Alexander sat in the interrogation room, surrounded by four walls. Time passed slowly, and every minute seemed like an eternity. His hands were handcuffed to the table, creating a feeling of hopelessness. He was sure that Berezovsky would agree. Then it was necessary to think through the moves, fortunately there was plenty of time. He understood what needed to be done next.

The light in the room was bright and harsh, and the air seemed stagnant and heavy. Scattered papers lay on the table in front of him - copies of photographs and documents that were used as charges against him. He could not reach them, but Alexander understood that he had already done a lot of things for which he would have been imprisoned long ago. But the situation was in his favor.

From time to time, Alexander heard noise outside - voices, footsteps, the sound of closing doors, but no one entered the room. He tried to relax and concentrate, but thoughts about the future and the possible consequences of his decisions haunted him. He wasn't a strategist, maybe in a previous life, so he turned his mind around what he could do. It was not even a multi-step, rather a direct trick, the goal of which was Berezovsky and his freedom.

Finally, the door opened and the duty officer entered. He was young, with an uncertain look. The officer approached Alexander and carefully unfastened the handcuffs. Then he took a step to the side.

- You are allowed to leave. Your things are on the way out. Arrive at your place of registration as soon as possible. – he said, avoiding Alexander’s gaze.

Alexander stood up, stretched and, turning to the duty officer, calmly said:

- Tell Berezovsky that I am ready to exchange the case materials, including the originals, for my information, for the information he needs. And if he shows me the location of Dusk's sister, I will give him Markov with his information. Let him know, I will wait for his answer at his place of registration.

The attendant just nodded, shrugged and led Alexander to the exit.

On the way out, Alexander was given back his things - wallet, keys, backpack. As he left the station, he felt the freshness of the morning air and freedom, but at the same time he understood that his actions could have far-reaching consequences.

There was an unusual silence on the street, broken only by the occasional sounds of passing cars. There were noticeably fewer people, and the children's playground nearby resembled an abandoned island on which children's laughter had not sounded for a long time. Alexander hailed a private taxi and headed to an electronics store to buy a new phone. It was important for him to restore contact with Roman as soon as possible. To carry out his plan, he needed the help of a comrade.

In the store, he quickly selected a suitable smartphone model for ten thousand rubles, issued a SIM card and paid extra for setting up the device. As he left the store, he felt a sense of control over the situation returning with every step.

Alexander got into the taxi again and headed towards his house. The entrance seemed alien and unwelcoming to him. The apartment door was broken and sealed, but Alexander easily removed the seal and went inside. The apartment was in complete disarray - a clear sign of searches and inspections. The smell in the air was heavy and unpleasant, reminiscent of the events that had happened here. He looked into the bathroom, but there was nothing and no one there. He returned to the hall.

Alexander removed the scattered things from the sofa, creating at least some semblance of order. He sat down on the edge, dialed Roman’s number and, waiting for an answer, said:

- I need a photo of Markov, take it and send it to me.

Only when a message arrived on the phone with the required photograph did Alexander lean back on the sofa. Tired of a busy day, Alexander allowed himself to relax and soon fell asleep, falling into a deep and restless sleep. The visions were blurry, but the general background did not allow me to relax.

Alexander woke up from the sound of footsteps. Someone just entered the apartment. He remembered that he had not even closed the broken door, so he quietly took a sitting position, ready at any second to imbue his hand with soul power and cut the attacker. But to his surprise, Julia entered the room, and his emotions changed from excitement to happiness. The girl threw herself into Alexander's arms.

Julia, barely holding back her tears, hugged him tightly and for a long time, as if afraid that he would disappear again. Her hands tremblingly slid along his back, and her voice trembled with suppressed emotions.

“Alexander, I was so afraid for you...” she whispered. - After you disappeared, so many strange things happen around. I didn't know what to think.

Alexander, feeling her closeness, consoled her, stroking her hair and calming her down.

- It's okay, Julia. I'm here. And as you can see, I'm healthy. Everything is fine.

They sat like that for a while until Julia calmed down a little. Then Alexander asked her:

- How did you know that I was here?

Julia replied:

- So your door was sealed by the police, and then I walk and see that it is wide open. Well, I... The city is in chaos, Sasha. Police and military are everywhere. You never know what and who could be doing here...

- Yes, this confuses me... You could have gotten hurt, why bother so thoughtlessly? Are you not saving your life?

Julia, still hugging Alexander, said with excitement in her voice:

- Actually, I took precautions. In general, you know, I tried so many new things thanks to you. I have something incredible that I want to tell and show you! - her eyes sparkled with delight and mystery. “You can’t even imagine how I scared one arrogant guy who was courting me!” Well, he courted me, climbed on me, almost raped me. But now I won’t give in to anyone so easily! But that doesn't matter, the main thing is that I have something really amazing and I want you to see it.

