Stephen Windsor, an engineering professor at Grandell University was sitting directly across from Rory. Decha remembered him. He was the guy who invented the bullet bus. He was also at the Generals Matchmaking Program a month ago.

Why were he and Risor both here? What was the reason the Professor had to tag along?

"You must excuse their manners, we're not used to having any visitors after the Border Collapse." Jessica placed some plates full of meat and veggies all around the table with the help of the maids.

"No worries," Risor smiled.

"We understand. Our visit was sudden. Generals are facing tense situations every day, so I'm sure these men have a good reason for acting this way." Windsor added to Risor's dismissal.

The entire dining room went silent. Mostly because Amir, Theodore, and Decha not taking his words too kindly.

"You have no idea how relieved I am to see you, Rory." Risor cleared his throat. "When Windsor and I found out that you were one of the refugees who got stuck in Astell after the Border's Collapse, we worried immensely."

"You're my best student," Windsor nodded in agreement.

"She is?" Amir scoffed.

"Of course. She's very bright and intelligent. She always brings a smile to the lab classes, and it's clear she's very passionate about her studies. There she goes," Windsor pointed at her,

Rory smiled and looked down at her plate shyly. His words were very comforting to her.

"I'm sure many other students are just as passionate as she is," Theodore grumbled.

"Theo..." Jessica sent him a glare. "Mind your words."

"It's okay, Mrs. Chen. The Director is right. All of my students are very passionate. But Rory for some reason... stands out."

"Because she's the only Bracketer in your class?" Amir stuffed a piece of Turkey in his mouth.

"Being a Bracketer doesn't make her stand out. It's her work ethic. Rory, you're very persistent. I always admired that about you. You don't give up as easily as others." Windsor began to eat but cleared his throat after chewing. "Classes have been canceled for a while now, but how have you been keeping up with everything?"

"Well I—" Rory started but Decha intervened.

"Maybe it's best not to talk about work or school while we eat?"

"Yes, but she's my student. I'm just asking because I want to know if there's anything I can do to help her retain the information she learns."

"Have you done that for the other students?"

"I don't see how it's any of your business," Windsor smiled. "Right now, I'm expressing my worry for Rory."

"I've been studying the material on my phone. When classes start again, I'll either be ahead or at the same pace as my classmates. So there's no need to worry." Rory stated, feeling the tension among everyone. "I want to thank you both for thinking of me though. It's reassuring to see you both are safe after all the chaos."

"You're Sweet." Risor hummed.

"Also, Dean Risor, I never got to apologize for my father's harsh words..."

"There's no need. All is forgiven. As long as you are willing to come back to study with us, we'll welcome you." Risor expressed gratefully.

"And I can't wait to see you again in class. Your projects always amaze me." Windsor drank some water from his glass. "Have you made any progress with that one AI?"

"Oh... um..." Rory bit her lip. Theodore and Decha kept their eyes on their plates, but they listened attentively. They knew he was talking about POYO. "Actually, I decided to scrap that idea..."

"Oh no, why?"

"I uh... it's a bit complicated. I think it wasn't meant to be. I'm not experienced with medical knowledge, and maybe I took on more than I can handle."

"That's a shame. Your little invention had the potential to be great. Astell needs emotional and mental support."

"This is coming from a man who made our buses go slightly faster than the ones we had before," Decha mumbled. "Not sure how that improves Astell's transportation when we already have pods."

"Excuse me?"

"You're excused," Decha muttered sarcastically.

"What is with you?" Jessica snapped at him.

"I think it's amusing that you find humor in my expressions of gratitude toward my student. Understandable. It's not easy for Astellians to see the potential of others, all they usually care about is themselves."

"Woah, what?" Amir coughed. "Did you forget that you're an Astellian or something? If I didn't know any better I'd think you were pretending that you're better than us."

Rory opened her mouth to attempt to say something to ease the tension, but Theodore jumped in.

"It's not easy to see potential when someone is constantly known for their flaws."

