— Five minutes from the destination. Prepare for landing — shouted the co-pilot over the deafening noise of the wind and the helicopter's propellers as they flew into the Polaris district. Jimin, Jungkook, and Tania were sitting on the black cushioned seat facing Mandy, Dante, and Pedro, each reacting differently to the sudden news. Mandy put her hand to a few times, Dante snapped his fingers unnecessarily, Tania clenched her fists, Pedro stared at the floor and Jimin tried to calm his frantically shaking legs. Lanna, next to the pilot and co-pilot, was the only one wearing a large headset around her head and spouting words through the microphone connected to it, most of them inaudible due to the noise. She seemed too focused on her tasks to express any feelings.

Jungkook had his arms crossed and breathed deeply frequently, his empty gaze focused on nothing. Despite the apparent absence of signs of nervousness, the atmosphere around him was the heaviest. As soon as they received the news of the invasion, the fighter leaned on Jimin's shoulders to avoid giving in to gravity and clutched his chest hard enough to whiten the knuckles of his hands. Dread exuded from every pore of his body. The Polaris district was his home, where his mother and sister worked and lived, and suddenly, without warning, it was under threat from Modifieds.

Lanna promptly asked for more details about the invasion and, according to the soldier-messenger's account, a gigantic wave of Changed Ones had forced their way through the gate attached to the walls separating the district from the outside world and knocked it down a few minutes ago. Despite efforts to fight them off from a distance before they entered the Cocoon, the number of Changed Ones was enormously greater than the soldiers present and the attempts were unsuccessful.

Almost half of the territory in Polaris had been infiltrated and there was no information on the state of the people living there. It was estimated that some were infected, others killed in the process of escaping, and many trapped in their homes, seeking protection in concrete and brick structures. Rubble was piled up on strategic roads linking the district to prevent the advance of the Modifieds and a curfew was in place to save the part that was still intact.

By the end of the story, Jungkook was whiter than usual and when he held the boy's trembling hands to try to calm him down, he noticed the sweat accumulating on his cold palms. He, the warmest person Jimin had ever met, was emanating the deepest chill of the harshest winter. From then on, everything went by like a flash. Lanna led them out of the Training Center and spouted commands to everyone with her, stopping only to talk to the Major on the radio communicator she had received from a soldier. At the end of the conversation, she looked them straight in the eye, reading their souls and maintaining her usual pose – expressionless, strong, and imposing – and said words that still echoed in Jimin's mind:

— Boys, the time has come.

In a few minutes, they were on the military helicopter that would take them as quickly as possible to the southern part of the Polaris district, where they would receive orders to help the people arriving. Dante and Mandy had been summoned because they were part of Jimin's medical team, selected during the daily classes, and prepared to work together in situations like this. Tania and Pedro made up Jungkook's group and it was only at that moment that Jimin discovered that the combatants also followed the same division logic as the doctors.

The young people were startled and swayed in their seats when the helicopter landed. The windows were tinted glass, making it impossible to understand what was happening outside the metal contraption. In a synchronous movement, everyone removed their seatbelts and while they waited for the doors to open, Jimin held Jungkook's still-cold hands and forced the most convincing smile he could muster.

— Don't forget what we always say: you're not alone in this — this was the moment when you had to be strong, control your emotions, and provide the combatant with the support he needed. Since he had arrived in the army, he had been the one who had helped him through the most difficult times in the PeaceArmy and the time had come to repay all the love and care. The boy looked at him sullenly and his mouth curved into a weak smile, but the grip on his hand intensified. They were going to get through this together and everything would be fine.

The doors opened and Jimin squinted against the intense sunlight that hit him full on, taking a few seconds to adjust to the brightness and notice that Lanna was waiting for them outside, with other people he didn't know. As they left the helicopter, they were invaded by the deepest irony in the universe. A cool, almost spring-like breeze ruffled Jimin's hair. The sound of jeep tires skidding against the dirt floor violently invaded his ears. The intense blue sky gently welcomed the fluffy white clouds that drifted by. Soldiers ran from one side to the other and shouts of command echoed around the place. Birds flew over the area. A helicopter crossed the horizon to the north. The trees in the open area swayed in harmony with the symphony of nature. From the four large metal warehouses with green-painted roofs came small trucks with soldiers sitting in the back holding huge guns. Calm and chaos. Almost as if the universe didn't recognize what was happening.

The military base to the south of the Polaris district was a small extension of the PeaceArmy branches and did not compare in size to the central army base. Even landing in the center of the space, it was possible to completely see the concrete walls that surrounded it, the top of which was made up of fences full of metal thorns. At the eastern end, a faded blue metal gate was frequently opened and closed by soldiers, granting passage to vehicles and people rushing in and out. Behind the helicopter stood a small building supported by four gray beams, covered with steel-plated windows and coupled with a small dark wooden staircase that led to the building's entrance.

— Commander Barbara. Commander Ronald. Report — ordered Lanna when a middle-aged white woman with black hair tied up in a bun and guarded by a dark green beret and a man in his mid-thirties with a long nose and a sharp chin greeted them near the helicopter.

