When Rex and the rest of the crew reached Leo’s location, they found him standing beside his rig. Water streamed from an overhead pipe, washing thick layers of dust and grime off the bodywork. In one hand, Leo held the hose, while the other worked a sponge across the metal in steady, patient circles.
Rex pulled up a few steps short. He shot a glance over his shoulder at Valentine, tilting his head toward Leo.
’Your turn.’
Valentine stared back, her expression flat. She stepped forward and delivered a sharp kick right to his calf.
Rex lurched sideways, barely keeping his balance, and whirled around with a look of pure betrayal.
’What are you doing?’
Valentine pointed an icy finger at Leo, glaring.
’Go talk to him.’
Rex’s eyes went wide.
’That wasn’t the plan!’
Her glare hardened. Rex knew better than to push his luck; arguing with her only ever made things worse.
With a heavy, miserable sigh, he turned toward Leo and threw up a hand.
"Hey, best friend! What are you up to?"
Leo didn’t turn around, casting only a side-glance over his shoulder.
"Washing my truck."
Rex looked at the running water, then at the suds in Leo’s hand.
"Really? I thought you were performing some kind of secret ritual."
Leo twisted the valve shut, cutting the flow.
"Yes. I’m praying for some pests to stay away from here."
Rex nodded, keeping his face deadpan.
"Ah, I see. And when will the ritual be complete?"
"When you leave."
Rex pressed a hand over his chest.
"That hurts, best friend."
"Dont worry, with your thick skin ,you’ll survive."
"I’m not so sure. Your words have wounded me deeply."
Leo turned back to the armor plating and resumed scrubbing.
"Then stop talking. The wound will heal itself."
Rex turned to the rest of the group, spreading his arms wide in defeat.
"See? This is how he treats his best friend."
Cyrus let out a long sigh.
"Can we get to the reason we came here?"
Rex waved a dismissive hand.
"Relax, Captain. We’re building a friendly atmosphere."
"You’ve been doing that for five minutes," Valentine said, her voice dry as dust.
Rex opened his mouth to offer a retort, but Valentine gave him a look that promised trouble. He turned right back around.
The rest of the crew drifted closer, their eyes wandering over the heavy contours of the vehicle. Valentine was about to drag Rex back on track when he spoke up again.
"So, best friend, how’s life treating you?"
Leo didn’t break his rhythm.
"Better before you arrived."
Rex pressed a hand against his heart.
"Cruel. Absolutely cruel."
Valentine cleared her throat with a sharp rasp.
"Ahem."
Rex froze. After glancing between Valentine and Leo, he finally remembered why they had come.
"Oh, right. We actually came here to—"
Before the sentence could leave his mouth, Nina darted past him. Her eyes shone as she reached the side of the vehicle.
"Whoa..."
She pressed both palms flush against the heavy armor.
"This isn’t ordinary steel or alloy."
She dropped into a squat to inspect the thick rubber of the tires, then paced toward the front grille.
"This material is much stronger."
She traced a finger along the seam of a massive metal plate.
"What is it made of?"
Her chin snapped up, eyes bright with excitement.
"I heard this truck can transform into a combat vehicle."
She stepped closer to Leo, words tumbling out in a rush.
"Can you show me?"
Leo stood still, staring at her. Nina kept going without taking a breath.
"How does the transformation work?"
"Does it have an internal reactor?"
"Are the weapons connected to the main system?"
"Can I take a look inside?"
Leo lowered the sponge inch by inch while the questions poured out like belt-fed gunfire.
"Does it have a control room?"
"Can I drive it?"
Leo raised a single hand.
"It’s a secret."
Nina went dead still. Her excitement vanished into a pout.
"Secret?"
Leo gave a quiet nod.
Rex leaned over her shoulder.
"Don’t worry. If you ask him another hundred questions, he might reveal one answer."
Nina hauled back her heavy wrench and swung it straight at his head. Rex leaped backward just in time.
"Hey! Violence isn’t the solution!"
"It is when you’re involved!"
Leo decided to step in before a brawl broke out.
"This isn’t a truck."
He ran a hand over the cool metal surface.
"She has a name."
Nina’s face lit up again.
"Her name is Storm."
Nina stared at the machine, her smile spreading wide.
"Storm..."
"What a cool name!"
Rex scratched his chin, looking puzzled.
"Wait a second."
He looked from Leo to the massive vehicle.
"Why is it a she?"
Leo offered a quiet glance.
"Shouldn’t it be a he?"
The whole group went silent. Leo didn’t need a moment to think.
"She takes care of me."
He gave the side of the truck an affectionate pat.
"She can also do all the things a lady does."
Rex blinked, completely lost.
"What does that even mean?"
Leo stated it like plain fact:
"So she’s a she."
Rex stared at him for a few seconds, tried to process the logic, and gave up with a shrug.
"Whatever."
Nina nodded along, perfectly serious.
"I think it suits her."
Rex gave her a strange look.
"You’re taking this seriously?"
"Of course." Nina crossed her arms. "She has a cool name, unlike you."
Rex poked a thumb against his chest.
"My name is Rex!"
"Exactly," Nina shot back.
Grandpa Jiro broke into a booming laugh while Valentine pressed two fingers against her forehead, warding off an impending headache.
Rex took a slow breath and decided to let the insult slide. He turned back toward Leo, pulling his posture upright.
"Anyway, we came here to ask you something."
Leo looked over.
"What is it?"
Rex squared his shoulders, trying his best to sound official.
"Would you like to officially join the Freedom Convoy?"
Leo’s face remained still. The offer was no surprise; after everything that had gone down during the fight, he knew they would approach him sooner or later.
However, before he could answer—
RUMBLE!
A low thrum of heavy engines shook the dirt beneath their boots.
Everyone turned toward the noise. Dozens of dark military vehicles surged off the main road, sliding into a tight perimeter around Leo and the convoy crew. Doors slammed open as heavily armed soldiers poured out, taking tactical positions that blocked off every route of escape.
The air turned stiff and dangerous.
Rex’s smirk vanished. Nina ducked behind Leo. Grandpa Jiro’s hand drifted down to his side. Cyrus narrowed his eyes, tracking the perimeter, while Valentine held her ground as faint sparks of lightning crackled across her knuckles.
The wall of soldiers parted down the middle.
A single man stepped through the gap.
Colonel Adrian.
He looked nothing like he had during the battle. There were no bandages, no bloodstains on his uniform, and no sign of the grueling injuries he had sustained earlier.
Adrian stopped right in front of Leo and the members of the Freedom Convoy. His expression was cold stone.
Silence settled over the surroundings.
What had started as a casual conversation had turned into a standoff.