Wolfie did not return home for the night, instead staying over at the Wolves’ location. This is nothing special, because both the show and his fans know that he likes to play games overnight. When he visits to play he often stays over as well. There’s been occasions when he spent the night at Piers’ and also visit his old companions, so nobody is alerted.
Despite convincing himself so, Wolfie still feels anxious.
“Hm? Nervous?”
Alpha sees how he is rolling about unable to sleep, he pulls him up for a talk.
Other werewolves have all fallen asleep. They have been on the battlefield, so they would treasure every minute and every second that they could rest. They have already developed the skill to fall asleep anywhere and any time. In preparation for their operation a few hours later, they’ve slept early. Wolfie is still young, not yet used to a pace like this.
Wolves are nocturnal. Sundown is the time they come out for food, for hunt, for activities. Men are the opposite; while there are night owls, they mostly move about by day. Werewolves who are a combination of the two tend more to the former. They like the serenity of the night when it isn’t so noisy.
While watching the night lights of the City, none of the two werewolves, neither the older nor the younger one speaks for a while.
Alpha has already gone over their operational plan. At 2 in the morning, when the show’s staff are turning over their shifts, they would break their bracelets. They’re familiar with the military and its garrisons. So when they quickly ambush Outer City and escape, they will acquire freedom.
Wolfie has a blanked out expression, “I hate it here, but the moment I’m leaving forever, I feel conflicted.”
“Something you can’t let go of? Or someone?”
“I’m not missing that person at all.”
Alpha looks at him. He wanted to mention games at first, but the little guy is so honest he blurts it out with just a little poke. Maybe he’s been suppressing himself for too long.
“Bright is weird! He’s very strong, but his heart is also soft. Sometimes I think what he’s doing is stupid, like treating someone affectionately, kindly, being caring and all that. But he also makes me afraid, because he can also take away those emotions in the blink of an eye, become defensive against someone he used to care for so much, abandon them without hesitation.” Wolfie is referring to Hope. He doesn’t really like the bratty kid, per se, but they’ve interacted so much that they have formed a relationship. He feels unfair for Hope whenever he sees his unquestioning trust for Bright. Maybe it’s because they’re both artificially created, so he’s projecting himself onto him.
What Wolfie has said is a bit messy, there are contradicting points. Alpha knows what he is conflicted about is not in his thought process, but in emotion. Wolfie holds complex emotions towards number 199. He’s attracted and can’t help but approach him, but still tries to distance himself for various reasons.
The same way he is towards that person .
That human that has fallen in love with him and so is willingly manipulated by him.
Towards his affections, he first thought of it in disdain and wariness, then from understanding to familiarising, towards trust in the end… Only Alpha knows how torn he is every step of the way.
If he leads his pack to run away, what would happen to him?
Alpha’s heart softens for a moment, but then it toughens as quickly as possible.
As the leader, he is carrying too much on his shoulders. He cannot be allowed to have excessive personal relationships.
Suddenly, Alpha shoots up, his muscles tensed up. He can hear something rapidly approaching, and then Wolfie is alerted as well.
It’s almost time for the operation, and it is exactly when the werewolves are the tensest. Alpha immediately has Wolfie wake up all their companions and jumps onto the roof himself. He just so happens to see a person wrapped in a robe with a black balaclava on his head jump from a roof 20 metres away onto his.
“It’s me.” Bright says, gesturing that he means no harm.
Alpha’s pupils dilate rapidly. He has a great vision in low visibility, and can immediately see that Bright has no bracelet on. His chest tightens, realising there must have been an unexpected circumstance, “let’s talk inside.”
Bright doesn’t have much time. He tells them what he knows as quickly as possible.
Realising that they may have a traitor among them, Wolfie, who unquestioningly trusts his companions says in a forceful tone, “why should we believe you? You would even betray children.”
He is saying it in such a bitter tone that Bright can’t help but look at him. He didn’t expect Wolfie to care about Hope so much, so he explains lightly, “this and… are unrelated.” He has other plans for Hope. Wolfie also knows what’s important at hand, and doesn’t push him further on this.
Bright then tells Alpha, “I don’t have to take such a great risk to lie to you. We’re facing a common enemy and what’s best for us both is to look out for each other. The best outcome for me is that you are successful, of course.”
Alpha asks, “what do you propose?”
“We cooperate. I know a way that goes outside the City; you all depart immediately.”
“But…” A werewolf interjects, “it just so happens the Outer City military has machinery we need that they’re shipping out tomorrow.”
Bright furrows his brows. It goes without saying that those are for creating more of their kind. He disagrees, “this will severely impact your mobility.”
The werewolves know that, of course, but technology Outside is extremely outdated. Just having the techniques but not the equipment won’t do either. For werewolves, this would have meant that they only had freedom but no future. It would have been entirely pointless.
A disagreement in their opinions, so everyone looks at Alpha, waiting for his decision.
The atmosphere is tense. Their operation cannot afford delays. Alpha is sweating on his forehead. The sweat collects into a drop and slides down slowly. Wolfie’s is holding his breath. He is actually more supportive of Bright’s view as he does not wish to see any more of his companions perish.
