It's currently 12:45 pm and I'm rushing to work.

Mrs Carol had just emailed me saying that the scientist was coming to the workplace early since she was ahead of her time and that they were already 10 minutes into the procedure.

She said it was supposed to be at 3 pm!

Sprinting down the streets, sharply turning the last corner and then booking it down the street. I don't know why but I felt like I owed it to myself that Francis didn't get hurt. He made it clear that he never wanted to go back to that horrible life of his with those scientists. Even if that meant challenging my boss.

Slowly opening the door, I didn't want to make it obvious that I was in a rush. Pacing down the hallway, I just realised that I didn't ask her which room it was in. Dammit!

I silently cursed myself as checking in every room I could think of. Today it was a day where most workers were off work so there were barely any people here, suiting Carol just fine.

Come on, come on, come on! I raced to every single room, my eyes scanning the room before rushing into another.

Finally, as I was starting to lose hope, I heard a large clang and a string of yells of anger.

Rushing to the room where it came from, I looked at the sign next to the door, directing what it was.

Experimental Lab

Of course! Why didn't I think of that from the start?

Slowly I creaked open the door and saw Francis standing in a defence position, wings raised in the air, ready to fly off and two men on the floor, with various, bleeding scars, matching what was on Francis's arms. My knuckles whitened as I pressed my nails against my palms, close to drawing blood and when I looked over to Mrs Carol, she was just watching it all happen on the sidelines.

In a rush, I walked over to her, still stiff and she smiled when she saw me, but I didn't return the gesture.

"Ah! Valentina! Just in time." she cooed sending shivers down my spine. How was she so okay with these poor scientists and Francis getting hurt? All for the money

"What are they doing to Francis," I said trying to contain my anxiety mixed with anger that was rising in my body quickly.

"Oh yes! They thought they would try to test him in strength, and this is how it's going" she explained, pointing to the scene that was panning out quickly.

What should I do? I mean it's not like Francis is getting hurt that bad, but others will soon.

My eyes followed Francis's movements slowly. He had released his defence pose and was now stalking toward one of the men he had thrown to the floor. He slowly bent down, squatting with his head just able to make eye contact with the victim.

I saw his mouth move, saying something and the man's eyes widened as Francis9 stood up again. The man's eyes grew in fear and getting on his knees he tried to shuffle away in fear, but a hand was out to his throat before he could.

The smile on the psychotic patient grew even wider as the man screamed and squirmed helplessly. The hand holding the neck, tightening, rising, so high that the man's feet are off the ground.

I needed to do something. I bit my nails in nervousness and just stood there, the fear swallowing me and making me freeze.

And then my eyes flickered to an approaching figure behind Francis as if it was emerging from the shadows.

It was another scientist. Holding a syringe. Sneaking up behind him.

The man pounced on top of Francis, catching him by surprise, trying to plunge the sharp point into his skin. The winged man let go of the other's neck and yelled as the scientist painfully stepped on his wing trying to keep his advantage over his back. But that didn't last for long. Francis skillfully flung him off and had gained the upper hand fast.

Slowly walking to the scientist on the ground, Francis whispered another thing to him before placing a foot on his throat, slowly pressing down, harder and harder.

My head flicked from the occurring scene to Mrs Carol, who was standing there watching, with a little smirk. That witch!

That's when I rid of my nervousness and snapped.

"Stop!" I screamed making, everyone, including Carol, freeze.

I half ran, half walked to the scene before my boss could stop me.

"Rider!" She hissed, trying to make me come back to her but I didn't listen to her. I already had locked eyes with Francis, and his eyes had softened making me feel a little better, but his pissed expression didn't go away.

I slowly approached the pair, one on the floor and one not. Francis folded his wings behind his back instead of having them raised, and it made him more approachable.

I looked down at the man on the floor and he was still struggling to get Francis's foot off him. Shifting my eyes to Francis, I could see his eyes were still trained on mine. And I softened my gaze to him, furrowing my eyebrows.

"Please... don't." I pleaded.

I looked down at the man and his mouth gasping for air, and Francis's foot on his throat slowly ease off.

Looking back up at his golden eyes with hazel streaks, I could see that there was one side that wanted to retaliate against me and kill him, but bits of pity in his gaze. It wasn't his fault he was raised like this. I gave a sad smile before thoughtlessly grabbing his hand and practically dragging him out of the room, but not before seeing Mrs Carol with a shocked face.

I was defiantly going to get an earful tomorrow.

