Triple Point

Chapter 41: On the Job

The next week was filled with long hours at Base and little time to rest. Camilla had managed to submit her strategy proposal for San Francisco with no issues at all, but she was still struggling with South Korea. While their planning was made slightly easier with the cast and crew promising to only use the minimal amount of personnel, it was still difficult when the guardians lacked information on both the territory and the enemy.

Thankfully, Mack had finished his own proposal on his hometown easily enough, and he volunteered to assist Camilla with her research. He even recruited both Song brothers for the job, under the condition that Camilla referred to them both by their first names.

"It's to avoid confusion," Mack explained. "You can't be calling them both Song, or even Mister Song."

Camilla shrugged, as if that would ever stop her. "Okay, so what about Song One and Song Two?"

Mack sighed, and shook his head with feigned disappointment. "Oh, Camilla, you and your poor, troubled soul. People are more than just numbers. If anything, how about... Mad Song and Hot Song?"

Camilla raised an eyebrow, skeptical. "Which one is Hot Song?"

Mack gave her a dumbfounded look. "Really? Have you ever met Minyoung? He's definitely the angry one."

On Sunday, they all gathered at Elsie's to collaborate. Elsie and Camilla had prepped snacks and beverages beforehand, and everyone arranged themselves in the living room just as they had after the attack on the Barracks several days ago. Thankfully, the circumstances were slightly better, and the conversation took on a lighter tone than it previously had.

While it initially felt awkward to call the brothers Minyoung and Jordan at first, Camilla quickly got over it by convincing herself it was necessary for her job. In exchange, the two actually had very insightful information, aided by their past experience as Korean celebrities.

Minyoung was the most helpful; Elsie mentioned he was offended that he was considered non-essential for filming and was cut from the travel crew, and he seemed eager to show off his importance. Jordan, on the other hand, was more keen on chatting and laughing softly with Mack on their shared two-seater.

Once they offered all that they knew, Elsie, Jordan, and Minyoung carried the conversation towards other topics while Camilla and Mack pulled out their work laptops and began to draft up security plans. Every so often, they would interrupt the conversation with some questions, and the brothers were more than happy to answer.

By early evening, their proposals were finally complete and submitted, and Elsie and Jordan eagerly elected to celebrate the occasion with an impromptu karaoke party.

"As long as it doesn't go too late," Minyoung said sternly, but even Camilla could tell the man was itching for a microphone. "Filming starts up again tomorrow, and four of us are required to be there."

"Yes, yes, halabeonim," Jordan said mockingly. "We know you have to wake up early for your morning exercises."

Camilla had no interest in singing anything—she had never even heard of most of the songs—so she was grateful that no one pressured her to join in. She was content with just listening, then wincing at how dramatic Elsie and Jordan tried to sing, coupled with Mack's interpretive dancing. Eventually, Camilla participated in her own way when Elsie began performing a passionate rendition of one song, and Camilla saw it as the perfect opportunity to create a theatrical wind-in-her-hair effect.

The party set the mood high for the rough week ahead, and Camilla found it wasn't as hard as it normally was for her to fake a chipper personality when she arrived at Base early Monday morning. Mack seemed to be in equally good spirits as he greeted Camilla by mimicking the air guitar solo Jordan had demonstrated the night before, and Camilla couldn't help but roll her eyes in good humor. They both snapped to professional mode as soon as the rest of their squad arrived, and after a quick brief, they all headed to the film set.