This was no ordinary prison. As Olivia and Kalvin stepped into the vast hall, the atmosphere was strikingly different from what they had expected. Instead of the sombre, oppressive environment of a typical prison, the space was filled with life and activity.

Loud music pulsed through the air, and groups of young adults and teenagers were dancing together, their movements lively and carefree. The hall had the energy of a vibrant party, rather than a place of confinement.

Olivia and Kalvin exchanged a perplexed glance, unsure of what to make of this unexpected environment.

"What type of a prison is this?" Kalvin asked, his voice laced with confusion.

Megan's lips curled into a wry smile. "It's not your typical prison, that's for sure. This is where they keep us – the 'Ocean Diamond' facility. It's a self-sustaining community, of sorts, where we live, work, and try to survive."

"A party? In a prison?" Kalvin whispered, his brow furrowed in confusion.

Megan's expression darkened as she observed the festivities. "Yes, they encourage this kind of behaviour. It serves their purposes, in a twisted way."

Olivia's eyes narrowed, her mind racing to understand the implications. "What do you mean? Why would they want the prisoners to party and... date?"

Megan's gaze met Olivia's, her expression grave. "It's all part of their plan. They need us to reproduce, to create a steady supply of cord blood stem cells and potential test subjects."

Kalvin's face paled as the realization sank in. "You mean they're... they're using us to breed?"

Megan nodded solemnly. "Exactly. The more children they can produce, the more resources they have to work with. And the... activities they encourage only serve to facilitate that."

As they stood in the midst of the lively party, Olivia and Kalvin knew they had to find a way to break free from this twisted, nightmarish place.

As Olivia and Kalvin followed Megan deeper into the hall, the music grew deafeningly loud, making it difficult to hear one another. In one corner, a well-stocked bar was in full operation, with people gathered around it, drinking and socializing. Across the vast space, a dance floor was alive with revellers, their bodies moving wildly to the pulsing beats.

Olivia's gaze swept across the room, taking in the array of activities. In the dimly lit corners, she could make out the silhouettes of people engaged in intimate embraces, while in another area, a table overflowed with a variety of snacks and refreshments. The entire hall was awash in a kaleidoscope of vibrant colours, with lights.

Olivia felt a growing sense of unease.

She turned to Megan, her voice barely audible over the music.

"This is... this is all part of their plan, isn't it? To keep us distracted, to maintain control over us?"

Megan nodded solemnly, her expression grave. "Yes, they want us to feel comfortable, to let our guard down "

Kalvin's jaw tightened, his gaze sweeping over the scene with a mix of disgust and determination. "We can't let them use us like this. We have to find a way to break free, to stop this madness." He was kind of scared he'd give himself to this madness, drinking, partying and girls! He had a playful side.

Megan's eyes narrowed, and she fixed Kalvin with a steely look. "I agree, but it won't be easy. We'll need to be careful, If they catch you trying to stop this, they'll take you to the lab" Megan explained as they walked inside.

"I hate this place," Kalvin muttered under his breath, his words barely audible over the pulsing music.

Olivia couldn't help but smirk at his reaction. "I doubt that," she replied, earning an upset glare from Kalvin.

Megan, seemingly unperturbed by the exchange, led them towards another door. As she opened it, they found themselves in a sprawling dining room. In one corner, a massive table was laden with an impressive array of food – chicken, pork, bread, salads, jams, butter, fish, and pasta.

"You must be hungry," Megan said, gesturing towards the feast. "Today, we have a wonderful selection. Feel free to help yourself."

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Olivia's eyes widened in amazement. "Wow," she breathed, her earlier unease temporarily forgotten.

Megan nodded. "We all have a day to cook once a month," she explained, leading them further into the room. "And we have a day to clean, and a day to arrange things, a day to work for Ocean Diamond"

Kalvin's gaze swept across the dining area, his brow furrowed in contemplation. "How many of us are there?" he asked.

Megan's expression grew serious as she responded. "There are three hundred and twenty-eight of us – fifty-two middle-aged people, fifty-four young people, another hundred young adults, fifty-two teenagers, and seventy children."

"No old people?"Kalvin asked curiously.

"They are all taken to the lab" Megan said shortly leaving Kalvin shocked again.

At that moment, Olivia's gaze was drawn to a figure seated in a far corner of the dining room. Her breath caught in her throat as she recognized the familiar face.

"Carl!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with a mix of relief.

Without hesitation, Olivia rushed towards the table, her eyes locked on the man who had been the love of her life. The two collided in a tight embrace, holding each other tightly as if fearing the other might disappear.

