It seems that the island can't have a moment of peace it is not Hope's sister is playing with forces she doesn't understand are the the Greek Gods. It wasn't easy to get rid of them. Fortunately, Zeus was not supported by several of his close subjects. However, Hope has no rest. Shortly after defeating the Greeks, the remnants of the energy from Zeus's thunderbolts gave rise to Nitro, which attracted unwanted people.
Megalo Don became the new problem for the island. Now Hope had to deal with a second maniac eager to conquer the island.
"They're taking too long," says Hope as she worriedly walks around her headquarters.
Our blue-haired heroine ordered an expedition to the Wasteland, specifically to investigate the ship on which Megalo Don arrived on the island, led by the trustworthy Jones. Jones has been a key player in the recent events on the island, playing an important role against the gods and being directly involved in many other events since this piece of land was formed. The expedition led by the blonde was only a reconnaissance mission; a direct confrontation with Megalo Don and his wasteland warriors would bring catastrophic consequences for everyone. Jones, along with a couple of soldiers joined to the resistance against Megalo Don, was to evaluate the advances he had made in putting Nitro into circulation. The last mission to seize the gems belonging to Pandora's box went very well. This shouldn't be a bigger problem, right?
Dawn arrives, and Hope has no news of Jones and his team. She is consumed by exhaustion and worry. She tries to stay awake, although she dozes off for moments.
Valeria's sister decides she is not useful in this state; she can take naps at set intervals to regain lost energy. She will also need to be 100% ready if she needs to leave in an emergency. Hope settles on a cot, setting an alarm to sleep for 30 minutes, closing her eyes as she lies down to recover from all this.
The sun peeks through the windows of the headquarters, waking Hope. As she rubs her eyes, she realizes what is happening.
"Oh no, I fell asleep!"
As she processes that she lost the entire night in a deep sleep, there is a knock at the headquarters door in a rhythm Hope recognizes.
"It's them!"
In a rush, Hope opens the door, allowing all the men to enter the headquarters. They are badly injured; it seems they walked all night back to the headquarters. Before asking anything else, Valeria's sister realizes something.
"Wait a minute, where's Jones?"
"We lost him, boss," replies a resigned soldier.
"What!" exclaims the blue-haired woman, astonished.
The night before, during the expedition to the Wasteland, Jones motivates his men.
"Well, guys, remember this is just a reconnaissance mission. We are not looking for a direct confrontation with Megalo Don or his soldiers. Remember that, please. Don't worry, especially you, rookie," Jones says, pointing to the youngest soldier.
"Let's get this started!" The blonde man indicates, raising his fist in the air.
The expedition began very well. They reached the tyrant's ship without any problems, but the first complication arose when Jones realized that Megalo Don had significantly reinforced his security, logically after losing the gem from Pandora's box.
"It looks like we'll have to knock out some obstacles," Jones silently tells his men.
"We'll split up. Remember your infiltration lessons. If you're going to take someone out, make it quick and quiet. I'll handle the deeper levels of the ship as they seem to be the most reinforced. In and out in an hour, understood?"
"Yes, sir," the soldiers respond.
Thus, the men take their routes. While the rookie is scouting the section of the ship he was assigned to, he notices a special weapon stored in a showcase. He had never seen a weapon like it before; it was similar to a shotgun with modifications. Approaching the showcase displaying the weapon, the rookie thinks it might be valuable for the resistance to study the tyrant's armament, so he decides to force open the showcase.
Attempting to break the lock triggers the ship's alarm, alerting all the soldiers in the Wasteland, including Megalo Don.
"Oh no," says Jones as he understands what is happening.
Running towards the deck while taking down anyone in his path, the blonde thinks about saving his men. With super-soldier skills, he traverses entire corridors, taking down soldiers without wasting bullets.
Reaching the deck, he finds his men cornered, defending themselves with their weapons.
"This is worse than I thought. Although, as always, taking down tyrants has never been easy," Jones decides to wield his weapons to help his men, but he notices the fire has stopped.
The bullets from the blonde's companions had run out, prompting Megalo Don to order a ceasefire.
"Where is your leader? A group like yours couldn't have gotten here alone, and you don't seem like deserters," the tyrant asks in a voice that would instill fear even in the bravest.
The soldiers do not respond, remaining loyal to Jones and never betraying their leader.
"Oh well. We can do it the hard way. Take them to the torture chamber," Megalo Don instructs his men.
Watching from a distance, Jones has to plan an escape for his men and act quickly, or he will lose them. Taking some splashes of Nitro, he decides to execute his plan.
Activating one of the Nitro splashes to pour the substance on himself, he starts running towards Megalo Don, pushing away all the soldiers in his path. Reaching the tyrant, he tackles him with all his strength, sending him flying several meters and away from his men.
