In the depths of The Eastern Wing's command centre, a Celestian woman woke up from a simulated faint. The workers were so preoccupied with the prison break that they didn't pay enough attention to her. Her neat golden braid unravelled slightly during her fall but she didn't need tidy hair any more. She covered her uniform with grey bedsheet and left the medical office. Giving everyone a wide berth, she slipped into the least visited corridors and entrances.

Dashing out of the building through the back door, she dropped the sheet. Luckily for her, she was some minutes late to her job and she had to take the lowest spot in the parking tower. She stopped next to one of the towers and tapped the screen, leaving sweaty smudges. She waited for six seconds, and those were the longest seconds of her life.

The scrape of the opening gates sounded to her like the most soothing melody. Her car was free. A large, grey box with windows slid through the gates on a platform. The Celestian woman tapped her LiqWatch. Long parts of the suspension stuck out of the cabin, mimicking a four-legged spider. Each of them had a wheel with a perforated tyre, so it didn't need to be pumped and it easily got over obstacles.

The Celestian woman jumped inside the car. Her fingers zipped over the control screen, hitting a few icons. She turned on the manual piloting and disconnected the computer from the public database. She knew it won't save her but at least she could slow down the upcoming chase.

Smearing her wet finger over the screen, she drove towards the exit from the facility. As she stopped in front of the security barrier, an automatic voice called, "Connect your..."

"Connect me with a real person," the woman ordered.

The machine fell silent for a moment. After a few beeps, a new voice asked her, "Ulrika? What's going on?"

"Let me go!" she hissed. "Bjarni. He may be in danger."

"But... Ulrika, you can't leave now..."

"I have to." She clenched her fists, ready to hit the gas icon with all her strength. "They may be after him. I have to find him."

"Ulrika..."

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

"Let me go." She tilted her head, trying to restrain her nervous voice. "You all know how much he means to me."

When the voice didn't respond, she narrowed her eyebrows and added, "Be a good friend. I helped you get in there, so you can let me out this one time."

The silence made her blood boil. She wrinkled her nose and said calmly, "Unless you want everyone to know that I, personally, arranged this cushy job for you."

"...fine," muttered the voice and the barrier began to lift up. "But..."

She didn't listen. As soon as the barrier left enough space for her car, she slammed the gas icon.

Further in the tunnels, a Celestian in a boiler suit sat under the wall, resting his head on his hand. He stared at the rails with a weary, bored look on his face. Three drones hovered over the left lane, sucking a dense, slimy substance from the ground.

The red lights on the floor began to flicker. The Celestian didn't pay attention to them at first. He was too bored with supervising the drones and the semi-darkness around him only favoured sleepiness. The occasional wafts of stifling breeze, which followed the gliding containers, prevented him from falling asleep here and now. As his LiqBoard beeped, he rubbed his eyes and glanced at the screen.

"Evacuation..." he muttered to himself, following the letters with his blank stare. He read it again, opening his eyes wider. "Chemical leak?"

He leapt to his feet. He tapped the screen to terminate the task and summon the machines back. Another container zipped past him. It began to brake, screeching and hissing. The drones get in line behind the Celestian. He hurried off, looking behind time after time. He expected to hear only his own steps and the quiet hum of the drones but the dull tapping sound approached him faster and faster. Without glancing at the tunnel behind him, he sped up. To comfort himself, he thought it's just a drill. He, as a common worker, had no idea what Chemical Leak really means this time.

"Hold it right there!" called a male voice.

The Celestian froze, opening his stunned eyes wider.

"Who are you?" asked the stranger.

The Celestian took a deep breath to buy himself some time and think about the response. "I'm a... a mechanic."

"Good. Don't move."

The quick steps approached him. Three Celestians with guns entered his field of vision. A cold shiver ran down his spine, but he didn't even flinch.

"Is there any way out?" asked Erilaz, lowering his gun.

The mechanic glanced around. "...yes. I was just going there."

Erilaz nodded. "Give me your LiqBoard and take us there."

The Mechanic pursed his lips. After a few seconds he looked upwards at Erilaz's face. "But you're not going to shoot me. Right?"

"No one will get hurt if you just let us escape this place," explained Erilaz and motioned to the Celestian. "Run."

The Celestian rushed along the corridor. The runaways followed him. He couldn't help but think these voices and silhouettes looked familiar. He had some suspicions, but it seemed too ridiculous to him.