It didn't appear as if Orion remembered much of anything from the day of the attack. When I saw him again in the conference room he looked a little tired and washed out, but he had a smile on his face as he talked with Maggie and Logan. The most he seemed to remember was seeing Carina and I being pinned to the ground, and watching one of the Fer-de-Lance pop Carina's shoulder out of the socket.

After hearing his little brother scream in agony, he blacked out, and the rest of the day was nothing but a blur of shapes, sounds, and colors. Beckett's frown hung heavily on his lips as he stood with his arms folded next to Orion, listening to his explanation, and not looking pleased at all.

I wasn't surprised, but I didn't want to get involved. Beckett could handle Orion, I just wanted to sit in my seat and lean back to wait for Kailas, Demi, and the rest of the upper military leaders to join us for the meeting. It was a quite serious situation now that we knew more about Diego and the Fer-de-Lance. What we needed to discuss was our next move.

Carina was essentially useless with his dislocated shoulder. Orion had set it not long after it had happened, so that was good, but his shoulder would be swollen and unhelpful for at least three full weeks. His right arm was in a sling when he walked into the room, Cass just behind him holding the door open for him.

It made sense that Cass would be feeling a little protective, especially after witnessing Carina get so badly wounded and being unable to save him from it, and Carina didn't seem entirely too irritated with him sticking so close, taking the seat right beside Carina and keeping the chair close as if he was worried an enemy would still show up.

I found this situation hilarious, because the minute Orion saw Carina he beamed like he wanted to run up and hug his brother, which was his usual reaction to seeing the younger man, but when he noticed Cass had an arm around Carina's shoulders, his expression went blank, like he was so stunned he couldn't correctly respond, so he ended up just shutting off.

I snorted against my hand before leaning back and stretching my legs out, rubbing my hip and grinning as I watched Orion stare dumbly, trying to assess what the fuck was happening and why his brother was sitting so close to Cass. He was a remarkably intelligent man, but when it came to certain things, he was just so dim.

Poor Orion didn't have long to figure out what was happening, because the door opened soon after and Kailas walked in with Demi, Arthur, and Malachi. I was pleased to see Kailas had a bit more color to his cheeks, and he didn't look as tired. Hopefully that meant he was finally settling down after so long, sleeping and eating and happy with Demi.

The room settled when Kailas sat down, Demi remained standing as he leaned against the back of Kailas' seat, and Arthur took his spot to Kailas' left, then Malachi and Gale. Ian sat between Cass and Kailas, and I was sitting across from them. Beckett, Orion, Maggie, and Logan stayed standing, leaning against the wall, and watching as the other military leaders settled down.

I ended up sitting between Gale and one of Jayden's former pilot friends, Cormac Pershing, who was about as friendly as you could get without being a creep. He tried to look after Gale just like the rest of us did, and he was an amazing soldier who'd always been loyal to Jayden, therefore loyal to Kailas, so I trusted him enough to sit near me.

When he leaned towards me it was a little annoying and prompted me to lean the other way, but he just held a hand up to hide his mouth as he whispered to me while the talking started around the table, "Are you feeling alright?" he asked me, "I heard things didn't go as planned at the market."

"They never do," I reminded, relaxing back against the chair, "At least we got information we can use."

"Who knows, maybe we can get a foothold over these guys," Cormac grinned, squeezing my shoulder for reassurance, "Another job well done."

"Thanks, I guess."

Cormac leaned back when he was done talking, and I turned my head just in time to see Orion was watching me, but looked away when I caught him. I cringed a little at the memory of him kissing me and folded my arms, slumping down in my seat to sulk while the conversation continued.

"At least three of them are dead," Cass was saying, leaning forward with his arms folded on the table, "Their boss got away, though, and we still have two of them captured."

"I'm not sure how much more we can get out of them," Demi was the one to add, rubbing his neck.

"That Diego guy recognized Marco's name when I brought it up," I said, "He seemed worried almost."

"Despite being a psychotic creep, he's still a human," Carina hummed, "He seems to care somewhat about his people at the very least, so maybe that could be good for us."

"We could offer a trade," Roman spoke up, and I leaned my head back.

"With what? They have nothing we want," I held my arms up, "Surrender your mission and you can have Marco and Polo back. That's fair, right?"

"I doubt you have a better suggestion," Roman snarled at me, and Demi was the one to defend me.

