I'm going to try and be better about updating. I have the order of the missions and cutscenes saved in my phone so that means I have no excuse to not update this story (besides too much work and exams). But anyway, at least you didn't have to wait a year for this chapter (I still feel terrible about that- if it's any consolation, I did that to another story...).

Chapter Quote:
"Love is a wonderful thing, my dear, but it leaves you wide open for blackmail."
~Jasper Fforde, Lost in a Good Book
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Chapter 7: Diapason

"All right, so where were we?" I asked, tossing my wallet onto the kitchen counter.

"Janie was asking about A World With No Boundaries and Pixy was saying he didn't know. Isn't the liberation of Directus the next mission?" Elizabeth replied.

"I'm starting to wonder if you should be telling me about the missions. You seem to know a lot about them already," I said.

"I know the order and the outcome, I don't know the details and I want to. Now come on, what happened next?"

"Wait, was Pixy already working for A World With No Boundaries yet or did he just know-slash-believe in what they were doing?" Genette queried.

"I think he had just joined the group or was in the process. I never really did figure that out. There were others in the military that had joined, aces. We'll get to them later, but for now, let's focus on Operation Constantine and get in one last story and watch the newest video of Brett Thompson's documentary before bed."
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May 13, 1995...

Pixy and I headed to the briefing room, both tense. Despite our ability to remain cool in battle, none of our missions so far had been this important. Today was the day we liberated Directus, the capital of Ustio, and therefore liberated the country. Or, on the other hand, we faced our first defeat and Belka would gain a foothold against us. We couldn't let that happen.

For once, we got to the briefing early. I'm not saying we were ever late, we were always on time, but we never actually got there early. O'Reilly stood at the podium with the Base Commander by his side. Janie was nowhere to be seen, peculiar considering how eager she was to fly as a RIO. She had the qualifications, but her father kept her grounded. It annoyed her how protective he was of her but Janie knew she had no control over that.

Clearing his throat, O'Reilly began the briefing. "Preparations to liberate Directus are now complete. I will now brief you on the Ustio Sixth Air Division's role in regaining control of the capital. Directus is divided into five administration wards centering on the River Crescere. Powerful weapons have been placed in each ward, comprising the Belkan army's Ustio-branch headquarters. This battle will determine our fate, as the annihilation of all enemy forces will mean liberation for the nation of Ustio. The enemy forces are primarily comprised of ground troops, but we have received information that, while not yet confirmed, there is also a squadron of hi-tech fighters. Your orders are to destroy the Belkan forces and liberate Directus. We can't afford to lose."

Operation: Constantine

Location: Directus

Date: 13/05/1995

Time: 1630 hours

"No pressure, right?" I muttered as Pixy and I got up to go to the hangars. I was stopped by the Base Commander calling out my name.

"Someone's in trouble," Pixy said tauntingly.

"Shut up. You better hope I return or else the fate of Directus lies solely in your hands." That wiped the smirk off my friends face. I turned around and saluted the Base Commander. He waited until everyone left the room before asking, "At ease soldier. This isn't a Commander to Lieutenant talk."

"May I ask what talk this is, sir?"

"I'm going to be straight with you: are you dating Janie?"

"I will not lie to you sir. Yes, I am."

"Why did you not tell me sooner?"

"Because Janie asked me not to tell you. She thought you wouldn't like for her to be dating one of your soldiers. I agreed."

"If you agreed, why did you agree to date her?"

"Because I love your daughter and wanted to try and make things work."

"You love her yet you've only dated her what? A month?"

"About two weeks, sir. But I knew her longer than that. If you don't like me saying that I love her, then I'll say I have extremely strong feelings towards her. We knew each other well before we started dating."

"You're a good man Cipher, despite you being a mercenary, and a Belkan one at that. I'm not fond of mercenaries but when they fight and act like you do, they tend to go in my favor. I want to like you more Cipher, so help me out with something."

