Warrior

by Verinorina

June Iparis was once a celebrated prodigy of the Republic. Then she met Daniel "Day" Alton Wing, and her whole life changed. After she was forced to let him go, she tries to rebuild his memory about her. But when a new danger finds them, June must play a dangerous game well enough to keep Day alive. she must choose between what is expected of her and what her heart yearns for.

June Iparis was once the celebrated famous prodigy of the Republic. Then she
met Daniel "Day" Altan Wing, and her whole life changed. After she was forced to let him go, she tries to rebuild his memory about her. But when a new danger faces them, June must play a dangerous game well enough to keep herself and Day alive. But when Day himself is put into danger's direct path, she must choose between what is expected of her and what her heart yearns for.

Daniel "Day" Altan Wing was once a legend, a hero in the streets. Now, as he runs off with June to pursue his longing, he only runs into trouble instead. A mysterious enemy is set on capturing him, and now Day must choose between saving himself and saving June. It seems that whatever he decides to do, it will let someone down . . . himself, June, or the people of the Republic who have put their trust in him . . .

WARRIOR

JUNE

1500 Hours

75 Degrees Fahrenheit

THIRTY HOURS AGO, I MET DAY AGAIN.

I swear, I didn't plan on meeting him again. No matter how much I long for him, I can't bring myself to approach him. Every time I dabble in his life, I end up ruining it for him, and I can't make him forgive me, over and over again.
I sit on my small armchair in Ruby sector, petting Ollie repeatedly on the head, trying to calm myself.
I was sitting in a small, dusky cafe, waiting for my order to come out. I was dressed in a black long-sleeved shirt, tight black leggings, black leather boots, and my long dark hair was held back by a black hairband.
Then I saw him.
Day.
He was dressed in a loose white shirt, black pants, and he had an easy smile on his face. Looking into those clear blue eyes made my heart beat annoyingly fast, and I forced down a blush, focusing on my coffee in front of me, cupping my hands around the scalding cup, trying to use pain to distract myself.
Call to him, my heart shrieked at me, furious that I was giving up such a perfect opportunity. Tell him to come over. To talk. Just to talk. Only to talk, what's wrong with talking? What is wrong with talking?
"No," I murmur firmly to myself. "He needs his own life. He's had a new start, and I'm not messing everything up for him again."
But I stood out. And of course, Day saw me. It's not usual for a person dressed head to toe in black to be sitting in a cafe, alone. Most people come to this dingy cafe to be with other people.
Day frowned. Then he doubled back towards the cafe. He saw me, and then he walked inside the cafe.
Fleeting memories come back to me as I allow Ollie to jump up on my lap. Day, saving me from the Skiz fight. Day, protective of Tess. Day, helping me botch the assassination even though he wanted to see the Republic crumble, at that time.
I shake them out of my head. A flicker of uncertainty flutters through my mind, and I quickly bat it away. That was fine. We only met up for ten minutes, thirty-two seconds, and about fifty-four milliseconds.
My eyes sweep the apartment room. Small hand-knitted rug with intricate patterns flowing over it, 32' by 32' glass windows. Walls painted a light sky-blue. The walls were probably painted before I lived here, judging from the faded color of the blue.
Something by my left hand buzzes loudly. I jump, startled out of my reverie about Day, and I fumble for it under a mass of tangled blankets and pillows. I've taken to sleeping on the couches lately, for some reason I can't figure out why. If I sleep on my bed, it brings me heart-hammering nightmares that I can't solve by logic. They're just unreasonable, random. Yet they manage to unsettle me.
I've changed like this ever since Day forgot me.
The buzzing fades to a light humming, then as my fingers close around the cool surface of my phone, the humming fades as well.
The logical part of my brain tells me to check my notifications, but for some reason, I feel too lazy to check. A hollow laugh escapes me.
What is up with me? I'm never like this.
My phone buzzes again. This time I don't even grab for it. I just sit there, numbly petting Ollie, waiting for the buzz to die off.
This repeats six more times. On the sixth time, I finally give up. Ollie jumps off my lap and starts to chase his own tail, and I grab the phone and click it on.
At the Caller ID, my heart jumps into my throat. I feel suddenly so guilty for being lazy.
It's Day.
I tap the notification, and swipe the green button labeled Call.
"Hey," says Day's deep voice. My heart pounds annoyingly fast, and I push back the heat flooding my cheeks. "Am I disturbing you?"
I shake my head, then I realize that he can't see me. "No," I answer, my voice shaky. "Why?"
Day seems to hesitate, then says in an equally shaky voice, "Just wanted to see if you had any spare time. I've wanted to talk all this week."
Day still wants to be with me. I feel tears spill down my cheeks. He still wants to be with me, even though I've caused him so much pain. "Should I come over?"
"No." Day pauses, then resumes speaking, his voices muffled by footsteps, like he's running while talking, or someone else in the background is. "I know a special place where we can talk in private."
He then rambles off a series of directions, which I copy neatly on a piece of paper. Then I exchange my goodbyes, and I stuff my phone in my pocket.
"Ollie," I say, bending down and petting his head. "I'll be back in a while, alright?"
My dog wags his tail.
Then I stand, stretch, and read each line of Day's directions carefully and save it into my memory. Then I crumple the piece of paper and toss it in the fire.
I'm on my way.

DAY

As I wait for June to come, I sit on a tree branch hanging over the secret lagoon. I've come here millions of times with Eden, but he's always been more interested in his blocky robots than reveling in natural majesties that he can't see.
I hear a soft splash, and I turn around.
June's dressed in a long-sleeved black shirt, tight black leggings, and black boots. Her long dark hair is pulled up in a neat ponytail. She's dipping her boots in the water's edge, where the water laps quietly at the sandy ground that slowly turns into dirt.
"Hello, Day," she says awkwardly, noticing me looking. She dips her fingers in the water. "Nice to see you."
I drop down from the branch and land lightly on the ground. "And you," I say. Darn, why do I have to be so goddy formal? "It's nice to see you again," I add.
June smiles. "It's a nice place," she says quietly, gesturing around at the secret lagoon surrounded by trees.
"Yes," I agree. I study details about her movement. She's unconsciously twisting a paper clip ring on her finger. I feel a surge of jealousy. Who gave that to her?
I fumble in my memory, hunting furiously for any traces that I might have given it to her, and I seize upon the memory with relief.
June notices me looking, and blushes. She walks over to me, and pulls me up on a tree branch.
"Nice view from up here, yeah?" I say, pointing out the sectors laid out before me like a kingdom. "You can see Ruby sector from here."
June smiles and pretends to be enjoying the view, but I can tell that there's something bothering her. When I tap her on the shoulder and ask her what's wrong, she just shrugs her shoulders and says nothing.
"Day," she suddenly says. "Are you sure . . . are you sure you want to be with me?"
I frown. "What do you mean? Don't you?"
She blushes heatedly, but then the red disappears from her cheeks and she laces her fingers together. "I'm sorry, Day. I . . . I killed your family."
I shake my head firmly. "You didn't. Thomas did," I say gently, reminding her.
"I might as well have," she whispers quietly. "I reported you to Thomas. To Commander Jameson. I might as well have held the gun to your mother's head and shot her."
"That's not your fault," I reassure her. June has helped me recover most of my memory, but even now, I still fumble for details. "You were trained to hate me." I let a sly smile appear on my face.
"Even if you tell me I didn't, there's lots of other things I'm responsible for," June says. The heartbreak and pain on her face is unbearable. I suddenly feel an urge to lean over and comfort her, but I hold back. "Are you sure you still want to be with me, after I caused you so much pain?"
I stroke her face, and suddenly overcome by an impulse of daring, I lean over and kiss her gently on the cheek.
Just one second. No more.
June's cheeks flare up red, and suddenly I'm afraid she's going to hit me. Then she kisses me back, and sits watching the people bustle about the sectors.
Her face has eased.

June
1205 Hours
74 Degrees Fahrenheit

After I leave Day, I bustle back to my apartment. I sit numbly on the couch and stare off into the distance.
Is it safe for me to love him?
I think back to when I was fifteen, when Day and I were on the run, and could love each other freely. Not now. Everyone thinks that I need to make a better choice than Day. People keep hinting that Day is just another slum-sector boy, just another street con that is unworthy of my attention.
I want to make them see. Make them believe that Day actually means something to me, unlike all the other young men who have thrown their affection at me. They mean nothing. Unlike Day.
I sigh and press my fingertips to my lips, then throw off my clothes and change into more comfortable attire. Then I pull up the blankets on my couch, cuddle Ollie at my side, and fall into a deep sleep.

