Strawberry left a signal only for the three to notice a dust pathed in the wind that was designed only for them to see. They managed to escape and followed the path that led them to Strawberry and Socrates.
They saw a silhouette of a dot from yards ahead atop the dunes.
The three were speeding up in the dunes on their way to Strawberry rushing towards the difficult-to-step sand with each step their foot would be buried because of the force of the steps they created.
Raj sprinted and reached them first at a distance the soldiers were still following them Shield and Alzheim distracted the soldiers so that they could not follow them up to Strawberry.
Raj reached Strawberry first from where she was standing.
"So? You knew about this?"
While wondering and confused why the two of them are together.
"Don't worry boy? I do not harm." Socrates replied.
Socrates suddenly appeared in front of him waving his hands.
"How the hell did you get that chair up here?"
Strawberry looked at Socrates and she realized that she was sitting already in a fully furnished chair.
"Hahahahahah!! When did you sit there?"
"I just got these when you went on your way for them. I guess I'll go for now they are already moving their way up here."
"The other boys might get suspicious of me."
Socrates moved so fast that even the sand was not moved by his speed. He waved and was already at the base of the Regulus.
"Was that?"
"So now you see it?"
"I thought it was teleportation. But... But there were no traces... The sand was not even moved."
"Nope."
"It was mere speed; teleportation is not something like that it requires entanglement, and it has its variations. Your reaction time is better now kid. You can see well."
"Just think of it this way, because of his speed he can walk through air."
Raj's chin fell off the ground and was struck by amazement.
The mission was supposed to get the Quanta from the enemy's hands but because of Socrates' presence, they must postpone it.
When Shield and Alzheim were near already.
"There, I can see Raj and Strawberry now."
"Yes, yes."
"Here I'll show you what teleportation is."
Strawberry teleported them together handling each one of them.
"Folk, that's one hell of a woman." Shield looked with his eyes bursting out.
The three of them found themselves in the aircraft that Strawberry rode on her way to Kampiig desert.
"Thank you, commander." Alzheim bowed down.
"Ye-yes! Thank you."
Dragging with him Raj and Shield's head forcing them to pay respect and bow to their commander.
"We need to postpone your mission for now our spy have reported that there is nothing to be found there. We would not risk the lives of our people for nothing, or without progress."
"But why did you come here personally commander? It's unusual of your doings."
"Me? Oh of course. The news I received was that a senior leader was sent with them and it's not something you can't handle but it seems like I came on time and no fights had been initiated yet."
But it turned out that the senior leader that was sent was Socrates. And it is not something that he should worry about.
Earlier that time.
Socrates was speaking to Strawberry.
"Why didn't you take them with the others?"
"To see if they know what decision to make when to fight, but of course, I'll not leave them."
"Oh?" Socrates raised his glasses while he was continuing to read his book both scouting at both tents.
But little did Strawberry know that all of them were still sleepy down there when the guards and soldiers of Regulus caught them. She thought that they were surrendering and would fight their way out when they were already inside, but she made her actions when they were already cuffed because it would be difficult for her and would make the situation more delicate.
"Looks like your boys are caught up already."
"Go immediately don't wait for them to be brought in the cell."
She listened to Socrates.
What was with Socrates and Strawberry what was it that they were scheming? Is that the reason why Socrates and Strawberry are still in contact?
While they were on the aircraft, they saw someone walking in the desert. Alone. Near the desert's exit - the entrance and exit of the desert is one no one has fully explored the ends of the Kampiig desert.
"Hey! Look! Someone is there?"
"Raj look! Is that the person whom you are referring to?"
"I mean in Pandora's ruins."
Alzheim silenced Shield.
"Hey, you two be quiet. Commander is sleeping"
"Sir Alzheim," Raj spoke.
"There is someone down there? That person might need help."
"No boy. Who would wander in a place like this? You see it is only us and our enemies. That is a bait prepared by our foes to lure us."
"Don't click that bait."
From a bird's eye view, the person seems not moving from his place when you look at this person from the window.
Raj being bothered went his way down to check for the person.
"I'll be back for a while."
"Hey, where are you going?!"
Raj jumped off the airship.
"He is insane."
Strawberry heard the noise and saw their doings.
"It's okay he can take care of himself just let him be." She then continued to sleep - snoring.
While Raj was on his way down.
The person was a man. The person seemed to notice him and was about to fire something at a distance with his hands. Raj then shouted.
