Great news this week! I mentioned my friend a while back who was raising money to train for a new career. We got enough to get her Level 1 certified, but pretty much everyone says you need to get to Level 3 to actually work in that field. Well, her trainer has some contacts with the local hospitals and she ended up getting a call recently for an interview. Long story short, she will be turning in her notice to her current job next week and starting with the hospital soon, which should fix a lot of the issues she's been facing recently.

Meanwhile, the digital artist self-promo epidemic is getting out of hand. Hadn't checked my messages recently and found three new offers. They've gotten lazier, too. Instead of multiple paragraphs, I'm getting just a sentence or two with an emoji at the end. On the one hand, I'm glad they stopped spamming reviews, since I don't like seeing them clog up the space with self-promo like that, but I'd rather they just back off entirely. Almost feel like I should put a message in Chapter 1's notes, since they never go past that, but I kinda doubt they're even reading that far.

Chapter's a little shorter than I planned this week as work has been kind of hectic. Hard to focus on writing when I'm spending so much time during the day writing technical documents. Still not done and have a ways to go on the current one, so figured I'd split this chapter into two. Not much of an impact, other than me spending a little more time on what was originally going to be short scenes. Looking forward to things calming back down as we sneak up on the holidays.

Reyno had never felt so crowded. Even if Nonemu didn't have nearly as many people in it as Reyno, shoving the two together without warning meant Reyno was fit to burst. The training grounds quickly became a sort of staging ground as Cerco did his best to organize the chaos. They didn't have nearly enough beds for all the new arrivals. Instead, it looked like Sienna's new throne room was about to become a homeless shelter before she ever got to use it. They already had plans to expand the barracks down the road, but it looked like the timeline would be moving up a bit.

Those on guard duty were the lucky ones. Within the walls people pushed and shoved, fighting to swim through the sea of bodies just to get anywhere. The line for food stretched out the door and nearly around the building. Good luck to anyone trying to find a table. Most ventured out and sat in clusters on the ground, sticking close to the walls as best they could both to avoid clogging up the camp further and being accidentally trampled. It wouldn't have been as bad if they weren't also busy unloading all the gear from Nonemu, further complicating the mess. Things would get better as the day wore on, but right now, elbow room was a luxury few could afford.

Few but Adam. No one dared get in his way, parting around him as he marched toward the comms tent. Those nearest pressed themselves into the thick mass on either side rather than risk confronting him. The few complaints of shoving silenced when they saw why.

Adam ignored it all, intent on getting his report over with as quickly as possible. Sienna knew they were moving everyone to Reyno, of course - a decision like that required her input and approval - but he knew she'd want to hear from him once they landed. Stalling wouldn't make the problem go away. Better to just give her the short version and move on.

After all, he had plans to make.

Mistral had to know what would come next. The last time a member of his team had been killed, he'd paid Atlas back by burying a dust mine in an avalanche. That had been from a casualty during an actual combat mission, though. This…this was so much worse. They'd taken Nag and locked her up in a cell deep underground. That should've been the end of it. She was behind bars and no longer a threat to anyone. Problem solved, as far as the humans were concerned.

That wasn't enough for them. It never was. Not when someone dared to oppose them. Instead, they'd done what humans always did - take things too far. Even locked up in Kesseki, she still represented a rebellion against their will. She'd stepped out of line in their hierarchy, and for that, they'd killed her in cold blood.

Adam's blood still boiled at the thought. Nag had always been their voice of reason. Well now reason was dead.

More than that, they'd all but broken Indie. The usually cheery woman hadn't spoken much since they left Kesseki. She just wore the same, blank expression on her face and stared off into nothingness, barely reacting to everyone around her. The rest of his team tried to console her, but they didn't understand. How could they? None of them, thank the gods, had been through the hell she'd just been put through. How could they understand how it felt to be so completely and utterly helpless? To want to scrape the flesh off where their hands had touched? To have had someone claim your body as your own?

He'd been there. Gods, but he'd been there. No amount of well wishing or promises that things would get better would ever remove the stain of what they'd done to her. They'd done more than just claim her body. They'd scarred her soul. People said time heals all wounds, but that was a load of crap in Adam's opinion. All time did was remove the freshness of the cut. The filth and contamination of what happened would fester and rot like an infection, poisoning her very soul. She might find ways to cope and improve, but recover? Recovery was just a fancy word for learning to live with your scars. She could never truly undo the damage, no matter how hard she tried.