"What is it, sir?" I inquired, not liking where this conversation was going. I'd seen enough movies and read enough books to know that when someone in a position higher than you asked you to help them, it was probably going to get you in trouble if you didn't do it right.

"Janie is dead set on getting into the air as a RIO. I need you to scare her out of it. Take her up with you today. The reason I'm asking you is because I've seen your flying on camera. You're crazy and unpredictable. Your stomach and mind might be able to handle it but hers can't. Last time she was in a fighter jet, she passed out. I need you to remind her what it's like to be in a jet. You do that for me, you'll be on my good side and I won't have to give you a dishonorable discharge."

"You're going to blackmail me because you can't get your daughter to listen to you? What makes you think that she'll listen to me?"

The Base Commander got up in my face, his nose almost touching mine. "Because you haven't given her a reason to not listen to you yet. Now get your ass to the hangar and speak of this to no one. I'll have Janie meet you there."

"Yes, sir," I said, trying to keep the contempt out of my voice. I turned on my heel and walked to the hangar. Janie and Pixy were waiting for me.

"Hey Cipher, what did the Commander want?" Pixy asked.

"Nothing. Get in your plane. Janie, you're with me," I ordered. The two of them glanced at each other but said nothing. I hopped into my plane, putting my helmet on. Janie was quick to follow. She knew what she was doing, which only made my job more difficult. I wasn't going to be able to fly like I usually did knowing she was in the plane with me which meant she most likely would not be scared out of being a RIO. But if she really wanted to be, why could her father not accept that? I, more than anyone, know how dangerous and unnerving and unsettling it is to have someone else's life in your hands, but that should not make you sabotage their dreams. You don't control other people's lives. You live your own and let them live theirs. If whatever they're doing is harmful to their health or they're harming others, then yes, an intervention is needed. But if it's a job they're passionate about? No, let them do it.

"Cipher, are you going to pull out?" Pixy inquired, breaking me out of my thoughts.

"There has to be a better way to phrase that," I blurted.

My wingman snorted. "Okay, had to make sure you were okay. You seemed off getting in your plane."

"Very funny. I'm coming. Get up in the sky smartass," I ordered.

"Way ahead of you."

I pulled out of the hangar and onto the runway. Within a few seconds, I was up in the air heading straight for Directus.
_________________________________________  

When we arrived, the air was surprisingly hazy. I wondered what that could be from. Directus, while it was the capital, didn't have any massive skyscrapers like Oured or Cinigrad. They were relatively short buildings. It also wasn't an industrial city, being almost completely businesses. The industrial capital of Ustio was farther up north where Belkans still had control.

"Start the operation. Release five sectors under Belkan control," Hammerhead said. I dove my plane down towards the ground, following the river that went through the five sectors of Directus. I planned on taking each one down in order. In other circumstances, I would've sent Pixy to take care of a sector by himself. I trusted him to do so. But not today. Not when I knew my flying would be off with Janie in the back seat of the plane.

"Cipher, let's do this right. I know you've got what it takes," Pixy remarked.

I gave a gasp. "Did you just compliment me? Has hell frozen over?"

"Don't get cocky. You've proved yourself worthy in a fight more than once. Not many people could survive going against three ace Belkan squadrons. Listen, why don't go on ahead, take care of some of the sectors myself?"

"I would let you show off your battle prowess to Janie but I actually want you by my side today. I don't need you on my tail but stay in the same sector as me. Got it?" My first target came into view. It showed up as a neutral one though, so I hastily reminded my wingman, "Remember, no destroying neutral targets."

I switched to my special weapons: UGBLs, or in more complex terms, an unguided bomb, large.

"Pixy, take care of the Belkan air support. I'm going to take care of the ground forces," I said as I fired the bomb at a SAM. My aim was true, and the SAM blew up.

"Roger that," Pixy replied. "Say, what's with your flying today? You're being relatively normal."

"Nothing has required me to be not normal yet."

"So it has nothing to do with the fact that Janie is in your plane today?"

"No. Why would you think that?"