In the end, Alpha breathes out, saying, “we give up on the equipment and immediately move out.”
Bright sketches the entrance and the topology of the underground water system for them. Meanwhile, the werewolves have decided to execute their escape plan at the time they originally planned to assault the military, in order to confuse their enemies.
Before leaving, Bright gave it some thought so he asks, “who told you this information in the first place? It is highly likely there’s a trap laid out in the military and you wouldn’t have made it back.”
Alpha has a really dark expression, though he is calm. He knows what Bright is suspicious about. This is too much of a coincidence that there just so happens to be a set of equipment and machinery the werewolves needed right at this moment inside the military. It is as if a bait for the werewolves to fall for.
“Analyst.” Alpha spits out a name, unable to mask the sarcastic tone in his own voice.
Bright can tell something is wrong in his expression. Perhaps it is someone the leader of the werewolves trusted very much before. He does not dig further and instead focuses on the operation at hand, “ As long as the green hills last, there'll always be wood to burn. “
The werewolves’ top priority should be in preserving their strength. They are not many in number now, and they can’t afford to lose anyone; they can talk about the proliferation of their species afterwards.
Bright talks with Alpha alone, and quickly works out some details.
“What are your plans?” Alpha points to his hand, where there is no bracelet. He thought the man would be escaping with them.
“I have my own things to take care of.” Bright hasn’t broken the positioning device on his bracelet, so the staff of the show still thinks he’s in Inner City. While making his way here he asked Ococo to help keep an eye on the show’s surveillance of him.
While Ococo was concerned, she heard how serious Bright sounded and did as he asked. The moment she investigated, she figured out that there were many people looking at the contestants’ movements that time. It was so scary that she almost wanted to kneel down at Bright in exasperation.
The poor agent is frantically messaging him, “the atmosphere at the show is strange. There are many people not from the show coming here. I think the military is involved, don’t do anything tonight!!! Stay with your patron!!!” She used several exclamation marks for emphasis.
This settles Bright’s worries. The moment he received the news from Ococo he’s already at Alpha’s place. He left his bracelet at Hopkin’s, and as expected, nobody discovered that. Bright has studied the bracelet already, and it is designed against being hacked into through its positioning system by separating all the different devices inside into unconnected systems. Breaking it did not affect the positioning. While the design was to maximise the bracelet’s security, it ended up becoming useful for Bright’s plans and helped him secure an alibi instead.
At the same time, Ococo’s message proves that the people of the City are well prepared for the operation of the werewolves tonight.
The longer he stays behind the easier it would be for people to discover he’s not in Inner City. Bright wears his disguise quickly and prepares to leave. He was stopped by Wolfie at the entrance, however.
“You’re not leaving with us?” Wolfie is shocked.
“I can’t leave yet.” His most significant other is still inside.
Wolfie looks at him, perplexed, “did you seriously fall in love with your patron?”
Alpha seems to recall something, and his expression shifts slightly. Wolfie is focused on Bright, however, and does not notice it.
“Who told you that?” Bright asks.
“Piers. He said there’s something wrong with the way you’re looking at that person.”
Bright smiles, neither admitting nor denying. He gives his blessings to Wolfie, and then returns quickly.
For the whole City, this was an unusual night.
It was the same for Hopkin as well.
He is fucked unconscious, and then fucked awake. In his muddled mind, he can feel the man ploughing diligently on him. He lifts his hand up, as if to chase away some annoying bug, but lays it on the other person’s chest softly. The man’s body is hot, sweating, even, as if he has been having intense physical exercise for a long time.
“Sleep… I’m sleepy…”
“Just a little bit longer…”
“…” After a short while of intense charging, Hopkin can feel the man has pulled out from him. Then there is a sound of water in the bathroom. He’s probably taking a shower. Then he came back, lying beside him.
Sleep overtakes him, and Hopkin sinks deep into dreamland.
The next day, Hopkin is woken up by the smart chip’s notifications.
Damn it! Hopkin opens his eyes in irritation. He was expended hard by Bright yesterday. He is extremely exhausted. He wanted to have a good rest, but he got woken up instead.
It’s Director. He says, “the werewolves have escaped.” A faked calmness that is trying desperately to mask shame and fury can be heard in his tone.
Hopkin sits up immediately upon hearing that, all of his sleepiness gone.
“What’s wrong?” Bright also gets up following him, asking with his eyes, a look of concern on him.
Hopkin furrows his brows, focusing on what Director is saying. He walks out of the bedroom, avoiding Bright.
“What happened exactly?” The voices move away.
“Mm. He was with me all night long last night…”
Bright touches the bracelet on his hands. It looks the same as usual, but he actually stuck it back on with strong adhesive. The data monitoring him showed no abnormalities, and with Hopkin’s testimony, it has become a perfect alibi, and he is clear of any suspicion.
Only, that he had to deceive Hopkin. He feels apologetic.
He withstands the dull pain in his chest, and sighs.
When the voices outside stop, Bright walks out of the room. He sees Hopkin crossing his arms as if in thought.
Bright does not interrupt him. He pours a glass of water for him and starts washing himself up.