Chapter 64

“There was once a man from Nantucket”

Their silence was as still as the air around them.

All of their gazes seemed set on each other; Waiting, as everyone held their breath fearing that a slight movement from even their pinky finger would incite an undesirable outcome.

An undesirable outcome that is mostly just for the two of them. As the other person in this three woman standoff; stood to lose the least.

And she was the one who guards the exit.

‘I know you…’

She ominously said. Her body position shifted from reaching for the door, to blocking it. Nica and Aida stood in front of her accepting the fact that they were trapped as they held their breath, anticipating the other’s next move.

The girl they now identified as “the copy” made a slight step forward.

Aida flinched.

And that was all it took.

Suddenly she launched forwards, aiming her hands towards Nica’s neck. It was a good thing that her spats with Neeya came in handy at these moments, as whenever they got into an argument, Neeya would just throw a random punch at her as she dodged at the right moment to escape the copy’s grasp, but it wasn’t a complete success.

As for some inhuman reason, the copy was able to defy what was possible and bent her leg at an obscure angle to trip her, slowing her escape. Nica fell and felt a sharp pain on her leg where she had made contact with the copy as she doesn’t know why such a slight contact felt harder than it should, speculating something that this copy was far from normal. She turns her back around to face her and sees her feet recoiling back to prepare for a stomp. Nica tries to crawl back as swiftly as she could but since the copy was moving far faster than she can, she prepared herself for the worst.

-BLANG!-

A sharp metallic sound filled the air as Aida was able to land a square hit to the copy’s chin. She had acquired a freshly stocked fire extinguisher just in the nick of time to be able to hit the copy in the face to save Nica. She had given it her all to swing the heavy red can into the copy’s face that she lost her grip as the can flew into the toilet stalls, breaking one of the doors.

Thankfully she had hit the copy hard enough to make it lose its bearings, taking the opportunity to escape, as they ran at full speed towards the coffee shop.

…

…

‘Took you long enough…’ Pete jokingly said as Pai went back to his seat. ‘So… satisfied?’ He continued while Denzo contemplated everything they had discussed, throwing himself back on his seat with a deep sigh, looking unsure.

‘Sketchy… How much time do we have again?’ Denzo asks.

‘Till the end of this term.’

‘So we still have a couple of months…’ He replies. ‘Well… let’s not rush this. I mean… You already briefed us so we can talk about this plan in code at a later date.

We just need to agree on some terms we’re gonna use--’

-BOM-BOM-BOM-

The sound of heavy thumping on the glass had cut off Denzo’s line of thought as everyone in the coffee place had turned their attention to the culprit.

It was Aida. Furiously thumping the glass window to get their attention as she mouths the words -Help- while Nica stood worried behind her, looking at something out of their sight. It didn’t take long before she started pulling Aida away from the window as a fraction of a second later she was tackled away by another girl. A girl that looked just like “her”.

‘The fu--’ Pete muttered as Denzo felt something wrong and launched himself out of his seat, immediately running out towards Nica, but before he could even lunge into a full sprint another person had appeared to stop the chaos happening outside.

‘Layla what are you doing this is not the place to--’ He froze as at that moment he quickly noticed the person that Layla was attacking. It was none other than the inspiration herself.

Nica Robbie.

‘Neil?’ She whispers, out of breath and in shock, she couldn’t believe she was now face to face with the person who had deeply wronged her as the both of them wore equally shocked faces, surprised at how small their world was.

‘Neil?!!’ Another girl shouted near him, the sudden shout making him look in her direction as he saw Aida looking back at him as if she had seen a dead body reanimated in front of her. Neil was starting to get confused as to how he should act, suddenly being surrounded by people he did not wish to meet at the moment had thrown him off his balance that for once, after years of solid scheming and planning, he felt like he was caught with his pants down.

‘Master!’ Layla senses his distress and shakes him back to consciousness, but he had been frozen in place long enough as Denzo and the rest had run out to witness what was happening.

‘So you finally show your face?’ Denzo said as Neil’s eyes turned from shock to raging hatred upon seeing his calm facade tagging along with the people he used to hang out with. And to make it more infuriating for him, even Pai was there with Denzo as he thought that after all those things that happened, Pai might still understand him.

But in his mind, with Pai looking at him with confusion; Clearly this was not the case.

‘So I’m truly alone now huh?’

He looks up at Layla and smiles, feeling in his heart and soul that she is the only person in the world that he could rely on now and that at all costs, he should protect her.

