Chapter 48

By the time Leonhart and his squad returned to the hanger the moon was high in the sky. So everybody quickly got out of their mechs and gather into a group. Leonhart then said, "Good work today everyone. Though we weren't able to take the town and suffer some casualties, I'm glad all of you guys returned alive. Check your mechs for any damages and report them to the engineers. Once that's done you can go home and get some rest." Everybody started dispersing to check on their mechs and Leonhart said, "Oh Vain, don't leave when you're done. I like to talk to you in my office before you leave." Vain nodded and after quickly inspecting Zec left to Leonhart's office. When Vain enters Leonhart said, "Vain, good to see you actually came." Vain then said, "Well you did ask me to come." Leonhart then said, "True, but something inside of me thought you would've just left. Anyway, have a seat." Vain then sat down and Leonhart continues talking, "You know the first time I saw you I thought you were the type to do whatever he wants. But seeing how well you listen and followed my orders has changed my mind." Vain didn't say anything and so Leonhart continues, "I knew you would be good to have as the vanguard when we had those practice matches. At first, I seriously thought you would hold your team back. But you excelled in supporting them, protecting them, and even dealing with the opposition. You even listened to your team leader's instructions. Though you sure don't communicate a lot." Vain then said, "I believe action speaks louder than words. No point in wasting my breath when I can just show it. I also hate talking cause people tend to play word games and that annoys me because it makes my head spin. So I read your body language, your actions, movements, surroundings, and expressions. It's easy to tell what a person needs or wants and my instincts are never wrong. When you called me I knew it was so I can get my first pay check, right?" Leonhart laughed and said, "You're pretty amazing Vain. Yes, that was why I called you. Guess it will be hard to play mind games with you. Anyway, here you go." Leonhart handed him a rectangular paper and Vain took and placed it in his pocket. Vain then stood up and was about to leave the room when Leonhart stood up out of his seat and said, "Wait." Vain looked at him and said, "I know, tell my wife you said hello and I'll come in early to do some repairs and upgrade on the mechs." Leonhart then sat back down and said, "Correct, the upgrades you gave on my mech is amazing. It actually made it easier to use and it moved much faster. If the rest of our troops had it then it will help a lot." Vain nodded his head and closed the door.

Vain got in his car and it turned on and Heo said, "Welcome back master." Vain then drove away and after ten minutes arrived at an apartment complex two stories tall. Vain walked up the stairs, took out a key, and was about to unlock the door when he noticed it was already opened. Vain slowly opened the door, turned on a light, and several bullets were shot towards him. Vain then crouch, grabbed a silver metal suitcase by the door, used it to block the bullets, as he pressed a button which made it opened, and Vain grabbed his engine blade before kicking the case into the room. Vain ran behind the case letting it block the bullets as it hits a raccoon man and laid on top of him, while Vain knocked out the other one with the blunt side of his sword. The man tried to push the case off of him but it was extremely heavy. So Vain put his engine blade back into its heavy case, before knocking him out with a punch, and setting the case back at the door. He then knocked on Lumia's and Rexalia's door and Rexalia opened the door while swinging her sword down. Vain caught it between his fingers and Rexalia said, "Sorry Vain, Mia told me to stay on guard and said that if anyone knocked or enter then to hit them with anything." Vain saw two bear men knocked out on the ground behind her and said, "That stupid idiot. Let me guess, that same stupid idiot followed after them?" She nodded her head and Vain said, "I see," before taking out his phone and calling the emergency number. Once he was done, he put the phone back in his pockets and sat on the stairs waiting. Rexalia sat beside Vain and said, "Are you not going after them?" Vain replied, "Nope, there's no need. Lumia can handle it."

