Chapter 17

Night had fallen when The Jackal returned to their base. The victory they had just achieved tasted so sweet, radiating from the exhausted but satisfied faces of the members. Their armored vehicle zoomed into the sky cutting through atmosphere after atmosphere high into the mesosphere, neon colored lights glowing in the darkness. Alice sat in the front seat with Jhonny, who led the way home with a calm but alert gaze. The other members were in the back, celebrating the victory with cheerful chatter and laughter.

When they finally arrived at the headquarters, it was a base full of advanced technology floating in high space right in a different layer of the mesosphere than the other bases. The Jackal members on guard greeted their arrival with cheers, and the sounds of victory echoed throughout the complex.

Jhonny stepped out of the vehicle and was greeted by his colleagues. Alice followed behind him, surveying the surroundings with satisfaction. This victory was a big step for their group, and Alice couldn't help but smile as she thought about how lucky they were to have made it out of the Moon Shark base without losing many members.

"Bring the loot to the analysis room," Jhonny ordered in a firm, but warm voice. The members of The Jackal immediately complied, lifting the crates and technological devices they had captured from Moon Shark. The advanced equipment, critical data, and various weapons from the enemy were now in their possession.

Alice and Jhonny made their way to the tactical room on the top floor of the headquarters, where the tech and analysis experts were waiting to examine the results of their major operation. Inside the room, tables were filled with holographic monitors, cables, and sophisticated devices. A tech expert known as Dex was at the ready, his eyes twinkling as he looked at the pile of loot brought in.

"This is amazing," Dex said as he surveyed the newly acquired electronics. "They have more advanced technology than we thought. If we can break this encryption, we might be able to find out more about their operations-perhaps even the positions and locations of other Mutiiner groups."

Jhonny nodded, then turned to Alice. "What do you think?" he asked.

Alice looked at the holographic monitor projecting data from Moon Shark's device. "This is a great victory. But we can't let our guard down. Even if we've destroyed their base, some of them must still be out there, and we don't know how much power they have left."

"True," Jhonny agreed. "But for now, we have the advantage."

While the technicians were busy with their analysis, the atmosphere at The Jackal's headquarters was full of life. Members cheered and praised each other for their bravery in battle. Some of them had already begun testing the new weapons they had looted, including the high-powered plasma rifles and energy shields they had found at Moon Shark's base.

However, this triumphant mood did not last long.

*****

A few hours later, Jhonny called a large meeting in the main room of the base. All members of The Jackals, including those who had just joined from Moon Shark, gathered in the spacious room. The walls were covered with emblems and symbols of their group pride. There was restlessness in the air, although the new members from Moon Shark seemed calm on the surface, Alice could sense that not all of them were completely loyal to Jhonny.

Jhonny stepped to the front of the room, his gaze stern yet imposing. He was a respected leader, but also someone who knew how to maintain a balance between strength and wisdom.

"We've won a major battle today," Jhonny began in a loud voice that broke the silence. "The Moon Sharks have been destroyed, and now they have nowhere to turn. Some of them have chosen to join us-they will become part of The Jackal. But let me emphasize one thing: You must show loyalty. Under the banner of The Jackal, we are all the same, no exceptions."

Alice stood beside Jhonny, watching the new recruits. Some of them looked uneasy, like they weren't entirely comfortable with the situation. She noticed a well-built man with a scarred face standing in the front row. The man, who had once been one of the commanders in Moon Shark, did not look happy about this change in power.

"We never agreed to submit to The Jackal," the man exclaimed suddenly, his voice full of anger. The few former Moon Shark members around him seemed to agree, their faces hard and full of defiance. "We don't fight to be slaves to another group!"

Anxiety spread throughout the room. The members of The Jackal instantly geared up, their hands slowly making their way to their respective weapons. Alice felt the tension mounting.

Jhonny remained calm, but his eyes were sharp, looking directly at the man. "We're not forcing anyone to stay," he said slowly. "You can choose to leave, but remember this, leaving The Jackal means you'll have no protection. The world out there doesn't care about you. You know how brutal other raiders can be."

The man grinned. "I'd rather die out there than follow your orders. we would never watch someone we hate and for what reason we think our pride is greater than that."

Alice observed the man closely. She knew this situation could lead to violence at any time. She placed her hands on her waist, where her automatic whip was ready to be used if needed.

Jhonny who despite facing this rejection, did not back down in the slightest. "You're not a fool, so don't act like one. This is your chance to stay alive, to be part of a group that will control more territory. If you choose to resist, that's your own decision."

A few seconds passed, long enough for me to feel that time had passed too long even though it was hyperbole. The tension there was getting tense, and the whole room seemed to stop breathing, waiting for the man's decision.

There are many things that cannot be forced but if things like this continue to be ignored then it will have an impact or butterfly effect one day.

However, before the man could answer, a voice from the entrance was heard. Several members of The Jackal who had just returned from a reconnaissance mission appeared breathless and brought bad news. "Jhonny!" one of them called out anxiously. "We have a problem. There's another group approaching. It looks like they're taking advantage of the situation."

Jhonny's face turned serious. He turned to Alice. "It looks like this battle isn't over yet."

Alice nodded. "Who are they?"

Alice also looked very curious, she really wanted to know that because of the drastic changes in the atmosphere there, like a rollercoaster that goes up and down, but for here the feeling was a continuous rise in nervousness, like the endless peaks of a rollercoaster.

"Another group of robbers. We don't know for sure yet, but they seem organized. They probably already know that Moon Shark has fallen."

Jhonny clenched his fists. "Damn. They're coming to fight over what's left."

Alice could feel her heart racing. Their victory had just been tasted, but now a new threat had emerged. And this time, they might be facing a tougher enemy than the Moon Shark.

"What should we do?" asked Alice, looking at Jhonny with curiosity and some concern.

Jhonny looked around the room, at the new members who were not yet fully loyal, at the old members who were ready to fight at any time. "We prepare our defenses. But more importantly, we need to know who we can trust here."

Alice knew that this battle would be different. The threat from outside came quickly, but the threat inside would probably be more deadly.