Morning light had barely settled over Zaire. A few early risers moved along the streets, people slipping into their routines and heading toward their usual places of work. Roadside stalls flickered awake one by one, shopkeepers lifting shutters and arranging goods as the dim area slowly brightened.
The calm held—until the air shifted.
A faint vibration rippled through the ground, faint at first. The people paused, eyes darting around in search of the source. Then, at the far end of the road, a line of armored Vatican troops appeared, uniforms crisp and rigid, moving with an unnerving precision that disrupted the street's usual ease.
Instinctively, the citizens stepped back, murmurs rising.
A sudden gust swept across the rooftops, dragging their attention upward. More troops—airborne units—hovered above the city. Their transport crafts, hummed like enormous insects as they swept across the district.
A few shopkeepers huddled together, watching the sky.
"I don't like the look of this," a woman muttered, disgust tightening her brow. "What did the president say they were searching for again?"
"He didn't specify," another replied. "But whatever it is… it must be worth a lot."
---
Kymani slumped onto the chair beside Valtor. "Do you think the Vaticans are here already?" he asked, anxiety dripping in his words.
"The president made the announcement hours ago, so… probably," Valtor answered. His gaze drifted to Orea, who sat apart, silent, eyes fixed somewhere distant.
A soft knock broke the stillness.
The whole group rose together as Kymani hurried to the door and pulled it open. A Zairan soldier stood waiting.
"Morning," he greeted as the crew stepped forward. "I've been instructed to inform you that the Vaticans have arrived. You're to remain quietly in place until the search is complete."
"And when would that be?" Lynx asked.
"When the Vaticans have swept through all of Zaire," the soldier replied.
"Men have been stationed for work at the upper base to avoid drawing attention, so your safety is assured." His tone was firm, leaving no room for argument.
The group exchanged nods.
"I'll be stationed in this hallway until the operation is over," he added. "If you need anything, alert me."
"We will. Thank you," Valtor said.
...................
A hovercraft drifted above Western Zaire, a few miles from the border. Inside the command cabin, Captain Allistair stood with one hand gripping a ceiling rail, his gaze fixed on the holo-map projected before him.
A faint crackle broke through the comms.
"Western unit, report," Allistair said, voice steady.
"Captain, this is Scout Team Two," the first voice answered. "We've swept two and a half miles westward. No heat signatures, no movement matching the group's profile."
A second voice followed. "Same for Team One, sir. We've covered the elevated sectors and are heading toward the industrial zone. No contact so far."
The captain straightened.
"Listen carefully, all units. We are not repeating what happened at the border. The Superintendent is convinced the escapees are in this region. These kids outmaneuvered us once, shaming the entire division. It will not happen again."
He paused, letting the words settle.
"You will expand your sweep radius by one mile. Maintain altitude discipline and keep your sensors on constant relay. If the escapees are anywhere in this sector, we find them before they get the chance to outsmart us. Are we clear?"
The comms lit up in unison. "Yes, Captain. Resuming sweep."
"Good." Allistair nodded, satisfied.
A trio of soldiers moved stealthily through a cluster of trees, eyes fixed on their wrist-sensors as they maneuvered forward. A small building emerged ahead. Motioning to themselves, they approached the entrance.
Sliding the steel doors open, they paused.
"A warehouse," one of them murmured.
Inside, dozens of workers hustled between packaging stations and relay tables. Their motion slowed as they noticed the soldiers.
One officer stepped forward. "Mandatory search ordered by the council. You may continue your work."
He gestured for his team to spread out. They broke off in different directions.
Moving alone, the soldier followed a wide stretch of connected rooms filled with workers. His eyes stayed on the sensor glowing on his wrist—until it gave a sharp beep.
He stopped.
No one stood close by, yet the beeping continued. His gaze swept the floor, narrowing as he spotted a small door painted the same dull pastel grey as the cemented floors. Subtle enough to miss.
He kicked it open.
Below floor level, a handful of men worked in a cramped room, repairing damaged equipment. The air reeked of oil and metal. Startled, the men stared up at him.
"Good day," he said with a brief nod. "Mandatory search protocol."
The workers nodded back. He closed the hatch and straightened, noting the blank wall a few feet ahead—the apparent end of the warehouse's perimeter.
Slightly disappointed, he turned to rejoin his team, unaware of the underground passage hidden behind the carefully engineered sliding brick wall.
Beyond that wall, the narrow corridor underneath the ground led straight to the group's secret hideout.
................
Valtor sat in the living area, watching with quiet delight as a small flame flickered above his palm.
"Feels like a long time ago, huh?" Orea said as she joined him.
He closed his hand, extinguishing the flame. "Yeah… it really does."
You've been quiet all morning," he added, studying her expression.
"I've been thinking about a lot of things," she said. The woman at the stall… the desperate search going on… she exhaled slowly. "Valtor, do you honestly think we can get through this without being discovered?"
"I think it's possible," he answered softly.
She played with her fingers, her head dropping. "I've been nervous all morning. I can't help it."
Valtor paused, reading the worry in her face. He shifted closer, his voice softening instinctively.
"Orea", he called.
She lifted her head, the fear in her eyes tugged at him more than he expected. His brows pulled together.
Noticing his reaction, she spoke first.
"I'll be fine, don't —" she began, but Valtor leaned in, cutting her off with a brief, steady kiss.
"Does that help?" he asked, a small smile formed across his face, blue eyes brightening.
She let out a quiet laugh. "Yeah… it does."