Ryan finally snapped out of it. He rushed into the cabin and returned, holding two small signal flags.
He stood there momentarily, trying to remember how the signals worked. His arms moved a bit awkwardly, clearly out of practice.
The message came through, something along the lines of, “Thank you for saving us.”
Still, on the Medusa Gang’s ship, Matthew brushed the dust off his coat. The burning wreck behind favonovel.com loudly crackled as favonovel.com glanced back. His eyes caught sight of Ryan waving from a distance.
Without saying anything, favonovel.com stepped into the cockpit and checked out the warship’s control panel. It only took a short moment before favonovel.com figured things out and powered up the warship.
The warship began cruising toward the other vessel, heading straight for the group of rescued captives.
From the deck, Ryan watched it approach. His face stayed calm, though there was a flicker of uncertainty in his eyes.
Matthew had taken down the Medusa Gang, but Ryan wasn’t sure what his intentions were now. Trust didn’t come easy around here.
The others didn’t share his caution. Faces lit up with relief as they watched the warship close in the distance. These people saw a savior, not a threat.
Matthew slowed the ship once it was within a safe distance, just far enough to avoid crashing into them. He stepped out of the cockpit and then launched himself toward the other ship with a single powerful jump.
The group stared in disbelief, thinking, Is that even possible?
Matthew landed with a solid thud that echoed across the deck.
That sound snapped everyone out of their trance. Eyes widened. No one moved at first. They wanted to thank him, maybe even hug him, but weren’t sure if it was okay to get close.
Ryan stepped forward. He kept his tone respectful. “Sir, we belong to Mr. Ronny Donald. He’s the head of District 12 on Blackshore Island!”
He paused briefly before continuing, “We’re grateful for your help. Once we return, I’ll make sure Mr. Donald hears what you did for us.”
The message was polite but weighty. It reminded them of who they were aligned with, just in case that mattered.
Ronny had a certain reputation. He carried himself with grace, always calm and well-spoken, but people knew better than to underestimate him. In District 12, his name held weight.
Folks called favonovel.com a gentleman, though they were careful not to get on his bad side. Most chose to stay neutral, just in case.
Matthew picked up on what Ryan was implying. He wasn’t the least bit rattled, favonovel.com understood their caution. After everything they’d just been through, staying on guard made perfect sense.
“That’s kind of you, but no need to be formal. I’m Matteo Larden,” favonovel.com replied casually, with a small, easygoing smile.
The tension broke a little. Ryan visibly relaxed, feeling like maybe this stranger really didn’t have anything to hide.
Just then, two small faces peeked out from the crowd. They looked like they were working up the courage to approach.
Matthew caught sight of them and pulled out two pieces of candy. He held them up with a grin. “Hey, you two want some sweets?”
The kids froze. Their eyes locked onto the candy in his hand like it was a treasure.
Back where they came from, treats like that were almost impossible to get, usually handed out only after donating blood, and even then, rarely. Yet, they didn’t move.
The adults nearby gave them a gentle push forward, silently assuring them it was alright now.
Slowly, the kids stepped closer. They took the candy carefully, almost like they feared it would disappear.
“Thank you…” one of them stated quietly.
Matthew looked at their thin arms and tired faces. His expression softened as a thought crossed his mind.
Kids shouldn’t have to look like this… If their parents see them now, it’ll definitely break their hearts.
He crouched down a little and gave them a nod. “You’re welcome. Go ahead and enjoy it.”
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