I wake in the morning feeling fully rested for the first time in days. Today's a lucky day. My nightmares are becoming more frequent, more vivid, more realistic. They're not just a bunch of monsters chasing me anymore. They're short clips reliving my narrow escapes of Death's waiting arms. The only difference is, I'm dreaming, and when in reality I managed to pass unscathed and unharmed, something different happens, something that makes me land in Death's arms.
Take my encounter with Commander Jameson, for instance. When I was surprise-attacked by her, after she escaped her prison in the Republic, I survived her ambush. In my dream . . .
I accidently move too slow, and before I can duck behind the garbage bins, one of her bullets hit me straight in the heart. I die.
My fear is that one day, I will never wake. I will be left to re-live death again and again, never seeing Day again.
As I dress in my clothes, I realize dimly that something's off. My brain, usually alert and ready to analyze, is slow to catch up, and recalls only fuzzy details. As I stare at the hand-knitted rug, I process the information slowly instead of quickly and accurately like normal.
I shake my body. I need a run. Energy. A way to wake myself up.
After clipping Ollie on a leash, I dress in black sweatpants(one hundred percent cotton; ninety-five percent black threads, five percent indigo), a sleeveless black top (stretchy polyester; slightly cropped; breezy and loose) and black running shoes(thick laces, steel tips, sturdy rubber soles).
Then I run out on the streets. My goal: the public track fields. Beside me, Ollie runs about, yipping. I tug harder on the leash, and he returns to my side.
Don't think. Just run. I bend down, unclip Ollie's collar that fits to the leash, and let him run free. I pull the leash and collar into a hasty tie and stuff it back in my pocket. Then I run.
As I run, I think about my deteriorating mental health. The details that seem like too much trouble to grab for. The guns that seem to cost too much effort to fire. The food that seems to cost too much energy to bother eating.
The world around me, once so intoxicating, that seems to be too boring to observe.
A loud yip from Ollie distracts me from my reverie, causing me to stumble to a halt. I throw critique at myself about my clumsy stop, but even that is blurry and scattered.
I turn around, sensing footsteps behind me, alarmed that I now rely entirely on my hearing. Before, I might have sensed the footsteps using the slight movement of the rubber track underneath my feet. But now?
Behind me is Day, his white-blonde hair plastered wet across his forehead, a damp white towel, knotted in a thick rope, slung over his shoulder. Beside him is Eden, his sightless violet eyes stationary, his head of thick curls wet as well. I don't think they've noticed me, and the logical part of me screams at me to get out of here. But my heart . . .
That's enough, I scold myself. You will only hurt him. I bend down silently, clip Ollie's collar on calmly, and lead him away by the leash, trying my best to look like an ordinary person, hoping beyond hope that he doesn't notice me.
I hear the talk behind me cut off abruptly, and I hear Day murmuring something to Eden. Then I hear footsteps pounding behind me.
"Excuse me," I hear Day calling, and my heart twists in agony. Go to him. Don't go to him. How I remember that voice. "But you look rather familiar, so -"
I suddenly turn around, Ollie's leash clutched tightly in my fist, and I meet Day's eyes. "No," I murmur, hoping that he won't recognize me because my hair is up. "I'm sorry."
I turn around, and tug gently at Ollie's leash. He whines in protest, recognizing Day, but I click my tongue and he obediently follows. Tears stream down my face. Isn't it odd, how Day can convince such deep emotions out of me, a former Republic soldier, who was trained not to show emotion, just cold-hearted blankness, emptiness? Fury, even?
I feel a warm hand on my shoulder, and I turn around. Day is there, with Eden standing awkwardly behind. "Please," he murmurs, his breath hot against my ear. "Don't avoid me. I want to be with you. Can't you see that? Can't you see that I want you? Why are you avoiding me?"
Then all my emotion and self-control collapses.
"I'm sorry," I whisper again, earnestly this time.

DAY

Eden and I walk home in stony silence. I know he's still mad that I ignored him to talk with June, but how can I help it. She's an old memory, a forgotten gem, hidden and buried and now finally uncovered. Who can blame me for wanting to spend more time with her.
"Look," I say to Eden, wearing my most disapproving face with my arms crossed, even though he's as blind as a rock. "If you're mad, tell me."
"I'm not mad," Eden mumbles.
I just shrug. We walk in stony silence towards our apartment, my mind still whirling with thoughts of June.
As I collapse on the couch and click on the news, pressing my forehead in my hands, Eden plays with a cube robot. The same as ever, and I can't help smiling.
"Look," he says, proudly showing off a glowing luminescent robot.
I smile and ruffle his hair. Although I know he's too old for this kind of playing, I can't help it. "Engineer boy, yeah?"
Eden beams at my praise. "The best that can be," he says.
"What does it do?" I ask, grateful for Eden's distraction, trying to distract myself from June.
Eden sets the robot down on the ground and carefully taps some glowing neon-yellow buttons.
With a snap, the robot jerks into life. I watch, awestruck, as the robot walks around the room with stunning smoothness. Almost like a real person.
"Nice," I say, but Eden just shakes his head.
"Watch," he says.
I stay on the couch, silent, as Eden's robot moves smoothly around the room, cleaning up small messes - a dust bunny here, a stain on the window there.
"You know what, kid?" I ask him, watching the robot scrub a stain off the couch pillows. "You're going to be goddy successful."
Eden beams proudly, and he presses a button on a neon green remote control. The artificial light in the robot's eyes flickers out, and the robot goes limp, collapsing on the floor.
"It's beautiful," I say, scooping up the robot. "This buddy will have a place of honor in our apartment."
Eden smiles. "Who's more beautiful, my robot or June?"
I freeze, momentarily panicking. Then I smile, ruffling his hair. "You cheeky kid, yeah?" I say, admiring the robot, but I'm suddenly afraid to insult Eden by saying the wrong thing. Sure, his robot's beautiful - but so is June. . .
Eden grins, sensing my hesitation. "Difficult choice, yeah?"
"When did you turn so sarcastic, kid?" I joke, trying hastily to change the subject.
Eden fixes me with his purple gaze, somehow endearing and scary at the same time. He opens his mouth to say something - and then the doorbell rings.
Loud and clear. And at that moment, the news on the TV changes. Turns frantic, loud, alarming. The headlines flash bright red on the screen - in the biggest goddy font you can imagine.

COLONIES ARMIES COME FOR EDEN BATAAR WING

I look at Eden. We exchange frantic glances, and then I pull him to his feet, collect his robot in my arms, and we dash out the fire escape.

JUNE

Ruby Sector, 1400 Hours
75 Degrees Fahrenheit

I hear the news as soon as I come home, Ollie in my arms. It's become a habit of mine, listening to the news every day when I come home from my daily run.
It's headline news. In flashing red, colossal font: Colonies Armies Come for Eden Bataar Wing.
My heart pounds. No. Why Eden? He's a harmless boy . . . or maybe they're doing it to hurt Day.
Panic surges through me, coating me like a glistening web of darkness, disjointed whispers. I blot it away with the cool relief of logic, and I grab for the details. They come willingly, for once. I watch the short news clip that shows Colonies soldiers marching down the streets of Ruby, interrogating everyone with questions about Eden. I recognize the streets, and immediately the logic clicks into place. They're six blocks away. Sixty . . . one hundred fifty . . . two hundred fifty . . . three hundred seconds per block. Six times three hundred is one thousand eight hundred, so one thousand eight hundred seconds before they come to Day's apartment. One thousand eight hundred seconds for me to help him.
I bolt up, slam my fist down on the OFF button, and gather up Ollie in my arms. Not bothering to clip his leash on, I bolt down the stairs, my heart pounding. I can already see the group of Colonies soldiers marching down the streets, and I force myself to run faster.
Ollie jumps out of my arms, barking madly, and I let him run. I'm too busy to chase after runaway dogs right now; I'll get him after. Ollie bolts down a separate street, momentarily detaining the soldiers, and I smile.

He's helping me.

DAY

I run and run and run until I can't move. Me and Eden run down the street. I have to get him to safety. I've lost Eden once. No way am I losing him again.
Then I see June running towards me, a fluffy white and brown dog following her. Her eyes are tinged with intensity and sadness.
"June!" I shout, waving my arms, and she runs over to me.
"Hello, Eden," says June, carefully closing her hand around his, to let him know she's there. Then she turns to me.
Oh, god. Her eyes are so goddy beautiful, so glossed with their sadness and remorse. Even in this hectic chaos, I still can't help but admire her beauty.
"This way," June whispers, slipping her hand in Eden's and pulling him and me into a side alley. Then she starts shimmying up the side of a building, onto a roof.
When Eden gives me his scared look, I hug him close to me, then let him go. "It's alright, Eden. I'd rather die than let them take you."
"I'm not scared that they're trying to take me," says Eden bravely, and I just shake my head, but I freeze as he goes on. "I'm scared why they're trying to take me." He manages a dry smile as he says, "It's probably not to shower me with presents and applause, yeah?"
I smile. This kid's got attitude. "Yeah, probably not. I'm more famous than you are and I got treated pretty bad."
Eden manages a laugh before June pokes her head over the side of the roof and says, "Are you two going to stay there and chat? Because we've got soldiers after us, just in case you didn't know."
I laugh. This girl's got attitude as well. Then I help Eden up on the roof, where he holds his balance nervously.
"Day, where am I?" he whispers to me.
"On a roof. Perfectly normal," I assure him. June's helping us get away from the Colonies soldiers.
Beside us, June's dog barks, and June puts a calming hand on his back. "Shh, Ollie. It's all right."
"Where are you taking us, anyway?" I ask, clutching Eden's hand. "It better be somewhere safe."
June just gives me a smile. "Follow me."
As I follow her route, I recognize where we're going. I smile. "Is this where we hid from the Colonies attack on the Armor?"
"So clever." June offers me a quick smile before she takes my hand and leads us into the bunkers.
Eden stumbles a bit. "Day, where are we?" he asks.
"You weren't here before. Underground bunkers."
I see June reach for something on her hand, as if for reassurance, and then she freezes. Completely freezes.
"Day," she whispers. Her face is horror-struck. "I think I lost your paper clip ring."
"Paper clip ring?" Eden asks, confused. He turns his blind eyes from me to June, but I don't notice him. My heart is collapsing.
June closes her eyes, like all the life is being sucked out of her, and a tear actually slides down her perfect cheek. "I'm sorry," she whispers, falling against me. She starts to cry in earnest.
I cry, too.

JUNE

1304 Hours
78 Degrees Fahrenheit

I think Day is holding me, but I don't know for sure. I lost my paper clip ring.
My paper clip ring means everything to me. Sure, men on my family's level could have bought me a ring of much more value in Notes than a simple ring made of twisted paper clips. But their bedazzled jewelry gifts don't mean half as much as Day's paperclip ring.
Eden saves me. He puts his hand on my shoulder and helps me up. "June," he whispers, patting my back awkwardly and stumbling around the bunker, "you can look for your paperclip ring later."
I only nod numbly. Already, I can feel the unusual weight absence on my ring finger. I must have lost it somewhere close by, and I yearn to turn back and turn the whole of Los Angeles upside down for my paperclip ring.
Day and I help Eden down the hall. We are walking down the hall when Eden stops abruptly.
"There's someone coming," Eden whispers.
I strain my ears. Sure enough, I can hear the distant pounding of boots on the cold stone floors. I guide Eden as quickly as possible down the halls, trying my best not to tug him along. Day puts an arm around his brother protectively, and I can't help but feel a pang of yearning. Day's lost his mother, his father, and his older brother John, but at least he still has Eden. I've lost everyone - my mother, my father, and Metias. I'm the only one left.
Day must have seen the loss in my eyes, because he leans over and gives me a quick kiss on the cheek. I feel the heat in my cheeks flare up, but I make sure to cool it down. "Thanks," I murmur, then I freeze. As Day tries to pull Eden on, I put a hand on his shoulder.
"Tess," I whisper.
Day's eyes flash guiltily, but he shakes his head. "Tess will have to fend for herself. We can't leave Eden down here alone."
"We can't leave Tess up there, either!" I argue. Then I take a deep breath. This is no time to get angry. "Day. You and Eden go on and meet us at the end of the bunkers. I'll go out there and fight my way to Tess."
"I can't let you do that." Day shakes his head, the agony clear in his eyes, torn between Eden's safety, Tess's safety, and mine.
"I'll be fine," I insist. Then I push Eden gently closer to Day. "I'll be fine," I repeat. "I promise."
"Be safe," Day murmurs, meeting my eyes. Then he gently wraps an arm around Eden and presses his lips to mine.
A kiss. Just one second.
It feels like an eternity.
Day's warmth seeps into my skin as he pulls his lips up to my ear, leaving a trail of heat across my skin. I shiver. "Be safe. I love you," he whispers, then he grabs Eden and runs down the bunkers.
I pull out two folding knives and flip them out. Hefting them in my hands, I test their weight, then I roll on the balls of my feet before dashing back up towards the entrance.
Time to fight.

