{[Chained in the darkness, void of all senses. Just an empty vacuum… Time was all you had, and even that became your enemy… I stood there, in between life and death… Watching your soul weep and your rage pulse across the chains that held you… Until you gave yourself a second of peace, your eyes, like the endless sea, they studied me… I was the first thing to emerge from the emptiness… Your curiosity, your presence, and your rage… It left me frightened. Even so, you studied me with desperation. That’s when I uttered words you desired for an eon. “You’re not alone anymore.”]}

“Clear my name? How?" Ashner wasn't letting his hopes up. "Melissa would have to take a stand in court."

“It will be done in court, but not until we destroy and rebuild," Crow reassured Ashner. "I am, first and foremost a gun dealer… I've been to every corner of the world… And I am responsible for the deaths of thousands upon thousands of people… But want to know a little secret about me?"

“Sure.”

“I hate weapons. I hate soldiers. I hate murderers. I hate ideals that lead others to kill each other. I hate everything I am… But I carry on for one reason… To survive…" Crow hadn't caught on, but he had tugged on the leash wrapped around his hand. "The world is about to run out of its most precious resource. A resource that White Water has their largest base guarding… The entire world’s fuel reserves are just about dried up. So what do you think will happen when we run out?"

“I can’t say.” Ashner leaned back on his chair.

“Every city will start to decay. People will starve and die of thirst and hunger. Without fuel, we can't keep our perfect little society's gears moving… Then our only option is to take from others… Our world is on the verge of another world war… But this time, it won't be fought over land or ideals. It'll be fought over food, water, and fuel… And with White Water controlling who gets the fuel, they’ll negotiate with the world’s powers to benefit themselves. Their power will only expand, and their already unchecked actions will only escalate.”

Wong tapped on his chin. “How long do we have?”

“About a year… That's why I'm still doing what I do… That's why I need you to help me… I have weapons, but I don't have the military might that White Water has. If it's an all-out battle, I will lose… That's why we need to fight differently, strike them where they don't expect, starting with that sword… I plan to overthrow White Water and take control of that fuel line. With my people in control of it, we'll distribute it fairly to every nation. To do that, we need to expose their actions and crumble their very foundations, taking them and everyone on their side down. I’ll do everything in my power to prevent a world war.”

“Are you certain you can pull that off?” Ashner asked with a glare. A part of him grasped how powerful Crow would become if he controlled that fuel line.

“I’m a gun dealer. I have dirt on just about every politician and military general in the world… I have evidence and the means to allow certain secrets to escape my grasp… If they step out of line… But I understand why you don’t trust me… Only a fool trusts a man who makes a profit on the deaths of others…”

“Kind of like a former soldier," Ashner commented quickly, acknowledging that he had killed for money in his past. “I don’t trust you, but I’d rather have the devil I know controlling the world than the devil that delights in controlling others… But how will you maintain control?”

“I have guns.” Crow smiled. “Loyal soldiers and a network of information that spans the entire globe… For instance, there's an old White Water base in Transylvania. It's in ruins… That’s why I found it odd that Iris went there with the sword…”

“How do you know it’s in ruins?”

“Because I was there… You'll find the secrets White Water wants buried… I doubt you’ll find any resistance… I can’t trust this to any of my soldiers, other than Eugene, who will accompany you…”

Crow's smile faltered. He was forcing himself to stay happy.

That place is too personal for him…

"I need to go see what Iris did anyway, so I'll go…" Again, Crow smiled, this time a genuine smile. Then, reaching into his bag, he tossed him a micro-cassette recorder. "What's this?"

“It’s my shame, but it’ll help you make sense of what you’ll find…”

*******

“Another long airplane trip.” Wong focused on the outside of the plane. “I figured you’d be more excited, Ashner?”

Ashner sat to his side. Crow had provided them with airborne transportation.

“I don't believe it'll happen," Ashner admitted. "My name won't be cleared."

“You got a glimmer of hope. So why are you hesitating when something you’ve desperately wanted is just around the corner?” Wong tilted his head towards his friend. “What’s on your mind?”

“If my name is cleared, I can take back my dad's company. I can actually hold my head up proudly." Ashner debated it, then shook his head. "I hate reopening old wounds. Worst case scenario, they’ll pull the same stunt again.”

“That won't happen again," Wong assured him with a firm voice. "Last time I was in the hospital, your trial was rushed and kept hushed. When I caught wind of your situation, you were already in jail. This time I’ll make sure everything runs smoothly… I’m willing to fight this battle for you.”

“Why go that far?”

“Because I miss who you used to be.”

“You mentioned that I changed… What was I like before?”

“You were a leader, witty, and you were always smiling… Not to mention you always seem to make the right choices in life and death situations… We were the same rank, but Gio and I always looked to you for guidance."

“Did you now?" Ashner recalled the war. He had made quick decisions that got them out of heated situations. "Thank you."

