Slate, Lyla, Gideon, Paisley and Bethany at each of their own respective tables are packing tinned food into crates, aprons and hair nets donned. 72Please respect copyright.PENANABoCik3flnG
72Please respect copyright.PENANA7LW6ViVuMd
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.72Please respect copyright.PENANA7FSquzv9c2
72Please respect copyright.PENANArofTAtWWPn
"Can we talk outside?"72Please respect copyright.PENANAIWIjacFjep
72Please respect copyright.PENANA2pDs9My12r
"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?"72Please respect copyright.PENANAQHRepTGbuG
72Please respect copyright.PENANAhRgmXmDsbJ
And she leaves, no one answering her. 72Please respect copyright.PENANARKJzPeb1cd
72Please respect copyright.PENANAhQ9hSLFqWU
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...72Please respect copyright.PENANACnGwnvzlLV
72Please respect copyright.PENANAERH1L3XLFu
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.72Please respect copyright.PENANAnsdyi37p8k
72Please respect copyright.PENANA10A2cJMv0c
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."72Please respect copyright.PENANA6Oq0YqMann
72Please respect copyright.PENANAuMfuDHHQsm
"You want to finish what Slate started?"72Please respect copyright.PENANA4M3kvu3Lm2
72Please respect copyright.PENANA2TEPNL4O5m
"Why not? Break them out. We're all in the position to help them."72Please respect copyright.PENANAnN9Df22RcF
72Please respect copyright.PENANApDhZUuo5km
"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.72Please respect copyright.PENANA4MavhoguGY
72Please respect copyright.PENANApnUXpfSlx7
"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. 72Please respect copyright.PENANA0WWZ2qEhHe
72Please respect copyright.PENANAqEPHsGzUqf
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."72Please respect copyright.PENANAabUl84ajcN
72Please respect copyright.PENANAhXzialGDSk
"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."72Please respect copyright.PENANAAbzuhLipmi
72Please respect copyright.PENANAc63I4p5lNm
"What?"72Please respect copyright.PENANAAZpwtJdbFC
72Please respect copyright.PENANAYpaoybXemh
"Crashback."72Please respect copyright.PENANAmXN8bmmMGn
72Please respect copyright.PENANAGfQLdKJpjP
"But that won't undo the last few years of-"72Please respect copyright.PENANAR9a7H8GgoG
72Please respect copyright.PENANAD6fcwxkFTp
"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.72Please respect copyright.PENANAYaUB1vWY8c
72Please respect copyright.PENANA0pAz9YtOcx
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.72Please respect copyright.PENANAbC5mK7YSsw
72Please respect copyright.PENANAgRKfbE8dNu
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."72Please respect copyright.PENANAsdoXo1Wyab
72Please respect copyright.PENANA2xT4QMScpK
"Like his leadership skills?"72Please respect copyright.PENANAtZhZ9aOFDI
72Please respect copyright.PENANAvdE7AghWni
"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."72Please respect copyright.PENANAwYZRMY9Gtf
72Please respect copyright.PENANADPwHXsYSKv
"So how do we do that? His skills are still something that would be a spot target."72Please respect copyright.PENANADM7bqiwYEF
72Please respect copyright.PENANAt0B72R6P4w
"Well, it's going to leave two holes in his head. They'll heal, but-"72Please respect copyright.PENANA1ks9r9UhCB
72Please respect copyright.PENANA9JrrQ1Czn0
"Shit."72Please respect copyright.PENANANMbquUydN0
72Please respect copyright.PENANApuxHVPmCfs
"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."72Please respect copyright.PENANAqDtPtFK55M
72Please respect copyright.PENANAR6s4QL4aBw
"And what about the rest?"72Please respect copyright.PENANA2rikhmqfKH
72Please respect copyright.PENANAY732rmMpqV
"They're fine, they can just keep doing their sorting task."72Please respect copyright.PENANAHSgusvmGpV