"Theo, are there any flaws of Rory that you have an issue with?" Jessica seethed.

"I wasn't talking about her," Theodore spat.

"Then WHO we're you talking about?"

"Windsor? Is it?" Decha spoke over everyone, and all the attention went back to him.

"Mr. Windsor, to you."

"Assumption is a trait that Astellians are well known for, and you seem to be displaying that quality too well."

"Decha, don't be rude..." Rory mumbled.

"It's not rude to tell the truth," Decha whispered back.

"Your inventions are life-saving, Rory. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise."

"I appreciate the compliment, but I'd rather not discuss school or any of my projects right now." Rory frowned. This seemed like a sensitive topic for everyone. She wasn't sure why, but she felt a heavy feeling in her chest.

She wasn't even sure why she was sitting at a dining table with all of them. It was quite overwhelming. There were too many prominent Astellian figures in the room. Maybe she was just anxious.

"I'm sorry to excuse myself, Jessica. I'm a bit... exhausted." Rory pushed her plate away from her. She only ate a few bites, but she lost her appetite the moment everyone started throwing hidden insults at each other.

"I'm sorry, it was a bit rude on our part to show up so unannounced." Risor stood as well, and Jessica shook her head.

"Not at all!"

"I think we should take our leave."

"I'll have the maids prepare a to-go plate for you."

"Do you have to do that?" Decha rolled his eyes.

"You know what? You're very Sweet, Mrs. Chen. But I don't need a plate. Dinner was very delicious." Windsor side-eyed Decha. "Rory, can I have a word with you in private before I go?"

"What? You can't say whatever it is in front of everyone?" Amir spat.

"I second that," Decha agreed with Amir.

Windsor took out a small wrapped box from his pocket and handed it to her in front of everyone. "It's just a reward for all your efforts. I guess everyone else is just ecstatic about it." He huffed.

Before Rory could take it, Decha snatched the package out of Windsor's hands, catching them both off guard. "I'll look it over for you."

"What?" Rory scowled.

"He knows our protocol." Decha nodded to Windsor. "He's not approved to do this."

"It's not recommended for an Astellian to give a Bracketer a gift so freely. After the Collapse of the Walls, all trade and exchanges between both Sectors were put on hold. The same applies here." Theodore confirmed.

"It's just a small envelope," Windsor snapped.

"It doesn't matter," Decha stated. "Weren't you heading out?"

"Let's go, Windsor, we've overstayed our welcome." Risor gestured. Windsor hesitated but followed Risor and the Butler out of the dining room.

"I'll be heading out too." Amir cleared his throat and shoved the rest of the food on his plate into his mouth.

"Wait a minute!" Jessica stood as everyone began to go their separate ways. She gestured at Rory to go after Decha. He had reached the staircase by the time Rory caught up to him.

"Decha, wait!" Rory followed him up the stairs. His pace was much faster than hers. Rory could feel his anger and frustration radiate off of him. She wondered if it was okay for her to bother him anymore for the day.

Was he angry with her? Is it because she didn't jump to his defense? She did feel stupid for not intervening sooner.

"Ow!" Rory bumped into Decha when he stopped in front of his bedroom door. He spun around quickly and narrowed his eyes at her.

"There are a few questions I need to ask you."

"Are you mad at me?" Rory frowned.

"What?"

"Don't take Professor Windsor's words to heart. I don't agree with him. You can see potential in others because you had faith in me." Rory wrapped her arms around him and pulled him into a warm embrace. "Don't be mad at me, okay?"

"I'm not mad at you, Rory."

"You're not?"

Decha chortled at her. "No. I'm more disappointed in Windsor and Risor. It has nothing to do with you." He pulled away from her.

"But... you took the gift..."

"I had to. There's not one Astellian who doesn't know the newly enforced rules." Decha twisted the envelope around to study it closer.

"But... you've given me gifts before."

"I live with you," Decha stated, and his words caused Rory to blush. He continued to fiddle with the envelope. "He's a guest. Any type of exchange from those outside of your residence is to be examined."