‘Layla, let’s run…’ He whispered to her as she looked around their surroundings, tagging all of the people around them, and then she looked back at him, the person she calls her master as she gave him a gentle smile whispering to him: ‘Close your eyes…’

Two cylindrical devices, about as big as a popsicle, pop out of her shoulders and as she did, a bright flash blinds the crowd. ‘Master!’ She shouts, pulling on his arm and bursting into a run.

Neil kept his eyes closed and when he could feel the heat of the crowd dissipate, Laya tells him to open them as they seem to now be away from the enemies surrounding them.

‘Arrghh! Get them!’ Pete shouts as Denzo groggily gets back on his feet, fighting the pain that the blinding light had caused, to chase after them. Sprinting as fast as his legs can propel him, using the parting crowds as his guide to see where they went. It took his eyes a few crucial seconds to recover and when they had, the pair had already mounted a convincing lead, but he still pushed himself forward. Remembering the feeling of losing the place where he had finally found himself at home, kept fueling him. Then and there he wanted his revenge.

He wanted to hurt him.

Wound him.

Burn him.

Make him feel the frustrating pain of losing something that you had just gained after a long time of searching and it just so happens that he had seen something that might count as an equivalent exchange.

Layla.

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-Riiiing---Riiiing---Riiiing---Riiiing---Riiiing---Riiiing---Riiiing---Riiiing---Riiiing---Riiiing---

The phone kept ringing on the far side of the bed as its bright backlighting became the only light source shining inside the room. This has been the scene inside these four walls for the past four hours as the person responsible for answering it was curled up, her knees up to her face with her arms hugging them, staring at the bright glare of the device, pondering.

‘Should I? Must I?’

Her thoughts dilly dally. The impeccable indecision of someone with guilt in their mind and fear in their hearts. After the last time she was deeply conflicted if she had done the right thing by betraying her kin. And even though the betrayal was incited by the rest of her siblings, it still didn;t sit right with her to go behind his back as for all of Yuni Carbine’s deficiencies as the leader of their company, as a brother, he was someone whom she proudly respects; Idolize even.

It also doesn’t help that the family she and Miles were dragging into this were just as opposed to these methods as she was, feeding further to her conflicted feelings.

‘You sure ‘bout not answering that Poly?’ Trig suddenly appears from her doorway, startling her.

‘H-How did you get in?’ She asked, holding her knees closer to her face.

‘I was knocking for over a minute so I barged in. Honestly I thought I would’ve gotten your attention then but, for some reason you were still fazed out. Good to know my voice still startles people heh.’ He said, boasting about his deep voice. He thought giving her a joke would lighten her mood a little, but as it stands, her expression didn’t improve.

‘Listen Poly, I know that it’s not a pleasant thing to be the messenger. I get it. Been through it. Lived the consequences of it but… You’ll learn to tune it off in time.’ He empathized as he pulled out a chair from her dresser and sat beside her bed. ‘It’s difficult to stomach that our decisions can easily make or break people’s lives, but that’s part of our family’s stature to make the hard decisions. It’s part of who we are…

And right now our brother is making a gravely wrong one, and we need to do this or else there might be--’

‘I DON’T WANT THAT!’ Poly shouts.

‘I don’t want to endanger anybody. I know Yuni will get his just desserts but seeing that family get into turmoil because of us… Because of something I wasn’t involved in….

Asking them to put their lives, reputations for our sake?

…

It’s not right…’ She continued, as her voice cracked while tears ran down her cheek.

Trig looks at his sister, disappointed that he can’t find any words to say to comfort her. The only thing he knew to say was the truth; and although he knew well that this line of conversation would do more harm to her, he isn’t well equipped for these situations, as he resolved himself and bit his lip before continuing.

‘I know it’s not. But Poly…

At the end of the day… We still have this rare power to influence and the freedom to choose. It’s just a matter of which evil hurts less.’ He concludes as he pats her shoulder with an endearing grasp before getting up to leave her be to make her decision. And after a minute or two after he had left, her phone started ringing once again as she stared at it in hesitation, taking a deep breath as she slowly reached her hand out.

----------------------------------------

‘Hey watch where you’re going?!!!’

‘Woah!’

‘Hey! Fuck’s the matter with you?!!!’

People were shouting and bad mouthing them as Layla ran past the herds of people that happened to be in her way. It was an annoying but peculiar sight as each and everyone who had been shoved by her was treated to the sight of a petite female highschooler piggybacking a boy on her back. Behind them came Denzo who was chasing them furiously through the crowds, getting a slight advantage in momentum as the path had already been cleared for him by Layla.