"LiV" Carl breathed, his voice thick with relief.

"I'm glad you are fine"Olivia whispered staring into his eyes.

"Most of us are fine" Carl said walking to the dining table with her. Olivia saw Kalvin hugging Melvin warmly.

Olivia's expression shifted as she took a seat next to Carl, her hand still clasping his. "Where's Grace and Erien?" she asked, her voice tinged with concern.

Carl's lips curled into a wry smile. "They didn't want to join when there's a party out there," he replied, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

Brayan, who had been sitting quietly, spoke up. "This place is strange," he said, his voice soft but loaded with meaning.

Megan nodded, taking a seat beside them. "You'll get used to it," she said, her fingers laced tightly together on the table.

She turned her gaze to Olivia. "So you told us that you were from Octagon Verenda," she said, her tone laced with curiosity.

Olivia nodded. "Yes, Carl and I are from the farming and hydrology sector," she explained.

Megan's head turned towards the others, her expression inquisitive, silently asking them to share their own connections.

Kalvin was the first to speak up. "I'm from the security sector, and my sister, Melvi, is from the chemical sector," he said, pausing to take a bite of his food.

Megan's gaze shifted to Melvin, then to Brayan, who had remained silent.

Melvin, sensing Megan's interest, spoke up. "Umm, Brayan's from the mechanical and communication sector," she said, offering Brayan a warm smile.

Megan's eyes narrowed slightly as she read the unspoken connection between Melvin and Brayan. Then she turned her head toward Tara and Marcus.

Tara spoke up, her tone formal and official. "I'm Tara Hazel Flaming, a doctor," she said.

Megan's gaze then shifted to the man sitting next to Tara. "And I'm Marcus Richard, an astronaut and a pilot," he replied, his voice tinged with a hint of suspicion.

Tara reached over and squeezed Marcus's hand, sensing his discomfort. Megan's observant eyes didn't miss the subtle interaction, and she realized that Tara and Marcus were likely a budding couple.

Finally, Megan's attention turned to the young woman who was intent on eating her meal. "Oh, I'm Curie Clark, an astronaut and a mechanic," Curie replied, her words punctuated by the sound of her fork against the plate.

Megan let out a breath, her expression neutral. "Great," she said, her tone betraying a lack of enthusiasm.

After a brief pause, Megan's gaze swept across the group. "Anyway, as I can see, most of you are in relationships. Just try not to get pregnant, unless you're doing exactly what they want," she said, her voice tinged with a hint of warning. Curie couldn't help but chuckle at Megan's warning, and Kalvin joined her with a smile on his face. As the only two in the group who were not currently in a relationship, they seemed to find humour in the situation.

However, Megan's expression darkened slightly at their reaction, clearly not pleased by their lightheartedness.

Shifting the conversation, Megan asked, "None of you are from the nano sector?"

Olivia shook her head. "No, are you from the nano sector?" she asked curiously.

"No, no," Megan replied. "Kara's boyfriend is from the nano sector."

Carl opened his mouth, seemingly wanting to ask about Kara, but Kalvin interrupted him.

"Are you an outsider?" Kalvin asked, his brow furrowed.

Megan looked puzzled. "Outsider?" she repeated.

"A person who lives outside of the main city," Olivia explained.

Kalvin's expression shifted as he realized the truth. "You're not from our island!" he exclaimed, his voice laced with surprise.

The rest of the group stared at Megan, equally taken aback by this revelation.

Megan nodded solemnly. "Yes, I'm not from your island," she said, her words sinking in and leaving the others stunned.

"I was born here," Megan added, further surprising the group.

The fact that Megan, who had been their guide and source of information, was not from their own island community was a startling revelation. The group exchanged a series of bewildered glances, the weight of Megan's revelation sinking in. Megan seemed to sense the shift in the atmosphere and decided to stand up.

However, before she could leave, Kalvin hurried to ask a burning question that had been on his mind.

"Where are our stuff? Did they rescue anything else from our ship, like clothes?" he asked, his voice laced with curiosity.

Olivia knew the importance of Kalvin's question. Megan turned back, her expression thoughtful as she regarded Kalvin's query.

"Yes, your clothes and other belongings have been returned to your cupboards in the dormitories," she replied. "Meet me after breakfast, and I'll give you the keys."

Kalvin and Olivia exchanged a meaningful glance, both understanding the significance of Megan's response. Megan left the room thinking they were somehow crazy.

"Those clothes matter," Kalvin said, his tone serious.

Olivia nodded in agreement.