Falling for You in 48 Hours（3）
738 Words
Inside the dimly lit command center of the Resistance’s hidden base, the air was thick with tension. A young officer suddenly spoke up, his voice tight with urgency.
“General, our decryption team reports they still need twelve hours to breach the enemy’s main gate. All units are currently in position outside, awaiting the signal to storm the compound.”
Gareth remained still for a moment, his gaze fixed on the flickering screen displaying Felix’s vital signs.
Then, with a slow, deliberate motion, he adjusted his military cap.
“Acknowledged. Ensure that the young master is protected at all costs,” he commanded, his voice low but unwavering. “He is the key to our victory—he is a true hero, worthy of the name.”
Without another word, he turned and strode out of the room, his officer's coat sweeping behind him.
Silently, he added to himself: "Hold on, Felix. Just a little longer."
Back in the pitch-black interrogation chamber, Felix drifted in a disoriented haze, pain and exhaustion clouding his mind.
This ‘Hero Experience’ is such a scam, he complained inwardly. This body is so weak… so useless.
The system’s tone was almost apologetic.
[Indeed. In the original storyline, the young master broke almost immediately. He revealed every name he knew, hoping for mercy… only to be vaporized by a laser the moment he finished speaking. His betrayal crippled the Resistance, and his name was cursed for generations.]
A faint, tired smile touched Felix’s pale lips.
"So… am I being heroic now? Too bad no one can see me."
There was a brief pause—both in his mind and in the system’s response. Then, simultaneously, they remembered.
The subdermal monitors—!
The implants—!
A wave of exhilaration rushed through Felix. They’ve been listening this whole time!
Just then, another wave of pain slammed into Felix, sharper and more vicious than before. He gasped.
System! How much longer until the Resistance breaks in? Felix screamed inwardly.
[Approximately six hours, Host.]
The cold, amplified voice of the interrogator suddenly cut through the darkness, sharp with frustration.
“I must admit, I’m impressed. The commander’s son has more spine than we anticipated. But let’s see how long that lasts.”
Without warning, the intensity of the Neural Echo spiked to its maximum level. A blinding, white agony exploded behind Felix’s eyes—and everything went black.
Yet just before he lost consciousness, his hand twitched... Slowly, defiantly, his middle finger rose in a weak but unmistakable gesture.
.......
Time lost all meaning in the darkness.
Eventually, Felix felt someone gently shaking his shoulder. He cracked open his eyes to see a soldier in an enemy uniform leaning over him—a Resistance spy. The man’s eyes were full of determination and something like awe.
“Young master,” he whispered urgently, “We’re getting you out. Just hold on a little longer—two more hours. You’ve been incredibly brave.”
He offered Felix a small nutrient bar and a sip of water before snapping a crisp, respectful salute.
With the interrogation device deactivated—likely because the enemy believed he had nothing left to give—Felix finally felt a fraction of relief.
Then he remembered the monitor. Still hidden. Still listening.
Despite everything he’d endured, a spark of his natural spirit flickered back to life. His voice was weak but clear, tinged with stubborn hope.
“When I get out of here… I’m going to eat a whole box of donuts… No—wait—Oreo ice cream, too.”
Back in the command center, Gareth stood monitoring the operation when Felix’s voice, faint but brimming with childish craving, whispered through his earpiece.
Unexpectedly, a memory surfaced—a much younger Felix, bright-eyed and grinning with mischievous little fangs, tugging at his coat and calling him “Uncle Gareth!” with unbearable sweetness.
He’d heard over the years that the boy had been spoiled beyond repair—a disappointment, a wasted legacy. Gareth had filed him away as just another casualty of privilege. But now, hearing that same voice—something shifted in him. He thought of the late Starfall Resistance Commander Orion, a man of fire and principle. It seemed his son hadn’t been entirely lost after all.
"I’ll get you all the sweets you want, "he vowed silently. "Just hang on."
Suddenly—
Alarms blared throughout the enemy compound.
- Writer
