The screeching sound grew louder, sharp and grating against the metal floors of the hangar. Suddenly, a lithe figure vaulted from the shadows, landing with feline grace in front of the group.
"Boo!" she exclaimed with a playful grin, her voice echoing through the cavernous space.
The woman was striking. Her long, vivid orange hair cascaded down her back, framing a face with piercing orange eyes that practically glowed. Long lashes accentuated her mischievous expression. She was clearly an elf, but her ears had been brutally cut short, leaving jagged edges that only added to her dangerous allure. A massive weapon—a scythe with a curved blade that shimmered ominously—was slung over her shoulder.
Her eyes scanned the group with a predatory curiosity. "Damn," she purred, her gaze playful. "Didn't think I'd find a bunch of tight-asses here." Her attention locked onto Grey and Duke, and her grin widened. "Well, well! If it isn't my two favorite dicks. No matter how many times you guys fall, you always seem to rise back up. Got to admire that kind of resilience."
Duke rolled his eyes, muttering, "Great. Just what we needed—Layla's flair for theatrics."
Ignoring him, she turned to Gale, her gaze sparking with amusement. "And what about you?" she said, stepping closer, her scythe swinging lazily behind her. "I hope you're a dick too. Makes things so much more interesting."
Before Gale could respond, she suddenly flipped over him in a blur of motion, landing gracefully inside the ship.
"Layla, what the hell are you doing here?" Grey groaned, his palm smacking against his face. He leaned heavily on Gale for support, shaking his head. "Gale, remember when I said you might actually like some of the team? Yeah… I take that back."
Layla's head popped out of the ship's, her orange eyes gleaming with mock innocence as she leaned casually against the edge. "Are we going or what? You guys move slower than an old man trying to get hard."
Gale sighed, glancing at Grey. "So… that's Layla, huh?"
"Yes," Grey muttered, his voice heavy with resignation.
Layla only laughed, her voice echoing through the hangar. "Oh, this is going to be so much fun!"
------------
The three stood at the gates of Terrance Hospital, its towering facade glowing under the artificial lights of the city. Guards in pristine white armor stood at every entrance, their faces obscured behind visors that shimmered faintly. Nurses in matching white uniforms moved efficiently through the area, some attending to the hovering cars that descended to drop off patients. The hum of engines and the faint whirring of machinery filled the air, blending into the soft murmurs of hospital activity.
Crimson tilted his head back, watching the streaks of headlights from flying cars zipping through the sky above. The place felt like something out of a dream—far more advanced than anything he'd seen. He couldn't help but wonder, Do they have places like this in Miles' world?
"Hey, dirtbag coward!"
Nox's sharp voice shattered his thoughts. Crimson blinked, turning to her just in time to see Lilith struggling to muffle Nox's mouth with her hands.
"What?" Crimson asked, snapping back to reality.
Nox yanked Lilith's hands away, glaring at him. "I said, focus! You're gone and drift off again, and another one dies—" She froze mid-sentence, her expression twisting as she clutched her chest.
Lilith immediately stepped closer, concern evident in her emerald eyes. "Are you okay?"
Nox waved her off and straightened. "I'm fine," she said tersely, though her voice wavered slightly. "Anyway, here's the plan." She reached into her pocket and pulled out a small, wriggling creature. It resembled a worm, its body pulsing faintly with an eerie bioluminescence.
"A… Dream Walker?" Lilith gasped, her voice filled with a mix of awe and hesitation.
"Exactly," Nox said, holding it up between her fingers. "We'll use this on one of the guards. I'll control it once it is in the guard's and use the guard as a puppet to get the camera footage from the control room. Once we have it, we're out of here but you guys would need to follow the puppet."
Crimson frowned, crossing his arms. "Great plan and all, but don't you think discussing this out in the open is a terrible idea?"
Nox's glare snapped toward him like a whip, her eyes narrowing. She quickly clamped her hand over her mouth, realizing her mistake. Anger flickered across her face as her gaze bore into Crimson.
"You little shit," she hissed, her eyes glowing faintly pink with irritation. Without another word, she spat the wriggling Dream Walker back into her palm, the creature coiling tightly in response. She thrust it toward Crimson with a scowl, as if daring him to object.
But then, as if reconsidering, Nox hesitated. Her expression softened—only slightly—as she turned to Lilith. "No. Forget him," she muttered, her voice cold but resolute. "I don't trust him with this. Lilith, I'm sorry to risk you, but… I'd rather you handle it."
Lilith's brows furrowed, but she nodded, taking the Dream Walker from Nox's outstretched hand.
"Good," Nox said curtly, gesturing toward a dark, shadowed corner near the hospital entrance. "We'll hide over there. Lure some guards into the alley, and we'll handle the rest. Just be quick, okay?"
Without waiting for a response, Nox turned and headed for the shadows, her movements brisk and determined.
Crimson lingered for a moment, watching Lilith with an uncertain expression. "Good luck," he said softly before following Nox into the darkness.
Lilith exhaled deeply, clutching the wriggling Dream Walker tightly in her palm. The glow from the hospital lights cast faint halos around the figures moving in and out, and the guards stood as rigid as statues. She tightened her grip, steeling herself. This was her part to play. And failure wasn't an option.
-------
The group had boarded the ship, its sleek frame humming with latent energy as it awaited its departure. Duke strode confidently toward the wheel, his hand already reaching for the controls.
Before he could take command, Grey stepped in front of him, blocking his path. "You're not navigating us," Grey declared firmly. "I'm in charge here. I was the first to be officially assigned this mission, and I'll be the one taking us to Alpha Dawn."
Duke's jaw tightened as he stepped closer, his towering frame radiating defiance. "And who put you in charge, huh?" he snapped, his voice low and heated. His fists clenched at his sides, and he leaned in toward Grey, their faces now inches apart.
Before the tension could escalate further, Gale's voice cut through the air like a whip. "Will you two shut the fuck up?" he barked, his sharp tone silencing both men. "It doesn't matter who's in charge. Our mission is to kill that bastard from the Outworld, isn't it? Or did you both forget why we're here?"
Gale marched toward the ship's wheel, his frustration palpable. He placed his hands on the controls, only to hesitate as the array of buttons, levers, and dials stared back at him like a foreign language. His confidence wavered. "Uh… I don't know how to start this thing. It's too advanced," he admitted, scratching the back of his head with a sheepish grin.
Grey exhaled sharply, brushing past Duke and Gale. "Move aside," he said, his tone exasperated but steady. "I'll take over."
Placing his hands firmly on the wheel, he glanced back at the group. "Task Force Xeno," he announced, his voice carrying a commanding edge. "Our mission: to neutralize the Outworld boy for the good of Amethyst. It starts now."
With a swift, practiced motion, Grey pressed a sequence of buttons on the control panel, the ship's systems roaring to life. He pushed a gear forward, and the thrusters ignited with a deafening boom. Flames burst from the back of the vessel, casting a brilliant orange glow as the ship shot out of the hangar like a blazing comet.
The force of the launch pushed everyone back slightly, but Grey's grip on the wheel was unwavering. The ship cut through the sky with precision, leaving the hangar—and their petty squabbles—far behind.
Their mission had begun, and there was no turning back.