"NO! DON'T I'M HERE TO HELP."
The wind was blowing his voice in its direction, but it seemed that man understood.
He was shocked when he landed on the desert's foot. Raj was about to tackle him but there was no response from him even though Raj's stance was obvious so therefore he canceled.
"Thomas?" The hot air rose, and the breeze was flowing graciously as he continued to walk."
"Hey! Thomas? How did you?" Raj followed him on each step he took but Thomas kept quiet.
"I'm not here to fight," Thomas spoke after Raj was left meters away.
"And it's been a while since I lived a normal life back when I was still a kid."
"But what are you doing there in the ruins? I mean why you are still alive?"
Raj was puzzled still recalling what had happened. He was so sure that he toasted him off. Unsure of what he is about to do he continued to converse while in his confused state.
"Do you think that kind of attack could kill me?" Thomas chuckled.
"It was a good one though it left me a scar." A scar was mounted on Thomas" left eyebrows and both cheeks - a burnt scar.
"Are you the one who reported to the guards about our location? I spotted you sneaking last night."
"Why would I do that? They don't even know I'm alive."
"But why?"
"They just don't know."
"Can't you return to them? Would they not accept you because you lost a fight?"
"Of course, they would still accept me. But for now, keep this I don't want them to know that I still exist I'll have my journey now I want to live a normal life for now."
"Even if they assumed, I'm dead, I know someday soon they can still find me."
"If that is the case, then why are you here?"
"Don't be stupid. What you came here for is also the reason why I came here. If Pandora's power is true then it would be my advantage, I would keep it in my hands."
Thomas turned back to see Raj and continued walking.
"Perhaps you should thank me from where you are now."
"And why would I?"
"Why? Do you think why?"
He paused walking and stood for a while.
"Do you think you would find Socrates if it's not of me?"
Raj reminisced everything - his first days.
"So, you?!" His eyes bulged open.
"You were that homeless guy?" He was talking about the guy whom he asked about his fliers.
"You are better than I thought, but why-?"
"Because I know what would happen next. They would weaponize you, but you found out about our lab and were caught in the surveillance, it seems it's better off that way."
He continued walking, with his metal water bottle tied up in his waist creating a sound. Clanging.
"I sensed your Quanta first, of course, I know Axel sensed it too and he already had his plans."
He drank a gulp from his water bottle.
Thomas did not know Socrates personally, but he knew his ways. Stories about him were fascinating if you read the notable people in the past and present times.
"I hid his records when you were looking for him in the computer because the brothers were there, they would notice it, why would someone new in the city search for someone, like a senior leader."
"I did my research of him and of course, other backgrounds."
"What? Socrates?"
"Yes, I knew he was a better and trusted one."
"That's all I wanted to say, so please keep this for now."
"But why would you murder my grandma?" Raj is seemingly still at a loss.
"Me?" With a shock on Thomas" face.
"I would never kill someone I knew; your grandma is safe; the store owner is alive she is living somewhere in the city."
It is true but Thomas never knew who he was in the past nor his grandma.
Raj almost felt a touch of excitement when he heard she was alive but changed when he knew that it was the store owner.
Thomas knew nothing about Raj nor what happened in the province he was just a wanderer now. Alone and nothing he depends on. Raj did not bother asking anymore he knew.
Thomas was not lying nor trying to act he could see the sincerity of his face and the innocence of his words.
In the aircraft Shield was sending signals of him descending.
"Looks like that one is harmless." Shield.
"Ascend now go back, just tell them I'm just a lost guy and you just offered me some water."
"Though I didn't bring any water here with me."
Raj reciprocated a signal - a thumbs up. Meaning he is okay and no need for him to descend in the craft.
"Go now! The ships of Regulus are heading this way already, tell your captain to speed up, I'll just bury myself and hide in the sands."
Raj levitated and hopped his way up to the aircraft and continued to head back to their quarters.
He watched from the aircraft's windows how Thomas hid himself in the brownish and ochre sand with one of the Chara Venatici ships heading its way back to the city.
After Thomas' conversation with Raj, Thomas returned to the city. He left a contact to Raj in case he might need him. He made himself scarce.
The burden he bears continued, and what used to be gone began to show again, Raj was in his thoughts of search and vengeance against the killer of her grandma. But the words that Strawberry once spoke flashed in his head.
He was again back on track in search of justice that can never be found.