One- Get up…

Two- Get moving…

Three, breathe…

My name is Dylan Michael Foster. A Moon-Touched soul with powerful genetic gifts, bestowed upon me by the twin moons of this planet, Arilia. I was a former member of the Project Alpharius: Sanction 7 - Alpha

Team— but now, I hide in the same shadows that I once thrived in.

Every single morning for the last eight years, I’ve followed an exact routine to try to maintain my sanity, while looking towards an unknown future for us all. But every time I take steps forward— my past continues to

haunt me; slowly chipping away at my mental state. I drag myself out of bed, day after day—with no end in sight. It’s a fragile process. One that’s constantly being threatened by my dark past while I try desperately to

forget it all.

But in all honesty; sometimes— I miss the old days: being able to do whatever we wanted without restraint or consequence. The adrenaline rush from the thrill of the hunt. We committed terrible acts of violence in our

country’s name. But eventually, my companions and I came to realize the toll it was taking on us emotionally and physically. It grew, with no end in sight— and we wanted to escape. We needed to get out— and so we

did.

We left that life behind us and have since then, been hiding away from society. Time has passed us by quickly while we’ve stayed concealed from the world…

***

Dylan was awakened by the chimes that triggered his rise; the start of a new day. He looked over to the bedside table— still fighting fatigue. The chronometer was a simple small black box deftly corralled by a black—

plastic bezel. The paled face contained two rows of ten, with small-scale black numbers and hands of glossy-black plastic rods.

The dim early morning light filtered in through the blinds and the sky was a diamond-touched blue. Dylan wiped sleep from his eyes and looked over to the timepiece. His vision is blurred— but eventually came into

focus. He squinted to read the display— trying his best to focus on the numbers.

“Six Bells,” he groaned as he stretched his fatigued form. " Time— to rise and shine.”

He groggily pushed himself upright and scanned his room— taking in the stacks of books that lined the walls and the tattered blanket draped across his bed; familiarizing himself with its details. He felt tiny fluctuations in the air, and the slight weight shifts caused by Arilia’s gravity. A unique phenomenon triggered by the planet’s brilliant ring system.

Making his way to the window, he stretched and stared outward. Arilia’s pale-white sun Thraxal, peeked over the horizon— seeping warm rays of light into his bedroom. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, embracing

its cheery warmth as it filled him with energy; suddenly followed by a sprightly dance of radiance that took place before his very eyes.

The planetary rings of Arilia also played a distinctive part in his daily therapy. As the particles of crystal and ice reflected light from the sun, Thraxal’s corona shined forth with vibrant brilliance; glistening sparkles of

sun-tanned bronze, flamboyant shades of pink and aqua-marine. Cool shades of tyrian purple and magnificent bursts of silver and white that mimicked majestic strips of glitter-cloth draping across the sky. A symphony

of perfection in infinite space that was awed by the vast number of spectators inhabiting Arilia— and by the other luminaries in the sky.

He stopped for a few moments while drinking in the wonders of nature, then walked over to an old credenza in the corner of the room. He pulled open the top drawer and grabbed a sleeveless shirt and pants; taking extra moments to make sure he was comfortable.

The sound of creaking stairs and soft thumps of his feet against each step echoed off the walls as he tried to sneak into the garage for what was sure to be a long, progressive day in his workshop.

Today he felt invigorated. Last night’s dream was short and somewhat normal this time; no need for interpretations. Rather than worrying about bizarre images and inexplicable sequences— he could actually

concentrate on his work for once. There were several orders he needed to have done, and there wasn’t much time left. While it was stressful, he still preferred it this way to keep him focused; besides— he always

managed to meet his deadlines no matter what.

As a freelance engineer and inventor, he enjoyed the anonymity and freedom that it brought; in addition to some very lucrative inter-planetary, Intra-Net business. But despite his, and his former teammates’ newfound

wealth— they all still lived in fear of being found by their creators: the World Order. It had been eight years since they had defected from the powerful government, and they now lived a peaceful life away from

oppression. Thankfully, their clients knew nothing of their past lives. The countless missions and assassinations behind enemy lines, the complex strategies and tactical maneuvers they masterminded in order to complete

these missions. What their clientele absolutely didn’t know, was before this, these five extraordinary individuals were the Sanction Seven: Alpha Team. The infamous Enforcer squad commanded by the World Order to

bring death and destruction onto those who disobeyed its laws.