DAY

I wait until June disappears completely from my sight, and then I breathe. In, out, in, out. She's going to be fine. She's a goddy fighter, for goodness sake.
Eden tugs at my hand. "Daniel," he whispers. "Come on. June will be fine."
"All right, kid," I say, giving his hair a quick ruffle, and I lead him down the hall, all too aware of the footsteps pounding down the hall.
Suddenly, the footsteps stop. Then I hear a crisp military turn, and then a doorknob turning.
I realize where the soldiers are coming from now.
"Quick, in there," I hiss at Eden, and shove him in a side room. "Lock the door."
Then the door to the underground bunkers bursts open.
"Halt! Drop your weapons and put your hands up in surrender," shouts the lead soldier, a young man in his early thirties. He points the barrel of his gun at my chest.
I delicately pull a serrated knife out of my belt, and flip off my cap. My white-blonde hair tumbles down my shoulders, and I drop a folding knife that I hid in my cap. Then I back away two paces from my weapons and put my hands up.
"Nothing else?" asks the lead soldier.
I shake my head.
"Pat him down," commands the captain, and immediately two soldiers rush forwards to do his bidding.
They don't find the two knives hidden in my boots. I suppress a smile at their confused expressions at such an easy surrender.
"Are you alone?" the lead soldier asks me.
I nod.
"Are you Daniel Altan Wing?" the lead soldier asks me.
I shake my head.
"You look a good likeness," he grumbles. "Do you know where Mr. Wing is, currently?"
I drop my voice into a thick accent. "N'sir. Y'see, I was down b'Lake sect'r. The street begg'rs ain't know a single thing 'bout M'ster Wing, I can assure y'that."
The soldier nods. "Then you're free to go."
My heart pounds. No, I don't want that! If I leave now, they'll find Eden, and they'll be able to tell right away that he is my brother. I can't stay, though, otherwise it'll look weird.
June, I need you! I curl my hands into fists, stalling for as long as I can.
"Why aren't you moving it, mister?" he asks me.
Suddenly, I lunge forward and punch him in the face, as hard as I can. Blood sprays everywhere, and a tooth skids across the floor, stopping in a corner. I punch him once more time, in the stomach, before the rest of the soldiers come at me.
I draw upon everything June once taught me. Surprisingly, I remember it - I keep my eyes fixed on each soldier's chest, and I anticipate every move.
But there's just too much of them. Before long, I start to tire, and there's still - what, thirty-six? Thirty-seven? - goddy soldiers left.

A blow to the head catches me off guard. My heart jackhammers furiously. Before I can recover and return the blow, a hit to the stomach makes me fall over.
A soldier stands above me, his smile savage, holding a serrated knife in one hand and pinning me down with the other. He's surprisingly strong.
"Say goodbye, Day," he snarls, hefting the knife. The other soldiers hasten to pin me down tighter. I struggle, but I can't escape. Their grips are like iron.
Pretty developed for the Colonians, yeah?
As the serrated knife dives for me, I flinch away. I am not going to die like this, trapped in some goddy bunker by a handful of weak Colonian soldiers.
That would be a pretty lame death, yeah?
Suddenly, the serrated knife skids out of view. The soldier holding the knife gets pummeled to the side and is left lying on the floor, groaning, and holding his injured side.
I look up for my savior. Instead, I see an ugly captain, shoving his face in mine. "Pin him down!" he growls, shaking his fist at the other soldiers.
"You don't kill him!" growls the captain. "Your orders were to capture him, threaten him, then interrogate him!"

He then shoves the injured soldier aside and glares at me. "Alright, Day. This is how it's going to work. I'm going to ask you some questions, and you're going to answer them. Number one. Where is Eden Bataar Wing?"
I resist the urge to spit in his face. "Your filthy mouth doesn't deserve to speak my brother's name, you trot."
A fist comes flying. I jerk my head away, but the captain's punch still catches me on my chin, making me see stars. "Incorrect answer. Let's try again, shall we?" He smiles savagely, making me hate him all the more. "Where is Eden Bataar Wing?"
When I remain determinedly silent, the captain sighs, pushes himself upright, and pulls something out of his military jacket's pocket.
I gasp. It's June's paperclip ring.
"See this?" he asks, shaking it in front of my face. "If you don't start giving me any proper answers, I'll personally make sure that this little scrap of cheap metal is all you'll have to remember your darling sweetheart by."
I tremble in rage, but also in fear of what he'll do to June. But I can't tell him that Eden is right here in this bunker with him, too. I tighten my fists.
I stay silent for too long. The captain gets up heavily, picks up the serrated knife, and presses the flat end of the blade right against my throat. I shiver at the coldness of the metal.
"Yeah. That scares you, doesn't it? Now start answering me, or I'll dig this in -" he pauses to rub the knife against my skin - "a little deeper."
At that instant, a fist comes flying out of nowhere, closely followed by another one. The first punch hits the captain on the side of his head. The second one catches him in the stomach.
The captain bowls over, June's paperclip ring clattering on the floor. I lift my head weakly, still dizzy.
June stands there, looking more beautiful than I ever remember her looking. Beside her stands Tess.
June's voice is quivering with rage as she says, "Don't - touch - him."

Then she launches herself into a full-on fight. I join her, and out of the corner of my eyes I can see Tess escorting Eden from his side room, whispering soothing words to him.
We manage to catch the last soldier before he raises the alarm. Then we lean against the wall, panting.
"Nice save," I say, when I've finally caught my breath.
June shrugs. "Tess and I planned it out before we came down here. I thought I heard fighting."
"You heard right." I stand up and pick up the paperclip ring. "Here, I think this belongs to you." Then I shyly offer it to her on bended knee.
A blush creeps on June's cheeks. "Thanks," she whispers, and before I can protest, she wraps her arms around my neck and swings me over to the wall.
She's kissing me so hungrily that I find myself kissing her back, just as hungrily. I clutch her neck, being sure to be gentle. I shift my lips up from her mouth to the line of her jaw, then up to her ear, where I whisper, "I love you."
I can feel a shiver run down her spine, and I almost collapse with weakness. This girl makes me surprisingly weak. I can feel her pressing me against the wall, tighter, tighter. I gasp for breath. I don't know how I can pull away. I rest my forehead against June's, letting her warmth seep into my body.
Have I really missed her this much? If kissing her now is this thrilling, how much more endearing would it be when we were together on the run, relying on each other, supporting each other?
I search through my memories, trying to locate at least some memories of me and June.
I don't find them.
June pulls away, her eyes full of sadness. "Hurry, let's get away before they can send backup," she murmurs, her voice low and melodic. She tugs at my sleeve and we head up the bunker's hallway together.
"I've told Tess and Eden to meet us at my apartment," June says, her voice practical again. "Tess took Ollie with her."
I nod. "Is the invasion over?"
June gives me a sharp nod, like a bird. "Apparently it was just the Colonies' way of giving us a little scare, a warning, a threat."
Anger flashes through my heart. "They'll never take Eden from me. Not on my watch."
June offers me a sad smile, but I can see bitterness flare in her eyes, covered instantly by a flash of guilt. I can practically hear her thoughts. I wish Day would speak about me with the same fierceness and protectiveness that he speaks about Eden with.
"Hey," I whisper, offering her a quick peck on the cheek. She blushes.
"I'm scared, Day," she confides, playing with a loose strand of her hair. "Really, deeply scared. If the Colonies do take over, what will they do to us?"
The sadness in her eyes overwhelms me, and I yearn to hold her, to comfort her. "It's going to be alright. No one is going to hurt you and Eden. Not on my watch."
June's face eases. "Come on," she says, pulling at my arm. "Tess and Eden are waiting."
We hurry out of the bunkers and walk on the streets, exchanging casual talk, pretending to be ordinary pedestrians on their way home. As we turn into the glittering streets of Ruby, June guides me towards her apartment.
I see Tess, but I don't see Eden. Panic flares inside of me, and I stop June. "Can you see Eden?"
"Relax," she murmurs. "He's right there." June holds my arm gently and points my arm towards Eden's face, smiling down at a world that he can't see, out of the windows.
Relief surges through me. I give June a quick hug and run towards Tess, exchanging a friendly hug, and then I run upstairs, towards Eden.

JUNE
2301 Hours.
Ruby sector.
74 Degrees Fahrenheit.

I offer to let Tess, Eden and Day stay at my apartment until they're ready to leave. Tess accepts my offer graciously, and I provide beds for all of them.
I sleep in my own bed. In the room next to mine, Day and Eden sleep together, and Tess sleeps on a springy mattress. I tried to offer her better, but Tess just shakes her head.
"I only need a mattress and some blankets," she told me. "Too much luxury makes me uncomfortable."
My mind is whirling with questions and thoughts. I can't sleep.
I pet Ollie again and again, murmuring soft words to him, but even that can't help distract me. Eventually, I get up, fill a glass with water, and sift through my parents' photo albums.
I fall asleep in my chair, my head resting against a photo of my father, mother, and Metias standing in their apartment, smiling cheerfully at the camera, my glass of water left untouched.

