It had been a few days since that funeral:
The gymnasium was used almost every day. Whether it be sparring, physical training, or something in between, the compound residents couldn't miss the roaring noises coming from those gym doors.
Ginji and Asuka were helping around the compound more than they already were, treating it like the nine to five jobs they were so used to before they were imprisoned in Tokyo State Prison.
"There's almost no infrastructure in the outback." Jason spoke to Doctor Nagi from across his office. He pulled a piece of paper off of his clipboard and handed it to the doctor, who sat back in his chair and fixed his glasses.
It was a map of Australia, littered with white blobs covering the coast as the key indicated those areas represented the vast majority of the population of the State.
"Let me guess, they're taking advantage of this big void of nothing in the middle." Doctor Nagi squinted as he tried to find a blurb of population in the middle to varying success. "That's a big void. No one could find a body in there."
"Exactly, but those Third Day bastards are getting more daring." Jason responded. "They started with that train station attack in west Queensland, but the Correctional Forces are telling people in New South Wales to be wary. I'm worried they're moving towards Sydney."
"Train attack?" Nagi lowered the paper.
"Yeah. They used some kind of bomb manifested with Spirit. It killed a few dozen civilians." Jason shook his head. "We can't just wait until they do something like this again, because the Correctional Forces won't stop them. They know it discredits our cause, so they're taking their time trying to catch them."
Doctor Nagi nodded slowly as he handed the map back. "If it's all eight of them, then I'd say it's fine. Just let me do some more tests on Hendrix before they leave."
Jason nodded. "Alright. I'll talk it over with Alex and Bloom, then I'll tell the kids."
Ten minutes later:
"So, it would just be them. They're close to the strongest users this compound has, but I can't leave everyone here unguarded." Jason said, sitting down on the bench next to Alex and Bloom.
The three of them sat in the courtyard.
The benches they were resting on faced Manny's grave, Bloom and Alex staring at the headstone as Jason talked.
It was spring, but not yet time for the cherry blossoms to bloom.
The air was warm and humid as the flowers in the small garden underneath the cherry blossom tree showed off their colors with the joy of a Tokyo spring.
"Wait, what?" Bloom sat up, lifting her head off of Alex's shoulder as she realized what Jason was saying. "Absolutely not. They're not going to an entirely different state unattended to fight in a WAR."
"Yeah, Jason. This is a bit of a stretch, even for you." Alex nodded. "You can't just send some of them with one of us?"
"Think about it for a second!" Jason sat up. "If some of them go, the rest of them are gonna be yelling for a spot on the mission! Plus, Biggie and Slim have been going on small missions since they were fourteen. If they stick together, it won't be a problem."
Jason pulled a paper out of his clipboard.
It was a newspaper, the headline reading:
"25 dead in terrorist bombing, rebel chaos on the horizon?!"
"I know this is a big risk, but we can't just let them ruin everything the kids have worked so hard to build." Jason held the newspaper up to Alex and Bloom.
"I guess…" Alex scratched her green hair. "I guess we'll just have to train a bit, but they should be good. Those kids have grown so much since we left D.C."
"What?!" Bloom stood up wearing a face of bewilderment. "I can't BELIEVE you!"
"Babe, you see the newspaper, right? And someone would have to stay back to make sure the compound doesn't get attacked-" Alex was interrupted.
"What the fuck!" Bloom shook with every word, her straight black hair flipping over her eyes before she moved it back. "Why… Why do we have to do this?!"
Jason stayed silent for a moment before answering. "They want to help with the revolution, and they've already built so much. I'm trying to-"
"They're just kids!" Bloom covered her eyes with her hands. "They're just kids…"
"Bloom…" Alex stood up and embraced Bloom.
"I just… I know this is what they want, but why… Why does it have to be like this." Bloom muttered.
Jason hung his head low, dragging his fingers through his red hair as he thought of how to respond.
After a few more moments of silence, Bloom lifted her head up, facing Jason.
"I… I don't think I have the right to choose for them." Bloom sighed. "Let them decide."
Jason nodded as he stood up, wiping the spring leaves off of his lap.
"But," Bloom raised a finger. "If any of those eight refuse, none of them should go. They all need each other."
"I agree." Alex looked to Jason.
