Six had seen Holiday stressed, but that night was completely different. He tried to focus on doing a complete check-up of her general health from where he was sitting, not to alarm the woman that he suspected something was wrong, making him wonder if she felt well rested to face what was about to come. The results of her training were something he was still trying to process.
Holiday wasn't skipping dinner but rather eating slower than usual. Lost in thought, she momentarily forgot that she wasn't alone. He finished his meal and attempted to make a small talk, hoping to find out what was bothering her. Six's gaze lingered on her, noticing that she wouldn't reply no matter how much he talked. The silence between them was heavy, and Six couldn't help but wonder what was weighing on her mind. She flinched as he tried to touch one of her hands on the dinner table, causing him to retract immediately. The tension in the room was thick and suffocating, and Six knew that whatever was troubling her was beyond words.
To Six's surprise, Rebecca suddenly finished her food and stood up to clean her dish. Then she sat in her bed with her back pressed against the wall, her head tilted to the side.
The gesture was enough for him to know that talking about it would not fix the problem, so he decided to take another approach. He stood up and cleaned his dish, then joined her in bed. Gently, he placed a hand on her shoulder and pulled her closer, allowing her to rest her head on his shoulder. He ran his fingers through her long, ebony hair, trying to offer comfort. He could tell that Holiday didn't care about her usual bun or lack of makeup, content in her simple pajamas.
Six leaned in close, his lips brushing against her ear as he whispered words of reassurance. The warmth of his embrace enveloped her, offering a sense of safety. In that moment, they both understood the power of actions over words.
"We trained as much as we could." He tried to sound confident, not voicing his concerns. "Just remember to trust Captain Calan. Follow his orders and remain as strong as possible."
His wristwatch beeped as a cruel reminder that he had to leave for the night. Sighing, Holiday sat up straight as he moved, ready to go. The man stood up, and before he could even turn around to say his goodbyes, Six felt one of Holiday's hands clutching onto one of his, as she had never done before.
"Please don't leave," her voice trembled. He knew there was no way he could say no.
At that moment, he realized that his presence meant more to her than he had ever imagined.
Six nodded, removing his sunglasses and hoping he wouldn't have to be elsewhere. He let go of Holiday's hand, and she silently observed him taking off his green jacket and tie, hanging them with his glasses in one of the dinner table's chairs, and taking his shoes off, neatly placing them beside her bed. He then sat on her bed while she moved so her back faced the wall, allowing him to lie comfortably beside her. Rebecca wrapped her arms around his waist, causing him to turn and face her. Feeling the warmth of her hands on his back, she lazily caressed the fabric between her fingers to distract herself from thinking. They both were silent as he closed his eyes and breathed steadily, holding her against him and creating a peaceful atmosphere.
They stayed like that for a while, lost in their thoughts and the comfort of each other's presence. The room was filled with tranquility as if time had momentarily paused just for them.
Rebecca whispered, "I'm glad you're here, Six." He breathed deeply in response as his mind began to wander. He couldn't help but think about the uncertainty that lay ahead. Rebecca's touch provided some solace, but deep down, he knew their peaceful moment was only temporary.
Hours passed, but she still couldn't sleep. He, too, could not rest, even with his eyes closed. After a month of being confined to that room, she would finally have to face them and discuss her plan to offer herself to those idiots to protect Rex and put an end to the madness. He couldn't blame the child for existing; he was just another victim of their chaotic world. However, his love for the woman in his arms made it difficult for him not to resent their mission to keep Rex safe, as it was the only way to save the entire planet.
It felt like his two priorities were conflicting with each other.
He couldn't tell when they finally fell asleep, but all he could remember was that it started with Holiday. Her shaky breathing slowly eased and settled into a regular rhythm. Her arms, which were holding him tight, slowly released all the tension, and her body laid limply against his. He could feel her breath against his chest, steady and calm. His brain practically screamed that he had to sleep since there would be a long day ahead, but all he could do was keep running his hand through her hair and savoring the moment as much as he could. Six knew that once he closed his eyes, the reality of the impending day would come crashing down. But for now, he chose to ignore it, cherishing the tranquility of the present. The softness of her hair under his fingertips temporarily escaped the chaos that awaited him.
The morning was tranquil even though they had spent the entire night together. Holiday was already awake when he woke up and tried to convey, through her usual makeup, how difficult her night had been. Six was glad that he wore sunglasses to cover his tired eyes.
"I have a spare toothbrush for you," she said with a smile. "Sometimes I feel like you guys bring many things I won't use."
"But you're grateful for it now, aren't you?" Six smiled back with a raised eyebrow as Holiday shrugged, exiting the bathroom to give him some privacy, even if he had to return to his room and change anyway.
