Disclaimer: I do not own Hero: 108.
September 2017:
Lin Chung let out a huff as he entered his room. As he predicted, Nobu wasn't very pleased with the prisoners escaping. But with some creative twisting of the story, Lin Chung managed to pin the blame on the other Warlord's incompetence, which resulted in Nobu praising him as one of the men he could truly trust. Lin Chung had merely nodded his head, but he noticed unease amongst the other Warlords.
This disturbed Lin Chung. But what disturbed him even more was the advisor's glinting eyes as he watched Lin Chung. There was something dangerous about the advisor - even more than Nobu. Sighing as he sat down on his bed, he smiled as Yan Ching appeared from behind the pillow.
"Are you alright, Lin Chung?"
Over the few days, both had developed a close bond. Lin Chung's lips curled up in a humourless smile. "I don't know, Yan Ching."
"What happened?"
"I killed someone. Who killed one of my old friends."
Yan Ching looked visibly disturbed by that, but he cleared his throat. "He got what was coming to him. The Warlord, I mean."
Lin Chung smiled, more genuinely now. "I hope so, Yan Ching. I honestly hope so."
Jumpy growled as he watched Kowloon arguing with Mystique Sonia and Mighty Ray again. This was ridiculous. Even the Commander should've seen this. Put a member of Second Squad in with First Squad - especially the loudest and proudest warrior - and you got the recipe for a disaster.
It had been ages since they had been put on a mission, and he supposed that the tension was killing everyone. After all, Yan Ching hadn't visited for a long while, so Commander Apetrully had organised more rebellions in various villages. Woo the Wise had suggested a smaller-scale attack instead of a full-on frontal attack. Guerrilla warfare, he had called it.
Jumpy looked at his jump ropes. He missed Lin Chung.
The teenager had been a soothing counter to Mighty Ray and Mystique Sonia's rashness and impulsiveness. He had kept the team together, working on a single goal instead of flitting around everywhere. Jumpy sighed as he wished that this would all be over soon, though he realised that it wouldn't be possible.
Jumpy wanted another mission, at the very least to clear the suspense and tension amongst them, but it had been such a long time. The Commander had worried ever since the first few simulations of this new First Squad had occurred. Kowloon had blatantly ignored NoHands' and the others' orders, resulting in them failing the whole simulation.
Suddenly, the Commander's voice came over the speaker. "First Squad, report to the briefing room."
The so-called "briefing room" had contained all of their footage and intelligence from the Warlord government that could help Big Green. When they entered, Yan Ching was standing on the table, his face grim. As soon as they were all in the room and the door was closed, Yan Ching outlined their new mission.
Apparently, the Warlords were going to receive a large shipment of food that could help Big Green. However, it was near East Citadel, and would be delivered through the backdoor. The Warlords were going to be in a big meeting with only minimal forces taking care of the shipment. If First Squad worked fast, they could easily bring the horse dragging it to the forest, where the Air Force and Navy would be ready to bring it back to Big Green.
"And," Yan Ching shrugged, "if worst comes to worst, Lin Chung will try to get you out."
They nodded. Jumpy looked at Kowloon, who actually looked nervous with the pressure of what they were about to do. He placed a sympathetic ear on Kowloon's shoulder. Kowloon looked at him for a moment, before shrugging it off and walking out of the room.
Jumpy's heart raced as he noticed how little guards there were. Mystique Sonia had already stopped a few from running off for help, but he knew it would only be a matter of time before someone noticed and sent the whole army after them. Adrenaline that always accompanied a fight filled him, and he wrapped his ears around his face, launching several carrot grenades at a cluster of soldiers.
Mr. NoHands was actually present for once, and screaming orders at them. Mighty Ray was shooting way soldier by soldier, slowly scattering them, while Mystique Sonia and Yaksha tried to get to the horse. Jumpy's eyes widened as he noticed the horse panicking and turning to try and flee. He hopped forward and tried to reassure the horse, looking around nervously. He noticed a sound coming from the side of East Citadel, and his ears dropped slightly.
Darn it.
Soldiers were now pouring in from the sides. This panicked the horse, and he kicked out unintentionally, catching Mystique Sonia in the stomach and sending her flying into a nearby tree. Yaksha instantly hurried over to catch her while NoHands hovered nearby, defending Mystique Sonia from any stray soldiers. Jumpy's panic started anew and he looked at Kowloon, who was already charging towards the mass of soldiers.
"Jumpy, get over here!" NoHands called out. "Get Mystique Sonia to safety!"
Jumpy started to hop forward.
"Kowloon, get the horse and the cart away!"
"What?!" Kowloon demanded, turning around and pausing temporarily. "I can take them!"
"Don't argue!" NoHands ordered. "Get the cart away to the Navy! Mighty Ray and I will cover you!"
"No!" Kowloon's eyes flashed, but his eyes widened as he noticed something. "Behind you!"
Mr. NoHands turned too late. A club struck down, soundly knocking NoHands down. Yaksha chittered nervously as he tried to drag Sonia and NoHands away. It was a hopeless cause. Jumpy looked at the cart. It was still there…he hopped forward and started to tug the horse into the forest, which it seemed content to do so.
Kowloon had completely ignored the two being captured. Though hesitant, he still continued to fight his way through.
"What do we do?!" Mighty Ray demanded, near at the end of his rope. He was looking around wildly.
"Get…cart…to Navy!" Jumpy managed out. Mighty Ray nodded confidently, though there was nervousness in his eyes.
"I'll cover you. Kowloon!"
Kowloon turned, dodging a blow and then striking out.
"Go and get NoHands and Mystique Sonia!"
"What?!" Kowloon demanded. "You go get them! I'll hold them off!"
"I'm out of bananas!" Mighty Ray protested.
