CHAPTER 267: THE WARNING

The moment the words left Na’s mouth, Chrono stopped what he was doing. His hand, still holding the phone, slowly lowered until he set it down on the table beside him.

Guards? That was surprising enough.

But professional guards?

Now he was listening.

If the comment had come from just anyone else, Chrono might’ve brushed it off. Maybe assumed it was a rookie mistaking a few security cameras or hired muscle for something more than they were. But this wasn’t just anyone, this was Na. And if he said they were professionals, then they were.

Chrono turned to face him fully. "Was she not just an ordinary girl? Did you take her from some kind of manor or protected compound? I thought we ran background checks on her."

"We did," Na replied. "According to everything we pulled, she’s a normal girl. Lives alone most of the time. Her father travels often. She was supposed to be one of the easiest targets, based on the intel."

Chrono folded his arms, listening intently.

"But," Na continued, "when we arrived, there were three guards. Each one strategically placed. They were covering each other’s backs, moving like a unit. I watched them for a while before we made our move."

He shook his head slightly. "These weren’t freelancers or neighborhood watch types. They were trained. Tactical. Professionals."

Chrono’s brow furrowed.

Someone had gone to the trouble of protecting Abby. And not casually either, these guards were coordinated. Hired with purpose. And that begged a very important question...

Why?

They’d gotten very little useful information from Dud, only that Abby was supposedly a weak point for Max. A vulnerability. Something to be used.

Chrono ran a hand across his jaw, thinking deeply.

"Could that be the link?" he muttered aloud. "Is it Max?"

He looked up at Na, the confusion clearly written on his face.

"It’s the only thing that makes sense... and yet, it makes no sense at all. If he cared about her, really cared, how would he even afford guards like that? Ones with that level of training?"

There was something missing. Something they weren’t seeing. And Chrono could feel it, like a puzzle piece just out of reach.

And he didn’t like that one bit.

"And who would think that far ahead?" Chrono muttered, more to himself than anyone else. He ran a hand through his hair in frustration. "I guess it’s something we need to be concerned about... but there’s really not much we can do until we speak to Max directly."

Na nodded. "Have you tried calling Dud?"

"I have," Chrono replied, letting out a sigh. "Can’t get through to him either. For some reason, no one seems to be picking up my calls. And this is all happening right when we’re in the middle of a pivotal moment with the Chalkline boys."

He shook his head slowly, clearly irritated. "Of all times for communication to go dark..."

Then he looked back at Na. "Anyway, you said there were two things you wanted to talk about. What’s the second?"

Na glanced over his shoulder.

Across the compound, the other members of the Rejected Corps were milling about, some laughing, some chatting, a few sharpening weapons or wrapping bandaged arms. But not everyone looked so lighthearted. There were visible injuries among them, bruises, splints, even a few with missing fingers or wrapped stumps.

Na turned back to Chrono with a more serious expression.

"The gang is talking," he said flatly. "A lot of them think you’re putting too much emphasis on Max. That you’re focusing too much of our attention and resources on him."

Chrono’s eyes narrowed, and he sat upright, the shift in posture immediate.

"What?" he said sharply.

"They get it, everyone knows Max is strong," Na explained. "They understand that having him around benefits us. But they’re starting to question whether he’s really worth all

of this."

He paused before continuing. "Think about it, if this were any other member, would you have still considered him part of the gang after the way Max spoke to you?"

Chrono didn’t answer right away.

Na didn’t wait for him to. "And now, with what just happened in the container... they’re saying you didn’t let anyone touch Abby because you care too much about Max."

Chrono’s expression darkened.

Na wasn’t being disrespectful, he was just telling the truth. The air in the base had shifted. Whispers were growing louder. Doubt was spreading.

"He’s a newcomer," Na continued, "and they feel like he’s being overvalued compared to the rest of the members."

Chrono scoffed, the sound sharp and dismissive. The idea was ridiculous to him, at least, at first glance. But as a leader, it was his job to balance the emotions and loyalty of his people. If they started losing faith in him, then the entire Rejected Corps could come crashing down. Doubt spread like a disease, and it only took one spark to ignite a fire.

"And what about you?" Chrono asked after a pause, his gaze locking on Na. "What do you think?"

Na didn’t flinch. "I think the members are overreacting. They’re sulking because of what just happened with Abby. But..." He tilted his head slightly, his tone lowering. "There may come a time when you’ll need to reaffirm their place. Remind them that you value them, the ones who’ve bled for this gang."

Chrono’s expression remained hard, but Na pressed on.

"And the longer Max refuses to answer your calls, the more it proves their point. It looks like you’re giving him all the importance while the rest of the Corps stands in his shadow."

Chrono’s jaw tightened.

Good, strong men were rare. Even among Alter’s ranks, they weren’t easily found. Building an entire organization from the ground up, trust, loyalty, fear, wasn’t something Chrono could afford to risk over one person.

If Max didn’t pick up soon, things were going to get dangerous.

That’s when the thought struck him.

"Alright," Chrono said at last, his voice carrying finality. "If we can’t bring Max here... then let’s bring the other oneinstead."

He picked up his phone and made the call.

Across town, at that very moment, Wolf’s phone began to ring.