Sunlight streamed through the window, a gentle breeze flowing from the sliding glass door.

Vanille paced the room, grinding her teeth together. At least two days, she counted. Two days of pacing without scratching up the walls. She exhaled, resisting the urge to start gnawing on the furniture.

The only others awake at that hour with Vanille were Serah and Hope, who sat in the common room. Serah rested on the couch, a magazine on her lap. Her phone lay beside her, and she turned to glance at it every so often. Hope frowned, carefully chewing his bottom lip. He looked around the room, noticing a flat, black object on the wall. Hope narrowed his eyes, memories flickering in his mind.

"Television." Hope tested the word against his tongue.

Serah looked up from her magazine, and smiled. "Yeah. Do you want to watch?"

Hope looked over at Vanille. "It'll pass the time quicker, I think."

Serah reached for a remote, turning on the device.

Vanille froze, her gaze locked on the screen. She took a step forward, millions of colors and shapes streaming before her eyes. Vanille sat on the ground, entranced by the display.

Hope squinted at the screen, before glancing at Serah. "Does that hurt your eyes?"

Serah shook her head. "Does it bother you?"

"A little, but it's alright." Hope looked over at the floor. "Is that helping, Vanille?"

Vanille nodded, her eyes flicking back and forth, tracking the movement of each image.

Serah went back to reading her magazine, but she startled when her phone rang.

Noel strolled down the road, a newspaper under his arm. He sat down on a bench and pulled out his phone.

"Hello?"

Noel unfolded his paper, scanning the text. "Serah. He's here; but he brought company."

"Ok... Can you describe them?"

Noel's eyes flicked up, before returning to the paper.

"Just one person; heavy build, brown hair... Same uniform as your friend." Noel narrowed his eyes at the text. "His stance screams military."

Serah gave a quiet laugh. "That's Lieutenant Amodar. He's a friend too."

"Alright. Get everyone ready up there; I'm headed in."

Noel stuffed his phone back in his pocket, and folded the newspaper. He crossed the road, moving beside the duo.

"I'm here on behalf of a mutual friend." Noel kept his gaze on the street, hands in his pockets.

Amodar looked Noel over from the corner of his eye, and smiled. The trio started down the sidewalk without another word. Noel scanned the roads, doubling back once in a while to weed out any potential followers.

When they were within sight of the hotel, Noel broke the silence. "If you freak out at this, I won't think any less of you."

Sazh raised an eyebrow, and chuckled. "I've seen a lot of crazy stuff before, son."

Noel exhaled, and pushed through the front door. "You've never seen them." He walked up to an elevator, and pressed the button. "Just be prepared, alright?"

They entered the elevator, and Amodar leaned against the wall. "You could stand to be a little less vague..."

Noel frowned. "PSICOM, do you know of them?"

Sazh grit his teeth, and nodded.

Noel looked at the floor. "Long story short, Serah and I had our families stolen." He narrowed his eyes. "We found some of them, having already escaped with others."

Amodar tilted his head. "And PSICOM kidnapped them?"

Noel nodded, and the elevator came to a stop. "Just don't make any sudden moves in there, please." He stepped into the hallway, making his way towards a nearby door.

Noel knocked once, before unlocking it, and walking inside.

Serah smiled from the couch, gesturing for Sazh and Amodar to sit.

Sazh glanced at the bandage on Serah's leg. "That doesn't look good..." He sat down on the couch, Amodar beside him.

"It's healing, don't worry." Serah folded her hands together. "Thank you for coming so quickly."

Amodar smiled. "It's no problem, but I'm very curious about these friends of yours..." He looked up at Noel. "This young man said that they... 'Escaped' from PSICOM."

Serah nodded at Noel, who moved to open one of the doors.

"This is Hope," Serah said, "he came up with their escape plan."

Hope stepped out, his gaze swiveling back and forth. "Hello."

Not a sound was made, the room locked in silence.

After a long moment, Sazh slowly turned his head to look at Noel. "This easily tops the list..."

Hope gave a tiny laugh, his gaze on the floor.

One of the doors opened a inch or so. "Is it safe to come out, yet? Vanille's nearly out the window..."

Another voice cried out in protest. "I am not!"

Serah stifled a laugh. "Sure."