‘Whatever that bitch is, she sure is not human!’ He thought as he got a glimpse of her tirelessly running while carrying Neil on her back like he was weightless, shifting her weight with ease every time she needed a change of direction. ‘Must’ve been one of those bots leftover from the raids.’ He reckoned, which immediately got confirmed as he saw something baffling happen.

‘Layla! Our only exit is back up the train station. At this point he might catch us while using the esca--AhHhhHH!!’

Neil screams in sudden terror as Layla suddenly decides to jump into the atrium with no hesitation, immediately finding himself staring at the deep abyss below, gripping tighter against Layla’s chest in fear of falling.

‘FUCK!’ Denzo shouts, slamming his fists on the metal railing that she used to jump off the balcony as watches her clear the huge gap across the atrium and land two stories above him. To make things even more infuriating for him, Layla stops as she landed, looking back at the stranded Denzo with a smirk before launching off again across the atrium and landing two stories higher than before as watches them disappear above him, possibly going for the starion, four stories above.

‘FUUUCKK!’ He shouts again as Pete and the other’s catch up, asking him where they went.

‘She jumped! That fucking thing just jumped!’ He malded as Pete gave him a confused look.

‘Where did they go?’ Pai asked, looking around, noticing the other shoppers around them looking out the balcony in shock.

‘Up the station!’ Shouted Denzo in reply.

‘What?! How??!’ Pete asked, now even more confused.

‘That girl with him! That’s not human!’ Denzo responds as he tries to catch his breath. ‘Best guess? She’s an android.’ He continued.

Pete looked puzzled as he couldn’t fathom how Neil could procure such a luxury as he starts to think that Denzo might be exaggerating things but the two girls who had encountered her, quickly acknowledged him.

‘I knew there was something fishy about her!’ Aida interjects as she immediately went to Denzo’s side to check on him as Nica followed suit. Only to realize she didn’t have the right to do so and held herself back.

‘Yeah her hits were too hard to be a normal human. Her tackle felt more like a car accident than an actual tackle.’ Nica chimes in.

‘A normal human would’ve been knocked out cold after I hit her with the fire can thing!’ Aida said, as Nica nodded enthusiastically.

‘Well whatever she is, she’s Neil’s advantage.’ Pete said as Denzo sighs knowing things had just gotten troublesome.

‘Yeah… that’s a fucking thorn to our sides…’ Denzo followed.

‘What if he decides to get back at us?’ Pai responds with a tinge of worry in his voice. ‘I’m pretty sure none of us could take that thing on.’ He continued as the two girls looked at both Denzo and Pete with worried faces.

‘For now let’s not think about that…’ Said Pete. ‘Knowing him, and knowing we had seen him; He’d probably regroup and rethink whatever plan he has since he looked kinda shocked when we all came out of the coffee place.

I don’t think he planned to meet us here.’

‘I agree.’ Denzo concurred. ‘Let’s just report this to Keeno later but for now we need to discuss things for Pete’s… uhh… thing.’ He continued.

The rest of the group had worried faces but nodded in response, knowing well there was nothing else they could do about what had just happened and as their silence cleared their mind, they started to notice the people around them as Aida whispered her concern in Denzo's ear.

‘Let’s leave…’ She softly said as he looked to Pete, catching his eye and responding with a nod as the rest of the group were noticing the awkward stares from the people around them, whispering nonsensical judgment as they walked away from where Layla made her stunt.

‘Pete.’ Denzo called. ‘You think Omega Epsilon had a hand in this?’ He asked. Pets sighs and shakes his head.

‘I have no idea.’ He replies as he swiftly makes another turn, leading the group out and away from their path earlier. ‘Neil knows some Omega members but as far as I know they’re not “that” chummy with him. Just acquaintances.’

‘Not enough to get gifted a droid?’ Denzo responds.

‘Not enough.’

‘Interesting…’ He replied.

‘Anyways looks like the plan to further discuss this got fucked… Either someone from Omega Epsilon knew I’d be conniving with you guys, or sheer dumb luck.’ Pete said while looking around their surroundings suspiciously.

‘I don’t know either. But either way. We know he’s android assisted and he knows we’re all together. Whatever he decides to report to the frat, it wouldn’t be a complete story since he doesn’t hold all the cards. Most he’ll suspect is that we’re all chummy with each other.’ Denzo replies.

‘That’s an optimistic way of looking at things.’ Pete said.