She took his hand and pulled him towards her apartment to show him her “incredible” discovery. Alexander, still stunned by the sudden meeting, agreed and prepared to follow her. But at the moment when they were about to leave the apartment, two policemen appeared at the door. One of them was tall and thin with a serious and concentrated expression on his face, the other was shorter, but strongly built and with a mustache. They were both in uniform and looked official.

Behind them came Berezovsky, a middle-aged man dressed in a colonel's uniform. He looked stern and authoritative, his eyes quickly assessing the situation in the room. Julia shuddered in surprise, and Alexander became wary, feeling that something important was about to happen.

Berezovsky, with characteristic confidence in his voice, began:

- Interesting situation, Stepnov. But this is even better. Now you won't be able to throw away your tricks. - his gaze was piercing and cold.

One of the policemen, of average height with dark eyes, takes Yulia by the hand and begins to pull her aside. She struggles, trying to break free, but the policeman holds her tightly. Alexander, completely calm, watches what is happening, not giving free rein to his emotions.

Alexander slowly takes out his new phone and opens the gallery where a photograph of the deceased Markov is stored.

- My intentions are serious. Photo taken this morning. - he says, turning to Berezovsky and showing the photo.

Berezovsky, having carefully studied the photograph, nods to another policeman - tall and thin, who immediately leaves the room. A few minutes later he returns, breathing heavily and carrying a whole box of documents into the room.

- That's all you have. All without exception. But that's all I can do for you. Even for Markov. - Berezovsky declares, opening the box, confirming the seriousness of his intentions. A tense silence hung in the room. Alexander looks carefully at the box, trying to understand whether the policeman is lying. As he understood, he would not receive information about Dusk’s sister, or it would not be so easy.

Alexander looked straight at Berezovsky, his eyes were cold and unyielding.

Well, since you are honest with me and I don’t see any information, then I would also like to change the conditions a little. I never had any dirt on you. And even if there was, I didn’t remember anything. The person who may have had this information is now dead. By my hand. You saw the photo.

Berezovsky, not believing Alexander’s words, nodded to his subordinate. He, without the slightest hesitation, began to strangle Yulia right in front of Alexander. The girl struggled, trying to free herself, but to no avail.

Alexander took a step forward, but Berezovsky only grinned coldly when the second policeman put his hand on his holster:

- No worries. These days, anyone can be resurrected. So tell the truth. Or my subordinate will do it again and again. Dying still hurts, you know.

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Alexander's eyes flashed with irritation. He understood that Berezovsky was playing with him, trying to find out information that Alexander did not have. He understood that his choice now could affect Yulia’s fate. His eyes slid to the girl, who was still fighting for every breath.

- You do not understand. - Alexander said, taking a deep breath. - I really don't remember anything. All I know is what you are doing now. And it won't make me remember what doesn't exist.

Berezovsky looked at Alexander with close attention, trying to understand whether he was telling the truth. A heavy silence hung in the room for a moment, interrupted only by Yulia’s hoarse breathing.

Berezovsky, standing with a gloomy expression on his face, looked at Alexander with contempt.

“I think a couple of deaths of this girl will be a good lesson for you.” – he said coldly.

Yulia, standing nearby, rolled her eyes, as if anticipating the inevitable. The next moment, her body shattered into ashes, leaving behind only a cloud of gray smoke. The policeman holding her backed away, not understanding what had happened. Everyone was shocked, because no one expected this.

Alexander, filled with rage and despair, shouted:

- No! Julia!

His hand was instantly saturated with the power of the soul, enveloped in a silver haze. Half a meter long with edges playing in the wind. Using his will, he compressed and sharpened this haze, turning it into a deadly weapon.

With a sharp movement, Alexander rushed towards the policeman who was holding Yulia, and with one blow cut him in half. Turning, he struck again at the second policeman, who also did not have time to react. The hand remained resting on the holster.

Berezovsky, realizing that something crazy was happening and that everything was not going according to plan, rushed to the exit. Alexander, filled with anger, rushed after him. The man knocked over a hanger, on which the guy tripped and fell. He rose to his feet and was about to run further when he heard Berezovsky scream. It was fear, and then Yulia’s voice, sounding like an echo of a grave voice:

- Why did you kill me?

Running out onto the staircase, Alexander saw Berezovsky, stumbling, falling down the stairs and breaking his neck. And on the floor above stood Yulia, her hair was loose, and an ominous smile froze on her face. The young man felt a shiver run down his spine from what he saw. White dress, facial hair. The whole look seems to be copied from a horror story monster.

Alexander, overcome with disbelief, slowly climbed the stairs to Yulia. He looked into her eyes and saw a twinkle of mischief in them. It was as if mountains had been lifted from his shoulders. He hugged her, smelling the familiar scent of her perfume.

- How is this possible? It seemed to me that you died completely, like in Grani...” he said, not believing his eyes.

Julia, with a slight laugh, explained that this was the same surprise that she had talked about earlier. She could create duplicates of herself, which disappeared upon death, leaving behind only ashes.

