Shaw stood next to Elias in the small darkened room. The screen in front of them was cut into nine boxes, each was a different camera angle of the penthouse and its rooms. In the middle box, John was sat at the kitchen island drinking a glass of water. His posture was rigid and his eyes were sharp.

'If you want to get them executed, why not use this?' asked Shaw.

'This is off the record, a pet project of mine.'

'Why do you want to get them?'

'Why do you ask so many questions?'

Shaw nodded and muted her tongue. Elias focused in on John's face.

Harold woke next morning with a searing pain in his desk. He sat up and grimaced. He soothed his neck and right shoulder. He remembered their fight the previous night, he regretted it. The way he acted with John. This was all so new to the both of them and they were both still learning. Harold stood up and opened his wardrobe, he took out a crisp white shirt and put it on. He buttoned it up slowly thinking of how he was going to apologize to John. John had been right though, John was a soldier, he had seen things Harold couldn't even imagine. There was nothing Harold could do to break him. You can't break what's already broken, only fix it. Harold took out a dark grey tie and knotted it. He pulled on a waistcoat and buttoned it up. He opened his bedroom door.

John sat at the kitchen counter wearing black slacks and a grey t-shirt. Harold walked over to him, socked feet breezing on the hard floor. John must have heard him coming, John stood and turned around.

'Morning Mr Finch. Can I get you anything?' he asked deadpan.

Harold looked at him. 'Don't worry, I'll do it.' He walked into the kitchen and reached up for a glass. John stood behind him and reached over him. John filled up the glass and placed it on the counter for Harold. Harold looked at it.

'Thank you John.'

They sat down, Harold took a few tentative sips of water. 'I'm sorry about last night John.'

'No worries Mr Finch. I was wrong.'

'Why do you keep calling me Mr…?' His voice stopped as the answer dawned on him. 'John what have you done?'

'Cleared up Mr Finch. You have a meeting today at TyRon about manufacturing and resources.' John stood up to do the washing up.

'Sit down Reese.' Said Harold carefully, watching his every move. John sat. 'Look at me.'

John looked at Harold.

'You've taken it haven't you?'

'Yes Mr Finch.'

'Why?'

John's brow furrowed. 'Because… because… It's for the greater good.'

Those words chilled Harold to his core. Those were the words he used in his first speech after he got everyone to take TyRon: This is needed, for a future with no wars, no conflicts and no fighting. This is needed for the greater good of humanity. He pushed the thoughts away. Harold stood next to John, he kissed him harshly putting them off balance. They fell to the floor with a heavy thud, Harold held John close.

'I am so sorry for what I did last night. I should have told you the whole truth but I'm ashamed of it, of what I did. It was wrong. I was wrong. I stole children and experimented on them until we created a better human, they were stronger and faster but they died young. No one knew what we were doing.' Harold sniffed back the tears. 'I am so sorry John, I will never do that again. I promise. Just please come back.'

'We have work to do Mr Finch.'

John pushed himself up off the floor and held out a hand for Harold. Harold took it then walked into his bedroom. He sat on the edge of the bed, he took out a small black bag. Inside was a syringe filled with the emotionless creation he made. Harold rolled up his sleeve and dipped the needle into his soft flesh. He stopped. This was wrong, this was turning his back on his beliefs. He carefully took the needle out and put it back in the small bag. He leaned back on the bed and closed his eyes. His world had been steady for years. He didn't have any connection to anyone and it had worked, he kept up the appearance that he took the drug and it was easy. But he craved contact. Then he heard that the famous Larrelle John Reese was on trial for sense offence, he'd fallen for John at first sight. Harold smiled as he thought of John. Harold always knew that taking in John would be a gamble. But the benefits weighed out the cons, he knew that path wouldn't be smooth, he just hadn't seen this.

Elias looked up at the screen. Harold lay on his bed. Elias watched for every movement. He could see Harold struggling with the emotions running through his head. He had almost turned back to TyRon, almost. The door opening caught Elias's attention. John stood with his back to the camera. Elias tapped the audio on.

'Is anything the matter sir?'