“Now you have hundreds of humans and demi’s that rely on you… Your past is a constant crutch for you, and it has deterred your mental state… That needs to end… And I also plan to be with you the day you decide to face White Water and end them… Especially Ensley… If you don’t put a bullet in him first, I’ll do it myself…”

“I won’t stop you if you get to him first.”

“You've changed a lot," Wong commented. "I need to change too... I think it’s time I face her…”

“Face who?” Ashner asked.

Wong turned his head and stayed silent. That's when the airplane started descending.

“I’ll tell you one day…” Wong finished as the elevation shifted.

*******

When they landed, Eugene guided them to an armored vehicle. It was just Ashner, Wong, Gio, and Eugene. Lina stayed behind with Crow.

“You want to tell us what happened here with Crow?” Gio asked Eugene as they mounted the vehicle. The terrain around them was in ruins. The remains of a city were in the distance. It was leveled by mortar fire. "This place was a battlefield a few years back. When Russia invaded Ukraine, it took them a while, but they conquered it, and then they attacked Romania, that's when NATO stepped in and bombed them into submission."

“You know your history." Eugene smiled at him. "I'm ex Spetsnaz. I even participated in the invasion of Ukraine. But I got tired of it. It was a senseless and stupid war. Dying for nothing does wonders to a soldier's morale… Especially against a country that was just defending itself from invaders. It was a hard war. Russia lost more soldiers than Ukraine in every battle… Eventually, my squad got orders from the top, a suicide mission.”

Eugene turned on the truck and started driving. “I wasn’t going to die for a stupid cause. So we did the smart thing.”

“What did you do?”

“We killed my chain of command. They knew we weren't coming back, so why should we give a fuck what happened to them? Once I did that, I had access to high-tech weapons, vehicles, and technology worth millions of rubles. So we took what we needed and went our separate ways. And that's when I started my life as a gun dealer."

“Where does White Water fit into all this?” Wong tapped on the seat as he spoke.

“I'm getting there," Eugene confessed as they drove off the road through a forgotten path deep into the Hoia Baciu. "The major powers stayed clear of the war because it didn't benefit them. You see, they don't really care about your freedom or your protection. They only care about money and resources. So as long as Russia wasn't taking anything away from them, they had no reason to step in. It's not worth the financial loss. But wherever there’s a war, there are mercenaries. White Water was involved. They weren't in the fight, but they worked odd jobs for Russia, Ukraine, and Romania… Mostly protecting wealthy individuals and political heads… They also took in refugees…”

Eugene sighed heavily. "That's where I met Crow… He was just a kid then. It turns out he was better at leading than I ever was… So I gave him the entire organization… You still have that tape recorder?"

Ashner reached into his bag and pulled it out.

Eugene took a quick glance at it. “Crow loved that thing, but he kept hearing it over and over. As a way to remind himself what his goal was… Crow may be a bit of a weirdo, but he’s a soldier through and through… We’ll arrive soon… From what our satellite showed us. The site should be abandoned. But they did bring in tools to dig.”

“What are they looking for?”

“I don't know. When I was in that base, they kept me chained to a room. I didn't see much of the base before Crow blew it up."

The group arrived at another ruin. They drove by a large circle with an H in the center of it. Concrete and rebars were sticking out of the ground. At least in one section. To the far end of the destroyed building lay a path and a dozen abandoned construction vehicles.

They unmounted and searched the rubble, armed to the teeth, but they weren't expecting to run into anyone. Even so, the four were not taking any chances.

They made their way towards the hole White Water had made. They had dug their way through the rubble until a path was cleared out. The soldiers kept their weapons at the ready as they scanned the entrance.

“What would Iris want from here?" Ashner asked Eugene, who hadn't muttered a word their entire flight.

Eugene glanced down and spoke meekly. “This place was a sanctuary for war refugees… At least on paper… Play the recorder, let Crow explain it to you…”

Ashner reached into his pocket and pushed play.

*******

“It's our first day, the soldiers gave us food, and they're separating us into different rooms." Crow’s voice was childish.

“That's Crow." Ashner brought the volume up for the rest of the group to eavesdrop.

“Big brother." A feminine voice interrupted. It wasn't as loud since she wasn't speaking directly into the recorder. "This forest is scary."

Around the two more footsteps and voices spoke, they were walking with a crowd of people.

“It's okay. The other refugees told me Russia is still struggling to take Ukraine. We'll be safe here."

“Are you sure?” The girl asked with hesitation. “What would mom and dad do?”

“Olivia, Mom, and Dad are gone… I'll take care of you. These soldiers will protect us, and they even told me they'd give me money if I worked for them… Just let me handle everything… Then we can go anywhere you want…"

“Anywhere?" The girl's tone lifted up. "Europe? Japan? America?"

“Anywhere means anywhere. It’ll take a few months, or maybe a few years of saving up. When the time is right, we’ll leave and start our lives over again… A place far away from this war.”

“Promise me?” Olivia giggled.

