And as the engines began to hum and the lights inside flickered to life, it became clear:
The war room still buzzed with energy as the mission briefing wrapped up. The Kraken was no longer just an idea—it was their ticket in and out of the most dangerous prison on the planet.
Jeffrie turned to the team. "Gear up. We leave in two hours."
The room erupted into motion.
Scarlett, Sophia, and Raven immediately started running weapons checks, making sure everything was optimized for underwater combat. Ray and Trice exchanged a knowing glance before heading to the training bay. They'd fought together for years, but this?
This was deep-sea warfare.
Lily approached Jeffrie, her usual calm demeanor betraying a hint of concern. "This is risky."
He nodded. "That's why we have to get it right."
Across the room, Azul's fingers flew over the console, recalibrating their tactical approach now that they had the Kraken's full capabilities. Ethan stood beside her, arms crossed, that familiar cocky smirk tugging at his lips.
"You guys are gonna look like super spies in those suits," Ethan chuckled. "I really outdid myself."
Jeffrie raised a brow. "Please don't tell me they're neon."
Ethan scoffed. "Come on. Stealth-mode adaptive mesh. Reactive temperature control. Zero-point energy dampeners. Oh, and magnetic holsters. Because obviously."
Ray walked in mid-sentence and paused. "Wait, wait—are these the suits with the built-in recoil dampeners?"
Ethan grinned. "Yup. You could fire a cannon out of those arms and your shoulder wouldn't even twitch."
Trice whistled low. "Damn. Finally, a reason to enjoy getting shot at."
Sophia stepped over to one of the lockers and opened it, revealing a sleek, black-on-black Kraken suit folded inside. Lightweight, flexible, and built for everything from infiltration to open war. The chest bore a subtle dark insignia—a Kraken emblem etched in matte obsidian.
Scarlett ran a hand across the material. "Feels like it could stop a tank."
Ethan winked. "It won't. But you'll look amazing when you dodge one."
Azul rolled her eyes. "They're designed to enhance mobility, reduce body strain, and absorb kinetic energy. Not to make you look cool."
Ethan grinned wider. "Speak for yourself."
Jeffrie reached for his, the weight of it familiar the second it hit his hands.
This wasn't just armor. It was a declaration.
They weren't hiding anymore.
They were Kraken now.
Azul rolled her eyes but smirked. "Just don't let your ego break the hull, genius."
Jeffrie turned to Ethan, his tone all business. "Make sure the Kraken's fully stocked. Every system is double-checked. No surprises."
Ethan saluted dramatically. "Aye aye, captain."
As the team scattered, Jeffrie took a moment to himself. He gripped the edge of the console, staring at the holographic schematic of Leviathan Prison.
This was going to be hell.
Even with the Kraken, nothing was guaranteed.
A soft voice broke through his thoughts.
"You okay?"
He turned.
Sophia.
She wasn't suited up yet—still in her black combat gear, arms crossed, eyes studying him.
She wasn't just checking in.
She was reading him.
Jeffrie exhaled. "Just running through every way this could go wrong."
Sophia stepped closer, her tone calm but edged. "That's your problem. You're trying to control everything."
His jaw clenched. "I have to."
She held his gaze—unflinching. "No, Jeff. You want to. But you don't have to."
He didn't respond, but the silence was telling.
Sophia stepped even closer, her voice dropping just a little. "You trained us. You bled for us. You trusted us enough to lead. Now trust us enough to stand beside you."
Jeffrie sighed, dragging a hand down his face. "I do trust you. But it's still my job to make sure you all come back."
Sophia's eyes softened, just a fraction. "And it's our job to make sure you do."
She reached out—not hesitating—and brushed her fingers along his hand. Her touch was warm, steady. Not comforting anchoring.
"You always come back for us," she said. "Let us do the same for you."
Jeffrie didn't answer right away.
But for the first time in hours, his shoulders dropped just slightly.
Not because the weight was gone.
But because he wasn't carrying it alone.
Then—quietly—he nodded.
"Alright. Let's finish this."
Sophia didn't move at first. She just stood there, still close, her hand brushing his. The silence between them wasn't awkward—it was full. Heavy with things they hadn't said, glances that had lasted too long, touches that never happened but always almost did.
She looked up at him. "You're allowed to feel it, you know."
Jeffrie tilted his head. "Feel what?"
"The fear. The pressure. The wanting."
His breath caught at that last word.
The wanting.
She didn't back down. "We're not made of stone, Jeff. You don't have to act like you are."
Her fingers moved slowly, deliberately—up his wrist, to his forearm, then settling lightly at the edge of his vest.
He didn't stop her.
Instead, he leaned in, forehead resting gently against hers. His voice was a whisper.
"I don't know how to let go."
Sophia's response was soft. Confident.
"Then let me show you."
Their lips met—tentative at first, like crossing a threshold neither of them had dared to touch. But when her hands slid to the back of his neck and his fingers gripped her waist, the tension broke like a dam.