Harold sat up and looked at John. 'No. Just neck pain.'

John nodded obediently and left the room.

Shaw re-entered the darkened room.

'Sir.' Elias turned to her. 'Offenders in the outland sir. Assistance required.'

'Thank you.' Shaw left the room. Elias turned back to the screen and laughed darkly. Assistance required. Elias walked out the room. Shaw was waiting outside, she walked next to Elias as they made their way through the vast corridors, Shaw had worked under Elias for a few years now, since he worked high up in the State Government, she saw herself as a State Assassin. Killing off those who went against the system. Her first kill had been a citizen who had ceased his dose. She stormed his house one night and killed his whole family. They didn't stand a chance against her. She was faster. Her next kills were in the outlands, a group of Offenders smuggling emotional content into the State. That night she met John Reese, the Larrelle sent in to help. They fought side by side. There was something she admired in him, they were so similar yet so different. As Elias and Shaw turned a corner into a car park, Shaw walked over to a large all terrain car and opened the backdoor. Elias climbed in. Shaw shut the door and climbed into the driver's seat.

The inside of the car was a clean white leather. Shaw stopped momentarily at the end of the slip road. She turned the corner onto the road that led to the State wall.

'Drive past Mr Finch's Shaw. We might need assistance with this.'

'Reese sir?'

'Yes.'

'I am better trained than Reese, I am stronger I am faster.'

Elias leaned forward and clipped Shaw's ear painfully. 'Reese is expendable. Drive.' Elias leaned back in his seat and looked out the window. Shaw drove the car to Harold's penthouse and pulled into the underground car park. She turned off the ignition and walked around the car and opened the door for Elias. He climbed out walked towards the elevator. Shaw stepped after him.

'Wait here. I won't be a minute.'

Shaw stood next to the car as the elevator doors blocked Elias from her sight. Elias waited patiently for the elevator to arrive at the top floor. He thought about what he'd seen. It would be so easily to uncover their secret but Harold would crush him. Elias was few people who knew what had really happened to Nathan. The elevator beeped and the doors opened. Elias walked out into the white walled and black floored hall. He knocked on the double doors. John opened them a few moments later.

John looked out at Elias stood in the hall. He realised that he was taller than Elias but thinner. Elias had the physical presence John lacked. John looked at him.

'One moment sir.'

Elias nodded and noted the glassy gaze in John's eyes – TyRon. John returned a few moments later with Harold behind him.

'Ah Mr Elias. To what do I owe the pleasure?'

'Raid in the outlands, I thought you might want to see your beautiful creation at work.' Elias shifted his eyes to John and back to Harold. 'We might need assistance and I thought it would be good for you to show your face again, to overlook the way things are done.'

'Of course. Let me grab my cane.'

Harold walked off back into the penthouse.

'Have you any weapons Reese?'

'Yes sir.'

'You will be needing them.'

Harold came back to the door wearing his coat, hat and with his cane in his hand. He passed John two large hand guns.

'I overheard your conversation.'

John nodded and put one gun in his ankle holster and the other in the back of his slacks. He held the door open for Harold. The elevator ride was uneventful. As soon as the doors opened at the bottom Shaw, climbed out the car and opened the backdoor for Elias.

'Want to take the same car?'

'No thanks. I get awful sickness. Reese shall drive me.'

Elias nodded courteously and Shaw closed the door. Shaw drove towards the entrance of the car park and waited for them. John opened the car door for Harold. He got in the driver's seat and drove behind Shaw and Elias. Harold looked at John with solemn eyes via the rear view mirror.

'John, if the rational part of you can hear me, please don't do anything stupid. It should start wearing off in a few hours.'

John didn't give a reply, his eyes flickered back to the road. They drove through the city in silence. Harold looked out the window, he had to be ready for John's comedown. It couldn't be public. He knew that John would remember all this but he would feel nothing, he didn't know how he'd feel once the drug was out of him. Harold knew he had a lot of apologizing to do. The State wall soon appeared in the distance.