“I promise… Oh, look at this!" Crows footsteps rummaged through the woods, snapping branches. "Humm, this is a bracelet."

“Let me see.” Olivia’s footsteps closed in, then she giggled. “You’re like a Crow.”

“What? Why?”

“You have a knack for finding shiny things.”

“Now you’re just being rude…”

"ATTENTION ALL REFUGEES!" A voice echoed through a loudspeaker. "WHITE WATER WELCOMES ALL OF YOU. WHILE YOU STAY IN OUR BASE, YOU WILL BE REQUIRED TO WORK! ANYONE WITH ANY MEDICAL OR COOKING SKILLS STEP OUT OF LINE. THE REST ARE WELCOME! WHITE WATER WILL PROTECT YOU!"

The recorder went silent.

*******

“What happened to the rest of it?” Gio asked.

“That one in your hand isn't the original. Crow keeps that one in his personal quarters. What you're holding is the abridged version… And that female that spoke at the end. She's well, that woman…" Eugene struggled, then ultimately gave up trying to describe her. "Let's go. White Water left us a path… The quicker we're out of here, the better."

Gio jumped in first, with his SAW at the ready, next went Eugene, Wong, and lastly Ashner, keeping rear security.

The inside of the base had been cleared out. Large concrete sections had collapsed, but a proper path had been made. Below their feet, construction tracks had disturbed the ground.

“NOD's on," Ashner ordered as the group went deeper into the dark building.

“This place is massive," Gio commented as they glanced at the insides of some rooms that remained intact. They had old computers and office supplies in them.

“It was meant to house five thousand people and a battalion-sized unit." The men tiptoed. Until they ran into skeletons, they were long decayed.

“I recognize that uniform," Wong smirked. "White Water, they were buried alive in this underground base."

“Most of them were," Eugene admitted. "Crow was sixteen, and Olivia, his sister, she was fourteen when they arrived here. From what he told me, the two stayed here for six months… Halt here.”

The group stopped. A metal door blocked their path. It had survived, and judging by the dust that was knocked off the handle, it was recently used. But it was locked. Wong studied it then shook his head when Gio reached for a small sawed-off shotgun he kept on his belt. The door was reinforced, so shooting out the hinges wasn't going to solve their problem.

“I'll open this door." Eugene reached into his own backpack and took out a lock-pick set. "White Water went through here, but they locked the door on their way out… While you wait… Play the next part…"

Eugene's face hardened as he spoke. It wasn't just Crow that hated that place.

Ashner reached for the recorder and played it. After a few seconds, Crow spoke.

*******

“Olivia!” His footsteps echoed on the concrete floor. “White Water captured a Russian man.”

“So the rumors are true.” She sighed. “Russia is advancing towards us, and Ukraine is losing…”

"I was eavesdropping, and he did something to piss off Commander Peck. So she locked him up in the soldier's barracks." Crow flung himself on a bed. The bed mattress shook. "Commander Peck told all the laborers that we're low on rations, so we're going to have to eat less than we usually do for the next five months."

“That's the second time," Olivia complained. "At this point, we're going to be eating a plate of rice a day… Plus, I don't trust her…"

“You're bringing that up again? She's a Commander, so she has to make hard choices… That's why she got rid of all of the older folks… She even set them up with visas to other countries…”

“She got rid of anyone over the age of sixteen…” Olivia continued sweeping. “Don’t you find that suspicious? And now there’s more soldiers than refugees.”

“She lost her son a few years ago. That’s why she’s so clingy with us… Why are you always suspicious of people who are only trying to help us?”

Olivia stayed silent.

“I bet it's harder getting visas for teenagers… And you're not making it easier for us… Decide if you want us to go to America, Japan, or Europe."

“That's a hard decision… Give me some more time…" Olivia spoke with a girly tone, then her words became serious. “Maybe we should just leave right now… You never know when Russia will get here, we might have a better chance of escaping on foot now that they’re closing the distance and on the border of this country…”

“And do what? We've saved a decent amount of money, but we don’t have a visa. Olivia, please, just tolerate this place a little bit longer…”

“Fine…” She admitted defeat.

“There you are.” A curious voice interrupted them, but it was followed by Crow gasping.

“Commander Peck! You know I hate hugs!”

“Can’t a girl hug her children?” She teased with a laugh.

“I’m not a fan.” He scoffed, and she laughed. “What brings you here?”

“We just received news that Russia conquered Ukraine… They're currently regrouping, and we have orders to take as many refugees as we want with us…"

“Where are we heading?” Olivia asked hesitantly.

“Bulgaria… So we’re packing up and setting up explosives around the base. We're going to blow it up. If Russia does invade, we don't need Romania blaming us for giving them a perfectly good base.” Peck spoke with a jump to her step. “So make sure to pack up all your belongings and meet us at the cafeteria.”

“Okay.” Crow eagerly rushed around.

