Slate, Lyla, Gideon, Paisley and Bethany at each of their own respective tables are packing tinned food into crates, aprons and hair nets donned. 61Please respect copyright.PENANAVQ0hzbF5oI
61Please respect copyright.PENANAFEgVil2k2Y
Ester is up the front, supervising them when there is a knock at the door. "Come in." Ester calls out and the person enters, Mikey. "Hey, Mikey!" She smiles, voice elevated and bubbly.61Please respect copyright.PENANANb0B9YaFmx
61Please respect copyright.PENANA2JGwHqG0uV
"Can we talk outside?"61Please respect copyright.PENANA1sz8zyBbxF
61Please respect copyright.PENANAPE0hQyTin9
"Sure. Hey, group. I am stepping outside for just a moment to talk to Mikey. Please continue your activities and if you need anything, I'm right outside, alright?"61Please respect copyright.PENANAZWuFB9RUkT
61Please respect copyright.PENANAUl1vmtur9a
And she leaves, no one answering her. 61Please respect copyright.PENANAkeJiYGSnQG
61Please respect copyright.PENANAlfcoQvYKQY
Outside, the situation is serious. "Ester, I don't want to cause panic. But... Cloud has gone missing. Security's searching for him now as we speak and we need to talk about, you know...61Please respect copyright.PENANAENNVLWLmxw
61Please respect copyright.PENANAVchFQtNpGY
As unhappy as Grayson is, his on board with the plan. Should we excute it? Because with Cloud missing like he has, we're all in danger. We know what his like, yeah, we had him locked up downstairs for three years, but his always been highly resistent to any kind of medication, even Merge.61Please respect copyright.PENANA6ZDqxrZ0lU
61Please respect copyright.PENANA5uSDeoR3nC
It worked too well on the ones in there, likely because their on the younger side. Cloud's a threat and he wants revenge understandably."61Please respect copyright.PENANAuQhZMotsQe
61Please respect copyright.PENANAge3lbGAvxq
"You want to finish what Slate started?"61Please respect copyright.PENANAL2EngQePSM
61Please respect copyright.PENANAUIE7e3JLlf
"Why not? Break them out. We're all in the position to help them."61Please respect copyright.PENANALvK4XQeeUa
61Please respect copyright.PENANAKcHCpHOAWW
"Even we do, we've been medicating them for years. We ruined their mind and their dependent on various drugs. They'll never survive on their own.61Please respect copyright.PENANAgJLOAvPTwm
61Please respect copyright.PENANAiAXZqmyCh2
"You'd be suprised when faced with reality how adaptable people can be. We're not going to leave them in the lurch. We can have them make it to a safe place, and take Solayo out. He thinks we won't ever dare to kill him, but I want to. 61Please respect copyright.PENANA6yCAfvcSGN
61Please respect copyright.PENANA7uytCAOelN
We agreed to this plan, but not to hurt all the people we've hurt. We take Solayo out and then we take over. We clear the zombies out and reclaim Hope-Thorn and everyone can see the sunlight again and live as normal as reasonably possible. Plus with Cloud missing, his no doubt on the wartpath to take Solayo out. We do it first, he'll stop and just leave, we can just let him walk away from all this and we get to walk away from him."61Please respect copyright.PENANAQkhvBmHadM
61Please respect copyright.PENANA3FbW0kaS3U
"Okay, and I want a future with you so, okay. Where do we send the group in there though? They barely know eachother, if they weren't so damaged we could have Slate lead them- I have an idea."61Please respect copyright.PENANA3hD9iMYMd0
61Please respect copyright.PENANAln4onNGuoi
"What?"61Please respect copyright.PENANASFhShOvBmJ
61Please respect copyright.PENANAj0NTAPXpF6
"Crashback."61Please respect copyright.PENANALRYwT4go5l
61Please respect copyright.PENANAbmuCXZ6UnP
"But that won't undo the last few years of-"61Please respect copyright.PENANAMEbgX8EQNu
61Please respect copyright.PENANAMk0hbVl4uK
"It won't undo all the forgotten, internalized trauma. But we've stopped giving them Merge mostly. The only person in that room still on it is Beth and that's because Grayson's still making moves on her. That's the reason Solayo is still giving it to her because Grayson is romancing her. He may say he doesn't care, but he does care as Grayson romancing her is going to mess with her further and it's better if she doesn't have an obsessional attachment to him.61Please respect copyright.PENANAOVXe8VPPXp
61Please respect copyright.PENANAXM2TNileXE
Anyway, Slate. We have two options, we can either trigger a crashback based on spot targetting specitic deep burried memories, but that is hard to do, it takes repeated attempts, months worse and there is no guarantee it will work.61Please respect copyright.PENANAGuwEll9elN
61Please respect copyright.PENANAsTHzawJ9SI
Or we go the invasive, quick option. It won't bring back his memories and the feelings attached, but we can bring back his personality and the morals he stood for somewhat."61Please respect copyright.PENANAXDYfssXJpT
61Please respect copyright.PENANAIze69u3LQZ
"Like his leadership skills?"61Please respect copyright.PENANAlNHy1DVPry
61Please respect copyright.PENANA8BB6udLXWt
