Boss Lin didn’t miss a beat. He stared Director Quinn dead in the eye and nodded.

“He’s right. He’s already Vanguard property. You don’t have the authority to touch him.”

Director Quinn hesitated, the confidence draining from his posture. He snapped his fingers at his assistant. “Run a check. See if Jax is in the Vanguard database.”

The assistant nodded and turned to leave, but Boss Lin raised a hand.

“Save your breath. The application went through yesterday. I just haven’t had time to file the physical copy up the chain yet.”

Director Quinn let out a sharp, incredulous laugh. “Boss Lin, are you playing me? You expect me to believe the paperwork just happens to be delayed? You’re obviously stalling to help him escape.”

Boss Lin’s expression turned frosty. “Director Quinn, I don’t joke about Redrock business. The convoy from the Bastion is due any minute. If you want to stick around and accuse me of lying to the conglomerates, be my guest.”

He turned his back on the official, clapping a hand on Jax’s shoulder. “Let’s go, brother. We’ll wait inside for the transport.”

Outside the tent, Quinn stood frozen, his face flushing with anger. He was a Director of the Guild Hub, a man of status, yet Lin had dismissed him like a nuisance. But his hands were tied. Lin was Helios Syndicate—untouchable in this sector. And if Jax really was Vanguard… interfering with a Redrock military operation was a good way to disappear permanently.

Quinn sighed, signaling his men to stand down. “Pack it up. We’re leaving.”

“Director!” Butch shouldered his way through the crowd, his face twisted in disbelief. “You’re just walking away? You haven’t even cuffed him!”

Quinn glared at the thug. “Use your head. Do you think I can arrest a Vanguard recruit?”

“The evidence is right there!” Butch spat, pointing at the tent. “Who cares who he signed up with? If you let him walk, he’s going to come back for us. You’re endangering every guild in the Sprawl!”

“I think you’re confused about the hierarchy here,” Quinn said, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. “The Vanguard is funded by the ruling families of Redrock Bastion. If I interfere, I take the fall. You paid me to arrest a drifter, not to start a war with a megacorp. Deal with your own mess.”

Quinn turned on his heel and marched away.

Butch stood fuming for a moment, his mind racing. His eyes darted to Officer Walker, who was bringing up the rear of the retreating formation. Butch lunged forward and grabbed Walker’s arm.

“Walker, hold up. I need intel.”

Walker shook him off, annoyed. “I’m not arresting him, Butch. Quinn outranks me.”

“Forget the arrest,” Butch said, forcing a grin. “I just want to know… who’s running this show? Which faction is backing the Vanguard?”

Walker glanced around, then lowered his voice. “It’s a joint operation funded by one of the major conglomerates. I don’t know which one, but they have deep pockets and deep connections. They’re terrified of the incoming Insect Swarm, so they’re throwing bodies at Mount Sepulcher to scout it out.”

“Is it tight?” Butch asked, his eyes narrowing. “Or is it just a mob walking into the mountains? Will the recruits scatter once they hit the wasteland?”

“Scatter?” Walker scoffed. “You think the corps are stupid? Every Vanguard unit is overseen by an Awakened. You don’t run from an Awakened.”

Butch’s eyes lit up. A plan—toxic and reckless—began to form in his gut. “How… how does one sign up?”

Walker stared at him like he had grown a second head. “Do you have a death wish?”

“No, no,” Butch waved his hands, laughing nervously. “Just curious. Asking for a friend.”

“It’s a suicide run,” Walker warned, his expression grim. “Mortality rate is fifty percent on a good day. Usually higher. If you don’t have a reason to die, stay away.”

Butch nodded slowly. He didn’t know much about the politics of the Bastion or the Sprawl. He was a thug from the slums who knew only one law: violence. But he knew that in the Sprawl, a man could reinvent himself. A murderer could become a hero; a beggar could become a king. The law here was fluid.

But he also knew the oldest rule of the wasteland: If you don’t crush the snake’s head, it will bite you in the night.

Jax was the snake. And Butch wasn’t about to let him slither away into the safety of the Vanguard.

“Thanks, Walker,” Butch said.

“If you had a brother forced into that meat grinder, you wouldn’t be asking so many questions,” Walker muttered, turning his back and walking away.

Butch watched him go, his knuckles whitening. He stood there for a long minute, calculating the odds.

“Third Brother…” A timid voice broke his concentration.

Viper, the traitor, shuffled forward, rubbing his hands together. “About our deal… I testified. You said you’d get me into the Iron Spear Syndicate.”

Butch looked at the sniveling man. A cruel smile spread across his face.

“You’re right. I did say that.” Butch clapped a heavy hand on Viper’s shoulder. “You’re with me now. Come on back to the base. We have work to do.”

Viper beamed, bowing repeatedly. “Thank you, Third Brother! I won’t let you down!”

“I know,” Butch said, his voice devoid of warmth.

Inside the Helios tent.

The tension had bled out of the room, replaced by a somber quiet. Barnaby stood in the corner, staring mournfully at a cup of melted ice cream.

Boss Lin poured two cups of water and slid one across the table to Jax.

“You’ve got a pair on you, kid,” Lin sighed, collapsing into his chair. “But you shouldn’t have done it. You have no idea what the Vanguard is. It’s not a military unit; it’s a disposal service.”

Jax took a sip of water. “Is it really that bad?”

“Bad?” Lin scoffed. “They call it the ‘Dare-to-Die’ corps for a reason. You’re going to Mount Sepulcher—ground zero for the infestation. Half the team dies before they even reach the objective. The rest usually die trying to complete it. Why do you think they recruit criminals and desperate men?”

He pulled back the tent flap a fraction, checking the street. “Looks like Quinn is gone. But you’re still stuck. Once the Redrock transport gets here, you’re their property.”

Lin checked his watch nervously. “I hope Sawyer gets here soon. If he can pull some strings…”

“Don’t worry about it,” Jax said, his voice calm. “I knew the risks when I signed up. I’m not planning on dying.”

“You don’t get it,” Lin leaned in, his voice dropping. “It’s not just the insects. It’s the Awakened. They send super-soldiers to ‘supervise’ the mission. If you try to run, they kill you. If you slow them down, they kill you. To them, Vanguard grunts are just cannon fodder. Human shields to trip the traps and feed the bugs.”

Jax nodded slowly. He had suspected as much. The system was rigged against the weak. But he wasn’t planning on staying weak.

“There is one thing,” Jax said, setting his cup down. “I need a favor.”

“Name it,” Lin said without hesitation. “If I can do it, it’s done.”

Jax gestured to Barnaby. “Barney isn’t built for this. He’s innocent. I need you to transport him to Sector 33. Get him out of here.”

“Sector 33?” Lin raised an eyebrow but nodded. “Consider it done. But are you sure about the Vanguard? I can still try to call in a favor with the Helios family. We might be able to buy out your contract, get you off the list.”

Jax shook his head.

The Helios Syndicate was a powerful shield, but nothing in the wasteland was free. A favor of that magnitude would turn Jax into a servant of the family, indebted to them for life. He needed to build his own power, not borrow someone else’s.

“No,” Jax said firmly. “I’ll handle the Vanguard.”