Gadina sneakily scavenged through her locker, pulling out a small pack of cigarettes. She knew she had a slight addiction to nicotine; she had always known. She was once worried that this tiny little bad habit wouldn't get her passed the physical examination of the S.D.A. since they were fairly strict about the health status of the trainee's lungs.

  Thank God I'm still young.

  She thought felicitously. But that doesn't keep her happy for long. In order to become a real 'Chaser,' some day she will have to quit this habit one way or another.

The girl glanced at the dingy bedroom. This room had three sets of bunk beds, but there were only eleven girls. The top bunk of hers was empty. Apparently, someone will fill in later on. It didn't matter anyway; she only cared whether she got top or bottom. That's another thing to be happy about. Since she thought that sneaking out from the bottom bunk would make less noise.

  Gadina grabbed a cigarette and a lighter, then left the bedroom surreptitiously. She wasn't quite used to this kind of regular life, but it was hard to say for now since she had only been here for a week. She scanned the hallways, making sure that everyone was still deep in their dreams. The last time that someone reported smelling smoke in the bathroom got her on tenterhooks. She then asked her roommate, Sally, to keep watch over her, especially at certain times.

  Sally was a simple girl. Some would say she's even a bit... naive. Gadina didn't think she would sell her out, and the truth proved her right. However, if it were possible, she really wouldn't want to worry about getting caught while satisfying her needs. For instance, during lunch breaks, before bed, and now.

  Gadina looked out the window. The sky was slightly tinted yellow, but it wasn't bright enough to call it morning yet. She walked to the bathroom, in which there was a nightlight illuminating the room. She didn't bother to touch the light-switch. Instead, she made a beeline for the stall closest to the nightlight, then hid inside and closed the door. She put down the toilet seat and sat on it.

  The darkness then surrounded the girl, with a hint of chlorine and some weird fetid scent in the atmosphere. The only source of light was from the yellowing nightlight above her head.

  Another spot of light appeared in the dark soon after, from Gadina's lighter. Right away, the darkness disappeared, but only for a fist-sized area, an area that's big enough for her to see the cigarette tip.

  Gadina impatiently stuck the lit cigarette in between her lips. Deep breath in, light breath out.

  Finally...

  She thought to herself relaxingly. The world that she was familiar with was finally back. As soon as the light from her lighter went out, darkness consumed her once again, but she couldn't care less. She seemed to be fairly used to being in the dark, or even preferred to be moving in the dark.

  This isn't the streets.

  She tried to tell herself. She surely was still in Rodenzel, near the city where she was born. However, the walls of the Belden Base separated the two neighboring lands into completely different worlds.

  Gadina let out a mouthful of smoke; suddenly felt like she couldn't believe it. A couple of weeks ago she was still a member of some gang; she belonged to Rodenzel's underground criminal web. The dirtiest and lowest gray area. She had her own group of people. She stole, robbed, and extorted. But she had never killed anyone, and thankfully she didn't, or else the S.D.A might have shut her out.

  The environment in the base wasn't exactly the best, but much better compared to what she had before. Besides, she was still a trainee, a new recruit.

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  It's the same no matter where I am.

  Gadina shook her head, greedily taking another puff, like it was sucking away her life.

  You start from the bottom wherever you go.

  She said to herself. At least she wasn't beating a dead horse, since the S.D.A do pay them. If she does successfully become a Star Chaser, she will get much more.

  I wonder how others are doing...

  Gadina thought as she took another long drag. She was quite surprised that she still cared about how her previous 'subordinates' were doing. Not long ago, she still felt guilty for leaving. Her gang wasn't exactly big; it shouldn't even be addressed as a 'gang' really. Her decision certainly did shock everyone. However, surviving in the underground world, 'loyalty' is just some made-up fantasy; the morality standards are even more bullshit.

  Loyalty gets you killed.

  Gadina had never once doubted that statement. People can talk about loyalty all they want, but it was never an easy thing to carry out. What keeps a person alive, is their ability to survive without relying on anyone.

  In the criminal world of Rodenzel, the more selfish you are, the higher you climb.

  There's no need to feel guilty.

  The girl with a cigarette reminded herself that no one should judge you for the decisions you made in order to survive. She felt like she had done enough already; at least she didn't leave without saying goodbye.

  The reason why Gadina decided to turn over a new leaf wasn't for money; it was that she finally saw something clear — in a criminal organization, a woman's position will never be as high as a man's. If she couldn't break the invisible roof, then why would she even bother staying? Why would she bother to continue on to tolerate and humble down?

  She could get the money, and operate the organization perfectly. However, she will remain inferior in her peers' eyes; she even almost became a 'product.' Besides, she was still fairly young. One day, she will become a real woman, and she knew what kind of character most women play in the underground world.

  Before Gadina left, she handed the organization over to her assistant, Gordon. There wasn't any big difference without her. They already had their regular collaborating partners, clients, and operation model. Missing her meant missing a person to share the profit with; which, to be fair, wasn't a bad thing for the others. She only took a small part of the funds (or perhaps pillage) she earned with the team. Her goal was to bribe the recruiter of S.D.A, since she needed him to help her fabricate some files in order to cover up her inglorious past.

  Humans are greedy.

  Gadina took another long drag.

  So are they selfish.

  She stood up, tossed the bud into the toilet.

  Perhaps one more?

  She asked herself. She should've just brought one with her, but she didn't. She brought the whole pack.

  The girl hesitated for a quick second, before sitting back on the toilet. The light of the flame appeared in the pitch-black stall once again as Gadina lit her second cigarette. However, she had only taken a small drag when suddenly, some loud and imposing music started playing.

  Damn it!

  She softly cursed. Apparently, in the old world, only the armies would play this kind of tacky Reveille. What was even funnier was that she had seen someone actually get woken up by this kind of music.

  But now wasn't the right time to joke around. Gadina took her final long and deep drag, before she sulkily dropped her half-burnt cigarette into the toilet.

  What a waste.

  She thought, then hurried out towards the sink. She rinsed her mouth with a big mouthful of water in order to wash away the smell. The girl then sprinted to the end of the stall, which was the janitor's closet, took out a bottle of air freshener, and sprayed the stall she was previously in.

  That should be all.

  Gadina dumped the freshener back in the closet, then walked out of the toilet. She put on an expression where she looked like she just had woken up for a quick release just as she brushed past all the other trainees who were going to wash up.

  "Hugh..."

  Gadina sighed to herself, ready to embrace another boring and tedious day of training.