They moved together in a tangle of heat and urgency, mouths colliding again with more force, more need.
Jeffrie backed her toward the wall of the armory, the cool metal clashing with the warmth of her skin. His hands were everywhere—cradling her jaw, unbuckling her belt, pressing into the curves he'd only ever seen under armor.
Sophia's breath hitched as his lips found her throat. She let her head fall back, fingers digging into his shirt, dragging him closer.
"You sure?" he murmured against her skin.
She answered by pulling him in, claiming his mouth with hers. "I've never been more sure."
Clothes fell away between kisses and hurried touches, armor replaced by the feel of skin, of breath, of connection. There was nothing gentle about the way they moved—it was raw, honest, the kind of collision born from too much restraint and too little time.
Sophia gasped as he lifted her, pinning her to the wall, her legs wrapping around his waist like it was instinct. Her hands slid through his hair, pulling him deeper into the kiss, like she was grounding herself in the only thing that felt real tonight.
He moved with precision, passion, like he knew her body better than he should've—like he'd been holding back longer than either of them would admit.
Their rhythm built, steady and consuming, breath and heartbeats tangling into one.
There were no words after that.
Just movement. Sound. Need.
And when it was over—when their bodies slowed, sweat clung to their skin, and the world narrowed to nothing but shared breaths—Jeffrie rested his forehead against hers again.
And this time… he let himself stay there.
Silent. Present. Hers.
They stayed like that for a while—wrapped in silence, skin warm against skin, heartbeats slowly falling back into rhythm.
Sophia's fingers traced lazy circles against Jeffrie's shoulder as his hand rested lightly at her hip. Neither of them spoke, but they didn't need to.
Because in that quiet—something had shifted.
Jeffrie finally exhaled and pressed a soft kiss to her temple. "We should go."
Sophia nodded, reluctant but composed. "Duty calls."
They dressed in silence—armor going back on, but not the same walls. Not tonight.
As Jeffrie strapped on his vest, the low thrum of power vibrated through the floor.
The Kraken's engines roared to life from deep within the hangar, their hum building like the breath of a beast waking up.
Sophia looked toward the sound, jaw tight, eyes steady.
Jeffrie smirked faintly. "Guess that's our cue."
The door slid open.
"Yo, Jeff—the ship's prepped, systems are green, stealth cloaks at 98%, and—"
Ethan stopped mid-stride, mid-sentence.
His eyes darted from Jeffrie—half-armored and smirking—to Sophia, fully geared but definitely not as unaffected as she tried to look.
There was a pause.
A long one.
"…Oh," Ethan said, blinking. "Oh."
Jeffrie didn't even flinch. "You need something?"
Ethan opened his mouth. Closed it. Then grinned slowly.
"Just, uh… ship's ready. Not the only thing that's been warmed up, apparently."
Sophia rolled her eyes, biting back a smile. "Out."
Ethan backed toward the door, holding his hands up. "No judgment! Love to see it! Very professional. Super focused. Real commander energy."
The door hissed shut behind him.
Jeffrie shook his head. "You gonna kill him or should I?"
Sophia strapped her gloves on. "Let him live. For now."
Jeffrie grabbed his rifle, the hum of the Kraken rising beneath their boots.
"Let's go."
Jeffrie stepped forward, eyes locked on the cockpit. "Then let's find out."
Ethan couldn't help himself.
"Oh, and by the way," he said loudly, grinning like a gremlin, "if the walls are soundproof, it's not for the engines—it's so the rest of us didn't have to hear Jeffrie and Sophia testing the gravity plating earlier."
Silence.
Thick, heavy silence.
Trice stopped walking. "Hold on. You serious?"
Ray coughed, trying not to choke on his laugh. "Yo. Jeff. My guy. Already?"
Sophia blinked, murderous.
Jeffrie didn't move. Just exhaled slowly like a man debating homicide.
But the real shift?
Came from the women.
Scarlett's jaw tightened.
Not enough to speak. Just enough to be felt.
Azul stopped typing mid-keystroke, eyes flicking from Ethan to Jeffrie with a deadpan stare. "Well. That's one way to waste an opportunity."
Raven tilted her head ever so slightly, gaze sharp enough to cut steel. "Interesting choice of timing, Commander."
Lily—who had been calm—suddenly started adjusting a medpack on her hip with much more force than necessary. "Glad to know he's feeling well enough to lift someone."
Naomi and Izzy exchanged wide-eyed glances and immediately backed away from the blast radius.
Camila and Nyah turned to watch like they were at a live drama, popcorn in spirit.
Ethan's grin wavered.
"...I feel like that was received with slightly more tension than intended."
Azul spoke without looking up.
"Ethan. If you value your spine, stop talking."
Sophia turned slowly to Jeffrie. "You gonna say something?"
Jeffrie finally looked at Ethan, voice low. "Run."
Ethan turned and ran.
