Everyone from the base went to Mn for dinner, and the guys were excited to see the city and to try authentic Italian pizza! This was their first outing in the city, and they know that it will probably be theirst until the base is built and more peoplee in. With just a handful of them here, they can''t risk attracting much attention.


    Officially, for the outsiders, the base still belongs to Nero armi.


    Sarah and Aiden shared the idea of making the factory functional and disguising the army members as factory workers.


    "Will we build the Chaos nightclub in the area?", one of the army members asked.


    Sarah and Aiden exchanged nces and nodded in response.


    "That is a good idea.", Aiden shared his thoughts. "If we have our fight club, we can use it to recruit locals and it would solve the problem of us blending in."


    Sarah also approved this. "We can do something simr to what we have in the Boyle Heights neighborhood. A nightclub, residential building… I think we can take over Mn."


    "Italians which are recruited can help our guys to learn customs and how to behave as Italians.", Masika added.


    Everyone at the table approved. Expanding in the Mn area sounds good. As the first batch of army members present, it would give them an opportunity to show their skills and rise through the ranks.


    "As the first step, I expect you to learn Italian.", Sarah''s statement made most of the guys freeze. They can fight, shoot firearms, disarm bombs, and do all kinds of stuff with knives, but to learn a foreignnguage? That is a totally different challenge.


    The guys'' mood improved when they heard that tomorrow they will get game consoles and they started pitching ideas what other entertainment they could get to keep busy. With the limitation that it can''t take much space, the most popr suggestions were cards and dominoes.


    After dinner, Sarah and Aiden boarded their private jet. It''s time to go to Vegas!


    When they were at the cruising altitude, Aiden undid his seatbelt and turned to Sarah. "You wanted to stop by the base in Mn because of Zack."


    Aiden thought about the possibilities and he didn''t figure out why is Sarah insisting on going in person, when they can see everything through the live stream from the security footage. And she can talk to everyone online.


    In Greece, Aiden saw that Sarah spent extra time looking at the list of army members who are in Mn and he suspected that someone got her attention. After Sarah requested a chat with Zack in private, Aiden got the answers to his questions.


    Sarah didn''t deny it. She was happy that Aiden figured it out without the need for her to exin. He is awesome like that.


    "When Eric''s squad messed up with their first mission in Los Angeles, I had my suspicion about Zack. I needed a confirmation."


    "And what did you confirm?", Aiden asked.


    "That Zack is looking at Masika differently."


    Aiden nodded in understanding. He didn''t pay attention to how Zack is looking at Masika, but no man will act as a loyal servant to a woman unless he is interested in her.


    Knowing how Sarah is protective of her girls, Aiden was surprised that Sarah is calm. "You don''t object?"


    "At this point, there is nothing to object to. Masika is doing her job, oblivious that Zack exists, and he is helping her out. I don''t think that he is aware of his feelings. Maybe because he is telling himself that she is just a teenager or maybe because he is masking all that with an excuse about repaying debts. But I have a feeling that it will be a long time before he realizes that his behavior can''t be exined with logic."


    "What will you do if he suddenly bes aware of his feelings?"


    Sarah puffed her cheeks while thinking about how to answer to this. "I gave Masika a hint to be wary of Zack. But I don''t think that he will do anything drastic. He noticed her because of her skills and attitude. She was cool when everything was falling apart. If not for that, he would never look at a fifteen years old girl. That is why I believe that even if he realizes that he feels more than gratitude, he will be conflicted. What do you think?"


    Aiden was surprised that Sarah asked him for an opinion. She usually handles these rtionship-issues on her own. "I think that we should get Eve to warn us if Zack tries anything funny with Masika. Or maybe Eve can knock him out. One of those two."


    Sarah burst into augh. "And you call me overprotective?"


    Aiden didn''t want to respond to this. If he said to leave Zack and Masika to figure it out on their own, Sarah would use him of not caring. But he agrees with Sarah: it will take a long time for anything to happen between Masika and Zack, and by then who knows what will happen.


    Aiden pulled Sarah into his embrace and pushed her head on his shoulder. "Sleep. You always sleep on the ne."


    Sarah looked at him and blinked. "Are you expecting me to sleep in a reclined seat when there is a bedroom in the back?"


    Aiden''s eyebrow arched and a devilish smile appeared on his lips. "When we go back there, we are not sleeping."


    Sarah looked at Aiden seductively. "It is our honeymoon, and I am not sleepy…"


    Sarah giggled when she saw Aiden bolt out of his seat.


    He took her hand in his and rushed toward the back of the ne. He will not give her a chance to change her mind.


    …


    In the base of the army of Chaos in Mn…


    After returning from dinner, Zack went to the control room while Masika went to study.


    They got a message that Louis and his team are arriving a day earlier, and Masika didn''t respond. Zack knows that Masika''s phone syncs with their messages, but he assumed that she didn''t reply because she is immersed in studying.


    Zack responded in her ce and updated hotel amodations for the neers, and he wanted to make sure that she is aware of it. That is why he is in front of her room.


    After a few knocks and no response, Zack cracked the door open.


    "Masika?", he called.


    The silence from Masika''s room made Zack''s brow furrow. Is it possible that she is not inside? If she is changing or doing something that he should not see, she would shoo him away, right?


    Reluctantly, Zack opened the door and peeked inside.


    Zack exhaled and shook his head at the sight of Masika who is sleeping on the bed with aptop, two open books, and scattered papers around her. It is obvious that she slept off while studying. And that exins why she didn''t respond to the message from Louis.


    Since early morning, Masika is handling things, training, and teaching the guys Italian. And most of the day she was entertaining Sarah and Aiden. No wonder she is exhausted.


    Zack tiptoed into Masika''s room, kept theptop, papers, and the books on the side table, and pulled the cover over her.


    He stood by Masika''s bed and observed her rxed sleeping face. He thought about how she looks different than her usually serious expression when she is facing army members.


    Masika''s cheeks look soft and Zack wished to touch them, but he stopped himself. If she wakes up, it would be super-awkward.


    Zack is not sure how long he stood there before he snapped out of his daze and left her room. He closed the door slowly, careful not to wake her up before returning back to the control room.


    ---


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