Please comment and like this chapter - Let me know what you think!

The sound of another explosion skyrocketed. She looked behind her and saw the shadow of the droid that fired at them falling. Hyde emerged, taking a careful look at the scene.

He saw their bodies, and Harper full of tears, looking over them. A flashback of 10 years ago, a younger-looking Harper crying over another body was fighting to compare with the woman before him.

He masked any emotion. But hate filled him, and he tilted his sword. He was going to kill her. He walked over to her slowly with murderous intent.

She lured his worst enemy here and hurt him more than she ever could. He raised his blades, ready to slice off her head, but a force of energy knocked him back.

Harper gasped and crawled over to him. "Hyde!"

He tumbled onto his back and dropped his swords.

"Well, well, it's been a while, huh, hotshot?" Vesper cackled as he placed his finger over the trigger and aimed for Hyde. Harper placed herself in between, shielding him.

"How could you?" She hollered.

"What?" Vesper raised a brow.

"I told you to wait for me! We were supposed to form a plan! Why did you—"

"Gee, you talk so much." Vesper rolled his eyes. "Plans change. Get over it."

"You killed my friends!"

"Friends? These suckers?" Vesper gestured to Giada's body and laughed. "Come to your senses, sweetheart, your job is to find the boy. So move your pretty arse, and let me take care of the dastard."

"No!" Harper kept herself in front of him. "Hyde, run away!"

"Run where?" Hyde smirked and sat up. "Can't abandon potential two heads on one blade, that's a trophy."

"Oh! You think you're so funny," Vesper snorted, before flaring his nose, "You're not."

"That's news to me, punk," Hyde reached for his swords and they flew to his hands. Harper was stunned. She had never seen them do that before.

"I like a challenge." Vesper smiled wide. "Beat it, girlie. I won't apologize if you get hurt."

"You're gonna have to shoot me first!"

"That's no problem for me, my time is valuable," Vesper raised his pistol and pulled the trigger. A blue orb collided with her arm, and Harper fell to the ground, her body spazzing out as it was shocked. "Looks like I'll have to find the boy myself,"

Hyde reached down to check on her, but the man fired at him next. Rather than small pods used to stun, like Harper's, there were countless bullets.

Hyde dodged every one of them, but a few seconds in, he realized that the reason why they had such a strong knockback was because of Puron. The bullets were made of it. How?

Who exactly was this guy?

The shots fired became heavier, and it became enough that it was too fast for Hyde to avoid. It sent him flying far back. His head slammed into a wall, and he went unconscious.

Vesper hoisted Harper's body over his shoulder carelessly and disappeared into the rest of the dust. "Searching for the boy, now, Lee. You will acquire him very soon."

"Great Job. And Hyde?"

"Eliminated, as you wanted."

"Did you check...?" Bomb was skeptical. Hyde was known for making comebacks.

