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Harper placed an oxygen mask over her mouth and nose. She was about to help Yanpu secure his, but Hyde's hand stopped her from doing so.

"He doesn't need it."

"What?" Harper blinked and snatched her hand away. "Don't be ridiculous! If we go out there, no one can survive long without it!"

"Maybe you can't." Hyde glanced at Yanpu and his lips twisted into a bitter frown. "Our blood contains the same contents as the fumes in the air. Give the mask to Arnest."

"But..." Harper furrowed her eyebrows at Yanpu. She was beyond apprehensive of Hyde's suggestion. "You promised you wouldn't hurt him. Just as long as I do what you say, right? I'm going with you. I'm cooperating. Please don't do this to me,"

Hyde snatched the extra mask out of Harper's hands, and she shrieked. "Hyde! Please!"

Hyde tossed the mask to Arnest, who quickly covered his face with it. Then he slammed his fist onto a large button, and the garage door began to open.

Harper panicked and reached to take off her mask. She wanted to protect Yanpu from the toxic air by sacrificing her oxygen supply. But Hyde slung his arm over her shoulders and began to drag her out.

"No! Yanpu!" Harper screeched. "Hyde! Please!"

"Get inside." Hyde dragged her over to a black sedan and opened the back door.

"Yanpu! Yani!!" Harper wriggled as much as she could. Despite her attempts to resist, he was much stronger. He shoved her into the car.

"Look." He tried to get her attention.

"He won't survive without a mask! You monster! You crazy psycho!"

"LOOK!" Hyde spat ferociously, and Harper stopped moving. Hyde grabbed her jaw and forced her to look at the boy.

Yanpu was being led by the hand toward the sedan. It didn't seem like he was struggling without the oxygen mask. He appeared to be completely fine without it. How was it possible?

She had never seen anyone without a mask before. Yanpu truly was a miracle child. But... What about Hyde? How was he able to function without one?

Hyde released her harshly, and the back of her head smacked against the seat. "Do that again, and you're done."

"I... don't understand."

"Is it so difficult for you to do what you're told?" Hyde snapped.

"Are you..." Harper's eyes widened at him. "How are you breathing...?"

She raised her hand. Her fingers hovered over his jawline. She was surprised at the phenomenon. The discovery was enough to earn her a large bonus at the lab.

Hyde's eyes glowed when one of her fingers touched his skin. On impulse, he slapped her hand away.

Hyde pushed her feet inside and slammed the door shut.

"Careful! I just fixed these windows!" Arnest's voice was laced with worry as he secured Yanpu next to Harper.

"How long does the ride there take?"

"For the proper equipment? The nearest town is a few hours away. But if we were headed straight to the wastelands, 6 days. That doesn't count the time to stop to change the car's power supply. We may not find the tools we need right away. It could take us a month just to make that special purchase."

"We need to be out of Westona in 2 weeks."

"Then we'll have to plan wisely. If Little Miss Vixen here doesn't play any tricks, we may be able to make it back to the ship."

"If she wants to keep her arm, she'll give me no problems." Hyde gritted his teeth. "Focus on yourself. Don't jump ahead and do anything without my say-so. Stupidity isn't something I can afford."

"I won't."

Hyde opened the door to the passenger side and sat inside.

Arnest placed himself on the driver's side and pressed his hand in the center of the steering wheel. A green light inside of the car scanned his hands.

The ignition started. Harper was stunned. Most cars in Westona were powered by Puron crystal to work as a battery. It was the kick that aided it to move. But this car came with extra built-in tech.

It could start without Puron, and there was no special compartment for the crystals to go in. At least, none that she could see.

Just what was this vehicle? Who constructed it? Where did the scanners and technology come from? Certainly not of or from any Engineers from Westona!

Arnest pulled out of the alleyway and into the main road. They rode for about 30 minutes before they reached the first clearance checkpoint.

Every checkpoint was a small station full of soldiers who worked for the President. They were scattered in many areas of Westona, to keep residents and workers in, and everyone else out.

It was a safety measure to keep Westona's Science Facility and the City Hall's database secure.

