Chapter 270: Wolf Is In It hadn’t taken much for Aron to convince Wolf to go along with the plan. Part of it was because Wolf had already made up his mind, he wanted to help Max. Not just because of the generous payments Max had offered in the past, but because he respected the guy. He saw something in Max. Someone worth following. Someone trying to change things. And besides, the Rejected Corps were getting more and more restless. With Max injured and completely out of commission, he wouldn’t be answering any calls anytime soon. If nothing else, Wolf figured his presence might be enough to calm things down, for now. So he made the trip. After catching a train down to Notting Hill, Wolf waited at the usual spot. He wore his school uniform, even though classes had long since ended for the day. It wasn’t for practicality, it was for image. He and Max had worked hard to build a certain persona, and showing up looking the part mattered more than anyone would admit. Still, as he stood there, his mind was racing. What exactly am I supposed to tell them when they ask about Max? he wondered. Should I just say I don’t know anything? That he told me to keep the connection alive until he gets back on his feet? Maybe that would be enough to buy some time. Enough to keep the Rejected Corps from spiraling out of control. But Wolf had another reason for being here. Abby. Aron had given him a detailed description, but Wolf already remembered her. She was the one who had called the police when they’d finally brought Dipter down. He also remembered seeing her around the school during the time he was pretending to be just another student. It all made sense now. So Max and her were close... and the Rejected Corps figured that out. I wonder how he’ll react when he finds out they’ve used her to get to him... A car pulled up, sleek and black, slowing as it neared the curb. The window rolled down, and to Wolf’s surprise, the person inside was someone he recognized immediately. Na. One of the A+ ranked fighters of the Rejected Corps. Not someone who usually handled pickup duty. Wolf raised an eyebrow. Now that’s interesting. The fact that someone like Na had come personally to collect him... it meant they weren’t treating this like some casual meetup. No. This was serious. Dead serious. Wolf sat in silence as the car rolled smoothly down the road toward the hangar. The city slipped by outside the tinted windows, but his mind wasn’t focused on the passing scenery. It was somewhere else entirely. Max... he managed to beat Dud. Even though he was technically weaker, he still bested an A+ ranked fighter. Makes me wonder... could I do the same? The thought echoed in his head. Wolf wasn’t the type to compare himself too often. He’d always believed in raw experience, throw yourself into fight after fight, and eventually, you’d come out sharper. Stronger. Smarter. And that philosophy had carried him pretty far. But now, sitting across from Na, one of the Rejected Corps’ top-ranked fighters, he couldn’t help but wonder. If it came down to it... should I try to take him on? The thought was short-lived. Because the moment the car pulled into the hangar and the doors opened, Wolf realized just how ridiculous the idea really was. The Rejected Corps weren’t just a group of street brawlers. This wasn’t some ragtag team like the Black Hounds. As he stepped out, his eyes scanned the massive space around him. There had to be over a hundred members gathered inside. And every single one of them moved with purpose. They weren’t just numbers, they were trained. Disciplined. Battle-hardened. If Wolf even tried to make a move here, he wouldn’t make it five steps before getting overwhelmed. This place... it’s on a completely different level. He kept his head down and played along as expected. Na escorted him through the rows of fighters, past crates of weapons and gear, until they reached the back of the hangar. As expected, Chrono was there, seated in his usual spot, surrounded by a few of his higher-ranking officers. But the atmosphere was different this time. Tense. Thicker. Heavier. Wolf could feel the weight of the room the moment he stepped inside. Still, he reminded himself of his goal. Keep calm. Gather information. Get Abby out. His eyes subtly scanned the space, searching for anything, any hint of where Abby might be. But there was no sign of her yet. Either she was being held somewhere else... or they were keeping her completely out of sight. That meant his priority had to shift. Keep Chrono calm. Earn his trust, for now. Figure out what he’s planning. And then, when the time was right... Get Abby out. "Well, well," Chrono said, a grin playing on his lips. "Look what we have here." He leaned back slightly in his chair, eyeing Wolf with a mix of amusement and suspicion. "I thought you told me before that you only answered to Max," he continued. "So what’s made you change your mind thistime?" Wolf kept his expression calm, steady, just like Aron had told him. "Max said he wanted to make things right with the Rejected Corps," Wolf replied confidently. "So we agreed, if we’re going to do this, we do it right. Full focus. No more games." Chrono stared at him for a moment, then let out a loud, sharp laugh. It echoed through the room, drawing glances from a few nearby members. He shook his head like he’d just heard the punchline to a joke only he understood. Then, without a word, he reached into the drawer of the table beside him. Wolf’s heart skipped a beat. Chrono pulled something out and placed it squarely on the table between them. A metallic click rang out, crisp and unmistakable. Wolf’s stomach dropped. It was a gun. His body tensed instantly, instincts screaming, but he forced himself to stay still. "What?" Chrono said, noticing the shift in Wolf’s posture. "Surely you’ve seen one before?" He casually picked up the weapon, letting it rest in his hand, fingers lightly grazing the cold steel. "Did you really think a group made up mostly of military personnel wouldn’t know how to get their hands on one of these?" he asked, his voice low and calm. Wolf stayed silent. Chrono smirked. "Yeah, I’ll admit, this country doesn’t make it easy. But we’ve got our ways." Then, his tone shifted, sharp and cold as ice. "So I’m going to ask you... one more time." He raised the gun and pointed it directly at Wolf’s head. "Where is Max? And what is he doing right now?" Wolf’s heart was pounding now. Not the kind of adrenaline rush he felt in a street fight. This was different. This was real. He’d been in brawls. He’d fought armed thugs. But he’d never had a loaded gun aimed between his eyes by someone who actually knew how to use it. Chrono wasn’t bluffing. Wolf could feel it. He swallowed hard, forcing himself to speak without stammering. "I... I don’t know," he said honestly. "But he hasn’t run away. He’ll get in contact with you. He just... needs time." Chrono’s finger slid along the trigger. Wolf didn’t flinch, but his mind was racing. Had Chrono caught the lie? Did something in his voice give him away? Because if he had... Wolf was pretty sure this conversation was about to be his last.