Chapter 1
The plan was simple.
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That was the first problem.
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“We hit them early,” Puet said, pacing slightly, a needle turning between her fingers. “Minimal resistance. Clean execution.”
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She sounded excited.
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Too excited.
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“They don’t have the numbers to hold,” she continued. “Resources are decent. Not exceptional, but efficient.”
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“Efficient,” Kex repeated.
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“That’s what I said.”
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Gus stretched his arms above his head, twin blades resting loosely at his sides.
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“So… easy win?”
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Puet nodded.
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“Yes.”
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Stormi shifted her grip on her naginata.
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“That’s not always a good thing.”
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“It is when we’re bored,” Kex said.
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A few people laughed.
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Bri didn’t.
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Pablo stepped forward.
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Staff in hand.
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“Quiet.”
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The group settled.
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Even Gus.
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Pablo looked across them.
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Old.
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Tired, maybe.
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But still steady.
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“We go in clean,” he said. “No unnecessary risks.”
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A pause.
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His gaze moved briefly to Bri.
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“Take what we need. Leave the rest.”
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That didn’t feel like the same thing as before.
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Not quite.
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“We move in five.”
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The group began to shift.
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Weapons checked.
Positions taken.
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Stormi rolled her shoulders, settling the weight of her naginata.
Kex flipped their kabutowari once.
Jhon checked the chamber of his pistol.
Saturn turned a shuriken slowly between his fingers.
Hunter adjusted the grip on one of his short swords.
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Everyone moving.
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Everyone ready.
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Bri stayed where she was.
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“Not coming?” Gus asked, glancing over.
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No edge to it.
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Just—
Checking.
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Bri shook her head.
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“…No.”
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A pause.
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Kex raised an eyebrow.
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“Really?”
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“Really.”
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Stormi studied her for a second.
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Then nodded.
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“Alright.”
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That was it.
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No argument.
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No push.
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No—
We need you.
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Pablo looked at her.
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For a moment, Bri expected it.
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The words.
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The pressure.
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The reminder.
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But—
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He just nodded once.
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“Stay safe.”
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That felt worse.
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“Try not to have too much fun without me,” Gus added.
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“That seems unlikely,” Bri said.
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“Rude.”
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“Accurate.”
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Kex smirked.
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“Both.”
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And then—
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They left.
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Just like that.
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The space felt different immediately.
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Quieter.
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But not empty.
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Bri exhaled slowly.
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Her hand brushed lightly against her bow.
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Out of habit.
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Not need.
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“…Right.”
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She didn’t stay long.
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The forest was still.
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Familiar.
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But today—
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It didn’t feel like somewhere to disappear.
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It felt like somewhere to go.
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She found him easily.
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Of course she did.
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The polar bear was the first thing she saw.
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Large.
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White.
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Entirely out of place.
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AJ sat beside it, brushing through its fur with exaggerated care.
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The bear looked—
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Surprisingly patient.
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“You’ve missed a spot,” Bri said.
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AJ didn’t look up.
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“I haven’t.”
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“You definitely have.”
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“I’m building tension.”
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Bri frowned.
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“…In the bear?”
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“In the moment,” AJ corrected.
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A beat.
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Then he glanced at her.
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“You’re not with the group.”
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“No.”
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“They’re attacking something small and unnecessary, I assume?”
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“…Yes.”
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“Classic.”
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He returned to brushing the bear like that explained everything.
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Bri hesitated.
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“…You okay?”
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AJ shrugged.
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“Define okay.”
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“Silencia left.”
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“Yeah.”
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No reaction.
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No hesitation.
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Just—
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Acceptance.
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“You don’t seem—” Bri started.
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“Devastated?” AJ offered.
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“…Yeah.”
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He smiled slightly.
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“She was never going to stay.”
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That landed simply.
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Like a fact.
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Not a failure.
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“She needed something else,” he added.
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“That doesn’t bother you?”
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AJ paused.
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The brush stilled slightly in his hand.
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“For about five minutes,” he said.
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Then he resumed.
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“I appreciate what she did for me. But I’m not going to hold her back.”
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A small shrug.
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“People go where they think they should be.”
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Bri looked at him.
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“And you don’t?”
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AJ snorted.
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“I do.”
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A beat.
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“Just not there.”
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The bear huffed quietly.
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AJ patted its side absently.
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“I couldn’t leave,” he said after a moment.
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Bri frowned slightly.
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“…Why not?”
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AJ looked at her.
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Really looked this time.
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Not joking.
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Not deflecting.
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Just—
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Present.
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“Because of you,” he said.
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Bri blinked.
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“…What?”
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“And the others,” he added, like that made it less direct.
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“It’s the cartel.”
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He leaned back slightly, resting one arm against the bear.
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“They’re idiots,” he said.
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“Frequently.”
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“But they’re my idiots.”
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A pause.
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“And you’re one of them.”
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Bri didn’t respond.
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Didn’t quite know how to.
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“I could’ve left,” AJ said.
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Simple.
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Honest.
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“But I didn’t.”
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A small shrug.
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“Seemed like a bad idea.”
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Bri let out a quiet breath.
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That—
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Didn’t feel like strategy.
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It didn’t feel like use.
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“…Right,” she said.
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AJ grinned suddenly.
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“Also, who else is going to stop you from making terrible decisions?”
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“I don’t make terrible decisions.”
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“You didn’t go on the raid.”
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“…That’s not—”
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“Debatable.”
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Bri almost smiled.
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Almost.
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The bear shifted again.
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AJ scratched behind its ear.
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“You can stay, you know,” he said.
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Bri glanced at him.
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“…Here?”
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“Yeah.”
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A beat.
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“Less people.”
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“That’s a benefit.”
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“Exactly.”
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Bri looked back toward the direction the cartel had gone.
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Then back at AJ.
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“…I’ll stay for a bit.”
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AJ nodded.
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Like that was the only answer that made sense.
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And for once—
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No one asked anything more of her.
