“You want to bring more monsters here! To add on to these rats?” Roland stood and motioned wildly, flapping his hand like an oversized peacock. “Are we believing this shit?”

  “Roland—” Edna sighed tiredly.

  “It’s up to you if you want to believe me or not,” Rue Hazard said. “If. If any of you doubt me, then all you need to do is just watch as I plant the tree.”

  Rue Hazard just told them about this… quest. Ein was quite impressed by his ability to lie so brazenly. Actually… was it a lie? His whole experience in this whole other world? He needed to make sure. Yet, the fact that he was a Hazard—someone who was rightfully angry at the whole world enough to kill all of them…

  “But, I would rather give power to those who accept this world we live in…” Rue Hazard flourished his hand toward the glasses onto the ruined city, to the grim reality they’d experienced. “Is our new reality. I don’t need some fool dreamer.”

  “You'd better watch your mouth, boy,” Roland growled, clutching his handgun hard. Did the man lose his mind? Roland has always been hot-headed, but to such foolishness…

  “How useful was that thing?” Rue asked, almost sneering, pointing with a gauntleted hand.

  “Roland, that’s enough,” Ein’s voice sharply cut through the room. The fat man hardened gaze still on Rue, but it faltered in Ein’s command.

  “He is about to bring more monsters! Another entire alien!”

  “Quiet already, lad,” Ben—good Ben hissed, yanking Roland’s down with one strong grip. The fat man fell into his sofa and tried to bring others to his side.

  Ein hurried forward, crossing the room to shut down Roland. He gripped Roland’s shoulder and tightened, causing the man to wince, and offered him a glare. Once he met Ein’s gaze, however, he shuddered. Roland’s eyes wavered, and Ein brought his lips to his ear.

  “I still haven’t forgotten how you want to throw down a bomb on Penelope.”

  The fat man shivered, breath quickened.

  “Look at me, Roland,” Ein grasps Roland’s chin.

  Ein did not whisper. No. He spoke loudly enough so everyone could hear, and hear they did. Some held their gaze down, suddenly finding the carpet more interesting. Ein was grateful Penelope did not follow him. He did not want her to see this side of him.

  He glanced back. Rue Hazard still lounged on his sofa with that ridiculous knight helm taped loosely by bandages. He was speaking to Penelope, and it was clear she was nervous. Still, she spoke to him—a Hazard—who held a grudge against her father.

  Penelope was always brave, yet foolish. When she snuck out with them into their supply truck to scavenge, he’d thought she got a death wish. Which was why Ein needed to watch out for her. Like hell he was going to let her speak alone to him.

  “We need him,” Ein stated to the rest of the group.

  Edna opened her mouth. The woman was always wise, and Ein certainly needed her opinion, but not now.

  “No, Edna. It's final. He promised me power. You saw what he did to these damn rats. That’s it. That was all the proof we needed. I will speak with him alone. Now, just rest, everyone. That’s an order.”

  Ein turned, not bothering to watch the group anymore. Rue Hazard was more important right now.

  “James! We need to talk,” Ein called, after cutting in his conversation with Penelope.

  “Let’s go,” Rue Hazard said, standing.

  “I’m coming,” Penelope hurriedly followed.

  “No, you’re not—”

  “Yes, she will.” Rue cut him off. The knight turned, and his bandage loosely caught the silver beam of moonlight, showing his eyes within the maze of white bind. “We have an important acquaintance.”

  Rue Hazard was smiling.

  Ein could not see his mouth, but he knew he did.

  They followed him out. Ein grasped Penelope’s hand and held her eyes. He wordlessly mouthed ‘Why.’ She just held her mouth thin and shook her head. Her chestnut hair pooled around the side of her shoulder; she’d always hate that.

  Ein reached up, tucking her hair just behind her ears, just like how she liked it.

  He needed to tell her to get ready to run if things turned for the worse. But as he was about to form the word, Rue Hazard spoke.

  “Let’s not go too far. This room should suffice,” he opened the room into a supply room. It was very small, not enough space for a secret message.

  They entered, and Ein closed the door.

  This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

  Rue Hazard found a box resting by the Janitor’s closet and sat upon it.

  The only light inside was small, streaming moonlight above them, lancing through five rectangular windows. Under the five-lanced light, Rue Hazard removed his bandages and took off his halfmask that somehow stayed across his face. White hair ruffled as small wind swept inside.

  Ein’s heart pulsated loudly, his ear’s vein drummed, causing him to grip Penelope’s hand tighter. A gasp escaped from Penelope, and she also tightened her grip. Both of them needed each other.

  “Relax, would you?” Rue Hazard smiled, “I’m not poisonous. My blood runs in both of your vein didn’t it?”

  --

  This certainly was not a reaction he had expected.

  “So… you two are not childhood friends?” Penelope asked, trying to ease the tension Rue had just realised they were under.

  Ein looked like he was about to pick the broom beside him and whack Rue on the head so Penelope could run.

  Rue settled his half helmet on his thigh, not bothering to answer the obvious question.

  Thankfully, Ein cut to the chase. “What you said, is it all true?”

  “It’s true enough,” Rue said, earning the military man's hardened gaze.

  “My father,” Penelope cut in. “Doctor Perez.”

  “Yes, I know him. What about him?”

  Her eyes shifted around before finally holding a steady gaze on Rue. “Don’t kill him.”

  Rue stayed silent.