He'd need to talk to her…alone. Funny how that would've been a mess of drama and feelings not that long ago. Now, he dreaded it for completely different reasons.

His talk with Indie would have to wait. For now, she had the other girls to look after her. He'd seen Azul and Ilia leading her towards the dorms while Blake probably ran off to get some food. A warm meal might do her some good. At the very least, she wouldn't be left alone. Meanwhile, he could deal with his own responsibilities and swing by later. He didn't really know what he'd say, but he could at least know she wasn't alone.

Juggling a fractured team, overseeing a major move, and fresh off a trying mission, his report to Sienna was understandably short. He did his best to cover the major points of Kesseki. By that, he meant he told her they'd gotten the rest of the team out, recovered Nag's body, and killed Lil' Miss' target as instructed. He didn't really feel like going into any further detail, and Sienna knew better than to push.

"Everything from Nonemu has been moved to Reyno," Adam reported, intent on keeping the momentum. "Supplies are being stored while Cerco oversees the housing assignments. We'll start construction on the new barracks tomorrow." It would be all hands on deck for that. Keeping everyone grouped up in a communal living space would cause tension among the men and lead to worse problems in no time. Morale couldn't take a hit like that right now.

"Give it two days," Sienna instructed. "Let them have tomorrow off. Give the new arrivals a chance to settle in and get to know everyone first."

Fine. He'd rather solve the housing problem first and let them all become friends later, but Sienna's word was final. If the men complained, he'd make sure they knew exactly who was to blame.

In the meantime, he had other things to worry about. "Any word from our benefactor?"

"Lil' Miss already reached out to ask when you'll be coming to report to her."

Report? To her? "As if she doesn't already know." If she could find his team so quickly, then she had to have eyes and ears in some pretty high places. The sort of places that would know Kesseki had fallen and the White Fang escaped. Heck, she might've already seen footage of him killing the target. They'd buried Kesseki, but Laurence said the servers would've likely survived, since they were in a secure section underground. Mistral wouldn't even need to dig the servers out to access them. With the right equipment, they would be able to tap directly into the system and pull up footage of the attack. "Just tell her the job's done."

"She wants you to tell her," Sienna sighed, clearly not thrilled with the idea either. "She made that abundantly clear in her message."

"Since when do we take orders from humans?"

"Since she was the one to deliver us Euryale and Kesseki. Like her or not," he didn't, "her spies have come through for us twice now. I don't like relying on her, but we've already seen how valuable she can be as an ally." And how dangerous an enemy she could become. "We have enough enemies as it is."

No kidding. The entire world was against them at this point. "Fine. I'll head to Mistral tomorrow night. I've been meaning to pay them a visit."

"A quiet visit." Sienna knew what he was thinking. "The city's on high alert as it is. We can't afford to go stirring up trouble right now."

Adam's fist slammed against the console, shaking the image before him. "They killed her!" Adam shouted, already tired of playing nice. "Mistral killed her, and you just want me to what, sneak in for a visit and back out? They need to pay."

"Patience, Adam." He didn't appreciate being treated like a child. And yes, he knew the pout he was wearing fit the bill. "They'll be expecting us to counter in some manner. Doing so recklessly will only get more people killed."

Sienna twisted the knife at the end, all but ending the debate. "I won't let them get away with this."

"I suspected as much. I have the Albains drafting up some plans for retaliatory strikes. I cannot say when," she hastened to add before he could ask, "but rest assured we will not let this atrocity stand. You will have your vengeance, but not until we have a suitable plan."

"Fine." For now. He'd make sure she followed through, but as long as he got his shot, he could wait. "But I expect to be included in the planning."

"Of course." Better to keep him in the loop than risk him going off on his own. "She has offered to help you enter the city undetected this time." Apparently, she no longer needed them to prove themselves to her. With everything that had happened, having a plan to get in and out unnoticed would be helpful, though he had a feeling she'd use it as leverage later. "I will get the details from her when I speak with her again. Feel free to let her know we intend to strike back at Mistral. She'll appreciate the heads up, if nothing else."

"Don't tell me you're relying on her help again."

