Dozens of red luminescent needles pierced through a girl's limbs, pinning her to the ground against a sheet of ice. Her gaze met the blinding lights on the ceiling. A man approached her. A cold mist emitted from his body, causing her to shiver.

  "Hmmm, y'know you're quite the stubborn one. I thought you would've been more, well I don't know—more of a soft cake," the man stated after kicking off his flip-flops, resting a palm against his hip.

  Seeing her not responding, he snapped his fingers. Volts of electricity covered the needles, jolting her body as a shallow squeal slithered between her lips.

  The needles didn't draw any blood, but that didn't prevent the continual prickling pain. She took a measured breath before responding, meeting his eyes while sweat stuck to her damp clothes.

  "I've already told you everything," she muttered.

  The man eased backward; an icy sofa sprung beneath him, gracefully catching his descent.

  "Whaaat!? Please, stop joking for once. Look, you may be dead after this, but I gotta give the big guys an answer. You don't have anything personally against me, right?"

  "Oh boo hoo. Is Ghiza no longer finding this fun? Oh! I know, trading places might—" Electricity streamed down her body. Her eyes twitched as she spasmed.

  Ghiza pinched the bridge of his nose like an annoyed sibling. "You're going to be the death of me... You can't honestly expect us to believe that. Did you really sabotage the organization just to satisfy your drama crave?"

  The electricity ceased. Her breaths were short and rampant. As her vision straightened, a slight smile tugged at her lips.

  "What other reason is there to live... Betrayals, scandals, cover-ups. Is it not the dessert that sweetens our dull, ordinary lives?"

  Ghiza noticed her relaxed expression, as if she had no qualms about her predicament.

  "Can't imagine you're comfortable with this. My ice is the only thing keeping you alive. Surely, at least some part of you regrets this."

  His words hung in the air. She pondered for a bit before briefly remembering something.

  "Everything comes at a price. This one was worth it," she said nonchalantly.

  Ghiza narrowed his eyes, expecting her to say more. Realizing she wasn't going to continue, he positioned his fingers.

  What's the point of all this? Two weeks in and not an inch of progress. It would just be better to kill her at this point, but then I'll be disposed of for being useless.

  "Even at the expense of your brother? Yikes! You were always the self-willed one, weren't you?"

  The needles twitched in her skin, causing her to wince. Remnants of the electric current still scoured through her body. Her muscles twitched as she tried turning her head.

  "Say what you want," she mumbled. "Are we finished here?"

  Does she not care about the torture at all? For an ordinary girl she's unexpectedly resilient. Poor Hezekiah, to have a sister missing a few screws.

  ********

  After letting security know about the destroyed tracks, Hezekiah made his way out of the subway. He didn't bother answering any of their questions, and given the severity of his claims, they didn't waste time pursuing him. A few strange looks followed him, particularly toward his right eye, but it was mostly chalked up to a uniquely designed contact lens.

  "If Elaine is really after Falina, then does that mean she knows she's alive? And if so, how?" Hezekiah tucked his hands in his pockets, mulling over the implications.

  If so, I can't rule out the possibility that Elaine already knows her location. But maybe the bigger concern is, how does she even know about her?

  There was still a lot more he wished to ask her, like how she seemingly remembers everything, and still knows her memories were tampered with. It's doubtful she'll intentionally reveal herself again.

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  I can work it all out later. Finding Falina comes first.

  "We are now back with our next update!"

  A skyscraper with a jumbo screen displayed a stunning female reporter in a helicopter. Below her was Queens Salvation Hospital, along with police vehicles and armored trucks. The entire block was now barricaded off. Corpses lay strewn across the street. Some of them had tattered uniforms; a few had their skin being dissolved by some thick yellow substance. As for the rest—too strange to be considered human—riddled with bullet holes.

  "You can't be serious..." he whispered in disbelief.

  "The area has now been declared a restriction zone. We haven't received word on what was exactly encountered inside, but a mandatory evacuation order has been declared for all those who are still in or around the restricted area."

  Don't tell me they could leave the hospital...

