The truck didn’t stop.

It ran full throttle towards its one way journey.

Rabbit threw herself to the right, expecting to get hit, but whoever the driver was they decided to go for Bear instead.

Her boss’s cigarette break, as if he needed a break to smoke, came to a sudden end. He threw himself to the left at the last moment, hitting his head to a license control booth.

Yet the truck suffered a worse fate, hitting the steel support beams of the first gate. The sound of crushing steel, broken glass, and shattered concrete deafened her ears. As expected, its front collapsed and came to a halt, front window shattering and front tires launched away.

Rabbit drew her gun and aimed at the driver, running towards the truck. She wasn’t sure if she should shoot or not, hesitation apparent on her tremor.

Whoever did this somehow got the best of Jackal and that many sentinels.

Silence fell.

She ran right next to the driver’s seat, gun drawn. It was all that stood between her and whoever stood behind the wheel. Yet when she was next to the truck, a familiar figure greeted her. A twig in a pointy shirt, a rowdy face and chest hair that can be mistaken for a black shirt if not for the gold chain hanging from his neck. Whoever did this got the jump on Jackal by punching through the steel wall behind him and then strangling his head circuits until heat knocked him out.

She turned towards the Bear to get a command, maybe he had an idea on what to do, but the enemy didn’t wait for them to act.

Two shouts broke the unruly silence after the crash. The backdoors of the truck broke open and a giant figure jumped down. She couldn’t see clearly who it was, yet her boss' response let go of all hope she had.

“Tiger?”

Bear was back to his feet and his hand was at his gun, but he didn’t shoot. Hesitation got the best of him. The time of this hesitation was just the blink of an eye, yet it was more than enough for Tiger. He pounced on Bear like a cat on a mouse, all it took was one swift punch. Bear’s feet almost rose from the ground and then fell on his back, a loud thud echoed.

She aimed at Tiger, but a pale hand grabbed the gun from her hand. Rabbit couldn’t react, as a fist met with her left ear.

The world rang. She fell. Her gun fired aimlessly and without harm.

At the edge of her sight, she saw Bear trying to get up, yet Tiger was on top of him.

As for her.

Freckles and big-nose, also referred to as Forty-one, shook the gun in front of her sight, as if teaching her a lesson.

“When using one of these, don’t hesitate,” he said.

She tried to get up, to do something, yet anything but a quick chop of her neck sent her back down.

“Stand down, it is the best for you,” He got up from crouching and was about to leave until suddenly turning back. This time, looking a bit on the edge. “Umm… tell me, did a white haired, tanned woman pass through here?”

She tried to punch him in the face, he stopped it mid-air and twisted her arm. Her cables sent pulses of pain, she was forced to turn around herself, towards the asphalt.

“I only have around fifty seconds left until your boss passes out and I have to deal with something else. Now, tell me what she said word by word.”

“Why would I…” She had to swallow her words as the pain intensified. Arm twisting further.

“Why so adamant, should I ask?” Forty-one said.

She hated to admit, but she could tell Forty-one wasn’t trying to hurt her, not even using most of his strength. It wasn’t hard to tell he could break her arm and then spine if he really wanted to.

Rabbit also had martial arts training and knew how to fight, but against Forty-one she felt like a child. He twisted her arm in such a way that she would either twist her body, or it would break. And he did that all the while he was crouching beside her.

“Will you let Bear live?”

The pain lessened, she felt his grasp weakening, but remaining firm.

“Fair deal. I accept.”

“She wished you a lovely day.”

The pain intensified, a cold chill ran down her spine. His anger came suddenly. Did she press one of his buttons?

“Under what name?”

“F-Forty.”

He let her go.

She let her arms loose and was about to jump to her feet, but she couldn’t.

A kick at the back of her head and she kissed the ground.

That’s the last moment she remembered.

***

They looked left and right. There was nothing noteworthy.

No bandages, medic packs, or a car.

Luck did not favor Pearl or them.