"We're not. And you should refuse any offer she makes." Good. For a moment there, he'd been worried she was getting a little too chummy with the crime because she'd helped out before didn't mean the White Fang should start relying on her. They weren't some tool for Lil' Miss to add to her collection. "This is just a show of good faith. She scratched our back…"

"So we scratch hers," Adam finished, cringing slightly at the image it conjured. At the very least, it would help balance the scales for her help in getting to the meeting. "I'll meet with her again, but I want to hear about these plans when I get back." They'd better be good. Preferably something involving fire and explosions. Something that would send a message. "In the meantime, I have other matters to attend to. Anything else?"

"That is all." Adam nodded, grateful to be free at last. At least, he thought so, until Sienna added, "Tend to your team. They must be hurting. Let them know we in Menagerie share their pain." He'd leave that part out. Sienna meant well, but no one outside Alpha Squad knew Nag like they did. No one would mourn her quite the same. They got to go back to their lives like nothing happened, while his team added a second empty seat to their gatherings. "Nag was…"

"She was a warrior." Adam didn't feel like waiting for Sienna to come up with more hollow words. "She was a fighter, right up until the end. And she was a friend." Which he had in very short supply.

And he intended to keep the rest of them.

"Well said. If you or your team need anything-"

"We'll manage," Adam interrupted. Sienna took the hint and ended the transmission. A little harsh, but right now, the last thing he wanted to do was sit around talking about it.

Almost as much as he didn't want to talk about it with Indie.

What he wanted and what needed to be done weren't the same, unfortunately. If he dragged his feet now, he'd never get around to talking to her. It would get late. Then, he wouldn't want to wake her in the morning. He'd get called away to plan the trip to Mistral, then actually go to Mistral. Next thing he knew, a whole day would have passed with him doing nothing and finding more excuses until it felt like he'd waited too long. A vicious cycle that would end with him doing nothing and feeling terrible about it later.

No. He needed to talk to her now, before anything could get in his way. It helped that, when he walked outside, there actually was a lot less in his way. He hadn't been in there that long, yet it looked like Cerco had gotten things relatively under control. Reyno was still bustling with people, but a lot of the new arrivals were gathering near the throne room entrance getting instructions from Cerco and a team of volunteers. That left the path to the women's barracks relatively clear, removing one more excuse.

"Here goes nothing."

This was the second time in recent memory that he'd made his way to the women's barracks to visit one of the officer rooms. Worse, it was a different woman this time. Oh how the rumor mill would love this. Undeterred, Adam made his way upstairs, ignoring the shocked expressions of women spotting a man in their living space. He did his best to keep his eyes focused on his target, ignoring the girl who darted back into the bathroom clutching a towel around herself.

From outside Indie's room, Adam could hear quiet voices beyond the door. It sounded like the others were still there, keeping an eye on Indie. He wouldn't be surprised if one of them offered to sleep in her room tonight, just so she wouldn't be alone. In fact, he should probably suggest that to them - outside of Indie's hearing, of course. She needed their support, but she didn't need to hear him talk about her like some sort of charity case.

"It's Adam," he announced after a couple of quick knocks. The room quieted save for the soft footfalls of someone approaching. Blake opened the door slowly, a faint smile on her face despite the clear signs of crying. He'd never been much of a crier. Not since Katai. Before that…well, before that, he'd been a different person. "Can I come in?"

Blake stepped aside, as clear an answer as he'd get. Azul was sat beside Indie on her bed, a box of tissues in her hand. As weird as it sounded, Adam was glad to see the tissues clasped tightly in Indie's hand. She wasn't completely gone then. Still, as she looked up to him with reddened eyes, something felt off.

It wasn't that he didn't recognize her. In fact, he recognized her too much. The empty eyes that didn't seem to match the rest of her face. The way she looked right at him yet seemed to stare right through. He knew those eyes well, because he'd seen them looking at him before.

In the mirror.

"You mind if I talk to Indie?" Adam asked, looking at all three girls in turn.

"Go right ahead." Azul scooted over to make room. Adam looked to Blake for help, even as she tried to hide her smile.

"I think he means in private." Blake had his back, though he had a feeling Azul knew what he'd meant and was just yanking his chain a bit. Indie assured her she'd be okay, though Azul promised she'd pop back in later. With her room right across the hall, she'd probably be the one keeping an eye on her for the most part.

"Thanks," Adam whispered as Blake slipped out behind the other two.

The moment the door closed, Adam realized the usual flaw in his plan. He'd gotten her alone, only to have no idea what to say. He'd never been particularly good at this sort of thing. How could he be? He'd been in her shoes, but no one had ever come to comfort him, so he didn't really know what his role was meant to be. He tried to think of what he would've wanted someone to say to him but came up empty. The only thing he would've wanted was for Alyssa to die.