  A shoulder brushed against his in the midst of his thoughts. A woman with a long brown coat was holding a boy's hand.

  —Name: Injima Hertz—

  —Age: 34—

  —Blood Type B—

  —Occupation: Cashier of Dulva Groceries Store—

  —Public Status: Alive—

  —Do you wish to perform a deep search?—

  "Look Mommy, that's where Dad is staying!" he excitedly shouted, pointing at the screen.

  She didn't answer. A trace of uneasiness flickered in her look. Hezekiah noticed her grip tightening around her son's wrist.

  "Mommy?" he called, wondering if something was wrong.

  "Oh, yes, that's right. You're very smart, aren't you, honey?" she faintly smiled back, though her eyes seemed to be holding something else.

  Hezekiah only watched, thinking back on a similar interaction. His gaze swung back to the screen, the camera zooming in on one of the corpses.

  "According to one of the few survivors, the hospital has been taken over by unusual-looking beings. As for what they exactly are is still to be answered," the reporter continued, concern evident in her tone.

  Hezekiah folded his arms, staring at the backs of those in front of him.

  This may inevitably escalate. Even if I assume guns were enough to handle all the creatures, what about the false authority figures, or worse... The Nurse...

  The thought of pushing ahead or turning around ping-ponged in his mind. He had always assumed that those who were created or had their minds affected by the rules could never leave that place. Similarly to the Custom Boundary.

  Damn it, can the Nurse still follow me even all the way out here?

  He clenched the fabric of his sleeves. Even if he went back, then what? Show the world his flames, and that he's in possession of highly advanced weapons? Not to mention the risk of him being exposed as the source of this chaos.

  He turned away from the screen, shuffling through the crowd as the reporter's voice grew more distant.

  After breaking through from the onlookers, he checked behind him to make sure no one was paying attention to him.

  Staying here is a risk regardless. I'm sure Sunset Garden has noticed Jin's and Cevine's deaths by now.

  "You're looking fine today." He felt a tap on his shoulder.

  He turned toward the voice. A man with glasses stood before him, carrying a couple bags of groceries.

  Curse my luck...

  —Name: Fyinn Okana—

  —Age: 29—

  —Blood Type A+—

  —Occupation: Detective of Micos Police Department—

  —Public Status: Alive—

  —Do you wish to perform a deep search?—

  "You again?" Hezekiah spoke, somewhat shielding his eye as he wiped his forehead.

  "No need to sound so unfriendly. I'm off-duty."

  "Then in that case, this conversation is over." Hezekiah brushed past him.

  "Are you still upset from last time? No... A Black Flower wouldn't dwell on something so insignificant."

  Hezekiah froze in his tracks.

  Sunset Garden has a front of being a cellphone network provider, under the name of Peak Connection. Hezekiah turned with an indiscernible expression, gauging Fyinn's next words.

  "Is your silence acknowledgment?"

  We were careless. Fyinn should've been dealt with a long time ago, but if we eliminated him while he was investigating the organization's network company, it would've made us more suspicious. Now not only does he know about us, he's also aware of The Black Flowers, and that I'm one of them.

  "First you harassed me during the accident, now you want to play riddles? How about you speak clearly for once."

  "And tell you all I know?" He switched his sight to the jumbo screen. "You're one lucky person, aren't you? Surviving a horrific attack in Ragoll Forest—a place where people often go missing. And now here you are, dressed in clean clothes, free from the chaos that fell in the hospital."

  "What? You're not insinuating I had something to do with this, are you?"

  Fyinn chuckled, his eyes tinted with amusement. "All I said was you are one lucky guy. No need to be so paranoid, Joshua. But I wonder why you thought I’d accuse you of this."

  Hezekiah furrowed his brows, picking up on his tone.

  "Because you're a sh*tty detective. That's why."

  Fyinn smiled. "Can't say that's wrong. Well then—" he began walking in the opposite direction. "I'm sure you have somewhere to be. Don't let me delay you."

  He continued along the sidewalk with groceries in hand, no longer paying attention to Hezekiah.