"He's out cold," Vesper smirked. "With the material I use, he won't last another day."

~~~

Harper's arms felt sore. When she opened her eyes, she wasn't expecting to see a dull white light glaring down at her.

She rolled onto her side and clenched her teeth in pain.

All the memories came pouring in. The droid's attack on Piccposto, her trying to help Giada and the others escape, and their bloodied lifeless bodies.

Harper sat up quickly. Instant regret washed over her when her forehead collided with a top bunk bed frame. "Owwww..." Harper groaned and massaged it gently.

She was connected to a heart monitor and IVs. However, her clothes were completely different. Someone changed her. She was back in a baggy shirt and a long skirt, clothes that she usually wore at the Facility.

The doors across the room opened, and in walked Dr. Bomb. He had a slight smile on his face. Worried, Harper spoke up about the attack.

"No worries, the boy has been taken into custody. You can rest easy, Harper."

Harper looked down, too ashamed to tell him that Yanpu was the least of her worries.

"Hyde has been taken care of as well."

"Taken care of?"

"He's dead."

Harper opened her mouth, shocked by such a statement. She felt a shiver. "Are you sure?"

There was just no way she could accept Hyde dying that easily, to anyone. He was extremely strong-willed. Unless his condition weakened him, it was impossible.

He could take the droids down easily. It wasn't true, was it?

"Our newest agent, Vesper, has confirmed it. He won't be crawling back to us. A good riddance."

Harper's fingers clasped the edge of the bed she sat on. She didn't know what to say or what to feel. She was still devastated by what she saw in Piccposto.

She tried, but she couldn't justify all the deaths because Bomb tried to search for Yanpu. She wanted to know what happened in the time she left to form a plan. Why did he send the droids without letting her know?

Bomb sauntered to Harper's right, taking no note of her puzzled expression. There was a compartment, a closet that he opened.

Harper realized this room wasn't a part of the Facility. "Where are we?"

"On an airship headed back to Westona." Bomb pulled out a lab coat from the closet and folded it over his arm. "We managed to complete our search with the help of a DTA. The grand Duke allowed us in, and that's how we were able to find you. It took a while. Itarians are very stubborn, and don't like to be questioned."

"A DTA? What's that?"

"Demand for Temporary Accordance," Bomb answered. "A peace treaty, a truce of some sort, which asks the leaders of other countries to step foot on their land to handle business. It lasts for a short while."

"I didn't know that Westona could do that," It seemed there was a lot that Harper didn't know. After she was taken away from Westona, all her prior education about Cryston went out the window, lost and never to be used again.

"All countries can if it is in dire need of some assistance. Itaria is not a part of the war. And fortunately for us, the Duke was very generous. He helped us a lot after listening to our plea."

Harper wanted to ask him why no one in the capital knew about places in other countries, and throughout Southern Westona with fresh air. Places where they could breathe without a mask, get sunlight, or actually see an existing tree and many plants.

Why was it that the capital was covered in heavy thick dark fog?

"Bomb—" She started but her head began to throb. She pinched her nose and leaned to the side.

"Easy, you still have to get some rest." Bomb chortled and handed her the lab coat. "Give it until tomorrow, you'll be up and running, ready for work."

"I'm fine, I have some questions,"

"Questions that could wait."

"No," Harper puffed and sat up. There was a small side table next to the bunk. Her abrupt movement knocked the contents on top of it on the floor.

Harper bent over to pick them up. One of the things was a picture frame. When she flipped it over to make sure the glass didn't break, it shocked her to see Yanpu and Bomb standing next to each other, smiling for the photo.

When did he take this? She'd never seen Bomb and Yanpu interact much. As far as she was concerned, Bomb was a mentor to Yanpu, whom he respected. Were they closer than she thought?

"Oh, the glass chipped a bit."

"Don't worry about it. That old thing needs to be replaced." Bomb shrugged.

"Old? How old is it?" Harper raised a brow. "I didn't know that you and Yanpu took this, it's kinda cute."

"That's because it isn't him." Bomb sighed.

"You're kidding right?" Harper snickered. It was obviously Yanpu. The smile, the long black hair, the bright look of curiosity, it was all there. Harper noticed something off.

The child in the photo had red eyes, not brown.

"It's not a joke," Bomb crossed his arms. "The airship is old. This room belonged to him. I thought the janitors would've cleaned out the rest of his things after he went haywire."

Haywire?

"Him, who, exactly?" Harper swallowed. He couldn't be talking about who she thought, right?

"Hyde," Bomb answered nonchalantly.

Harper's jaw dropped. She looked at the photo again. The little boy was an exact replica of Yanpu. She knew that Hyde and Yanpu looked alike, but this photo made it seem like they could've been clones.

It didn't make any sense. Servicemen weren't allowed to enter the Facility until they were 15 years of age. How did Bomb meet Hyde when he was so young?

"How do you know each other?"

"He was in my care for a while."

"In your care?" Harper questioned. "Did something happen to his parents?"

Bomb frowned, and avoided her gaze. His silence took over for a moment. Harper noticed that his fingers were drumming against his elbow like he was in deep thought.

