The year-long vacation had finally arrived. The once-bustling Sultan Military Camp fell silent as soldiers dispersed to their various destinations. Nick couldn't wait to reunite with Tiffy and meet his newborn child back at their marital home.
Upon arrival, he knocked on the door.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
"Who's there?!" Tiffy called from inside.
"Nick!"
"Nick who?!"
"Your husband!"
"Ooh! I'm coming, honey!"
Tiffy swung the door open and wrapped her arms tightly around him. "I've missed you, honey! You don't know how much we've missed you—especially the new kid!"
They shared a long kiss and warm embrace before settling in. Tiffy helped Nick with his luggage, and soon she returned to the living room holding the baby in her arms.
"Nick, congratulations—you have a son! Here, would you like to hold him?" she offered, gently placing the baby in Nick's arms. "Look how cute he is. He has your eyes, nose, and ears—just like his dad. I was waiting for you so we could name him together!"
"Aww! Every child brings their own blessings, as they say. I'd love to name him Andrew, in honor of my grandfather. You can pick the surnames…"
"I'd love to name him Recee, after my father—he's my role model."
"Andrew Recee—it's perfect," Nick smiled. Then his tone shifted. "But honey… I need to be sure he's mine."
Tiffy's smile faded. "Nick, what are you saying? Of course he's yours! I gave birth exactly nine months after we last… You know this. Please don't start questioning that."
"I'm sorry, but you've told me about your past… your previous behaviors. How can I just ignore that? I need to be certain. I think we should do a DNA test—early on—just to clear my doubts."
Tiffy stood abruptly, holding her temple as she paced. "Nick! That's stressful to hear right now. I waited so long to share this moment with you! This is supposed to be a celebration. A baby brings joy. But you're talking about DNA tests? That breeds distrust!"
With tears welling in her eyes, she paused. "Nick… ever since you were a child, I've fought for you. I knew about your struggles, your mental battles. I stood by you through it all—and now, when I need you to trust me the most, you question me? Thanksgiving expressions of a donkey are kicks! It feels like I married a boy I fought to raise—not the man I wanted."
Nick softened. He moved in gently and hugged her.
"I'm sorry, Tiffy. I really am. I didn't mean to doubt you—I just got scared. The past crept in, and I reacted poorly. We've been through so much… I don't want to lose you. I love you, and I trust you. Let's just focus on our son, Andrew Recee."
Wiping her tears, Tiffy nodded. They shifted the conversation, choosing instead to bond with their baby and celebrate the joy of their growing family.
---
A week later, the allied group—including Mikal—gathered at Madam Jezebel's home one bright weekend.
"Welcome, everyone! It's been a while since that horrifying encounter," Jezebel greeted warmly. "What brings you all here? Such a surprise visit!"
"Thanks, Madam Jezebel," Nick began. "We appreciate everything you've done for us. But we've come with a mission. We've decided to go forward with the final operation—even if it risks school expulsion or danger to our families. We need the new maps. Only Elizabeth and I will handle the spellwork."
Jezebel's expression grew serious. "Wow. Kids, you're really going through with this. But it's dangerous. You have no idea what's waiting for you out there. If the government deems your actions treasonous, it could lead to the worst—death sentences. I wish I could help more, but I'm too old and fragile for this fight."
"We understand," Elizabeth said. "But if not us, then who? We can't just wait for legends to fix this nation. We need to do something now."
"What about Jenny? She's heavily pregnant," Jezebel asked.
"I'm seven months along," Jenny admitted. "But I couldn't leave my team behind. I help coordinate our missions—if something happened to them and I wasn't there, I'd never forgive myself."
Jezebel sighed. "Okay… follow me to the basement, Nick and Elizabeth."
While they descended into the basement for the spellwork, the others stayed behind snacking and chatting until the three finally returned.
"Took you long enough!" Jenny said. "Did you get the maps?"
"We did," Nick confirmed. "Turns out, our instincts were right—the villains have shifted their base. One of the routes involves a long train journey through forest pathways."
"A train?" William asked. "How far?"
"It's nearly 2,000 kilometers. The trains are old, coal-powered, and slow. Be prepared to stay on board for weeks, maybe months."
"Then we'll need food supplies, weapons, binoculars… the works," Jenny added.
John spoke up, "Are there strict checks? We plan on carrying weapons."
"The train station's right by the forest," Jezebel explained. "There are forests and county guards, especially as you cross state lines. You'll need to pretend to be national guards on a peacekeeping mission—use convincing documents. If they try to make verification calls, do everything in your power to stop them."
"Are there any deforested areas?" Lama asked.
"Yes, gazetted zones exist between forest regions. But again, they're monitored. You'll need strong backup stories. One convincing lie might not be enough."
"Jenny's pregnancy might help," William suggested. "Nick could use his family name."
"We'll come up with more excuses," Lama said. "We need layers of credibility."
"That's for later. First, we shop for supplies and weapons," Jenny concluded.
Jezebel gave them her blessing and sent them off. By nightfall, the group reached the hidden train station deep in the forest. They turned off their phones to avoid alarming loved ones and waited for departure in silence, anxiety building.
"I'm really worried about Tiffy," Nick admitted. "I just reconciled with her. I never told her I'd be leaving again… I'll miss Andrew Recee. Giving her cheating benefit of doubt!"
"What do you mean by 'cheating benefit of doubt'?" Jenny asked softly.
"I suspected the baby wasn't mine. Tiffy had posted pictures online—flossing with different guys, even a college basketball star. It was heartbreaking. But I was wrong…"
Jenny gave him a knowing look. "You might love her deeply—but what if she finds out something about your past?"
Nick snapped, "Jenny, I have nothing to do with your pregnancy! Don't drag me into that. I'm a new dad—I want to enjoy that!"
"Alright, calm down," Elizabeth interjected. "Let's celebrate Nick's fatherhood. We've all left something behind. I didn't even tell my parents I was leaving. They just think I'm enjoying my holiday."
"Same here," Jasmine added. "We need to stop tormenting ourselves with guilt. Let's lift our spirits. We're doing something brave."
"Postpartum depression awaits me," Jenny muttered. "Let's just hope for the best."
"We're soldiers," William encouraged. "And soldiers never back down."
"So who's going to handle the forest guard if the train arrives?" John asked.
"I will," Nick said confidently. "In the name of my step-uncle—Captain James—I'll handle it."