"Yes. He was great at dealing with people and leading them. We bring that out even though his memories and associated feelings aren't there, they stand a chance at escaping and hiding."61Please respect copyright.PENANA6zFjlHU53V
61Please respect copyright.PENANA8vj5r3H0bD
"So how do we do that? His skills are still something that would be a spot target."61Please respect copyright.PENANAwq9shU4Qjz
61Please respect copyright.PENANAOl1Ql3mKoW
"Well, it's going to leave two holes in his head. They'll heal, but-"61Please respect copyright.PENANAPT2XpCrXcX
61Please respect copyright.PENANAnOmnlpAxzq
"Shit."61Please respect copyright.PENANAmkudKKx14h
61Please respect copyright.PENANAqeEaPkBoHq
"Can you go get him? Bring him to my lab, I'll do the procedure. I'll meet you there, I would just need to collect the medical supplies."61Please respect copyright.PENANAoKG1rpU6wx
61Please respect copyright.PENANAMdTXDnLiNH
"And what about the rest?"61Please respect copyright.PENANAjuQsWT6ilx
61Please respect copyright.PENANA6H67LzEAEn
"They're fine, they can just keep doing their sorting task."61Please respect copyright.PENANAQYJ9E1amNB
61Please respect copyright.PENANArPv2dR4q6W
"Okay, if you're sure." Mikey heading inside to bring Slate out while Ester heads the opposite direction to a supply cupboard, not knowing she's being watched.61Please respect copyright.PENANAXmFyJMeIAG
61Please respect copyright.PENANAAQC2YVOEZP
---61Please respect copyright.PENANArJHEazhv9k
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Slate covers his face, the light shining brightly in his face. "That hurts." He complains from the sugical chair his on.61Please respect copyright.PENANALJBsrUgGKG
61Please respect copyright.PENANAqggdO9tQM0
"I'm sorry." Ester appolgizes donned in full plastic masking and everything. Mikey is beside her kitted up as well. His never asisted before in the medical procedure side of things so this is a first for him.61Please respect copyright.PENANAiCmfwST1js
61Please respect copyright.PENANAB39GHo9Ggg
"What are you going to do to me? Why am I here? I've done nothing wrong, I've done everything you asked of me." Slate complains.61Please respect copyright.PENANAjtHZQpoly6
61Please respect copyright.PENANAzJpah5qEyT
"You're right, you have done nothing wrong. It's us who did something wrong and I know you may never understand again, but we need a part of you back. There isn't the time for us to fill in the blanks you need right now. 61Please respect copyright.PENANAFQsryTOorK
61Please respect copyright.PENANAhnTXsnTj2A
Now, Slate. This is going to hurt, but I'll try and make it as painless as I possibly can for you. Please try and bare with me." She tells him, securing his arms to the chair, Mikey doing the same with his feet. 61Please respect copyright.PENANAhtCmHicBTL
61Please respect copyright.PENANAZWcOMDqGKQ
She then brings a nose tube inserting it and hooks it over his ear, oxygen and attaches some leads, blood pressure cuff and more so she can monitor his vitals.61Please respect copyright.PENANA6SbP5ZhmnS
61Please respect copyright.PENANAWvDXjKoUXC
He looks at them, fear showing on his face. Ester preps a needle and inserts into a tube that is already in Slate's arm. 61Please respect copyright.PENANAVG1KvpZkj9
61Please respect copyright.PENANAJmKYcKKVSz
"We'll be right here with you buddy the whole time and we'll be here when you wake up." Mikey tells him, gently brushing his hair, feeling horribly guilty.61Please respect copyright.PENANA8qRCauX1DT
61Please respect copyright.PENANAN673UQHaji
Slowly Slate's eyes begin to close and everything goes dark. He looks around, his someplace, but it's not a room. It's endless.61Please respect copyright.PENANAiOao71XxgV
61Please respect copyright.PENANADye8s2Hnk1
Slowly lights and colours come through together to form a picture. The space around him looks like, well, space. Behind him is a shivery silver line, it's attached to his body, but not one specific place and it leads all the way up to a place he can't make out.61Please respect copyright.PENANAee5xIDvazH
61Please respect copyright.PENANA8a5M178DFN
Where is he? This can't be space, he can breathe. He reaches a hand out to feel the beam connected to him, it feels light and airy, flexible.61Please respect copyright.PENANA244aLGFhn4
61Please respect copyright.PENANAhVMHoiEHcM
"I wouldn't play with that if I were you. The last person who did was severed from me."61Please respect copyright.PENANAmCGroa8Hak
61Please respect copyright.PENANAecbwJurSV7
Says a voice, female. "Hello?" He calls out. No reply is heard.61Please respect copyright.PENANAUynnq5VEai
61Please respect copyright.PENANAHzJ93mbLEo
"Why am I here? What am I supposed to do?!" He yells out fustrated. "Who am I?"61Please respect copyright.PENANAfP508hV65i
61Please respect copyright.PENANAZsYxQEZUN3
"Your heart knows who you are and you know what you are supposed to do."61Please respect copyright.PENANA2Kf2SgdPFU
61Please respect copyright.PENANAdKs0gH4QeK
And then it hits him, Bethany. Beth, she needs him. He thinks back, he doesn't know how he got in this situation, but the Tomorrow Party are hurting them.61Please respect copyright.PENANAQMD0gLu2sx