"He was my son,"

The quiet was so thick that you could cut it with a knife. Harper felt her heartbeat slow down, and chills all over her arms. Harper thought carefully about her next words.

"Biological?"

"I've contributed my sperm to create him, so... that would be correct."

His words were abnormal. It was like he forced them out. It was an eerie way to describe your own child. "You Contributed your sperm? What?"

"Hyde was created by use of an egg, provided by a donor. I also provided my part, and he began to develop in an artificial womb."

No wonder Hyde went all sensitive when the topic of incubation came up. That explained a lot. Harper was baffled, and slightly disturbed by that fact.

"Why did you... I mean, what for?"

"He was supposed to be the start of a new era. A sinister dictator took over Krahagh almost 30 years ago, and Westona needed a new set of servicemen."

Bomb dropped his arms to his sides. "I was a rookie scientist, but I had research that I knew could work."

"Research?"

"Do you know what Westona's main issue is? Why do we suffer so much?"

She answered based on information she knew before she was taken. "Puron,"

"Exactly. That deadly mineral holds us back. It provides us with power, but can also be the end of us. So I thought, what would happen if our next generation of soldiers could take it and handle it without issues?"

"That..." Harper didn't have to continue. She knew it was an effective plan.

"Hyde was supposed to be one of the first servicemen with that privilege. Now this may sound unethical," Bomb explained, "We did it for a good cause, for our survival. So when Hyde was almost completely developed in the womb, we injected Puron into his blood."

"I knew about it, the research," Harper pouted. She did know, but not that the first study was on Hyde. This whole time, she thought it worked for Yanpu. "It could've killed him, and it was very dangerous."

"But it didn't," Bomb emphasized. "My hypothesis worked. Not only did the Puron merge with his blood cells, but he acquired powerful abilities. At an early age, he displayed strength, speed, and impeccable healing. He was like a gift from the overseers, in mortal form."

Bomb smiled, admiration written all over his face.

"I raised him, telling him he held so much potential. He grew up with the mind frame of wanting to protect everyone. He understood his duties. And he'd often joke about becoming the general over a new army full of servicemen with abilities like his. He was my special kid, and he made me proud,"

"But... What happened to him?"

If Hyde grew up with that kind of confidence, what happened? What prompted him to have such ill intent toward Bomb?

"I said before, no one knows, but when he came back from one mission, his abilities started to malfunction. We tested his blood, and found that the Puron in his body was starting to crystallize."

"You mean..."

"Yes," Bomb nodded, "Crystallization is the most deadly aspect when touching Puron. It kills almost immediately. But Hyde was a rare case. He was only stunted, not in a dire position. But I had to break the news to him that he was no longer qualified to help our cause. Not until we investigated why his body was rejecting the Puron."

That explained his condition. Harper had seen the scar. It didn't heal because of the crystals forming, merging with the blood cells in his body, and causing him to deteriorate. No doubt, he was in a lot of pain, if it wasn't killing him.

"He spiraled into a depression, and that soon became rage. A few days later, he decided to kill everyone involved with my research on him. He went crazy with no intention of settling down. He became bloodthirsty."

"All because you tried to figure out a way to help him?"

"Yes,"

Harper felt there was a missing piece to the puzzle. Hyde was angry with Bomb for no good reason. But why was he soft toward Arnest's family?

"Is Yanpu going to turn out the same way?"

"No, of course not." Bomb comforted her. "Yanpu is totally different as a person. He hasn't displayed any signs of strength yet."

"Actually," Harper bit her lip nervously. "Yanpu has abilities too. But I can't tell if Puron has the same reaction as it did with Hyde." She remembered a few nights before that Yanpu was able to control the crystals itself. He had touched them. There was no effect.

Bomb was stunned. He wished she had told him this detail beforehand, so he'd know how to handle it. "All because of Hyde, our plans were disrupted. But with him out of the way, we can move forward in saving our home."

He placed his hands in his pockets and grinned. "Thank you, Harper, for keeping him safe. You'll receive a bonus when we get back to the Facility."

"I have one more question," Harper added, "Yanpu looks just like Hyde... I don't think it's a coincidence."

"Yanpu is also my son," Bomb admitted. "Hyde and he are brothers. But unlike Hyde, Yanpu was injected with Puron the moment he was conceived and placed in the womb."

"Oh,"

"I had to come up with a new hypothesis. There's no use working on what didn't work before. Our country is at stake."

"You're right."

"I should let you get some rest. I look forward to seeing you continue Yanpu's daily routine in the morning."

Bomb opened the door and walked out, leaving Harper to let all the information sink in.

She still felt that something was missing.

After her travels, she understood that injecting Puron into fetuses wasn't the only solution to saving Westona. Itaria was a vibrant country, with fresh air, and their soil contained it. It was scattered all over the land.