2305 Hours
Same Night
My Apartment

I wake at a sudden noise. My parents' photo album slides to the floor, photos flying out of their pockets. My arm hits the table, making my glass of water slide off the tabletop and shatter on the floor. Water spills everywhere.
I frown. I am so sure that I heard voices muttering and boots pounding, but now everything is silent.
Too silent.
Being extremely careful not to make another noise, I get up off my wheely chair and strap two knives to the soles of each of my black boots, the blades cold against my feet. I pull my hair into a tight ponytail, making sure that no strands will come loose during any possible fights. Then I pull on a black jacket and zip it up, stuffing a small gun in its pocket. My hair is hidden behind the jacket's hood.
I slip out of my apartment and wander the streets, trying to pinpoint the direction that the sound came from. Nothing is suspicious.
Maybe I dreamt it, I assume, and I turn to head back into my apartment.
The sound of faint gunfire makes me freeze for a full (calculating …) 1.5 seconds. Then my instincts kick in, and I drop into a roll, throwing myself behind a cluster of garbage bins. A silver bullet speeds by, slamming into the door of my apartment. Exactly where I would have been had I not escaped in time.
The details rush in, and I clamp on them with relief. I whirl around, daring to peek out behind the bins. An elegant black model, probably new, judging by how fast the bullet reached my apartment and the nearly-silent gunfire. Properly cleaned-out and polished.
Two more bullets follow in quick succession. The first one misses, but the second one hurtles through a gap between two bins and sings past me, embedding itself in the wall.
Close shave. I can't hide here any longer. After pulling the bullet from the wall, I jump up and dash away from the bins, just in time. Three bullets shoot right through the bins, leaving three holes behind.
I run. My fingers fly as I fumble for the bullet I'd removed from the wall and I hasten to load my gun using it. As I hear the rumble of boots behind me, I dodge two bullets, nick two more from the ground with lightning speed, and I turn and fire.
Colonies soldiers. They've probably come for Eden while he's sleeping, and Day too if they can manage it.
My hood flies off as I perform a complicated twist in the air, revealing my dark ponytail. I shoot two more bullets in quick succession, while I yank my knives out.
"Stop!"
I freeze. The gunfire dies down.
A soldier heads out of the apartment with almost impossible stealth, holding an unconscious Eden in his arms. Blood trickles from a corner of his mouth.
A feeling of doom settles in my stomach. I'm too late.
In desperation, I tear after the soldier, even as he pulls out his gun and shouts, "Stop, it's all over, I've got him!"
"Let him go!" I scream, throwing my arm back and hurling my knife at him. It catches him in the arm, and he stumbles. Eden slides from his arms to the ground.
Yes. I run with renewed energy, my second knife still clutched in my hand. I'm closer. I can get him.
Then the soldier fights through the pain and shoots at me. I dodge.
The bullet grazes my arm.
I stumble. Adrenaline is keeping the pain at bay, for now. I catch up to the escaping soldier and bury my knife in his chest.
His mouth falls open as his eyes turn glazed. In one stiff movement, he keels over, twitching and jerking until he falls still.
I reach out to grab Eden and pull him into the safety of my apartment, but it's too late. The other soldiers catch up and one tugs Eden away, holding the barrel of his gun to my head.
"Let him go. It's useless now, you doll," he snarls, and pistol-whips me across the face.
Blood sprays across my face, although my teeth remain intact. I stumble, falling to the pavement, shielding my head with my arms. "No," I whimper. June Iparis, you get up right now and chase those soldiers.
My legs refuse to obey. I end up half-stumbling, half-crawling towards the soldiers, but it's too late. A classy black jeep tears around the corner. A door swings open. I can see Eden's head loll, and I get up again, running with all my strength towards Eden, but it's too late. The soldiers hop in, and the jeep's door slams. The car roars away.
No . . .
My world is blurred through a haze of pain and fear. I'm sorry, Day. I've let you down.
I've let everyone down.
I collapse, my head on my arms, blood trickling from my mouth and my bullet-grazed arms.
The promised evening rains come, washing away the blood from the cobblestoned streets.

DAY

I know something is wrong the instant I see a crowd gathered around a body on the streets.
Eden is nowhere to be seen. Tess is awake, but confused.
June is gone.
I hurry down on the streets, and what I see makes me dizzy with horror and shame.
It is June's body on the streets, caked with dried blood. Some fresh blood still trickles from the corner of her mouth and her bullet-grazed arm. Her hair is loose and messy, probably just freed from a tight ponytail. A knife is clutched in her hand.
I run downstairs and shoo away the crowd with Tess's help. Then I pick up June's limp body in my arms and carry her upstairs. Underneath all the blood and rainwater, it's hard to tell if she's dead or still alive.
"Help me," I mutter to Tess, who instantly scrambles off for some rubbing alcohol and bandages.
Together, we wash off all the blood. June's face is peaceful as Tess tends to her bullet wound. Then I prop her up on her bed and watch her fervently.
At around two hours, June's eyelashes flutter. She lets out a small breath, and I almost cry in joy.
"Day?" she asks, her face guilty. She begins to cry.
"Shh," I murmur. "It's all right."
"I'm sorry, Day," she sobs. "Colonies soldiers came for Eden - I tried to stop them - I'm so sorry, they have him."
"It's not your fault," I murmur reassuringly. "Shh, it's all right."
"I tried so hard," June whispers. In this moment, she is a girl, broken by loss, struggling so hard to survive, to just live.
"It's okay if they took him. We'll just nab him back again, yeah?" I say, running a hand through my already-tangled hair.
June offers me a faint smile, but that's it. I know that she blames herself and that she will always blame herself, no matter what I tell her.
I give Tess a pointed look, and she scampers off to get more rubbing alcohol. I can't suppress a smile. Even after all these years, she's still the same Tess inside, sweet, demure, shy.
I lean close and push a lock of her dark hair behind her ear. June's gaze flashes with pain, and I know that she's remembering her brother, Metias. A part of me feels guilty for digging open such painful, harsh memories from within her, but a wicked part of me revels in it. Her sadness makes her impossibly beautiful.
"Eden will be fine," I say firmly. "And if he's not . . ."
My voice falters, and a spark of fear alights in June's eyes.
"If he's not, then nobody's to blame, especially not you," I assure her.
June relaxes. "You understand?"
I nod. "I understand." Then I lower my voice and lean closer, pressing my lips against her ear. "Will you help me find Eden?"
June nods against my lips. "Of course," she whispers.
Then I turn and leave June and Tess (who scampers past me into the room) alone. My mind is already on other thoughts.
I have a new mission to accomplish.

JUNE
1205 Hours.
Batalla Hall.
78 Degrees Fahrenheit.

I recover quickly from my wounds. Two days after the Colonies soldiers kidnap Eden, I join Day on a secret mission to the Colonies' land.
I dress in a tight long-sleeved stretchy polyester black shirt, tight leggings equipped with small knives. I have a microphone in my throat, hooked up to Tess's in case Day and I run into trouble. My long dark hair is pulled up into a ponytail.
Eight knives are hidden on me. Two on each arm, and one in the sole of each of my black leather boots. The remaining two are strapped to my leggings.
Day is dressed in similar attire, although how many weapons he has on him, I have no clue.
Together we head down the underground bunker hall towards the separate hallway that leads to Colonies land. We've already rehearsed our plan thirty-four times.
First, Day will help me reopen the wound in my side, caused by Kaede's serrated knife in that Skiz fight so many years ago. Second, we will head to the Colonies, me pretending to be Sarah and Day pretending to be Cody. Then we will ask for the West Wing Hospital, the one that Eden is currently in.
Once we're inside, we will turn the hospital upside down for Eden. My wound won't bother me. We'll only open it up a little bit, anyway.
Yesterday, Day helped me tear open Kaede's serrated knife wound in my side. It is almost completely healed, but I'm willing to endure several more weeks' pain for Eden.
"Why am I agreeing to do this?" Day had asked me when he had helped me reopen it. "I should be the one getting hurt, not you."
"I'm a better actor than you are," I had teased him back. Day had only smiled.
But it's true. Unlike Day, I've had official soldier training. I know how to walk as if I was stabbed.
I'll be a much more convincing display than Day will be.
While Day and I were reopening my wound, Tess had gone out to get a bucket of pygmy pig's blood. I'd carefully splattered it all over my side, making sure to rip a hole in my polyester top as well, to make sure that I did look like I'd been stabbed.
As the Colonies air hits our skin, I take a huge gasp and stumble against Day. I half-close my eyes and let them flutter deliriously.
"Hang in there, Sarah," he murmurs. I feel a smile flicker across my face and I impatiently force it down. Stop it, June Iparis. You're supposed to be hurt, and in pain. Focus. Focus.
I improve my limp, favoring my right leg. I make sure not to thrust all my weight on Day, as I am capable of walking. Every now and then, I can see him wince as he steps a little too long on his bad leg.
A Colonies soldier stops us. In one deft movement, he pulls an elegant black gun from his belt and holds it to Day's temples. I freeze, and so does Day.
"List your names," he says crisply, flipping open a notepad.
I calm myself. Don't panic, June. You're going to be fine, you're going to be all right. I meet the soldier's eyes evenly.
"Sarah Helena Delilah-Vera," I say, wincing as Day shifts his weight from one leg to the other anxiously. "This is my brother, Cody Malzedo Dextrius-Vera. Please, sir, let us go, I need medical attention."
The soldier looks us over. Then, with a shout, he calls over two other soldiers.
"Pat them down," he commands.
I stay perfectly still, pretending to hide my agony. Fresh blood trickles down the pygmy pig's, blending in with each other. I wince on cue as they touch my injured right side. I'm not even pretending anymore.
"She's clean," says the soldier who has patted me down.
"So is he," replies the other soldier.
"Dismissed," says the first soldier crisply. Then he stops the third soldier and murmurs, "Call a taxi, will you? I don't want her blood all over the seat of my jeep."
The soldier salutes him and calls over a taxi. I wait by Day, both of us acutely aware of the first soldier's eyes fixed directly on us.
My heart pounds as Day helps me into the taxi. We speed wordlessly off towards the nearest hospital. We could be getting closer to Eden right now.