61Please respect copyright.PENANAre9lkt5ClC
His other friends need him as well, he was built for this. He can help every single one of them, he can save them all.61Please respect copyright.PENANACt6fLgACYL
61Please respect copyright.PENANAwAVl7dmANU
He was a coward before, and his never going to go back to being one again, he won't let them hurt them anymore.61Please respect copyright.PENANAGLZHiE40VN
61Please respect copyright.PENANAkWTdpyE4Mg
When everything comes back, everything is blurry, but he can make out colours. He feels like a computer rebooting. Wait, that doesn't make sense? He-61Please respect copyright.PENANAudO86BjAV0
61Please respect copyright.PENANAs8dhFkTM51
And then his eyes widen, he sits up straight and looks them both in the eyes. 61Please respect copyright.PENANA5WBxUPOAaq
61Please respect copyright.PENANAoE51riOxMn
"Do you know who you are? Who we are?"61Please respect copyright.PENANAwty2IKqZ0Z
61Please respect copyright.PENANAnAbqSJURJk
"Slate. You both are the leaders, Ester and Mikey. What have you both done? You're monsters."61Please respect copyright.PENANApSVDirE2q3
61Please respect copyright.PENANAUrd553KOVC
"Bought as much of you as possible, back." Ester answers, pulling the quick release knot on his restraints lettting Slate stand on his own two feet. He touches his head, feeling a bandage. 61Please respect copyright.PENANAGHHqBNi5e9
61Please respect copyright.PENANAXA9kL5H1tt
Mikey holds out a walkie talkie, and a gun to him with spare bullets to him. "I reprogrammed it to mine, Grayson and Ester's only. Go, round up your friends and get your stuff, Zekey and leave. 61Please respect copyright.PENANAUcVkHHCl2z
61Please respect copyright.PENANAU85PXpuFG7
We'll meet up with ya'll later outside. We'll run you a distraction."61Please respect copyright.PENANAwRziOwy8yR
61Please respect copyright.PENANA6Z5k4yUeVk
Slate breezes right past them leaving them behind, this is the last time his ever going to see them again. He makes it to his room, pulling on his old fighter jacket, red sunglasses and boots. Packing a bag for him and Gideon with clothes quickly, Zekey's needs, bundle of pencils and small sketchbook and high tails it out of his room, breaking the card readers on the girls room and take their bags to, their stuff packed and Beth's guitar. He can't take Zekey yet.61Please respect copyright.PENANAEMON8mbOXj
61Please respect copyright.PENANA27RPfuhiX9
It's alot to carry, but he can handle it and just needs to hide their stuff because the longer it's on him the more inconspicious he'll look to Security. Change of plans, Mikey. They're escaping, not going with them. 61Please respect copyright.PENANATspIsRi0sR
61Please respect copyright.PENANAWIdR4lmrMB
He dumps their stuff outside in the wheat field through the main door that leads to the outside area he doesn't need a pass for and makes a beeline heading straight back inside to collect his friends.61Please respect copyright.PENANAjg20r6qyPt
61Please respect copyright.PENANA4qf9AkNcrf
As he heads back towards the sorting room, Grayson passes him, sliding something into Slate's hand. A pill jar of pills. He looks at the label, it's Merge. 61Please respect copyright.PENANAAteDBIB7G1
61Please respect copyright.PENANAh6UpBSMCYb
Take to much in a short amount of time and it makes you really sick. It can trigger a crashback as well, but who knows what memories, feelings or skills come out. The results are alot more unpredictable and dangerous.61Please respect copyright.PENANAIIvqHMMXBz
61Please respect copyright.PENANAUkSd0yojaG
He heads into the sorting room, seeing a crate on it's side, tins spilling out and blood on the floor. His friends trying to clear it up.61Please respect copyright.PENANAMV1MxgrQCk
61Please respect copyright.PENANAVJiUTD4Wih
Bethany's not present. "What happened?" He asks. "I don't know. She- the blonde one pulled the lid of a can and sliced her wrists and tried to cut her neck. She did it out of nowhere!" Lyla tells him.61Please respect copyright.PENANAJ5eQCFhI2N
61Please respect copyright.PENANA37PysZHTrY
We ran outside for help and the guards took her away, proably to triage."61Please respect copyright.PENANAp2EHZvKsgI
61Please respect copyright.PENANA2GmfzyKZPA
"Her name is Bethany. I know this is messed up right now, but mine and your stuff right now is dumped outside in the field.61Please respect copyright.PENANAMJMi8ZKapG
61Please respect copyright.PENANAFZ3vY5l5mQ
Take these and go collect it, then run for the furthest helicopter away. This will be painful, but it's going to be worth it. I'm getting us out of here."61Please respect copyright.PENANALOoiH0BA1h
61Please respect copyright.PENANADeAnyhAa8D
"What are they? You're acting weird-" Lyla begins. "Here, I'll help you do it. But I don't have much time." He responds, opening the jar and handing her a handful.61Please respect copyright.PENANABI0tW2NNh6
61Please respect copyright.PENANA9QNysNPJrA
