Haha...school started. I'll try to update as soon as I can, but from now on, things are going to roll slower. Fail... Hehe...

"This...is the place Iki and I escaped to after the brawl we had with those three bullies...," I observed. The boxes that were previously placed in the room had disappeared. The space was void except for a couple of chairs and a table.

We were inside the Headquarters. Thanks to Utau, we'd managed to get through the sentinels without causing a scene.

"What a coincidence," Utau commented broodingly. "This place was supposed to be off-limits for everyone except the members who were involved in this incident."

I shook my head. "Maybe...I'm mistaken."

Utau shrugged. "Maybe...or maybe not. Follow me." She traversed along the planks and paused in front of the wall that faced the east. With the back of her hand facing the wall, she tapped twice. On the third try, her hand was sucked into the wall. She smiled. I merely stared; raising my eyebrows.

Grinning wryly, Utau questioned, "Not surprised anymore, huh, Amu?"

I lifted my shoulders upwards and replied, "Used to it, I guess."

Utau grabbed my wrist and pulled me in.

The first object I saw when I opened my eyes: an embryo. I shrieked in astonishment, but Utau quickly covered my mouth from behind. She whispered in my ears, "I thought you told me that you were used to these surprises."

She slowly slid her hand away from my mouth; her fingertips brushing my lips on the surface. I growled, "Even if someone is experienced in dealing with such situations, that...that's too much..." I pointed my finger at the encased embryo. It was an embryo alright, but the color of its skin was pitch black...definitely not something you'd expect to see in a storage room.

I moved my head from right to left in dismay. Voice high-pitched, I asked, "How...why...what are these?"

"Embryos, obviously. Quite self-explanatory, isn't it?" Utau murmured quietly.

We walked down the hallway in silence. The room had a eerie greenish glow around the ground. There were thousands of embryos, fetuses, zygotes, babies, and children confined in glass cases. All of them had something in common: their skin had rotten into a sickly brownish-black hue.

I turned my eyes from side to side; biting my lips with my teeth. A door that read "exit" lay on the other side of the hallway. Just a few more feet, Amu. Then, we can get out of here...we won't need to come back into this room anymore. Ten feet. Eight feet. Five feet. Two feet. A shiver swam across my spine. I froze in front of one of the displays. Utau also turned around when she sensed that I had ceased moving. "What is it? We need to move quickly. The high official's carriage is coming back in only a few hours. If we don't finish our job by then..." Utau stopped when she saw what I was looking at.

Ami. Without eyeballs. Her skin no longer peach, but black; contaminated.

I turned my head around to look at Utau. She stammered, "This...I can explain-"

I thrust my fingers into Utau's neck. I demanded, "This...Ami!"

Utau choked, "She's...dead...my...husband used her...to create those weapons..."

I released Utau from my grasp. She coughed and rubbed her neck tentatively with her fingers. I muttered, "What is this? A sick joke?"

Utau averted her eyes. Regaining her breath, she elucidated, "To create powerful bombs, the high official needed life...blood... Children are the best sacrifice...pure..." Utau abstained from saying any more. She looked sick.

I dazed off into a trance. A corner of my mind had, just a minute ago, perked up with hope. I couldn't help thinking that Ami was alive. With that hope now destroyed, it seemed like Ami's death had occurred all over again.

Ami...I miss you.

"Guards. They're standing in front of the doors to the control room. We need to get through them without causing any alarms...," Utau muttered, pressing down on her lips with her teeth. She backed off from the corner to face me.

I stared off into the distance; my eyes glazed over. Ami...Ami...Ami...where are you? I want to see you...

"Amu!" Utau shouted, waving her hands across my face. "You...were you listening?"

I broke out of my daydream and slapped Utau's hand away. "I...was. Stop touching me with those hands."

Utau gazed at me, dismayed. She offered, "If you want to go back, you can. It's not too late."

I paused. I parted my lips, but firmly closed them again. Shaking my head, I replied, "No. I'll stay. I want to help you."

Utau raised her eyebrows.

I reassured, "Don't worry. I'm doing this for myself, my friends, and Iki. Not for you. If we both get out of here alive, we're going separate ways. Just keep that in mind."

Utau nodded her head slowly. "I know." After a moment, she continued, "For now, let's just focus on getting into the control room. First, we need to devise a mean of diversion..." Utau caressed her chin; looking pensive.