"Excuse me," Day says. "Sarah here needs the West Wing Hospital."
"Yes, sir," says the taxi driver crisply.
We fall back into a taciturn silence, broken only by my false groans of pain.
As the taxi screeches to a stop, Day helps me out.
My thoughts are occupied only by Eden. As we walk hurriedly into the hospital, I make a mental note of my surroundings, then I repeat the plan in my head.
Get Eden, and get some information about why the Colonies want him.
I instantly fall into sick play. I lean heavily on Day, but I position myself so that none of my weight falls on him.
Day puts his lips against my ear. "Remember, I'll do the talking," he hisses. "You just stay sick and pretty. Be innocent. Don't do anything to make the doctors suspect you. Just be sick, all right?"
I groan softly, but I give him a tiny nod. Day turns his eyes away, but I can tell that he understands.
"Excuse me," Day murmurs, stepping in the glass doors of the West Wing Hospital. As I dizzily scan my eyes over the hospital, the details seep in, and I acknowledge them one by one. 6" by 6" marble tiles. Clear glass windows, freshly polished by the looks of it. Polished marble counter, steel cabinet filled with files. All color-coded. Plastic waiting chairs. A long hallway leading off to multiple doors.

I take a breath. Eden might be here.
"Easy, Sarah," Day whispers, helping me into one of the chairs. I eye the chair with distaste. Weak plastic. Easy to break. "I'll sign you in. Just sit and wait."
As Day walks up to the counter and starts a conversation with the lady behind the counter, I analyze the hospital. The corridors are too narrow to have a proper fight in. We need to get into an open space before we can find Eden. Definitely not the waiting room, though - too noticeable, with the bunch of people in here and the glass windows. Which means that we can either sneak Eden out of the back and have a fight outside or find a larger room within the hospital to fight in.
All of this rushes through my mind in a matter of seconds. I decide that having it inside the hospital will be a better option, and I sit as Day comes back to me.
"She promised to let us in as quickly as possible," murmurs Day.
We sit.
And we wait.
I count off twenty-five minutes, thirty-one seconds, and possibly five milliseconds before the lady calls us in. "Daniel Altan Wing, June Iparis."
I stumble to my feet, pretending to be too weak to stand, and I prolong my fall so that Day can 'catch' me before I can fall. We follow the lady down the corridor, and I let my eyes sweep once over each individual room that branches off from the main hallway, memorizing every detail.
"You're right here, room 301." The lady escorts us in, then closes the door behind us. "The doctor will be right in."
We wait in taciturn silence. Here, I abandon my sick routine. "You're a good actor," I comment, rubbing my side.
Day flutters his lashes at me. "Thanks, sweetheart." He brushes my hand affectionately, then goes quiet.
"Where do you think Eden is?" I ask quietly. I want to test Day's logic. I know it might be a little late to do it, but … still.
"Probably in a private room, heavily guarded, I just hope that he's safe." Day presses his lips together.
I nod. "Good observations. I don't think he's in this hospital, though."
"What?" Day frowns. "Why? All the rumors says he is."
I shake my head. "Rumors are rumors, Day. They're nothing but tidbits of gossip. However, the West Wing Hospital is way too public. Too open to people who might want to nab Eden back." I raise my eyebrows meaningfully, and Day lowers his head, a blush growing on his cheeks. "I think that if Eden really does matter to the Colonies, they'll be sure to put him in a safer place than a public hospital, for crying out loud."
Day nods. "Then let's analyze the area. Search the Colonies. Scour every street to find him."
Day's pledge to find Eden sounds scarily familiar to my own pledge to hunt down Metias's killer, when I was still under the wing of the Republic. Before I knew Day was innocent. Before I knew that Thomas was the criminal.
Before I knew the world.

DAY

June and I break out of the West Wing Hospital. This is how it goes.
After June and I discuss a plan, June knocks on the door. I seal myself in the air vent.
I keep an eye on June when she walks away. When She finally disappears around the corner, I let myself breath. She can handle it. Right now I just need to go with the plan.
I make sure the air vent is properly in place, then I scoot down the long vent. I stop breathing after five feet, the air smells strange. I'm suddenly reminded of my hospital break-in, so many years ago, when I was still striving to find cures for Eden.
I find the end of the shaft. I pry it open, then toss it behind me. The clang it makes echoes down the shaft, and I freeze, waiting a full five seconds before I dare to crawl out of the shaft.
The cold breeze hits my face. I recoil, then I inspect my surroundings.
I'm close to the ground, so I jump. I look up at the air shaft - too far away to seal back into place. Ah well.
I run to the entrance. I check in my pockets - I still have the bottle of hair dye. It was a gift from Tess - I remember her telling me that she found it in Kaede's disguise stash. Then I spray my whole head with it - the dye feels weird, wet and sticky, but I just grit my teeth and put up with it. Then I pop brown contact lenses in my eyes. Finally, I pull an army jacket over my black shirt and replace my army boots with black ones.
Then I walk calmly into the hospital. "Excuse me," I say, deepening my voice to what I think is an accurate imitation of June's brother's. Metias. Strange that I still remember his voice, after all these years, yeah?
The lady looks up irritably at me. "Yes?" she asks, her fingers never stopping in typing something on her sleek black monitor. "What do you want, Mr . . .?"
"Iparis," I lie. "I'm Ms. Iparis's cousin. I've only just recently heard that she is in this hospital, and I would like to see her."
The lady looks up sharply. "Yes, Mr. Iparis. If I could get your name . . ."
I say the first thing that pops into my mind. "Thomas. Mr. Thomas Iparis."
The lady raises her eyebrows, but she doesn't say anything. "Alright, Mr. Iparis. Come right in."
Then she places a call. "Yes. I want Ms. June Iparis here right now. Room 301. I'll escort him there. Yes, yes. Quickly as possible. I don't care how sick she seems to be."
Then she takes my hand. "Come, Mr. Iparis."
She pulls me down the corridor and escorts me into a dim room with a small white cot and two plastic chairs. "Wait here."
She slams the door.
I wait for about ten minutes before June gets escorted in. She smiles at me. "Thomas!" she says, using my fake name. "How did you come here? I thought you were supposed to be working!"
"I got a day off," I lie, wrapping her in a brotherly embrace.
June smiles. "Sorry you had to see me in this state, then."
I just shake my head. "Kid, one of these days you're going to drop dead from one of your illnesses."
June laughs good-naturedly. "Or so you say."
The lady leaves awkwardly.
The instant she vanishes from sight, I grab June's hand and pull her out of the tiny room. "Let's go. Eden's not here."
She rolls her eyes, but follows me anyway. "Which way do we go?" she asks me when we reach a fork in our path.

Normally, I would have just laughed. But I realize that June's not asking me out of cluelessness. She's testing me, in some way or other.
I slip ahead of her and take the lead. "This way. We have a little brother to catch."

JUNE

0508 Hours

The Colonies

80 Degrees Fahrenheit.

I spend the last two days in the Colonies researching everything I can about the Colonies. I learn more about the Chancellor's background, and more about the history of the Colonies.
I need to know everything I can about the state and the ruler if I'm going to help Day find Eden. I owe this to him. I'm not going to back out now.
As I finish jotting down notes on my digital pad, I turn to leave the library. I've researched all that I can. Time to sleep.
I bump into Day.
I give a little jump, and then back away. I immediately lower my eyes, out of reflexes. "Sorry," I murmur.
Day only puts a hand on my shoulder. "Tonight," he whispers. Then he walks past me briskly like he's just passed me like two ordinary people.
I freeze. My thoughts flash back to the time Day had said and done the exact same thing. We had spent a busy night back then, doing . . . things.
My heart pounds. Is he . . . is he . . .
Suddenly, the sound of gunfire makes me jump. I fling myself instinctively at Day, who ducks. A silver bullet sings past me and ricochets off the wall.
I freeze.
"June -" my name rips out of Day's mouth like a precious stone being stolen from the maw of the earth. I lunge for him.
I miss.
Gritting my teeth, I grab him and shove him into the library. I slam the library door, but two more bullets manage to zip in before I shut the door.
One misses.
The other flies straight for my chest.
My mouth rips open, and I let out a shriek of terror as I try to dodge, but I slip trying and the bullet pierces my side, ripping open flesh and Kaede's old knife wound. Blood sprays.
I shriek.
My vision blurs scarlet, and I try to lunge for my would-be killer, but I'm too weak. The pain catches up later - a blinding white-hot, searing pain in my side causes me to stumble, tears pouring out of my eyes, my entire body stiff with agony. I shriek again, and eventually I'm too tired to scream. I think Day is standing over me, shouting curses at my would-be killer, but I can't hear him. I can't see anything at all.
My last thought is how Metias would have worried about me.

DAY

Few things make me really, really angry. My mother, father, and John's death make me pissed. The poor treatment of the poor make me angry.

June injured makes me angry.
After the bullet pierces her side, I leap up and stand for a split second between June and the door, torn by two options; stay and keep June safe, or run and chase her would-be killer?
I dash to June's side, hoping that she's safe enough for me to carry, and I scoop her up, brushing away her sweaty locks of hair. "Easy."
Then I heft her up, being extremely careful to not touch her bullet wound, and I rush her out, tears flooding my eyes, shouting blindly, "She needs help - someone help me - she needs help!"
A group of street police stops me. "Hey, kid - your name and identity?"
I just shove them aside. "She needs help!"
"Stop or I will shoot!" They run after me with guns aimed at me, I don't care anymore, I run toward the nearest hospital, seeking for any help for June. Her blood streams down my hands, making me grit my teeth and run harder. "You don't understand, she's been shot in the side!" I shout, pushing through the crowds of people in the streets. "Please, don't let her die."
A soldier grabs me and punches me hard in the face. "Stop, you kid. I don't care whether she's shot or dying, I just want to see your face."
I punch him back. I'm blind with rage, and I set June down gently, jumping up. I draw upon everything June taught me in the underground bunkers. To my surprise, I remember it - I feint a punch at his left leg and pummel him in the stomach. I don't realize that people are crowding around me, shouting things to stop me.

When I was done with the soldier and gingerly left June into my arms. "Stay with me" I whisper as I run into the hospital.

