Kyle was beside her, watching Sarah who was doing her best to find a spot.

Bringing his lips close to her ear, he asked Sayuri, "When will the games begin?"

"Soon, my love," Sayuri replied with a smile, "I always return what is given to me, 10x in exchange. Plus, it wasn't just me. It was our children as well."

Kyle couldn't help but kiss the side of her neck while she was talking, his lips and tongue brushing against the skin. Sayuri smacked the top of his head, scolding him, "Behave. I have work to do."

"Can't help it," Kyle replied, grinning as he hugged her from behind, "You're just so hot when you're working."

"I must admit," Sayuri said, "Doing this with you is rather fun. Maybe Ice should have a partner from now on."

Kyle tilted his head, raising an eyebrow, "That isn't a bad idea, really. What will your codename be then?"

Sayuri mused, "Well, if you're Ice, then I should be Fyre?"

"Fyre and Ice," Kyle grinned, "Sounds good."

Just thinking about it made Kyle really happy.

This was the first time that they were working together - the time in Country M didn't really count since they weren't side-by-side when doing the missions together.

At that time, they were acting out as a couple together. Even when Kylie had died, they had gone their separate ways, tailing different people.

This time, they had trained together. They had spent about two weeks here, training to get fit and to know the terrain (much to his parents' consternation as Kyle took the twins as well). The babies and nannies had just left the other day and the entire place was cleared up before the Edward started the 'escape' plan.

Now, they were hunting and chasing after their target together. Sayuri was in charge of the mission, and Kyle was merely the support. It was nice change.

Kyle hugged Sayuri tighter as she leaned back on him and they watched Sarah slowly breaking down.

To Sayuri, the debt Sarah owed her was huge. If she didn't get it out of her system, she would regret it forever but she wasn't the type to drag it on for too long. So, this cat-and-mouse game would be coming to an end soon.

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Sarah rummaged through the backpack, taking out the items one by one carefully.

There was a water bottle, two sandwiches in a zip-lock bag (separately, of course), a compass (which she does not know how to use), a lighter, a first-aid kit (that had bandages, cotton ball, and iodine), and finally, a torchlight.

There was a lightweight sleeping rolled up and secured on the outside and at the bottom of the backpack, but Sarah left this as it is. She wasn't going to sleep yet, but just rest.

Putting everything back in carefully, Sarah found herself crying again.

It couldn't have been easy for Ed to gather all of this, considering that he was cooped up at the house. He wasn't allowed out, so this must have taken him an extremely long time to get without raising any suspicions.

She couldn't ask him now how he managed to do it.

The scene of his lifeless body flashed through her mind.

Considering that she had done something similar to Sayuri didn't cross her mind at all. The way she had kicked Sayuri, causing massive bleeding, was something that she felt was justified - yet, the image of Ed in a similar condition was not.

Kyle was no longer the man she knew.

Kyle was no longer the man that loved her.

She had also lost the one person who would have treated her well.

Her parents were probably worried sick about her but she couldn't go back to them at all. That would be the first place Kyle and Sayuri would look.

She didn't really believe it when Sayuri said she would let her off, if she manages to escape. She had seen the hatred in those eyes.

After Sarah packed everything, she took a sip from the water bottle. She had some rationale of mind to know that she should not drink too much. She did not know where she was, and when she would reach her destination.

For now, these were the only things she had. She had to use them sparingly.

Getting up, she took a deep breath and was about to take a step when she felt a sharp pain to her knee. With a scream, Sarah fell onto the ground, her knees jarring hard on the ground while her hands were placed forward in an attempt to cushion the fall.

She winced as she felt the sharp stones and twigs that littered the ground.

She was about to get up when she felt a kick to her back, causing her to fall again, this time, flat down. Some pressure was placed on her head, pressing her face onto the ground mercilessly.

"Fifteen minutes head-start, and this is the furthest you could go?" Sayuri said with a laugh, as she grounded Sarah's head onto the ground.

Sarah found her mouth full of soil and closed her eyes tightly. Every breath in contained dust and God-know-what, but at least there was some air, albeit very little. She was getting out of breath and felt she would suffocate.

Her chest was heaving from the lack of air and her hands tried to grab the foot that was on her head.

Sayuri looked at those useless hands of Sarah and kicked them away with her other foot. Pressing down on the head one last time, Sayuri got off then kicked Sarah at the side.

Sarah groaned and as she turned over, Sayuri kicked her hard on the stomach. Sarah shouted out in pain as she doubled over, clutching her stomach.

Sayuri tsked at Sarah. She then bent down, grabbed Sarah by the hair and pulled her up.