Chapter 13: The Warmth of Kaede’s Smile,,

The tension inside the Humvee lingered, heavy and unspoken, but Kaede sat with an unexpected smile playing on her lips. She glanced at Ai, who had fallen asleep, her head leaning gently against the window. Her expression was peaceful, a stark contrast to the chaos they had just escaped.

Saul, the dark-skinned soldier, noticed Kaede’s grin and raised an eyebrow. “Captain, what’s with that grin? You look like you’re enjoying yourself. Did we miss the joke?”

Kaede turned her gaze toward him, her smile soft but thoughtful. “Saul,” she began, “don’t you find this situation… fascinating? We’ve known Ai since she was born into this cruel world.” She paused, glancing at the sleeping girl before continuing. “A human who once despised dominions… saved one. And a dominion, programmed to hate humans, saved her.”

She chuckled lightly, the sound almost foreign amidst the tension.

Sean, the bald soldier sitting across from her, frowned and leaned forward, resting his hand on his chin. “What exactly are you trying to say, Captain?” he asked, his tone laced with skepticism but tinged with curiosity.

Kaede leaned back against the Humvee’s seat, her eyes distant as she pieced her thoughts together. “It might sound crazy, Sean,” she said, her voice steady, “but these two… Ai and Haruka… they could be the bridge. The bridge between humans and dominions. A chance for coexistence.”

Her words hung in the air, heavy with meaning. The other five soldiers stared at her, their expressions a mixture of shock and disbelief. Then, almost as if on cue, they burst into laughter, the sound filling the confined space of the Humvee. Kaede laughed along with them, though her eyes remained contemplative.

“That’s impossible, Captain,” Saul said, wiping a tear from his eye. “You always have these wild ideas. But this? This is beyond even your usual level of optimism.”

Despite his words, there was a flicker of something in his tone—a hope he dared not voice aloud.

Kaede sighed, her smile fading into something more somber. “You’re probably right,” she admitted, her voice quieter now. “But I want to believe. I have to. This war… this endless cycle of hate and death… it has to end someday. I’m tired, Saul. Tired of all of it. And old,” she added with a small laugh, closing her eyes for a moment.

The soldiers exchanged glances, their laughter fading into silence. They understood what Kaede was saying. They felt it too—the weight of years spent in battle, the yearning for something more than survival.

One by one, they nodded in agreement. No words were spoken, but the shared longing was clear. For all their cynicism, a tiny part of them clung to the possibility that Kaede’s words might one day come true.

As the Humvee sped on through the quiet night, the air inside carried something new: a fragile, unspoken hope.

They had finally reached their destination—Sosa, where all the escaped humans were hiding. The city was deserted, making it a perfect hideout. Tanks stood on standby on every street, razor wire fences were set up in key areas, and watchers kept guard from the tops of buildings. Kaede, sensing they were close, opened the Humvee door and climbed onto the roof. She waved her hands to signal the watchers that it was their vehicle.

But something felt off.

Kaede frowned, her instincts kicking in. The usual red signal light from the watchers was missing. The air felt heavy, tense, as if something terrible was about to happen. Then, out of nowhere, a red laser dot appeared on Kaede’s shoulder. Her eyes widened as realization struck—it was a sniper.

Before she could react, the sharp crack of a gunshot echoed in the distance. The bullet flew toward her head at blinding speed, but she shifted at the last moment, letting it hit her shoulder instead. The impact sent her tumbling off the Humvee, hitting the ground hard.

Inside the vehicle, chaos erupted.

“KAEEEDEE! ARE YOU ALRIGHT?!” Saul shouted, his voice desperate.

The driver slammed the brakes and quickly reversed, positioning the Humvee to shield Kaede from the sniper’s line of fire. Saul moved to jump out, but Kaede screamed, “DON’T COME OUT, YOU FOOLS!” Her voice was hoarse and filled with urgency.

Bleeding heavily from her shoulder, Kaede ripped a piece of cloth from her shirt and tied it tightly around the wound to stop the bleeding. She gritted her teeth, her face pale but determined to protect the others.

Sean clenched his fists, glaring toward where the shot had come from. “Why did they shoot us?! They knew it was us! They saw Kaede on top of the Humvee! What the hell is going on?!”

The driver punched the steering wheel in frustration. “We’ve been betrayed!” he spat. “In a world where dominions hunt us down, humans are turning on each other. It’s disgusting!”

“Guildarts! Use the other door and carry Kaede inside! We don’t have time to stay here!” the driver barked, his voice shaking with anger.

Guildarts quickly opened the side door and threw a smoke grenade, covering their surroundings. He dashed toward Kaede through the smoke and tried to lift her, but before he could, another gunshot rang out. The bullet hit Guildarts in the knee, dropping him to the ground.

“GUILDARTS!” Kaede screamed, reaching out toward him, but it was too late. A second shot struck Guildarts in the head, killing him instantly. His blood splattered across Kaede’s face as she froze in horror.

Another gunshot echoed, this one aimed directly at her. Kaede closed her eyes, accepting her fate. She whispered, “I’m sorry, Ai… for leaving you alone.”

But instead of pain, she heard the sharp clang of a bullet being deflected.

Opening her eyes, she saw Ai standing in front of her, shielding her with a defiant glare. Tears streamed down Ai’s face as she shouted, “STOP GIVING UP YOUR LIFE! IF YOU DIE, I’LL NEVER FORGIVE MYSELF FOR LETTING YOU GO, KAEDE!”

Ai’s voice cracked as she cried, the overwhelming emotions spilling out. “No one in this world can replace you. Please… don’t leave me! Mom!”

Kaede’s heart froze at the word. For a moment, the pain in her shoulder was forgotten. She stared at Ai, shocked but touched. Slowly, a small smile formed on her lips.

“Like hell I’m dying here,” Kaede said with a shaky laugh. “Not when you’re still a brat who can’t even protect yourself.”

With Ai’s help, Kaede forced herself to her feet, the fire in her heart reigniting. She wasn’t done yet—not for herself, but for Ai.

All of a sudden, the gunfire stopped, and the smoke cleared. Kaede, still weak and bleeding, managed to stand with Ai’s support. Ai quickly reached into her sock, pulling out a small pen-like device. She whispered softly, “Pelly-chan, I’m counting on you.”

The device emitted a faint glow, and within moments, a protective barrier surrounded them and the Humvee.

Kaede gave a weak smirk, despite the pain evident in her voice. “You’ve gotten pretty good at using Pelly, haven’t you?”

“Save your strength and stop talking,” Ai replied firmly, her face tense with worry. “Let’s get you to the Humvee and patch you up.”

Just then, the sound of footsteps broke the silence. Kaede froze, her body instantly alert. She turned toward the noise, her sharp gaze locking onto a figure stepping out of the shadows.

Her expression twisted with anger. “So, it was you all along,” she hissed, her voice laced with contempt. “Hiroshi!”

Ai turned her head in shock, her eyes falling on a rugged man with a thick beard and a cold, unyielding glare.

“Well, well,” Hiroshi said, his tone mocking. “I thought you were dead, you stubborn old hag.” His teeth clenched as he glared at Kaede, his fury barely contained.

Kaede quickly surveyed their surroundings, her heart sinking. They were surrounded—not by dominion forces, but by humans.

Her own people.

The faces staring back at her were once familiar, allies who had shared her struggles in the prison. Now, their weapons were raised against her.

Kaede clenched her fists, her anger bubbling beneath the surface. Betrayal was a wound far deeper than any bullet.