Scarlett crossed her arms. "So, Sophia, was it good?"
Sophia smirked coldly. "You'll have to ask him."
Raven muttered, "He won't survive if we all do."
Lily just rolled her eyes and walked away—but not before brushing past Jeffrie hard enough to be noticed.
Azul simply said, "Let's launch the damn ship."
And that was the end of it.
For now.
But Jeffrie?
He felt every stare.
And he was 100% sure they weren't done with him.
A voice broke over the comms.
"All systems are green," Ethan reported. "The Kraken is ready."
Jeffrie straightened, pushing everything aside.
"Then let's go get our people."
With that, they moved as one.
The mission had begun.
The descent into the abyss was waiting.
The team gathered in the Kraken's hangar bay, their expressions a mix of focus and tension. The massive submarine loomed before them, its sleek, black metallic frame humming with an energy unlike anything they'd used before.
Ethan stood at the entrance, arms wide like he was unveiling a masterpiece.
"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome aboard the Kraken." His grin was all pride. "State-of-the-art, undetectable by sonar, built to handle any underwater pressure known to man. If submarines had a god, this would be it."
Scarlett let out a low whistle, running a hand along the cold metal. "I've been in a lot of rides, but damn…"
Azul smirked, arms crossed. "Try not to crash this one."
Ethan feigned offense, placing a hand over his heart.
"How dare you? I hand-crafted this beauty for moments like these." He winked. "And, of course, for you."
Azul shook her head, exhaling—but before she could step past him—
A firm grip caught her waist.
Jeffrie.
His dark eyes locked onto hers, his grip was possessive but intentional—like this moment wasn't random.
Like it was chosen.
He leaned in, voice low and rough. "You sure you wanna be flirting with my woman, Ethan?"
Azul froze, breath hitching just long enough for it to register—before rolling her eyes. "Jeff—"
Before she could finish, he claimed her lips.
The kiss was rough, demanding, and full of heat. There was a deep, territorial edge laced in the way he pulled her flush against him, his grip tightening around her waist.
Azul let out a small, surprised sound against his lips before melting into it—her fingers gripping his forearm as if to steady herself.
Just a few feet away, Scarlett arched a brow, watching the scene unfold with a tight smirk and narrowed eyes.
Jeffrie had felt it—the tension brewing between them all, the jealousy lingering after Sophia's moment. He knew Azul and Scarlett had been next in line for his attention, and he wasn't about to let that go ignored.
This was for them.
For her.
Ethan, watching the entire thing, cleared his throat but smirked. "Damn, Cap, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you're trying to send a message."
Jeffrie pulled away slowly—but not before biting Azul's bottom lip.
She gasped softly, cheeks flushed, lips slightly swollen from the intensity.
Jeffrie turned his head toward Ethan, his grip still firm on Azul's hip.
"Oh, I'm sending a message." His free hand clamped onto Ethan's shoulder, squeezing just enough.
"One that ends with you becoming fish food if you keep running your mouth."
Ethan laughed, raising his hands. "Hey, I respect boundaries, man. Just appreciating fine engineering."
Scarlett snorted. "Damn, came for a mission briefing, got a front-row seat to a dominance display."
Azul arched a brow, smirking. "You jealous, Red?"
Scarlett scoffed, crossing her arms. "Please. I prefer men that don't act like cavemen."
Jeffrie chuckled, turning his gaze toward Scarlett. "You sure, bae? Sounds like you want a taste of me too."
Scarlett rolled her eyes—but before she could fire back, she sprinted straight for Jeffrie.
Then—
She jumped into his arms.
Jeffrie barely had time to react before Scarlett crashed her lips against his, just as passionate and aggressive as Azul's moment had been.
Her fingers gripped his shoulders, nails digging in slightly, pulling him closer.
Jeffrie, never one to hesitate, returned the fire, his hand sliding into Scarlett's fiery red hair, tilting her head back as he deepened the kiss.
Azul smirked. "Took you long enough."
Scarlett finally pulled back, breath slightly uneven, her emerald eyes locking onto his.
"That answer your question, Captain?"
Jeffrie chuckled, gripping both of their waists.
"Hell yeah."
Before either woman could react—
He grabbed both their asses and smacked them—hard.
Scarlett let out a yelp, while Azul bit her bottom lip, gaze darkening.
Raymond burst out laughing. "Damn, Brudda, claiming' both in front of everybody? You bold as hell."
Trice shook his head, grinning. "Yo, at this rate, we gonna need extra seats for your harem, Cuzzo."
Jeffrie smirked, wrapping an arm around each woman's waist as they both recovered from his playful dominance.
Then, he looked back at Ethan.
"I'm just joking, big boy. You safe… for now."
Ethan let out a mock sigh of relief. "Oh, thank god, I was terrified."
Scarlett shoved Jeffrie's chest playfully. "Now that you're done groping, can we get back to work?"
Jeffrie chuckled, finally letting go. "Alright, all right. Let's move out."