"We just want it all to end," Caity sighs before looking back up at Reiku.

"Chevo's… Changed," Alex stammers, scratching the back of his neck.

"Or maybe you've finally realized the type of man he truly is," Reiku says to them, with a comforting look in his eye.

Both twins refrain from answering, and drop their eyes to the floor as though it is too difficult to acknowledge that Reiku is right.

"Fine," Reiku grunts, "I'll help you, if you get rid of those depressing looks in your eyes,"

"What's in it for you?" Kita asks, raising an eyebrow.

"Ms Eeve," Reiku answers, "She's the primary supporter of a law that's about to pass,"

"What law?" Raya asks.

"Inhabitants of level zero are not allowed to procreate," Reiku sighs, "Children and elderly beyond working age will be illegal here, and food will no longer be supplied to them,"

"What?" Alex and Caity's heads both pop up.

"Why not just buy food?" Kita asks.

"The city doesn't permit refugees to make purchases- They are not paid, and are not considered citizens or even tourists. Everyone with a job is provided two meals per day at their place of work. Provisions are provided for the elderly and the young, for now…"

"Why would they do that?" Alex asks.

"I don't know," Reiku answers, "Children of this floor will be considered orphans, and stripped from their families,"

"Shit," Kita mumbles, drawing everyone's attention. "Are there any kids here with eyes like mine?"

"I'm not sure," Reiku responds, "Why do you ask?"

"Well, to put it simply, people with eyes like my own are going to become very valuable to the rich,"

"I don't understand," Reiku utters.

"The rich have found a way to use us to create a medicine that grants them immortality," Kita says.

"How?" Reiku asks, perplexed by what Kita is telling him.

"I'd rather not say," Kita sighs, dropping eye contact, "Just know that many people will get hurt. Chevo and Vlad have dangerously different views on it,"

"Ms Eeve seems to be at the center of it," Raya chimes in. "If we can get into her store, we can put an end to this before it goes any further,"

"We'll take the kid before they fight over him," Alex adds.

"Hmm," Reiku grunts, "If you bring me Ms Eeve, then we have a deal,"

"Bring her… here?" Kita asks, prompting Reiku to nod.

"Deal," Caity says, passing a look to Alex as he and extending her hand to shake Reiku's.

"If you screw me on this," Reiku says, squinting as he glares at Caity and Alex, "I'll have you killed,"

"Wait, wait," Kita interrupts, "How are we supposed to get a grown ass woman down here without getting noticed,"

"There are many more guards around," Raya adds.

"She'll have to co-operate," Alex says.

"Co-operate?" Kita chuckles, "I don't think you've looked that lady in the eyes. She's way too rich to co-operate with anybody, let alone kidnappers,"

"Then we threaten her," Raya adds.

"Threaten what? Her life? You're forgetting she's eaten a pill of immortality," Kita raises an eyebrow.

"We'll threaten her whole operation," Raya responds, "If she doesn't comply, we'll burn down her store and all the pills she's manufactured,"

"Alright," Kita smiles, "I'll bring the flames,"

"The two of you still owe me, though," Reiku grunts as he looks at Alex and Caity.

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"We're about to kidnap an elite for you. Surely it contributes to the debt," Alex says, perplexed.

"Maybe a hundred thousand," Reiku chuckles, "Leaving you with seven hundred thousand to pay back,"

"Seriously?" Caity rolls her eyes.

"Is there a problem?" Reiku asks, folding his arms and raising an eyebrow.

"No," Alex responds quickly, "No problem at all,"

"You'll need her anyways," Reiku adds, "Houses on level three have biometrics,"

"Biometrics?" Raya asks.

"Technology from the old humans that recognizes a persons unique characteristics- Like a fingerprint," Reiku says. "It's quite impressive,"

"There's a lot of old knowledge in this city," Raya comments.

"There is," Reiku says, "Most of it is inactive. Turning it on is difficult without the right power source and connectors,"

"Where did they get it all from?" Kita asks.

"Scavengers, raiders, mining- You name it," Reiku answers.

