Curly knew something was wrong the moment she opened her eyes.
The slave house was never this quiet.
Angela wasn't humming as she usually did in the mornings. Micka wasn't grumbling about chores. Even Sara—who always woke first—was already dressed and standing by the door, her expression tense.
Sony sat on her bed, arms folded, staring at nothing.
"What's going on?" Curly whispered, pushing herself upright.
Sara turned. "We're being summoned."
"By who?" Angela asked, already on her feet.
Sara hesitated. "Zara."
That single name was enough.
The bell rang once.
Not the usual twice.
A command.
"Everyone up," Sara said quickly. "Now."
They hurried outside together, moving as a unit the way roommates learned to do in WAN Empire—quiet, alert, afraid.
---
★
The lower courtyard was crowded.
Slaves, servants, guards—everyone stood in uneasy lines. Armed men lined the walls, their presence heavier than usual.
Curly instinctively moved closer to Angela.
Sony noticed.
"Stay alert," Sony muttered. "This isn't routine."
From the balcony above, Lady Anna appeared.
Silence fell instantly.
Storm stood beside her, straight-backed and unreadable. Danger remained slightly behind, his posture relaxed but his eyes sharp, scanning the crowd.
"LOS Empire has crossed a line," Lady Anna announced, her voice cold and steady. "One of our border warehouses was attacked last night."
A ripple of fear passed through the courtyard.
"This was not theft," she continued. "It was a message."
Storm stepped forward. "We respond tonight."
Curly's breath caught.
Tonight.
Lady Anna raised her hand. "All slaves will remain in their quarters until further notice. Anyone seen outside will be punished."
Her gaze swept the crowd—and paused, briefly, on Curly.
Something unreadable flickered there.
Then it was gone.
"Dismissed."
---
★
Back in the slave house room, the tension followed them inside.
Angela immediately shut the door. "That look she gave you," she whispered. "Did you see it?"
Curly nodded slowly. "She's been doing that a lot."
Micka dropped onto her bed. "LOS Empire doesn't attack without a reason."
Sony leaned against the wall. "This isn't about money."
Curly looked at her. "Then what is it about?"
Sony met her eyes. "History."
Sara exhaled slowly. "Zara warned me. She said tonight could get ugly."
Curly's chest tightened. "Did she say why?"
Sara shook her head. "She just said to keep everyone together and out of sight."
That didn't help at all.
---
★
As night fell, the compound came alive with movement.
From the small window, Curly watched black SUVs line up, engines humming. Armed men moved with purpose, checking weapons and exchanging coded words.
Storm emerged last.
Danger followed him.
Curly didn't know why her gaze found him so easily.
He didn't look angry tonight.
He looked… tired.
For a brief moment, his eyes lifted—just enough to meet the slave house window.
Curly froze.
She wasn't sure if he saw her.
But her heart raced anyway.
---
★
Inside the operations room, the atmosphere was sharp and focused.
"LOS Empire's convoy will pass through Route Seven," Storm said, pointing at the digital map. "We intercept here and here."
Shooter nodded. Rhoda typed rapidly.
Danger leaned back in his chair. "They want us to bleed."
Storm glanced at him. "And we'll make sure they regret it."
Rhoda looked up. "There's something else."
They turned to her.
"I intercepted part of a transmission," she said. "LOS Empire mentioned a 'return.'"
Storm frowned. "Return of what?"
Rhoda shook her head. "They didn't say."
Danger's jaw tightened. "They're dragging the past into the present."
Storm studied him. "You sound like you know what's coming."
Danger didn't answer.
---
★
Back in the slave house, Curly sat on her bed, knees drawn to her chest.
Angela sat beside her. "You're worried."
"I don't know why," Curly admitted. "I just feel like something important is happening—and I'm standing in the middle of it without understanding why."
Micka sighed. "That's WAN Empire for you."
Sony's voice was quiet. "When empires fight, secrets surface."
Curly looked at her sharply. "What kind of secrets?"
Sony didn't respond.
Outside, engines roared to life.
The convoy rolled out into the night.
And as WAN Empire prepared for war, Curly felt it deep in her bones—
Whatever LOS Empire had set in motion wasn't just a battle.
It was the beginning of something long buried…
finally clawing its way back to the surface.
--