In that, Pearl wasn’t alone.

She tried to avoid looking at him, not wanting to ask.

If she remembered, and if he didn’t, it could be too much to bear.

So, she forced herself to make a list.

First, survive.

Second, understand what is going on.

Third, punch Forty-one in the face with all her might.

Finally, confess to Forty-two. Well, more like inform.

For that, here they were. She and Forty-two, tasked to check the surroundings as if there were anything noteworthy to begin with while Forty-one and Cecil checked the one and only building near them.

They had a silent stroll around the ruined passport control, autocannons ignoring them.

Daughter didn’t understand why Forty-one wanted them to check the surroundings. There wasn’t anything noteworthy. There wasn’t an infirmary to deal with Pearl’s wound or even a car to carry her. She was slowly running out of coolant and things were getting complicated.

In return, though. In return is when things got more complicated.

She wasn’t surprised she and Forty-two came empty handed, but seeing Forty-one in front of a small car and arguing Cecil didn't sit nicely with her. Not like it was first today.

Cecil painted the image of a wild lands hunter. Jackal tied up by makeshift bounds made by plastic police tape, a torn shirt revealing a wounded, albeit muscled, body. He wasn’t chiseled, per say, but the fibro-muscle was apparent under the protective silicon layers.

“His eyes are up there, you know?”

Daughter shuddered when Forty-two spoke, looking at him with dulled eyes. She didn’t want to hope. One side of her wanted to ask if Forty-two had his memories, but she decided otherwise. If he did, he would’ve talked with her. She was sure of it. Yet, it didn’t hurt to try.

“Jealous?” She put on a smug facade and looked Forty-two in the eye. “He is too old for me, don’t think that way,” she gathered her courage and closed the distance between him and her. His white shirt was full of stains, same with his face with black soots, his blue eyes shone through them though. There was serious work put on his creation, that was for sure.

She held her break and nagged at his abdomen, feeling familiar muscles and chiseled abdomen. “I would prefer that.”

A part of her had hope when he hesitated, but that hope died with one move, a step back. His eyes had confusion.

Forty-two furrowed her brows and looked away. She could see a tinge of guilt, avoiding her gaze. Did he forget all of it, or did he at least have something faint?

“I don’t know if you have these strange ‘dreams’ as Forty-one, but I don’t,” he looked back at her, those warm blue eyes glimmering coldly. “I don’t know who you are or where you are from, apart from what we talked about yesterday. I’m not sure if you or him are telling the truth, but I would rather wait and see.”

Her legs felt loose, she could drop there on standby any moment, letting herself be captured. But her curiosity got the best of her. She wanted to touch the soil, to be free.

You can never touch the soil

Incentive Changed

System_Error

A sudden headache hit her again, same as the one she got back at the car. No memories came her way, yet her mind felt freer, to her own.

Readjust Perception

“Take it. You are the one who planned it all,” Cecil shouted.

Daughter faced Cecil's way as the headache went away. She needed something to occupy her mind. It was unlikely for Cecil to shout, better to make sure there wasn’t another fight.

“Cecil, there are four seats at most,” Forty-two threw the keys towards Cecil, who caught it mid air. “You, Pearl, Swan, and Jackal would barely fit. We can travel by foot through the Iterative Town, don’t worry about it.

“Are you mad, or have a death wish?” Cecil shouted, again. What was up with him? “They will tear you apart with one wrong move.”

“Did I leave the impression of someone who doesn’t know what they are doing?” Forty-one continued, thankfully in a normal tone. “Also, Pearl is wounded.”

“Then let us give the car to the ladies and we men walk through Iterative Town.” Cecil shouted. His voice had begun to ring in her mind. Why was no one else annoyed by it?

“Who will break through the second checkpoint?” Forty-one answered back.

Cecil, finally, thank the Mother, stood silent. His eyes wandered to Pearl who was laying on Swan’s leg. She was not doing great, to say the least. She didn’t seem to be overheating just now, but she wouldn’t go for long in that state either.