*******

“It’s done.” Eugene interrupted as the metal door opened. He stood at the entrance, entranced with his fingers digging into his palms.

“Eugene?" Ashner snapped him back to reality. "Come on. You're holding us up."

“I know… Keep the recorder playing… You need to see this…”

The group continued to move deeper into the base, this deep inside the base wasn’t as cleaned up, but an effort was made to make a path, one the group took.

*******

“AS I BRIEFED YOU ALL BEFORE. RUSSIA HAS TAKEN YOUR HOME.” Commander Peck announced, once again speaking into her megaphone. Crow had turned the recorder on sometime in the middle of her announcement. “FORTY OF YOU ARE LEFT, SO THANK YOU FOR WORKING FOR US. WE’RE NOT DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN THE WAR, BUT WE HAVE RULES TO FOLLOW… UNFORTUNATELY, WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH ROOM TO TAKE ALL OF YOU."

That brought concerned murmurs among the refugees.

“SO TO MAKE THINGS FAIR, YOU WILL ALL COMPETE FOR THE PRIVILEGE OF COMING WITH US.”

“Crow?” Olivia’s tone was worried. “Something’s wrong.”

“Hush, you’re interrupting her.” Crow nagged as the clank of metal hitting concrete echoed.

“What’s this for?” A random refugee asked.

“THAT IS HOW WE DECIDE WHO COMES WITH US… PICK THEM UP, CREATE A CIRCLE…”

“These are bayonets," Crow spoke out loud.

A refugee spoke up. “Commander, is this a joke?”

The echo of gunfire raged from the recorder. Screams and silent gasps followed it.

“No.” She scoffed. “Six months, six fucking months of giving you our food, sharing our space, babysitting. WE HAVE OUR ORDERS, BUT HONESTLY, WHO GIVES A FUCK! YOU ATE OUR FOOD! SLEPT IN OUR BEDS! AND LIVED AMONG US, BUT YOU ARE NOT ONE OF US… A WHITE WATER SOLDIER IS POWERFUL, FEARLESS, AND ABOVE ALL, CRUEL! CHILDREN WITH NO RESOLVE TO FOLLOW MY ORDERS ARE NOT WORTH MY TIME! ONLY ONE OF YOU WILL COME WITH US! MAKE OUR TIME BABYSITTING YOU WORTH IT! GIVE US A SHOW!”

*******

The group glanced at each other. Eugene didn't dare glance back at them, but his fists were shaking with rage.

*******

“Pick them up.” Peck’s voice became cheery again. She tossed her microphone aside. “I won’t ask again.”

Silent sobs echoed, and blades were picked up.

“Good, now make a big circle, and face each other.” She continued.

“Olivia." Crow was fighting back his fear. "Stay near me… This is a prank. It has to be… Commander Peck wouldn't do something like this."

“Big brother… Pick up your knife… If we don't do this… They'll shoot us…"

“She won’t let this happen… She’s our friend…”

“… You’re a foolish older brother…”

“I am?”

“BEGIN!” Peck ordered, and the footsteps of desperate children charged towards each other.

They did as they were instructed and faced each other. All the while, White Water cheered behind them. Their true colors shined, and for the first time since he lived there, Crow grasped how fucked he truly was.

“No… No… NO!” Crow screamed. “COMMANDER! STOP THIS!”

Peck didn’t say a word, or maybe she did, but it was muffled out from the cheers and moans.

Occasionally gunfire rang through the recorder, the ones who tried to run and failed.

“Stay away from me!" Olivia pleaded. In that second, footsteps slammed against the concrete floor. It was followed with a grunt. And Crow muffling his words.

“Oh, God… I'm sorry… I'm so sorry…"

“Behind you!” Olivia yelped. Another grunt, and this time a voice screamed bitterly directly into the recorder.

This continued for a few minutes.

*******

Ashner had enough. He turned the recorder off. He hadn't registered his body was shaking with rage.

“WHO IS THAT BITCH!” Gio demanded an answer with tears in his eyes. “SHE MADE KIDS KILL EACH OTHER!”

Eugene stopped, refusing to answer Gio’s question. “We’re here…”

The group studied their surroundings, dining tables, caked in dust and rubble. On the ground were blades, backpacks, and the remains of people.

“This is the spot where Crow was truly born…” Eugene rubbed his palm against the ground, a spot stained by innocent blood. “Play the rest of the recorder.”

“No… I don’t want to hear it.” Ashner admitted.

“PLAY IT!” Eugene roared. “You… You need to hate White Water as much as I do… You need to listen to their sins… You don’t trust Crow… I get that… At least understand why he’s fighting… Why we’re all fighting… Play the rest of it…”

Ashner glanced at Wong and Gio. Wong nodded, but Gio was against the idea… Not that he would stop Ashner.

Ashner pushed play.

*******

“I killed him!" Olivia yelled. Behind her screams, more children cried and were killed. Ashner fought his own desire to shatter the recorder in his hand.

