Under the heat of summer, a building covered in ravines stood tall in the corner of the city.
BOOM!
CRASH!
But that building didn't stand tall for long before fire engulfed it whole.
"AHAHAHA! Let it burn! Take that you fucking bastards!"
"Shut up Ornil! Stop laughing and drive carefully!"
Baretta scolded Ornil as he was laughing like a maniac. We were currently on the run after throwing molotovs and grenades at the white faction's base.
And why did I suddenly burn the white faction base you asked?
Because this game of cat and mouse had to be kept interesting for Uola and both me and Haide decided to sacrifice our bases to make the audience clap in joy.
No, to be honest, it was also a form of revenge from my team against the white faction.
It's been five months since the white faction team exploded our first base. And we were having a cold war within that time period – taunting them with rumors and moving the masses to view businessmen in the white faction in a bad light.
After months of only fighting each other in a game of politics, I finally proposed this plan to Haide and once again made things tense between both of our members.
And surprisingly, the first act of arson to the white faction's base went smoothly. Now that's left was the chase that's currently happening between us and our enemies.
I turned the throttle of my bike, my members also followed as they sped up their bikes.
Ornil, Cassius, Azazel and I were the ones driving while the others kept the enemy away from our tail. A black van was chasing after us and inside, the white faction member's face was filled with fury.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
Gunshots were exchanged.
My members, now used to firing guns, didn't hesitate to damage the car, causing it to swerve on the uneven dirt road.
"This way!"
I said into my earpiece as I led my members to the main road. Rummaging through my pocket, I pulled out a flashbang and handed it to Jessie behind me.
"Pull the trigger when I told you to."
"A-Alright."
Jessie reluctantly took the flashbang, but she didn't outright reject my order. Once I saw a tunnel in front of us, I signaled my team while slowing down my bike.
"Everyone, speed up to the tunnel ahead."
My team immediately went by me and positioned themselves in the front.
That was my cue to start.
"Jessie!"
She fumbled for a bit before I heard a clink and white light shone brightly from behind.
The car screeched on the road and we used that chance to hide behind the cover of the dark tunnel in front of us, so by the time they went after us inside it, our team would already be gone.
I hummed in delight as I entered the tunnel. It was yet another successful plan against the white faction.
.
.
"Bastards! How are they so fast?!"
Rachel, face full of spite, cursed the black faction members with all her heart. Her other members in the van, Violet and James, also had the same expression on their faces and Rachel's rage perfectly expressed their feelings.
The attack came so suddenly.
Using their bike, the black faction closed in and by the time Rachel and the others realized the stinging burn on their crest, the black faction had broken the window with rocks wrapped in molotovs and grenades then immediately left like the wind.
"What should we do next?" James asked his King beside him.
The only one who was nonchalant about this was Haide. He only observed the other member's reaction without commenting anything.
Without even glancing at him, Haide answered, "Let's retreat, it's useless to chase after them anymore. It's better if we go back and see if there's anything we can salvage from our base."
He pulled up his phone before a smile graced his lips, "The others might need our help to extinguish the fire."
.
.
"For another one of our successful plans! Cheers!"
"Cheers!!"
After we were back at our base, we tossed and clinked our glass full of beer. A festive celebration was held between us as the black faction successfully launched a counterattack against our enemy without any injuries or loss.
Gulping down a glass of beer, I sighed as content filled my heart.
This was by far the most perfect execution of our plan. And as expected, every time a plan went well, a heavy weight would always be lifted off of my shoulders and the achievement of succeeding in it would always make me grin.
With my heart fluttering in joy like a fool, I couldn't help but bring up a drinking party as soon as we arrived back at the base.
"Phew! It's so damn hottt! Uh… Why is everything blurry? Ugh… I feel like puking…"
"Wait Azazel! Stop! I'll take you to the bathroom!"
But it seemed like my members got too indulged in the festive mood I created, resulting in a chaotic mess. I could only smile sheepishly as Azazel got carried by Baretta away from the table.