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

‘Nahhh, it’s not. It’s just realistic. Unless that android of his has--’ Denzo froze on his tracks as the gears in his mind started turning at an alarming rate. He urgently reached for his phone and started texting frantically to get his message out as everyone in the group instantly gets a message which read:

-GO 2 BTHRRM ND CHCK UR CLOTHS--- WE MGITH B BUGGED-

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The clanking of the steel wheels as it passed over the joints of the train tracks were the only noise that populated his ears as the feelings of paranoia further creeped into his psyche. At this point Neil couldn’t tell if his surroundings can be trusted as so far his first actual outing after months of seclusion inside this new neighborhood he had transferred to; was a complete disaster.

He only wanted to finally spend some time with Layla on a peaceful date, but he never knew how small the metro was until today. Neil thought that by staying far up north, he could avoid bumping shoulders with that “group” and that proximity would also grant him a secure safe house when he decides to finally “meet” them. But after this disaster, he had proved that he was mistaken.

And now that he had just been chased by his enemies out of his comfort zone, he was starting to feel the walls closing in, asking himself, contemplating to himself; how and why. If he was tracked, if he was being monitored all along, he knew Yukino was capable enough to do such a thing and deep inside he felt annoyed that he didn;t consider this possibility.

With this in his mind, everything now felt unsafe. He felt; watched.

He sees a couple of figures on the far end of the train who looked suspicious as he quickly ducked his head to avoid their gaze, pulling Layla with him as they transferred to another car. With each face that he passed by made him feel nervous, as beads of cold sweat, profusely formed at the top of his brow.

--Now Arriving-- at 5th Avenue Station -- 5th Avenue station --

--Please watch your step as you exit the train-- Thank You!--

Even the automated voice of the train announcement made him jump as Layla senses that something was bothering her master.

‘Master? We are safe now.’ She said nonchalantly the moment they got off the train.

Neil’s expression was stiff as he tried his best to smile to signal to Layla that he was fine, but his tight grasp on her hand and the quick pace of his walking told her otherwise as they rushed back towards his apartment within the tenements.

-BLAM!-

He slams his door open and pulls Layla in, shutting it immediately behind her as Layla watches her master frantically searching the closet.

‘Master what are you--’

‘We’re leaving.’

Layla was confused as to why. She thought if this was a simple issues with his former classmate, she could easily protect him from them, making her puzzled as to why he was acting like this.

‘Layla can you hand me our bags?’ He asked.

‘But why? If it’s those people then I can keep you--’

‘It’s not just that Layla!’ He raised his voice, startling her as she nodded and obeys his orders.

‘I was trying to avoid thinking about our future… All this time I was putting it off…’ He told her as he packs their belongings inside the bags, including the new ones they had just bought. ‘My life… You… and Moz! That fucking asshole! Making me do his work for free… Well guess what!’

He stops as he turns his eyes to Layla, who was silently watching him as he rants.

‘I’m taking you away from your so-called- father.’

As soon as she heard the words she felt her synthetic heart skip a beat as a surge of electric synapses started firing underneath her fiber armor; and the only reaction that her processes could register to quell her overloading senses was to leap forward, open arms, to the person she had decided to cherish.

‘Uh-- Layla?!’ He was surprised when Layla suddenly pounced on him. He knew he should be feeling happy about this kind of situation but because Layla was three times heavier than a human of her size, gender and stature, her sudden lunge felt as if a refrigerator fell on top of him as he tried to keep himself from being crushed by her bear hug.

‘Lay--la… I-- can’t-- B-- Breathe…’

‘Oh! Sorry Master!’

She immediately lets go of him as he finally gets a fresh gulp of air into his lungs. He looks at her and all her glory with a faint but understanding smile as he thinks of all her little quirks that can’t be helped; patting her on the head as she meekly smiles in reply.

‘Layla we need to go somewhere, far far away. Far from the metro.’ He tells her as he goes back to pack his gadgets on a separate luggage.

‘Where are we going master?’ She asked. Tilting her head to the side, pulling on his heartstring once again for looking cute.

‘I have no idea yet but the thing is as long as we stay here we both are not safe. People want to come after me and Moz’s connections stretch for god knows how far.’ He explains as he wipes the sweat off his brow. ‘The shitty thing is we don’t have the money yet to properly leave the country so for now… I guess we're just gonna go somewhere in the provinces.’

Layla sat back as she looked into her data banks in search of a place they could run off to. She finally settles on one, far enough to avoid any immediate detection but accessible enough that they could settle in quickly.

‘Master? How long do you need to gather the funds for us to leave for good?’ She asked.

‘Around two? Maybe three months?’

‘How about Cebu?’

‘Cebu?’

‘Yes. The airport’s good enough to handle international flights plus they’ve got their own tech hub for my maintenance or… maybe upgrades…’ She said, hesitating a bit in her last lines.