“THIS IS THE REAL WORLD!” Commander Peck lavished in the bloodshed. “EARN YOUR PLACE NEXT TO ME!”

Soldiers cheered alongside her until the screams started dying out.

*******

Ashner glanced up at Gio, a vein in his head pulsed, and he gripped the butt-stock of his SAW so tight his fingers just about bent the metal frame.

*******

“TEN LEFT! GIVE IT ALL YOU HAVE CHILDREN!”

*******

Wong kept a neutral and expressionless face. But his fingers tapped quickly against his assault rifle.

*******

“FOUR MORE TO GO!”

*******

Ashner glanced at Eugene, who was a few feet away from the group. His eyes went to the decayed bodies below him.

*******

“HERE WE GO! THE LAST TWO!”

Crow gasped terribly as the cheering died down. "Sis… It's just us now…"

“Hey!” Her voice was raspy. “I want to leave this place… You promised me, vowed that you’d get me out of here… I don’t want to die… I want you to do something for me…”

Crow inhaled deeply. Around them, the moans of the dying were fading. “What do you want me to do?”

“DIE…” She roared. “DIE FOR ME!”

Crow stayed silent for a few seconds. Then his breaths became sobs.

“Boo!" The crowd complained. "Raise your weapon! Don't go out like a pussy!"

Footsteps sprinted. Then two bodies tumbled.

The crowd cheered, and the recorder stayed silent for what felt like an eternity.

“Why?” Crow asked. “You stabbed yourself with my knife…”

Their voices were low, so the group got closer to the recorder.

“Peck wants a killer… So I had to make it seem real…” Olivia managed. “That way you can live…”

“I promised you.”

“My foolish brother.” She interrupted. “Did you actually think I wanted you to die for me? You are so naive…”

“Why?” Crow’s words were mixed with terrible sobs. “You could’ve left… What about Europe, America, Japan? You never figured out where you wanted to go.”

“You’ll have to see them all without me… As for our promise…” She coughed bitterly. “In a world this cruel… Promises are only an illusion, a floating ash we masquerade as a snowflake… While we burn in the flames of hell…”

“How am I supposed to live on without you?”

“I died the day we lost them… You’ve always been stronger than me… So it has to be you… This hurts, but I’m not afraid of dying… Even so, I am afraid my choice was the wrong one for you… I’m a selfish little sister… One who always brought you trouble… I know I shouldn’t ask for more… But please hear me out, will you do one more thing? For your selfish little sister…”

“Anything.”

“Hug me… I’m getting cold… Very cold…”

Crow held her tightly as her breaths slowed down.

“Do you see it?” She whispered. “A palace made of light, with stars that shine like gold… It feels like home… With mom and dad… Hey, big bro…”

“Yeah…”

“I don’t feel cold anymore…”

Her breaths stopped.

*******

Ashner stopped the recorder.

“What the fuck…” Ashner turned towards Eugene.

“They were lambs living next to lions.” Eugene finally gave his opinion. “Slaughtered for entertainment… The worst part… They used bayonets I sold to White Water to do it… I tried to pretend that I wasn’t responsible… But I damn well was… These children died because I gave them weapons…”

“That’s preposterous.” Wong interrupted. “White Water was going to kill those kids regardless if you intervened or not…”

“I want to believe that… But the last time I ran over these bodies, they weren’t bones…” Eugene stepped deeper into the ruin of a base. “Play the rest.”

Ashner pushed play and followed behind the large Russian.

*******

“Congratulations!" Peck's voice was motherly and cheerful. "You've earned the right to become a White Water soldier. From now on, you'll be directly under me and only me."

“Okay.” Crow was defeated. Both in spirit and body.

“Why that sad look?" She asked with concern in her voice. "I know it's scary to fight, but it'll make you strong."

“I… I'm sorry…" Crow was referring to Olivia, but Peck took it with another light.

She hugged the boy tightly. “It’s okay little one. I’m here for you… You made your mamma very proud with your courage…”

“Do I have to kill again?” Crow asked.

“Of course… It’s expected of you…” Her voice moved away from the recorder. “Carlos! Rivera! Take our champion to the makeshift prison. Show him what we do with people who try to screw us over.”

“Yes, ma'am!" One of them replied quickly. "This way, kid."

Crow's footsteps stepped over bodies. Around them, the satisfied comments from the soldiers rang and were recorded.

Soon the steps echoed loudly with boots stepping over tile. And lastly, a door opened.

“Wake up, you piece of crap," Carlos mocked the prisoner. "Why did you take your shoes off?"

“That's because." Eugene's voice spoke. Then two bullets were fired. "I'm a gun dealer. I make sure I always keep a sidearm hidden."

Crow gasped but held his ground.

“You look like shit, kid… Did you have a bad day?" Eugene asked.

“I had to kill them… Olivia….”

“I see, that was the commotion… That explains the blood on your clothes… You can hang on to the bracelet, but I'd prefer it if you dropped your knife."