He opened the door and flipped the switch to the overhead lamps. They hummed deftly as the fluorescent lights flickered to life.

He knew it was still early, but with the recent bombardment of intense visions and terrifying dreams, he never seemed to be able to get any real sleep.

Dylan slipped into the garage, not wanting to disturb anyone who was sleeping. He glanced at his worksite and saw that he had not finished a few projects. There were some tools scattered on top, and he grumbled as he

tried to focus on his task. He grabbed the Hyrel-spade, a metallic, grey tool used for molding and shaping, off the bench top; then made a few minor adjustments before beginning work.

As he did so often while he worked, he again thought about their past, and how they managed to escape from the grip of the World Order, and start a new life.

It wasn’t easy. Dylan knew that they were a few of the lucky ones who had been able to get away. Now he had his own workshop, where he could use his engineering skills to create things that wasn’t related to war or

destruction.

He enjoyed tinkering with things and finding new ways to make old technologies better, and over time, Dylan had become known as an avid inventor in the Intra-Net community. People sought him out for help with

their own projects or commissions for items they needed designed.

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Dylan worked steady, but then glanced from the corner of his eye, as his best friend, Alexa Dupree entered the room. A smile lit up his face as he watched her approach, stretching and yawning from her slumber.

“Good morning, Dylan,” she said softly, her voice still sleepy.

He turned around and smiled in response. “Hey Alex.”

As they made eye contact, he saw something familiar in her expression; it was an emotion of peace and contentment that can only be felt when one has found a place to call home.

Alexa was just as relieved as Dylan to have escaped the oppressive life of the, Project Alpharius program. As a member of Sanction Seven: Alpha Team, she was second in command on Dylan assassin team— before

they decided to defect; leaving behind everything she knew and loved in order to find freedom and peace with Dylan and the others.

But even with this newfound freedom, she, like Dylan— still struggled with repercussions from their past lives. The traumatic experiences they had faced on missions all over the world that still lingered in their minds.

Even if they forgot what the World Order had done to them personally, it didn’t erase what they had done in the enforcement of its laws. They all stayed busy with freelance work, and hobbies that kept their minds in the

present.

Alexa walked over to him and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder— a gesture meant to give him assurance that they were both safe now. He nodded back at her in understanding before getting back to his project.

It was moments like these that reminded them why they chose this path. Moments when togetherness replaced suspicion, joy overcame anger, and creativity replaced destruction; when peace finally felt possible despite

all odds against them.

She eased closer to him, her long golden hair swaying with each glide of her feet. She smelled of jasmine and the warmth of her skin brushed against him as she embraced him from behind.

“Dylan, honey,” she said as she squeezed him tightly, “I thought you were taking the day off?”

He paused briefly and turned on his work stool to look at her. The slight worry lines that creased his forehead made him appear almost vulnerable as he answered. “I was, but I’m so close to finishing this project. I just

wanted to finish it up— you know what I mean?”

She sighed deeply as she clung to him.

She offered a small smile and her crystal-blue eyes almost sparkled when she spoke again. “Actually, I was thinking about going out for an excursion. Maybe to, Merke City Centre today? The weather outside is

beautiful. What do you think? Want to go?”

He shook his head sadly. “I’d love to, but I can’t. I have tons of work to do.”

Alexa’s shoulders slumped slightly in disappointment as his words registered in her mind. Her grip on him loosened and she pulled away; distraught from the inevitable rejection. He reached out and grabbed onto her

hand before she could fully turn away from him.

“Hey, what’s the matter?” he asked in a gentle voice.

She pulled away, and walked back towards the door.

Dylan called after her again. “Hey. Seriously… what’s wrong?”

Before she reached for the door handle, she spoke again in a subdued voice. “Dylan. I understand why you’re still so afraid to go out in public. We all feel it too; but we’ve been gone for over eight years now. We’re living on a continent where all of the colonies remain neutral from world politics. The World Order has no power here.”

She offered him a soothing smile of encouragement to signify that he could leave his self-made cocoon and start living again.

The gesture is reciprocated with the slight upturn of his lips.

But he turned away quickly as he spoke. “I know. I hear you, but— my gut tells me that they won’t give up on their attempt to bring us back into the fold. So, I think that we still need to be cautious.”

Alexa’s smile faded as she stared at him; her eyes welling with tears.

She barked harshly. “Dylan. If we keep this mentality for the rest of our lives, they will always have control over us. We have the right to exist in this chaotic world too!”