“Also, I need someone to disable one of the auto-canons near the checkpoint so we can pass through the fence.” Forty-one continued.

“Which tower?”

“Fourth from the eastern side.”

Cecil stood silent. He walked towards the car and opened the door, without a hesitation he threw the Jackal in as if he were luggage. He opened the backdoor and carried Pearl as well.

She didn’t know what to make of it, their only vehicle getting away from them.

But, this didn’t feel like a coincidence. Forty-one knew everything beforehand so far. This bore a question to her mind.

Why did he give up on the car?

“I must thank you, to all of you,” Cecil said, shouting again and walking towards them.

“Can you please stop?” Daughter shouted back, closing her ears.

Readjust Perception

“Stop what?” Cecil said, in a normal tone.

“Shouting.”

A hand gripped her shoulder, Forty-two looking back at her.

“Are you doing fine?”

She wanted to say no, and would’ve said no, if it wasn’t for someone cutting in a moment.

“Forty-two, come with me, same as you, Cecil. I need to talk with you guys before we separate.”

“Alright,” Forty-two let her go, following behind Forty-one and Cecil.

She stood all by herself and didn’t have much to do, feeling alone. Everyone had someone they knew there.

Forty-one and her didn’t count and would never count. Forty-two of the past might have forgiven him at that times, but not her. No, she would never forgive after what he did to them, again and again. It was Forty-two who stood with her, not him.

In her case, everyone had someone there who knew them back. Forty-two and Forty-one was a duo alright. Cecil, Swan, and Pearl were an unlikely trio that had stayed together.

As for the last two members mentioned, they were still inside the car. Pearl’s pained grunts reached her ears. Sadly, there was not much to do.

Having not much to do, she went to check on them.

Swan was trying to soothe Pearl’s pain through a soothing voice and kisses. It didn’t seem like a very effective form of treatment, not to these kinds of wounds.

“So… How is it going?”

“You need to be more upfront to get that Blondie, my dear,” Swan said, facing her with a smile, her orange lipstick fading away and her feathered suit torn apart at certain edges. There was nothing apparent, but the dress itself was living its last moments.

“Is it that obvious?” She felt her face flushing. It was a small malfunction due to heating. Definitely, just heat. Yet it wasn’t caused by embarrassment, but anger.

Her fist was clenched, and she was biting her lips. So, if she was that obvious, why hadn't he gained his memories back? Was it a mockery made by Gods of City?

Why was she forced to be alone?

She felt a cold hand caress her cheek. Swan’s smile had pity emanating from her. Or sympathy.

“You have had it hard, haven't you?” Swan said. “We know how that feels, my dear. Words are stuck in your mind, mic and tongue twisting in your mouth and only desperation coming out.”

She held back her tears; she didn’t want to cry in front of someone else.

“You outside and you inside aren’t the same. I had that too,” Her face turned towards her pearly-haired lover. “Rejecting my nature, trying to pretend to be someone who I wasn’t. Thinking I was abnormal or deficient.”

She could neither form words, nor wanted to.

“Unable to form bonds or simple words, stuck with an artificial beauty in this graceful world. I know you don’t want to talk or admit. You want to run away or want others to finally understand.”

Swan said, only said. It meant a lot for her, but being called out by a total stranger, it could only be described as sudden.

“Make amends with yourself, be yourself, and then seek others’ understanding; not attention or approval.”

With that, confusion took the place of sadness.

“Do not seek an applaud for being yourself. Carry your dreams on your shoulders, not on others. And if you want someone to walk side by side with you,” Swan’s eye wandered away, looking towards Forty-two, “let them be people who carry their own. Don't become a luggage carrier for someone else. Your life is yours and yours alone.”

“I don’t understand what you mean.”