“She told me I should live… She wanted me to live… She used to say I was like a crow…”

“Crow? Alright, kid, White Water is about to blow this base up… I need your help to get out of here… Unless you want to try to fight me… I'm against killing kids… But if you reach for their guns, I won't hesitate…"

“I won’t fight you… I hate weapons…” Crow was in a trance. “She wanted us to run away… She didn’t trust the Commander… But I did…”

“Crow? Why are you crying?”

“I killed them… But Olivia… She… I love her, even now… But a part of me hates her… We were supposed to create a life together… So why did she do it? Why let me kill her at the last second? God, she told me to live… While her blood ran down my hands, while it stained my clothes, she told me to live… But how can I do that? When I killed her. I can still feel her hugging me. I can still hear her voice… What's the point of living without her? What's the point of anything anymore? They made bets and then forced us to kill each other, shooting anyone who didn't agree to participate. They promised they’d help us…” Crow's voice crackled. His body wasn't used to screaming. "THEY LIED! THEY ONLY WANTED A SHOW! THEY ONLY WANTED US TO KILL FOR THEIR AMUSEMENT! I HATE THEM! I hate soldiers. I hate guns. I hate killing… I hate being so powerless… What should I do? They're actually proud of me. I don't understand… What I did cost me her life... And my soul… What do I do now?”

Crow started weeping bitterly, mixing his sobs with half gasps, and he would occasionally bite hard, making his teeth echo. "What do I do now?"

“You fight back.” Eugene's voice was stern. “Get revenge for those you lost… Free me, and I promise you, we'll end White Water together."

“Why should I trust you?”

“Do you trust them?" Eugene's voice was raspy. "You're just their toy. They'll strangle you once you stop entertaining them."

“I deserve it.”

“No, I deserve it… Those guns they have on their sides, along with the ammo, even the bayonets you used to kill each other… I brought them here. I sold them to Commander Peck. Until I made a mistake… I shorted them, so they killed my guards and took everything else I had… You're just a kid… Children shouldn't be on the battlefield… But they are more often than not… We can escape this place together.”

“Who's to say you won't stab me in the back if we do escape?" Crow asked, tapping his fingers on his blade.

“I don’t betray those who help me… And once we're out of this mess… You can choose. I have friends that'll take you as a foster son… But I think we both know what you want…"

“What do I want?” Crow asked listlessly.

“Revenge…”

“They’ll kill me.”

“Not if I'm by your side… I'm former special forces… These White Water members haven't seen combat in a while, and they're comfortable… They killed off every refugee who worked for them. Not just the kids, everyone who walked into this base ended up dead.”

“Why?”

“They were bored, and now that Russia took Ukraine, they have no reason to stay or help anyone…”

“If I let you out… I want something else…” Crow’s resolve started taking shape. “I want to kill every member of White Water… Every last one of them… Will you help me?”

Eugene giggled. “Da… We have a deal…”

“How can I get you out?”

“Just grab those keys and give me a gun… I’ll get us out…”

The recorder ended there.

*******

“What happened after?" Ashner studied Eugene, who was keeping to himself.

“We escaped. Commander Peck died in the explosion… Or that's what I hope…" Eugene stood and started walking deeper into the base. "Our members consist of people White Water has wronged… Our numbers keep growing every year, and now we have you… You may lead Sanctuary, but Crow leads the Black Knights… If we don’t trust each other, then we will lose against White Water.”

"I get it." Ashner exhaled slowly. "They've been destroying lives for years… I hate White Water… It seems every time I learn more about them, it just gets worse and worse."

“Da… Hopefully, the souls of these children found some peace…"

Eugene rushed ahead, eager to escape his past. While the three followed him.

They entered the soldier’s barracks. Some of them still had personal belongings in their rooms. The explosives went off before they had evacuated. On occasion, they stumbled past the torn remains of soldiers.

Gio spat on their remains as they stepped over them.

Until they arrived at the Commander's quarters, the door was wide open with footsteps leading inside. However, when they entered, the room was bare.

“They took everything.” Wong opened the nearest filing rack. “Iris was after information this base held.”

“It would seem so." Eugene helped himself and kicked over the Commander's chair. He then tossed her desk to its side, splintering it.

“Calm yourself," Wong advised, but Eugene kicked the desk knocking off one of its drawers.

“I was hoping her body was in here… That bitch might still be out there… If she is, Crow needs to know…"

Ashner knelt down. A single piece of paper remained, just a tiny torn piece.

“This is interesting.” Ashner showed Wong and Gio.

“That's the logo for your dad's company…" Gio raised his eyebrow.

“I think I know what she's looking for," Ashner admitted. This got everyone's attention. "When I met Lilith, she showed me the past. My dad managed to create a wormhole that led into Eden."

Wong’s eyes widened. “No.”

