The forest road ended in a long, curving descent of asphalt that looked almost too ordinary… until the first steel gate rose from the ground like a waking beast.
Keifer blinked.
Aries froze.
Percy actually forgot to breathe.
Even Sec-E—who had seen practically everything—fell silent.
Only Jay stood still, hands in pockets, eyes void of hesitation.
The League Base.
Her territory.
Her kingdom.
Her world.
And tonight, everyone was about to witness it.
THE SECURITY GAUNTLET
"Authorization?" a static voice asked from the hidden speaker.
Jay didn't pull out a card.
Didn't scan her retina.
Didn't even look up.
She simply spoke.
"Alpha. Code J–01."
Every light around them switched from blue to red—then to white.
Keifer stared at her like she had just casually announced she was the queen of a country.
Aries whispered, "…Alpha?"
Percy grabbed his arm dramatically. "Baby, shh—your sister is clearly a walking government secret."
Aries slapped his hand away. "Don't call me baby!"
But no one could joke too long, because the FIRST gate rose…
then the SECOND…
then the THIRD…
Each taller than the last, each guarded by silhouettes holding advanced weapons, helmets tinted, faces hidden.
The ground rumbled as barriers slid open.
Keifer leaned closer to Jay.
"Your base has… three gates?"
Jay shrugged. "Security. Normal stuff."
"Normal?" Calix muttered. "THIS IS A WHOLE COUNTRY."
Keigan and Keiren plastered themselves to the windows, eyes sparkling.
"JAY ATE IS SO COOL!" Keiren yelled.
Jay grinned"Of course."
Keifer stared lovingly, like she had just declared gravity optional.
THE ARRIVAL
The car rolled into an enormous underground cavern lit with cold white lights. Multiple floors of walkways, vault doors, elevators, towers of monitors—
A literal militarized tech labyrinth.
Freya gasped.
Rakki choked on air.
Ion almost dropped her phone.Angelo's jaw clenched—impressed despite his permanent scowl.
Jay hopped out first.Instinctively, the guards lined up.
"Welcome back, Alpha."
Sec-E went dead silent.
Ella whispered, "Bro. She has a personal army."
Cin saluted dramatically. "Commander Jay! I'm ready for duty!"
Jay flicked his forehead.
Cin yelped.
Everyone laughed.
But Keifer was… still staring.
Not in fear.
Not in shock.
Just awe.
"Jay…" he said softly. "How much do I not know about you?"
Jay grinned."A lot. But it's fine. I know everything about you."
"THAT'S WORSE!" he yelped.
KEEPING THE YOUNGER ONES SAFE
Jashfer stepped forward, eyes sharp.
"Jay, whatever danger this is—my children and your brothers stay out of it."
Jay exhaled sharply.
"No. They're safe hereBase stays guarded.Keigan, Keiren, Rosie, Grandma, Aunt—i will send them to more safer base nearby so even if this place get attacked ."
Keifer immediately protested."Jay, we're not leaving you alone—"
"You're not leaving," she cut him off."They are."
Jashfer crossed his arms."But you—"
Jay lifted her chin.
"Dad, I'm the Alpha.This is my world.Let me handle it."
And Jashfer… finally nodded.
Trust.Pride.Fear—yet belief.
jay sent everyone to sleep then sec e angelo Rafael ion lia tiger went to office room
THE BRIEFING CHAMBER
They entered a massive metal-lined room—a circular command hall with a huge projection screen, map tables, seats arranged like a war council.
Jay stood at the center like she was born there.
Everyone else?Frozen. Tall statues of disbelief.
Ion whispered, "Damn. Our Jay is scary."
Angelo side-eyed the guards. "Of course she is. Otherwise she wouldn't babysit idiots like you."
Ion glared.
Angelo glared.
jay just grinned
"Stop. No romance arc today."
They both turned cherry-red.
MICHAEL'S video call
The giant screen flickered to life.
Michael, hood up, glasses reflecting codes.
Adam, sitting beside him, paperwork everywhere.
Samuel, calm as always, typing a report.
Michael didn't greet them—he never did.
He went straight to the point.
"We found something."
Jay's expression darkened instantly.
Keifer stepped closer, instinctively protective.
"What is it?" Jay asked.
Michael expanded files on the screen.
A masked figure.Phone taps.Encrypted messages.
"The outsider working with Kaizer isn't Yuri."
Jay stiffened.
Michael's voice turned even colder.
"And Jay… you're not going to like this.
He has a connection to you.And to Jeana.He knows your childhood.He knows your triggers.He knows your weaknesses."**
The room's temperature dropped.
Even Angelo flinched.
Percy whispered, "…who the hell?"
Michael continued.
**"We haven't cracked his identity yet.
But we're close."**
Jay clenched her jaw.
Her voice, for the first time that night, wavered.
"…and Yuri?"
Adam sighed.Samuel's fingers stopped typing.
Michael spoke plainly.
**"Yes, Alpha.
Yuri was a betrayer."**
Silence.
A thick, painful silence.
Jay didn't cry.Didn't shake.Didn't scream.
She just nodded once, expression unreadable.
But Keifer saw it.
The hurt.The betrayal.The disappointment she tried to bury.
He reached out, gently squeezing her shoulder.
And Jay let her forehead briefly touch his arm.
Just for a second.
THE ACES' RETURN
Michael continued,
"We're flying back to the base tomorrow morning.
Adam has intel on Kaizer's operations.."
Jay's voice was steady now.
"Good. Tomorrow we plan.Tonight everyone rests."
Angelo scoffed. "Jay, you haven't rested in ten years."
Ion whispered, "…accurate."
Jay bonked them both on the head.
Before shutting the screen, Michael added:
**"And Jay—
one more thing."**
Everyone looked up.
The screen glowed red as a final image loaded.
A blurry photo.
A shadowed figure.
But unmistakably—
the man in the mask.
His voice-recorded warning played:
"You took everything from me…now I will take everything from you."
adam"jay what is happening to you i have never seen this expression on your face"
michael"yeah"
sam and jay just look at eachother like they knew something .
"i dont know why i am getting negative vibes ," she said quietly,"Tomorrow… we end this."
The screen cut to black.
Lights dimmed.
Everyone felt it.
A war was coming.
And none of them were ready.