"I don't know. She's kind of the Base Commander's daughter. Has to be somewhat nerve-wracking right?"

Janie laughed. "Oh please. My dad thinks that Cipher's flying is going to scare me, but honestly, my dad's driving is scarier."

"The three of you be quiet and engage the enemies. Janie, your job is to be the lookout for Cipher, not to make chitchat," the Base Commander barked.

"Dad, Pixy and Cipher are always making idle, useless commentary and you never reprimand them until I'm with them? Seriously?" Janie demanded.

"I don't want you distracting Cipher from his mission. Now do your job or you're not going up again. Not while you're on my base."

"I knew I should've transferred to Fort Vandenberg..." Janie muttered.

"Watch your tone."

"Yes, sir."

The three of us fell silent. I knew this mission wasn't going to be a fun one for the sheer fact the Base Commander was listening in on everything we did. Although I really wanted to hit him right now (whether that was with my fist or a missile I hadn't decided yet), I decided to take my anger out on the enemy targets instead. It was more effective and less likely to get me fired.

Pixy zipped past me, taking an enemy plane head-on. I dove towards an APC (armored personal carrier) and fired at it with my guns. I was saving my missiles for the things that could shoot back at me. The APCs could with gunfire, but that was easily avoided. It was the SAMs that were more difficult. I had to make another loop to finish off the APC. I'd started shooting at it too late the first time. Another one was in my line of fire just a little ways ahead so flooring my plane, I raced over there and took care of that APC too.

"Cipher, while you're still managing to take care of the enemies with a surprising amount of ease, I want to know what happened to the you that was batshit crazy in his flying?"

"Drop it Pixy," I remarked.

"We're having a talk later, you and I."

"No we're not. Not if it's about my flying today. When I say drop it, I mean it. Now go get rid of that plane on your six. Don't make me come up there."

"You sound like an angry father. Janie, you work on him. I'm getting nowhere."

"Don't you start too," I groaned.

"My conversation won't be with you. It'll be with someone else. But back on track before my dad reprimands me for not focusing. The first sector is all clear save for an enemy plane which Pixy is taking care of. You can either help him or go to the second sector."

I sighed. "I can't leave my wingman. Hang on, we're going high."

"I think flying low to the ground and in between buildings is scarier than flying in an open sky," she remarked.

"Because it's not near as death-defying and thrilling," I laughed. "Hang on Pixy, I'm coming to your rescue!"

"Mine, Cipher! This guy is mine!" he snapped.

"All right, I distract, you fire. Deal?"

"What exactly are going to do?" My friend had an extremely suspicious tone, which was accurate. He should be suspicious about what I was going to do.

I hit the accelerators and inverted my plane as I flew over Pixy. He swore under his breath. I was quickly right above the enemy. When the pilot looked up, I flipped him off. I heard Janie cracking up behind me while Pixy yelled, "That's my buddy! That's the flying I was talking about!"

"Would you take the damn shot?" I retorted, but I was smiling, and I knew Pixy knew that. I lifted my plane before the missiles hit the enemy plane. Janie clapped her hands and cheered us on.

Stabilizing my plane so that I was actually flying straight again, I said, "Let's head to sector two."

"Sounds good. The tide should turn once they get their capital city back," Pixy replied.

"We need to get a move on if that's going to happen."

At that moment, we were interrupted by an enemy transition: "What's our air squadron up to?"

"It's kind of hard to be up when they're being shot down," I commented, unaware of whether or not they could actually hear me. I was pretty sure they couldn't because the next transmission we received didn't mention me or my snarky comment at all.

"Aren't there any orders from higher up? Where's the General?" A Belkan demanded.

"Hasn't anyone seen him?" Another asked.

"That's some bad management if you don't know where your general is," I said. "Pixy, you always know where I am right?"

"Yeah, sure," my comrade answered.

"That is neither reassuring nor the correct response."

"If it's not the correct response because I didn't call you 'sir', I have news for you. I am not going to call you 'sir'. You and I are the same age. It seems weird calling you 'sir'."