“He had stones similar to Stonehenge. They were inside my dad's main company… But I know that building inside and out… It doesn't have an underground section… Lilith altered reality to bring me back… I think she moved those stones somewhere… And if Iris finds them and recreates whatever my dad did… She'll have a way to enter Eden."

“That's bad… That's very fucking bad." Eugene kicked the table again. "If they enter that world, then they'll hold the same advantage we have… Not to mention they'll have a place to hide if things start looking bad for them."

“Your dad was involved with White Water before he died…” Wong frisked his chin. “You mentioned Iris wants to kill Lilith… So that’s why she’s buying up your company… She’s seeking a way to get closer to the Goddess…”

“What happens if you kill a Goddess?” Eugene asked.

“I don't know," Wong admitted.

“If this Goddess wants to kill us all… Maybe we should let Iris kill her…”

“No.” Ashner butted in. “When it comes to Iris… You can’t trust a thing she says…”

Ashner walked ahead of the group. “Don’t forget what she did to me… What she did to Melissa… She devours everyone for her own goals… I was foolish enough to love her once… And it cost me everything…”

“Da." Eugene agreed, and the four left the crumbling tomb. Forgotten by time, filled with dead dreams.

*******

“That wasn’t as fruitful as I hoped.” Ashner glanced out the window of the airplane.

“I wonder what else White Water has done?” Gio trembled with rage. “On second thought… I don’t want to know…”

“Those kids faced their fears…” Wong glanced at Ashner and Gio. “Guys… Something happened a while back…”

The two studied him. For a second, Wong lowered his guard, but only for a second. “I have to do something… I’m going to need a few days…”

“I’m not your boss.” Ashner shook his shoulder. “You can come and go as you please. Do you want to talk about it?”

“No… But I need to face this problem alone…”

*******

A few days passed, and Wong traveled across the country. His heart occasionally sank into his stomach. He hated what he was going to do. But he was tired of the pain he carried…

Until he arrived.

“Sacred Heart Insane Asylum." Wong stepped out of his Jaguar and paced towards the old building. Evaristo had given him her life story. Savannah, the woman who had forced herself on him. She ended up getting a brain tumor, and after her surgery, she wasn't the same. Prone to random and violent outbursts, she went from a beautiful creep to a woman who babbled to herself.

“I'm here to see Savannah," Wong spoke to the receptionist. She was a thin black lady. "Savannah, yes, we spoke on the phone. She was your adoptive mother, right?"

“Yes…”

“It’ll make her happy to see you… She hasn’t had a single visitor in the fifteen years she’s been here… But for your own safety, we have to keep her restrained.”

“That’s fine.” Wong nodded. “I just need to talk to her…”

“Then follow me." The woman stood up and led the way. Wong glanced at some rooms, they were padded up, and most of the patients were drugged up to the point that they were no more than a vegetable. "She's here."

The thin lady unlocked the door. And inside lay the shadow of a woman who haunted Wong. She was in the fetal position, shaking back and forth, her arms wrapped in a restraining jacket. And her hair was a mess… Yet, despite everything, Wong still found her beautiful, not that beauty excuses what she did to him.

“Take your time.” The woman pointed at the entrance. “The door will lock when you close it.”

The receptionist left them alone.

Wong faced Savannah for a few minutes. Debating what he should say, he had run millions of scenarios in his head. In some, he lashes out. Others, he degrades her, and some where he flat out murders her. But that was for the woman that she was in the past… Savannah was nothing more than a shell of her past glory.

Wong pitied her.

“Don't you think I'm pretty?" Savannah spoke. Her teeth had yellowed with time, and she had grown thin. "I used to be a model, you know…"

Wong studied her. The woman wasn't all there. She started humming to herself, moving her body left and right, and dancing to her own hums.

“Savannah.” Wong finally mustered up his courage.

The woman studied him and smiled. “You’re a handsome man.”

“… I don’t want to hear that from you…” Wong gritted his teeth. “Not after what you did to me…”

“But you are handsome… You’re just my type…”

A memory flashed in Wong's mind. She told him that in the past. The realization that this woman had changed. But deep down, she was still the same woman who haunted him. Even with her broken state of mind, she was still the woman who had destroyed him.

“You told me that once… A long time ago…”

“Did I?” She chewed on her lip. “I don’t think I did… I’d remember a man like you… I’d eat you up…”

“Almost twenty years ago… You adopted me…” Wong studied the woman as her eyes darted up and to her right. “You did something terrible to me…”

“I did? I don’t remember.”

“YOU SHOULD!" Wong punched the padded wall. "Because of you, I hated women for most of my life! I locked my heart away because of what you did to me! You robbed me of something precious, and I have to live with that knowledge! But you… You get to forget… That’s bullshit!”

Savannah raised one eyebrow.