Enough to overdose on and trigger a crash, but not to kill them or inpair their ability to think and run. He holds the same amount out to Gideon and Paisley.61Please respect copyright.PENANAFQz7W0adHa
61Please respect copyright.PENANAaGac1539lk
"Why are we doing this?" Gideon asks. 61Please respect copyright.PENANAzZtqGUT9vG
61Please respect copyright.PENANAvX0IhTMcIw
"You might understand once you've taken it."61Please respect copyright.PENANAY5XauLfcPL
61Please respect copyright.PENANAKIBO6Xs1o1
Lyla and Gideon shrug, downing them. Paisley just looks at them. "Paisley."61Please respect copyright.PENANA6y4hjGfnfn
61Please respect copyright.PENANAod3gcUrG2x
"I don't need them, I'm not stupid like you all are."61Please respect copyright.PENANAg1Ak6vnbXB
61Please respect copyright.PENANAPwVbmRTzes
Slate is speechless. "Okay, your stuff is outside. Go with Gideon and Lyla to fetch Zekey and then get the bags. I'll meet you all outside, you need to head for the furthest away helictopter."61Please respect copyright.PENANARcEuKq3Cbf
61Please respect copyright.PENANA4j36p2keFf
She nods and takes Lyla and Gideon's hand, dragging them outside. It's going to take a little while for it to work. He runs in the direction of the infirmary, he needs to find Bethany before it's to late.61Please respect copyright.PENANAabTdpLJxNq
61Please respect copyright.PENANAizU3pkE5xY
Then he hears panic and screaming, it's hard to get past a crowd. He sees his ex-friend up ahead, Murphy.61Please respect copyright.PENANArjSAKFvdeN
He roughly grips Murphy's arms pulling him back. "Woah, look at you." Murphy says, eyeing Slate up and down. 61Please respect copyright.PENANAPuz2lIl4v0
61Please respect copyright.PENANASPMQb1ZjXk
"Don't think I don't know you fucking touched, Beth. And you also murdered Hazel and Elijah. They we're alive and then you go on a mission and they don't come back alive. You we're pissed off at me and Bethany."61Please respect copyright.PENANASVfKzmnsWS
61Please respect copyright.PENANAtUljJ5CGOH
Murphy laughs. "I don't have time for this crap and I don't know what you are playing dress up for, but someone the leaders say is a threat to us have gone missing. 61Please respect copyright.PENANAh9BAg8cEGp
61Please respect copyright.PENANAoLK8KfFS98
So fly away, Slate."61Please respect copyright.PENANA62w07w2mtn
61Please respect copyright.PENANAOm5afGD3IC
"I can't, I need to find, Beth."61Please respect copyright.PENANARqtQ3U6Slz
61Please respect copyright.PENANA44i8ZK6uZn
"Uh, Infirmary I think. She was dragged out of the sorting room."61Please respect copyright.PENANAdhiOK7oLib
61Please respect copyright.PENANAdDXOaItlU0
"No shit. So, how can I get down there? I need to get to Beth, I need to know she's okay. She cut herself."61Please respect copyright.PENANAdbY0SLUTef
61Please respect copyright.PENANAPUrPLHr75h
"Fucking psychotic bitches."61Please respect copyright.PENANAD1fLZRYYPT
61Please respect copyright.PENANA3PYxOQUpQH
And Slate punches Murphy to the ground, knocking a tooth out. "You piece of shit." Murphy coughs. "You're a fucking piece of shit." Slate says back annoyed. "If you won't help me, I'll find another way there." 61Please respect copyright.PENANAf6NL7gvzi5
61Please respect copyright.PENANAA3XzUEyJ13
And he leaves, heading away from the mass of people when something or someone catches him out the corner of his eye. A young woman passes by going down a corridor that is reserved for security, her clothing non standard.61Please respect copyright.PENANAsf7CNjaLT3
61Please respect copyright.PENANAmGO5QrZCiB
Slate follows behind heading down there and sees the young womam open the door and head in. He arrives in a open common room, tables and lockers. He grabbed the door last minute so it didn't close.61Please respect copyright.PENANAvusBo2PjGW
61Please respect copyright.PENANApGT54829i4
With access now, he has a way around the crowd to get to the medical part of the building. Looking around cautious, he doesn't see the young woman anywhere.61Please respect copyright.PENANAAcX2Y0ZQ83
61Please respect copyright.PENANAnZgCfZkFIA
How could she dissapear this fast? When he hears footsteps behind him. Spinning around quickly he sees nothing, but a pass lying on the ground.61Please respect copyright.PENANAmlvPaLdqIs
61Please respect copyright.PENANAQUFTNoiBGx
It's a high level one and has Cloud written on it. He picks it up, turning it over finding a sticker saying, "Not In Active Use."61Please respect copyright.PENANAMUSEFqCcFH
61Please respect copyright.PENANAUw4aqPgmBu
Cloud hates the Tomorrow Party, he doesn't want to join them. This must have been a pass for incase he did. But how did it end up here? And where did that young woman go? She looked- he can't remember what she looks like or what she was wearing. He takes the pass, using back corridors and finds his way to triage.61Please respect copyright.PENANA7qMBCi2J3I
61Please respect copyright.PENANAixahoTK3At
"Uh, did Bethany come through here?" He asks a nurse hoping she won't realize isn't security.61Please respect copyright.PENANAB2ZByBUcMU
61Please respect copyright.PENANAxTSEB3LNLW
"Bethany?"61Please respect copyright.PENANAqDdxkHXiba
