18:43 PM.

The following evening.

Jayden woke to the golden light of early evening filtering through his window. His body ached less than it had—the Lycan healing factor had worked through the day, mending bruises and knitting torn muscle tissue. He sat up slowly, rolling his shoulders, testing his range of motion.

Functional. Good enough.

He checked his holo-tab. There several several messages from Fred:

[I heard some new kid took down Tombstone at an underground fight last night. Please tell me that wasn’t you doing something stupid again]

[Hey! Big T tells me you have the location where Cassandra might be. Why didn’t you tell me?!]

[I know i dragged you into this... I shouldn’t have. And I’m sorry. But Jayden, this thing you’re about to do is extremely dangerous]

[Dammit, Kid! You can’t do this alone. I can’t let you. Kate will kill me if anything happens to you, do you understand? I’m serious, you’ve gotta tell me where Cassandra is. I will go there myself with a special ops squad. We will save her, I promise]

[Come on, kid. You’ve gotta let me help you. Going after a pioneer alone is suicide]

Jayden didn’t respond. Fred would find out eventually, but right now the EVA captain’s concern was the least of his priorities.

He spent the next two hours revising his plan, doing a little home workout, and thinking about what he would do after all this was over. After Cassandra was safe. The Black Cobra syndicate will eventually find out that he’d been the one sabotaging their operations for a while now, and they will want to retaliate.

Jayden shook away the thoughts. Right now, he needed to focus on one thing. Saving Cassandra.

He stood, moved to his closet, and pulled out the darkest clothes he owned—black tactical pants he’d purchased after the smuggler fight, a dark gray compression shirt, his leather jacket. He dressed methodically, each piece of clothing a layer of armor between himself and what was coming.

The Tactical Combat Suit he’d taken from the smugglers sat on his bed idly.

Jayden stripped and put it on. The suit conformed to his body immediately, adjusting to his physique. He felt the temperature regulation activate—a slight cooling sensation that would help counteract the heat of Scorched’s flames.

[Advanced Tactical Combat Suit equipped]

[+50 Defense]

[+20 Agility]

[+20 Stamina]

[Perception has increased by 15%]

[Impact Absorption: 20% reduction to blunt force damage]

Jayden exhaled in satisfaction. Then he pulled his jacket on over the suit—no need to advertise he was wearing combat gear—and checked his equipment one final time.

Holo-tab with facility blueprints: check.

Encrypted comm line to Fred (emergency only): check.

Small medical kit (for Cassandra): check.

Hoverbike glove: check.

Everything else he needed—his abilities, his determination, his rage—was already part of him.

Jayden took one last look around his room. If things went wrong tonight, he might not be coming back.

"No," he told himself firmly. "That’s not an option. I’m bringing Cassandra home. I’m coming back with her. Whatever it takes."

He slipped out of his room and headed downstairs.

-----

The family was in the living room. Jacob reading on his holo-tab, Harleen preparing dinner in the kitchen, Jessica and Tasha watching something on the viewscreen.

They all looked up when Jayden appeared.

"Hey," Tasha said, her expression brightening. "You’re finally up. We were starting to worry."

"Long night," Jayden replied, keeping his tone casual. "Needed the sleep."

"You going somewhere?" Jessica asked, noting his jacket and boots.

"Just... need to clear my head. Thought I’d take a ride."

Harleen emerged from the kitchen, wiping her hands on a towel. "Will you be back for dinner?"

Jayden hesitated. He wanted to say yes. Wanted to pretend this was just a normal evening ride and he’d be back in an hour for a normal family meal.

But he couldn’t lie to them. Not about this.

"I don’t know," he said honestly. "I might be late. Don’t wait up."

Jacob lowered his holo-tab, studying Jayden with the kind of assessing look a concerned parent would give. "Everything okay?"

"It will be," Jayden replied, and that wasn’t a lie. After tonight, one way or another, things would be different.

Then before anyone could say anything else, he turned and walked out the door.

Tasha stood up and quickly followed after him, with Jessica trailing closely behind her. They both went out the house and shut the door behind them.

"Jayden," Tasha called out to Jayden, who was already about summoning his hoverbike. "Where are you really going?"

Her eyes searched his face, and Jayden knew she could read him better than anyone. She saw the tension in his shoulders, the cold determination in his expression.

He met her gaze and said quietly, "I’m going to find Cassandra."

Both girls froze.

"Jayden, what are you—" Tasha started.

"I know where she is," Jayden interrupted, his voice calm but absolute. "I know who took her. And I’m going to get her."

Jessica shook her head in confusion. "I don’t get it," she scoffed. "Why do want handle it yourself. The EVA—"

"Won’t be able to do anything," Jayden finished. "I will."

Tasha’s eyes were wide, her hand reaching for his arm. "This is dangerous. You can’t just—"

"I can. And I will." Jayden gently took her hand, squeezed it once. "I made a promise. I’m keeping it."

Jessica sighed, moving to his other side. "Well, at least let us help. We can—"

"No." Jayden’s voice was firm. "This is something I have to do alone. Please. Just trust me."

The two of them stared at him—their expressions expression caught between worry and understanding.

Finally, Tasha spoke. "You’re sure about this?"

Jayden nodded. "More sure than I’ve ever been about anything."

Jessica studied him for another long moment, then nodded slowly. "Bring her home, Jayden. And be careful."

"I will." Jayden replied softly.

Tasha pulled him into a tight hug. "Come back safe, okay." she whispered into his shoulder. "Please."

Jayden hugged her back. "I promise."

Jessica hugged him next, fierce and brief. "Kick their asses, okay," she chuckled.

Despite everything, Jayden smiled. "Definitely," he muttered, before pulling away.

Then he stepped back, summoned his hoverbike, mounted it, and flew off in the distance, leaving the two girls alone to their worry and hope. Hope for his safe return.