The door opened, and Fang strode into the room, Vanille close behind her.

Amodar moved a hand in front of his eyes, blinking in succession. "I don't remember taking anything..."

Fang opened her mouth a bit, revealing her teeth. "I'm just as real as you are, buddy."

Amodar chuckled, and Vanille hopped up on a spare couch, shifting her face to smile at the visitors. Snow pushed open his door, giving them a tiny wave.

Noel carried his laptop over, and sat beside Amodar. "Serah and I... acquired these files from PSICOM."

Sazh leaned over to look at the screen, his brow furrowing. Amodar narrowed his eyes at the pictures, scanning the text in between.

After a while, Sazh leaned back in his seat. "That's Lightning, isn't it?" He closed his eyes. "Is she here, too?"

Serah frowned, looking at her feet. "She stayed behind; bought time for them to escape."

Amodar looked over at Sazh, who nodded.

Amodar turned his gaze back to the group. "I believe I know just what to do..." He grinned. "Have any of you ever heard the name 'Cid Raines'?"

Serah tilted her head. "The politician?"

Noel sat up straight. "Of course. I wouldn't even be here if not for the Cavalry."

Amodar raised an eyebrow, and smiled. "Had you pegged for a soldier."

Noel smirked. "Likewise." He paused, drumming his fingers on the sofa. "You think Raines will help us?"

Amodar nodded. "I know Cid personally. If we go to him with this, he's bound to lend a hand."

Fang spoke up. "What exactly is this guy gonna do?" She clenched her fists. "I want to be there when this goes down, no matter how it happens."

"My guess..." Amodar paused. "The Cavalry would break down the doors, just as soon as they got a warrant."

Fang exhaled. "How long are we talking, here?"

Amodar shook his head. "One step at a time; first, I'll contact Cid and fill him in on the situation."

Fang hissed. "Do you understand what happened in there?" She stood, towering above the sofa. "What happens, in that place?"

"I don't claim to, Miss...?"

"Fang. Just Fang."

Amodar nodded. "I can see how painful it must have been, Fang." He gestured at the pictures, still displayed on Noel's laptop. "But there are certain steps that must be taken, or they might just get away with this..."

Fang snarled under her breath, but she gave a quick nod.

Amodar pulled out his phone, dialing a number.

Noel tilted his head. "Is that secure?"

Amodar nodded. "Hey, Cid..." He smiled. "You'll never guess who I just met."

Lightning drifted in and out of consciousness, her dreams melding in with the present.

How many days has it been, since...?

Lightning sighed, and closed her eyes. Her ears pricked, the sound of an argument drifting closer with every passing second.

"This is barbaric! He has no reason; nothing to benefit by having them-"

"This is out of my hands, Jihl."

"Bullshit! You can't just go along with his every whim, sometimes you need to say no!"

"Alright." There was a short silence. "No."

Lightning winced when a resounding crack echoed from outside.

"This... This is your only warning; never lay a hand on me again, or you will be relieved from the program..."

After a moment, a single pair of footsteps approached. The door swung open, the sudden brightness stinging Lightning's eyes.

Jihl stood in the center of the room, running a hand through her hair. "This is not of my doing."

Lightning could hear a group of footsteps approaching as well, and soon her container was rolled out of the room. She squinted against the light, struggling to orient herself through the winding corridors. Though she couldn't see Six, Lightning could hear him snarling from somewhere behind her, the metallic squeal of wheels rumbling against the floor.

They were soon pushed through a door, and her cage was pressed up against a wall. Lightning couldn't make out anything but metal against the mesh, but soon the wire was pulled away, and the ground shuddered.

Lightning narrowed her eyes, the wall folding away to reveal an empty room. She stepped out, her claws tapping against the metal floor. Lightning stood on her back legs, examining the area, but there wasn't much to show for it. The room was small, circular, with nothing but an opaque window on the second floor.

Lightning's ears swiveled, and she turned to see a section of the wall recede, a figure stepping out from the gap.

Six glanced around, his eyes locking on Lightning.

Lightning took a step to the side, lowering her stance.

Six let out a snarl, and he flexed his claws.

Lightning bore her teeth as Six started to circle her. His spikes bristled, and Six's mouth opened to reveal his double set of teeth.