Why didn't Westona have the same result? There had to be something bigger going on. And she was surprised that Bomb didn't give her any information on it.

Unless he believed that there was truly no other hope for Westona. If that were the case, her observations could help aid him with his research, so they wouldn't have to rely on Yanpu.

She didn't want him to grow up to be just like Hyde. Most likely, Hyde also felt pressured. That could've further damaged his mental health.

Harper stood up and put on her lab coat.

Now that she was left alone, she took a good look at the place. Hyde's old room was simple, yet homey. There were pictures of him, and his cohorts all over the walls.

In most of the photos, he was stoic, but there were some when the photographer caught him smiling. She felt drawn to them.

The room belonged to him and his roommate who was messing with his shorter hair in the frame. He looked exactly as she remembered, 10 years before.

Those red eyes were distinguished and stern but held a gentle feeling.

She let her curiosity get the best of her and started going through the drawers. His uniforms were there, as well as a small phone.

She picked it up and turned it. Did the phone belong to him?

It was an old model. Along with it was an apology letter. The letter was written to Hyde by another serviceman. It was brief, but the words were impactful.

"I don't have much time left." She read it softly. "I'm sorry I couldn't expose them in time. I'll never forgive myself for what I've done."

Harper flipped the paper over in confusion. Why would a serviceman write an apology to Hyde?

She pressed a button on the side, and the screen lit up. On the Lock Screen was a picture of the capital from a bird's eye angle. It was a pretty view.

There was no password, and she was able to unlock it easily. But the first thing that popped up was a short video clip.

Thinking nothing of it, she played it. It looked like a surveillance video. She identified the room immediately. It was the infirmary back at the Facility.

She saw a figure leaning against a wall and limping toward the door, and a loud groan. The figure seemed like he was in agony.

He collapsed on the ground, only propping himself up with his hands. There was a lot of grunting.

A moment later, Dr. Bomb walked in. The look on his face was cold, void of any sympathy. The man on the floor reached for Bomb's foot, trembling rapidly.

"Please... Bomb..." The voice coughed, and Harper acknowledged it. The voice was Hyde's. He sounded desperate and hoarse. "Please... help me..."

"Your results came in." Bomb side-stepped him. "I'm disappointed."

"It hurts..." Hyde grumbled.

"I'm sure it does. You were stupid enough to let this happen." Bomb seethed. "You should've protected yourself. What were you thinking? Taking a hit for someone? You're supposed to be a protector of our country! Sacrifices can be made!"

Bomb nudged Hyde aside with his foot, and he flopped over weakly. "18 years of research, down the drain! Do you realize what you've done?"

"I served and protected..." Hyde heaved. "Isn't that what you wanted? For me to protect the people?"

"No!" Bomb snarled. "Your blood was sacred! And you've defiled it!"

"Is there no antidote?"

Bomb laughed. "Who knows how long it'll take us to create a cure? There's not enough information and not enough time!"

"Please," Hyde begged.

Another man walked in. It was Westalias Wever, the President of Westona. It was shocking to see. Did Bomb have connections with him? Why was a government leader visiting the Facility?

"Why is he still here? Haven't you decided to get rid of him?" Westalias scoffed. "Is my declining health worthless to you?"

"No, sir." Bomb shook his head.

"We can always whip up another one of him in the lab. I pay you to do your job." Westalias coughed violently. "If we can create a temporary medicine with his blood, do it quickly. I can't afford another hospital visit."

"Yes sir, I am working on it." Bomb glowered at Hyde. When Westalias left, Bomb motioned over a serviceman. It looked like Hyde's roommate.

"Take care of him, and remove him from my sight."

"Bomb—" Hyde grabbed onto his pants.

"Unhand me!" Bomb kicked him away. "Worthless piece of shite! You're useless!"

Harper's heart wrenched at the scene. That was too cruel of him.

It all made sense now. When Hyde was created, it wasn't to create the next generation of servicemen or people who could adapt to their surroundings. It was to kill him and use his blood to create a cure for whatever illness the president had.

The phone screen cracked in Harper's hands. She didn't realize that she had gripped it so tightly.

The roommate walked over to Hyde and looked up at the camera. His face was apologetic. He raised a rifle up at Hyde.

"Please..." Hyde puffed. "Don't,"

"No hard feelings?" The serviceman pulled the trigger. Not once, but several times. Harper left the video and covered her eyes.

"No..." She whimpered. She didn't want to hear the gunshots.

A new wave of rage washed over her. How could anyone do that to their own son? To someone who trusted them, loved them, who made it their goal to protect them?

And the way Bomb spoke about Vesper eliminating Hyde. It was horrifying. His son was dead, and he felt no remorse.

Would that happen to Yanpu? Was that why Bomb always told her to keep her emotions in check?

Yanpu was like her son. She raised him and held him in her arms as an infant.

Yanpu wasn't 'special' at all. He was only going to be used for their sick and twisted scheme. Motherly instinct took over.

She needed to save her boy, her son. Her family.

But she couldn't do it now. She had to wait until the morning. In the meantime, she had to come up with a plan.

~~~