Good news. He'd already killed her abuser. Score one for the home team? He had a feeling bringing that up wouldn't win him any points.

If he couldn't figure out what he'd have wanted to hear, then he'd need to try a different approach. Adam could still remember how it felt. The utter disgust that coated every inch of his body. Not just disgust at the one who'd done it to him, but at himself for letting it happen. Indie hadn't exactly given herself up to those guards, but he hadn't volunteered for Alyssa either. Blaming himself for what she'd done wasn't right, but that never stopped him. He'd felt so helpless afterwards, cut off from everyone with no hope of escape. He'd felt so…

Alone.

Adam sat down on the edge of Indie's bed, giving her a little space but still well within reach. He searched for the right words, but none came. It all felt so…inadequate. Saying nothing wouldn't help, which meant he needed to start somewhere. The only thing that came to mind was a simple, "I'm sorry."

Those apparently weren't what Indie expected to hear. "For what?"

"I couldn't protect you." Either of you, he didn't add. They'd put their trust in him, and he'd let them down. "I should've been there. I should've kept you safe. Instead, I let my guard down and you suffered the consequences." Because fate was too cruel to punish him directly for his crimes. Why bother when he could take it? Hurting those around him would cause him far more pain than anything life could do to him now. "I let you down."

He'd gotten complacent in their victories. He should've learned his lesson after Euryale. Instead, he kept pushing more and more, hunting their spy with no regard for the consequences. He'd been so focused on catching Sona that he'd offered them up as bait, only to be shocked when Mistral took it. Took them. They'd suffered, all because he put the mission ahead of his team.

"You didn't do anything wrong, Adam."

"I did," he protested, unwilling to let her absolve him so easily. "I sent you four out on your own, knowing full well who was hunting us. Hunting me. The Schnee was only in the area because she wanted me. You just got caught in the crossfire."

"We knew the risks going in." Wasn't this supposed to be him comforting Indie?

"I still should've been there," Adam complained. At the time, he'd thought the listening post would be the tougher target, only to find a shed with two nobodies running some radio equipment. Meanwhile, he knew the convoy would have at least some guards, even if he hadn't expected that level of force. "It's my job to keep you safe, and I failed." Miserably. "I let you all get captured, and for what? Just a distraction." One that hadn't even worked. Or maybe it worked too well. Either way, he never should've sent them. "I let Nag die for nothing."

Adam didn't even have time to get his aura up before Indie slapped him across the face.

"Don't you dare say that," she practically growled, hand still raised in a clear threat. "Don't you dare spit on Nag's sacrifice like that."

"I didn't mean-"

"No. Nag didn't die for nothing. She died…" Indie's hand trembled until she clutched her wrist with her other hand and slowly lowered them both into her lap. "Nag died protecting me. She died fighting for us - for all of us! And I won't let you or anyone else waste that."

He hadn't meant it like that. "You're right."

"I'm always right." Her smile felt a little broken, almost forced. They'd come so close to pretending things were normal in that moment, only for it all to fall apart once more as her smile fell. "Look, about…about what happened…"

"It's okay, Indie." Adam had never been a touchy feely kind of guy, but he reached out and gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. "I know what it feels like."

"Oh…yeah." Indie's eyes fell. "You and that evil woman in Katai, right? Allison?"

"Alyssa." The name didn't hold as much power over him as it used to, but the very sound sent a chill down his spine. "She…did things to me. When I was younger."

"I know." Word got around, even when he didn't want it to. "That wasn't your fault."

"And this wasn't yours," Adam countered. She hadn't said it, but he knew she'd be thinking it. If not now, then later. He wondered if everyone felt the same self blame when they went through something like that. He knew it didn't make sense - how could he be responsible for the actions of his abuser? But logic had little place in a traumatized mind.

"Or yours." There she went again, trying to comfort him even when she was the one in pain. "It's no one's fault except the people who…who…" Her voice cracked as the words choked off.

"It's okay," Adam assured her, pulling her into his side. She didn't fight it. Didn't react much at all, despite how much she probably would've loved it only a few days ago. "They can't hurt you now."

He'd made sure of that.