"Don't care!" Kowloon argued back.
Both heard an 'Oof!' and turned to see Jumpy unconscious on the floor.
"Jumpy!" Mighty Ray surged forward, his eyes set on his friend and teammate. Fortunately, he managed to knock several soldiers back with surprising strength, but the mass of the soldiers was no match for him. Before he could get swallowed up, he looked at Kowloon.
"Get the cart to the Navy!"
Kowloon ignored the order. He needed cover. He couldn't lug a cart away himself and he had no idea how to get the horse to do so.
"No! Get the cart out of here!"
"Shut up!" Kowloon stormed his way to where Mighty Ray was struggling and expertly took out several fighters. "C'mon!"
"We have to get the cart out of here!" Mighty Ray started tugging on the horse.
"What about the others?! Leave no man behind?!"
"What's important is that we get the cart there! And then we figure out how to get Mystique Sonia, Jumpy and Mr. NoHands out!"
"No!" Kowloon's own personal beliefs were going to be broken if he followed that rule. He needed to get everyone out. Something flashed before his eyes. Fire…so much fire! Screaming was everywhere. He needed to get his sisters out…where was his half-brother?! "Father?! Mother?!"
No answer. He dodged another block of burning wood and tugged on his sisters' hands. "Let's go!"
"Where's mommy?!" The youngest demanded. Her face was blurry. Kowloon couldn't make out who she was. The other one coughed violently.
"We need to get out of here! Then we can find her!"
"No!" She protested and tugged out of his grip. "Mommy!"
Kowloon growled. "Get back here-!" he was cut off as a burning log fell in front of him, and the world turned black.
Kowloon awoke on a cold stone floor. He looked up. He was in a prison cell, most likely in East Citadel. He was alone - he could not see any of the other members of First Squad. A voice talking outside got his attention before someone walked in and the door slammed shut behind him.
It was easy to recognise the position - the crossed arms and the aura of someone who would wait forever, if necessary, to get the answer they wanted. Fine. Kowloon crossed his arms and turned his back on Lin Chung. Two could play that game. Lin Chung sat down as well.
A silence filled them, which Kowloon felt the urge to break. He resisted for as long as he could, before scowling. "It's not my fault."
He knew how childish he sounded. Lin Chung did as well.
"I never said it was."
"You implied it was."
"I never said a word."
"You were thinking it."
"No, I was wondering why you went against NoHands' explicit instructions."
"He wanted me to get the cart. I could've helped."
"By getting the cart out." There was a sound of moving cloth, and then Lin Chung spoke again. "And why do you feel it so important that you take them on? If you had gotten the cart out the way, everyone would've been fine."
"We failed?"
"No." A note of steel behind the tone. "I got it to the Navy in time."
Kowloon exhaled a breath he hadn't noticed that he had been holding. "What now?"
"You get First Squad out." Lin Chung stood.
Well, that was unexpected.
"What?!"
"Lower your voice. You're the one who got them here in the first place-"
"Which is why I shouldn't be getting them out." Unknown to most, Kowloon was very hard on himself if he failed at something. He didn't like making mistakes. Every failure he made, he pondered over them again and again until he couldn't sleep at night. He didn't like that he was the reason why First Squad failed.
Lin Chung knelt in front of Kowloon. "Look, like it or not, you have to own up to this." Kowloon said nothing. "You're a good guy, Kowloon. You just need to get over your pride. Once you do that, you actually will have a much easier time in battles."
Kowloon looked up. "What? Like you?"
"Of course not."
"Did you do this as well? Get over your pride?"
Lin Chung smiled. "No."
"How then?" Kowloon could see that it was a touchy topic from the way Lin Chung tensed up, but he wanted to know.
Lin Chung leant back on the balls of his feet. He licked his lips. "I was born to a beggar."
"Oh." Kowloon's eyes widened. But that would explain so much. How Lin Chung was obviously more humble than a noble or commoner would've been. His simplistic black clothes - black was an easy colour for beggars to obtain, as Hidden Kingdom's more tropical climate made black an unpopular choice in clothes. "I see." he suddenly felt bad for asking Lin Chung this question. Peasants were looked down upon, but beggars? They were the lowliest of the lowliest of ranks in Hidden Kingdom. They were hated and spited.
He exhaled through his nose as he looked at Lin Chung. The man slipped a folded sheet of paper. "This is schedule and map of East Citadel's defences. Get them out of here."
Kowloon looked up at Lin Chung.
Lin Chung returned the stare. "They are my friends. But if you fail this, I cannot guarantee to you that I will be able to do this again."
Kowloon nodded. "Thank you."
Lin Chung smiled and dipped his head.
Kowloon looked at him for a short while before hesitantly returning the gesture.
Lin Chung walked around East Citadel, feeling the air on his face. He would have to return to East Citadel soon. Hearing Nobu rant to his Captain of the guards was definitely worth sneaking around and the risk of his cover being blown to get those information to Kowloon.
He walked along when he heard something behind him. Someone grabbed onto him, and he sent an elbow into a stomach and a fist into a face. His staff was rolling on the ground, and he snatched it before he swung it behind him, slamming it under his arm into someone's stomach.
Sprinting in the direction of East Citadel, he failed to notice a blade that flew towards him, striking him in the side. He let out a pained grimace as he collapsed to the ground. He gritted his teeth, determined not to get knocked out. He looked behind him. They were masked.
Eyes narrowed, he grabbed the knife next to him, and then flung it to one of the men. Spot-on.
He allowed himself a smirk before turning away. He got up and limped his way to East Citadel, only for someone to grab onto him again. He struggled, but a cloth was put over his mouth. He tried to hold his breath, but could only finally breathe in the fumes and slump unconscious.