"How may I help you?" The front desk lady stares at me and the crowd behind. "She needs help! She's been shot in the chest!" I can't see anymore, everything is blurred with tears and rage.
Suddenly, Tess appears from the corridor. "Move aside," she says impatiently to the office lady, who steps aside in a blur. I help Tess pick June up gingerly and rush her to Tess's personal room.
There, I watch awkwardly as Tess tears a hole in June's shirt around the bullet hole. I cast my eyes away awkwardly.
Tess grits her teeth and pulls the bullet out of June's body. I watch her with intensity, as if my gaze alone will heal June instantly.
"Is she going to be all right?" I ask anxiously.
Tess nods briskly, her fingers flying over June's body. "This bullet wound is deep, though. I'll have to stitch it back together."
I release a shaky breath and shove my face in my hands. Calm down, Day. This is going to be alright. "Thanks, Tess."
"It's what friends are for, yeah?" she says, her face shiny with beads of sweat as she discards the bullet and tosses it on a tray, where it makes a clink sound.
I don't dare look up from my hunched position as Tess stitches June's wound back together. From the corner of my vision, I can see that Tess's hands are bloody red from June's blood, which doesn't help me at all.I only dare look up when Tess says, "Done the stitching."
I look up and see Tess's busy hands scattering lime-green powder and rubbing healing salves into June's skin. Then she unrolls a roll of linen and wraps June's wound nicely.
"Done," she gasps, sinking back. Sweat drips off her chin.
As I help her tidy up, I can't suppress my curiosity. "How come you're in the Colonies?"
"Anden took me," Tess says, blushing slightly. "Says I'm working too much. He needs to meet up with the Chancellor, anyway, to draft their peace treaty,so he took me here. I'm happy, too. Never seen what the Colonies are like, and I'm working for the West Wing Hospital temporarily, at least until Anden has to leave for the Republic."
I study Tess. Her face is heated, her tone hesitant, her cheeks rosy. She speaks about the young Elector with a new passion.
I make a mental note to ask Tess about it later, then I shift my eyes to June. "Is she really going to be okay?"
Tess nods, pulling off her gloves. Before, she would have blown out an irritated breath, but there seems to be a light of satisfaction in her eyes. . .
"Tess," I say urgently, grabbing her arm. "Do you like Anden?"
"Hmm?" Tess turns and folds her surgical gloves neatly into a ball and drops it in a box, which she closes. "What did you say, Day?"
She's evading the question. "Do you like Anden?" I ask her again. She lowers her head shyly and gives me a playful punch in the arm. Silence enters our presence, please just tell me. "What makes you say that?" She eyes me carefully as if I'm a prime suspect.
I just shake my head and let the subject drop. In my heart, though, I feel stricken. Tess is growing up.
I don't know why I still view her like this. She's twenty-three, for goodness sake. She's free to like whomever she wants.
I don't know why I still feel so protective of her. I guess I never pictured Tess with other men, or Tess dating. Especially not the man I used to loathe so much.
For now I just shrug it off, and Tess shoots me a grateful glance. "Alright. Is June ready to go?" I give Tess a hopeful look.
Tess shakes her head firmly. "People don't just get shot and then jump up again, restored to full health. June will have to stay here for at least a week."

"Doesn't Anden's conference last less than a week?" I ask, anxiously fiddling with my clothes.

"True. Then we'll have to move June to the Republic using the best transportation modes possible," Tess offers. "I promise, your beautiful June won't be harmed."
Venom. I try to brush off her jab as lightly as I can. "Thanks. I'm thankful. She won't die, yeah?"
Tess's face softens, but the venom stays there. "Yeah. I hope not."
Then she gives me an anxious smile. "Anden called for you in the morning, but I was too busy with patients to call you with it. And now June's on my hands as well . . ." Tess shrugs. "I think it's some kind of banquet thing. I can't go."
"Oh." Attending banquets are no fun without June by my side. "I'm not going to go. Wanna grab a bite?"
Tess's face brightens. "Sure. June will have to lie down a bit without any disruptions for the medical salves to set in. I can probably spare half an hour or so before my schedule gets tight again."
"Great. Meet me at the Smoky Cup," I say, referring to the restaurant I first saw June in, when she was still trying to ignore me and let me live my life.
"Smoky Cup. Alright," Tess says, bustling away to change.

JUNE
West Wing Hospital
1400 Hours
75 Degrees Fahrenheit

I'm having my dreams again.
This time, I dream about Day.
I'm in the hospital in the Colonies, after we emerged from the bunkers, where we had our fight. Day is calling me Sarah, telling me that everything will be okay. I sob about Metias again, and Day tries to console me.
Then an ear-splitting alarm blares through the hospital.
I try to get up, but I'm too feverish to stand on my own. Day vanishes in a puff of smoke, his beautiful blue eyes staring sadly at me, as if saying he's sorry he can't protect me. "I have to go after Eden," he whispers. "He's in danger."
Then he vanishes completely from sight, leaving me in the hospital while the alarm blares, defenseless. Flames light up everything with a bloody shade of red, crisping the edges of my vision. They lick hungrily at my feet, and I struggle to crawl away from them.
Day, help me. I can't move, I'm going to die.
Then Metias materializes out of the smoke and flames, and offers me a hand. "Come on, Junebug," he says comfortingly. "I'm going to get you out of here."
He scoops me up in his arms. "Are you really going to stay with me?" I murmur to him, my words dangerously familiar.
"Forever and ever, kid, until you're sick and tired of seeing me," Metias promises, brushing away one of my sweaty locks away from my face. I smile drowsily, wrapping my arms contentedly around my brother.
"Hands up."
A sharp voice stops Metias. In front of us, blocking the stairwell, is a group of Colonies soldiers, their eyes slitted and evil. "You're under arrest."
Metias vanishes and I drop to the floor, helpless. A single Colonies soldier separates from the group and grabs me. His face turns into Thomas's, and he says, "It's for the good of the Republic, Ms. Iparis."
"No!" I shriek, clawing at his face. Thomas only shoots me a disappointed look. "Troublemaker."
I kick him as hard as I can. Thomas wavers, then vanishes, only to be replaced by Commander Jameson, who gives me an evil smile.
"Careful, little Iparis," she whispers darkly. "Otherwise you might turn out just like me."
I claw her face, biting her hand. She doesn't flinch, all she does is smile coldly. She disappears.
Then I jolt awake.
Sweat pours down my forehead. What time is it? Where am I? And where is Day?
I'm in a cold moving truck, with horribly blue fluorescent lights(they flicker). The fuel used to power the car engine is strong; I can smell the exhaust even from inside the truck(it smells like marijuana). I'm lying on a cold metal cot with a thin cloth draped messily over it(old, some threads are coming loose). A rough leather cloth is stuffed in my mouth(tastes sour, like green acorns), my arms are bound behind my back with a pair of iron shackles(rusted), my legs are held in the same manner. I'm lying on my stomach.
Why am I here? I try to stay calm as I turn my head to look for my captors. My vision clouds over with stars dancing in my eyes, that one subtle movement makes me so dizzy. Scolding myself silently, I try to remember what had happened. Day was trying to save me. I remember myself in a hospital room, so why am I not in the room, then? It takes me a moment to realize that it must've been the Colonies. They must have been planning this.
The truck screeches to a halt. All noises fade away except for the blood pounding in my ears. Fear makes me tremble. What are they going to do with me?
Gloved hands enter my line of vision. I turn my head, trying to find out whose hands they are, but I can't. The gloved hands tie a blindfold expertly around my eyes(the cloth is probably a thin one, but folded multiple times to decrease the likeliness of me seeing through it).
Rough hands, different from the gloved ones, shove keys into my shackles' locks, making them pop free and tumbling from my wrists and ankles. I feel a sudden impulse to rub them free of their chilliness.
After about ten minutes or so, the blindfold is ripped rudely from my eyes.
I am in a cylindrical room with metal walls and ten thin cylinder-shaped tubes, made of glass. There is a panel on each one, an options board that displays twenty options each. Before me is a man in a white coat, ignoring me, talking to two of his lab assists. Confused, I turn my head.
Then I suck in my breath.
Eden.
He's so hard to recognize. His eyes are closed, and half of his blond curls are cut off(you can see the places where the locks are uneven), and a dozen different wires, all color-coded and irritatingly clearly labelled, are clipped to his body. He seems unconscious.
All thoughts of torture and interrogation go out of my mind. Eden is here, right before my eyes.
If I owe Day just one thing, I owe him this.
I'm not shackled down, I'm feeling fine, and the doctors are ignoring me. Slowly, inch by inch, I shift towards Eden's glass pillar.
The man in the white coat notices my movements. "What do you think you're doing, girl?"
I react instantly.
I whip out a pistol at my belt, shoot at the first soldier, then whirl over to Eden's pillar. I bang my fist against the glass, he jolts awake.
"June?" His eyes widen at the sight of me. Then he sees the doctors, and flinches.
Anger wells up in me. Whatever they've done to Eden, they've scared him. Scared him. And Eden's not a little boy anymore.
I fire in quick succession at each of the lab assists. It pains me to kill, but I have to. They won't just stand by politely and wait while I set Eden free, twiddling their thumbs patiently.
Soon, blood stains the floor.
"Can you figure out how to work this thing?" I yell to Eden as I try to throw off the lab assists.
"I've tried. The controls are on the outside," Eden shouts back, banging urgently against the glass.
I curse under my breath. Of course the controls had to be on the outside - annoyingly clever Colonies.
"Eden -" I mutter a curse, then say ominously, "Duck."
Eden crouches in the pillar, looking scared.
I press my pistol against the glass, and fire.
My bullet bounces harmlessly against the glass, soaring back towards me. I let out an exclamation and duck.
"What was that for?" Eden yells.
"I'm trying to bust a hole in this thing to get you out!" I shout back. "Duck again - I'm going to retry."
Eden mutters, but crouches obediently. I fire again and again, but my bullets just can't break the glass.
Then suddenly, Eden jumps up, his eyes wide and scared. He points to something behind me, but I turn too late. "Watch out! I can hear someone behind you!"
It's a man. He's holding a sleek black gun, and he fires it.
The last thing I feel is an explosion of white-hot pain in the side of my head, and then everything collapses into blackness.