"Actually I'm younger than you. And better looking."

"That is debatable."

"We have mouths, some people to annoy, so let's debate this."

"I wouldn't want to wound your ego."

"What ego? Pretty sure the only one with an ego around here is you."

"Shut up and take care of those AA guns," my wingman grumbled.

"Cipher: one. Pixy: Zero," I declared, shooting a missile at an AA gun that was firing at me. There were three of them total, lined up on the road as if they were lining up to be destroyed. Made my job easier so I wasn't complaining.

"I have no idea how you put up with him Janie. I commend you for it," Pixy stated, swerving next to me. "By the way Cipher, all bandits in the air are clear. I'll help you take care of these ground forces."

"So that plane above us is one of ours?" I remarked. My comrade cussed as he flew up to meet the enemy.

"Keep firing aerial attacks! If we let up, they'll come after us!" A Belkan shouted.

"Abandon Area Two! Reposition the battlefront immediately!" another commanded, sounding frazzled.

"Sector Two is clear of enemy forces. Moving on to Sector Three," I announced.

"Way to go Cipher. Drinks might be on you again," Hammerhead responded.

"Oh, I was wondering where you went. You were unusually silent."

"It's better to be silent than making a comment every few seconds, something my cousin Thunderhead has yet to learn. He's going to get so much flak from the pilots he going to be an AWACs for."

"Roger that," I chuckled. I lined my plane up with the next enemy target. It was SAM so the second I got a missile lock on it, I fired and turned and burned out of there.

"Hurry up and get this bird in the air! We've already lost this city!" A Belkan yelled. For some reason, I had a sneaking suspicion this was the missing Belkan general. Only he had true authority to get on a helicopter first and high-tail it out of the area. He continued by saying, "I don't care. Just get us the hell out of Directus!"

"Pixy, be on the lookout for a Belkan helicopter. It has the Belkan general in it. Shoot it down. I have a few SAMs lined up for me to destroy in the middle of the city."

"The Belkan chopper is leaving the battlefront. Looks like they're running scared," Hammerhead confirmed.

"You saw the General at the chopper landing pad?" A Belkan soldier asked, sounding upset. While I was on the opposite side of the war, I felt bad for the guy. He sounded like he was just a kid.

"I'm out of here. The damage is too severe," one of his comrades said.

"Aren't Belkans supposed to be... scary?" Janie inquired.

"Pixy and I are scary," I said.

"Maybe when you're flying. Neither of you are exactly scary on the ground. You're more like cuddly teddy bears."

"I am not a cuddly teddy bear," Pixy said indignantly. "I am a fierce air force pilot that survived being shot down in the mountains."

"You know, I've never been shot down," I remarked, trying to hide my amusement although I'm not sure that worked out all that well.

"Cipher, I swear to God, if you bring that up one more time-"

"You'll what? Shoot me out of the sky?"

"I will leave this battle and let you handle it alone."

"I could do it. It's not that difficult to be honest. Shoot a few things here and there, all good."

"Why did I get stuck with a lunatic for a captain?"

"Why did you let yourself get stuck with a lunatic for a captain?"

"Are you finally admitting you're a lunatic?"

"Stop avoiding my question."

"Stop avoiding mine."

"Stop talking and focus on the damn battle," the Base Commander growled. The two of us shut up. I'd already destroyed the SAMs and AA guns that were perfectly lined up in the street in the middle of the city, which meant there was only a couple on the outskirts of the third sector that needed to be taken care of. I lined myself up with a SAM and fired a missile, shifting my plane ever so slightly to lock on to the second and last required target of Sector Three.

"The Belkans are running!" Someone cheered.

"Who is that?" Pixy asked.

"I think it's a civilian. We must be receiving their transmissions," Janie noted before suddenly exclaiming, "Cipher, you got a bandit on your tail!"

I jerked my plane upwards. The enemy followed. I warned Janie to hang on as I dove back down towards the city. Janie asked what I was doing but I ignored her, focusing on what I was doing. I slowed my plane down to allow the enemy to get closer. What I was about to do required careful timing...