"Soldiers, take the remaining splashes and flee!"
"But sir, we won't leave you behind," responds a determined soldier.
"That's an order! The underground needs you. I'll distract Megalo Don."
The leader of the Wasteland warriors recovers from the tackle, enraged by Jones's insolence.
"The leader is the blonde, capture him!" exclaims Megalo Don as he activates the Nitro in his armor.
"Retreat!" Jones orders again.
Although the soldiers hesitate, they know they can't do much in this position. They fought for a long time and exhausted their resources. They would only be a hindrance if they stayed.
"Good luck, sir," says the rookie as they all retreat.
"Come at me, idiots," says Jones as he splashes another Nitro on himself.
"After that, we walked back here because it was too dangerous to take a vehicle; it could reveal our position," explains the soldier, finishing the story of the expedition.
"This is all my fault. Because of my imprudence, the general might be dea—"
"Jones is not dead!" Hope exclaims, interrupting the rookie and startling all her soldiers.
"Jones has survived many things. We all know his story. You can't believe your commander is dead, can you?" Hope asks as she regains her composure.
"The boss is right!" exclaims an old soldier.
"Go recover, take a few days. I'm sure Jones will return soon, just like you did," Hope explains.
With renewed spirits, the soldiers head to the headquarters infirmary. Hope notices the rookie looks guilty.
"Rookie, it wasn't your fault. We all make mistakes. Jones did what he had to do," the blue-haired woman explains.
The rookie smiles a little, but it doesn't seem enough to cheer him up completely. Still, he decides that recovering from his wounds is the best thing to do. Being at full capacity might be the only way to redeem himself from his mistake.
Hope is left alone in the headquarters room. No matter how firm and sure she was of what she told her soldiers, she is consumed by doubts.
"Jones didn't die, did he?" Hope says to herself as she tries to calm down.
It's impossible; he was lost in the Zero Point for quite some time but returned relatively unscathed. Not only that, he faced Zeus and managed to defeat him. He can surely escape from Megalo Don in one piece.
These last thoughts seem to calm her down. Hope knows Jones's abilities and is sure he can handle this and much more. Unfortunately for the blue-haired woman, there is no sign of Jones all day.
"It's already dawn. There's been no sign of him," Hope says as worry invades her again.
At first, it was easy to manage the anxiety she felt. She trained new recruits, planned new moves with Jones included, checked the armament, and finally, replenished the headquarters' supplies. But now, the tasks are over, so with nothing to distract her mind, Hope finds herself immersed in negative thoughts again.
Soon, it will be 24 hours without any news from Jones. Maybe he's just keeping a low profile to eliminate any traces he left behind. If he survived Megalo Don, they would surely be looking for him, and that could be delaying his return. Or maybe he's just injured. Yes, that could be another reason he hasn't appeared at the headquarters yet. He's healing from the fight; after all, he's one of the best survivors on the island and surely won't rush his return.
Although Hope thinks of all the possibilities to calm her anxiety, she can't completely relax. She needs conclusive proof, something to confirm that Jones is still alive. While pacing in her headquarters office, a brilliant idea comes to her mind.
"Persephone!" Hope exclaims.
Although the gods are no longer present on the island, Persephone is still taking care of Cerberus. If she is the goddess of the underworld, she could at least give Hope information if Jones is in the other life. Hope swallows hard; considering that the blonde might indeed be dead still bothers her too much, but she can't maintain the uncertainty.
In the Underworld, the Goddess rests in her quarters, seated in a chair, lost in thought as she plans how to retrieve her husband. Unfortunately for her, she suddenly finds herself facing a gun and someone calling her name.
"Persephone. Don't do anything stupid," Hope explains while keeping her gun steady.
"How did you get in? Did you do something to Cerberus?" asks the furious Goddess, rising from her chair, worried about her pet.
"Your dog is fine. I came in without drawing attention, apparently it worked because you didn't even notice my presence," Hope explains, continuing to aim her gun at the Goddess.
"A gun? To kill a Goddess?" Persephone asks sarcastically, mocking Hope.
"Don't mess with me. I know your lineage has weakened since Zeus is gone. In your current state, this gun is as effective against you as it would be against anyone else," Hope explains firmly, taking off the safety.
"You're a rather annoying mortal, besides being clever," replies Hades' wife.
"I need something from you," Hope responds.
"Oh really? What could someone who defeated Zeus need from me? As you said, I don't have much power now," Persephone says as she resumes her seat.
"You still maintain your connection to the world of the dead, don't you?" Hope asks.