She sighed heavily as a heavy tear fell from her eye. “We can’t stay in the dark forever.”

She turned and stormed away, leaving him in a state of shock and pain.

He slammed the tool he held down on the workbench, and sighed while staring at the ceiling; replaying the conversation in his mind.

He knew that she was a brilliant combat tactician in her past, but he still underestimated the power of her psychological warfare and tactics. His heart sunk as he felt his insides twist and knot up, and realized that

everything she had said— was the truth.

The garage cooled and its silence made him question why he was so afraid of going outside; being seen out there.

He wondered to himself: Why is it so important for us to be seen? Is there something we need out there?

Deep down, Dylan couldn’t deny her statement. They had hidden away from the World Order for over eight years. And after all of this time— no one came looking for them.

Doubting himself again, he grumbled with bated breath. “Am I overreacting?”

He restored his focus on his work, eventually becoming so enthralled with it that he worked for hours without noticing the time pass by. He knew that Alexa would not be pleased with him spending all day working—

but at least the project was completed ahead of schedule.

As he walked inside their home, it became clear that he was the only one there. Everyone else had gone out for the day, but there was a hand-written note from Alexa, waiting for him on the kitchen counter:

Dylan,

The sun is too bright and the air too clear to be kept inside.

We understand you have responsibilities, but we can’t help wanting to steal you away for some much needed time together. We’ll only be gone a few hours, and we’ll see you soon.

I miss you already!

Love You,

Alex

Dylan grinned and folded the note, tucking it into his pocket as he started up the stairs. He paused at the top of the landing to take in the expansive upper level of the house before making his way toward the bathroom

where he could grab a much needed shower.

He dropped his clothes in a pile on the bathroom floor and stepped into the steam-filled shower. Water droplets clung to his skin like tiny jewels, washing away the clinging paint, acrid glue, and sweat of a long day

spent in the garage. The warmth of the water seeped through him and melted away all tension and stress.

Afterwards, he changed into his favorite pajamas. The fabric was patterned with dots in an intricate pattern. A kind of cross-hatching— but with circles instead of lines. The cotton felt smooth on the skin after a long

shower. He stretched out on his bed with a subtle grin of contentment. The sheets were crisp and cool on his skin as he curled up onto the pillow, already feeling the soft embrace of sleep.

***

The house was dark when the others returned from the outing.

Alexa shuffled up the stairs, feeling weary and emotionally drained. She had been so determined to get Dylan out of the house, and show him the world again; but now, she was filled with regret and remorse.

She softly opened the door to his bedroom, and noticed that he was already fast asleep in bed. She crept in quietly and kneeled by his side. His face was peaceful; a testament to the fact that he had no idea what she’d

been planning for him earlier that day. She carefully tucked in a few strands of his dark hair behind his ear, and kissed him on the forehead before standing up to leave.

As she closed the door quietly behind her, she felt an overwhelming urge to burst into tears, not only from guilt over how harshly she had treated him earlier – but also from pure love and the appreciation she had for

him. Even after all this time, he still deserved some adventure every once in a while— and she would make sure he got it, even if it meant forcing him out of his comfort zone.

With a faint smile on her lips, she left Dylan’s room, feeling just a bit more at peace than before.

Alexa went to her room for much needed rest, and slumped onto her bed, letting out a tired sigh. She thought back to earlier in the day, when she had tried to get Dylan to go explore with her. But he had been so afraid; his aversion to going outside was almost crushing. It made her heart heavy just thinking about it.

She knew what he was going through. She had experienced it too; but she eventually found the courage to step out of her comfort zone and face the world again. She wanted the same for Dylan, but it seemed like a task

that was easier said than done.

Alexa laid there, and gazed up at the ceiling for what seemed like hours. An idea began forming in her head: if she could show Dylan what awaited beyond their front door— even if it meant taking baby steps, then

maybe he would find enough courage within himself, to start exploring the world again.

She made up her mind right then: tomorrow, she would take Dylan on an adventure— no matter how small, and show him what life has to offer outside of their four walls.

With renewed energy, Alexa laid down in her bed, and imagined all the possibilities that awaited them. After all, they only had one life– why not live it as fully as possible?

The morning sun peeked over the horizon before Alexa knew it; soon enough, another beautiful day was born. Alexa hurried downstairs with a plan set firmly in place; despite any fear or hesitation, today was going to be

an adventure.