"Oh, okay." Rory smiled softly.

"Besides me, how many people in Astell do you know specifically?" Decha changed the topics, wanting to finish doing what he came home for.

"Oh, well uh... there's the Dean of Grandell... but you already knew that." Rory snorted. "All my professors, and my classmates... Oh! And Jax..."

Decha raised a brow at her.

"I meant... N9899... Why do you want to know?"

Decha opened the envelope and inspected the small card that was inside it. "I'm not supposed to tell you about the case, but your answer is really important. And it might even lead me to solve it."

"Really?" Rory gasped. "Let me think harder." Rory placed both hands on the sides of her head and began to rub her temples gently. Decha chuckled at her and handed Windsor's gift to her.

"Is that necessary?" Decha poked her in the nose.

"If it helps solve the bombing case, it absolutely is."

"You don't have to try so hard. That's my job." Decha placed the card in her hands. "You can read it now."

Rory pouted and read the card. It was of course typed by Windsor, wishing her the best in her studies and encouraging her to continue pursuing her dreams. She felt relief reading it.

Her emotion was evident by the way she grinned at it. Decha looked over her shoulder to peek.

"This is cute." Rory giggled. "He says: I look forward to watching you finish your last year at Grandell. Let's make it a massive celebration by going out with a boom."

She looked back up at Decha. "It feels good to know that there are several people here who support me. Especially you..."

The sound of soft beeping caught Decha's ear. Rory was talking, but Decha's attention wasn't on her. The ticking was very familiar, but not in a good way. Where was the sound coming from?

Decha snatched the card out of her hands and looked again. That's when he saw a tiny display on the corner of it with a countdown. It was almost too late when he realized.

"Decha?"

"Move!" Decha shouted and shoved Rory out of the way. He ran into his room and punched the window as hard as he could. The glass broke and Decha tossed the card outside.

A second later, the card went into flames before creating a massive explosion. The lights busted and all the furniture fell. Decha snagged onto Rory and threw himself on the floor to shield her from all the debris.

A thick cloud of black smoke engulfed them.

A scream was heard from outside his room. The house began to shake rapidly. The sounds of glass shattering and the walls rumbling were enough to make Rory feel sick. She felt like she was at the Borders collapse again.

Everything happened so fast. She went into shock.

Decha coughed and waved the smoke cloud away from them. "Rory..." He grunted and hovered over her body. "Rory..." He shook her shoulder.

Her eyes were stuck looking in one direction. It took a moment for her hearing to return.

"Rory, answer me," Decha's voice was laced with worry.

"Decha," Rory blinked at him. Both of their faces were covered in black dust, and so Rory began to wipe his cheeks with her sleeves. "Are you okay?" She groaned.

"Don't scare me like that," Decha caressed her cheek. He realized that her breathing was heavier than usual. That was a bad sign. He pushed himself up and observed the room. There wasn't as much damage in his room as he knew was going to be outside.

"Jessica... Avon..." Rory coughed. She tried to stand up, but she collapsed immediately. Then she began dry heaving.

"Don't move," Decha steadied her.

Rory's coughing got worse. Her head hung low as she tried to catch her breath. Her bad sensitivity was catching him quickly.

"Stay here," He commanded. His phone began to ring, and he immediately picked up, knowing that Amir was on the line. "We're fine, Amir," Decha coughed into his arm.

"Thank heavens!" Amir's voice chirped with relief. "Director Chen and Mrs. Chen are still inside! Avon is out here with me. The Butler brought him out."

Hearing that Avon was safe was a load off Decha's shoulders.

"I'm coming inside! Where is Rory?" Amir asked, genuinely worried for both Decha and her.

"She's—" Decha looked over his shoulder to check, but when he did his stomach sank. Rory was behind him, completely unconscious. "Shite!"

"Shite? What? What happened?" Amir urged.

"She's not breathing!" Decha dragged her body closer to him and began doing chest compressions. "Rory!"

"Where are you?" Amir hollered.