72Please respect copyright.PENANABcT9XFwVq1
"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.72Please respect copyright.PENANAKW36qBRRvd
72Please respect copyright.PENANA6uxmIt2aAh
---72Please respect copyright.PENANAfSzLebz9Va
72Please respect copyright.PENANA12ZEiDHMvM
Slate covers his face, the light shining brightly in his face. "That hurts." He complains from the sugical chair his on.72Please respect copyright.PENANAjUIrLGgPpu
72Please respect copyright.PENANAXs6allF2Hz
"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.72Please respect copyright.PENANAjDeQyh0OP7
72Please respect copyright.PENANAAvI1JW7Khw
"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.72Please respect copyright.PENANAIgEkf1LzHE
72Please respect copyright.PENANAvKcdtWLGeB
"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. 72Please respect copyright.PENANAuIrncigcC7
72Please respect copyright.PENANAV9juPRvAWL
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. 72Please respect copyright.PENANA5Sl9S6agUz
72Please respect copyright.PENANAxBT0mr58Zs
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.72Please respect copyright.PENANAqqA3qdH678
72Please respect copyright.PENANAnhOEzrlu86
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. 72Please respect copyright.PENANAGE42jN1Jee
72Please respect copyright.PENANAI9b5czJYeO
"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.72Please respect copyright.PENANA8SIv397krz
72Please respect copyright.PENANAL0eWmsqLea
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.72Please respect copyright.PENANARscAEmwSft
72Please respect copyright.PENANAVO4ReNkEEi
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.72Please respect copyright.PENANAObOtgIMQit
72Please respect copyright.PENANAmUoh8FAPSw
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.72Please respect copyright.PENANAjP8EXHEw0L
72Please respect copyright.PENANAud4ktDGTPB
"I wouldn't play with that if I were you. The last person who did was severed from me."72Please respect copyright.PENANAGbrcteKnyd
72Please respect copyright.PENANAXeraeTXEOc
Says a voice, female. "Hello?" He calls out. No reply is heard.72Please respect copyright.PENANAKOi6m8sAtw
72Please respect copyright.PENANAvt6FK4fbzc
"Why am I here? What am I supposed to do?!" He yells out fustrated. "Who am I?"72Please respect copyright.PENANALnUbaUVsW9
72Please respect copyright.PENANAbvfp8bFeNp
"Your heart knows who you are and you know what you are supposed to do."72Please respect copyright.PENANAU5ZyGuxXxz
72Please respect copyright.PENANAnZWhr2nhCY
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.72Please respect copyright.PENANATCAbTRuc1M
72Please respect copyright.PENANAUlIlG1SSob
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.72Please respect copyright.PENANA59OkZd9d6t
72Please respect copyright.PENANArY3Sahvz6H
He was a coward before, and his never going to go back to being one again, he won't let them hurt them anymore.72Please respect copyright.PENANAKgb6Va1mtZ
72Please respect copyright.PENANAg9qf1xRPSM
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-72Please respect copyright.PENANATQd7UQk6fv
72Please respect copyright.PENANA1Jp2uE7mX6
And then his eyes widen, he sits up straight and looks them both in the eyes. 72Please respect copyright.PENANALe1nVhSbO3
72Please respect copyright.PENANAZELFJ4oDHL
"Do you know who you are? Who we are?"72Please respect copyright.PENANAuAoOdoDcXN
72Please respect copyright.PENANAxg2MD4sAOW
"Slate. You both are the leaders, Ester and Mikey. What have you both done? You're monsters."72Please respect copyright.PENANAFjd8cQA8QG
72Please respect copyright.PENANAymB8AhF9K4
"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. 72Please respect copyright.PENANARRn3cHvQUE
72Please respect copyright.PENANAJXxCFoyVJR