61Please respect copyright.PENANAtwbStrbFQc
"Short blonde hair, blue eyes, she... cut heself."61Please respect copyright.PENANAhEQMdfauAg
"Uh, yep. She's in with a doctor now. Solayo's personal office I think."61Please respect copyright.PENANAMETjGyGOul
61Please respect copyright.PENANA5N5HNdRQ3C
"Shit."61Please respect copyright.PENANAxYxLicxkLX
61Please respect copyright.PENANAM2XbQPeOF9
"Are you okay? You don't look so good. The bandage on your head, is it bleeding?"61Please respect copyright.PENANAOCcusppjhO
61Please respect copyright.PENANA84a2TDKMAX
"I hit it, that's all. I'm fine." Slate says annoyed, pushing past her to find Solayo. He has to take the elevator down a few floors and arrives at Solayo. He peaks in the door, his friend tied down obviously, Solayo examing her injuries.61Please respect copyright.PENANAnUekfsviwp
"You cut not that deeply on your wrists or your neck. You'll live thankfully. Why'd you do it?" He asks, taking a seat on a chair near her.61Please respect copyright.PENANAyxWNbGWJTr
61Please respect copyright.PENANAoLrgPrKRp2
She squirms, not saying anything. "Uh, okay. Um, your meds don't really seem to be working for you any more." He says, checking her chart. 61Please respect copyright.PENANANBCe6z2ds7
61Please respect copyright.PENANAgvQz9IPeR6
"We could up them, but they're already a high dose. You are just settling in again to the routine, three years downstairs was a long time... so I could just patch you up and we monitor you the next few hours, I get you a bed in psych or at-least on the main medical floor. As long as you don't do this regularly, it won't be an issue-61Please respect copyright.PENANAeNj76gJtvd
61Please respect copyright.PENANAYwrvJQ2GLI
"Solayo! Come in!" Solayo's walkie talkie picks up. Solayo sighs and answers while he preps a needle for Bethany. 61Please respect copyright.PENANAZtvNBccA1c
61Please respect copyright.PENANAQsUquQ6nMo
"What is it Grayson? I'm kind of busy right now playing doctor."61Please respect copyright.PENANABZci7FWBzL
61Please respect copyright.PENANArCc4Wr3jeG
"You won't believe what I and Mikey just saw-"61Please respect copyright.PENANAl9l2Brm6KZ
61Please respect copyright.PENANApixjXFqQpw
"What?"61Please respect copyright.PENANAMiYresvDkA
61Please respect copyright.PENANAkLGVMsTAzU
"There is a bomb! Cloud NO joke rigged up a bomb."61Please respect copyright.PENANAgpFSj7Hn8R
61Please respect copyright.PENANA2fJyR6G6UQ
"Come on-"61Please respect copyright.PENANAFKiPYhlTmN
61Please respect copyright.PENANAYQyiEP3PqQ
"We're going to evacuate everyone."61Please respect copyright.PENANAYOkt0SzkW4
61Please respect copyright.PENANAs7NagF0ueB
"Grayson, we can't. This place is too large for that and there are to many people for that."61Please respect copyright.PENANAgMDW1QYfON
61Please respect copyright.PENANAqd1ZP0Cy5l
"But-"61Please respect copyright.PENANAuCsuDJdQMG
61Please respect copyright.PENANA5oVbvV9NuN
"Grayson, just evacuate everyone we actually need. Useful or... the ones that are valuable or we have an emotional connection too..."61Please respect copyright.PENANAnAg1ecR05e
61Please respect copyright.PENANA9v34bvTJHX
"You can't be serious-"61Please respect copyright.PENANA15UegsBTUv
61Please respect copyright.PENANAqvZ4PK4gzi
"It's that or everyone dies."61Please respect copyright.PENANA2dz4yGlGJE
61Please respect copyright.PENANAAKaWvHSd0m
"Okay, we'll try." And Grayson clicks off the channel.61Please respect copyright.PENANAksf2Sa4IFd
61Please respect copyright.PENANA8h0I1uI6pt
"Just my day." Solayo mutters finishing prepping the needle and approaches Bethany. Slate's ready to run it and has to stop because Mikey radios him. He turns it down as low as he can and quickly answers, ducking down so Solayo doesn't see or hear him. 61Please respect copyright.PENANAhdU5RV514O
61Please respect copyright.PENANAF8Do6IKhNG
"Slate, are you there?"61Please respect copyright.PENANAzldoUV1vRj
61Please respect copyright.PENANAUNH03ZBGlx
"Cloud's rigged a bomb."61Please respect copyright.PENANAruwAMXby0m
61Please respect copyright.PENANAc6iciXGwbh
"How'd you know?!"61Please respect copyright.PENANAUo07ackll7
61Please respect copyright.PENANAWo4AbsWuwV
"Don't worry about it, just get whoever you can outside. Lyla, Gideon, Paisley and Zekey are already outside. I'm trying to get to Bethany right now."61Please respect copyright.PENANAIXTHtsC6UC
61Please respect copyright.PENANACDMcgwBGCo
"That's the problem! They're not. People are everywhere I saw them take a detour, Ester's on her way to them now to let them out a side staff door and Grayson and me are going to pick up em. We're trying to get some of the trucks started right now, not all of Security wants to help us."61Please respect copyright.PENANAzppbZNouia
61Please respect copyright.PENANAoxe6Olad51
"Whatever, you'll handle it. I have to face off with Solayo right now, Bethany's with him!"61Please respect copyright.PENANAN1jOgCyh55
61Please respect copyright.PENANAhjJVDH9vbl
"Shit. Why?"61Please respect copyright.PENANA3gEPhrCwAk
61Please respect copyright.PENANAKZZFOqz373
