02:25
Bravo Squad House, Housing District, New Eden
The car slowed to a stop in the familiar driveway, its headlights cutting through the misty night. The rain had finally passed, leaving the streets glistening under the streetlights.
Sohel and Annabelle stepped out, their footsteps soft against the damp pavement as they walked to the front door. Sohel paused, key in hand, taking a slow, steady breath before unlocking it.
The door creaked open, revealing a dark, silent house. The smell of polished wood and faint machine oil filled the air, a scent that hadn't changed in five years. Nostalgia hit them both like a wave.
Annabelle broke the silence, her voice trembling slightly, as if holding back tears.
"ARIA… you there?"
For a moment, there was only stillness. Then a soft electronic chime echoed through the halls, followed by a familiar voice.
"Welcome back, Princess," ARIA said, her tone warm and distinctly artificial.
The lights flickered on one by one, bathing the house in a soft glow.
Sohel walked in first and let himself fall back onto the couch, sighing deeply.
Annabelle followed, taking in the space with glistening eyes.
"Good to be back?" She asked, her voice quieter than usual.
Sohel closed his eyes and let a tired smile tug at his lips. "You bet." He straightened, opening his eyes again. "Sit. Let's go over the intel before we get some sleep."
Annabelle was just about to settle into the chair across from him when a sharp knock on the door interrupted them.
She went to answer it, opening the door to find Aura standing there, tugging two heavy luggage bags behind her.
"I got your luggage, Princess," Aura said, her tone cheerful despite the exhaustion evident in her synthetic voice.
Annabelle took the bags and offered a soft smile. "Thank you, Aura. Come in."
But as Annabelle turned back toward the living room, she heard a heavy thud behind her. She spun around to see Aura kneeling on the ground, her breathing uneven.
"Looks like I'm low on battery, Princess," Aura murmured.
Annabelle let out a sigh and called out, "Sohel, need a hand here."
He quickly appeared, taking in the scene at a glance. Without hesitation, he crouched and gently lifted Aura into his arms.
"Did you bring the charger?" he asked.
"It should be in my bag," Annabelle replied. "Take her to my lab; I'll be there in a minute."
Sohel nodded and carried Aura down the hallway. The lab smelt faintly of coolant and polished steel, the space just as meticulously organised as Annabelle had left it years ago. He gently placed Aura onto a workbench, his mind momentarily drifting.
"Damn you, old man," Sohel thought, shaking his head. "You sent Middleton for me the moment something felt off. You kept this house spotless for five years without ever reassigning it. Just how far ahead did you plan?"
The sound of the lab door opening broke his train of thought. Annabelle entered, lugging a large charger. She plugged it into a wall socket before walking over to Aura, who was slumped motionless on the table.
"Alright, sweetheart," Annabelle murmured to Aura, her tone soft as she brushed aside the android's hair, revealing the outline of a port on her nape. She pressed a small panel, and it slid open with a soft click. Annabelle connected the charger, and Aura's body went completely still as she entered deep charge mode.
"She'll need all night," Annabelle said, glancing over her shoulder at Sohel.
"Good," he replied quietly.
They left the lab, walking side by side down the familiar hallway. As they reached the centre of the house, Sohel glanced at Annabelle. There were bags under her eyes, faint but undeniable. He felt a twinge of guilt — she'd worked tirelessly for years, digging for answers, much of it because of him.
"You should rest," Sohel said firmly, grabbing his own luggage from the floor. "We'll talk tomorrow."
Annabelle offered a small smile, saluting him playfully. "Roger, Major."
Sohel smirked and headed toward his old bedroom. He flicked on the lights, and the first thing that greeted him was his black war uniform laid neatly on the bed. The sight made him pause. The weight of his return — the promises, the expectations, the lives now depending on him — all bore down on him in that quiet moment.
He exhaled slowly, shaking his head.
"You'll be fine, Sohel," he muttered to himself. "You'll be fine."
After carefully folding the uniform and placing it in his closet, he went into the washroom. The hot water from the shower was refreshing, washing away the tension of the day.
Minutes later, he returned, exhausted but feeling a little lighter. He collapsed onto the bed, and sleep claimed him almost instantly.
07:44
Sohel awoke to the sound of the doorbell ringing over and over again. The insistent chime echoed through the quiet house, dragging him out of sleep. Groaning softly, he swung his legs over the edge of the bed and rubbed his eyes, the weight of exhaustion still clinging to him.
As he padded down the stairs in loose sleepwear, he saw Annabelle already at the door, unlocking it.
She opened it — and froze.
Standing on the doorstep was Mei Watanabe.
Her normally pristine hair clung to her face in damp strands, and her once-white combat diver's uniform was torn, stained with saltwater, sweat, and dirt from the previous night's battle. She looked like she had sprinted straight off a battlefield — and she had. The moment she'd heard Sohel was alive, she hadn't stopped running until she reached Bravo Squad House.
Mei's usually unreadable face remained stoic, but her voice betrayed her emotion, warm with relief.
"Hello, Ann."
Annabelle's expression softened. "Hello, Naomi… Or should I say, Mei?" she said gently. "How've you been?"
"I… I've been fine," Mei replied, but her voice cracked slightly. Her eyes glistened, though her expression didn't change.
Then her gaze shifted.
And there he was.
At the far end of the hallway, leaning casually against the wall, stood Sohel. His warm smile was soft, but the emotion in his eyes was unmistakable. Mei froze for half a second — her heart seemed to stop.
Then she moved.
Practically shoving Annabelle aside — though Annabelle stepped back with a knowing smile — Mei ran down the hallway. Her footsteps echoed sharply against the wooden floor until she finally launched herself into Sohel's arms.
She clung to him desperately, burying her face into his shoulder. Tears streamed down her cheeks in an unstoppable flood, years of longing and pain bursting free like a dam breaking.
"I… I searched for you everywhere," Mei choked out, her voice trembling. "Why did you have to disappear like that? Why? I…"
Sohel held her gently, his hand resting on her back as he rubbed it in slow, calming circles. His voice was soft, carrying the weight of apology and familiarity.
"Hello, Mei," he whispered. "Sorry for disappearing."
Mei only hugged him tighter, her body shaking as she let the tears fall. Annabelle watched quietly from the doorway, her lips curved into a small smile. She didn't say a word — this moment belonged to them.