"Yeah, I'd say the same." Jason responded.
Fifteen minutes later, in the gymnasium:
"Why do you think Jason called us down here?" Slim mumbled.
"Fuck if I know, but if he wants me to work with him I'm out." Biggie responded, glancing over at Hendrix, who was too busy laughing at Amora and Chase's bickering to catch the hostile glare.
Slim sighed.
"It's been over two months since that fight, and he still hasn't gotten over it." Slim thought, glancing at Hendrix as well. "Not like I expected him to, but Hendrix is so sincere. He's tried his hardest to make up for it, but Biggie isn't having it. That's fine, I guess."
Jason walked through the gymnasium doors as the kids' idle chatter stopped.
Chase noticed the clipboard in Jason's hand, a grin crossing his face. "Another mission?!"
"Yeah," Jason chuckled. "I guess I'll just get right to it, then."
The kids looked at each other, some smiling while others looked mildly anxious.
"If I'm picked, will I be… Okay? I hope I'll be okay." Amora thought. "No, I'll be okay."
She tried to convince herself out of her nervousness, but Chase still noticed the anxious expression on her face.
"Babe, it'll be alright." Chase smiled and put an arm around Amora's shoulders. "If Jason called both of us down, that means we're on the mission together!"
Jason clapped his hand against his clipboard as he started to speak.
"Alright, as you might have heard Alex and Bloom, there's a terrorist group operating in Australia that goes by the name of The Covenant of The Third Day." Jason explained. "They identify as rebels, but they kill innocent civilians in the name of their twisted form of 'justice'. The Regime is using their existence to discredit everything we've done."
"So we kick their ass!" Chase exclaimed before being shushed by Amora.
"Yeah." Jason laughed. "The mission is to disband the group by any means necessary. My friend Charlotte, the leader of the Sydney compound, says she can take a boat up here with a few of her compound residents and take the eight of you back down to Sydney-"
"Wait." Biggie interrupted Jason. "All eight of us?! You mean I have to spend a week at sea with that freak?!"
Biggie pointed a hostile finger towards Hendrix, who looked away in a storm of shame, frustration, and sadness.
"What did you just say?!" Taro stood up, his brow furrowed as he tightened his fists.
"Bro, let's not do this." Kai put a hand on his brother's shoulder.
"Yes, Biggie." Jason pinched the bridge of his nose. "If you've noticed, Hendrix has done everything in his power to try to make amends. I know it was a violent attack, but I know how you provoked him."
Jason raised his eyebrows as Biggie smacked his teeth, looking out the window, equal parts annoyed and frustrated.
"Anyways," Jason sighed. "I want all eight of you to be a team, since you won't have an adult with you this time."
Hendrix glanced at Biggie, who refused to look his way.
"I want to make one more thing clear." Jason said. "If one of you refuses, none of you go. It's either all eight of you, or no one. That's how a team works."
The kids began to murmur among themselves.
"Of course." Slim thought.
"We've got to do this." Slim whispered to Biggie, who hadn't moved his gaze away from the window.
Biggie didn't respond. He smacked his teeth as he crossed his arms.
"Um, Biggie." Hendrix stepped over the bleachers as he walked over to Biggie.
Slim's eyes widened, turning to Hendrix in complete surprise.
"I want this to work. You can just tolerate me, if you want." Hendrix scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "That would be fine, but I'd hope we could be, y'know, cool."
"Motherfucker." Biggie mumbled. "Yeah, whatever. I'll go on the mission."
Hendrix let out a little smile. "Cool."
"But, one wrong move and I will fucking murder you." Biggie glared at Hendrix. "It won't be like last time."
"Alright then." Hendrix chuckled, which made Biggie groan as he went back to staring out the window.
Jason noticed Hendrix's smile as the boy walked back to his seat. "Alright then, if you agree to the mission, put a thumbs up."
Chase put his thumb up, then Hendrix, then Vida, then Akilah, then Taro, then Kai.
Amora hesitated for a moment before raising her thumb, smiling at her boyfriend as she did.
Slim put his thumb up, nudging Biggie with his shoulder as he raised his thumb reluctantly.
"Then, it's settled." Jason put a thumbs up as well. "Your next mission will be in Australia."
End of Volume Two.