Just then, rather spontaneously, alarms began to echo across the hallway. I stared at Utau skeptically. She stared back; scrunching her eyebrows together. She murmured, "We didn't do anything, yet...why...?"

The guards that stood leisurely at the doors fluttered their eyes open. An announcement broadcasted through the intercoms: Attention. Attention, guards. We have an emergency situation. I repeat. An emergency situation. All members on duty shall immediately head to the main building of the Department of Nuclear Weapons. The "object" is in danger of exploding. The "object" is in danger of exploding. All members on duty shall immediately head to the main building of the Department of Nuclear Weapons...

The sentinels quickly pressed a button. Bars came down and blocked the double doors that lead to the control room. They drew their weapons and raced away to the right. I heard Utau let out a sigh of relief.

I swung my head to face Utau. I questioned, "Is this your plan...or is it...-"

"Mine." The voice sounded slightly peevish and smug at the same time. We both turned our bodies around towards the sound. We came face to face with a familiar countenance. Iki. Utau arched her eyebrows. I exclaimed, "Iki! You're not supposed to be here!"

Iki wrinkled his nose in disgust. "As frank as always. Shouldn't you be thanking me instead? I set off that false alarm, you know." Iki crossed his arms together.

I frowned. "How...?"

Iki shrugged. "Those higher-ups are idiots. I eavesdropped on their "majestic plans" while I was with you in the army base. They always leave their windows open. I lit a small fire near the place where all the nuclear bombs are supposedly stored at. Smart, right?" Iki boasted.

I shook my head. "You're simply amazing."

"I kno-"

Utau grabbed Iki's right arm and interrupted, "Ikuto! You know you're not supposed to be here. Go back to where you came from! Right now. This is a direct order from your sister."

Iki shook his hand away from Utau. He bursted, "Why do you always exclude me? I deserve to know. I want to help you, too!"

Utau turned her head from left to right. "You don't understand-"

"Maybe you should give him a chance, Utau," I inserted. Utau turned her body around, taken aback. "What do you mean? You know how danger-"

"Yes. I know. But, Iki...I mean Ikuto isn't a baby anymore. He can take care of himself. I saw him handle a knife back at the army base. He was even more capable than me! Please, Utau. Put some faith in your brother." Utau gazed at me. I gave her a hard glare. She shifted her neck to face Iki. For about a minute, the two siblings stared into each other's eyes unblinkingly.

Finally, sighing, Utau allowed, "You can stay, Ikuto." Iki's expression changed into a grin. "But," Utau continued, "you will always act under my directions. You will never, in any given scenario, go off on your own. Do you understand?"

Ikuto nodded his head in assent. Utau announced, "Now, let's figure out how to decipher the system's security system." Utau faced the iron bars across from her.

Iki and I undulated our heads. He whispered, catching me off guard, "When are you going to admit I'm not a kid anymore?"

"This way's not working either," Utau muttered in dismay.

I slowly slid my fingers down the bars, biting my lips. Iki stood at a distance, his arms crossed across his chest.

Approximately fifteen minutes had gone by since the guards had left their posts. I shook my head and cautioned, "They're going to be back in any minute. We need to break these barriers. Now."

Utau turned her head from side to side. Her stare was blank. She murmured, "I don't get it. It should've opened the first time I tried. I overheard the high official's conversation with one of his colleagues...I know...I had this figured out..."

I swung my head over towards Utau. I questioned, "Wait, what did you overhear?"

She cocked her head to the right and replied, "The way to get into this place...the location...the passwords...the codes..."

"You used that information to get all the way in here, correct?"

Utau nodded her head. "Yes."

I shook my head. Something was wrong. Why would the high official give an incorrect report to one of his co-workers? Furthermore, why would he falsify only a portion of the information? There was only one conceivable reason for such an action...

I grabbed Iki's fingers. He looked up in surprise. "What are you doing?" Utau's eyes met mine. She seemed befuddled.

"We're leaving this place. It's not safe to-"

A voice, coarse and deep, interrupted, "It's too late, sweetheart. Utau and Amu...it's such a pleasure to see you again!"

The figure in front of us was clad in a brown jacket. His shaggy hair fell down to his shoulders. He had evidently spent a lot of his time engrossed in his work. The person's face was pale; almost feeble. A gun was lodged on his side.

These details, though I perceived, wasn't where my attention was directed. His eyes. White. Blank.

The high official himself was standing barely five meters away from us. Next to him stood the man I'd met at the army base after my lesson with Iki. His white beard seemed to be even longer today.