DAY

I'm too late. As I raise my gun and charge into the room, closely followed by Tess, I see a big burly guy lift a gun to June's head. I tear open my lips to shout a warning - but it's too late. His finger has already pulled the goddy trigger, and a silver bullet goes flying towards June's head.
No. Images of my mother's death, gruesomely twisted, appear in my mind, but I push them away impatiently. I've already lost my mother like that. Never again.
Behind me, Tess shrieks.
I push away everyone that dares get into my path. I hug June to my chest, but she's bleeding already. I examine her head. Luckily, the bullet didn't go through her head - only scraped it. Still, I can tell that the cut is so goddy deep.
Then I shift my attention to Eden.
"Help me," Eden says, his brow furrowed with a look of concern. I can tell that Eden is trying so hard not to cry. I turn to Tess for some help with June. "Help June, I'll get Eden."
Tess gives a nod and scoops up June in her arms. June murmurs something incomprehensible and touches a hand to her forehead.
I pound my fists against the glass. Eden's fingers fly against the metal walls of his cylinder, trying to feel a way out. "Hang in there, kid," I mutter, sweat beading on my brow. I can literally feel Eden's fear through him, his fear of things he can't see. "I'm getting you out of here."
"Stop."
June's voice is a hoarse croak. Sweat drips down her face at the pain. "There's a crack in the glass. See if you can . . . can break it."
"June." Tess's voice is firm. "You're not thinking clearly."
June lifts a sweaty eyebrow. "Don't tell me I'm not logical."
Tess seems to be biting back a sharp reply. Instead she grabs June and rushes her out of the hospital, June yelling complaints the whole way.
I trace my fingertips down the whole length of the glass. As June said, I can feel a crack in the upper right corner. "I'm trying to break you out of here."
I retrieve a pistol from one of the fallen soldiers. Using the butt of the pistol, I pound it against the crack.
More cracks branch from the main one. They spread rapidly as I bang against the glass.
The glass splits clean down the middle, and I help Eden out of his glass cage. "Let's get out of here, kid, yeah?"
Eden nods, his violet irises unfocused. "Where's June?"
I force back a lump in my throat. I stay silent for a moment trying to find the right words to say. "She's. . .she's with Tess, don't worry kid, your going to see her."
Eden gives me a hesitant smile of relief. "Alright."
I pick Eden up in my arms like a bundle of clothes and rush out of the hospital. Alarms blare across the Colonies' land. Crowds gather around the hospital while a flustered nurse tries to hold them back.
A black jeep pulls up next to me. It's a classy car model, a sleek, shiny black car, flawless. I force back a snort of irritation mixed with half-hearted amusement. I've probably never even touched a car this expensive before.
Anden is in the shotgun seat, with the driver in a classy black suit sitting stiff and straight. Tess is sitting in the back, June on her lap, and she's clutching June to her chest so tightly that I'm afraid that June will suffocate. "Get in," Anden says heatedly.
I don't flinch at the unwelcoming greeting. "Messes happening out there, yeah?"
"To put it bluntly, yes." Anden rubs his temples tiredly. "Just get in."
I get in and slam the door a little harder than I need to. If Anden noticed, he doesn't bring it up. Instead he leans back in his chair and clasps his hands together. "Republic, please."
The driver offers Anden a sharp salute, then starts the engine. We pull out of the hospital's drive-through lane and tear off towards the border.
Inside the jeep, a stony silence hangs in the air. I just press my lips together and stare out of the window, afraid to ask Tess how June's doing, in fear of having a sharp reply slapped in my face. Tess's voice cuts me out of my trance. "The cut is deep, but I'm pretty sure it's fixable."
I don't answer. I keep staring out the window. I turn to Tess, willing myself to look at June's eyes. They're more beautiful than I remember, but the lack of life in her eyes. . .
I look at Anden for any hope(yes I'm desperate enough). He only sits there, expressionless is the rear view mirror, shifting ever so slightly. Why does he have to be so goddy stubborn with his emotions? I grit my teeth, trying to convince myself to not punch his goddy perfect face.
"June is going to be fine," I console myself. "She's going to be fine."
Tess wrings her hands wearily. "Can't you hurry up?" she snaps irritably to the driver.
The driver stiffens, but relaxes when Anden puts a hand on his shoulder and murmurs a quick command.
"Yes, sir." The driver offers him a sharp salute.
The car chugs along slowly. I grit my teeth as we get stuck in the middle of a major traffic jam.

"Step on the gas!" Tess shouts, banging her fists against the glass.
"I told you to leave June at the hospital," Anden says tightly. "The nurses will take good care of June."
I scoff. "Sure. They won't dump her in a lab and hook her up to billions of machines."
Anden turns back around and presses his lips together, his hands tangled in his lap.
Anxiety takes over me. Hurry, hurry, hurry. I get pressed back into my seat as the driver takes a sharp turn and we switch lanes.
After twenty minutes of tense driving, we pull into the goddy big parking lot of the official City Hall. Anden helps Tess pick June up, and I can't help but notice a subtle blush on Tess's cheeks.
I lift an eyebrow at her, then I clamber out of the car and slam the door. This isn't the time to be playing around. I hurry after June's limp, disappearing figure.
She's going to be fine.

JUNE

City Hall of the Republic of America

1034 Hours

77 Degrees Fahrenheit

When I finally wake up, there's a throbbing headache pushing in at the edges of my vision. I struggle to remain conscious. My vision is blurry, doubled, and tinted red, and I can just make out a crimson Day at my side, with a blushing vermillion Tess and a scarlet concerned but refined Anden. A group of nurses cluster around me.
"She's awake," a blonde-haired female nurse says to Anden, nervously scribbling things on a plastic clipboard. "She might be feverish and hallucinative for a few days, but other than that she'll be fine."
"Excellent news. Thank you, Teresa." Anden offers the nurse a tilt of his head, making a blush flare over her cheeks. "Will you check up on her every few hours? She might need some taking care of."
"Yes, Elector." The nurse gives him a sharp salute. I watch all of this through heavy half-lidded eyes.
Anden pulls out a vial of transparent liquid. He gives it a tap of his finger, then gives it a little shake. "Give her a dose of this every two days. Look for batch number 39434."
"39434. Alright," says Teresa. "You may leave now, Elector."
Anden steps away. "Get well, June," he says quietly. "We need you."
Through my half-lidded eyes, I can see that Anden's eyes are saying, I need you. But of course he'll never say it with Day in the same room.
Anden leaves half-heartedly, leaving Day alone with me and Teresa, and the other nurses.
"Hey." Day touches my forehead. "It's going to be fine. You feel all right?"
I give him a half-smile and a half-nod. Day beckons Teresa over, and says, "Medicine."
Teresa's eyebrows shoot up, and she tries to smooth down her harsh tone. "The Great Elector of the Republic has ordered me to give the medicine -"
Day arches an eyebrow.
Teresa gulps, then fumbles for the vial and almost hands it over to Day. "Are you sure you want to risk disobeying -"
"Medicine," growls Day.
Teresa lifts her chin. "The Great Elector -"
" - can suppose that Daniel Altan Wing can properly dole out a bit of medicine," Anden says regally, stepping into the room.
The young nurse gulps, then jumps and steps towards the Elector. "Glorious Elector, I just did not want to disobey -"
Anden shakes his head. "No, Teresa. It's alright, Day is just. . ." He takes a moment to find the right words, ". . .eager."
Anden dips his head at Day. "Proceed."
Day nods stiffly, then pours some into my mouth, urging me to swallow it. The taste makes me want to recoil in disgust, but that's just going to make me look like a fool.

Day looks into my eyes longingly as if he wants to have me, me. I lower my eyes, trying to look bashful. But my true feelings are please don't love me or else I might hurt you once again. He cups my cheeks gently and places a light kiss on my forehead. "Easy. . ." Day backs away and exits the room. "Rest well, June," Anden glances nervously at Day as he leaves out the door. My eyes start to get heavy as each person leaves the room silently. I let myself fall into a fitful sleep of nightmares.

DAY

June still hasn't woken up. It's been two whole goddy weeks, and there is no news from the hospital.
At first, people are concerned. They bring June flower bouquets and Get Well cards. They wait faithfully outside of the hospital doors, waiting.
A week passed.
People start to get bored. They start to do their waiting at home.
"Still no news?" I ask Tess, whenever I bump into her in Los Angeles.
She shakes her head apologetically. "Nope, sorry."
Tess hasn't changed at all. Her hair has grown a bit longer, long enough to braid now, and her eyes have regained their old sparkle. "She's getting better, though," she reassures me, giving me a pat on the back. "Showing signs of recovery."
I bite my lip. "When do you think she'll recover completely?" I whisper.
Tess hesitates. "A month. Maybe two. Just . . . wait for me, Day. Please."
I nod grudgingly, my heart sinking, turning gray. "All right. For you."
Tess gives me that mischievous smile. "Thanks, Day."
Before I can stop her, she pecks me lightly on the cheek and runs away, flustered.
June.
I return to my apartment. It feels strangely empty. "Eden?" I call out. "Eden, what are you doing?"
Silence.
Panic starts to well in my stomach. "Eden," I call, more frantically as I tear the house apart to search for him. "Eden, where are you?"
I burst into Eden's room. It's completely empty, but in a complete mess. Chairs are knocked over and Eden's sheets are rumpled. A leg of his desk is sliced in half, making the desk tilt. The window is yanked roughly open, the curtains ripped and ragged, and deep scratches on the wall and floor.
"Eden!" I shriek, losing it. Obviously Eden put up a great goddy struggle, but I can't find any other traces of him . . . except for a streak of blood on the windowpane.

