CHAPTER 3
Theo
The atmosphere in the meeting room was thick with tension as Johnathan stood at the front, a map of the surrounding ocean and land spread out on the table. The dim light overhead flickered slightly, casting shadows on the faces of the assembled soldiers.
We had been called here as soon as we’d gotten out of bed. That afternoon we were due to leave for Zeltron, and I had noticed that Stryker had seemed confused at the sudden meeting. Jugding by how the others were acting, he wasn’t the only one.
“Listen up!” Johnathan barked, his voice cutting through the murmurs. “We have two critical situations that require immediate action.” He pointed to the map, where red markers indicated pirate activity along the coast. “First, we have reports of pirates raiding merchant ships out in the ocean. They’re growing bolder, and we need to eliminate this threat. I’ll need half of you to prepare for deployment at dawn tomorrow.”
A murmur rippled through the room as soldiers exchanged glances.
It was new information. It wasn't a problem that we were originally meant to deal with.
Johnathan continued, his tone shifting to a more somber note. “The second issue, as most of you know, is even more disturbing. Villages in the region are burning to the ground, and we’ve received reports of victims found with their skin peeled off. We need to understand who’s behind these atrocitiesand put a stop to it. The other half of you will be tasked with investigating these incidents.”
Johnathan’s gaze swept across the room, making eye contact with several of us. “This is not just a mission; it’s a moral obligation. We can’t let these criminals operate with impunity. Now, I'm making the assignments, and you’ll be joined by troops from other units and Zeltron.”
Stryker shifted, glancing at me “he won’t pick you to fight.” he said reassuringly, in a low voice.
“What about you?”
Stryker shrugged “probably not. We’re partners, so I'm supposed to teach you.”
“Good,” I breathed.
Stryker chuckled quietly before turning back to Johnathan, who was calling names. As Stryker had predicted, we were both assigned to investigating the villages; other men were told to simply stay at Zeltron for border patrol and paperwork.Boring.
Johnathan continued, outlining the details of each mission, his tone unwavering.
“This is not just about executing orders, it’s about protecting people, and so I expect full commitment from each of you.” His gaze lingered on me for a long moment. I dipped my head and swallowed hard.
The meeting ended after Johnathan reminded us to be ready to leave by early afternoon after lunch. As we filed out of the room, Johnathan pulled me and Stryker aside.
“Are you ready for this?” He asked me, voice softer compared to earlier.
“Yeah.” I gave a firm nod, trying to sound more confident than I felt “I’ve gotta start from somewhere.”
“That you do.” He turned towards Stryker “I’m counting on you.”
“I know.” Stryker said quietly “I’ve got it.”
“Good.” Johnathan nodded “go on, you have two free hours and then it’s lunch time.”
“Yeah” Stryker nodded “come on.”
We exited the room and Stryker led me outside.
“I’ve never tracked before.” I admitted.
Stryker shot me a grin “I’ll teach you. I’ve been told I’m good at it.”
“I’ve been told you’re good at everything.”
“I am.” Stryker replied cockily “but I can’t cook to save my life.”
“Awesome.” I muttered. “So…what do you do for fun around here?”
Stryker shrugged “pubs, bars, running, swimming, training- whatever you want.”