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. 72Please respect copyright.PENANAsfkItHLp6o
72Please respect copyright.PENANAY9zQjk5zfs
We'll meet up with ya'll later outside. We'll run you a distraction."72Please respect copyright.PENANAxO2tzroUpZ
72Please respect copyright.PENANAmdN3z9aw3i
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.72Please respect copyright.PENANAq18GtAems3
72Please respect copyright.PENANABiy4BNwbMO
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. 72Please respect copyright.PENANAfdtP13lDYB
72Please respect copyright.PENANAKWYwyatrlY
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.72Please respect copyright.PENANAaAU3wY8wUm
72Please respect copyright.PENANAI0xuGd9VuN
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. 72Please respect copyright.PENANAStggBpluJP
72Please respect copyright.PENANAFLe4BfOrMR
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.72Please respect copyright.PENANA8SZVDpks8h
72Please respect copyright.PENANAFzm00xzuBN
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.72Please respect copyright.PENANAZeQrDDsFOw
72Please respect copyright.PENANAUhqCYnYJ3d
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.72Please respect copyright.PENANAwkKW2y5G84
72Please respect copyright.PENANALurWeQxBXy
We ran outside for help and the guards took her away, proably to triage."72Please respect copyright.PENANAdwRwW3GhKP
72Please respect copyright.PENANA22bjE7mBxH
"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.72Please respect copyright.PENANAJYNk9Y3mwc
72Please respect copyright.PENANAW1E7h5ETIV
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."72Please respect copyright.PENANAIOulqbJBJf
72Please respect copyright.PENANA5fZJlFulBm
"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.72Please respect copyright.PENANAwOjbDIxZBu
72Please respect copyright.PENANA2RRH6RhsvI
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.72Please respect copyright.PENANApmJM6xKznM
72Please respect copyright.PENANAMdRToLTzhy
"Why are we doing this?" Gideon asks. 72Please respect copyright.PENANAjkTi5Rczi8
72Please respect copyright.PENANA2RrbIq30FC
"You might understand once you've taken it."72Please respect copyright.PENANAleb4Hpijcy
72Please respect copyright.PENANA6nTCHiKwGF
Lyla and Gideon shrug, downing them. Paisley just looks at them. "Paisley."72Please respect copyright.PENANAD3cGwaKmSN
72Please respect copyright.PENANAecdGXF5WnR
"I don't need them, I'm not stupid like you all are."72Please respect copyright.PENANA7ClL8ZwHJV
72Please respect copyright.PENANAKjiMqlXKPb
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."72Please respect copyright.PENANAjZgGxRe0W4
72Please respect copyright.PENANA07eC0pmT5J
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.72Please respect copyright.PENANAufgTObBJd2
72Please respect copyright.PENANAm2OUICr7Hx
Then he hears panic and screaming, it's hard to get past a crowd. He sees his ex-friend up ahead, Murphy.72Please respect copyright.PENANAzsm6032eBe
He roughly grips Murphy's arms pulling him back. "Woah, look at you." Murphy says, eyeing Slate up and down. 72Please respect copyright.PENANAs99Mdayl1t
72Please respect copyright.PENANAgNTiST3I5V
"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."72Please respect copyright.PENANAnYaat11uuj
72Please respect copyright.PENANAueZ4zSpihv
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. 72Please respect copyright.PENANAnQKuPTyvwf
72Please respect copyright.PENANAUXnM6lHefT
So fly away, Slate."72Please respect copyright.PENANAuT9wBoBeNe
72Please respect copyright.PENANAacDYDjpbOO
"I can't, I need to find, Beth."72Please respect copyright.PENANAbngHxmN3Yo
72Please respect copyright.PENANAosOcHJQ9ph
"Uh, Infirmary I think. She was dragged out of the sorting room."72Please respect copyright.PENANAfIAgbC6zNO