"Cipher, what are you doing? Pull up!" Janie shouted.

"I know what I'm doing! Hang on!" I pulled my plane up sharply back into the sky. The bandit trailing me wasn't so lucky, and not expecting what I was doing, had no time to pull up. His plane crashed into the ground.

"Oh man... now I see why Pixy calls you a lunatic," Janie muttered.

"You okay?" I inquired.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm fine. Completely fine."

"Ever want to fly with me again?"

"Hell yeah." I silently groaned. That had not been the answer I wanted and I knew it wasn't the one the Base Commander wanted either. However, having more important things to focus on, I shifted my attention to the fourth sector. Pixy had easily taken care of any Belkan air support. It was weird. There weren't that many planes up. We'd only encountered about three or four at most. That sent warning bells off in my head. The Belkans had something bigger up their sleeve. They always did.

"What? We've lost Sector Three?! What the hell is that ringing?!" A Belkan soldier demanded.

"That sound takes me back," an Ustian pilot said wistfully.

"Oh, I see you guys finally decided to show up," Pixy said.

"Sorry. Got held up. There were more enemy fighters inbound. We took care of them for you."

"Thank you, and ignore my buddy. He's always snarky. Listen, we cleared Sector Three so meet us at Sector Four. We're almost done boys!" I encouraged. As I was heading into Sector Four, an enemy plane showed up in front of me. The others enemies had been MIGs and fighters, not attack planes. This one was an A-10 and while it might've had great defenses, it was also incredibly slow. In no time I was behind it and firing two missiles. I pulled away as it exploded.

"Allied mercenaries, huh? We owe you one! Thanks!" An allied platoon member praised.

"Don't mention it. Just doing my job," I responded.

Sector Four didn't have many big buildings. It was going to be easy for me to fly over them and destroy any weapons the Belkans had. And now that we had support from other Ustian forces, both air and ground, Pixy could help me take care of the ground enemies. I took the western half, he took the eastern. Within no time, the six enemies that had been on the ground, a mix of SAMS, AA guns, and APCs, were gone due to our combined use of missiles and guns. I was starting to believe this mission might the easiest yet.

"If we're forced out of this area, it's all over!" A Belkan declared angrily.

"Belkan ground forces in Sector Four have been eliminated! The people here are ringing their freedom bell!" an army guy announced victoriously.

"Pixy, let's book it to the last sector. We're almost done buddy," I said.

"Are you getting a bad feeling about how smooth this is going?" he queried, lining his plane alongside mine as we headed to the last sector.

"Yes but trying not to think about it. I'm taking everything one step at a time. Let's just win this thing and get back."

"We no longer have a means of escape! Mass together all troops and regroup!" A Belkan barked.

"Glad I'm not in their situation," I said, flying my plane closer to the ground.

"Glad I don't have their captain. What kind of captain just leaves their army behind?" Pixy questioned.

"I think this is the one time you're grateful for me being your captain," I laughed.

"Yeah, but only this time. Most other times I wish I had one that wasn't a lunatic."

"The moment was nice while it lasted. Come on buddy, let's finish this."

"Way ahead of you buddy."

"Belkans get out! Get the hell out of our city!" A civilian shouted.

"Why is that bell ringing? What idiot could be doing that?" A Belkan groaned.

"Do they really not know what that ringing is? Do they really not know what the bells of Directus sound like? They're famous for them," I said.

I swerved my plane to the left and locked onto a SAM. I fired the missile as Pixy replied, "The Belkans are known for their military prowess, not their symbolic landmark knowledge.

"Yeah, but even I'm from Belka and I've never heard the bells but I know what they are."

We circled around the sector and lined up with our next targets. "Yeah, but you're also a defector from the Belkan military and lived in other places besides Belka. Most of the pilots may have flown in foreign skies but have never set foot on foreign land."

"Has the Belkan news ever shown something that's happening outside their own country?"