He listened to her quiet snuffles, arm around her shoulder and rubbing her arm encouragingly until she felt like talking again. Finally, the words came. "Does it…" Indie stopped to sniff as she looked up at him. "Does it get any better?"

He wanted so badly to tell her it would - to give her some small glimmer of hope that she'd be able to put it all behind her someday. "No. It doesn't." He couldn't bring himself to lie to her, and deep down, she already knew the truth. "It gets a little easier, but what she - what they did…"

"It'll never go away," Indie finished. She already knew then. It took him years to accept that he couldn't undo what Alyssa had done. Maybe being older helped you realize hard truths like that. Or maybe she'd just seen the truth firsthand with him. "Thanks, Adam. I think…I think I needed that. For someone to be honest with me."

Not that either of them faulted the others for trying to help. They didn't know any better. They tried their best to cheer her up, and in a way, that would help. A little normalcy in her life when everything else fell apart. He'd had Erik and Nila for that at first, until Alyssa ripped that away from him. He wouldn't let that happen to Indie.

The problem was, it wouldn't ever be the same. Not entirely. Right now, everyone was walking on eggshells around her, afraid of setting her off. That would die down in time, but there was no denying they'd treat her different in the future. Maybe they'd try and pretend nothing happened, or they'd avoid triggering her by refusing to talk about certain things. Nag's death would be an obvious one to steer clear of, but even prisons might be off limits. None of them would ever want to send her on another raid without a ton of backup, babying her in a valiant effort to keep her safe. Even now, Adam knew he'd refuse to let her go on any missions without him there to watch over her. It sounded sweet with how much they cared, but it would also be a constant reminder that things were different. In their attempt to avoid the past, they'd quietly hang it over her head for the rest of her life. Not that bringing it up would help either. Really, there were no good options, which was the problem. Whatever they did, Indie would always know things were different and be able to trace it back to that horrid event.

"Adam?"

"Yes?"

"I think…I want to tell you something, but I want you to promise you won't get mad." Mad? How could he get mad at her at a time like this? And what on Remnant could she possibly-

Adam felt his stomach drop. "Listen, Indie, if this is about us, I-"

"Nothing like that," Indie promised as she pulled away from him a little. Thank the gods. He couldn't give her what she wanted, and even if he could, it wouldn't actually help in the long run. "Besides, there's no us. You and Blake are together. That hurt at first, but now…now I think it's for the best." He hadn't expected to get her blessing on his relationship tonight. Adam sat silently, waiting for what she really wanted to say. "I'm leaving."

"Leaving?"

Indie nodded. "I…I don't think I can do this anymore. I still believe in our cause. It's just…I can't imagine being a part of Alpha Squad without Nag." The missing member a constant reminder of what happened. "I want to go back to Menagerie."

That sounded better than leaving. For a second, he'd feared she'd abandon the White Fang and set out on her own. In hindsight, he knew she wouldn't be able to. Atlas and Mistral knew all of them. She'd be hunted down and captured again, interrogated for information before being thrown in another cell. The only people that would protect her were the White Fang.

"Are…are you sure?" Alpha Squad wouldn't be the same without her. Then again, it wouldn't be the same without Nag. "You don't have to go. You could stay here. You wouldn't have to go out on missions or anything if you didn't want."

"It's more than that. I'm…" Indie shrank in on herself a little. "I'm scared, okay? There, I said it. I…I just don't think I can do this anymore."

"But-"

"No buts. I can't go out there again, okay? I'd be a mess. You all would worry about me. It wouldn't be right." Indie drew her knees up to her chest. "And I can't just stay here and be dead weight. Everyone's gotta pull their weight. That's what you said."

He had, but that didn't apply to her. "You've more than earned your place here." As part of Alpha Squad, she'd gone on more missions and accomplished more for the White Fang than most of Reyno combined. "I could get you a job here. Maybe you could help train the newbies." Something that wouldn't require her ever leaving the camp. Whatever it took to keep her around.

"And can you promise I'll never have to fight?" Before he could answer, she added, "Can you guarantee Reyno will never be attacked?"

He couldn't. Atlas and Mistral were out there hunting them, not to mention the risk of Grimm. They had measures in place to protect them, but those weren't foolproof. If something happened and the rest of the team were away, Indie would be the most capable fighter left. He'd be throwing her right back into the fray. Grimm would be one thing, but what if Atlas showed up? She'd be captured by the Schnee again, only this time, they'd be more careful about keeping her locked up. He couldn't risk her going back. Not after what happened in Kesseki. Better she die than face that fate again.