72Please respect copyright.PENANAlgRjVPrtvU
"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."72Please respect copyright.PENANAVYKrpA0R14
72Please respect copyright.PENANAArZbtjJrJ0
"Fucking psychotic bitches."72Please respect copyright.PENANApirVmgun4q
72Please respect copyright.PENANAzNROsKcZCG
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." 72Please respect copyright.PENANAFT052hcgEC
72Please respect copyright.PENANAmS6Qgh58JR
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.72Please respect copyright.PENANADFnVaBXTy2
72Please respect copyright.PENANAs2tDrVzFDf
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.72Please respect copyright.PENANAzaXL9nP5RO
72Please respect copyright.PENANAHXgqeAombb
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.72Please respect copyright.PENANAQtao6i4AtW
72Please respect copyright.PENANAVezkISngJn
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.72Please respect copyright.PENANAnIUOm4qZTf
72Please respect copyright.PENANAFAseIOcijx
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."72Please respect copyright.PENANAmJlUabMtIZ
72Please respect copyright.PENANAcrqJ93loeO
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.72Please respect copyright.PENANAzuiw7mgQ0L
72Please respect copyright.PENANA3BwkNoszXF
"Uh, did Bethany come through here?" He asks a nurse hoping she won't realize isn't security.72Please respect copyright.PENANAGdAY0ZqRF8
72Please respect copyright.PENANAFhP8MrT05G
"Bethany?"72Please respect copyright.PENANAmREMzYLIar
72Please respect copyright.PENANAOuwpeh59g9
"Short blonde hair, blue eyes, she... cut heself."72Please respect copyright.PENANAx48NSsg80m
"Uh, yep. She's in with a doctor now. Solayo's personal office I think."72Please respect copyright.PENANADEFk0Fh3R6
72Please respect copyright.PENANAO6y5sWoxyn
"Shit."72Please respect copyright.PENANAiI5vYDkB8G
72Please respect copyright.PENANACSj344thZ9
"Are you okay? You don't look so good. The bandage on your head, is it bleeding?"72Please respect copyright.PENANAkT3X1btNV9
72Please respect copyright.PENANAMEDvu6p1mz
"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.72Please respect copyright.PENANAP58Ub7275E
"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.72Please respect copyright.PENANAMQBvJ7qL0p
72Please respect copyright.PENANACyYbRdY9Yb
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. 72Please respect copyright.PENANA1pxB9s7nfc
72Please respect copyright.PENANAUyGMKUg75d
"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-72Please respect copyright.PENANAfEJxGyeVCR
72Please respect copyright.PENANARrIL3AwAQP
"Solayo! Come in!" Solayo's walkie talkie picks up. Solayo sighs and answers while he preps a needle for Bethany. 72Please respect copyright.PENANA7biCayFwzm
72Please respect copyright.PENANAwFLR2X1Pr2
"What is it Grayson? I'm kind of busy right now playing doctor."72Please respect copyright.PENANAVul5xqn11C
72Please respect copyright.PENANAy0rIrsZOLy
"You won't believe what I and Mikey just saw-"72Please respect copyright.PENANAJGz5U36DFw
72Please respect copyright.PENANA5yFTOz3l3T
"What?"72Please respect copyright.PENANAS8b8DKKsMj
72Please respect copyright.PENANAt0nVWnaPI8
"There is a bomb! Cloud NO joke rigged up a bomb."72Please respect copyright.PENANAzL0iTPLUVO
72Please respect copyright.PENANAM3a9S9mroG
"Come on-"72Please respect copyright.PENANAJqee28EOej
72Please respect copyright.PENANAkuOX9iTlH9
"We're going to evacuate everyone."72Please respect copyright.PENANAdHGgMT369N
72Please respect copyright.PENANASP7pAij5dh
"Grayson, we can't. This place is too large for that and there are to many people for that."72Please respect copyright.PENANAnxl43jKZkC
72Please respect copyright.PENANAY2ZmVHZ0lO
"But-"72Please respect copyright.PENANAN1n9lJzjJY
72Please respect copyright.PENANALaDkORQh0D