Neil looks at Layla with a smile and gives her a peck on the forehead before patting her again. ‘Layla… You don’t need any upgrades okay? I like you just the way you are.’

Her expression turns bashful as the words get processed through her circuits as Neil lovingly pinches her cheek before resuming his task. ‘As for Cebu…’ He continued. ‘Are you sure it’s secure enough to buy us time?’ He asked.

‘Yes! I’ve already calculated the probability, even in scenarios where we get bugged or found out, our minimum lead time of staying hidden during worse case scenarios is around a month and twenty seven days.’ She explains.

‘Then what’s our max then?’ Neil asks out of curiosity.

‘Well considering you don’t know anybody there and our luck if no one we know decides to travel to Cebu…

Forever.’

Layla said as she wore the sweetest smile Neil has ever seen.

‘That’s good enough for me then… Buy the tickets.’ He replied as he tidied up the rest of the things he wanted to bring with them.

They parted that room, leaving most of the stuff inside as they had to travel light. Also since they knew that Layla couldn’t be checked in a chartered flight because of her weight as an android, they decided to book a route by sea. Making the forty minute trip by air into a six hour boat ride, but nonetheless, once the sun had settled and the lights switched on they made their leave.

Just in the nick of time.

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‘Hello Poly.’

Miles greets her with a smile as her “doll” wakes up from her charge pad, surprised at the fact that she was already clothed. Poly checks the clothes that have been put on her, wondering why they looked plain.

‘Why am I already dressed?’ She asked, as she turned her torso around to check, patting herself to further confirm it.

‘Why? You like being an exhibitionist?’ Miles answered sharply as Poly darts her an annoyed stare.

‘Well first! It’s not my body! Second. Out of all the clothes you gave me. Why should it be these?’ She answers, complaining of how she’s dressed.

‘I called you today for something that’s far from the meetings you’re currently used to.’ Miles explains to her, crossing her arms as she intimidatingly leaned back on the sofa. ‘We are not going out today. We will just be here for the meeting; and I will have you act as my associate.

Not as yourself.’

Poly crumples her brow upon hearing her demands.

‘Associate? Why? Wha-- What is this?!’ She asked, feeling frustrated and confused.

‘You and my other associate happen to look similar. It just so happens that she has her own mission as of current, and I need a stand in.’

‘No.’

‘I believe you have no choice--’

‘WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH MY SITUATION?!’

Poly bursts. Feeling that Miles was now just using her for her own convenience.

She sighs, paused, and then gives her the answer.

‘Omega Epsilon Mu.’

‘Fucking Shit!’

‘EXACTLY why I was hesitating.’ Miles spat back after Poly slams the table in protest.

‘Well you were hesitating because you know it’s WRONG! You know for the family’s head fucking guardian you’re doing a bad job of keeping us safe inviting the same fucking group of people that turned Yuni into the fucking death trap that he is!’

Poly shouts at her like a rifle emptying a magazine as Miles was left stunned, looking at the smoking barrel that just sprayed her. For the first time in a while she was feeling out of words that it took her a minute before getting back to her senses.

-sigh-

‘What?!’

‘Maybe I should just kill Yuni.’ Miles said, sounding exhausted.

‘Huh? No?! MILES?!’

‘It’s the easiest way to do it… I’ll deal with the power struggle that will happen afterwards but it’s the easiest way out of this.’ She continued, saying those words so nonchalant that it sent shivers up Poly’s spine.

‘So just kill everyone? That’s the alternative?!’ Poly angrily protests as Miles chuckles in reply.

‘What! The best operative in the world and that’s the only solution you can come up with? No elaborate plot twists? Hidden agendas?!’

‘Poly… how old are you?’

‘Twenty Five. Why?’

‘Cuz you think like a high schooler… Hell, even some of the high schoolers I knew think more logically than you do.’

‘Fuck you! You’re just mad cuz you know my point is true!’

‘IT IS!’ Miles spat back. ‘The problem is you complain without providing any alternatives to your criticism. If you’re gonna blabber because of your views then you better have some solutions in hand! Otherwise you’re not solving anything! You don’t like Omega Epsilon because they influenced Yuni to become what he is then sorry to tell you but that's a “YOU” problem!

Omega Epsilon is Omega Epsilon.

And Yuni chose to embrace them. NOT the other way around.

If you keep your narrow thinking and your principles rigid… Then you’re gonna end up just like Lolita Ace.’

‘I’m not Lolita Ace.’

‘Well you sound like her.’

Poly was immediately taken aback as hearing that felt like a slap in the face. It was both a criticism and insult to be called such a character. An urban legend of modern society that circulated around the global elite of a discrete but infamous downfall of a once prominent persona.

