Flashback – Graveyard Base
The air slled like iron and dicine, the way it always did at dusk.
Young Miles — Kai, back then — sat cross-legged on the long tal bench with the other children. Their bowls clinked, their quiet chatter filling the dim ss hall. He was halfway through his plain dinner when a familiar, gentle voice floated from behind.
"Kai, I heard you’re already going on missions?"
Miles’s head snapped up instantly.
That voice.
He turned, and the exhaustion, hunger, and bruises lted off his face in one heartbeat.
"Sky? You’re back!"
He practically jumped off the bench and rushed to her.
Sky stood there — tall, calm, and wearing that soft smile only she had. Her short black hair was ssy from travel, and both her hands were wrapped in bandages.
"Kai," she teased, brushing his shoulder, "you grew up big again. Looks like you’re taller every ti I blink."
Miles bead, then frowned, grabbing her wrist carefully.
"What’s with the bandages? Who did this?"
Sky shrugged with a sheepish grin.
"Punched a loser in a bar. He was being annoying."
Miles snorted. "Of course you did."
Sky reached into her travel bag and pulled out a small paper packet sealed with string.
"Anyway... I brought you so local snacks from Shanghai. Here. Take them."
Miles’s eyes widened like a kid seeing magic.
"Whoa—am I even allowed to eat this?"
Sky smirked, lowering her voice as if sharing a secret.
"Share them with your friends. And hide them from Ray or Commander. Especially Ray — he steals the good ones."
Miles laughed, hugging the packet to his chest like a treasure.
"Thank you, Sky."
Sky ruffled his hair. "Eat well, Kai. You need strength. Not every mission will be kind to you."
He nodded. "I know. I’ll get stronger. Promise."
Present — Miles is Driving ho
Miles blinked hard as the mories dissolved like smoke.
Sky’s voice, her warmth, her bandaged hands — all of it stabbed at the softest corner of his chest.
He gripped the steering wheel a little tighter.
Her na... her laughter... the snacks she smuggled in...
And the na he’d forgotten for so long:
Kai.
Why did the deal ntion Kai?
Why did that man make the commander swear to protect a child with that na?
Was it coincidence... or sothing deeper?
Miles exhaled and pushed aside the storm in his mind as Pearl Villa’s security gates opened.
He needed a clear head now.
For ho.
Pearl Villa Entrance
Before he even fully stepped out of the car, two small rockets launched toward him.
"Big broooooo!"
Hope.
Asher.
Both barreling straight into his legs.
Miles caught them instinctively, like he’d been waiting for that tackle all day.
Then he noticed sothing.
Asher’s mouth was suspiciously... full.
Miles raised an eyebrow.
"What’s in your mouth?"
Asher turned away imdiately, cheeks bulging like a guilty hamster.
Hope giggled and held up a half-eaten chocolate bar.
"Here! Have a bite! It’s so sweet!"
Miles froze.
A small, plain milk chocolate bar.
Just like the ones Sky used to sneak inside the base.
A tiny, fragile piece of childhood he barely allowed himself to rember.
His throat ward.
He crouched down slowly, ruffling both their hair as a soft smile tugged at his lips.
"Thank you, you two."
Hope grinned.
Asher finally swallowed. "It’s the last one! You gotta eat fast, big bro!"
Miles chuckled and took a bite.
Sweet.
Warm.
Soft.
Just like the ho he never had back then... but had now.
And for a mont — just a mont —
the na Kai didn’t hurt.
Later, That night
The doorfra glowed faintly with the warm light from the hallway.
Miles sat on the edge of his bed, the small gem glinting in his palm — the one Sky had given him the first ti they t. A piece of childhood. A piece of pain.
A soft knock ca.
He didn’t even have to look.
A strange déjà vu hit him like a ghost brushing past his ear.
"Mom?"
Elena stepped in gently, closing the door halfway behind her.
"It seems you already know why I’m here..."
Miles forced a small grin. "No, why are you here?"
Elena didn’t buy it for a second. She ca closer, her eyes warm but sharp — the way only a mother could look at her child.
"Miles..." she sighed, "I know sothing is bothering you. Tell . It hurts when you sit at the dinner table and look sowhere far away... like you’re eating with us but your heart is elsewhere. What is it?"