"Grayson, just evacuate everyone we actually need. Useful or... the ones that are valuable or we have an emotional connection too..."72Please respect copyright.PENANAphKxgpacZn
72Please respect copyright.PENANAelYub4kd0A
"You can't be serious-"72Please respect copyright.PENANAYS6orLghE4
72Please respect copyright.PENANAeyUqoIucSd
"It's that or everyone dies."72Please respect copyright.PENANA1hl5vRrOat
72Please respect copyright.PENANA30ypj4cH7G
"Okay, we'll try." And Grayson clicks off the channel.72Please respect copyright.PENANAgYvdPrfWVZ
72Please respect copyright.PENANAp3obweLkAj
"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. 72Please respect copyright.PENANAEvDNzxrm64
72Please respect copyright.PENANAIxKItncuY3
"Slate, are you there?"72Please respect copyright.PENANAcAx0r8TSZI
72Please respect copyright.PENANAcvS3fjEXNw
"Cloud's rigged a bomb."72Please respect copyright.PENANA6hP4l4DnV7
72Please respect copyright.PENANAy6WjG9jNkh
"How'd you know?!"72Please respect copyright.PENANATzc2k8FLox
72Please respect copyright.PENANAYs4Lh3FEPI
"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."72Please respect copyright.PENANAJp6tvePKR7
72Please respect copyright.PENANA2QicMoijN3
"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."72Please respect copyright.PENANAJKPIsAUpwJ
72Please respect copyright.PENANApEIKywIloU
"Whatever, you'll handle it. I have to face off with Solayo right now, Bethany's with him!"72Please respect copyright.PENANAyMguofcM0o
72Please respect copyright.PENANASP35Oz3x1M
"Shit. Why?"72Please respect copyright.PENANAMcnFlW9Z8W
72Please respect copyright.PENANASDJEevjIeH
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. 72Please respect copyright.PENANAgk0nwJi1Gq
72Please respect copyright.PENANApnrm1PmFSF
"What the hell are you doing here? How did you get that?!"72Please respect copyright.PENANARfxabLBZrg
72Please respect copyright.PENANAn8duhpYOtF
"What did you to her?! Beth!" He calls out, seeing she's not moving, drugged out. He must have sticked her. 72Please respect copyright.PENANADvKpYO6zkH
72Please respect copyright.PENANA6SQdOezy76
"You're diffrent. What happened to you?"72Please respect copyright.PENANAKlStQftWDb
72Please respect copyright.PENANA4ETESKf6Zz
"Solayo, leave while you still can. There is a bomb."72Please respect copyright.PENANAtxVv9nW5S2
72Please respect copyright.PENANAHUjXt8j7Z6
"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. 72Please respect copyright.PENANA7R9ANUv7JG
72Please respect copyright.PENANAbi4uu4xoVC
"Dip shit!" He yells, pulling on it. "Solayo! Solayo, come back!" 72Please respect copyright.PENANAyGjvM48OLS
72Please respect copyright.PENANA2QmE3YUD7f
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. 72Please respect copyright.PENANAxeaS81ZGDh
72Please respect copyright.PENANAa13PH0VVpq
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."72Please respect copyright.PENANAHiCfVW2FAF
72Please respect copyright.PENANAnq469wg99q
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-"72Please respect copyright.PENANA7lhUZ7k9Tf
72Please respect copyright.PENANAzPLi20rqI9
And he gags, feeling blood pour out his nose. He clutches the desk trying to steady himself, a few images hitting him. 72Please respect copyright.PENANA92RdbZjHjC
72Please respect copyright.PENANAW2J6S2fZkz
Everything he gave up, everything he did for him, the long term manipulation Solayo subjected him to, the drugs. It hurts.72Please respect copyright.PENANAkUB0HbsXr2
72Please respect copyright.PENANAo5wdz7YCeq
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. 72Please respect copyright.PENANAaCdRl2qC5I
72Please respect copyright.PENANA59WKMlScva
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.72Please respect copyright.PENANAMYYpPs7KbY
72Please respect copyright.PENANAkb2QQ1SPGC