‘Cat got your tongue?’ Miles responds to her sudden silence as she stares at Poly with her fists up in a ball and her lips tightly pursed, staring at her looking like she was searching for a comeback as a knock on the door disturbed their standoff.

‘Owner Client, it seems that our visitors have arrived.’ Simon said through their comms as he waited for Miles’ reply.

‘Let them in.’ She responds as she shoots a glare towards Poly who still holds her gaze, unwilling to give in. The electronic lock on the door shuts off, as it swings open to let in a group of armed thugs through the door. Poly felt a chill coming up her spine as each of the men eye her down immediately realizing why Miles had chosen these specific clothes for her. And as if the small little room was not filled enough, another person walks in.

The big boss, as Poly perceives him.

An old man with a bald crown and long white hair on the sides. Brandishing a hip young streetwear look that was far from his age but instead of looking like a try hard trying to relate to the young. He looked like a hip old sage.

‘Doctor. Mosey Keter, Good evening.’ Miles greets him.

‘Oh Miles… It’s Moz. but most importantly…’ He stops as he lasciviously stares at Poly. ‘Who is this little charmer?’

‘My second in command. She calls herself Zee.’ Miles responds as Poly holds her breath. Deep inside she wanted to protest. But the severe cramping inside the room made her think twice as she would have no room for escape. Finally deciding to go with the flow and nods as she prioritizes her own survival.

‘Hello mademoiselle Zee.’ Moz greets her as he holds her hand to his lips to kiss her, barely holding on to keep herself from visibly gagging.

‘Ugh… Anyways about Romulus Sebastian. Got any updates?’ Miles scoffs as she fastracks the smalltalk and into business, making Moz pout in dismay, being unable to talk more with “Zee”.

‘Well my boys on the inside say that Romey’s not really in the game anymore. It kinda gives me a huge clue on how out of the game you are Miles.

Cuz you don’t know anything dontcha?’ Moz shoots back with his own retort as he flashes a smug face towards Miles, who strangely, smirks back.

‘You’re right.’ She said with a strange heir of confidence. ‘That’s why I’m asking. I really could use your help Mosey.’ Miles continued as Moz was giving her a wide annoying smile that made Poly grit her teeth. She was getting antsy and wanting to react, but she felt unsure on how to handle the situation, keeping her composure at the sidelines as she watched how Miles would handle things.

‘Alright! Since I can see you’re really in a pinch for info. I’ll give one.

One tiny little info about Romey.

You see… Rome has a son and he has grown up to be a VERY capable young man. His name is… Remo. And currently he’s letting him handle most of the “administrative” duties of the brotherhood.’ Moz recounts as Miles listens with a doubtful expression.

‘And how is Theta Sigma handling this? Knowing well that the brotherhood branch is being handled by an inexperienced juvenile?’ Miles countered.

‘Oh.. hohohohohoho!’ Moz laughs lasciviously, darting his eyes towards Poly for a moment before answering. ‘You are not in a position to demand here Miles you see…

I hold the cards here… Okay?’ Moz bragged even though he can sense Miles’ killing intent showing in her posturing. ‘You seem to want to kill me Miles?’ He provokes her.

‘But the thing is… I have information you want, and information you can’t get from everyone else.

You kill me… No more info. Find another solution to whatever problem you might have. But I believe we can resolve this issue.’

‘And what would that be?’ She replied as calmly as she could. As Moz bites his lip in anticipation, followed by the same disgusting laugh as he looks at Poly’s body.

‘You did your best trying to conceal her beauty… But none shall escape the eyes of this handsome professor.’ He said as Poly seems to carry a blank expression on her face. Miles looks to her side to peek at how she was doing. One glance and immediately she sighs. The doll’s blank expression saying a thousand words.

‘Such porcelain expression. A cold COLD beauty… You shall be… My ICE queen.’

‘This little bitch?’ Miles responds as she nudges the doll hard, swiftly throwing it back in contention as Poly wrestles her body from falling face first on the floor.

‘I think she’s awake now.’ Miles smirked as Poly sneered at her.

‘Give her to me. And I'll tell you more.’ Moz demands as Miles looks to contemplate for a moment, letting out a sigh before she answers.

‘Why not test her here? See if my associate is any good. Cuz if there’s something I can’t guarantee with her is her experience. Since her training doesn’t involve nightly duties if you catch my drift.’

Miles further elaborates as Poly shot back another stare at her, but this time her expression was pleading at her rather than condemning her.