Harper watched the men in lab coats passing clipboards to some of the soldiers. She hoped that any of them would see her. She wanted to be saved. But they didn't.

The car drove right by them as if they were invisible. Her mouth went agape. She turned her body around to look out the back window.

They didn't even stop them. What was that? The censor didn't even go off. As the soldiers faded to small specks because of the distance, she finally turned to face the front.

In the rearview mirror, she caught Hyde smirking at her devilishly. He reached up to the dashboard and flicked a switch. A wave went over the car, and Harper realized.

They were invisible. No wonder the soldiers didn't see them.

"Don't look so shocked," Hyde crossed his arms. "No one will come and save you."

Harper inhaled deeply, trying her best to calm her nerves. But it wasn't working.

"No one will dare come for you while you're under my supervision." Hyde scoffed.

"I hate you," Harper mumbled. She was trying her best to hold it together for Yanpu. She forced herself to be strong for him.

"You're one of many." Hyde shrugged. "I never keep count."

Harper wiped her face before Yanpu could see the tears fall. She replaced her frown with a smile and brushed the boy's shoulders gently. She wanted to reassure him.

"Everything will be okay." She whispered to him, before pulling him closer to her chest. "We'll be okay."

~~~

About three hours went by and Arnest pulled the car to a stop.

They were in a small city of brick buildings lined neatly across from each other. The cars were parked in angles, but they were clean and tucked in their proper spots. The dim neon lights illuminated the stone street enough to know where to walk.

All the windows of the town were tinted except for a few shops and one restaurant at the far end of where they were parked.

Harper was fast asleep. When Hyde swiped open her door, she jumped out of her slumber. Her vision was still blurry from sleep, but she barely had the chance to rub her eyes to clear it.

Hyde dragged her out of her seat.

"Ow!" Harper winced. "It hurts!"

"Then walk." Hyde retorted and shoved her ahead before slamming the door closed.

Harper rubbed her eyes and got a better glance at the area. She had never been this far out of the capital before. It must've been the outskirts.

Harper followed after Arnest and Yanpu. Hyde wasn't too far behind. As she walked down the street, she got a good glimpse of the loiterers standing around the buildings.

Their skin was covered in grime, and they wore ripped clothing. A large dog pounced in front of her and started to bark. Harper screamed and jumped into Hyde.

"What are you doing?" He hissed at her.

"The d-dog!" Harper puffed and gripped onto his arm.

"It's just a mutt. Release me." He shook her hand off of him and kept walking.

"H-Hyde!" Harper rushed after him, nearly tripping as the dog snarled at her. Harper was terrified of dogs. It didn't help her case that this one in particular was vicious.

She stuck to Hyde's side like glue as they neared the restaurant. A woman with revealing clothing welcomed them inside.

Her red top was so low that it showed a hefty amount of cleavage. Her black biker shorts were high-waisted but barely covered her thighs.

Harper covered Yanpu's eyes. The restaurant was designed like a bar. She shot a dirty look at Hyde, but he paid no mind. He was so inconsiderate.

What kind of barbarian brings a child to a place where the women are barely clothed!?

This beast and his minion of course.

"Harper..."

"Huh? Yeah, Yani?"

"What's that?" Yanpu pointed at an image on the wall. Harper gasped and turned the boy around. The walls were decorated with tons of naked women. It was no wonder why this place was filled to the brim with men.

"Are you hungry, Yani?"

Yanpu nodded.

"Hyde..."

He was in the middle of a conversation with the hostess. Arnest wasn't paying any attention to her either.

"Follow me." The woman fluttered her eyes at Hyde, before gesturing ahead. Arnest was the first to take a step.

Harper and Yanpu followed after Hyde. When they arrived at their table, the woman placed menus down. "What drinks can I start you handsome men with?"

"Beer," Arnest spoke first. "For both of us."

"You can't drink. You're driving." Harper pouted.

"I don't remember asking you, wench." Arnest raised his hand at her, and she flinched. "Two large beers."

"Make it three." Hyde stared at Harper. "I'm feeling generous today."

"Bullshite." Harper spat, knowing that he was mocking her. "I want water. I don't drink."

"Alright, so two large beers and one water?"

"Two waters." Harper gestured to Yanpu.

"I'll be back with your beverages." She nodded at Harper, before winking at both Arnest and Hyde. When she left, Harper looked at the menu.

There was a long list of dishes with a very high price next to each one. There were so many appetizers and full meals for her to choose from. The pictures made her stomach growl.

They all looked very satisfying.

"Yani," Harper brushed her hand against his head and smiled. "Do you see anything you'd like?"

Yanpu pointed at a picture of a loaded burger full of cheese and onions. Harper never would've guessed. "You have quite the appetite for such a small boy."

Hyde gagged at her.

"Do you have a problem?" Harper mumbled under her breath.

"My problem is that you're still alive." Arnest snorted. "Honestly, Hyde should've ended you at the facility."

"I wasn't talking to you."

"Too bad. I heard you. You got an answer."

Harper groaned and swerved around so the side of her head was facing the men. She decided to only pay attention to Yanpu for the rest of the day.

What had she done for them to be so hostile toward her?

Nothing. Absolutely nothing. She prayed to the Overseers that Dr. Bomb would find her soon. She didn't know what Hyde's plan was, but it couldn't be any good.