"That's why I'm the Goddess of the Underworld, you stupid mortal," Persephone responds.
"I need…" Hope hesitates for a moment about whether this plan will work, but then realizes she can't retract.
"I need you to search for someone in the world of the dead," Hope states.
"Oh really? Who is so important that you'd dare to try to force me to find their soul?" the Goddess asks sarcastically.
"Jones," Hope replies directly.
"The annoying blonde? Haha! Is he dead? How wonderful, and I thought he was immortal because no God could finish him off," Persephone laughs.
"Shut up! He's not dead. Why don't you check the Underworld to see for yourself?" The blue haired girl challenges Persephone.
"So you're not sure if he's alive? Haha, now I understand why you're going through so much trouble," Persephone mocks Hope.
"Do it or I promise I'll finish you off right now," The leader of the underground threatens, tightening her grip on the gun again.
"Oh, but I haven't done anything wrong. Would you kill an innocent Goddess?" Persephone asks, pretending to be sad.
Damn it, as much as Hope distrusts the Gods and knows that Persephone is far from being a good person, the Goddess hasn't committed any atrocities on the level of Zeus or her husband. She doesn't have enough reasons to end her life. At least not for now.
With a sigh, Hope puts away her gun, causing Persephone to smile.
"You're right. I can't kill you, but you're also not in a position to refuse to help me," Hope responds determinedly.
"Oh really? Could you explain why you're so sure of that?" asks Hades' wife with a mocking tone.
"Megalo Don. I imagine you've heard of him, haven't you?"
This surprises the Goddess a little. She couldn't care less about a would-be conqueror.
"I've heard of him. Why is he important?"
"His power comes from Nitro. Do you know where Nitro originates from?" Hope replies.
"Why don't you enlighten me?" the Goddess retorts.
"Nitro comes from the remnants of Zeus's lightning mixed with the island's own energy. What would happen if he manages to obtain a large enough supply of Nitro?"
The Goddess is shocked by Hope's question. Could Megalo Don really represent a problem for her if he gains all that power?
"I'm not interested. I'm only focused on seeing Hades again. Why should that lunatic be a bother to me?" the Goddess explains defiantly.
"Don't pretend to be strong. You have experience with tyrants, one in your own family. Do you think a maniac with a thirst for power would let a threat like a Greek Goddess roam free? Even if you're weak, I wouldn't let you have time to recover if I were Megalo Don," Hope responds.
Now the Goddess is in a predicament. Hope is right. If someone doesn't stop that lunatic, he could turn the entire island, including the Underworld, into a vast wasteland.
"Help me find out if Jones is dead. If you do that, I can take care of Megalo Don, and you'll be free to see your husband," Hope pleads.
"I suppose I have no other choice," the Goddess responds resignedly.
Standing up from her seat, Persephone opens a portal using water from the River Styx.
"Wait here for a moment," the green-haired Goddess instructs.
Hope stands by, watching the portal, waiting for the return of Hades' wife. She must prepare for both possibilities; she cannot assume her blonde partner is dead, but unfortunately, she also cannot confirm that he is alive. After a few minutes, Persephone returns, closing the portal as she steps through.
"I didn't find anyone with your friend's soul," Persephone states plainly.
Hope feels a great sense of relief inside. Jones isn't dead; maybe he's already returned to the headquarters.
"Although that doesn't mean he's alive," the Goddess explains with a macabre smile.
These words leave Hope in shock. She thought this matter was settled.
"What do you mean by that?" Hope asks with a defiant look.
"Souls don't arrive in the Underworld instantly. They have to travel a certain path, and depending on how stubborn the soul is, it can take quite a while, but they all arrive eventually."
Hope doesn't know what to say. She never expected this outcome. It means that the uncertainty will remain until Jones returns or the rebel finds his body.
"There are only two possibilities: either your friend is alive, or he's dying, waiting to truly die to end up in Hades' realm. I recommend you find him quickly if he's still alive."
The blue-haired rebel knows the Goddess has a valid point. Every minute is crucial if she wants to know what happened to Jones.
"We'll meet again. If you become a problem, I'll come for you just like I did with Zeus."
Hope leaves the Goddess's quarters, leaving her with a certain anger after those last words.
The rebel leader now heads towards the Wasteland. After not receiving a definitive answer about her blonde friend's fate, she has no choice but to search for him herself.
With her objectives clear, Hope decides her first move is to contact the headquarters via a call. Maybe they have good news, though the blue-haired rebel isn't very optimistic about it.
"Boss? Is everything okay?" the Rookie answers from the headquarters.
"Rookie? Weren't you in recovery?" a surprised rebel responds.
"That was the case, Boss, but I couldn't leave my duty. Not after what I did," the rookie replies in a disappointed tone.