"Ah, what a coincidence. Meeting you three in such a place," the high official smiled, waving his hands as if he were singing "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star".

I glanced at Utau. Her expression was blank. Yet, her hands were moving. No. Shaking. Yes. They were trembling.

The high official sighed. "Too naive, Utau. You've been tricked again. Did you really think I'd gone on a business trip overseas during such a delicate time?"

Utau began, "You-"

"I know you've been observing me recently. Coveting the right time to strike for revenge. Guess what? It's impossible. You'll never be able to lay a finger on me until you die. No. Even after you die. Always right under my grasp. Forever searching for an exit that doesn't exist," the high official chuckled, smacking his lips together in satisfaction.

"I...don't want to...no...please don't do this to me! I-" Utau fell onto the ground; her hands were gripping her hair. She screamed and kicked like a four year old. Iki shot down next to her. He burst out, "Utau? What's wrong?"

"Sweetie, she's gone crazy. That's what. Really. That was her limit. She can't take it anymore. Even sane people reach a point where they can't stand being sane. Just let her be," the high official explained drolly, swinging his hand in the air in dismissal.

I took a step towards the high official. The distance between us shrunk to about four and a half meters. I demanded, "What's your objective? Why are you doing this Utau? No, to everyone?"

"Why, you ask?" The high official pointed his chin at the man next to him. "Explain, Head of the Science Department." I took another step towards the high official.

The scientist continued to stare into the space in front of him. The high official reiterated, "Explain, please."

The man blinked and turned his head towards the high official. He nodded. The scientist nodded back and opened his mouth very slowly. His movements almost seemed robotic: lifeless and languid.

"We first invented the bombs ten years ago. Back then, they were only powerful enough to kill a couple hundred people. It wasn't enough to dominate the world. We, the Department of Scientific Intellectual Advances, however, discovered a way to intensify the bomb's effect. Humans, as we all know, possess energy. One human, of course, isn't sufficient. We killed lots of people with bombs...so awesome...magnificent...every time the bomb's power would increase...so much...in only ten days...we can...we can...now...finally...aospdifhjpasoidhf..."

The scientist began to laugh maniacally. The high official coughed. The laugh changed into a hiccup.

"Thank you, Head of the Science Department...for such an...organized, elaborate speech," the high official declared; his tone slightly sardonic. I continued to advance towards him. Just a little bit at a time... I slipped my hand inside my right pocket.

Iki shot, "Why are you telling us this? If this information gets out to the public..."

The high official shook his head and smiled in glee. "That's the point! You'll all die before you'd be able to convey this information to the public! What a wonderful evening of fun! Don't you agree?"

I pranced on the high official and pointed the tip of my knife against his neck. I commanded, "Stay still."

The high official raised his hands up in the air. I was already having a hard time controlling my hands. My nervous system was malfunctioning. I gathered myself and shouted, "You! Head of the Science Department!" The scientist's body jerked up. "Disable the system. Now."

The scientist quickly ran to a machine next to the gates. He furiously typed something with his fingers. Perspiration formed between the knife's handle and my palm. The high official's breathing was hollow; his heartbeat was slow.

After what seemed like hours, the scientist shook his head ardently from left to right. "No voice...need voice...high official!"

I stared at the body below me. The high official's expression changed into a huge grin. "Look who gets the last laugh...you'll never be able to enter without my voice...and the right words."

I crushed my hands down on the high official's neck. "Say it. Right this instant." The high officials eyes rolled up. He merely laughed at me; his voice raspy. I engraved my eyes upon the official's. His eyes were white. Not the snowy, creamy white you see in milk or snow. The kind you see on attic walls...tainted yellow and archaic. Full of cataracts and mist.

Without turning around, I shouted, "You." I put an emphasis on the word; of course, referring to the Head of the Science Department. The answer I received was a languorous, meek response, "Ye-sss?"

I demanded, "We can't get into the control room without the help of this guy, correct?"

The scientist repeated, "Ye-sss..."

"Then," I continued, "can we possibly change the password itself? Wreck this system and create a completely new one?"

The high official's breathing ceased momentarily. The scientist remained silent for a minute. After, he replied, "Yes.s.s..."

"Alright. We're doing that. Eradicate everything. Let's start anew," I announced. My voice was shaking. Can I...really change this world? Mom...dad...Ami...I'm so close...

