Terra had made it out of the castle’s air ducts in record time, sprinting through the back garden instead of using the sewer system like she had to get into the castle. Running on adrenaline and fear she vaulted over the back walls like it was nothing, not even bothering to check behind her to see if anyone was chasing her. The Queen had no doubt seen her yet had done nothing for some reason, and Terra worried she had somehow walked into a trap. Not until made it to the parked vehicle hidden down an alley that she started relaxing, still not fully convinced the Queen hadn’t sent a hit squad after her. Although Terra couldn’t be physically harmed something about those piercing red eyes made her feel as if she could be killed at any moment.

“Are you alright?” Vazerio had asked her when she had come barging into the van after sprinting the entirety of the course, turning to the driver and telling him to the safehouse.

“The Queen knows,” she said, shaking. “She knows we’re attacking soon and has gone some sort of trick up her sleeve.”

“Tell me everything.”

And she did. She told Vazerio about plugging in the program into the system and about the meeting. She told him all about this ‘plan’ that the Queen and her minions were following and tried her best to describe those who were standing beside her. Vazerio cringed when she told him Nighet had made an appearance but listened quietly when she told him her suspicions of the Queen having followed her through the worlds.

“That doesn’t make sense. The Queen started taking over the Capitol many years ago, and we just picked you up a little over a month ago. Are you sure they’re the same person?” He asked inquisitively.

Terra thought about it. Back in Detroit, she had met the person with red eyes on a rooftop at night, so the lighting wasn’t spectacular, but Red had gotten very close when she had told Terra to memorize her face. No, Red and the Queen were the same there was no doubt about that. So how had Red gotten to this universe before Terra?

Vazerio sighed, pulling Terra out of her thoughts.

“I guess we’re back to square one then. The Queen saw you and even though she, for some reason, didn’t try to capture you, it still means that they probably reset their surveillance monitors.”

Terra felt guilt creep through her gut. She wanted to bring up the fact that no one saw her in the monitoring room, but she knew that she couldn’t make up for the fact that the Queen had noticed her and she had failed her mission.

“Hey, it’s alright. We wanted you to disable the surveillance so that we could move all at once, but we had a backup plan just in case. It’ll just take a little bit longer, but we’ll be moving in anyway. You did manage to sneak into the castle, plant software, attend a secret meeting, and still make it out alive, so you’ve already surpassed a lot of the agents we have already.”

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Terra gave him a weak smile, but she knew that his words of encouragement did nothing to change the fact she had failed. The rest of the trip was spent in an awkward silence once again until they reached a small apartment complex at the Capitol.

While Vazerio went to a separate room to debrief the Captain and generals of the mission while Terra went into her room and cracked open her compact mirror.

“Stop sulking, seriously.” Alter chastised. “It’s no fun to anyone and there’s no point. So what the Queen saw you? Whoop-dee-fucking-do. Move on and let’s focus on honing those skills when you have to fight her.”

Terra was taken aback.

“I have to fight her? Why?”

“Why do you think idiot? Oh, wait, I forgot to tell you. Red is sort of a sentient corrupt crystal.” Alter shrugged as if to say ‘well what can you do?’

“Excuse me? Crystals can become sentient? What are they made out of if they can suddenly get themselves a brain and take over a country?”

“Wow, someone’s a little snarky today. I don’t think I want to answer now.” Alter crossed her arms and pouted.

“I’m tired of your bullshit Alter, just give me some answers!” Terra fumed, her eyes glowing with anger.

“Whatever doesn’t change the fact you still have to fight her. Crystals are the accumulation of balance in the world. Yin and yang, light and dark, you can call it whatever you want, but in layman's terms, it's concentrated energy. Black ones are corrupt energy, clear ones are pure energy--pretty simple to wrap your mind around. But the universe likes unbalance and likes to throw curve balls into the mix, hence a sentient black crystal.” Alter explained. “Black crystals crave chaos, but they’re not necessarily evil. Clear crystals can be used for evil and black crystals used for good, it all depends on the user.”

“So you’re saying the Queen, who has established a tyrannical rule over a nation, is doing things for good?” Terra asked in disbelief.

“I never said that. I just said that you’re staring too closely at a grain of sand and not enjoying the beach.” Alter stated in her defense.

“Enough with the cryptic shit; why is Red in this universe when they were in Detroit too?”

“Ooh, can’t answer that one, sorry. Thank you for trying and please come again and try later!” Alter said in her best game show host voice, already fading into the mirror. “Oh, and don’t forget that only a black crystal and defeat a black crystal!”

Alter disappeared, leaving Terra to stew in her anger and unanswered questions.

Vazerio abruptly burst into her room.

“Good news Terra, our plans weren’t delayed at all. The Rebellion strikes in a week!”

Terra tried her put on her best smile, but she was still so annoyed with Alter that it probably came out more like a sneer, prompting Vazerio to ask if she was fine. She tried to play it off that she was tired, but Vazerio still looked uncertain.

Changing the subject, she told Vazerio she needed to spend some time in a simulator; Terra needed to let out some steam and, apparently, stay polished for her fight with the Queen.