"How about we dangle your corpse over the edge of the mall roof and wait for the snakes to smell your rotting meat," he suggested with a disturbing lack of interest, and Roman looked legitimately terrified, growing silent.

"The market right now is too dangerous for our normal routines," Cass interrupted the silence, fingers tapping the table top, "We can't be taking any perimeter checks too far from the base, no more supply runs unless we go on singular missions. Fer-de-Lance is too much of a threat to have large groups there at any one time, especially the four of us Diego Manuela saw."

"Great," Carina grumbled, slumping back, and Cormac sighed from beside me.

"Maybe if we can find Manuela's weakness we could get a hold over him?"

"Does he even have a weakness?" Demi asked, and I hummed.

"Oh, he does," I held a finger up, "Really buff men."

"I hate you so much," Cass mumbled, and I grinned.

"I don't think we can use that weakness against him," Kailas said, squinting, and I grinned a little wider.

"I entirely disagree."

"I am not taking my shirt off again," Cass snapped, pointing at me, and I snickered as Carina and Ian both pinched the bridges of their noses.

"For now, keep everyone at the settlement, focus our attention on training and protecting the people, continue with the construction of the destroyed houses from the raid, set up a more secure perimeter, and just try to keep calm," Kailas was saying, his arms folded, "If we need supplies, senior soldiers will be sent out. I want everyone in one spot where they're safe."

There were hums of agreement, a few nods, most of the soldiers at the table seemed to be happy with the decision of letting the senior members deal with this stress, but I was expecting the snarl Roman gave. Kailas seemed to have noticed as well, because while most of the people started to leave the room, Kailas just stayed in his seat, arms folded and exhaustion back in his eyes.

The only ones left in the room were the usual, Kailas, Demi, Cass, Arthur, Malachi, Ian, Gale, and myself, along with Carina and the others from Pluto, which I didn't appreciate. I figured the tension with Roman was the rebellion's problem, and that Pluto would just get in the way, but Kailas didn't seem to care that they were there as he sighed.

"Alright, Roman, what are your complaints?"

I saw Orion and Beckett exchange uncertain looks as Roman leaned forward and set his hands against the table in an obviously threatening stance, like he was attempting to intimidate Kailas. By the way Kailas pressed himself a little more against the back of his chair, it was working.

"I'm about done with this," Roman said, and Demi narrowed his eyes, "Your decisions are irrational and weak! How do you expect these men to follow you when you're not willing to make risks for the good of the world!"

"The world isn't what's fucked up," Demi said, "Kailas is trying to look after his people. You can't really maintain a decent rebellion if there's no one in it."

"Survival of the fittest," Roman said, and Demi scoffed.

"Tell that to your nephew."

The older man stood up suddenly and slammed his hands loudly against the table, making Kailas jump in his seat before tensing up, "If you're such a skilled assassin, why don't you take care of this issue, then?!" he demanded, "Mister Bakunawa, trained by the enemy, what use are you if you're not putting your life on the line?"

"I could ask the same question," Demi said, and Kailas held a hand up before standing.

"Enough, Roman. This rebellion doesn't exist to help the world, it's the people who ruined it in the first place. Society is what started the apocalypse, I'm just trying to keep my people safe and hopeful that the government that's trying to take power won't succeed, because if they do-."

"If they did, my nephew would still be alive," Roman bit out, "I don't know why I joined this pathetic excuse for a rebellion. Because of my sister? What's the point now if my nephew is dead?! There's no purpose to this! I don't think I'm happy with following a heretic like you any longer, and I'm sure I can find others who are tired of your weakness as well."

He pushed away from the table and Kailas dropped his head with a frustrated sigh as I stood up to block Roman while he tried to storm for the door, "I'm pretty sure this is considered mutiny of a traitor," I snapped at him, and he stopped in front of me, "What do you plan to do, leave the rebellion to join Fer-de-Lance or the Con Rồng?"

His arm shot out and he grabbed me by my shirt collar, dragging me closer with a snarl, "Maybe I will. Try and stop me, slut."

I scoffed, "For an older guy, you're kind of an immature dick."

Noted, for an older guy, Roman was a lot stronger than he looked. He quite literally threw me back, and I slammed into my seat before it rolled back and then tipped over, dumping me onto the ground before stepping past me. I could hear people yelling for me, but Gale was the closest and knelt at my head, looking panicked as he took my shoulders and pulled me to sit.