"She already ate too much and she still gulped down two glasses of beer at once, of course she'll puke." Ornil commented as he sipped his drink.
Watching the interaction, Jessie, who was holding a glass of apple juice, looked back and forth between her drink and the cans of beer scattered on the table before mumbling.
"The world of adults is scary."
"Haha! Look what you have done to our poor girl Yolan! Because you brought up a drinking party, Jessie, Eliot and Samuel have to witness the bad side of us adults." Ornil said as he slapped my shoulder, which I only quietly smiled at.
Rubbing the edge of his glass, which was filled with apple juice, Samuel slowly said, "But I'm already at the legal age… Why am I prohibited from drinking beer?"
"Ask your leader, he's the one who prohibits you." Ornil side-eyed me with a grin and I only rolled my eyes.
"Just drink what you're told to, Samuel. Beer is bad for your liver anyway." I waved my hand dismissively as I stood up from the table, which made Cassius ask me.
"You're leaving?"
I nodded and excused myself, walking toward the school's balcony to get some fresh air. With summer already upon us, the humid air definitely felt heavy.
But I definitely didn't hate it, this was the season I was born in after all.
'It's been half a year since we started.'
The War of Throne started at the end of winter, and this game of chess still hadn't gone anywhere.
'This year too… I don't think I'll be able to celebrate my birthday peacefully.'
Pulling out a piece of cigarette, I put it in my mouth while mumbling, "I hate this."
"What do you hate?"
I turned around in surprise when I heard Ornil's voice behind me. He had somehow soundlessly approached me and stood near me.
"Nothing, just thinking out loud." I then glanced at him, "Are you guys done drinking?"
Ornil shook his head, "I'm only out for fresh air, the others still continue." Then he glanced, "It's better if you don't smoke too much, we don't want to lose you to lung cancer."
I chuckled at his words. It's not as if I would immediately die from lung cancer, my previous life proved how healthy I was even though I smoked every day.
"Do you have thoughts about building a family Yolan? The one related by blood."
Once again, I was surprised by Ornil. He usually never brought up these kinds of topics with me.
"What's with the sudden philosophical question?"
"Just a crossing thought, you're an omega after all."
Ornil was always blunt in expressing his likes and dislikes, he's honest with his thoughts and sometimes he could chase people away because of his unfiltered harsh words.
"Why? Do you hate omegas that much you don't want to have children with them?"
Without glancing at him, I asked with the flattest tone I could. What I heard next was his flustered answer.
"Ah, no- it's not that. You must think I'm one of those alphas who hate omegas aren't you? I mean, I couldn't blame you, I do have stereotypes about omegas after all."
He continued, "When we first met, I hated the thought of you leading us. What I thought of at that time was how we could win with a weak and submissive omega? But it turns out I was proven wrong by you."
Leaning on the railing, he gazed up at the sky, "You provide everything for us, you lead us with confidence expected from a 'King' and defied every stereotype I have of an omega. Except for one."
"One?"
When I asked, Ornil looked back at me, "Maternal instinct. You have that in you."
"Do you realize how differently you treat the kids and us? I do think that's a great trait to have, but that also made me curious of the possibilities of you becoming a parent." He patted my shoulder as he walked back inside.
Giving me one last glance, he spoke, "Don't think too much of it, just expressing my thoughts. I'll head downstairs first."
I silently watched as Ornil walked through the hall. Now alone, I was left swirling with my own thoughts.
Family.
My own family.
That was something I didn't dare imagine in my previous life. So what if I had a family with Keith back then? Both my child and I would be treated like trash in that family.
But now?
It's still dangerous to bring a child into this world while death was still hanging over both our necks. But, if the scriptures were proven true and circumstances allowed, could I hope for a loving family that I built on my own?
Rubbing my stomach, a smile appeared on my face.
A child with Haide.
That sounded like a nice dream.