HEADQUARTERS

Jerry and some of Raquel's comrades who likes her, decided to go meet the General to grant them permission into going to save Raquel.

But sadly, the General seemed not to care about what's happened to Raquel or even make any move to go find her.

“With all due respect General, Raquel is our comrade, and we do care for her and who knows, she might be waiting for rescue teams.”

“Who knows, you said. You are not even sure if she's alive or dead, Sergeant Jeremiah”.

Jeremiah looked at the General in utter shock. He could not believe that this same General who sent them into the woods is refusing to save a soldier who had been captured by a beast.

“But sir, we all went on a mission to tame that beast.” He added again, hoping the general would see reasons as to why he needs to save Raquel. But the General wouldn't budge.

He stared at those beside him who came to plead with the general. They are about five in number including himself.

Timothy who was his closest friend shook his head at him, signalling that there might be nothing that can be done.

Actually, they had met other higher ups before the General, but they all chickened out and rather used the excuse that there was no way they could go in search for Raquel, since she was being kidnapped by the beast himself.

Now, after getting negative response from the highest up, they decided to meet the General, with the hope that he would understand and immediately send out an order to go in search for her. But that didn't seem to work either.

They waited more than a week, hoping the General would see them and hopefully help out, but they were informed that the general was on leave and would only come during the week, which was today. Approaching him today, he rather seem not to care about his female soldier missing.

Jeremiah clenched his fist in anger. This was the height of it. Raquel is his friend, and there was no way he would allow her to be in the claws of a strange beast without doing anything to help.

He stared at the General who was so busy reading a content, totally unconcerned about what's going on or why they were there.

“Permission to go alone for Raquel's rescue, Sir!” Jeremiah said in a go, making his friends gasp in terror.

The general immediately raised his gaze at him, looking very curious at Jeremiah.

“How dare you ask for such permission, Jeremiah!?” This isn't something he should explain, if they can't help their own soldier, then it means every soldier is not safe and is not backed up by the army, just as was promised.

He glanced at his friends, who seemed quite petrified at what he had said earlier. But that was the only option he could get out of his head.

He couldn't include his friends when it came to this because they did not make such decision about going alone before they arrived at the General's office.

He brought his gaze back to the General, who still seemed perplexed about what he said earlier.

“Permission not granted!” Was all the General said. That made Jeremiah so pissed. Indeed, the General is very heartless.

“May I have a word with the General alone?” He asked his friends, who didn't even think twice before dashing out of the room immediately.

Jeremiah now focused on the General. His anger even worse than it was before now.

“You cannot do this to Raquel!” He yelled at the General, who quietly dropped the book he was reading on the desk, and focused his attention on him, with arms crossed around his broad chest.

“It's too dangerous.” This made Jeremiah smirk bitterly. He slowly walked close to the desk of the General.

“Dangerous? Then why the hell did you send us there?!” He yelled again.

The General closed his eyes, and sucked him some air.

“Listen, I know you don't have any idea about how things work around here, but I suggest you don't do anything silly.”

Jeremiah widened his eyes widely at his statement.

“Why are you so heartless, Dad?!”

He began to fume with so much anger, his breathing so heavy and fast.

“The beast is ruthless, I'm not even sure your friend might be alive by now.”

That made him go weak instantly, he sat on the chair opposite the general while he stared at his father in a daze.”

“You knew the beast could not be tamed, and yet you sent your soldiers there. You've never changed at all. Your are still very heartless in your dealings.”

Jeremiah immediately stood up from his father's chair and headed for the door.

"Wait!” He paused at his father's command, his hands at the door knob but he never turned around to his father.

“Do not do anything stupid, son?” The fuck! Jeremiah opened the door forcefully and the moment he came out from the office, he banged the door so loudly, to declare how furious he was now.

Shockingly, he met his friends at the corner of the door who stated at him dumb-fixed at his action at that moment.

Their eyes seemed to be clouded with much questions right now, but that isn't something he's willing to answer at the moment.

He began to walk ahead of them, while they tailed behind him in a run. Timothy, his best friend held him by the shoulder to halt.

Jeremiah clenched his jaw angrily, his eyes darted from one place to the other.

“What's wrong man?” He manages to take his gaze up to his friend, who seemed to be very concerned about him. As it stands, the last thing he wanted was for his friends to find out about his identity because he wasn't really proud about his father.

He didn't tell his friends what really happened, and he knew they couldn't have heard what he said with the General who happens to be his father, sadly. The General's ruthlessness was the main reason why he refused to accept him as a father in the first place.

He didn't want the idea of his peers either seeing him as someone who will become as ruthless as his father or someone mighty, thereby making a god out of him. He wasn't his father and never will be.