"Only when it's Rald meeting a diplomat. And he's never come to Ustio that I know of."

"God I hate Rald. I'd love to just... sock him in the jaw."

"Sock him? Not kill him?"

"A lot of the radical Belkans would rather die than be caught by the enemy so if being held as a prisoner causes him more pain than being killed, then I say let him live. He's a son of a bitch who is suppressing people and he's killing anyone who tries to fight back."

Pixy was silent for a few seconds before, "I'm glad we're both on the same side of the coin."

"Me too. I'd hate to see you shot down again."

"Damn it Cipher..." Pixy growled. "But you know, if anyone is qualified to shoot you down, it's me. I know how you fly. I could take you."

"And usually you can barely keep up with me old man."

"Cipher, I am five months older than you."

"I can already hear your joints creaking."

My wingman fell silent and I started cracking up, knowing I was victorious in the argument. I spun my plane towards the ground, doing it so abruptly I made Janie yelp. After levelling out, I quickly apologized to her. She told me to do it again.

"We've gotta take back the city! We have to take things into our own hands!" a civilian declared.

Pixy and I finished taking care of the remaining SAMs and AA guns. I pulled my plane up to look at the now Belkan-free city of Directus.

"This is Eagle Eye. It looks like all sectors have been liberated."

"Hammerhead, why do you call yourself Eagle Eye? I mean those are two very different animal characteristics," noted.

"Because the top brass won't let me change my callsign. I was young and stupid when I made that decision for a codename. I regret it fully."

"Hey, help us win this war, and then bring it to High Command. Maybe then you can change it."

"I'll look into that."

"The city has fallen to the Allied Forces. Any soldiers left, open up an escape route!" A Belkan commanded.

"We lost..." another one stammered. "The Belkan army... We've been defeated..."

"We got our city back!" A civilian cheered.

"They've got a reason to fight. This battle's over," Pixy said.

"I have a feeling their going to be pushing those Belkans out themselves," I laughed. "We're done here. Let's head home."

"Warning! Warning! Enemy reinforcements approaching!" Hammerhead alerted.

"What? Now?!" Pixy demanded.

I shook my head. "I spoke too soon. This close... this close to going home..."

Hammerhead came back on the mic and explained to us which Belkan ace squadron we were fighting this time. It was Gelb, Fifth Air Division, Twenty-Third Tactical Fighter Squadron. There was only two though so maybe it wouldn't be too difficult. I mean Pixy and I had fought three ace squadrons in one mission and survived so how hard could they be?

"Two craft approaching at high speed!" he informed.

"Let's take care of them," Pixy growled. He and I went head on with Gelb.

"I really wish I'd chosen long-range missiles for my special weapons this time," I muttered.

"Well lucky for you, your wingman did," Pixy said.

"Send two after them. If we scatter the two, we can take them one on one."

"They're faster than anything we've come across. Commence intercept!" Hammerhead ordered.

"What exactly do you think we're doing here?" I asked, locking onto one of the Gelb members. Pixy had fired two long range missiles at them, predictively scattering the two. I wasn't sure which one I'd locked onto but I didn't care, I just wanted to shoot him down.

"It doesn't look like they'll let us head back to base unless we take out the two planes," Pixy said.

"I don't know why these two planes are here. I mean the Belkan army has lost Directus," I remarked.

"Maybe they think they can take it back if they beat us?" my wingman suggested. I couldn't help but think that was kind of a lost cause.

The enemy plane in front of me was causing all sorts of trouble. I saw Pixy in the distance trailing the other one. A plan began formulating in my head. I disengaged my opponent and got a good distance away so I could go head on with the enemy plane Pixy was chasing without being seen. I kept low to the ground, only a few feet above the trees. When the enemy was almost five thousand feet in front of me, I shot in to the air, leveled with them, and fired two missiles. They never saw what hit them. I turned around and went after the second plane.

"Damn it Cipher that was mine!" Pixy snapped.

"I saw an opportunity and I took it. Sorry buddy."