"So, how did you sleep?" Six asked, his voice filled with genuine concern, as he exited the bathroom and began to redress.
Holiday paused momentarily, her eyes flickering with a mix of emotions. Finally, she replied, "I had a lot on my mind, but being with you made it a little easier."
After being confined for so long, finally leaving was an unexpected experience for her. As she walked through the halls of Providence, she couldn't help but notice small details as if she had never been there before after being in the undergrown facility. She waited outside Six's bedroom while he changed, observing the two soldiers that accompanied them as a form of security and the temporary disabling of security cameras for their meeting. The closer she got to leaving the safety of Providence, the more extreme their plans had to be to ensure the safety of herself, Rex, and Captain Calan.
She knew the risks were high, but the urgency of their mission outweighed any doubts. As Six emerged from the bedroom, she could see the determination in his eyes, a reflection of her own.
Rex was the first to eagerly greet her as she approached their usual spot at the meeting table. Six sat closer to her, his gaze fixed on the monitor where White was already looking at the woman and greeting her after a long period of not seeing each other.
"If we have all gathered in this place, it is because we have agreed to send Holiday as a temporary distraction to finally dismantle the entire band," White's voice echoed through the room, despite Rex and Bobo not being too keen in offering her, as Six had mentioned before, as a piece of meat.
"How can we ensure they will not harm her despite us complying with their demands?" Rex asked immediately.
"If they want their research to be completed, they should keep me alive for as long as possible," Rebecca replied before White could interject. "I will do my best to prolong it, as our theories suggest that they are attempting to create a super EVO that could be practically indestructible by your Nanites, Rex, or a unique Nanite that could concentrate the power of all combined. This could result in a disaster that could even kill me on the spot."
"But that doesn't guarantee your safety, my lady," Bobo said. "And if they also want Rex, they may use your torture as leverage to get him as well." He looked at her before turning to the monitor. "What will we do if they demand Rex's presence too?"
"Captain Calan has studied their hideout and identified key areas where Providence soldiers could infiltrate and potentially dismantle their device," White said, and Six flinched momentarily at the memories of White Knight sacrificing his Nanites for him siding with an EVO and the resentment that it caused in between the two. He shook his head and focused on Holiday beside him instead of the man on the screen.
All Six could think was on the Tanto blade Rex had and the symbolism it represented as much as he was divided between him and Holiday.
"Rex is not an option," Six stated, pulling out the gang's underground facility map again for everyone at the table to see. "This time, we need to decide where to send Holiday. We can't risk returning to their facility and putting Rex in danger. We should choose a neutral territory to avoid drawing attention to Rex, who has more enemies than us, so we must think of something else."
"I agree with Six that it would be best for you to stay behind, Rex," White interjected. Rex began to protest, but Six shook his head again and turned to White.
"As the Captain is now a 'formal' gang member, he should be able to ensure Holiday's safety despite her only three days of training. Also, our hacker should have full control of their CCTVs, allowing us to monitor her and Captain Calan. Holiday sure will not be held captive in their underground facility as there must be more to it, as we know the exact location. Captain Calan will soon update us with the details once Holiday is delivered, as he has been gathering enough information for us to devise a plan and make sure that she is safe." Six reflected on the matter, as it would be too easy for them if she were held in the same place.
"The only idea I got is to ask for Holiday back in exchange for Rex." Was Bobo's suggestion, sighing. "We aren't in any position to ask anything from them, but it might work."
"It's worth a try, as we can't plan anything else without ensuring that most of the planet will be safe first. We still don't know what they are trying to build with Holiday's research. There are too many ways this could go wrong and not only harm her but the entire population with it," replied Six, standing up from his seat and stopping next to Rex. "But before we make any final decisions, things still need to be done." The teen felt Six's hand on his shoulder and understood that he silently invited him to follow him outside the meeting room. Rex glanced at Holiday, but she seemed unaware of what might happen in Six's mind. Despite White not officially ending the meeting, Six felt the need for a break.
"How compromised is my department in this state?" It was Holiday's next question as she still had so much that she wanted to say and was finally able to.
"Almost completely taken over," White replied. "The Higher committee has shut down any projects related to your department to avoid spreading the malware to the rest of the departments. The Department of Defense is now constantly guarded and closed to everyone's access as they don't trust in any of us right now."
"Does that mean the Defense Department is operating without your consent?" she asked as White nodded.
"It will continue to defend citizens from potential EVO threats, but it will no longer seek assistance from Rex, Six, or Bobo for any other missions unless we find a solution to this problem."
"But that's ridiculous! Rex is our best defense against most of the EVOs in the city, and Six and Bobo are crucial in handling potential crises. Our soldiers can only do so much!"
"They are not pleased with the idea of Captain Calan being used as a decoy in this situation. Either that the primal research department we have had to halt its operations."