But Slate turns off his radio, done. He kicks open the door, aiming the gun he was given. Solayo grasps his from the table and turns around aiming it at him. 61Please respect copyright.PENANADKZYTkjThZ
61Please respect copyright.PENANA7lerTV1I9T
"What the hell are you doing here? How did you get that?!"61Please respect copyright.PENANAKNCQruWIYH
61Please respect copyright.PENANAsb3zwBH6MT
"What did you to her?! Beth!" He calls out, seeing she's not moving, drugged out. He must have sticked her. 61Please respect copyright.PENANAICQ4s6dPxf
61Please respect copyright.PENANA7kAUErh2ei
"You're diffrent. What happened to you?"61Please respect copyright.PENANAR2gtaJwWGS
61Please respect copyright.PENANAH3vevAfUkC
"Solayo, leave while you still can. There is a bomb."61Please respect copyright.PENANA9tPMZMUawp
61Please respect copyright.PENANAUuBroNREC5
"I know. Fine, you want Beth, you can have her." Solayo says annoyed and hurriedly breezing past Slate, leaving him. "That was easy." Slate breathes and then he hears the door lock behind him. 61Please respect copyright.PENANAdGM81taI8L
61Please respect copyright.PENANA2z6qB3CH7z
"Dip shit!" He yells, pulling on it. "Solayo! Solayo, come back!" 61Please respect copyright.PENANAdPwiB3pByo
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Solayo smirks from the other side of the door through the window. "You sit nice and tight while I bring Security. I'm not leaving without Beth and her Hybridacy. 61Please respect copyright.PENANAnxLaEpci5b
61Please respect copyright.PENANA3CsU5ZBAM1
You on the other hand, enjoy this room. It'll be the last thing you see. You and me? We're done, I'm cutting you lose."61Please respect copyright.PENANAUBCCjMOscd
61Please respect copyright.PENANAKbYynQGeBD
And he walks away. Slate punches a hand against the door. "I hate you!" And he breaks down a bit crying. "I trusted you- I trusted you. I did everything you asked and wanted of me-"61Please respect copyright.PENANAqtrJnCRRs2
61Please respect copyright.PENANAE4zXTdSzGn
And he gags, feeling blood pour out his nose. He clutches the desk trying to steady himself, a few images hitting him. 61Please respect copyright.PENANAvfNtn6LyGh
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Everything he gave up, everything he did for him, the long term manipulation Solayo subjected him to, the drugs. It hurts.61Please respect copyright.PENANANjsk4a1B3V
61Please respect copyright.PENANA0KK1SLnAGu
And then he looks to his right seeing Beth. No, no, he can't breakdown now. He can't, she needs him. His real friends need him, they're waiting. He runs up to her, "I'm going to get you out of here, okay? If it's the last thing I do, I promise." He cries, struggling to undo the leather restraints. 61Please respect copyright.PENANAw9F0LhaTN7
61Please respect copyright.PENANAcuFZyZ7vuo
They're not complex, but it's difficult. He manages to undo them. He looks to her scarred wrist and neck, they'll scare everyone. He reaches for a nearby roll out of bandages and wraps them, gently securing them with medical tape, pocketing the clean bandages and tape as they'll need replacing later.61Please respect copyright.PENANAe5uUwgSGcu
61Please respect copyright.PENANAeAj0PHxlCY
He lifts her up into his arms and heads to the door, Solayo's an idiot. He pulls out Cloud's pass from his pocket, tapping it and the door beeps, unlocking. 61Please respect copyright.PENANAOxJtwPViBr
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---61Please respect copyright.PENANAeWKWwAXMw6
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Lyla, Gideon and Paisley with Zekey are fleeing down a corrridor that is connected to another, two doors and get stuck unable to open the door, seeing the world it just outside.61Please respect copyright.PENANAXCX1pQKhug
61Please respect copyright.PENANAsXrXMA0eqX
"Shit, we'll have to go back and go around another way if we can." Gideon curses. 61Please respect copyright.PENANAMbifpKt5HC
61Please respect copyright.PENANAYCPEZWSiEe
"No!" Yells out a voice and they see Ester running towards them, waving her pass. She stops just before crashing into them.61Please respect copyright.PENANAapEQBmfuUo
61Please respect copyright.PENANAlRQWDwNqTr
"I'm sorry, I don't want to alarm you. But we located Cloud, he rigged a bomb." 61Please respect copyright.PENANA338OmSSrLY
61Please respect copyright.PENANArpaUIKBxKJ
She hands them her pass. "No! What about you? You can't leave us, Mum!" Lyla cries.61Please respect copyright.PENANAKEDna9yjx5
61Please respect copyright.PENANAHhJePbpJAj
"Lyla, it'll be okay. I promise, take my pass and get outside. I'll meet with Mikey and I'll see you all outside, okay?"61Please respect copyright.PENANAuennx5tDfn
61Please respect copyright.PENANARQXNIvTHBf
"No, just come with us now." Gideon begs, pulling on her arm. She bites her lip and looks at them all. "Please." Is the only and few words out of Paisley's mouth as she rarely speaks.61Please respect copyright.PENANAxK07Un8VOe
61Please respect copyright.PENANALkaIpENfNe