"How did they get it working again?" Raya asks.

"This idiot turned it on for them," Caity scoffs.

"In exchange for asylum," Reiku corrects, "I could either repair a few pieces of very logic driven technology or brave the myst again,"

"Caity isn't friendly to anyone, is she?" Kita asks Reiku.

"She was once," He grunts in response, "Apparently her ex was a real piece of work- so, now we have this version of Caity to deal with,"

"Huh," Kita mumbles, glancing at Caity who is already staring back. "Exes are the worst," She stutters, scratching behind her ear.

"You were an engineer by trade?" Raya asks Reiku.

"Something like that," He answers, "I'd get paid to study the old technology, and learn how to put it together,"

"What happened?" She asks.

"The city I was working for got swept by the mist," He sighs, "I came here searching for refuge,”

"Which they only provided in exchange for your services?" Kita asks.

"Correct. Once I'd repaired the old tech they had, I was sent here. To level zero," He answers.

"Fuck, I hate rich people," Kita mumbles.

"I'm pretty sure you hate most people," Caity sighs.

"So we're doing this?" Alex asks Reiku, extending a hand.

"Sure," He says, shaking Alex's hand. "There's an elevator on the other side of the city that's connected to level two. I'll guide you there,"

"Elevator?" Kita asks.

"Old tech," Reiku chuckles. "Wait downstairs, I will escort you shortly,"

The four of them nod their heads, and make their way downstairs to wait amongst the offices engrossed in labor.

•°•°•°•

A while later, Reiku had joined them and begun escorting them through the city. As they traveled Kita tried her best to mask the look of disgust on her face as smelly children and adults dressed in rags would all come greet Reiku.

From what Kita has gathered, he runs the place. Not as an authoritarian but as a volunteer that's willing to do the admin these people need. There's plenty of old tech scattered across the district. When they walked through the center of the place, there was a large source of water in the center that they call 'the fountain'- It draws drinking water from the river. Reiku even found a way to generate a tiny amount of electricity using the river. This way, people can boil the water from the fountain and even dimly illuminate the district.

"Everyone here is a refugee?" Raya asks.

"More or less," Reiku answers. "They all heard of the promised land that is River City… The place where the myst never reaches,"

"Is that true?" Kita asks, "The myst really never comes here?"

"So it seems," Reiku answers, "I arrived when I was a young boy and to this day, I have not seen the myst in River City,"

"Apparently River City is at the eye of the storm," Alex adds, "The myst doesn't pass through, but it often surrounds the city like a wall,"

"When the city is myst-locked, it can quickly become a very unsafe place,"

The group arrives at the end of the city, where the loud splashing and crashing of the rivers waves best against the suspended city. A large set of scratched up, metal doors tower over them as Reiku approaches and clicks button by its side- An arrow pointing upward.

"Why is this here?" Kita asks.

"I installed it so employees can reach their place of employment quicker," Reiku says.

"How did you convince them to let you build it?" Alex asks.

"I presented it highlighting that the people of level zero won't be seen by residents or tourists," He sighs. "In the past, the city's council had referred to us a eye-sores,"

A loud, chugging sound shakes the area around them as Kita hears a light screeching sound inside the doors drawing closer.

A ding rings through the area as the door slowly pry themselves open. After a few moments of grinding and shifting, the doors successfully open all the way. Reiku raises his hand, directing them to enter the elevator and each one follows suit.

The floor is steel, and tiled with marble, whilst the calls are covered in mirrors, providing entrants a complete view of the body at a glance.

"What the fuck," Kita says, leaning towards the mirror beside her and slowly rubbing her hand along her check.

"I don't get reminded of how sexy I am very often," She grins at herself.

Kita, Raya, Caity and Alex all wait for the elevator to move, but before it does. Reiku steps in front of them-

"The livelihood of many children is on the line," Reiki grunts and nods, "Get it done,"

From the outside of the elevator, Reiku clicks on the button again. The doors both slowly shift closed and a light inside the elevator pops on.