The sound of fingers skittering across the keyboard echoed across the hallway. Everything was silent. Nobody uttered a word. Even Utau had calmed down. She lay limp on the floor in front of me.

When the scientist's voice broke the silence, I shuddered at its spontaneous nature. The scientist inserted, "We need...a new...code..."

"I'll do it," Iki stood up from Utau's side. Although his voice was firm and determined, his hands were trembling against his trousers.

I shook my head. "No, Iki. I'll do this. It's just recording my voice. Nothing bad will come out of it."

"Yo-u...will...do it?" the scientist questioned; his voice turning high-pitched on the last syllable of the sentence. I curtly nodded my head. Quickly...I was losing my grip on the high official.

More typing. Then, a pause. The scientist whispered almost inaudibly, "R-e-c-o-r-d..."

I took a sharp breath in...what did I want to say? I... Closing my eyes, I poured my heart out into one phrase. "The End."

"NOOOO!" In a sudden flash of movement, the high official jerked away from me; throwing me all the way to where the scientist stood typing furiously. The knife in my hands skittered across the floor with a series of "clangs". "Amu!" Iki called from at least a few meters away...

My brain throbbed inside my head. Even though I was aware of what was going on around me, every object in motion and stillness seemed surreal. Was I...dreaming? A figure...in front...is that Utau? A scream pierced through the air. My senses came back into my body. In front of me, Utau was lying on her back and her lower hip was cleaved clean through with a knife. The implement stuck hanging in Utau's body. An excess amount of blood was seeping through her clothes; dribbling slowly on the ground.

Judging from the high official's position, he was aiming for...me. Why did...why did...Utau get in the way? The silence loomed once again upon the five of us. However, this time, the atmosphere wasn't quick nor exciting. It smelled of blood. Iron. Death. The high official, using this hiatus as an opportunity, scrambled down the opposite hallway; far away from the scene. The scientist fell down on his knees and closed his eyes. His forehead smashed into the cement with a large crack.

"Utau!" Iki ran to his sister's side. I followed suit. I stared long and hard into Utau's gash. The blood flow was constant; never pausing to rest. Utau's face was already lackluster. I glanced at Iki. His eyes were dry. He seemed to be experiencing a lag. His mouth was open, but no words were expressed.

"Utau...why...?" I half pleaded and half asked. Utau shook her head and grasped Iki's hands in hers. She muttered cautiously, "Ikuto, don't ever live like me. Please... I'm...sorry...so sorry for being your sister...I ruined everything in your life..." Iki stayed silent and merely stared into his sister's eyes.

Utau turned her eyes towards me with much endeavor. She requested, "Take care of Ikuto for me. Finish...end this...get this over with!"

"I...I will."

Utau coughed violently. Her voice raspy, she went on, "I don't believe we were born to abhor and hate each other. Amu, the next time we meet, let's...meet in a world without this...without all of this..."

I hated her. I hated her so much, yet...the way she uttered the words...

Utau caressed Iki's cheek, whispered something into his ear, and her hand went slack. Iki and I stared into space; unwilling to move. Finally, I, clutching Iki's wrist, commanded, "We need to go, Iki."

But before that could happen, the speakers from above screeched out a broadcast. It was a voice known all too well: Hinamori Amu. Hinamori Amu. Are you listening? Turn yourself in. If I were you, I'd make it fast. Your friends' lives depend upon your decision. If you decide to come to my office by the end of tomorrow, I will acquit you of your sins and wrongdoings. If you don't, you will regret the consequences. I hereby repeat. If you don't, you will regret the consequences. If you don't, you will regret the consequences...

I wiped my face on my shirt. It was over. Game over.

Iki grabbed my sleeve. My body jerked up at his touch.

"Don't go, Amu. Promise me."

I stared into Iki's eyes. They shone like the surface of the sea reflected by sunlight.

"Yes, Iki. I'll never leave you alone. I'll protect you."

Holy! That must be a record! What a long chapter! Guys, I apologize for the late update and any potential grammatical errors. It was the climatic chapter, school work prevented me from working on this everyday, etc. The next chapter will be up around Thanksgiving, so look forward to that! Haha...so, how did you guys like the new development? Shocking? Probably. Want to stop reading? Maybe. If you guys got through this, you should probably be fine from now on though. You're going to regret it if you stop now! *hint* *hint* Anyhow, thanks for your patience. Really. It was an awfully long time! Hope you enjoyed the chapter! If you have any questions PM me! Please review! Flames are welcomed.