‘What happened to that BIG mouth now?’ Miles thought as Moz’s men started surrounding her. Poly was visibly panicking as one of the henchmen grabs her by the arm and pulls her towards the door. For a brief moment Miles saw the doll's face blank out as she sighs and slumps her shoulders, reaching for her holstered sidearm to finally set things straight.

‘What the?!’

One of the men shouts, making Miles hesitate with her gun as she hears commotion going on just in the other room. She gets off her chair and takes a look as she witnesses Poly holding Moz by his neck, raising him with a single arm as his face was slowly turning purple; his henchmen, all sprawled out on the floor.

‘L-let me g-go…’ He faintly begs as the doll's expression was cold as ice, prompting Val to rush in to swipe Moz from her arms.

‘Disengage!’ Miles commanded, stopping the doll just in time before it could throw a kick towards her. Immediately the expression on its face displayed emotions once again.

‘I’m sorry I’m so so sorry!’ Poly apologizes as Miles checks on Moz’s condition. ‘I was frantically searching for a way to escape their grasp when the program recommended that I use the battle mode but I didn’t know how to turn it off.’ She explains herself as Miles breathes a sigh of relief as she sees no serious injuries on the old professor. She ignores Poly’s pleas as she goes around the room to check on his other men as she was surprised with what she sees.

‘Interesting…’ She muttered, finally turning her attention back to Poly, who was carrying an expression as if she was crying but there were no tears present from her eyes.

‘Poly! How did you feel when you were in battle mode?’ Miles sternly asked.

‘I ummm… I was scared.’

‘No I mean… ugh… Were you in control?’

Poly looked at her with a perplexed expression before shaking her head. ‘I-- I don;t remember…’

Miles was annoyed at how inept she was but immediately smirks as she thought of an immediate solution.

‘Battlemode engage.’

The doll’s expression turns blank as it starts to attack her. Because the speed difference is negligible between her mechanical arms and Miles’ suit assist, it was looking like a close battle. But from Miles' perspective it was different. It was: weak.

‘Disengage.

Now Poly… How did you feel?’ Miles questions her again as Poly looks at her, mortified at what she had just experienced.

‘I… I was trying to stop it from killing you.’ She answered.

‘Did it feel like one of those dreams where you tried punching someone with all your might but still fumble?’ Miles asked.

‘Yes! I couldn’t explain it before but… Yeah… It felt like that, only it was the opposite.’ Poly stated.

‘Interesting… You know I had my doubts when Trig recommended you. But it seems that your older siblings know more about you than you do yourself.’ Miles said as Poly looks even more confused than she did before.

‘W-What do you mean?’ Poly asked her, but before Miles could reply Moz’s radio started calling out to him, as he regained his consciousness.

‘Boss! Boss! Bout that kid you were workin with? Landlady said he was gone. I got CCTV proof. Should we go after him?’

‘FUCK! Layla! MY Layla!! Of course you should go after him you fucking shithead! What am I paying you for??!!’

Moz furiously shouts at his radio as two ladies stared at him with disgust.

‘Another whore?’ Miles teases.

‘NO! She’s more special than that. She’s my DAUGHTER!’ He shouts in defense, but the disgusted looks only amplified after he had said the words.

‘Whatever… going back to the Sebastians. What more can you tell me about it? I want everything. Insider info about his son and their current standing with the sisterhood of Theta.’

‘Miles… I thought we have come to an understanding on--’

‘Battle mode engage.’

Miles said the command once more as the light in the eyes of the doll fades, menacingly approaching him.

‘Okay! Okay! I’ll tell you I’ll tell you! Just! Just turn that thing off!!’

‘Disengage.’ She commanded as Poly returned to control.

‘MILES!--’

‘So Professor Mosey? Are you gonna talk?’

Poly shouts but Miles shuts her complaints to keep the pressure on the old man.

‘-sigh- Please don’t tell Madam Cinderace…’ He pleads, sounding defeated as Miles responds with an evil smirk.

‘Now why would I do that?’

----------------------------------------

‘Nica…’ Aida taps her shoulder as she shows her a metallic device no bigger than a button. Nica was about to react when Aida held up her finger as a sign to keep their silence as she took the device from her palm and closely examined it; before gently dropping it into the trash bin.

The two girls got out of the bathroom with a sigh of relief as they met up with the guys just outside by the corridor. But instead of being greeted by the boys, it was only Pete that remained.

‘Pete where’s--’

‘Shh.’

Pete hushes Aida as he points to a group of police officers roaming the other side of the atrium where they were last seen.

‘Denzo went first to scout the path ahead, and Pai came with him for some reason. I let them go first since I have connections to keep me out of trouble just in case we get caught, at least I can vouch for you guys to get out of here safely.’ He said as the pair kept their eyes glued to the officers who seemed to be searching for them.