Why had he infiltrated the facility to take Yanpu? What did Yanpu have to do with his plans?

"Take off your mask. Everyone's looking at you weird." Hyde snatched the oxygen mask off of her face and set it down on the table.

"What? If they look at me weird, you think they'll recognize me and call the Patrols?"

Hyde laughed. "You're not special. I doubt anyone here would know who you are." He leaned close to her. "And if they did, I'd just kill them."

"You'd kill anyone."

"Now you're getting it."

"Ugh." Harper rolled her eyes.

The hostess came back with a tray full of drinks. She set two glasses of water in front of Harper and Yanpu, and two large glasses of beer in front of the men.

Harper bit her lip nervously when she saw how much alcohol Arnest had planned on drinking. How was he going to drive after all of that?

"Are you ready to order?"

Hyde snatched the menus from everyone and handed them back to the woman. "Two T-bone steaks with the regular sides."

"Extra potatoes on my plate, please." Arnest voiced.

"Two grilled cheese sandwiches for these two." Hyde pointed at Yanpu and Harper, who frowned.

"Wait. That's not fair." Harper couldn't say she was surprised. He was ordering a large meal for his minion but handing the scraps to her and Yanpu.

"Fair is getting what you deserve, not getting the same thing as others." Hyde turned back to the woman. "That's all."

Harper took another deep breath. She reminded herself to cooperate for the time being. Very soon, Dr. Bomb and the servicemen from the facility would find her and Yanpu. She just needed to leave a trace.

Harper looked up and around. Were there any cameras around? If she could just be seen on a camera, that would be more than enough.

The Westonan government had access to all cameras, even outside of the capital.

The sound of Arnest's chugging brought Harper out of her thoughts. He slammed the half-empty glass on the table and wiped his mouth with the back of his sleeve. "We may need an early restock."

"How much?" Hyde took a long sip of his drink.

"2 crystals at least." Arnest took out a cell phone and began typing away on it. "4 will get us to the wastelands and back to the ship."

"Hmm..." Hyde hummed and strolled his finger down his glass.

After a while of their hushed conversation, the woman came back with their food. She placed two grilled cheeses in front of Yanpu and Harper. Yanpu smiled wide at the dish and poked the melted cheese hanging off the bread.

Then she set two big plates of meat in front of the men. Arnest happily dug in.

"Besides a refill on those beers, y'all want anything else?"

Harper didn't know why, but her sultry tone was more so directed at Hyde. She ran her hand over his shoulders.

"Call Maxine over." Hyde moved away from her.

"Maxine...?" She frowned and looked over her shoulder. "She's very busy today."

"Yeah, right. Tell her I'm looking for her."

"Okay." She huffed and sashayed away.

"Are you drunk enough to deal with her?" Arnest chuckled before downing the rest of his drink. "I'm not."

Hyde shook his head.

"Oh right. Alcohol doesn't affect you."

Hyde downed the rest of his beer too and exhaled softly. The smell of the alcohol made Harper gag. It wasn't just the smell of the drinks. They still reeked of motor oil, cigarettes, and gasoline.

All of those combinations weren't sitting well with Harper's stomach. Nonetheless, she forced herself to take a bite of her sandwich.

The taste of it eased her into relief. She didn't know how long it had been since she had food other than granola scraps and water.

"Hydie..." A blonde woman with a tight red and black striped tank top and short skirt leaned over Hyde's back. "You're back." Her eyes lit up with excitement.

"Greetings, Maxine." Arnest grinned mischievously at her, and she scrunched herself face up in disgust.

"I see you brought your pet."

"Pet?" Arnest scoffed. "Now Maxine... we've known each other for years. Can't you say something nice about me?"

"A pet that doesn't stink as much as the others," Maxine said and turned her attention back to Hyde. "What brings you back here, Hydie? Did you miss me?" She brushed his hair behind his ear and trailed her fingers down his jaw. "Mmm... did you lose weight?"

Ew. Harper voiced silently.

"We're in the midst of finishing an errand." Hyde cut a piece of his steak and placed it in his mouth. "We need another bundle of those crystals."

"Hm. I see..."

"How much do you charge?"

"Oh, Hydie..." Maxine gushed. "I'm sorry to tell you, but I just sold my last batch yesterday. We won't get any shipments until next week."

Hyde slammed his fork down, startling everyone. The entire bar went quiet as he stood up. "Then it was a waste, coming here."

Arnest stood too, and Harper watched. Before Hyde could turn away and leave, Maxine stopped him.

"Wait! Don't leave so soon! I have a friend in another town that has plenty in stock."

"Where is it?"

"I'll tell you if you play with me... tonight." Maxine pursed her lips flirtatiously.

"Here we go." Arnest sighed and sat down.

"Come on... it's been a while since we've played together... alone." She dragged her hands down Hyde's front and wrapped her arms around him. "Just for tonight. Please?"

Hyde's eyes glowed. Maxine dragged him by his shoulders and rammed her lips against his. The sudden act caught Harper off guard.

Harper covered Yanpu's ears and made sure he was facing his food. She couldn't believe that Hyde was doing all of this in front of a child. Oh right. He didn't care.

Hyde pulled away from Maxine, leaving her in a daze. Then he turned to Arnest.

"Keep an eye on them." Hyde gestured at Harper. "Don't let them out of your sight." He ordered, before snatching Maxine's hand and dragging her to another room in the bar.