— Madam — they both said in unison, greeting her with the traditional army salute.

— Our soldiers are forming containment cordons in the north, northeast, and northwest of the district, but the Modifieds are forcing us to retreat little by little. We lost 30% of our troops in the first hour of fighting and many of them were infected and joined the enemy forces — Barbara replied in a slurred accent.

— A few kilometers from here we set up a makeshift first aid base, with stretchers spread out on the ground, medical equipment in tarpaulins, and armed soldiers to defend the team. Ambulances and hospital trucks are arriving with a considerable number of civilians injured during the escape, some more seriously than others. We expect even more to arrive in the next few minutes. Infected people are being executed immediately, should the transformation occur en route or in the camp — Ronald's account was interrupted by a soldier who hurriedly approached, whispered something in his ear and then left — I've just been informed that our medics are all busy and injured people are having to wait in queues.

— What happened to the protective wall? Do we have an estimate of how many Modifieds have invaded the Cocoon? What about the immediate elimination plan? Why don't they use the mass destruction bombs planted in the ground near the wall to get rid of them? — Lanna didn't allow the commanders to breathe between words, trying to in as much information as possible immediately.

— The bombs didn't work. We tried to set them off, but they didn't explode. The metal gate gave way under the pressure of the Infected. They looked like bees huddled in a corner of a hive, forcing their way in and crushing each other. We don't know why they acted that way or what attracted them in such numbers. We still don't have an exact number, but we estimate a volume in the thousands. And they are growing all the time.

— Very well. I need a list of the exact number of soldiers, medics, weapons, bullets, equipment, vehicles, materials, and supplies that the Polaris district has at its disposal. Now — the man saluted her again and moved away a few meters to shout something into the communicator he had pulled from his waistband. When he returned, he confirmed that he had requested the data from his team and that it would be available soon.

— Ma'am, if I may ask, when will the reinforcements arrive? I don't know if we'll be able to deal with a threat of this magnitude with just what we have here — said Barbara, looking between the young people behind Lanna.

— Soon, but we'll have to hold out for a while. We can't use helicopters in abundance, since they consume a lot of fuel and we don't produce a high enough quantity to maintain them without running into energy shortages. But don't worry, I'll make PeaceArmy's most precious asset available to you — Lanna turned and extended her arm towards Jimin and Jungkook — I imagine you've heard rumors about the Cross and Sword project. They're true. Meet the Cross, Jimin, and the Sword, Jungkook.

Barbara and Ronald tried to contain their wide eyes and the surprise evident on their features, but failed within the first few seconds. Then came the look of suspicion and doubt that Jimin was used to. If there were still people in PeaceArmy who stared at them for too long or whispered to each other when they passed by, even after so many months, he couldn't blame the others who found out now. And that's when the realization hit. They would no longer be a secret to the world. What had hitherto been kept inside the army's metal walls would lurk in every street of the Cocoon and reach every home, bar, industry, and field. What impact would this have on their lives? Would it be bad or very bad? How much attention would they bring to themselves?

— The two of them will be the best reinforcements until reinforcements arrive. Take Jimin to the medical camp and Jungkook to the front line. The friends who belong to each of their groups will go with them — the communicator that Lanna was carrying beeped three times and the woman moved away a little to answer it.

— Excuse me. One question — Jungkook stepped forward with both hands in his pants pockets — Have you heard from the East Wing?

— They're isolated and safe. The only way to the East Wing is the Travelers' Bridge, which has been blocked off with rubble and protected by the soldiers who were already in the area. The Modifieds won't be able to get there — Ronald replied with a look of disdain, as if he thought it was outrageous to answer questions coming from a mere cadet. As far as he was concerned, the east wing should have been the area where the fighter's family lived, and, knowing him well, he was probably thinking of a solution to get there and save his mother and sister.

— But do you have rescue plans? Have you thought of anything?

— Cadet Jungkook, for now, we'll keep the situation as it is. We need to focus on containing the advance from the north — Ronald crossed his arms against his chest and inflated his chest, like a peacock who wants to show dominance.

— You can't rely on a rubble barrier to protect people. You need to evacuate the area immediately.

— We're not going to abandon the east wing and leave it unprotected. There are important installations and industries there. The defenses on the bridge are enough.

— The people must be the priority! You need to get them out of there — Jungkook's step forward, along with the gradual increase in his tone of voice, were the signs Jimin needed to grab his arm and pull him back a little, whispering a discreet "calm down" in his ear. He was also indignant that there was no plan to save the people in the East Wing and felt an overwhelming urge to punch Ronald in the nose, but they couldn't risk violating the army hierarchy and being punished for it. Commander was the immediate rank below colonel, which preceded lieutenant colonel, Lanna's position. They held the fifth most important position in the PeaceArmy.

— What's going on? — Lanna returned from the conversation irritated and impatient — I thought I gave you clear orders to lead Jimin and Jungkook to their duties. Now.

— But ma'am, no plans have been made for the restag-