Chapter 40 Where to Look?

"These are the only details I can recall before passing out," the man stated firmly.

Duke was furious upon hearing about their experience, especially because they were unable to extract any useful information from it. The only clue they have is the one they already possess, and gathering more clues from the outside seems impossible due to the chaos in the surroundings.

He gritted his teeth and clenched his fist. He felt dejected. Kisha was watching Duke's every action and expression, she knew that he was feeling down right now. That's why she held his tightly balled fist. "Why don't we gamble instead?" She stated in a confident tone.

Duke slowly lifted his head and met her eyes, trying to understand what was going on in her head and to find an ounce of worry but there was none.

"What do you have?" He asked, his voice was a little hoarse.

"If I have to gamble, I think I know where they are heading. But I am not sure if your family will be there. It's possible that we will only meet your enemy."

Duke thinks for a moment since they don't have any more leads. They can only try to gamble on what Kisha wants to do. He can only hope that they still have ample time and for his people to hold on a little longer wherever they are.

He slowly nodded at Kisha to give his acquiescence and then looked at Eagle to gather his men to head to his office.

The Squad 1 Captain climbed out of bed and followed Eagle, Eagle was stunned only for a moment and recovered after realizing that his buddy had fully recovered so it was only right for him to be present in the meeting.

So they went out to prepare for the meeting and waited for Duke and Kisha to arrive in the office.

When they are the only people left in the ward, Duke asked. "Is it alright if I ask what's the thing you gave me last night?"

It took her a few seconds to remember about the potion she gave him. "Oh! Do you mean the health potion? It is what people call an Elixir."

She bought the health potion from a fantasy world where mages and dragons exist. So an Elixir is not uncommon but it was expensive.

She did not let the patient drink the Elixir as he still had bullets lodged in his body. She was unsure of the potential consequences if she were to allow him to drink it immediately. She did not want to risk his life, so she waited until after the operation had been successfully completed. This ensured that the patient's recovery would be seamless and without any complications.

Duke doesn't seem to be surprised anymore by what Kisha could pull out of her pockets. She could basically bring just anything unimaginable in front of them and it would still be completely normal for her. He didn't ask where she got it, he believed that she would tell him when she was more comfortable sharing her secrets with him.

Duke held Kisha's hands and he led her to the office. 

His sudden movement took Kisha by surprise and she was led by Duke just like that, when she recovered, she felt awkward to just pull her hand out of his grasp so she just let him do what he wanted.

When they entered the office, the five men were already standing behind the sofa in a straight line facing them.

Duke sat on the long couch and pulled Kisha to sit beside him, not letting go of her hands. Others in the room noticed their intertwined hands and smiled knowingly. The sight sent a chill down Kisha's spine, and she subconsciously tucked a loose strand of hair that was getting in her face.

The room was quiet, everyone was waiting for Kisha to speak up. However, Kisha was a bit slow to catch on that they were waiting for her to give them direction. It seemed like she only realized this when Duke was around, as he always seemed to throw off her rhythm.

Only Duke has the power to stir her emotions. She could only attribute it to their long camaraderie.

"Host, just admit that you had a crush on him." 008 teased.

Kisha's eyes widened. "Shut up! Stop making stuff!"

008's childish giggle echoed in her head but 008 did not say anything else after.

Kisha cleared her throat and rearranged her thoughts. "For starters, I had to inform all of you that we could only bring Sparrow and Vulture in this mission, aside from Duke of course."

Everyone understood the importance of the mission and the need to maintain the base while the leader was away. No objections were raised. Without any further instructions, Eagle and Hawk volunteered to keep a watchful eye on the base, ensuring that no one was slacking off while waiting for their return. They would also continue to communicate with their other branches.

Kisha shared her opinion and plan with the team, not leaving any information out. But for suspense, she chose not to inform them about Bell, not yet.

It was announced on the radio and TV that the government had established an evacuation shelter in City C, which is the closest city to City A. However, based on her recollection, there was a group that had set up a private base in City B.

If she pieced together everything she knew, she could only arrive at one clue.

Duke in her previous life, took control of City B. At first, it puzzled her as he had other options within his territory, such as City A, the Valley they were currently in, or the farm. Both the Valley and the farm had a strong foundation for a good base, yet Duke chose to travel thousands of miles to reach City B from City A.

It is highly likely that Duke's family experienced a similar kidnapping incident in their past lives. It is unclear whether Tristan, Hawk, and the others were with Duke or if they went ahead without him. Regardless, she was aware of the outcome of the incident, but she had no means of knowing the specifics.

In Duke's past life, there were no companions such as Tristan, Hawk, Eagle, Vulture or Sparrow. Additionally, there was no one called Mr. or Mrs. Winters. So all in all, Duke probably met a devastating end and witnessed the slaughter of his people.

This only proves why he never wanted to disclose information about his family or past to her. If she uses this as her guide, it means that Duke went to City B to search for or save his people.

It is also possible that they met a tragic end in City A and fled to City B to start over again. However, since they were already in City A, they could only go and check City B.

There are a lot of variables that are still unknown. Everything is just a deduction, but it was enough since they hit a dead end.

Despite knowing where to begin, she wasn't aware of their enemy's strength or the exact location of their people. As a result, they could only move in small groups and play it by ear to infiltrate. Fighting their way to reach City B would be much more difficult, and a larger party would only attract attention from the enemy.

Duke's frown eased after he learned that they now had a direction. He looked at Kisha's face, and his expression softened. He felt grateful towards her and realized that his burden was no longer as heavy as it seemed. He now had someone to share his burdens with, and the feeling of being protected from time to time felt good.