Eventually, they reached the edge of the market square, where a rugged-looking tavern leaned against the hillside. Music and chatter poured from its windows. Tsuki paused at the door, eyes narrowing.
Just before they entered, a hooded man stepped out from the shadow of the alley beside the building. A gray half-mask covered the lower half of his face—different from Memento's sleek design.
His eyes locked onto Reji.
"You," he said in a gruff voice. "You're Reji."
Reji blinked. "What—how do you know that?"
The man turned to the others, his gaze stopping on Tsuki's mask.
"And you... the ones in the cloaks. That's Memento's mark, isn't it?"
Tsuki gave a small nod, keeping her focused eyes on the figure.
The man lowered his hood just slightly. "Good. Then come with me. Someone's been waiting a long time to meet you."
Without waiting for a reply, he turned and pushed open the tavern doors.
The squad exchanged a glance, then followed.
Inside, the tavern was packed—laughter, clinking mugs, and a bard tuning a dusty lute filled the air. But the hooded man wasted no time weaving through the crowd toward a hallway in the back. At the end was a door, nearly hidden behind barrels and torn APC posters.
He looked both ways, then reached for a torch bracket on the wall.
With a click, the torch holder shifted, and the wall creaked open—revealing a narrow passage swallowed in darkness.
Tsuki's hand tightened around her mask.
"Well," Geo muttered, "this doesn't feel ominous at all."
Reji took a step forward.
The hooded man turned. "Your father's waiting."
The secret passage groaned open, revealing a tight stairwell descending into pitch black.
Ringo peered over Reji's shoulder. "Your father must love sketchy rooms, Reji. You sure this ain't where they store the corpses?"
The hooded man didn't respond. He stepped inside first, torch in hand, and began descending.
Reji hesitated, eyes flicking to Tsuki. "You think this is real? My dad… might actually be down there?"
Tsuki gave a soft nod. "It's possible. And if it's a trap…" She glanced at Geo, who cracked his knuckles. "We're not exactly easy to ambush."
"Fair enough," Reji muttered. He took a deep breath and began to follow the man before Hatori stepped in front.
"I'll go first."
The squad nodded before they descended behind him. The air grew colder with each step, the stone walls sweating moisture, the narrow tunnel lit only by the flickering flame ahead. A low hum vibrated faintly beneath their feet—machinery, maybe, or distant mining equipment.
Geo ran his fingers along the wall. "We must be under the old mining district. These tunnels were built during the early expansion of Jon—back when Alden relied on Jon's ore for everything from weapons to transport rails."
"Wait, Jon used to be important?" Ringo asked.
Geo gave a sideways grin. "Very. Until Zimala took over the gemstone monopoly and Riche started cornering sea trade. Jon became more... disposable."
Tsuki ran a hand across the wall, the claw marks of tools from years ago still visible. The place had been stripped of everything.
Azumi added, "The APC doesn't want self-sufficient places like this rising up. Easier to control when people are desperate."
They reached a reinforced iron door at the bottom of the steps. The hooded man knocked four times—then twice more.
A metal slit slid open, and a pair of cautious eyes peered through. A voice rang out from behind the iron door.
"Identify."
The hooded man turned slightly. "It's me. I found the boy. And Memento."
The slit closed. A series of locks clicked from within, gears turning. The door creaked open slowly, revealing a spacious underground room—stone walls reinforced with old steel braces, crates stacked high with supplies, and maps of Jon and the surrounding trade routes pinned to corkboards. Lanterns lit the chamber in a warm gold glow.
A man stood at the center table, a rough beard across his face, his coat dusted with minerals and earth. He looked up—his eyes wide.
"Reji?"
"Dad?" Reji breathed.
They ran to each other, the father kneeling to catch his son in a tight hug.
"Are you okay?" he asked, checking Reji's arms, face, everything.
"I'm fine," Reji smiled. "They helped me. These people… they're from Memento."
The man stood slowly, gaze settling on Tsuki and the others. "So the rumors were true. The resistance reached Jon." He rubbed his hands together.
"Sorry for the confusion, I'm Durango, Reji's father. Also the reason the APC has doubled patrols here within the last month."
Tsuki stepped forward. "You've been fighting in the dark, we're here to bring it to the light."
Geo crossed his arms. "But we need your help. And Jon's. The APC still has firm roots here. Fear, too."