"Yeah, sure you are. More like you're trying to impress your girlfriend..." he muttered.

"Luckily for me, my job does impress my girlfriend... I think."

I heard Janie laugh but before she could say anything, my wingman said, "I know his flying probably does, but please, don't give him a bigger head than he already has."

Ignoring his comment, I got behind the second enemy plane, getting right behind it. I still had plenty of missiles but because I was so close, it was dangerous for me to use them, so I used gunfire instead. I got in some good hits but not enough to take him down. It was Pixy, who came in perpendicular to the plane, who shot him down.

"See? You got a plane," I said.

"Not the one I wanted."

"There's no pleasing you is there?"

"Airspace threat eliminated. Galm team, mission complete," Hammerhead announced.

"We've taken back this sector! Belka is no longer in control!" A civilian shouted.

"If those Belkans leave, I can reopen my shop. And I'll make sure Directus is decorated to the brim with flowers!" another one said.

"Cipher, you hear those people screaming for freedom? That's where we come in!" Pixy exclaimed. As if reading my mind, he followed me closer to the ground where we flew above a mass of people, making our planes do a roll above them. Although their voices didn't come over the mic, I could've sworn I heard their cheers over the roar of my engine.

"Directus is free of any threats now. Let's head back to base," Pixy suggested.

"Sounds like a plan to me. So, Janie, still want to be a RIO after flying with me?" I queried.

"More than ever," she replied.

Guess that was the end of my job...
_________________________________________  

Present Day...

"What an asshole," Genette said. "Janie's father was a complete asshole."

"Are all Base Commanders like that or was he just a special case?" Elizabeth inquired.

"Most Base Commanders aren't bad. I just had the unlucky scenario of being his daughter's boyfriend and having him being, as Genette put it quite nicely, an asshole. You shouldn't come across too many Base Commanders like him once you're stationed Elizabeth, but you'll have at least one in your career. Okay, let's finish watching the rest of the documentary and then get to bed. Your friend is coming over tomorrow so you better get some sleep."

I hit the play button on my recorder. The documentary began. It was Pixy recounting the mission I had just told my niece and nephew. The remainder of the documentary began with a video of Directus at sunset, with Brett Thompson's voice speaking over it. "On May 13, 1995... Ustio was finally liberated. The tide of war was about to change dramatically."

It switched to a silhouette picture of people cheering up at the sky with the date and location of where the picture was captured: 13 May, 1995 Directus Ustio. Brett Thompson continued with his monologue. "The true nature of the war begins from this point forward. Accounts vary depending on the article and source. Everyone is a hero and a villain. And no one knows who is the victim, and who is the aggressor. And what is 'peace'? All questions commonly asked about any war in history?" The picture changed to a map of our world, with Belkan-controlled territories in yellow, and Allied-controlled territories in blue. "As the battlegrounds move to Belka... He is also thrust into the middle of this war. This is also where my interests shift from the war to him."

The screen went black. An announcer came on saying the documentary would continue tomorrow. I wondered how long this documentary was actually going to be. I mean a lot of the stuff Pixy was saying were things anyone could read about online, he wasn't saying any classified information. He also never mentioned I had family. Despite everything, he still had my back. Despite everything, he was still granting the only thing I'd truly ever requested him to do. Even when he had turned his back on me and turned into my enemy, he still kept my family a secret. I owed him for that.

"Good night Jason!" Elizabeth and Genette said simultaneously, giving me a hug before going to their bedrooms. I stayed in the living room a little longer, watching TV and contemplating on whether or not I should call PJ. He didn't know where I was, but I called him once in a while to check up on him, make sure everything was okay. He'd been really upset after the war, entering a period of deep depression. It'd killed me to have to leave him but between the Osean and Ustian president's pretty much forcing me into hiding for my own protection, I had no control. The most I could do was check up on him and Iris, his girlfriend-now-wife. PJ was all better now. He and Iris lived a quiet life in southeastern Osea on the sea. I made up my mind and grabbed my phone. It was eight at night but I knew he'd answer.

