A/N: Ok, so many of you wonder how did Charlemagne know about Dax's interest in Jinja. Well, I thought that since she heard him call her Princess, she may have realized that he liked her. I know it sounds crazy but, hey, S.T.O.R.M is a pretty evil organization.

Or else I think it is….

Well ignore my mistake in the script and enjoy the chapter

CHAPTER TWO: I PROMISE

The Core-Tech team had camped in a clump near a small river. The sky was clear and the forest was completely quiet. It seemed like a truly perfect place to sleep for the night.

Bren was having a bad dream and was clumsily changing sides in his sleeping bag. Beyal and Dax were sleeping peacefully, lulled by the relaxing sound of the water. Chase was supposed to stay awaken in case someone comes but failed terribly at doing it.

The only member of the team who couldn't sleep was Jinja. She had a bad feeling that didn't let her calm down; a voice inside her kept telling her that something would go wrong soon.

Her eyes were finally starting to close when she heard a strange noise coming from the woods. She curiously gotten up and started walking to where she thought the source of it was. After a few seconds, she had arrived at a small glade.

"Hello?" she hesitantly asked "Is anyone here?"

Before she could fully understand what was happening, four S.T.O.R.M soldiers attacked her and paralyzed her with an electric shock machine.

They followed her traces and reached to the place where her team was. Chase woke up just in time and managed to drag Bren and Beyal with him. Unfortunately, Dax was left behind and got shocked as well.

A huge hovercraft appeared in the sky and the soft breeze turned into a severe gale. Jinja and Dax were cluttered up and transferred to S.T.O.R.M's nearest training center.

Jinja woke up in a small grey room, wearing an old suit like the ones they give to prisoners. No matter how badly she tried, she couldn't remember neither what that place was nor how she came there. She started knocking the door with all her strength and will.

"Where am I? I demand you to let me go NOW!"

She continued for hours and hours until she was out of power. Two tall men in a black army suits opened the door and grabbed Jinja's arms.

"Where are you taking me?"

"Hush! Commandant Marshal Charlemagne wants to talk to you" the man on her left replied

"Charlemagne? But why-"

"HE SAID HUSH!" the man on her right growled and led her to a big office.

The walls were cracked and the only furniture it had was a wooden black desk with a big red armchair. And on it sat Charlemagne herself.

"Thank you. You can leave now" she told the men gracefully and they obeyed. Then, she walked slowly around Jinja and corrected her posture with her rail.

"What do you want from me?" the young girl asked, who was starting to get annoyed with all those checks Commandant did on her

"I vant you to join our organization" she stiffly said

"Me? S.T.O.R.M? Hell no!"

"You, young lady, are going to save millions of lives!"

"And why do you want ME specifically?"

Charlemagne cleared her throat and thought about her answer for a moment. She knew that she couldn't tell her that the only reason they called her to join them was because she was the only thing Dax actually cared about. It would destroy her marvelous plan.

"You have all the qualifications; physical condition, survival skills, knowledge. Am I right?"

"You are" Jinja ensured her "But there is no way you are going to convince me to come with you"

The blonde woman walked to her desk and pressed the red button on it "Bring him inside"

At the exact moment, two soldiers came in the room dragging a handcuffed Dax with them.

"Dax" Jinja whispered and turned to the Commandant "What are you going to do with him?"

"More important, is vhat are YOU going to do for ME"

"Y-you don't scare me" she said as bravely as she could and a small smile cracked at the corner of Charlemagne's lips.

"Oh really?"

She took a leather whip in her hands and with a fast move, she hit Dax's back.

"NO! STOP!" Jinja cried but the two soldiers stopped her

"Vill you join S.T.O.R.M?"

"I-I…"

Charlemagne raised the whip and hit Dax again-this time stronger. Jinja was staring in shock at the horrified look on his face and his bad bleeding back.

"FINE! I'll do anything you want-anything. Just don't hurt him, please"

The Commandant nodded at the soldiers "Smart girl. Gentlemen"

They cruelly took her out of the office while she cried with all her heart: "Dax, have courage! I'll save you! I promise!"

They pushed her back into the grey room and slammed the door. She fell in her knees and rested her body on her two trembling arms as tears fell off her face.

"I promise"