The black forests lined the horizon. The morning sunlight dazed the grey grounds. The mist had lessened but it was still eerie. Elias had informed Harold that the raid was happening near an abandoned church. Harold knew exactly where the church was, and so did John. Harold guessed this was where John had run away to after he ceased his dose. He wouldn't have guessed that others also lived here, but it made sense really. Sense offenders often lived in packs – greater chance of survival and greater security. The church in the clearing appeared a head of them. It was surrounded by Larrelle's firing up at the roof, a few sense offenders fired back. John stopped the car and climbed out, he opened the door for Harold and helped him out. Harold stood next to Elias with John and Shaw just behind them. Elias leaned down and shouted near Harold's ear as a Larrelle jogged over.

'Mr Finch, this is Carter. Larrelle in Chief.'

'Hello.' Said Harold.

'Hello.' The female voice surprised Harold: female Larrelle's were very rare. 'We estimate maybe 50 underneath the church. Simple clean and sweep.'

Carter nodded to John and Shaw. Harold looked back at John and waved his hand. John and Shaw drew their runs and jogged towards the church. Carter nodded to Harold and Elias and too jogged back to the church. Harold and Elias watched as Shaw killed quickly and efficiently. Harold leaned closer to Elias.

'She's fast.'

'Yes, she'd one of the test subjects. Cost a lot, I brought her off the State a few years ago. She's served me well.'

The rapid gunfire died down. Shaw appeared behind them again. Elias smiled and walked back to his car.

'That's my girl.'

Harold watched as Shaw climbed into the driver's seat and drove away. Harold walked towards the church, leaning heavily on his cane. The Larrelles were walking back to the combat vehicles. Harold searched for John. He walked around the back of the church and into the first few lines of trees. He turned to his left and stopped dead in his tracks. Carter was kneeling above an injured offender. She was talking to him quietly, Harold could hear what she was saying, but the offender's eyes were glued on her. His body convulsed as his life dissipated. Carter thumped the ground in frustration. Harold turned to leave, his cane snapped a stick below him. He cursed. He turned around to see Carter pointing her gun directly at him.

'Don't move a muscle.'

'I can assure you Larrelle I won't but you might want to reconsider your planned actions.'

Carter stepped closer, her dark piercing eyes scanning his. She lowered her gun slightly.

'You're an offender.'

'As are you. Where's Reese?'

A Larrelle jumped out of the trees and pointed his gun at Carter and Harold.

'Get on the ground now!' he shouted.

Harold stood his ground, Carter sprung into action: swinging her leg around and kicking him in the knee and firing two shots into his neck. Harold looked at his slumped and broken body. He blinked and looked back at Carter, he took her arm.

'We have to go.'

'I haven't seen him. He takes TyRon by the way.'

'No he doesn't, only this once. We had a small disagreement.' Harold leaned closer and grabbed Carter's hand. She looked at the leather glove covering his hand. 'Come with me. I can keep you safe. Both John and I are offenders, it's not safe for you by yourself.'

'From what I've seen it's safer to be alone.'

John ran over to Harold and stood between him and Carter he held his gun at Carter.

'What are you doing?' he demanded.

'Reese, drop your gun.' Said Harold.

John looked at his Master and dropped his gun.

'Carter is coming back with us. She is safe.'

Harold walked back to the cars, Carter and John looked at each other then walked after him. John opened the car door for Harold. He opened the opposite door for Carter and she sat inside. John sat in the driver's seat and turned on the ignition.

'Be quick driving back Mr Reese.'

John nodded. Carter looked at Harold who gave her a piercing look.

'Keeping up appearances.'

Carter nodded and looked out the window. John groaned quietly, Harold leaned forward.

'Reese, listen to me. It's wearing off, just hold on till we get back to the penthouse.'

'Sir.' He grunted through gritted teeth.

John pulled the car into the underground car park and leaned heavily on the wheel. Carter opened her door and ran around to John's, she took out a small knife and made a cut on his stomach. She prodded it making it bleed. Harold stood behind her.

'In case anyone asks what's wrong with him.'

She hauled him out the car and put his arm around her shoulder. They walked over to the elevator.