He picked up on the third ring. "Hello?"

"Hey PJ, it's Cipher," I greeted.

"Cipher! Hey, how are you?"

"I'm good, I'm good. My niece and nephew are visiting right now. How about you? How's Iris?"

"We're both great. We've been rescuing dogs and cats and giving them new homes. Iris is being able to work from home now, writing articles and all, so she can stay and watch them."

"I've been reading them. Your wife has a gift for finding information. I don't know how she does it," I laughed.

"Yeah, she's a gem. If there's a scandal, she's going to find it. Have you been watching the documentary?"

"Yeah. It's weird seeing Pixy. I'm glad to know he's okay though. I never knew what happened to him after the war and we had our... problems, but he was still my buddy. I know you don't like him though. I can't blame you for that either."

"I don't hate him anymore. I've moved past what he did to me. I just can't forgive what he did to you."

The memory of the final battle rose up in my head. It was something I only ever thought of once a year on a specific day. I tried to never think of it other than that. "I've moved on from that. I can't forget, but I can forgive."

"You ever want to see him again?"

"I would, but I doubt I will. I have no idea where he is and no one from our base knows where I am so he won't be able to find me either."

"Who knows, if y'all are meant to see each other again, you will. At the right time."

"Patrick James Beckett, did you just say 'y'all'?" I said with a grin.

My friend laughed. "Living in the south changes you. I can even hear your accent has changed. Although you were never much of a Belkan in the first place."

"Oi, I'm full-blooded Belkan."

"Blood you might, but mentality you most certainly are not."

"You got me there. Well I'll let you go. I just wanted to check in with you two, make sure everything was okay."

"Yeah. Everything's fine. It's been ten years since the accident you know. I'm much better. You don't have to check on us. I know it goes against your protection deal you made with the Osean and Ustian presidents."

"I know, but you were there for me through a difficult time. I want to make sure I'm here for you whenever you need me. And if you ever need anything, give me a call. It's not like I sleep much anyway."

"Still an insomniac?"

"Some things will never change."

PJ laughed. "Agreed. And Cipher, if you ever need me to, I've got your back."

"Thank you. Well I'll let you go. Tell Iris I say hi."

"She says hi back and says to keep out of trouble."

"I always stay out of trouble."

"No, you always seem to find a way out of trouble. Don't get those confused."

"You... have a point. All right, night PJ."

"Night Cipher." I hung up the phone and stared at the television screen. The news was showing the documentary. Reporters were trying to interview Brett Thompson but he wasn't allowing any. I wondered why. My guess was Brett didn't do the documentary because he wanted fame, but because he was genuinely interested in the topic of the Demon Lord and the Belkan War. It was refreshing to have a reporter like him, more interested in the story than the fame.

"Who were you talking to?" Elizabeth asked.

"A friend of mine. I thought you went to bed?"

"I wanted to ask you something that I've been thinking about. Did you ever lose someone close to you in the war? I mean I know Pixy turned his back on you but he's still alive. I mean did you-"

"Ever lose someone to death?" I finished. My niece nodded. "Yes. Why do you want to know?"

"I don't know, I was just thinking that going into the military, when you join a squadron or a platoon or any other group, the people in that group become like your family. Is it possible to get through a war without losing someone from your family?"

"Do you want the sugar-coated answer or the truth?"

"The truth, always."

"I've never heard of it being done so. Sooner or later, someone you're close to will die. That's war. No matter how much it kills you, there will come a time in your career when a comrade of yours will die, and there will be nothing you can do about it, no matter how many times you think of it in your head wondering if you had done something differently, if they might still be alive. It will be as if you're in that sky just to watch. And it will hurt like nothing you've ever encountered before. But you're resilient Elizabeth. The things that weaken other people make you stronger. Remember that."

Elizabeth nodded, giving me a hug. "Thank you Uncle Jason."

"You're welcome. Now get some sleep. I'll see you in the morning."
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