Miles looked down at the gem again before hiding it in his fist.
"Nothing is bothering , mom. You tell — how are the preparations going for Monday?"
Elena frowned, refusing to be distracted.
"Don’t change the topic, son."
She ca closer, sat beside him, and held his hands gently.
"Tell . You’ll feel lighter."
Miles hesitated... then exhaled.
"I just rembered soone I lost... a friend from the past.
Thinking about her makes everything tangled — sadness, regret, anger... even revenge. It’s ssy. And I hate feeling this way when I’m with you all."
Elena listened without interrupting.
Then her thumb brushed over the back of his hand — slow, comforting.
"Miles... let tell you sothing."
Her voice softened into that warm, grounding tone that had the power to calm storms.
"Pain from the past... doesn’t disappear. But it becos lighter when you stop holding it alone.
People we lose... they stay in our mories, not to haunt us, but to remind us how strong we’ve beco.
You don’t have to erase the past — just stop letting it chain your heart.
You have a life here now, people who love you, and happiness you deserve.
Let the past stay where it belongs.
Live for what — and who — you have now."
Miles felt his eyes warm — not with tears, but with sothing familiar.
Peace.
He leaned slightly, letting his forehead rest against her shoulder for a mont — a rare gesture he allowed only her.
"Thanks, mom." he whispered.
Elena smiled, brushing back his hair like she used to when he was a child.
"Good. That’s my boy. Now rest. Tomorrow will be bright."
She stood, walked to the door, and looked back before leaving.
"Good night, son."
Miles smiled softly.
"Good night, mom."
The door closed gently.
The door clicked shut behind Elena.
Miles sat still for a mont, breathing in the silence... then he pulled out his phone and dialed a secure number.
It rang once.
Ray picked up instantly.
His voice sharp—alert.
"What is it, Ghost?"
Miles didn’t waste ti.
"I’ll ask you sothing, Ray. And I want the truth."
Ray paused.
"What’s the issue? Are you alright?"
"I’m fine. Just answer ."
A beat of tension across the line.
"...I’m listening."
Miles inhaled slowly.
"Did the Old Commander ever tell you to take care of ... in a way that felt odd?"
Ray went silent.
Then—
"...Now that you ntion it... yes."
Miles’s grip tightened around the phone.
"What did he say?"
Ray exhaled deeply, searching old mories.
"It was after you were told the revenge was taken.
Sa night, he called personally.
He told you were... very important for the future of the Graveyard."
Miles felt his pulse drop.
Ray continued, voice sober.
"At the ti, I thought it was because you weren’t allowed to take part in the retaliation.
But as years passed... every ti you were sent on dangerous missions, the Commander always warned — make sure he cos back unhurt.
Not just alive — unhurt.
I always found it strange. I thought maybe... you were just his favorite."
Silence choked the line for a long mont.
Finally Ray spoke again, softer.
"Son... what’s going on?"
Miles leaned back, eyes dim.
"End it, Ray."
Ray stiffened.
"...End it?"
"Stop looking for the man. Stop digging into the deal.
The Old Commander did take the revenge.
We’re chasing ghosts now — and ghosts lead nowhere."
Ray’s tone sharpened.
"Ghost... what did you find?"
Miles closed his eyes.
"The Clown. I got him. I asked everything."
Ray’s breath caught.
"Clown? You caught that rat—?"
"Yes. And his answers closed the old questions... but opened new ones."
Miles repeated the entire conversation from the interrogation room — the deals, the unknown man, the boy nad Kai, Graveyard’s forced promise.
When he finished, Ray was silent for a long, long ti.
Then—
"...What? But who could that man be?
Why would he never contact you if he wanted you protected?"
Miles whispered,
"Those are my questions now."
Another hollow silence passed.
"Ray," Miles said quietly, "pull the operatives out.
No more searching.
No more resources.
This is my matter now."
Ray protested instantly.
"Ghost—"
"Think about it," Miles cut him off.
His voice was calm, but dangerously heavy.
"If this is connected to ...
then I will handle it alone.
I’ll call you if I need anything."
Ray’s voice softened into sothing almost fatherly.
"...Fine.
But don’t do anything stupid.
And take care of yourself.
And your family."
Miles closed his eyes.
"I will."
Then the call ended.
User Comments
0 comments from readers