls stuck out wildly. "Well, this is embarrassing..." she muttered, biting her lip as she tried to tame it.
Amused, Valtor stepped closer and began gently finger-combing through her hair, untangling the strands with quiet patience.
Orea froze, her cheeks warming as she watched him—blue eyes steady, focused, completely unaware of how flustered she was. When he was done, he tucked a few stray curls behind her ears.
"There," he said with a small smile. "Now you look more presentable."
His smile faltered when he noticed her staring. "What?"
"Nothing," she said quickly, turning away. "I'll go get ready."
..................
Returning from another victorious battle, the team settled into their new base. Dusting the dirt off their uniforms, they washed away the tension of the fight while their captain noted the number of fallen aliens — thirteen in total.
Once fully settled, they shared a meal and rested for the night. No one spoke of the awaited escape mission.
Unable to stay quiet, Zara leaned closer to Orea and whispered, "It's almost midnight."
"I can see that," Orea murmured back. They went silent after that, their glances doing the rest of the talking.
Sitting a few meters away, Valtor checked the time on his wristband — 9:00 p.m. So far, there'd been no strange behavior, no secret whispers, no unexpected intrusions from the barracks. Just a few more hours until we findout,.. he thought.
Gradually, the group drifted to sleep under the moonlight — until a sharp ringing sound jolted them awake.
Lynx tapped his wristband, silencing the alarm. "It's eleven," he announced. "We should get ready to leave."
Valtor met his eyes, nodding slightly. "Let's head out."
Leading the way eastward, Valtor raised a small flame in his palm, lighting their path as the moon struggled behind the clouds. The others followed quietly, Orea and Zara exchanging nervous glances.
When they finally reached a small clearing, Valtor stopped. "We're here," he said. "I'll set up the flare now."
"Do you need help?" Lynx offered.
Valtor shook his head. "No, I've got it."
He knelt down, pulled out a flare stick, and placed it amidst the bushes. Taking a steadying breath, he lit it — and a streak of blue flame shot into the night sky, painting the horizon in color. The crew watched in quiet awe.
As minutes passed. Lynx began to pace.
"How long till he shows up?" he asked.
Valtor didn't respond at first. Then, slowly, he stood, his eyes fixed on Lynx.
"Okay," he said finally, voice low. "What I'm about to say is going to sound really... crazy."
Confused glances rippled through the crew.
"What's going on?" Lynx demanded.
Valtor lowered his head, bracing for the outburst he knew was coming....