Pika sat quietly on the floor, his mind drifting elsewhere.
"Haji," he whispered, his eyes narrowing. "Haji?"
The granny didn’t linger long after ntioning her grandson’s na. And Pika didn’t probe further or let his tongue run loose — he might be the weakest mber of the team, but he wasn’t foolish enough to speak recklessly.
Moreover, the granny had said her grandson was dead.
Once again, his gaze shifted to the portrait hanging on the wall. A shallow breath escaped him.
"Haji said his grandfather used to work in the underground tunnels," he murmured. "That’s why he’s more familiar with them than the surface." His brows knitted. "But the granny and the man she said was her husband looked well-off."
Not just well-off — comfortable even — but wealthy, living a truly luxurious lifestyle. Pika could tell from the jewelry the woman wore in the photo and the quality of clothing the n had on.
"Tsk." He clicked his tongue, snapping his gaze back to the compact laptop in front of him. "I shouldn’t be thinking about anything else."
This was his task, not unraveling mysteries.
So Pika forced the thoughts to the back of his mind and began working. His brows drew together as his fingers moved across the keys.
He checked his modified wristwatch, scanning the ti.
"What’s the holdup?" he muttered. "How could the Bellemonte guys not have established the connection yet?"
The Bellemonte group had already exceeded the estimated completion ti for their task. If everything had gone smoothly, they should have finished by now. The delay suggested a serious problem. Possibly that the team assigned to set up the temporary signal towers had run into trouble.
"..." Pika pressed his lips together, exhaling heavily. "We can’t keep going without communication."
He ran a hand through his hair. "Madam is no longer with us, and the other team... we haven’t heard from them."
There was no way for their group to relay information to the camp or the other teams—not even to report that they’d found two injured Bellemonte n. Communication was vital to this mission. Moving forward without it was reckless.
Pika froze, then his eyes widened.
Without a word, he scrambled to his feet and rushed outside. As soon as he stepped into the hallway, he saw the granny and Izu speaking quietly.
"Izu," he called out, interrupting them. "Is the operation about to start?"
Izu nodded. "Ransom is scrubbing in," he said, referring to their dic. "Florida’s assisting him."
Each group had its own structure: Pika handled tech and communications. Ransom was a licensed dical professional. Izu and Florida specialized in combat. And Lola was their lead.
The other teams followed the sa setup.
"What about you?" Pika asked. "Doesn’t Ransom need more help?"
"He does," Izu admitted. "But our group is small." He glanced at the granny. "That’s why I asked if she could assist."
The granny smiled. "I can hand him the tools."
She had experience treating the injured. Her help would be far more valuable inside the operation than Izu’s presence.
Besides, soone needed to stay alert outside to make sure nothing reached the inside of the establishnt. Pika wouldn’t be enough on his own.
"I see." Pika nodded, only for Izu to frown.
"Why?" Izu asked.
For a mont, hesitation flickered in Pika’s eyes as he glanced between Izu and the granny. Then he decided it was better if she heard it too. She seed trustworthy.
"The connection hasn’t been established," Pika said gravely.
Izu’s brow furrowed. "It hasn’t?"
Before he could process the current problem, Pika continued.
"If they ran into trouble, there’s a chance we’ll have to move forward without communications," he said, his heartbeat quickening. "We can’t afford that."
Without communication, the risk multiplied. It was like walking blind through a field of traps.
Izu clenched his fists, jaw tightening.
"Damn those guys..." he muttered. "Why did the master let them handle that?"
But Pika hadn’t co just to deliver bad news.
"I — I can try," Pika said, his voice trembling. Izu’s brows rose. "But it’ll be very risky. Extrely risky."
He swallowed hard, sweat already forming at his temples. Compared to the others, Pika was smaller—quieter. Throughout planning and execution, he’d always stayed in the background.
If not for Haji, he would’ve backed out long ago.
"How sure are you?" Izu asked quietly. "If we’re taking this risk, I need you to assure you can do it—"
"One hundred percent," Pika said imdiately.
He was certain.
"Before we ca here, Haji gave a manual on the territory’s signal satellite structure," he explained. "It doesn’t outline everything step by step, but it’s enough for to understand how it works and how I can work around it."
"But using the signal would expose our location," he continued. "So, we’d need to relocate. If I’m given enough ti, I can make it work—use it to our advantage."
Silence fell between them.
The granny, who had been quietly listening, raised her brows slightly.
Haji...
Her gaze softened, a faint smile forming as mories surfaced.
So that’s why those two boys ended up here... of all places.
Coincidence?
Or was this heaven’s way of protecting them?
Either way, she exhaled gently.
"You both should go," she said, snapping Izu and Pika out of their thoughts. She smiled and nodded. "You’re fortunate young n. I can arrange that."
"Gran—"
"It’s fine," she chuckled, cutting Izu off. "You can add this to the paynt. I don’t understand what this young man is doing, but I know places that will increase your chances of success while taking this risk."
"But we still need to secure this place," Izu argued.
"I have people," she reassured him. "People willing to help , and people who’d be delighted to watch the big boys of Ravah tear their hair out over another problem."
Izu hesitated.
He would’ve refused—or grown suspicious—if not for Pika quietly tugging at the back of his shirt.
Izu turned, eting Pika’s determined gaze. After a mont, he nodded.
Then he faced the granny and let out a breath.
"We’re in your debt."
The granny laughed softly.
"It’s not a debt," she said. "If it’s paid."
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