Footsteps echoed through the empty corridor as three figures ran for their lives. Bill, Haven and Samantha had finally reached the third level of the Institute and were sure that they were safe from any pursuers.

"Can we take a breather for a sec?" Bill had reached his limit as he leaned next to a wall, they had gone far enough already and he was about to keel over from exhaustion.

Both Haven and Samantha were breathing heavily from the workout that they just received so they didn't really want to argue with him, they took the moment to catch their breaths. They were close to their objective and there wasn't any signs of danger so now was the time for them to collect their thoughts which they weren't able to do earlier since their minds were stuck screaming survive as they ran.

"So... what's our next big plan?" Bill looked around still a little wary of his surroundings, this was the first time he stepped foot in here and he already doesn't like the feeling of the place.

"Our next plan? We were going to think about that before you went and shot Silver in the face!" Haven shouted.

"Well things don't work out dat well when ya kill someone!" Bill snapped back.

"We didn't have a choice she would've snitched on us."

"Whadda ya mean ya didn't have a choice? You coulda not talk bout this place with Sam but noooo you just hadta blab to her where exactly? Oh right the kitchen, no ones evah gonna go to the kitchen. Also I did not blast her in da face, it was like more in da chest area I think."

Haven told Bill about what he found during his trip as well as the plan he had concocted and Bill had told him to hold off on telling Samantha until things cooled down a bit but he decided to jump the gun and tried to force a convoluted way for them to meet alone. Of course this didn't go over well since someone had eyes on the two of them for some time now, it was just unfortunate that Mary overheard something she wasn't suppose to and was caught.

"Mr. Bill is right. Against all my wisdom I decided to go along with your plan but that ended with the shedding of innocent blood and the shadow that has casted itself over us..." There was a heavy sigh from Samantha as she contemplated what she could've done better to prevent their current circumstances.

They thought they were screwed the moment Haven had to kill Mary but the investigation actually ended up going in their favour in the first half and parts of the second half, honestly it was the last few seconds that really messed them up.

But they were found out and they had to start Haven's plan much earlier than anticipated, he didn't even have time to workshop it and smooth out the edges. For Haven this was fine, everything they have done to get this far was basically through instincts and it has worked out because they managed to escape prison and leave the US behind. This situation is the same as all the others, they're the underdogs and they just have to continue bullshitting their way to freedom.

"The holograms..." Haven quickly reorganized his thoughts. "We just have to gain control of the holograms."

"Sure... we get da holograms, we kill everyone and den what?"

"We can't fortify our position here indefinitely. The US will know what we have done and they will send in more than just their hounds." The US isn't a country to let someone that wronged them get away, Samantha knew that. "We will eventually have to cross through The Fracture to arrive at the United Countries."

A fellow prisoner had told them about how the UCNA borders was more laxed compared to the US and how easy it was to sneak in and out of the country. Whether it is due to a lack of manpower, budgeting constraints or not giving a shit was up in the air. In addition to that they hated the US so they would probably allow a few escape US prisoners to roam around if it saves them the trouble of having to deal with politics with the neighbouring country.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

"We'll just have to hold here for as long as it takes to get everything we need." Haven listed all the items that they would need to make it to the borders in his head.

They originally wanted to use Those at the Threshold to get close enough to the borders of the UCNA however Samantha correctly assumed that once they reached Former North Dakota they would just keep heading down and they won't be able to convince them to take any more detours.

Parting ways was their only option and it wasn't a good one. The three of them would lose the help and equipment of the group and would struggle to make it to their destination. None of them were good cooks either and Paul managed to somehow convince a pretty good chef to join his cause so they'll lose out on his prepped meals which is something that Bill was very against.

Their discovery of the two bases and the means to take them over was a godsend. Samantha had went off and discovered the crater on her own and managed to piece together that there was something underneath it, Haven was the one that went and uncovered the secrets of the Institute. Bill had searched each room in the UCNA base and found one full of canned foods which they can take with them using the vehicle from the US army. Everything was falling into place, all they had to do was commit themselves to the plan.

"We've been through a lot together right? This is just one more thing for us to overcome." Haven rallied his comrades.

"Honestly... still beats being in jail." Bill let out a hearty laugh. "Y'know I got arrested for littering? Littering! Lifetime for missing the can, whatta load of shit."

"You keep telling us about it... and you did miss the trashcan a lot. Still bullshit though." Haven chuckled.

The mood had brightened as they reminisced about their time together. They talked about all of Haven's failed attempts at getting out of prison and all the fights Bill had to get in to distract the guards. How Samantha would somehow slip away without anyone noticing and come back with new information or a brand new book that kept her away from everyone for a few days or so.

"Quite an act ya put on back there." If he wasn't a wanted criminal Bill thought that Haven would make a pretty damn good actor.

"Oh during the investigation? Yeah well I put some truths in there to make it more convincing, I really did hate Paul and wanted to call his sham of a religion out for a long while now."

"Never took you and Sam to being going steady!" Bill moved his finger back and forth between the two.

Once the other two realized what Bill had said their faces immediately flushed red and they looked away from each other. Bill thought that since the two were around the same age they would totally be a couple and they probably would if the US wasn't clamping down on their asses. Seeing their expressions only made Bill laugh out loud which in turn caused them to get over their embarrassment and laugh as well.

After the laughter faded they continued to rest in silence.

"You think they'll come after us?" Haven glanced over at Bill.

"Who? Dem UCNA gals? Probably... they seem like the type to take all matters of small things personally and what we did ta them wasn't exactly small."

"They'll chase us to the ends of the Earth, though I despise the thought our hands are forced, we have to dispose of them if we are to survive." Samantha remarked.

"You okay with that Sam?" There was a look of concern on Haven's face.

"Yes."

"Alright... let's get down to business then." Haven led the way once everyone had recovered. He didn't reveal everything he had found out to Miley and Catherine when they were down here, he had found a map of the entire facility and downloaded it into his robot arm. Of course this means that navigating the maze-like 2nd floor was a cinch but he had also discovered something important, on the 3rd floor was something called The Control Room.

He hid all the important discoveries to himself so he could later share them with Samantha and Bill. One of them being that the scientists were researching ways to weaponize the nanomachines that they created through their research on the Loch Ness Monster's spacecraft. The holograms was just one way and by far their most successful, they are made up of a large group of nanomachines that constructs an ethereal looking body which acts as a shield and as a way for them to attack. And it just so happens that under a list of jotted down notes they had mention that The Control Room would grant someone access to the holograms allowing them to take control of the blue army.

Lucky for them they didn't run into any rogue holograms on the way but Bill kept his finger on the trigger just in case there was anymore surprises lurking in the Institute.

They stopped. The door in front of them leads to The Control Room and, if everything works out, they will gain command over a legion of soldiers. Soldiers who weren't able to defend their home country when it was invaded and were whisk away across the ocean and eventually forgotten. But now they have new commanders, though they have less than noble purposes it was certainly better than rotting away forever buried under a dried up loch.

Their way to freedom was just behind these doors.