The League Base was still buzzing with cold white lights and patrolling guards when the news finally reached Kaizer.
They changed locations.They moved everyone to League Base.Jay Fernandez Mariano was now completely surrounded by her people.
Kaizer's face twisted, a mix of fury and—oddly—delight."Let them hide," he muttered, fingers tapping the glass table. "The deeper they go, the easier it is to trap them."
Beside him, the masked man leaned back in the shadows. His voice distorted through the modulator.
"She's getting suspicious. The ACES are returning tonight got to know from spies in other country. That complicates things."
Kaizer scoffed."Complicates? No. Jay getting emotional is good for us.
masked man"you really dont know what she is capable of"
The lights of the League Base were dim, the security monitors humming quietly, when ACES finally reached the private hallway leading to Jay's room. It was 3:58 AM, practically dawn's yawn, and all three boys looked like death after a 9-hour flight and two emergency briefings.
Michael had eyebags that belonged in a museum.Samuel was holding someone's forgotten blanket like it was a patient.Sentinel—Adam was walking like he was ready to sue the entire universe for emotional damages.
Instead, the silence was broken by a violent knocking—more like rapid-fire punches—on the giant steel entrance door.
BOOM. BOOM. BOOM.
"OPEN THE DOOR, ALPHA! IT'S FREEZING!"
Jay dragged herself to the main entrance, still in her hoodie, still half-asleep.
She opened the door.
ACES stepped inside—
And were attacked by warm air and pure exhaustion.
Michael hugged her—Or tried to.She sidestepped.
He hugged empty air.
Adam walked in with his suitcase, whispering,"I hate my life."
Samuel followed, offering polite nods.
Jay mumbled, "Beds are upstairs. Don't scream. Don't wake kids."
Bundled in her oversized League hoodie with floppy bear-ears on the hood, curled like a cat on the living room couch, her cheek squished against a pillow.Fast asleep.Dead to the world.
And standing in front of her like ghosts discovering their queen lost in a supermarket…
ACES.
Michael. Samuel. Adam
All three staring at Jay.
All three equally sleep-deprived.
Jay didn't move. Didn't blink. Her hood covered half her face.
Michael pointed at her."She left us outside. IN MINUS TWO DEGREES. Alpha is cancelled."
Samuel corrected him quietly, "Technically it's 9°C, not minus—"
"DON'T DEFEND HER!" Michael snapped dramatically.
michael rubbed his face. "She could've at least sent a text."
adam shrugged. "She was probably tired. She's been handling too much."
Michael's voice cracked like a betrayed Victorian wife,"I just wanted to sleep… and she… abandoned us…"
And worst of all?
She didn't even look at them.
She just rubbed her eyes, turned away from the door like, "not today," and walked straight to the couch again without a word.
ACES stood there like three statues whose souls had left their bodies.
Michael (whispering): "Did… did she just ignore us?"
Adam: "I think we've been demoted."
Samuel: "This is karma for leaving her with only 17 bodyguards last mission."
the entire Sec-E + cousins squad GASPS in unison.
Mayo: "NO WAY SHE GHOSTED ACES—THIS IS HISTORY."
Kit: "Bro, the couch replaced you."
Denzel: "Rest in peace, Adam… she used to call you her 'legal braincell.'"
Adam: "I'M STILL HER LEGAL BRAIN, YOU SOULLESS INSECTS—"
Keifer sat up instantly.
Jay?Where—?
His arm reached out on instinct. Empty.
He stopped. Because the moment Adam raised his voice, a soft shift came from behind them.
Keifer.
Hair messed, shirt slightly wrinkled, his eyes sharp even with sleep still clinging to them.
He sat up abruptly on the bed the second he realized the space beside him was empty. The instinctive panic that always came when Jay wasn't within reach hit him hard.
He stood up fast—too fast—and almost tripped, but the urgency was real.
And then he saw her.
Jay, curled on the couch. Hood on. Asleep.
Keifer's expression softened instantly—softer than ACES had ever seen.
He walked slowly toward her, almost silent, like approaching a fragile thing he treasured.
He knelt beside the couch, brushing her hood back slightly to see her face.
Keifer (softest whisper):"Why are you here, Mrs Watson?"
ACES blinked.
CEOs of destruction. Weapons of mass chaos. And yet they had NEVER seen Keifer Watson melt like warm butter on toast.
Michael (deadpan): "Bro. BRO. Did Keifer just use THAT voice?"
Samuel: "The one only reserved for small children and endangered animals?"
Adam: "No, this is—this is boyfriend voice. We're witnessing a miracle."
Before they could say more, Jay half-opened one eye.
Then—
She pushed Keifer's face away like he was a lamp blocking the TV.
Jay: "You were stealing all the blanket. Stay away."
ACES tried not to choke.
Keifer just smirked
keifer whispered in her ears :"why you need blanket when i can be your human blanket"
jay threw cushion at him
Sec-E EXPLODED:
Calix: "NO WAY SHE JUST SHOVED THE WATSON CEO."