  The thought of killing Perez had entered his mind, of course. Not just Perez, but all the staff inside this damn hospital. He couldn’t care less about the world’s cure. Much less morality. But that was back then.

  For now…

  “As far as I’m concerned…” He started, and the two visibly stiffened. “I have a new life. And here, I’m James Lisbon.”

  “But, you came here to save us,” Penelope said. The mere gall to think he was willing came to save them—that stunned Rue—to the point he was unsure what to say. “Right?” She pushed.

  “The System offers me a reward,” Rue said in all honesty. “For each of the new Integrators that made it to the second stage, I got a thousand Creation Points.”

  Both of them held a confused stare at him. Right, he did not specify what the point was used for.

  “It’s the currency for the whole wide universe.”

  The moment the word left Rue’s mouth, he realized that might not be true. But, well, whatever, it was easier to explain.

  “So you’re not coming on your own volition,” Penelope said. That sounded like a statement, one that she was downtrodden by. “It just, I thought you might actually have a good relationship with my father, you know. Like… He is a really kind man! He always tells me how he felt about—”

  Rue held up a hand, stopping her. “I do not need to know any of that. Perez will not know I’m here, and I will not harm him.”

  “And you will help him? Despite everything?” Ein asked.

  “He's just one of hopefully thousands I will help, a straw inside a haystack. So, no, don’t worry, I will not kill him. Now, let’s talk about how we will make everything smooth.”

  “Smooth?”

  “Yes,” Rue said. He did not specify that he was not exactly the one who would give them power. The fruit would come from the tree. But, Rue had let them believe he’d get to choose. And he planned to keep up the ruse, at least until he got to plant the tree. “I will grant both of you the right to the fruit among the first batch. Even people of your choosing. In exchange, I want a favour.”

  “Which is?” Ein asked.

  “To keep my identity as James, and I want to plant the System’s Seed quickly. I intend to finish this stage so we can go to the Second Stage fast before it truly starts. Surely neither of you wants to be chucked into the middle of an ongoing tutorial.”

  “Well, for starters. I’m still unsure about all of these… These tutorial stages you speak of. A whole new world.” Penelope said.

  “Unsure? You mean, don’t believe?” Rue clarified.

  Penelope stiffly nodded.

  “Well, luckily, everything I said will happen whether you believe it or not,” he shrugged. “Now, for my favours. I want access to the court so I can plant the tree. And both of you will give me that along with those who are willing to eat the fruit.”

  “Hold on, how are we supposed to convince them?” Ein asked.

  “Hopefully, a strange blue letter appeared in their vision along with yours, which they probably will once they see the tree. All you need to do is nudge them. Before that, though, I need to know if this stadium is a good place to plant the tree.”

  “Where else would you plan it?” Ein demanded. His gait suddenly panicked as realization entered him that Rue had the option to find another group of survivors. “Look, the Arbeaus probably have the best natural defence. Steel bowl structure with four main gates that had already reinforced, standing four to five meters high. Seating on par with a high-rise building, which gives elevation and easy access to the roof. Even if the rats manage to get in, we could still hold. We also had a strong sniper position on top, and we could even easily access the abandoned hotel to create a new sniper nest. And this tree, it could be hidden inside the stadium. I see no reason why you would choose another place. There is none!”

  “Well, one reason is: both of you did not seem very cooperative.”

  “You blame us for that?” Penelope let out a stuttered laugh. “I—we—” She opened her hands wide. Her mouth was struggling to let out a word to describe this entire situation.

  Suddenly, a whirring sound sounded from her pocket.

  Rue almost jumped. His head snapped to Penelope, who took something out.

  “What was that?” Rue demanded.

  “It’s just a radio!” Ein said, shielding Penelope behind him.

  “Oh, well—”

  “Penelope?”

  Rue’s word died in his throat.

  That voice, the voice that tried to comfort him while simultaneously destroying him. The man whom Rue had long hated for so long. He was well aware that any doctor would do what he did for the sake of the world. He tried to let it go, this resentment. Rue thought he did well until he heard him again.

  Ein visibly toughened up, trying to look intimidating.

  Rue merely raised his hand, waving him down.

  “Aren’t you going to answer?” Rue asked.

  “Penelope? Please, if you hear this…”

  “I—I sneak out without him knowing…” Penelope mumbled.

  “You what?” Rue muttered, almost laughing in disbelief. “Answer him, let me speak with him. Tell him, James Lisbon. I mean, someone important wants to speak.”

  She tapped Ein’s shoulder, and they whispered. Rue could swear he saw Penelope suddenly turn into a teenager who was caught sneaking out with her boyfriend by her father.

  “R—Right, just let me clean the air first, yeah?” Penelope said.

  “We don’t have time for this,” Rue growled.

  “Fine, sheesh,” she grumbled. She tapped the radio’s top and, with a shaky voice, said, “Hey, Dad.”

  “Penelope! Where are you, princess?”

  Rue bit the inside of his cheek and shoved his head into his palms. She is a bit too old already, don’t you think, Perez?

  Penelope, seeing him, offered a glare before speaking incoherently. “Hey, I’m just…”

  “Listen. Don’t come back here. You hear me, princess? The Man Rats are attacking us; they breached the reinforced gates already. Just go away with Ein. Is he there right with you? Please, promise me you won’t come back for me. I will not leave my patient this time, Penelope. Let me know if you’re safe now. Give me a little piece before my death, would you, my little girl?”

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