Chapter 122: The Family That Survived

The reinforced doors of the D’Aubigné family’s training facility opened with a heavy mechanical rumble, revealing a brightly illuminated corridor beyond the entrance.

Jet stood beside Cassian, watching as the enormous steel panels slowly separated. His clothes were still stained with blood, and the brief fighting outside had aggravated several injuries that Safiya had treated earlier.

Nevertheless, the sight of the opening doors brought an enormous sense of relief.

After everything that had happened over the past two days, he was finally going to see Frey again.

Several armed security personnel emerged from the corridor, followed by a tall, distinguished man whose usually immaculate appearance had suffered considerably during the siege.

Laurent wore a wrinkled shirt beneath a protective vest, and exhaustion was evident around his eyes.

"Captain Adesewa," Laurent greeted, approaching with an expression of unmistakable gratitude. "I don’t know how to thank you. We were beginning to wonder whether anyone would reach us before the defensive formations collapsed."

Adesewa accepted his handshake. "Your family survived because you prepared this facility properly, Mr. D’Aubigné. My team merely removed the immediate threat. Unfortunately, we don’t have much time to celebrate."

Laurent’s expression became serious, but before he could respond, his attention shifted toward Jet.

"Jet, thank goodness," Laurent exclaimed, placing a hand on the young man’s shoulder. "Frey told us about the explosion at your apartment. We’ve been worried about you and Inez."

"We both made it out," Jet assured him, managing a tired smile. "Inez is somewhere safe with people I trust."

Laurent released a relieved breath. "I’m glad to hear that. Come inside. Frey’s been asking about you since your call."

Jet followed him through the corridor, with Adesewa and Cassian walking behind them. The facility’s interior was considerably more impressive than its entrance suggested.

Reinforced walls lined the passages, security cameras monitored every intersection, and several protective formations continued humming beneath the floors.

However, even this underground fortress bore signs of the siege. Some lights flickered intermittently, emergency supplies had been stacked along the corridors, and exhausted security personnel occupied temporary defensive positions.

Laurent led them toward the medical wing.

Inside a spacious treatment chamber, Frey sat beside a large healing pool, his left arm secured in a brace while fresh bandages covered his chest.

The moment he noticed Jet entering, his face brightened.

"Well, look who finally decided to show up," Frey announced, leaning back against his chair. "I was starting to think you’d abandoned your handsome, incredibly talented best friend."

Jet stopped in the doorway and stared at him.

"Handsome?" Jet repeated incredulously. "You look like someone dragged you through a meat grinder and forgot to put you back together."

Frey placed his uninjured hand against his chest, pretending to be offended. "That’s a terrible thing to say to a wounded man, Jet. I nearly died protecting my family, and this is the emotional support I receive?"

Jet approached with a grin. "You were complaining about being the most valuable member of our friendship yesterday. I figured a little suffering might finally make you humble."

"Unfortunately for you, my confidence is completely indestructible," Frey replied, smiling broadly.

Jet chuckled, but his expression softened when he noticed how carefully Frey was holding himself. The bruises around his neck, the medical brace, and the faint discomfort accompanying every breath made it clear that his friend was still far from recovered.

"Seriously, though," Jet said, pulling a chair beside him. "I’m glad you’re alive, Frey."

Frey’s smile became more genuine. "Same here, brother. When I heard what happened to your apartment, I thought I’d lost you."

For a moment, neither spoke.

Then Frey examined Jet’s bandaged arm and bruised face.

"Although, judging by your appearance, whoever attacked you clearly won the argument," Frey remarked.

Jet rolled his eyes. "Keep talking, and I’ll tell Safiya to replace your medicine with something that tastes like rotten vegetables."

Their laughter was interrupted when Celeste entered the chamber with her two younger children.

"Jet!" Celeste exclaimed, immediately approaching him. "Oh, thank goodness you’re safe!"

Before Jet could respond, she embraced him carefully, mindful of his injuries. He had known Frey’s mother for years, but the genuine relief in her voice still caught him off guard.

"We were terrified when Frey told us about the attack on your home," Celeste continued, stepping back to examine him. "And little Inez? Please tell me she’s all right."

"She’s safe, Mrs. D’Aubigné," Jet reassured her. "She’s staying with Nadia and some trusted Awakeners. Nobody’s going to get near them."

Lucien, Frey’s younger brother, approached with an unusually serious expression.

"Did you really fight the people who attacked your apartment?" Lucien asked, studying Jet’s injuries.

Jet glanced toward Frey before answering. "I mostly ran away from them, actually. Fighting several stronger Awakeners while protecting two people wasn’t exactly my idea of a good evening."

Amélie moved closer to her mother, her eyes widening. "Were you scared, Jet?" 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

Jet crouched slightly despite the discomfort in his ribs. "Of course I was, Amélie. But being scared doesn’t mean you stop protecting the people you care about."

The little girl considered his answer before nodding solemnly.

Frey watched the exchange with a faint smile.