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. 72Please respect copyright.PENANAfhIXNy8wO7
72Please respect copyright.PENANAQpR8eWO3Mk
---72Please respect copyright.PENANAZpzTqBdWh5
72Please respect copyright.PENANAIzh7Nu3vPd
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.72Please respect copyright.PENANA5iCbZ8IvMQ
72Please respect copyright.PENANAteGG6uxEZq
"Shit, we'll have to go back and go around another way if we can." Gideon curses. 72Please respect copyright.PENANAQWHgFMpAKc
72Please respect copyright.PENANAUZV4QG6lsX
"No!" Yells out a voice and they see Ester running towards them, waving her pass. She stops just before crashing into them.72Please respect copyright.PENANAGMwYbmjQZJ
72Please respect copyright.PENANA78WjruPyG3
"I'm sorry, I don't want to alarm you. But we located Cloud, he rigged a bomb." 72Please respect copyright.PENANA5X54TtncIW
72Please respect copyright.PENANAeDnSD4MnFm
She hands them her pass. "No! What about you? You can't leave us, Mum!" Lyla cries.72Please respect copyright.PENANA2mvt25Ywpj
72Please respect copyright.PENANAGO9NSqdPNF
"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?"72Please respect copyright.PENANApOh2PVljwf
72Please respect copyright.PENANA30XzOf3Vpb
"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.72Please respect copyright.PENANAkvmLsq8TqE
72Please respect copyright.PENANAr8I8WebjWA
"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.72Please respect copyright.PENANAM7JR0oNqbG
72Please respect copyright.PENANAApiuZBXrln
"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.72Please respect copyright.PENANAwgGHZ8Hag1
72Please respect copyright.PENANALeX5LThRgY
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.72Please respect copyright.PENANAFUpJurRsqL
"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!"72Please respect copyright.PENANADRJwgbxG7n
72Please respect copyright.PENANAW9l8n0JD0W
"And maybe that's why you're not dead. Consider yourself lucky." Cloud speaks up and turns around leaving.72Please respect copyright.PENANABH9KHsecJK
72Please respect copyright.PENANAcBDkuAFm2k
"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.72Please respect copyright.PENANAKvGqzgEiEy
72Please respect copyright.PENANAXnsCRO7bZ8
As they jump into the backseat, they see trucks everywhere driving around madly.72Please respect copyright.PENANALtpIaUCHfB
72Please respect copyright.PENANAdrNNbJWhMy
"Come on, Slate." Gideon breathes as he tries to comfort Lyla while Paisley sits there neutral, just holding Zekey's cage in her lap.72Please respect copyright.PENANATL3HPjLNnk
72Please respect copyright.PENANAzVuEHfzqrU
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.72Please respect copyright.PENANADMM7LDkLiB
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.72Please respect copyright.PENANAEjCfAt0Gz8
72Please respect copyright.PENANA8wj0ngTs1E
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. 72Please respect copyright.PENANArfA5Fr3BaM
72Please respect copyright.PENANA5nVhLSSa68
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.72Please respect copyright.PENANAzQulZpQrTU
"How we feeling everybody?" He asks as he starts up the helicopter, blades rotating.72Please respect copyright.PENANAQTxipvBttI
"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.72Please respect copyright.PENANAy8go0unnz1
72Please respect copyright.PENANAAa1JhkBfkq
"Three years."72Please respect copyright.PENANAodhLcgQkoF
72Please respect copyright.PENANA246QB0imnj
"What?!" Gideon yells while Paisley just looks disinterested, daydreaming out the window. The helicopter slowly takes off, ascending to the sky.72Please respect copyright.PENANAeNMBPUSSni
72Please respect copyright.PENANA8Ido5YsMMz
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.72Please respect copyright.PENANAPWHYx6SdqY