~~~

After finishing their meal, Arnest dragged Harper toward another building. It was a motel. When he checked in and unlocked the door to a room he booked, he shoved both Harper and Yanpu inside.

"The bathroom is over there. Wash up and rest."

"Are you leaving us here?"

"Yep. And don't get any ideas." Arnest held up the remote that Hyde showed her earlier. The one that controlled the band on her wrist. "I'll be across the hall. If you step out of this room, I'll be sure that you lose a limb."

Harper grabbed onto her wrist instinctively. Her spooked expression made Arnest cackle. His laugh echoed as he shut the door behind him and walked away.

Harper stared at Yanpu, who yawned. He still had crumbs around his mouth.

She extended her hand and grabbed onto Yanpu's arm before leading him to the bathroom to get him cleaned.

"Did you enjoy the meal today?"

"Yes."

"That's good. It was your first time eating out. That's a milestone!"

"Harper,"

"Hmm?"

"When are we gonna get ice cream?"

"Soon! I promise! As soon as we can find Dr. Bomb, I'll buy you plenty of ice cream. All you can eat!" Harper smiled and pinched his cheek.

Yanpu looked down. " Is... is that sword man a bad guy?"

"Huh?"

"He's a bad guy... right?"

"Well... yeah. But don't worry about him. I'm going to protect you. He won't hurt you so long as I'm around." Harper wiped his face with a damp rag.

When she finished wiping his face clean, she led him over to the queen-sized bed and tucked him in.

"Get some rest, Yani." Harper kissed the side of his face. "I love you."

Harper crawled onto the bed and lay next to him. She waited until he was asleep before a tear ran down her face. More came, but she held in a whimper so as not to wake him.

She prayed to the Overseers one last time, before finally giving into slumber.