"Okay." Ester tells them. "But rug up first, please. It's really cold outside, Lyla." She says, pulling off her coat and beanie, handing them to Lyla, making sure they fit and are done up.61Please respect copyright.PENANAfS4HEf5yZg
61Please respect copyright.PENANA9LX0lPxHTi
"Okay, let's go-" She smiles heading to the door when there is a blood splatter spraying out of Ester's forehead, her expression going blank and she falls to the floor, a metal bullet casing hitting the floor.61Please respect copyright.PENANAyJm6nzZElf
61Please respect copyright.PENANAdxX61cYSch
Lyla lets out a scream and has to cup her own mouth. Standing there behind Ester just down the hall, holding a gun is Cloud, expression cold. He doesn't anything.61Please respect copyright.PENANA7LTBy6LWLr
"You monster!" Gideon yells at him. "We we're nice to you and you do this to a good person?! Ester was a good doctor! She was one of the good ones!"61Please respect copyright.PENANAZj0U96owz1
61Please respect copyright.PENANAaJN4jG5ypV
"And maybe that's why you're not dead. Consider yourself lucky." Cloud speaks up and turns around leaving.61Please respect copyright.PENANAMnlCgzGaxQ
61Please respect copyright.PENANA9EbJN6tff5
"Mum." Lyla cries, hugging Ester's dead body. "Lyla, I'm sorry. But we have to go. His going to pick of each of the leaders one by one. We have to get out now, there is still a bomb." Gideon tells her, picking up his blood splattered friend, carrying her outside despite her protests as Paisley is given the pass swiping which sets off an alarm as this is a fire exit, she's carrying Zekey's cage. They all run for the furtherest helictopter, snagging their stuff and Slate and Beth's on the way with great difficulty.61Please respect copyright.PENANAnvpTQokiD4
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As they jump into the backseat, they see trucks everywhere driving around madly.61Please respect copyright.PENANAu6hox3j2b5
61Please respect copyright.PENANApsd0yeztT3
"Come on, Slate." Gideon breathes as he tries to comfort Lyla while Paisley sits there neutral, just holding Zekey's cage in her lap.61Please respect copyright.PENANAiZKM2R6i6q
61Please respect copyright.PENANAMbohVBWsh5
Slate makes it a corridor and stumbles tripping over Ester's body as he doesn't mean to, dropping himself and Beth to the floor. He gasps, looking over his shoulder. "Ester?" He whispers seeing her lying there, shocked expression and bleeding out even though she's already dead.61Please respect copyright.PENANADkEKyayPoE
He has no choice, but to pull himself together and get up, picking a sedated Beth back up. He does so and runs, not noticing the bottle of pills that fell out of his pocket and his left behind.61Please respect copyright.PENANAY6cVCDCab8
61Please respect copyright.PENANAdo6sxonVrl
He swipes the pass and runs out the door, the alarm triggering. It's a long run, but he pushes himself after seeing their stuff isn't in the field. 61Please respect copyright.PENANAWpuMKDo2UZ
61Please respect copyright.PENANAxFhc1xEJtd
He makes it to the furthest helicopter seeing his friends are inside. He pulls open the pilot door and jumps inside, placing Beth down quickily in the passengar seat, securing her seatbelt and then his own. He grabs the keys from where all keys are kept in each helicopter and pulls his door shut.61Please respect copyright.PENANAIQTnzIdMYY
"How we feeling everybody?" He asks as he starts up the helicopter, blades rotating.61Please respect copyright.PENANAWc1hAu8tC8
"Really foggy and weird. Our noses bled, the pills you gave us... we remember certain stuff. Not all of it... Slate, what'd they do to us? How long has it been?" Lyla asks, voice shaking.61Please respect copyright.PENANAZZzuCAqVAP
61Please respect copyright.PENANAeNWfm7cVTV
"Three years."61Please respect copyright.PENANAFnFUzldvEz
61Please respect copyright.PENANAV43YChHwiy
"What?!" Gideon yells while Paisley just looks disinterested, daydreaming out the window. The helicopter slowly takes off, ascending to the sky.61Please respect copyright.PENANAnBRT8UTuQA
61Please respect copyright.PENANAbubNqEATBM
This is going to be difficult, he hasn't done this in a long time. They are just before the neck of this place going up when Slate's radio comes to life.61Please respect copyright.PENANAR3t2l3XNvF
"Slate! What are you doing?! There are easier ways, we have a truck-" Mikey calls out.61Please respect copyright.PENANAZgSO5sKzgF
61Please respect copyright.PENANAZxGJ2EhouY
Slate quickly grasps it, switching it off and opens a window as they aren't to high up yet, tossing it and then slams it closed.61Please respect copyright.PENANAngqz9oMUkk
61Please respect copyright.PENANAtjHK7JJy00
He looks to his friends smiling and they smile back, except Paisley. He then continues their ascent and their eyes all light up seeing the beautiful world they forgot and the sunlight. Though it looks very empty, no people and in the distance, the dead remains of Hope-Thorn.61Please respect copyright.PENANA2xv7BIWTyr
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"Where are we goanna go?" Lyla asks. 61Please respect copyright.PENANAZEBvVoeyKg