"Slate! What are you doing?! There are easier ways, we have a truck-" Mikey calls out.72Please respect copyright.PENANATnUgppPk8W
72Please respect copyright.PENANA9z6KIMI6zA
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.72Please respect copyright.PENANAQPosXqWr1i
72Please respect copyright.PENANAifVOXO2abo
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.72Please respect copyright.PENANAuLRN29t71H
72Please respect copyright.PENANACzyBPk4S1H
"Where are we goanna go?" Lyla asks. 72Please respect copyright.PENANAEyizfM35B6
72Please respect copyright.PENANAoGW6RXn9Xz
"Anywhere WE want." Slate responds, pushing the helicopter forward and they fly off into the sun. 72Please respect copyright.PENANA1Rx7FPoCX4
72Please respect copyright.PENANAgf6IJC4Hzb
Down below, several trucks park outside far away enough from The Compound which is located inside an old mine.72Please respect copyright.PENANAv2cS4NTSfq
72Please respect copyright.PENANA9vToCqDPyJ
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.72Please respect copyright.PENANATUwoYUBZ3v
72Please respect copyright.PENANAloGsDb29hf
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-"72Please respect copyright.PENANAArl3s2IlnN
72Please respect copyright.PENANAdiq38dBQSu
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. 72Please respect copyright.PENANA2Ft3DbQTGG
72Please respect copyright.PENANAag8oM367Jo
Before Solayo can say a word, it's a headshot and his knocked down. "Better now, buddy?" Mikey asks.72Please respect copyright.PENANA1yExXDZYeS
72Please respect copyright.PENANAiZx1SOxnhn
"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."72Please respect copyright.PENANAj3ADWJRZvR
72Please respect copyright.PENANAlg7gb2mFRI
"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.72Please respect copyright.PENANAXHO1iKiGe0
72Please respect copyright.PENANAJtC1IhqS57
Grayson and Mikey compose themselves, standing up now that Cloud is gone. 72Please respect copyright.PENANAh1zK7xeRN1
72Please respect copyright.PENANALWNRIYXFGq
"Where you think he goanna go?"72Please respect copyright.PENANAsuWDkvxqRj
72Please respect copyright.PENANAUxf7DOWcNv
"Don't know. Sarah's dead, but his ex-wife still might be out there alive. Maybe to find her?" Mikey responds.72Please respect copyright.PENANAb9Da15ND15
72Please respect copyright.PENANAFkYhPjzt7e
---72Please respect copyright.PENANAx5XbiYsR5R
72Please respect copyright.PENANAuT148jgoI3
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?"72Please respect copyright.PENANAafCcUDPyz6
72Please respect copyright.PENANAXQ8faTGh7W
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. 72Please respect copyright.PENANAFvlKu4O7iZ
72Please respect copyright.PENANAOGhVKgjWzB
Gideon takes the map from her when she gasps for air, panicking and sitting upright, clutching her neck and arms.72Please respect copyright.PENANAxlBoIb1qjp
"You're okay, I bandaged them for you." He tells her and she relaxes, looking around confused where they are. 72Please respect copyright.PENANAIqOJMHkvYZ
72Please respect copyright.PENANAMS1TKn0NAI
"You might want to give her one of the pills, Slate." Gideon tells him.72Please respect copyright.PENANAak96y2OCsd
72Please respect copyright.PENANAV8A00ZiIgA
"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.72Please respect copyright.PENANAYUgaTy2Sh1
72Please respect copyright.PENANARvMO9Xjtuy
"Bad news, they're gone, Gid."72Please respect copyright.PENANAgWyTfjeuLl
72Please respect copyright.PENANApHWnMIhgG3
"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. 72Please respect copyright.PENANAl6LSt8gHV9
72Please respect copyright.PENANAH3ixdHSRV4
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. 72Please respect copyright.PENANAYrv3EomU9R
72Please respect copyright.PENANAZTe1HwWp63
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.72Please respect copyright.PENANApeIfZueAfe