Ella: "OMG THIS IS SO CUTE I'M GIGGLING."
percy(screaming from the back): "MY SISTER HAS ZERO FEAR—ZERO!"
aries: "Naturally. Genes.
Michael cleared his throat like a disappointed dad.
Michael: "Jay. Alpha. Leader. Mother of Chaos. We flew nine hours and avoided thirty-two assassination traps—"
Jay: snoring softly
Michael actually gasped."Samuel record this betrayal—!"
Samuel: "I am a doctor, not a cameraman."
Keifer tried not to laugh.
Jay threw a pillow weakly in their direction without looking."Shut up."
It hit Michael square in the face.
He froze.
"Okay. I deserved that."
Adam: "She forgot we exist."
Samuel: "She's exhausted. She hasn't slept properly since yesterday."
Keifer nodded once.
Keifer:"She's been tense since the call. Yuri's betrayal hit her and then she is reaally having negative vibes from whoever that fucking bastard is hitting harder than she shows."
Jay shifted again in her sleep—this time unconsciously leaning toward Keifer's hand resting on the couch.
Everyone went silent for a moment.
The ACES stared at Keifer—stunned.
Samuel turned to the others, whispering,"He's soft. I approve."
Adam nodded."Better than Cyrus."
Michael stiffened like someone stepped on his code."Don't say his name at 4 a.m., please."
Then CIN's voice blasted:
CIN: "AWWWW LOOK AT HER—SHE'S LIKE A GRUMPY SLEEPY GREMLIN."
Jay's eye snapped open halfway.
Jay (voice dead with sleep):"CIN. Shut. Up."
CIN (squealing):"SHE'S ALIVE—"
Rakki dragged him back by his collar.
Rakki: "Stop waking the beast."
Jay walked toward her room but stopped.
Keifer wasn't behind her.
She turned—He stood frozen, staring at her empty spot on the bed.
He looked… lost.
She sighed, walked back, grabbed his sleeve."Come sleep, dummy."
His shoulders relaxed instantly.
Sec-E watching from the hallway:
"LIKE WIFE LIKE HUSBAND!"
Jay: "TSKK—"
The chaos amplified.Aries yelled,"SHE IS NOT SOMEONE'S WIFE!"
Percy wheezed, "BABY, CALM DOWN—"
Aries chased him.Cin recorded it.Ella facepalmed.Rakki cheered.Calix and Edrix gave running commentary.kit fed Mayo a fry.Josh tried shutting the lights.
Michael from upstairs screamed,"SOMEONE SHUT THEM UP!"
Jay dragged Keifer to bed.He fell asleep instantly beside her.
She escaped to the couch two hours later so she wouldn't bother him.
Which, obviously, only bothered him more.
By 5 a.m., everyone was awake and seated in the war-room.
Jay sat curled in her chair, hood still up, sipping hot chocolate.
Keifer sat beside her, very much in protective-boyfriend mode minus the label.
ACES looked ready to explode someone.
Sec-E looked ready to fall asleep on someone.
Rafael, Angelo, Ion, Tiger sat across the table, wide awake.
Jay opened her file calmly.
"Okay. Listen. The younger ones and elders stay here. Keigan, Keiren, Rosie, Grandma, Aunt, Jashfer, Jeana—they're not moving."
Keifer nodded. "Good."
Percy yawned ."Please don't send me with angry teenagers—"
Aries kicked his foot.
Jay continued, "The rest of us divide."
The holographic screen lit up.
Team 1: Greenwood
– Michael– Mica– Ella– Rakki– Calix– Edrix– Freya– Josh– Kuya angelo and ate ion Most of Sec-E(Michael can access Greenwood's system better from there)
Michael dropped his stylus. "Perfect. I can run backdoor searches."
Jay nodded. "And mask-man won't expect Sec-E to split."
Angelo raised a brow."So you're actually being strategic."
Jay threw a pen at him.He dodged.
Ion coughed a laugh.
Angelo's eyes softened without him realising.
Jay saw everything.She smirked.
Not yet.Later.
Team 2: Holy Saints Institute
– Jay– Adam– Samuel– David– Cin– Alex– Mason– Yuri– Keifer– Aries– Percy– Rafael– Tiger
Keifer stiffened."Why are you taking Yuri?"
Jay's expression sharpened."Because I want him where I can see him."
Sec-E murmured at the same time:
"She's terrifying."
Cin raised his hand dramatically."I call dibs on bunk bed top."
Percy glared."No one asked."
Aries elbowed Percy."Stop acting like a child."
Percy gasped dramatically
."Aries… did you just scold me? Wow. Maturity? In THIS economy?"
Everyone groaned.
Jay: "Shut up, Percy."
Percy: "WHY DOES EVERYONE TELL ME TO SHUT UP!?"
Keifer muttered, "Because you're loud."
Percy pointed at him, horrified."You too, Romeo?!"
Aries burst,"He isn't Romeo!"
Percy turned sweetly,"Sure, baby."
Aries' soul left his body.
Sec-E collapsed laughing.