C431 Sweet Goodbyes

Chipmunk stood up and sat on Bighead's lap. Pixel stared at them. “Guys, are you really doing this?” Nobody answered. The fire continued burning in front of us, its flames rising and falling as the night grew darker. I looked at Cipher. She understood immediately. Without saying a word, she stood up, walked over to me, and sat beside me. Bighead laughed. “That’s it, brother.” Kiddo and Survivor were already holding hands. Tomorrow was going to be a bigger day than any of us could imagine, so we decided to spend our remaining time with the people we loved. We had spent months training, fighting, and preparing for danger. Tonight, however, we were simply a group of people trying to enjoy one last peaceful moment together. At first, we sat around the fire whispering to one another, reminding each other how much we cared and how much we loved one another.

Pixel and Silver slowly noticed how awkward the situation was becoming. Pixel leaned forward and adjusted the wood in the fire to keep the flames burning. When she looked up again, Kiddo and Survivor were already kissing. Pixel stared at them in disbelief. “Seriously? Go get a room.” That was all the encouragement I needed. I stood up, lifted Cipher into my arms, and kissed her as I carried her toward one of the training rooms. Bighead immediately followed, carrying Chipmunk. “Come on, Wife,” he said proudly. However, Kiddo and Survivor did not wait for anyone. They were already occupied with each other. The soft moans coming from their direction made Silver uncomfortable. She picked up a small stone and threw it toward them. “Go get a room!” Kiddo and Survivor finally stopped what they were doing and walked toward one of the rooms. Soon, only Pixel and Silver remained around the fire. The sounds coming from inside the base made it difficult for either of them to concentrate. What began as a small conversation to distract themselves from everything happening around them slowly turned into something neither of them had expected.

They found themselves holding hands. Pixel's face turned pink. “Silver, I am married, and I don't love women.” Silver looked at her calmly. “Neither do I. I just don't want anything that will hurt me, which is why I don't date.” Pixel smiled. “If you're not dating, does that mean you don't sleep with anyone?” Silver laughed softly. “Do I have to date someone in order to sex with them?” She looked at Pixel. “Why would I date someone for a few minutes of enjoyment?” Pixel laughed. “Well, then, what do you do when you're horny?” Silver blushed. “Do you really want to know?” Pixel nodded. Silver leaned closer and kissed her. Pixel quickly stopped her. Silver smiled. “Relax. It's only for tonight, since you want to know.” Pixel looked around the base. “Not here.” They both stood up and walked away from the fire. Instead of going inside, they moved farther away from the base, where they could have some privacy. Silver took the initiative, and Pixel followed her. By the time they returned, some time had passed. Fortunately for them, they were the first to come back.

They quietly fixed the fire and sat down again, pretending nothing had happened. When everyone else eventually returned, they all asked the same question. “You two stayed here all this time?” Pixel quickly answered. “Yes. What else could we do? I have a husband waiting for me at home, and you were all so loud that we couldn't go inside.” Everyone burst into laughter. Silver blushed and remained silent. I shook my head, smiling at the ridiculous situation. “Alright, enough. We still have a mission tomorrow.” The laughter slowly faded, and reality returned. Soon, everyone began packing their belongings. I returned to the computer and set the automated tracking system. The trace would begin at exactly four in the morning, giving Willy's security team enough time to discover the signal and identify our location. Once everything was ready, we left the military base. The drive back to the city was quiet. Everyone was tired, but there was also a sense of relief. After months of training, we were finally returning to our families. Tomorrow, however, we would face Willy Harris. Tonight was our last chance to enjoy the people waiting for us at home.

The Capsey family was overjoyed when Faith finally arrived home. Her military clothes made her look taller, stronger, and more confident than before. Her parents could hardly hide their happiness at seeing her again. Faith quickly went upstairs to take a shower before coming back down to face them. As soon as she entered the living room, her mother looked at her carefully. “Faith, my child, why did you cause such a scene the other day?” Faith sighed. “Mom, Dad, it wasn't my intention to worry you.” Her father shook his head. “We were worried about you. We didn't know where you were, and then suddenly there were all those questions and people looking for answers.” Faith lowered her eyes. She thought about telling them everything. She wanted to explain that tomorrow she would be involved in a more dangerous operation against Willy Harris. She wanted to tell them that she was no longer the same innocent girl who had left home months ago. But then she imagined the panic on their faces. They had already suffered enough worrying about her. Faith forced a smile. “I'm home now. That's what matters.” Her mother hugged her tightly. Faith allowed herself to enjoy the warmth of her family. She would deal with tomorrow when it came.

At the Gomez residence, Pixel's arrival brought happiness to everyone. Unlike Faith, she did not go upstairs to take a shower. She joined the family downstairs. Prince was the first to greet her. “My child, you are finally back?” Pixel smiled. “Yes, Father-in-law. Our training has ended.” Bright looked at her military clothing and smiled proudly. “Wife, you look so beautiful in that uniform.” Pixel blushed. “Thank you, Husband.” For a brief moment, however, her mind returned to what had happened with Silver earlier that night. She quickly pushed the thoughts away. She had a husband waiting for her, and she did not want to complicate her life with something she did not understand. Godness noticed her expression. “Laura, my child, what is wrong?” Pixel looked at her for a moment. She could have hidden the truth, but she decided against it. “Tomorrow, we will be attacking the Harris family.” The room immediately fell silent. Prince nearly choked on his drink. Bright stared at her. “Wife, you have just returned home, and now you're telling me that you are going into another dangerous situation?”

Pixel smiled gently. “Husband, I am no longer the innocent girl you knew two months ago. I have experienced many things since then. You don't have to worry. I can protect myself.” Bright looked at her carefully. There was something different about her now. She was still the woman he loved, but the training had changed her confidence, her posture, and the way she spoke. He stepped closer. “Have you killed someone?” Pixel's smile disappeared. The question hung heavily in the room. She realised that her family was about to see a side of her they had never known existed. She looked at Bright. “Yes.” Nobody spoke. Outside, the evening wind moved quietly through the trees. Inside the Gomez home, the truth had finally arrived.