"First bedroom at the top of the staircase!" Decha hung up and started performing CPR on Rory. "Come on, Rory, don't do this!" He hovered over her and continued to press.

He placed his lips over hers and pinched her nostrils shut, trying his best to resuscitate her. There were no responses. At a certain point, he paused to check her pulse. She was still alive.

"Rory! Please," Decha cursed under his breath and did more chest compressions. Amir walked into the room and threw himself next to Decha.

"Theodore is calling the emergency shuttle."

"Go into the infirmary downstairs and bring an oxygen tank," Decha barked.

"You're arm is bleeding, Decha—"

"Go! NOW!" Decha snarled, very disoriented by the lack of response he was getting from Rory. Amir nodded and crawled back onto his feet and sprinted out of the bedroom.

"Rory, please..." Decha begged. He felt tears form in his eyes. He remembered all the pain he felt when he lost Chai. All the efforts it took for him to hold in his rage were failing him now. The thought of losing someone he loved again felt like he was getting run over by a bus.

"Please!" He tried one last time, and finally, Rory coughed and began to show a response. Decha felt one of his tear drops fall into her face as he sighed in relief. "Heavens, thank heavens," He sat her up and propped her against his dresser.

Amir rushed back into the room with a tank full of oxygen. "I found it— what the heck? Are you crying?"

"Give it here!" Decha demanded and motioned for him to hand the oxygen over. Amir did as told, and Decha placed the mask over Rory's mouth and nose quickly. His face was still soaked in tears, and the sight of it terrified Amir.

He'd never seen Decha cry before. The seriousness of the circumstance changed. Amir knew that Rory was so close to death from the look on Decha's face.

He decided not to bring it up. Decha was completely focused on Rory. Her recovery was his top priority. It took a few minutes, but Rory was able to breathe more steadily with the help of oxygen.

"The bomb—"

"I'm going to kill him," Decha spat in a hushed tone,

"Huh?" Amir blinked.

"It's Windsor," Decha exhaled. "Deliverance is Windsor,"

"I thought it was Risor,"

"No," Decha shook his head. "I can't believe I didn't see it before. The only Professor who treated Rory differently because of her wit. It all makes sense now,"

The pieces were finally coming together.

"I don't follow," Amir sweatdropped.

"At Grandell, he paid extra attention to Rory because of POYO. And now, POYO is in the hand of deliverance. The other day, Deliverance noted that the gloves she made for me and POYO's make had similar material. So he knew who she was,"

"But how does that explain—"

"Acting as an Astellian Professor is the perfect cover. No one would've suspected him. And it makes sense that we couldn't track him,"

"But Windsor doesn't work at Kilos,"

"He doesn't have to," Decha sneered. "Look into him. He talks a lot about the improvements of Astell with technology. We have to see if the bullet bus and trains are constructed by Kilos."

"Do you think he tried to kill Rory because he knew she was making tech for you?" Amir frowned.

"He wasn't after Rory," Decha huffed. "He was after me. He tried to get rid of me because I'm in his way. I'm in charge of the case, so without me, Deliverance is free to do whatever he pleases. He gave the envelope to Rory because he KNEW I was going to inspect it."

Decha gripped Rory's hand. "Track him down. I want all eyes on his every location."

Decha tucked his arm under Rory's legs and scooped her up bridal style. The oxygen tank was placed on top of her torso.

"Is she going to be okay?" Amir pointed at Rory.

"Call Jessica," Decha ordered.

"The shuttle will come for her—"

"She'll stay and get her treatment here. Just do what I said." Decha finished and brushed by Amir as he left his room. The more he thought about Windsor, the more everything came together. He was going to use it as fuel to hunt him down.

~~~

More than a Borderline should be receiving more updates in the coming weeks. I will post Previews on Wattpad, but to read the FULL thing will only be available on my Ko-Fi page.

Also! I enjoy reading your comments! I may not have time to reply, but I do enjoy seeing what you all think of this story. Thank you so much!