The man gave a grim nod. "The people are ready. But scared. Some still trust the Council, others think rebellion will just lead to more bloodshed. I've been using trade routes and shipping logs to destabilize their grip. Minerals meant for Zimala have been getting… lost. Riche's deliveries delayed. But it's not enough."
"It will be," Reji said suddenly. "You always said people need something to believe in. Memento's here. Isn't that the sign?"
The man looked at his son—then at the squad.
"Maybe it is," he said softly. "Maybe it's time to show them the Ghost isn't just a legend."
The father turned back to the table and gestured at a large map pinned with red and black markers. "Let me show you where the APC moves their convoys. You help us strike there, and we'll have the whole district's attention."
Tsuki stepped forward. "Lead the way."
The dim lanternlight flickered as everyone gathered around the massive table. The map of Jon District was sprawling—roads etched in black ink, with red circles drawn over key intersections. Little flags marked known APC strongholds, trade routes, and outposts.
Reji stood just beside his father, still wide-eyed as he took it all in.
"These," the man said, pointing to three red marks near the southern ridge, "are APC mineral convoys. They move ore and precious stones out of Jon and into the hands of the Council. Most go west to Central or north through the mountain pass to Riche."
Azumi leaned in. "How heavily are they guarded?"
"Very," he answered. "Especially since the council's gotten wind of smuggling attempts. Lately they've been adding Stalkers to the escort crews. The one moving out tomorrow morning—just before sunrise—is our best shot."
He jabbed a finger at a winding road snaking out of the lower mines. "This route here leads into the forest trail—narrow, rocky, and hard to maneuver. If you're going to hit them, that's where."
"Ambush position," Knoxx murmured. "Natural choke point."
Tsuki studied the terrain. "What's the cargo?"
"Uncut gemstones and solenite deposits—used for weapon crafting, ability reinforcement, council infrastructure… and, rumor has it, Aldenias. Enough coin to finance a small city."
Geo grinned. "Steal from the empire, fund the rebellion. I like it."
The man nodded. "We hit them hard, take the shipment, and make it public. We'll distribute some to the people, some to Memento, and leave a message for Jon's councilman Gogi: Jon isn't his anymore."
Reji stepped forward. "I want to help."
His father looked at him, expression hard to read. "You've already helped more than you know."
"But I'm not scared," Reji insisted. "Not anymore."
Ringo rested an elbow on the boy's shoulder. "Kid's got more guts than half the recruits we get in Persetta."
His father sighed. "Fine. You stay close to me. We'll go together and retrieve the other elders tomorrow."
Reji nodded quickly.
The squad continued plotting—rendezvous times, escape routes, signals. Hatori took note of every detail with his usual quiet precision. Azumi and Knoxx discussed possible flanking patterns while Ringo cheekily suggested bait tactics involving himself being "fake captured" in a wagon.
As the room buzzed with preparations, Tsuki drifted slightly from the group, eyes scanning the stone walls. She couldn't shake the feeling that something was off—like the air itself had tensed.
She stepped over to the map pinned on the back wall—a detailed web of council presence across Jon and nearby territories.
That's when she noticed it.
A second map—half-buried under old ledgers and crates. It was the same one. But the council routes were highlighted… in ink not used by the man or anyone present. The marks were fresh.
She turned back toward the group. "Someone's been feeding information to the APC."
Geo looked up, suddenly alert. "Here?"
"Here," Tsuki confirmed, her voice low but sharp.
"How do you figure?" Geo asked.
Tsuki gripped the map and returned to the table with the others. They gazed at the marked routes and plans as she spoke.
"Found this. Purposefully hidden."
The father's face darkened. "That map was locked in the supply crate. Who else had access?" He sat in thought for a minute before speaking again.
"Just me… and two other runners." He paused. "Wait. No—one of them, Kerdin—he's been gone since yesterday. Claimed he was heading to the outer camps, haven't seen him since."
Knoxx swore under his breath. "If he warned the convoy, they'll be waiting for us."
"No," Tsuki said. "That makes this more important."
Azumi nodded. "We can't back out now. If they're reinforcing, it means they're afraid."
"We move," Hatori agreed. "Dawn. Silent and surgical."
Reji's voice was quiet, but firm. "We'll make them regret ever stepping foot in Jon."
His father looked at him with a small, proud smile.
"Yeah," he said. "We will."