Rex followed Six through the hallway, vaguely hearing the voice of Holiday and White, wondering where Six wanted to take him and the motive of why he was leaving the room so suddenly. It was unusual for him to leave a meeting abruptly without any comment from White Knight or Holiday.
While he didn't know the man as well as White did, he couldn't help but notice that something was bothering him. Despite not being able to see his eyes behind his sunglasses, it was clear that there was tension between the two of them. This made Rex wonder what could be causing it, especially since he thought their relationship was improving. However, Rex couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong between them, not because of something that he could've done but something that Six couldn't accept, no matter how hard he seemed to be trying to.
Despite this, Rex knew that he still cared about his well-being and hoped to find a way to make his life in Providence feel less like a confinement and more like a healthy coexistence.
They stopped in front of the door of Six's bedroom, and once the man entered, Rex supposed that he expected him to join as well. Six wanted to show him something, and after looking into his closet, Rex looked at a white piece of cloth covering something precious to the man in the green suit.
He also had the Tanto blade as a birthday gift from the man, who was now staring at it as if he were greeting an old acquaintance. Six finally spoke before he could ask what he was trying to tell him.
"I trust that you have been taking care of yours." His voice sounded less stoic than he expected, thinking it was a rather odd moment to remind him to take care of his birthday present now that Holiday's life was in danger. It was more like if the man voiced his thoughts out loud rather than talking to the teen before him.
"Yes, of course. It hangs safely in my room, away from Bobo's greasy fingers, usually covered in banana residue."
Rex's eyebrows shot up as Six put the blade next to one of his blades and then looked up at him. Why would he need another blade if his Magna Blades were sufficient to defend himself?
"Dude, what's the meaning of all of this?" Rex asked, and Six thought he finally had the best answer for his predicament.
"You're very important for Holiday. So much that she is willing to sacrifice herself for you."
Rex opened his mouth as Six's words offended him for a moment as if the man was trying to blame him for what was happening, as if he wasn't feeling guilty enough about it.
"So, consider this a way to take you with us. No matter what happens once she is out of Providence."
"I wish I had never been born, or at least not in this way."
"Trust me, your existence is the best thing that could've happened to her, to Providence and the planet." The man said, placing a hand over one of the teen's shoulders.
"Have you asked her to be your girlfriend yet?" Rex asked, raising one eyebrow as Six rubbed his face with his free hand. He shook his head a few times as if Rex couldn't take the conversation seriously until he threw in one of his trademark jokes. "You should do it, man, before it's too late. You know?"
Back at the meeting table, Six noticed that Rebecca appeared angrier than usual, even though the monitors were turned off and the meeting seemed over. Rex was the first to voice his complaints, expressing frustration that the Defense Department was now operating without their intervention.
Six seemed to expect this decision from the high board, mentioning that it was reasonable after their failed attempts to stop the gang from damaging their network further. Six remained relatively calm and unresponsive, as he had other priorities and felt powerless to change the decision.
"So, you don't care that the higher committee now doesn't want any involvement with us and will not send you to any more missions, risking many citizens' lives!?" Holiday asked, quite scandalized.
"To be honest, I don't." Was his reply as Rex's eyebrows also shot up at his absentminded expression. How could he be worried about the entire world when two of his priorities were discussing in the same room about something that was totally beyond their control?
Wasn't she worried for her own life?
But of course, she wouldn't be Holiday if she didn't care more for the rest of the planet instead of herself.
"We should be discussing the neutral location and sending the message to the gang instead of worrying if there will be another day for another mission for Rex and me."
He knew it would rub Holiday the wrong way, as she was already holding one of his arms to make him repeat it while looking at her. But then she abruptly dropped his arm as if the presence of Rex was enough for her to reconsider her actions. As much as Rex was aware of the nature of their relationship, he didn't have to know all the details.
"There's a good location in a national park near the city that could serve as a neutral location to meet with the gang. It may not be wise to bring any troops or you, Rex."
"Are you saying you will go all by yourself with Holiday!?"
"Exactly. They could harm her if there were too many of us present."
"But what if something went wrong, dude!?"
"Then I will have to deal with it by myself."
Holiday's expression was something Six thought he didn't need to see, already trying to keep himself as collected as possible, proving even more complicated to maintain his stoic persona. Rex was still out of the question, but it made him wonder how much he could stand losing someone he cared that much about, even more than White Knight, his position, or anything else, as his mind could only focus on the woman who was looking at him as his words were a severe offense.
If he had to deal with the entire gang for her, then he would. He knew the risks involved, but he couldn't bear the thought of her being hurt because of being accompanied by the entire Providence.
As he prepared for the upcoming departure, he couldn't help but hope that this sacrifice would finally be enough to end it.