“You do, but you are still willing to mold yourself for others. Hopefully, you will admit before forcing yourself into an act you don’t want to play,” She paused, furrowing her burrows for a moment. Swan gestured with her hand to come near. As she leaned, Swan whispered the rest of what she said. “As for him, if he wants to walk by your side, carrying his own dreams and ambitions alongside yours, then he is one of the right ones. This is a world of convenience, my dear. Don’t be one of the minorities it so thoroughly swallows.”

“You talk good and well, but I have to go.”

Daughter wanted to leave Swan’s side. She felt naked by Swan’s speech, but there was a misunderstanding, it seemed. They likely won’t meet again, but she didn’t want to leave on a bad note. She donned a smile similar to hers and hugged her.

“Still, thanks for your suggestion. I will keep them in mind. Farewell, I’m glad to have met you.”

She felt Swan caressing her back, but when she got back, her smile was more subtle, lessened.

“It’s a goodbye, my dear, not farewell.”

“I ain’t dead yet and are you… argh… flirting with the first gray-haired woman you see.”

Swan giggled as Daughter walked back. She didn’t fling in that way.

“You still have my beating engine, dear duckling,” Swan kissed Pearl’s forehead, her only being able to grunt in return.

As they were lost in conversation, Cecil opened the driver’s door.

Daughter’s eyes searched for Forty-one and Forty-two coming, but they seemed to be lost in conversation.

“We must go now, my dear. Let’s spend more girls-only time when we arrive in Glitter City.”

Daughter didn’t want to focus on anything until she truly understood what was going on.

“I would love to.”

***

Entice’s car got through the check post. She was driving carefully at the edge of the electric fence splitting Iterative Town and Suburbs.

The border fence stood at eight meters high with taller towers having automatic cannons on top of them.

She was going towards the east, to the fifth tower.

Her head still ached since waking up, memories rushed in when the sun dawned, without warning or trace. Her diary began to make sense, but the timing still didn’t.

Why now and there?

She didn’t know.

But she still had to help that dork pass the wall. He could’ve done it without her help if he were alone, but Blondie would perish on the way.

They didn’t get along, but no need to let that happen. Not to mention he was dysfunctional already, with no memories coming back.

There wasn’t any point to try anymore. The Experiment, this tower, it was impossible to escape.

Better to spend this infinite time they have on fun and drowning in others pleasures.

They had all the city for their tastes, why bother going forward? She had the Dork and her friend had the Blondie.

It would be great to make her dream come true.

You can never hold on

Incentive changed

But it was impossible, no need to bother. She must learn to make do with the heaven they have.

Entice slowed down as she reached the fifth tower. It stood at ten meters in height, made out of concrete. There was also sunlight glimmering on the auto-cannons’ surface. She avoided looking at the damn thing, having experience with what happens when it hits its target.

She got out of her car, not bothering to lock it. It wouldn’t take long.

Her dress was alluring enough, and her patience was running thin. She donned the best smile she had and walked towards the entrance, knocking on the door.

On eye level a gazing part slid open, guard checking her out, up and down. She wanted to poke his eye out, but waited.

“What is your business?”

She rubbed her neck and gave the best drunk impression she had.

“I’m looking for some fun,” she hiccuped. “Are you the fun?”

The gazing part slid closed and the door opened.

The disgust ran all through her body, but she found comfort in what was to come.

“Come in, babe. We can have all the fun you can ever wish for.”

Entice slightly shook her hips as she walked inside the gate, making the guard look the other way.

She ‘fell’ towards the guard, letting him catch her. When both of his hands were at her back, looking to venture down further, she kicked him in the testicles and grabbed the gun from its holster.

The guard bent down in pain. She didn’t bother any further. She shot the gun twice to his head, gunfire echoing into the void. There was a reason she chose there after all.

Entice didn’t mind the coolant splintered around her or the ground. She just moved over the body, approached the terminal, entered the code that closed the cannon, and shot the computer twice after it was done.

She walked over the body again, entered the car, and then left for her ‘home’.

She had done her part.