Cards and Tricks (Azur Lane fanfic)

Chapter 15

Four days later... At the hospital room of Commander Ken currently residing, it's already evening. He's now recovering in good pace, but he feels so awful to his lose his mind during that time.  Thought it must be 'Siren sickness'. So he sits up properly, but he can't sleep, his chest feels uneasy. Then he tries to stand up and taking the stand with dextrose with him and walks towards the window to see the view of the sea.

"I think what happened to me recent times we're too much for me to handle. I am only a mere human." He thought as he forms a glare against the window, he wanted to punch the glass but knowing his dominant hand has the needle dextrose on it, so he decided not to.

Then after walking around the room to examine anything suspicious and found nothing, he sits down to the bed. Thinking that his performance as of now will soon hinder him until he's demoted or worse expelled. Then someone knocks on his door this late hour, he opens it and a familiar man with white hair wearing a uniform with commander insignia on his left side of his chest is standing on the door with a slight disappointed face.

"Geez, newest addition has the worse luck, eh?" The man commented and Commander Ken is surprised for his presence.

"Commander Lux?!" he blurted and Lux sighs as he entered inside his room.

"Ken, I heard a lot about you, yet here we are due to an accident." Lux said as he sits on a stool in a cocky manner then Commander Ken sits down to the bed.

"What brings you here?" Commander Ken asked as he knows Lux isn't the type of person to visit someone on the hospital without proper reasoning.

"Straight to the point? Very well." Commander Lux replied as he is amused to his question seemingly to know something is up, so he pulls out a small envelope that contains 5 papers on it.

"Those papers are the detailed plans, it's classified, don't discuss it to anyone. Including to the people whom you care or what not." Commander Lux explained as he puts his hands to his pockets after Commander Ken took the envelope and took the contents to read it.

"W-What?!" he's terrifying shocked and looks to Commander Lux in distraught and he just grins.

"Yeah, because of your incompetence, that happened." Commander Lux explained further as he crossed his arms like he isn't interested.

"I-Is there any way for me to atone for this...?!" Commander Ken begged to know as he trembles in fear. This made Commander Lux smirk in amusement especially to his response.

"Well, just read further... In that way, you will realize what you need to do." Commander Lux answered not giving him the direct answer for his question instead encouraged him to read further of the contents. After reading everything, Commander Ken is speechless then Commander Lux looks to him with a disgusted look.

"Now, will you take it? Or you will remain as it is." Commander Lux asked as if demanding for him to make his decision as their time is running short especially when it comes to the matters at hand.

"So this is a necessary huh... But I'll be deemed as a traitor!" Commander Ken protested

"It's not like we're not dealing these issues ever since before. As you know, they know." Commander Lux explained but the last line made another chill down to his spine, recalling the time he's talking with the Siren Elite Observer.

"You talked with the Siren Elite. There's nothing we could do to help you..." Commander Lux paused as he glares at him like having murdering instincts, "We saw it all... Traitor."

In that moment, Commander Ken knew he have been setted up ever since in the beginning. That thing, terrified him even further, he knew his fate has been forever sealed.