Following a protocol, Thalaa put a fake blindfold on me. It provided me with sufficient sight. Holding me by my elbow, he led us through the halls. Our path collided with HEROIN officials, but they didn't mind us at all. More door opened and closed until we reached the main exit. I discerned a box-like scanner, remembering its similarities to the one I visited years ago during my school field trip.

"I didn't know we have a delivery tonight." The officer who was on guard stated.

"Dr Braile's orders," Thalaa replied.

The officer shuffled to the side, reaching for the telephone on the desk. "Let me check with her first."

"Fine, go ahead and disturb her," Thalaa let out calmly. There was no sign of faze in his voice, unlike the lump in my throat due to anxiety.

Gripping the handset midair, the officer hesitated. She swivelled to us, a moment of silence ascended. "Okay. I'll put it in the log then."

Thalaa chuckled, earning a coy smile from the officer as she put the phone back to its place. "Yes, you do that, beautiful," he uttered.

Sheepishly the officer swivelled from the monitor and shuffled through the files stored behind. Thalaa took the chance to snatch something from the desk before she turned back to the screen. With a smile glued on her face, the officer gestured for us to walk through the gate. A tab was ready on her hand for what I presumed as record purpose.

Thalaa went first, following me. I managed to catch what was written on the monitor when my ID appeared. A word due for release was lined in red above my name; my mother's name. My heart sank, reminded of Braile's plan.

"When you die tomorrow, your mother will take back her name. It's fair since you want to save her. A win-win situation."

I baffled of the outcome to my escape. The thought of my mother facing her death broke my heart. I failed her.

"Okay. You're all set to go."

Without wasting more time, Thalaa pulled me to the exit. We walked for a while before he removed my fake blindfold. I found myself in a shrouded area, enclosed by shrubs and bushes. HEROIN's facility was far behind us. It looked no more than a hill if wasn't for the faint glow coming from the windows on the lower ground.

Thalaa's stride gained speed. "We have to hurry before the real delivery crew arrived," he urged.

I nodded and matched his pace. Under the rush, I felt a strain on my lower abdomen. I hunched from the pain but refused to slow down.

Thalaa halted. "Are you okay?"

"Yes."

Sighing, he closed in the two feet gap between us before scooping me up into his arms. "You're never good at lying, Charis," he mumbled.

Pain hindered me from talking. I put my broken hand on my stomach, praying silently for my baby while Thalaa began running. An odd moment of calmness engulfed me, making me close my eyes.

"Charis, you're scaring me. Look at me, please."

I unfastened my eyelids, bestowed with the shade of worry on his face. "You want the truth? I don't trust you to tell you about it."

Mute loomed over us, the swish of dry leaves filled my surrounding. The wind pushed through my skin as I swayed above the ground. Then the breeze ceased, signalling Thalaa's halt in motion. I squinted my eyes in the dark, identifying a fence. Three silhouettes stood on the other side. The wire railing shook as one of them pushed through the slight opening.

"Charis."

I gasped when another set of arms tried to take me. Recognising the scent, I pushed him, repelling from his hold. "I can walk," I asserted.

"Okay." Thalaa complied, placing me down carefully.

"What's wrong?" Alfie questioned.

In truth, I wanted so much to hug him, knowing he was safe. But at the same time, I was also upset. The jumble of emotion was complicated for me to deal with at the moment. Ignoring him, I pranced to the fence, hearing murmur chatter between him and Thalaa.

July and Ember greeted me as I reached the cut wire. As soon as I stepped out of HEROIN ground, both of them hugged me.

***

Thalaa was on the wheel, Alfie next to him wrapping a bandage over his knuckles. Ember who sat on my right rummaged through her bag.

July's voice was the only one airing as we dash on the road. She was babbling about things I didn't understand until she twisted to me. "Is it sharp? Stabbing? Or cramps?" She asked.

"All."

"Acetaminophen. Give her only 1, 500mg."

Ember handed me a tablet, holding a bottle of water on her other hand. Her care and gentleness reminded me of my mother. Sniffles escaped from me. Emotion refused to stay sealed. "My mother. She's—"

"We already tried, don't blame yourself. Have faith in Thalaa's word. Braile wouldn't let her die. She loves your mother too much," Ember convinced.

Nodding, I swallowed the medicine with a single gulp. My eyes roamed around the gloom outside. We were entering the vanished side of the capital, where the forest resided. Vines covered the abandoned building—shading what was once a city full of light.

"Charis, what did I do now?" Alfie finally began, swivelling to face me on the back seat.

Avoiding eye contact, I turned my head to July instead, who quickly busied herself with a gun to escape the awkward situation.

"I don't want to talk about it," I let out.

"He didn't kill her," Thalaa interrupted, precisely knowing what was running in my mind.

"Why are you defending him?"

Thalaa's grip on the steering wheel tightened, the sound of pressure put on it visible under the silence. "Because I was there. I was there when she died."

***

My transition made it hard to find the right attire to wear. Thus, I occasionally visit Amy since she had all sorts of things associated with history.

The moon was floating in the sky when I arrived at her house. She came running to me, trying to steal a kiss. I laughed as I dodged her. "No you don't!"

She crossed her arms. "You're boring. Like the rest of them."

"I am not exactly them, am I? Anyhow, I'm here for the clothes. I'm tired, so I'll skip playing today."