“The worst part is… No one took me seriously… It hurts admitting the thing most men want. It was the very thing that you robbed from me… When I opened up… Men envied me… And women laughed… They couldn't believe a woman like you needed to take anything by force… Do you have any idea how it feels being told you're lucky when a beautiful woman… When she… When you… I was alone, so alone… Trapped in my thoughts and sorrow… Desperate to make the pain fade away… What was I supposed to do!" Wong's heart raced, and he bared his fangs. He had subconsciously tugged on his hair too. "It doesn't matter what people told me… I was your victim…"

Savannah stood up slowly. Still bound and with an empty gaze in her eyes. Wong hesitated and took a step away from her.

He inspected his hands. They were shaking… Wong was a large man, and if he wanted to, he had the strength and skill to overpower and kill her. Even now, that he stood a foot and some change taller than her, she was frightening to him.

Once again, he was that ignorant child who trusted the wrong woman. A bond she took advantage of. And after, left him hollow.

“Your eyes…” She remarked an odd truth. “They refuse to cry… But your soul… It’s shivering with fear… Do you want to kill me?”

“What?”

“I remember… You were so beautiful then too… And I… I lusted after the darkest taboo… Don't you think I'm pretty? I used to be a model…" She smiled. "If you want, you can do the same thing to me… Pin me down and have your revenge… I promise I won't scream… Then you can take my life… Maybe then you'll be able to cry…"

"No."

"I can see it in your eyes... You're alone..."

“I’m not alone…”

“You’re alone…” She closed the distance, making Wong’s heart race with terror. “You’re as empty as I am…”

“No…”

“Yes… You don't let anyone know your true self… You hide it behind metal stronger than steel and keep it colder than ice… Just like my soul… But I deserve this… I will die in these walls… But you… Stop carrying my sins. Only you can bring light to your darkness…" She glanced up at him, and for a few seconds, her mind regained perfect consciousness for atonement, revenge, and karma. "Don't rot away like I have… While there are people willing to love you… Let them warm your heart and melt all that ice and steel… You shouldn’t carry my sins… So give them to me… Forget me… And live your life knowing what became of me is your revenge…”

Wong let her words dig deep into his soul, like barbed wire wrapping around his flesh.

Savannah's eyes faded. Her mind was gone, broken into millions of shards. She smiled at Wong. “Don't you think I'm pretty? I used to be a model, you know…"

She stepped away from him and pivoted left and right. Once again, she glanced at Wong. "Don't you think I'm pretty? I used to be a model, you know…"

“You did what you did… But the one who did it died a long time ago… This is all that's left of you… I can't ever forgive you… But I'm done with the hate, who you are now, only deserves pity…" He didn't fear her anymore… The weight, hate, and torment were gone. "Goodbye, Savannah…"

“Don’t you think I’m pretty?” She spoke to no one. "I used to be a model, you know…"

Wong closed the door behind him. Then he left the building.

He was heading towards his car. Renewed and with a new perspective. With his hate gone… He was at ease, and in a way, his mind was clear.

That was until he got to his car. A strong forearm gripped his neck and lifted him up. Wong wasn't armed, but his body reacted. He tucked in his chin and slammed his elbows into his attacker's ribs.

He tumbled down. That's where three large men tackled him, holding him down with their weight. Against so many, he didn’t stand a chance. Each man grabbed a limb and pinned him to the ground.

“Wong.” Iris’ heels echoed as she stepped out of a limo. She wore an elaborate red dress that showed off her cleavage.

“Iris!" Wong spat. He pushed his body up enough to knock away one of the men. But more tackled him and held him down.

He focused on his power. If it was his life on the line, he was going to use it. Then a burning sensation hit his neck. And his vision blurred.

Jean, White Water's top scientist and one of their commanders, stood up quickly, holding a needle.

“What did you inject in me?" Wong's eyes widened as his body started to burn.

“Oh, this won’t kill you.” Jean smiled. “It’ll knock you out… When you wake up, that’s when the party really begins.”

“FUCK!" Wong's mind raced. He pictured Ashner, Gio, Violet, and everyone he cared about… Then he laughed.

“What's so funny?" Jean asked and studied Iris, who couldn't care less.

“They're going to come after me… You just signed your own death certificates, dumb-assess…"

“That’s the point.” Iris knelt down. Then her eyes changed from brown to lime green. “Your elf friend has foresight, the ability to see into the future for a few minutes… My eyes, they can see the future in possibilities… Every outcome where I come out on top… And every one where I fail and die…”

Her eyes shifted back to brown, they were bloodshot, and one of her eyes watered a teardrop mixed with blood.

“Liar," Wong smirked. "If that were the case, we wouldn't be a threat to you… Victory would've been yours before we even thought of fighting back…"

“You are a smart one…" Iris stood up and walked away while the injection started taking Wong's consciousness. "That's why I went after you… Rest assured, I've already won… You’re the key, to the key, to the key…”

“I’M GOING TO KILL YOU!” Wong screamed before the men started pounding on him, and his vision shifted to black.

“In the futures where I lose. Only one person kills me…” She returned to her limo as Wong took a beating. Then ultimately passed out from the drug.