As we walked through the hallway silently, I figured we were far away enough for him not to attack something or someone. I let go of his hand and finally looked up and saw Francis looking dazed and confused.

"Francis?" I said, trying to get his attention.

"Why did you do that?" he asked finally looking back at me, his face had hardened, and I just gave him a small smile.

"Nobody deserves to be pushed or abused like you were. I know you did some bad things, but your past affected it, it was never your fault." I explained, but before I could say anything more, I was trapped in a warm embrace.

Francis had hugged me again, properly this time since his handcuffs were taken off, making my insides flutter.

"Thank you" he whispered into my ear, and it sounded as if it was the first time he had said that. His warm breath brushed against my cold neck. And I hugged him back.

"No problem.." I said, that just made him tighten the embrace.

It's the next day and I'm currently sitting outside of Mrs Carol's office.

After walking away with Francis, I guided him back to his cell and he went in, without hesitation. I don't know why or how, but whenever I'm close to him, he sends electric sparks all over my body and gives me butterflies in my stomach.

But now all I felt was nervousness had flowed back as the door to my boss's office clicked open and she came out with a stern look on her face.

"Dr Rider," she said and went back into her office, whilst I got off my chair and entered the room.

Silence.

The silence was all that could be heard except for the small clock on her desk that ticked by the seconds.

"Valentina." she started, and she tried to look me in the eye as I looked down at my feet.

"You know I can't just excuse what happened..."

"I know," I answered through gritted teeth, my jaw clenched.

"And there might be some consequences unless you do something to make up for it." she continued "Something to help the scientists and me." she proposed making me look up and glare at her.

"If you're proposing that I tell you that I have to tell you what happens during his sessions then-"

"Oh, but that's exactly what I'm saying, Valentina. If you fail to do so then I will have no choice but to fire you. So, I suggest you get to it." And with that she dismissed me, and I stormed out of the office, my body fighting the urge to yell back at her.

Who does she think she is? My insides were an inferno, in a second, tears were streaming down my face. For one second I couldn't be strong! Not just one second. I wanted to stay strong for Mom and Dad, but I couldn't do that without betraying their motto of never taking advantage of others.

I let out muffled cries, trying to cover my mouth with my hand, as I walked down the busy hallway quickly trying to find a quiet place to go. And as soon as I found an empty room, I let out full sobs, not caring if I was heard by anybody. I leaned my body on the wall and slid down slowly huddling my arms and head to cradle my knees. I knew this emotion wasn't just because of this but the overwhelming pressure of the world, not one way could something stay good.

And on top of that, I couldn't lose my job, it was all I had to keep me alive in this cruel world. I had to keep it and listen to Mrs Carol, even if that meant going against my morals and using Francis for information.

Wow, I'm going to feel so bad for doing this.

Oh my gosh, I can't do this.

It's been silence for 2 minutes ever since he was brought into the room and I'm still deciding on what I should say to Francis, what to ask him, and resisting the urge to tell him the truth.

It was going to sound fake if I lied because I couldn't lie if it was something I cared about, and if I do say something then it would come out frail and in fragments of nervousness.

It was only making it harder that he wouldn't stop staring at me. It looks like he's been scanning my face all this time, so I've been trying to look down and not make eye contact with him. All I could do was fiddle my fingers.

And that's when the silence broke, but it wasn't me that spoke up.

"Who made you cry?"

My head shot up to see that Francis was done analysing my face and now just staring at me with concern and seriousness filling his eyes.

"Oh, I-I wasn't crying," I said looking down so that he wouldn't see my red eyes, though he probably already did see I still quickly wiping away the glossiness that was probably remaining.

"I could hear you crying," he said bluntly impatiently waiting for my answer, but it just bad my body tense more. Was I being that loud?

"It's okay, I'm okay.." I mumbled under my breath, but I think he heard anyway.

After hearing a large groan coming from the other side of the room. From the corner of my eyes, I could see him scrubbing his face with his hands. He knew I wasn't going to talk but I wasn't the only one who wanted to say something, it sounded like he was wondering if he should say something too. He spoke and said something that I didn't think I would ever hear something coming out from a prisoner's mouth, especially Francis Whitelock.

"I'm escaping this place tomorrow."

"What?"

All of my previous thoughts were abandoned after those few words.

"Why are you telling me this?"

"I'm taking that Leap of Faith in trusting you Angel" he smirked

"Trusting in you that you won't tell anybody."