Amy liked games, and she would invite me occasionally. I knew she was having issues after her miscarriages, so I tried my best to be there for her. She changed a lot since, but most times she was still the friend I grew up with.

Shrugging, she turned around, sashaying to the entrance. An automaton appeared when she stepped by the sliding door, tailing her like a hound. I made way to the corner of the patio, flopping on a swing.

Out of a sudden, I heard a commotion. I got up, nearing the house entrance but relucted to enter. Eventually, I gave in, worrying for Amy. The usual automaton was nowhere around, raising my suspicions.

"What are you talking about? Take the microscope and get out!"

I hid behind a wall, peeping at Amry and another woman on a heated scene.

The brunette laugh, waving a piece of paper on Amry's face. "What is this then? You have been bribing FOS for years! No wonder I couldn't find her."

"So what? I'm helping her escape your madness. Can't you see she doesn't love you?" Amry seethed.

"I'm going to report you! See what the authority will say about this."

The brunette turned around, only giving me a glimpse of her face before Amry pounced on her. In a flash, they started clawing one another, dropping to the ground to take hold of the paper. I didn't dare to intervene, thinking my uninvited status would tie me with their issue.

Amry took the upper hand when she got hold of the brunette, wrapping her hands on the brunette's neck.

"Poor, Braile, blinded by love even after having eyes. Charis will never love you, why would you even bother?"

Hearing Charis's name made me gasp. I was ready to jump into the scene, but it was too late. Braile got a hold of a vase and knocked it to Amry's head, maiming her instantly. She scampered to the side after touching Amry's wrist, face palling.

Palming her mouth, she blurted, "I didn't do it. I didn't mean to."

Afterwards, everything happened too fast. Amy arrived at the scene, holding her mother's body while panicking. When the automaton reached them, it started to convulse. Amy writhed before she went limp. I only caught what was happening when I saw the spilt water under her; she was electrocuted by accident.

Shocked by the scene, I hasted to leave. Since I parked my car outside their gate, I had to climb out. What I didn't expect next was a man jumping from the roof. I followed him into the woods, surprised after I heard him spoke.

"Charis, I'm coming for you."

I remembered the hints Charis gave me years ago, and the message I didn't intend to see. Concluding he knew Charis, I ran after him. He was searching for a way around the fence. But I knew there was none.

"Hey! Hey, stop!"

He turned around; green eyes peered at me cautiously. A knife glistened under the moon glint. I held up my hand, signalling no threat. "I'm a friend. I'm a friend of Amy," I announced.

"She's dead. I didn't know what happened," he uttered with a voice breaking. A tear ran down to his cheek.

"I know. Let me help you get through the gate. What's your name?"

He stared at me for a while, but eventually, he replied. "Alfie."

While he was in my car, I put a tracker on him. I let him off after crossing Dutchess Bless. But I lost his signal as soon as he left.

***

"I worked under FOS, but Charis's file was never in our database. It was as if she disappeared. That day I found out corruption ran deep in the force. So, I took the case on my accord and tailed Braile by joining HEROIN. Braile found out about Alfie when she was tempering with the CCTV. She deleted everything except the scene where Alfie was in a roleplay with Amy," Thalaa explained.

I looked at Alfie, then to Thalaa who were both gaping at the windshield. Guilt pounded my chest for all the doubt and accused I threw at them.

July butted in. "What's with the microscope tho? I thought they have it in labs. She's head of HEROIN research department, isn't she?" She tapped on her tabled, Braile's face was on the screen.

"Yes, but the ones we have in the lab had overlooked the Y chromosomes for decades. Braile recently discovered it still exists with the super microscope."

Ember clapped her hand. "That's good news!"

For a moment Thalaa turned quiet, he squinted at the side mirror. "I don't think you'll like what she's planning to do with that discovery."

"What?" July, Ember and I asked simultaneously.

"She's planning to eradicate it once and for all."

Just as Thalaa finished her words, a cracking sound ensued, jolting July who sat nearest to the source. Light blazed the area, becoming more profound as vehicles drew near. Under a second, spark showered the scene.

Ember pulled me to the legroom. "Duck down, Charis." She scrambled the seat, grabbing a rifle from the back. To my surprise, the door next to her flipped the opposite way, becoming a shield as she opened fire.

"Those bit*hes almost turn me daft! Hold the wheel steady." July took two guns from under the front seat, releasing the safety before squeezing out through the window. She started shooting.

After a flared broke twice, the atmosphere turned quiet. I looked behind, witnessing two vehicles engulfed in flame, making a barricade on the road. July and Ember rushed to reload their weapons.

"That won't hold them long. Charis, take this pistol." July handed the weapon to me. "This is the safety, turned it off and aim. Fire. It's easy. Shoot wherever you like except for us. Okay?" She hastened.

I gulped, slightly cringing at the first grip on the metal.

A dead-end was ahead. Thalaa hit the brake before our ride ceased motion. "We have to go on foot from here. The boat is docking a few miles away. We're leaving Liberty."

Footsteps approached, lights flickered from a distance behind. Alfie grasped my hand, July and Ember on both our sides and Thalaa as our guide; we started running, fleeing the storming HEROIN.

To be continued...

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Thank you for reading and staying with the story. Our last episode will be out in 3 days.