For the first time since the attack began, his family was gathered in one room without the constant fear that their defenses might collapse at any moment.

Unfortunately, their relief couldn’t last.

Adesewa stepped forward, drawing everyone’s attention.

"Mr. and Mrs. D’Aubigné, we need to discuss your evacuation," she announced. "The attackers outside have been neutralized, but that doesn’t mean this estate is secure."

Laurent nodded grimly. "I assumed as much. Whoever organized the assault invested considerable resources in it. They won’t simply abandon their objective because one team failed."

"Exactly," Adesewa agreed. "The commander I encountered was powerful, and the organization behind him may have stronger Awakeners available. If they discover that your family survived, they could send reinforcements."

Celeste instinctively drew Amélie closer.

"Then where can we go?" she asked. "Our other properties might already be compromised."

Adesewa considered the question before answering. "I have access to a concealed safe base outside the busiest districts of Zenith. It was established for emergencies and isn’t connected to your family’s known residences. We’ll take you there until we understand who’s responsible for these attacks."

Laurent looked toward Frey. "And my son? He can barely stand without assistance."

"We’ll transport him carefully," Adesewa replied. "The healing pool has stabilized his condition, but moving him improperly could worsen his injuries. We’ll use a medical stretcher with protective restraints and continue treatment once we reach safety."

Frey immediately frowned.

"A stretcher?" he repeated, looking personally offended. "Captain, I’m injured, not ninety years old."

Jet turned toward him with a wicked grin. "Don’t worry, Grandpa Frey. I’ll make sure they give you a comfortable blanket."

Frey glared at him. "I swear, Jet, the moment my ribs heal, you’re getting punched."

"Get in line," Jet replied cheerfully. "Apparently, half the assassins in Zenith already want to do that."

Even Adesewa couldn’t completely suppress a smile.

Nevertheless, she quickly returned to the practical details of their evacuation. Laurent provided access to the estate’s remaining security vehicles, while Cassian inspected the underground garage and identified which exits remained usable.

The evacuation preparations continued throughout the afternoon.

Security personnel gathered essential documents, medical supplies, and emergency equipment. Celeste packed clothing and necessities for Lucien and Amélie, while Laurent coordinated with his remaining employees to ensure nobody was accidentally left behind.

Jet helped where he could, although Adesewa repeatedly reminded him that carrying heavy equipment was out of the question.

By early evening, two reinforced vehicles had been prepared for departure.

Frey was carefully transferred onto a medical stretcher equipped with stabilizing restraints and a portable healing apparatus. Although he complained throughout the process, even he couldn’t deny that the journey would be considerably more comfortable than attempting to sit upright for several hours.

"Jet, if you take a picture of me like this, our friendship is over," Frey warned as Cassian secured the stretcher inside the larger vehicle.

Jet raised his cracked phone with an innocent expression. "What picture? I was just checking whether my camera still works."

"Jet!" Frey protested, his expression horrified.

Cassian laughed while tightening the final restraint. "You two really haven’t changed since the expedition."

Adesewa approached the vehicles after completing one final inspection of the estate.

"Everyone ready?" she asked, looking toward Laurent.

Laurent glanced at the ruined mansion beyond the garage entrance. For a moment, sadness crossed his expression. The estate had been his family’s home for years, and seeing it reduced to shattered walls and smoking debris was painful.

But his wife and children were alive.

That mattered more than any building.

"We’re ready, Captain," Laurent answered, turning away from the destruction.

The convoy departed shortly afterward.

As the reinforced vehicles passed through the damaged gates, Jet looked back at the estate through the rear window. The once-beautiful grounds had become a battlefield, and the mansion’s ruined silhouette stood against the darkening evening sky.

Frey followed his gaze from the stretcher beside him.

"Don’t look so miserable, Jet," Frey remarked quietly. "Dad can rebuild the house. He can’t rebuild us."

Jet turned toward him and smiled faintly. "That’s surprisingly wise coming from you."

Frey grinned. "What can I say? Near-death experiences have made me incredibly philosophical."

The vehicles continued through Zenith’s quieter districts, avoiding the major roads whenever possible. Adesewa traveled in the lead vehicle, directing their route through a series of unfamiliar streets and secured passages.

Eventually, the convoy left the more densely populated neighborhoods behind.

Jet noticed that they were approaching an older industrial region surrounded by wooded hills and abandoned service roads.

"Captain," he asked over the communication channel, "where exactly are we going?"

Adesewa’s voice emerged from the speaker.

"Somewhere our enemies won’t think to look immediately," she answered. "The temporary refuge was sufficient for gathering survivors, but it wasn’t designed to accommodate an entire family for an extended period."

Jet glanced toward the darkened road ahead.

"And this new place is?"

Adesewa examined the concealed turnoff approaching beyond the headlights.

"A safe base," she replied. "One I’ve kept hidden for a very long time."

Under her direction, the convoy turned away from the main road and disappeared into the wooded hills surrounding Zenith City.