ENCRYPTED TEXT CHAIN BETWEEN HOPE, SEBASTIAN, REN, AND ALICIA

DATED : 04-08-2522 at 1:15 am

SEBASTIAN: Hey, hey! Everyone up! You guys promised to check your phones at one fifteen exact. Well, guess what, people? It’s one fifteen and thirty seconds.

ALICIA: This had better be damn important, kid. You’re ruining my beauty sleep.

SEBASTIAN: yOu’Re RuInInG mY bEaUtY sLeEp. Well, get over it. This is a matter of life and death.

ALICIA: Wow, someone gets feisty over the phone.

HOPE: Tell me about it.

REN: Not to interrupt the moment, but how are we getting any signal?

SEBASTIAN: Roland’s got towers set up all over the Isles. He’s not taking any chances and we shouldn’t either.

HOPE: What do you mean?

SEBASTIAN: I finally decrypted the data from Trent’s phone. This is looking bad, guys. Real bad.

REN: Let us cut to the chase, then. When does he plan to get rid of us?

HOPE: Ren…

REN: Now is not the time to get emotional. How soon?

SEBASTIAN: The moment we finish our tasks.

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ALICIA: Holy shit.

HOPE: It’s okay, guys. We talked about this. Everybody stay calm. I have a plan. But it involves a lot of risk. So, make sure you’re mentally prepared for this.

REN: How risky do you mean?

HOPE: You will have to turn yourself in.

REN: …

ALICIA: …

SEBASTIAN: …

REN: I assume this is some form of sarcasm from your homeland.

HOPE: I’m dead serious. Once you’re in Roland’s custody, Trent can’t touch you. All you have to do is make sure no one shoots you for a while. See if you can get the staff to warm up to you.

REN: I might as well strut like a peacock and try to seduce them with my hypnotic dancing.

HOPE: Sarcasm?

REN: You are the one not making any sense.

HOPE: You have to trust me. Seb, can you set up your flash drive such that it triggers an alarm but still gives us full control of the cams?

SEBASTIAN: Looks like I won’t be getting any sleep tonight. But yeah, I can manage. Heck, I’ll code it in a way that I get notified the moment Roland tries to hack us back. He’ll be walking right into my trap.

HOPE: That’s where Aliyah comes in. Once Ren is captured, you’ll have a tight window to get in and destroy the power supply.

ALICIA: Ugh, I hate tight windows. Fine, I’ll do it. What then?

HOPE: Once the lights go out, Ren can use the ensuing chaos to escape. Both of you, whatever happens, don’t you dare go back to the ground floor. I can almost guarantee that’s where Trent will be waiting for us. Find me on the top floor. We’ll get out together.

SEBASTIAN: What about me?

HOPE: Aliyah will get a spare uniform for you. Run back to the city. We’ll come find you if we make it out alive. If not, find a way to get back to Lucidea. You’re the smartest person I know. You can do this.

SEBASTIAN: Screw that noise. I’m not going anywhere. If you think otherwise, you can suck it.

HOPE: Seb, that’s an order.

SEBASTIAN: And who do you think you are to order me? Certainly not my boss. Heck, I feel like you’re not even my friend anymore.

ALICIA: Woah.

REN: This is interesting.

HOPE: This discussion is over. You’re leaving, with or without us. If at least one of us survives, I want it to be you, Seb. You have to trust me.

SEBASTIAN: It’s fine. You don’t have to explain anything. I’ll leave you guys to your big adventure.

HOPE: Seb…

SEBASTIAN: Comms won’t work indoors so you all will have to rely on intuition. Don’t screw up. I won’t be there to bail you out this time. Goodbye.

TEXT CHAIN DELETED BY SEBASTIAN