- Remember that guy I mentioned? Of course, he turned out to be a bastard when I refused him. Even in the morning of that day, I thought that something bad would happen and created a Duplication. Which he killed. What a bastard, huh? In general, he was very frightened, which is surprising, he was not afraid to kill, nor was he afraid to rape the dead, but he was afraid of the girl who had crumbled into ashes. I think he will remember this lesson for a long time...” she said with a smile.

Suddenly Julia pointed behind Alexander. Turning around, he saw that Berezovsky had risen from the dead. And now he clumsily stretched his arms, trying to get up. Alexander grabbed the railing and rushed towards the colonel with acceleration. Pressing Berezovsky's neck to the floor with his knee, Alexander demanded:

- Tell me where Dusk’s sister is!

Berezovsky, choking and coughing up blood, refused to answer. Without wasting any time, Alexander began to slowly and painfully cut pieces of flesh from the colonel's body, using his hand infused with soul energy. Berezovsky could not stand the pain and began to speak.

- She... she is in an abandoned mansion on the outskirts of the city, in an area of old industrial warehouses. It's the only one there, Dusk renovated it from the inside, so from the outside it still seems abandoned. He thought that no one would find out... He’s a fool... - he squeezed out with difficulty.

Having received the necessary information, Alexander removed his leg from Berezovsky’s neck and quickly stood up. He turned to Yulia, feeling the burden of responsibility on his shoulders.

- I have to cut this knot. Berezovsky will not stop, he is too smart to make such a mistake again. It needs to be eliminated. – he said with determination in his voice.

Julia said nothing and did not respond in any way, although she had difficulty accepting the cruelty of the situation. The girl turned around so as not to see what was about to happen. Alexander, gathering his courage, raised his hand, clenched into a fist, and imbued with the power of his soul. His movement was fast and decisive - he cut Berezovsky's body from head to groin. The colonel's death was instantaneous and to Alexander's surprise, he felt a surge of energy. Then he remembered that there was also a surge of strength from the police in the apartment, which he did not notice, because he was furious.

- What if I kill with the power of the soul, I deprive the Forsaken of the chance to return to the Edge. Perhaps I am destroying the very essence of their nature... - Alexander thought out loud, turning to Yulia. But the girl was silent and did not move. You could see that she was shaking slightly. Alexander, feeling the weight of his decision, hugged Yulia tightly, trying to provide comfort in their situation.

- You have to clean everything up here! - she said, turning around. Her eyes were shining with tears. - I jog every morning now, I don’t want to see this horror. When you're done, come back.

Alexander nodded in agreement and sent the girl to his apartment. Left alone, he began to remove traces of his actions. With every movement, with every shard of glass raised, he recalled the events of the past morning. Alexander understood that it was necessary to act quickly and efficiently so as not to leave any traces behind. He has now just cleared himself of everything the police had on him. For some reason, the guy believed that Berezovsky did not lie and actually collected the originals of all the cases where Alexander Stepnov appeared.

He washed off the blood, collected the remains of the bodies in large bags and carefully lowered them into the basement, where he found an old barrel for burning garbage. Before that, he thought about leaving the bodies there, but after thinking about it, he realized that burning them was the best option. He also decided to destroy the folder with documents - leaving such things was too risky.

Making sure no one was looking, he set fire to the bags and papers, watching as the flames quickly engulfed and destroyed all evidence. The warm light of the fire illuminated his face, reflecting a look full of determination.

Having finished cleaning, Alexander returned to the entrance. He walked past his apartment without stopping, only closing the door, and went up to the floor above. His steps were heavy but confident. He knocked on the door of Yulia's apartment. A couple of seconds later the door opened.

The girl stood upset, but still hugged Alexander. And Alexander responded in kind, after which, clinging to her, he looked into his friend’s eyes, and heard the exciting heartbeat of his own heart. He kissed her on the lips. She kissed back. Alexander carefully picked her up, continuing to kiss her, and carried her deeper into the apartment.

When Alexander placed Yulia on the floor in the center of her room, they both looked at each other for a moment, as if exploring the new feelings that had arisen between them. The room was filled with the light of the midday sun, the play of sunbeams and soft rays penetrating through the curtains.

- Are you sure? - Alexander asked, gently touching her cheek. His voice was full of care and tenderness.

Julia nodded, smiling through her tears of happiness.

“I have never felt as alive as I do with you.” - she whispered, snuggling closer to him.

They spent the whole day together, intertwined in the embrace of passion and tenderness, forgetting about the world outside these walls. An atmosphere of love and harmony reigned in the room, while outside the world continued its restless movement.

The pensioners in the neighborhood, hearing Yulia’s moans, exchanged smiles, rejoicing for youth and love, which seemed to come to life again in their quiet yard. They were unaware of the storm of events in which these two were drawn. That day, Alexander and Yulia found refuge in each other, forgetting about their fears and worries.