I grunted as my left leg hit the ground, grabbing my hip, and reaching up to pull myself up with the edge of the table, kneeling and leaning against the table as I snarled at Roman, "You have literally no honor!"

Malachi was holding Arthur tightly against his chest protectively, and Roman was in front of Kailas now, snarling back at me, "Rough treatment is the best you deserve for getting my nephew killed," he turned fully to Kailas, "And you. You may feel like a big shot now, important, but you're just a foolish child with an unrealistic dream. One of these days, things are going to come back to hit you, you're slut assassin will be killed, you'll have no one to protect you, and the world will be rid of another terrorist."

Kailas held his arm out to stop Demi when he started forward, "I'm sorry for what happened to your nephew, I really am. All of us have lost people important to us, but even if Demi hadn't of been the one to kill Rhett, he likely would have been executed regardless. He was betraying the rebellion, putting innocent lives at danger, putting your life in danger, and he assaulted someone. There was no saving grace for him, Roman."

Roman just shot forward, throwing a fist into Kailas' face. Everyone gasped, including me, because I had never seen someone hit Kailas before. The entire time I'd been in this rebellion, Kailas had never been legitimately injured, but this son of a bitch just attacked him, punching him so hard he fell back, his back slamming against the side of his chair as he hit the ground, and I'd never seen Demi as mad as he was now.

He didn't just attack Roman like I was expecting, instead he quickly followed Kailas down and grabbed his face. There was blood dripping from a cut on Kailas' bottom lip, a red area on his jaw that would definitely turn into a bad bruise, and Kailas looked utterly stunned. It was Demi's reaction that was freaking me out, though.

Demi looked terrified, as if getting hit would turn Kailas into the hulk or something, "Kailas, look at me," he patted the side of Kailas' face, but his green eyes were unfocussed and he appeared to be struggling to breath, "Cass, grab him," Demi ordered, pointing at Roman, who just scoffed and shook his hand out.

"Look at him, fucking pathetic. What kind of man just limps over after getting punched? Punch back!" he screamed at Kailas, who flinched back, hitting the chair again.

Cass and Malachi grabbed Roman by the arms and started dragging him back, but Cass didn't look very excited about the arrangement, "Orion, you take him," he said, and Orion stepped forward to take Cass' place, "Arthur, help Kailas."

"Right."

"No! Everyone shut up and stay back!" Demi yelled, turning just enough to wave his arm out and keep Arthur away, then turned back to Kailas, but Roman wasn't done as he scoffed.

"Fucking weak. His death will be celebrated."

Demi tensed up and slowly stood up, turning just enough to stare Roman down with an unfeeling glare, "Yours won't be."

I didn't even see him grab the pencil from the table, throwing it underhanded so the pointed end lodged into Roman's left eye. His head jerked back, but there was no scream, and the cracked smile was still on his lips as a single trail of blood dripped down his cheek. Orion and Malachi released him and watched him fall to his back, and I covered my mouth as Arthur gasped and Cass breathed a tiny "holy shit".

Demi stared down at his work before turning around and kneeling in front of Kailas, who seemed to be calming down somewhat, touching his split lip with his fingers and pulling them away to see the blood, "Kailas?"

"I'm fine," Kailas replied, his voice shaking, and Demi slipped an arm around his back, helping him to his feet.

"That was...," Orion was staring down at Roman, nodding a little, "Kind of awesome."

Carina sighed in frustration and stood up from his chair, "I'm guessing you've had some trouble with him in the past?"

"You could say that," Cass mumbled, rubbing his eyes, "You okay, Kai?"

"Please don't call me that," Kailas muttered unexpectedly, looking even more washed out than he had been before, "I hate that name."

"Seriously?" Cass looked stunned, "Dude I've been calling you that for years!"

"Now isn't really the time for this," Demi said stiffly, "Clean that mess up, I'm taking Kailas to rest."

"W-wait, I should-," Arthur tried to step forward, obviously wanting to check Kailas over, but Demi shook his head sharply.

"No. I can handle it. Just clean that fucker up and burn him before throwing his ashes over a mountain or something, get him out of here before I decide to desecrate a corpse."

The room was uncomfortably quiet as Demi lead Kailas out of the room and shut the door with a rather harsh click, and everyone looked over at Roman's body numbly. I was still on my knees, arms folded over the edge of the table, staring at the closed door before I decided to speak.

"Okay," everyone turned to me, "What the fuck just happened?"