Chapter 72: Tiger Balm
Elias didn’t hesitate. "Yes, but not entirely. They’ve taken care of me and others with shards—helping us figure out what they are, how to deal with them, and what they mean for us. We can get you and your son somewhere safe. Really safe."
Joji’s expression hardened. He folded his arms, his fingers gripping at the sleeves of his worn-out coat. "I... I’m sorry. But the Military Federation has done terrible things. I will never be able to trust them."
Elias hesitated, trying to find the right words. "Is this because of the overthrow of the political structure? I mean, yeah, that sucks, but your son—"
"No!" Joji snapped, his voice raw. He exhaled sharply, his fingers tightening into fists before releasing. "It’s much more than that." He took a step back, his eyes clouded with something deeper, something personal. "When the aliens invaded our country, instead of offering direct support, the Federation rained bombs from the sky! They wiped out entire cities in an attempt to slow the enemy down."
He sucked in a breath, the weight of his words pressing down on him. "And what did the aliens do in response?" His tone dropped, bitter and laced with resentment. "They retaliated by dropping something even worse. Generations of history, of culture, of people’s lives—all reduced to rubble in a matter of days. And then, when it was all dust and corpses, the Federation marched in and seized what was left."
His lips pressed into a tight line as he shook his head. "So forgive me if I don’t buy into your ’we can help’ speech."
Before Elias could respond, Yui stepped forward with a sharp exhale, his patience wearing thin. "Save the sob story." His voice cut through the room, cold and blunt. "You don’t really have an option here."
Joji scoffed, his posture shifting slightly as he tucked a hand behind his back. "I might look frail in my current state, but I didn’t make it this far by being weak. Take the no and walk away, or things will get ugly for everyone."
His gaze locked onto Yui, unwavering and full of warning.