JUNE
1305 Hours
76 Degrees Fahrenheit
My Apartment

It's four weeks before I'm released to my apartment. I'm still a bit dizzy, but other than that, I'm back to normal. The doctors say that I've made a surprisingly quick recovery, compared to how long other patients in the same situation have taken to recover, and compared to how long they thought I would take to recover.
When I check my phone, I realize that I have at least four dozen missed calls, and they're all from Day.
My heartbeat quickens. I hobble over to the couch and pet Ollie soothingly as I dial Day's number with a trembling hand.
He picks up almost immediately after I place the call. "Hello?" I say.
"June?" he asks. "Is that you?"
His voice is urgent, unhappy. "Yes," I say.
"Where are you?" he asks hurriedly.
"In my apartment," I answer, drumming my fingers on Ollie's back. "I got released a few hours ago."
"Oh. Good," Day says. Then, almost as if trying to rid himself of some poison, he says, "Eden's missing again."
"No!"
I almost drop the phone. Again? The Colonies are trying to nab Eden again? What about Eden could be so important to them that they're risking their soldiers and plenty of lives to steal him away from under Day's nose?
Or maybe, maybe it's not Eden that's important to them. Maybe it's Day, and they're trying to get Day to walk right into their trap while trying to rescue Eden.
"I came to the hospital to check on you four days ago," Day says, quickly. "I met Tess, and we talked for a while, then I came back to my apartment. Eden was gone, and his room was wrecked. Apparently he put up a goddy struggle."
These facts run through my mind. "We need to talk," I say. "Face to face. I'll come to your apartment in about two minutes."
"Alright," Day says, then hangs up.
I jump off the couch and change into a black polyester sleeveless shirt, black leggings, and short black boots. My hair, I pull it up. I keep Ollie secured safely inside my room, then I head out to Day's apartment.
As I jog to his apartment, I notice something shiny and oddly shaped on the sidewalk, so I stop to pick it up.
It's a silver medal, stamped with the seal of the Colonies. Next to it is a hastily folded piece of paper, with what is clearly writing on the inside.
I slip both into my pocket and continue jogging.
"Hey," I say, when I arrive at Day's apartment, ring the doorbell, and he answers it. "Haven't seen you in a while."
Day gives me a quick kiss as he helps me in. "Same to you. Here, I'll take you to Eden's room."
"Wait," I say, putting a hand on his arm. "There's something I need to show you."
I bring out the Colonies medal and the note. "I found both on the sidewalk, coming here. I haven't checked the note yet."
Day nods. "Thanks, June."
I open my mouth, then close it, unsure what to say. "Same to you."
Day gives an awkward laugh. "Nice to have you with me, June."
I find myself blushing. I tone down the heat in my cheeks and force my expression into a cool demeanor, like a commander. "Same here."
I hasten upstairs to investigate Eden's room as Day sits heavily at the kitchen table and unfolds the note.
I can immediately tell that whatever - whoever - took Eden had taken him from the window. It's yanked roughly open, slightly bent at a thirty-five-point-nine degree angle, and the gap is huge - bigger than average because whoever kidnapped Eden had to yank Eden out too. Judging by the way the blood trickled down the windowpane, Eden either got hit in the mouth hard, hard enough to make him draw blood, or injured some other area.
A wooden ladder is propped up against the side of the apartment. Day had obviously kept it there, for my inspections. Several of the wooden rungs have scratches that might be made by tooth or fingernail. Apparently Eden put up a colossal fight - the bottom rung is cracked in half - but was unable to get away.
I come back inside. Day's still sitting at the table, staring in disbelief at the note.
"Why?" I ask, sidling over. "What's it say?"
"It . . . it . . ." Day can't seem to choke the words out. "Here, you read it."
He shoves the note at me and gets up abruptly, walking over to the kitchen wall and lightly banging his head on it. He seems to be bottling up a great rage - and a great sorrow. I've never seen him this emotionally close to losing control.
I squint at the cramped writing. Whoever wrote this must have been in a great hurry, since the writing is uncharacteristically messy and scribbled, almost. I can decipher it, though, but I almost wish I can't.

After the job is done, bring Little Wing to the lab. We can interrogate him there. If he does not prove to be useful, kill him on the spot. Say it was commander's orders. Then go to track down Big Wing.

'Little Wing' is obviously Eden, and 'Big Wing' is Day. But the rest of the message . . . is frightful. The lab? Interrogate? Kill him on the spot?!
"I'm really, really sorry, Day," I say quietly. "I understand what you must have had to cope with, when I was in a coma."
For one moment, I realize how anxious and preoccupied Metias must have been, discovering the old Republic's traitorous lies, trying to keep me safe and happy while also trying not to get killed.
If Metias was here . . . if Metias was still alive . . . would he have approved of Anden's rule? What would he have done, if we had, for a moment, switched roles? If he was me, June Iparis, and I was him, Metias Iparis?
Day murmurs something quietly, and I realize that I haven't heard him. "Sorry?"
"Even John didn't have to cope with this much," he murmurs again.
Another fresh pang of guilt hits me when he murmurs John's name. Another death that I was, partly, responsible for. I am responsible for so many deaths. Metias's death - if only I had realized the truth sooner. If only I had read through my brother's journals sooner. John's death - I should have planned for Day's early execution. It was so forgetful of me, to realize that this is the Republic. Anything and everything is possible, with the Republic. Day's mom's death - if I had trusted Day, if I had realized the lies of the old Republic, I wouldn't have led Thomas and Commander Jameson right to Day's doorstop.
So many deaths . . . so many.
And now . . . if I don't succeed, Eden's death will be another death that I will lament over and blame myself for, again and again and again, for all eternity.
Why must my life be so sinned?
Suddenly, I feel Day's warm arms wrap around me, his hair tickling my ear and neck. He whispers into my ear, "Hey . . . hey, it's not your fault. It's mine."
I can't stop my tears anymore. They spill over my cheeks, pouring into my lap, splattering into a small pool like raindrops. "Day . . . I am so, so sorry for all that I've ever done wrong. I was so twisted then . . . so little . . ."
"Shh." Day puts a finger to my lips. He gives me another hug. "Everything will be alright. You hear me? Everything. And it's not your fault. None of it. Let's review the clues again, closely, and we'll try to make some sense out of it, yeah?"
I nod, swallowing hard. I feel so ashamed of myself, a tough Republic soldier breaking down in front of Day, sobbing like a little kid over a broken toy. "I'm fine now," I say, my voice calm and composed. I wipe the rest of my tears off my face. "Let's review. We have a Colonies medal and an absolutely horrid note." I splay them out in front of me, like options. "Eden's gone." I cast an apologetic look at Day, who doesn't show any reaction. I guess he's gotten used to Eden getting kidnapped, no matter how much he despises it. "It was probably a Colonies soldier who took Eden. And they're planning to bait you in. If Eden doesn't prove useful enough, they'll -" my voice shakes "- they'll kill him on the spot. Then they'll hunt you down."
"And what evil plan do you see in that?" Day asks me softly.
"You know me so well," I chide him, trying to lighten the mood. "So my point is, it's not Eden they want. It's you."
"Big surprise," Day laughs bitterly.
I spare a sour smile. "They want to hurt you in any way they can, whether physically or emotionally. So they kidnap Eden. They interrogate him, and they're probably going to make such a big fuss out of it, the news will fly over to the Republic's JumboTrons and come to your attention - which is exactly what they want. They want you to fly to Eden's rescue in a blind rage, walking straight into a trap in the process. What they want you for, I have absolutely no idea, but it's definitely true that they want you. Eden's more like a tool for them."
Day coughs. "Sometimes, I wish I don't attract so much attention."
I give him a playful shove. "You're hopeless."
Suddenly, both Day and I freeze. I hear a crackle coming over my earpiece - and obviously so is Day, since he's tapping his ear confusedly.
"June, do you -" he begins to ask, then he freezes in the middle of his sentence. I know exactly why. The same thing that is happening to Day is happening to me - a low, husky, gravelly voice is coming over my earpiece. It's a voice that I know well, from my years in the Senate.
"June Iparis. And Daniel Altan Wing. What a pleasure."
Rage boils up in me. It's undoubtedly the Colonies' Chancellor.
"What do you want from us, Chancellor?" I snap at him. My temper flares. "We're rather busy at the moment. If you want to sabotage and blackmail us, please do so later. We have unfinished business to take care of."
I curl my tongue to click it, and therefore click off my earpiece, and Day copies me, but the Chancellor's voice continues, as smoothly as ever. "Of course, Miss Iparis. Just this one little reminder before you go and . . . ah . . . finish your business."
His tone right now is not to my liking, and neither is it to Day's liking, because he snaps, "You could do with turning down the sarcasm a bit, Mister Chancellor."
An awkward silence. The Chancellor seems a bit more displeased than average, because he snaps back, "Of course, Mister Wing."

"Well, then? What is your reminder?" I snap at the Chancellor, growing more and more displeased. Every second that passes increases Eden's chances of being killed.
"You do realize that Mister Daniel Altan Wing's little brother is currently in custody -"
"Custody," Day snarls, his voice dark and dangerous. "What a delicate way to put it."
Then Day clicks his tongue, turning off his earpiece. I hastily follow him, and the Chancellor's voice dies to a stony silence in my ears.
"That was not polite," says the Chancellor's voice, from behind me.
I freeze, and turn. Only now do I realize that the Chancellor was not talking to us from our earpieces.

He was talking to us from behind.

DAY

I looked at the man above us,"Where did you take Eden?" My voice barely above whisper, June glared at the Chancellor so harshly, it would probably make any grown man scream.

Chancellor smirked, he slowly walked toward us. His clothes screamed money.

"Well, telling you would take the fun out of it wouldn't it?" A cold pair of eyes landed on me. "Your idiot of a brother put up quite a fight, had to knock him out in order to transfer h-" A certain brown haired girl expertly swung her feet under him, making the Chancellor land with a grunt. And at the same time she knocked the man unconscious with a broken table leg.

I stared at June, the girl who helped me out at any given time. Dang, I love that girl so goddy much. "What? He was getting on my nerves." She smiled sheepishly.

"You have to teach me how to do that, yeah?"

June rolled her eyes, "Maybe later, for now let's throw out the trash shall we?" I slung the Chancellor over my shoulder, and followed June to the kitchen, the former Republic soldier brought out a chair and ropes. Nodding, I roughly put down the Chancellor on the chair, stepping back so June can tie him up.

I looked at the knot, June so expertly tied it up I couldn't comprehend what I was seeing. Pleased, she grabbed a bucket and filled it up with water.

"Now let's see what the Chancellor has to say for himself, yeah?"

Writers block sucks.

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