When he didn't answer, Indie smiled bitterly. "That's what I thought. I'm sorry, but I've made up my mind. It's better for everyone if I leave."

"Don't go." Adam wasn't one to give up easily. "We can figure something out. I promise. Just give me some time."

Indie shook her head. "I appreciate the thought, but I know what I have to do." She leaned over, kissing him lightly on the cheek. Nothing romantic. Her lips carried a farewell that stung far more than her slap earlier. "Don't worry. I'll tell the team myself. I already told the girls." Ah. That explained all the crying, he supposed. "I just…I think it's for the best. And it's not like you can't come visit from time to time." He didn't have the heart to remind her he couldn't Not unless Ghira decided to lift his lifetime ban from the island.

"Can you at least give us a couple days?"

Indie wiped fresh tears from her eyes. "Of course. I'll wait until things die down a bit. Besides," she poked him in the side, "you need time to plan my going away party."

She meant it as a joke, but he'd make sure they did something special. Just the team. Maybe they'd get some drinks and hang out in their usual conference room. He'd have to check with the cooks and see if they could make a cake or something. The girls could decorate the place up a bit to make it more welcoming. A proper sendoff, even if he didn't want to let her go.

"I'll do my best."

Indie turned and wrapped her arms around him, holding on tight. He tried to ignore the occasional sniffs as she no doubt fought back tears, trying to keep a brave face for him. He held onto her for a while, gently rubbing her back.

Indie nuzzled her face against his shoulder before speaking. "You know, we could always have a little fun before I go."

Sitting on her bed, alone in her room, he had a feeling he knew what she meant. "Indie…"

"I'm just messing around." He doubted that. If he'd wanted, she probably would've let him stay the night. "You know, you act all big and tough, but underneath, you're just a big teddy bear."

Him? He couldn't say anyone had ever described him like that before. Animal. Monster. Murderer. Terrorist. Those were the types of words most people would've used. Then again, most people weren't worth his time. "Only when it comes to people I care about."

"Glad I made the list." Indie sat back at last. "Blake's a lucky girl. You can tell her I said that." He wouldn't, because if anything, he was the lucky one.

Adam rose from his seat, sensing his cue to leave. He'd make sure to let Azul know he was heading out so she could take over. Looking back, he'd done a pretty crappy job of helping her. Turned out, just because he'd been hurt before didn't mean he knew how to help her heal. He really should've seen that coming. He'd never figured out how to help himself, so what made him think he'd be any good at helping someone else. Azul and the others were doing a far better job.

"I'd better get going," Adam announced, more to break the lingering silence than anything else. "I have to go to Mistral tomorrow night, but I'll check in on you in the morning."

"Stay safe out there," Indie replied, watching him turn and head for the door. "Oh, and Adam?"

He stopped, looking back to hear her parting advice.

"Hold onto her. I know she means a lot to you, but make sure she knows just how much." Indie took a deep breath. "You never know if you'll get another chance."

Like with Nag. And Jakob. And everyone else he'd lost along the way. Nothing in life was guaranteed, especially in their line of work. Tomorrow could be his last day, or it could be theirs. Words spoken at a graveside were always spoken too late.

"I will," he promised.

Was planning to include the Lil' Miss meeting this chapter, but that and a few other things will be next week. Should mean I don't have to rush it as well. On that note, Adam's talk with Indie was meant to be a lot quicker. Instead, I wound up diving into some trauma psychiatry instead. Just so you all know, this is all from Adam's perspective, so while I agree with some of his sentiments, his overall approach and conclusions are more him than me. Considering his ultimate solution to his own trauma is inflicting trauma on others, I hope that's obvious, but just want to cover my bases before I get messages about how my views on mental health are wrong/dangerous/etc. I'm not a psychiatrist, so don't take anything here as expert analysis or advice.

Another loss to Alpha Squad. I actually have a small spreadsheet where I list out all the characters in the squad, along with some basic notes on each that I update with major events from time to time. Jakob's row is crossed out from when I killed him off. This week, I went ahead and crossed out both Nag and Indie, as neither will be part of the team moving forward. Bit of a morbid tradition here, but it has to be done. Not planning to cross out all the names, but we all know who gets crossed out last. Will probably make that my final action for this story once I mark it complete.

Next chapter: Adam follows up with Lil' Miss.