‘What’d we do? We just chased Neil out of the carnival area?’ Nica questions as Pete shrugged his shoulders in response.

‘No clue as to why… But I’m guessing someone reported about the droid that helped him escape. Ever since the raids the police have been extra jumpy about androids. So I’m not really surprised that they’re here. Though the response time… this was quick… too quick.’ Pete said as signals the girls to leave the place, careful to check each floor they went down on, making sure they aren’t cornered by the authorities at the foot of each escalator.

‘Oh Denzo…’ Aida mutters under her breath as she receives a text from him. ‘Shit…’

‘What?’ Asked Pete.

‘Cops are on their tail. Someone followed them.’ Aida said, trying hard not to raise her voice despite feeling deeply concerned about Denzo’s situation.

‘Call em.’ Pete commands, as paranoia affects him, darting his sights front and back, weary if they were being watched.

‘Hello? Denzo?’

‘Go meet the driver! Me and Pai are gonna surrender!’

‘HaAH?!’

‘Just do it! Pete will get it!’

Denzo hangs up the phone as Aida stumbles on her step and falls, thankfully Nica’s improved reflexes managed to catch her before her knees could even hit the ground.

‘Aida? Are you okay?!’ She said as she assists her in getting back up on her feet, leaning her on the balcony rails to prop herself steady.

‘What did he say?’ Pete asked her.

‘He and Pai surrendered. He said you’d get it but…’ She looked pale and confused as she recounts his words but Pete firmly rests his hand on her shoulder, giving her a reassuring gaze.

‘It’s okay… I get it. He’s gonna be fine. It looks like he found a way to shortcut the plan.’ He said as Aida gained a little bit of color back to her cheeks but was still confused about the matter.

‘Are you sure?’

‘Yes! I’ll tell you everything about it when we get back. For now we need to leave.’ He said, urging her to get back on her feet as they made their way towards the rear entrance away from the coliseum, where he instructed his driver to wait beforehand. They were lucky that the police had already concentrated themselves around the higher floors as Pete figured that the witness pointed them towards the station above where Neil had escaped and shortly after, all three of them made it safely inside the van.

‘Where to sir?’ Pete’s driver asked.

‘Wait a sec…’ He replied as dials on his phone.

‘Hello?’

…

‘Yeah we’re done.’

…

‘Yeah… but we have to talk… Where are you?’

…

‘Where’s that?’

…

‘Oh okay… see yah in a bit.’

Pete hangs up on his phone as a message pops up on his screen. A message which he showed to his driver.

‘Were going back to school. But we're going to this spot near it, my friends say there’s an ice cream shop near there.’ Pete describes. The driver nods and starts up the vehicle as Nica gets a glimpse of the map that Pete had on his phone.

‘Oh! Was that Keeno?’ She asked.

‘No it’s Tisha.’

‘Oh I guess she’s with her and Neeya.’

‘How’d you figure?’

‘That place was where she took us when Neeya first arrived here.’

‘Ooh lemme see!’ Aida dives in, seemingly recovering from her fall a moment ago. ‘Ooooh yeah it's the ice cream truck! They serve the best ice cream there Pete you’ll love it.’ Aida said as Pete nodded disinterestedly.

Nica finds herself in deep thought as she remembers an interesting memory from when they visited. ‘Yeah… but come to think of it… Pete… didn’t you mention the Omega Epsilon leader’s name?’ She asked as Pete turned his eyes to her, intrigued.

‘Yeah?’

‘What’s his name again?’

‘Remo Sebastian.’

Nica narrowed her eyes and started searching her phone for the pictures they had taken that day. ‘For some reason I found it weird why the shop’s location isn’t registered on any satellite map apps. But considering the guy was a bit of a creep… I’m starting to get a weird connection towards all this…’ She elaborates as she hands Pete her phone with a picture of her, Aida and Neeya all posing in front of the truck that showed the side where its name was painted on.

‘Sebastian’s ice cream.’ He muttered as his heart sank low towards the depths of the underworld after seeing the picture that carried the name of the current Omega Epsilon President.

And it wasn’t just his name, as even in the smallest and most blurriest of pixels, Pete can recognize that same disgusting grin that the person has. Standing at the back and serving his ice cream to Pete’s most cherished friends.

‘Tell Keeno to find another ice cream shop.’ He advised.

‘Why?!’ The girls respond simultaneously.

‘I overheard him once, bragging about this truck.

Long story short…

He only serves girls.

And he jizzes on his products.’

…

…

‘Huh?’