Lumia was following a black van and arrived at an old warehouse. Fen then attached onto Lumia and she made her way to the warehouse as quietly as possible. She snuck in through a door and saw shelves with shackles, ropes, cloth, cages, chemicals, bullets, and weapons. Lumia then said, "They sure have a lot of dangerous toys." Lumia knocked out several wolf men and women who were patrolling the area. She quietly laid them down in the shadows and worked her way slowly to the center of the room. Lumia saw a light on Luvia, Ruby, Nezerand, Flayna, and Mellerain. Luvia was unconscious while Nezerand was injured and Ruby and Mellerain clung close to Luvia and Flayna had Nezerand's head resting on her lap. Lumia knew they were using them as bait for a trap, but still left the shadows and went over to them. Soon more lights flashed on them, Lumia paid no attention to them and removed the shackles on the kid's legs. The white cat lady from before stood by one of the lights and said, "I owe you and the man from earlier for what you did. Getting in the way of our plans. We were going to have that little girl work for us, well after we break her a little. Though you and that man had to interfere, so we'll not only break that little girl but his wife and his children as well. If we get lucky we might be able to break you as well and have you all work for us." While she was talking Lumia was whispering to the kids and to Fen, "Okay, Fen will take care of all the lights and while they're busy getting more lights on we'll make our escape." They nodded their head and Lumia said, "Fen are you ready?" Fen replied, "Yep, lights are all tagged and systems are working and ready to go." The cat lady then said, "And that man won't be able to save you this time. We left some of our friends to deal with him and to deal with your special someone as well. It's probably too late to help them. So just..." Fen's shoulder mounted guns shot at all the lights and turned the room into a pitch black darkness. Lumia picked up Luvia and Nezerand and they all made their way to the exit. So the lady said, "Someone get some lights on and station fifty people each at the main entrances and back entrance."

Lumia blasted the door open and Fen unequipped from her turning back into a motorcycle and Lumia used some magic to wake Luvia up. Once she was awake, Luvia climbed onto Fen's back with Nezerand between her arms and Ruby holding her from behind. They couldn't fit any more onto the bike, so Fen created an extra seat beside the bike, and Mellerain climbed into it. Though she wanted Flayna to get in, Flayna refused and insisted that she get in. They had no time to argue so Mellerain listened to Flayna and they zoomed down the road away from Lumia and Flayna. Soon beastmen surrounded the two of them, so Flayna clung onto Lumia's coat, and Lumia could tell she was scared. The men and women surrounding them had bats, knives, wooden planks, and swords. There were also ten snipers aiming out of the windows from the second floor of the warehouse. The white cat lady stood behind her allies and said, "Remember do not shoot unless you know you won't kill her. We need them alive to make up for all the lost time. Now get her!" They attacked five at a time so as not to hurt each other with the weapons. Lumia picked up Flayna in her arms and held onto her as she blocked their attacks with her metal boots, while the snipers aimed at her arms and legs before shooting through the gaps of their friends. Luvia didn't have much room to run so she quickly kicked the attackers away and blocked six bullets with her gauntlet. As two bullets pierced her coat, one missed, and one pierced through her thigh.

A man then swung his bat at her back, but Lumia kicked the bat to his face, and a woman swung a sword in front of her. Lumia spun her body to avoid it and kicks her away while another bullet was fired and she had to quickly dodge it. Lumia continues to get attacked and the cat lady said, "She can't be human. There's no way a normal human can last this long, let alone avoid bullets." After ten minutes, Lumia had three bullet wounds on each leg and several small cuts and bruises on her body but she was still standing and holding onto Flayna. Soon the sounds of sirens could be heard so they all ran away and Lumia sat on the ground. She heaved a sigh of relief as the sirens approached and she saw Vain's car followed by three police cars and an ambulance. Lumia then lets go of Flayna and when Vain got out of his car Flayna ran over to him. They hugged each other while two female officers helped Lumia to the ambulance. Once Lumia sat down the medics began treating her wounds while offering to take her to the hospital but Lumia said, "I'll be fine."

A man then said, "Better to be safe than sorry, miss." A golden brown hair man with lion ears and tail walked up to Lumia. He was wearing a brown trench coat, white shirt, and brown pants. He stood in front of her and Lumia said, "Well, unfortunately, I can't afford the treatment." He didn't ask why and instead asked, "Then do you want to work with us?" Lumia didn't answer him and instead replied with a question, "Are you sure? It seems some of your friends don't agree." He glanced around and saw some disdain faces. He looked back to Lumia and asked, "Have you been trained in law enforcement?" Lumia nodded her head and he said, "Then I see nothing wrong with it. They're all worried because there's no records or files about you and your friends and that's pretty suspicious. Not to mention, you've been at one incident after another, but I'm sure you were there to help. I've never misjudged a person before and if they have complaints then you can work with me. I could use an extra assistant, what do you say?" He reaches his hand out to Lumia and Lumia took it and said, "I'll do my best." He smiled and said, "I'm Leo, Leo Pridolin. Just call me chief." Lumia stood up and said, "Nice to meet you chief. I'm Lumia Faltorun and I won't disappoint you."