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"Anywhere WE want." Slate responds, pushing the helicopter forward and they fly off into the sun. 61Please respect copyright.PENANAzsyVzSc84H
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Down below, several trucks park outside far away enough from The Compound which is located inside an old mine.61Please respect copyright.PENANACFS3EgJN8e
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Grayson and Mikey each jump out of their respective trucks, they weren't able to save many people. In Mikey's passengar seat lies Ester's dead body, a blanket over her.61Please respect copyright.PENANAhLjH4KXDR1
61Please respect copyright.PENANAZ43Y8XgvyA
He didn't know what to do and he had been yet to tell Gray. "They're gone?" Grayson speaks up, watching Slate fly away. "Let them go, if they don't want to stay, they don't have to-"61Please respect copyright.PENANAKwduFE9l6U
61Please respect copyright.PENANACPdzDcfuiw
But his cut off by hearing the place behind them explode, rocking everything. They get ready to proceed further away when someone comes stumbling out of the ruins, thankfully the others they rescued can't see as they're all gossiping and so fourth. Grayson adds a silencer quickly to his gun and aims it, standing in Solayo's road, Mikey beside him for support. "Do it." Mikey tells him. 61Please respect copyright.PENANAhkNqBJ9dhw
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Before Solayo can say a word, it's a headshot and his knocked down. "Better now, buddy?" Mikey asks.61Please respect copyright.PENANARpNd81TJ02
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"Yes. Let's get out of here, find a place to set up. We might be able to cure a section of Hope-Thorn. We don't have the numbers we need to clean the whole place out."61Please respect copyright.PENANAK6XupHAYh8
61Please respect copyright.PENANAjJlVKB8fBx
"We'll try." And our remaining leaders still alive walk back to their trucks when they hear the sound of an engine coming towards them and they have to dive out the way, shrieks heard from the back of their trucks as bullets hit the side, the driver of an upcoming motorbike with not so good aim now. He huffs and drive onwards up the road into the distance never to be seen again.61Please respect copyright.PENANAyQ9s2KaDrL
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Grayson and Mikey compose themselves, standing up now that Cloud is gone. 61Please respect copyright.PENANAJjWcRS8dRO
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"Where you think he goanna go?"61Please respect copyright.PENANAl70AILtxbN
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"Don't know. Sarah's dead, but his ex-wife still might be out there alive. Maybe to find her?" Mikey responds.61Please respect copyright.PENANA2mBzs77DXH
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The sun is setting, the world getting hazy. "We really need to find a place to land for the night." Slate speaks up. "Gideon, can you reach for the map?"61Please respect copyright.PENANA73SpF0gPan
61Please respect copyright.PENANAohZT7bKcAL
Gideon reaches his hand out to grasp the map when she beats him to it, waking up and opens the map, struggling to focus on it. "It's okay, Beth. Let Gid have it." He tells her as she's stirring, waking up. 61Please respect copyright.PENANA9ghNXbTaGi
61Please respect copyright.PENANAqa38nm65Hp
Gideon takes the map from her when she gasps for air, panicking and sitting upright, clutching her neck and arms.61Please respect copyright.PENANADy2sYLGDQQ
"You're okay, I bandaged them for you." He tells her and she relaxes, looking around confused where they are. 61Please respect copyright.PENANAUuLXDfYZTK
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"You might want to give her one of the pills, Slate." Gideon tells him.61Please respect copyright.PENANAMc0VKOwoMx
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"Oh, yeah." He responds, thumbling in his pocket, but the only thing there is his secret folded up note... and the clean roll of bandages he stole.61Please respect copyright.PENANAQJdExwl3fa
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"Bad news, they're gone, Gid."61Please respect copyright.PENANAcXLTBAL5AJ
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"Well, this is going to be a problem." He responds, everyone looking to a hazy confused Beth in the passengar seat who remembers nothing, not even a hint of something. 61Please respect copyright.PENANAg8OZrcHUdF
61Please respect copyright.PENANAoqvvO47HcY
They could try and trigger a crashback without reversal drugs or surgery, but it won't be easy. Beth turns over in her seat, facing the opposite direction. 61Please respect copyright.PENANA14ZSjSsDdv
61Please respect copyright.PENANAJEFj86gqOk
Oblivious as Gideon and Lyla are reading the map to him, Paisley reaches out a small hand to Beth down the other side of the seat. She reaches for it and closes her eyes, falling back to sleep.61Please respect copyright.PENANAOjaWTOzVIu