"I appreciate the initiative. Has Jones not returned to the headquarters?" the blue-haired rebel asks with great curiosity.
"I'm sorry, but there's been no news about the Commander," the newest soldier responds with some sadness.
"I understand. Well, keep taking care of the headquarters. Can I count on you?" Hope encourages the rookie.
"Yes, Ma'am!"
"I'm glad to hear that. I need to continue with my duties," Hope responds, ending the call.
Hope knows she must start accepting the truth. Even if Jones is still alive, finding him in the vast wasteland will be very difficult. However, she cannot give up yet; she must exhaust all possibilities before coming to a verdict.
Using her car, Hope travels the vicinity of the Wasteland at a safe distance from Megalo Don's hideouts and his wasteland Warriors She examines various battle scenes, but there seems to be no trace of Jones, only bullet casings and car wreckage.
As she delves deeper into the desolate terrain, her heart fills with increasing sadness as she realizes that the reality is getting closer. No matter how much pain she feels, no matter how regretful she is for not having done more for the blonde, she must continue with her mission.
After several hours of searching, there is only one place left to check: the area around Megalo Don's hideout. No other area of the Wasteland yielded results, so if there's nothing here, she'll have to continue without her blonde partner
Leaving her car at a safe distance, she walks the perimeter of the hideout. Hope uses all her stealth skills when she's within sight of any Wasteland warriors
To the heroine's dismay, no clues are discovered near the hideout. Inspecting the edges of the cliffs near Megalo Don's base, she finds an unpleasant surprise: Jones's glasses, almost destroyed.
With a lump in her throat, Hope picks up the accessory, examining it closely. The glasses show all the marks and damages they've suffered. It must have been a tough battle.
Looking at the horizon, the rebel leader knows there is nothing more to be done. Jones could not have survived alone for this long. Two days have passed since the expedition; no matter how skilled he is, no one can come out of that unscathed. Not her, not Jones.
As she returns to her vehicle, Hope feels as if she now carries a burden on her shoulders. Not only that, but doubts abound. Did she lose her most valuable man just because she didn't make the right decisions? If she had anticipated beyond the obvious possibilities, would Jones still be alive? But the question that hurts her soul the most is, did she show Jones how important he was to her?
An avalanche of memories overwhelms Hope as she drives back to the headquarters. All the adventures she and Jones had together. Their first encounters trying to dismantle the society led by Valeria. How difficult it was to dethrone Zeus; that victory felt as if they together were unbeatable, but now luck has run out.
She must prepare to deliver the news; she cannot afford to cry or break down in front of her soldiers. No matter how much she feels that a part of her soul has been taken away, the priority is not her feelings but bringing peace to the island.
Hope arrives at the headquarters, feeling her chest ache more and more as she parks the car. She then takes the glasses of her deceased friend, exits the vehicle, approaches the headquarters, and knocks on the door in code. As she waits for the door to open, the struggle not to break into tears is more intense.
"Hello, Hope. We've been expecting you," says Jones as he opens the door.
Hope is left speechless, with her mouth agape and eyes in shock, unable to believe what she is seeing. Is Jones alive and back at the headquarters? Is she hallucinating? Did she faint in the Wasteland, only to now be in another life with Jones?
"Oh, you found my glasses," Jones says as he takes them from Hope's hands. "They've seen better days."
Hope feels an immense relief. Jones is alive and here. Without thinking too much, the blue-haired woman hugs the blonde.
"How?!" Hope exclaims with a broken voice.
Jones understands what his friend means, so he proceeds to explain how he returned while returning the hug.
"I managed to throw Megalo Don off track, but I ended up badly injured. The rookie got help from a talking pea who found me nearly dead in the Wasteland. I don't know how they had contact, but apparently, they've been friends for a long time. I spent two days recovering in their workshop." After hearing his explanation, Hope breaks the embrace.
"I need to congratulate the Rookie," Hope says as tears of happiness well up in her eyes.
"Hope, I've never seen you cry before," Jones says, touched by his friend's reaction.
"My tears only reflect how much I care about you," Hope replies as she wipes her tears away.
Jones understands that his absence hurt his friend deeply. Placing a hand on her shoulder, he says, "I'm sorry for being reckless. I was only thinking about saving my men. I hope you can forgive what I made you feel."
Hope looks at her blonde companion, feeling so happy to have him back, and gives him a kiss on the lips.
"Let's discuss how to defeat Megalo Don," Hope says after breaking the kiss and entering the headquarters.
Jones, quite surprised and with his cheeks flushed, follows Hope into the headquarters. After defeating the Nitro-obsessed maniac, they will have a lot to talk about.