Lydia slowly opened her eyes and found herself face to face with an unfamiliar person staring at her attentively. Her confused mind and survival instinct kicked in immediately, and her eyes widened.
"Who... who are you? Where am I?" Lydia asked, looking around with vigilance and apparent fear.
Airon leaned back, giving her some space to reassure Lydia and show her that he was not a threat. "Calm down, my name is Airon. You are currently in a safe place. Can you tell me your name?"
Lydia furrowed her brow, trying to process the information as her mind struggled to break free from the state of confusion. Then, upon recalling something that made her extremely angry, she asked, "Are you with them?"
Airon frowned upon hearing this question, and the other people who had been silent on the side turned their heads, but the dividing curtain prevented them from knowing what was happening on the other side.
"What happened to the Whisperers?" She asked.
It's obvious that something happened, and Lydia's attitude made Airon think even more about it. However, he forced himself to calm down and not make the mistake of scaring this girl who seemed to be on the defensive.
When she mentioned 'them,' she was referring to 'someone,' and that someone could be the answer Airon was looking for. But knowing it soon isn't important. What he really wants to know is whether this group that eliminated the Whisperers is really a problem for his people or not.
To tell the truth, the Whisperers were assassins who would eliminate anyone who stood in their way. Just because they were eliminated doesn't mean the group that attacked them is bad, but rather they simply eliminated them in self-defense.
"I don't know what you're talking about. We are the S.C.T. Is someone after you?" Airon asked, slow and gentle in gathering information.
By then, Lydia broke the silence again and asked, "S.C.T... What is that? Why am I here?"
"You may be confused, but personally, I believe in the S.C.T., which is now a survivors' organization. We found you in very bad condition, injured and in a coma. We brought you here to receive medical attention and recover."
Lydia looked at herself, noticing the bandages and marks of wounds on her body. Although she didn't remember how she ended up in that state, she began to realize that she really needed help.
"What... What happened? I don't remember anything." Lydia asked, not having a clear understanding of her current state.
She's lying...
Airon immediately noticed an abnormality in her tone, gaze, and breathing. First of all, she avoided eye contact, and the gestures of her body expressed her discomfort and anxiety about something Jacob was unaware of.
With many other factors supporting his suspicions, he had to consider that these indicators are not definitive proof that someone is lying, as they could be related to other factors like nervousness or anxiety.
But even within this knowledge, Airon more or less knew the situation Lydia was going through. In this regard, he could be much more certain, but he still conducted a small test.
"You were on the road, my soldiers found two of your possible friends or assailants who were eliminated because they were about to attack them." Airon said, his cold eyes observing Lydia's next behavior.
"Did they die?" Lydia asked, her eyes frozen, tears streaming down her cheeks, and this made Airon understand that she did indeed remember certain things, if not outright lied to him.
Thinking about something, Airon spoke in a reassuring voice, "It's a certainty that you must have gone through a traumatic event. But don't worry, you're safe now. We will take care of you and help you remember if that's what you want."
Lydia fell silent, her gaze fixed on Airon as she struggled to process everything that was happening. Airon could see the fear in her eyes, but also a spark of deep hatred that was not directed at him but possibly at her attackers.
"My name is Lydia..." Lydia murmured in a subdued voice.
"Lydia, I understand that this can be overwhelming for you. But I want you to know that we are here to help you. You are not just a patient, you are part of our community, and we will do everything possible to ensure that you feel safe and comfortable here." Airon showed himself to be someone trustworthy, at least on the surface.
Lydia nodded slowly, feeling a slight connection with Airon and a small dose of trust in his voice. "Thank you for saving me and taking care of me. I appreciate your concern and support."
Airon smiled warmly, acknowledging the progression in the conversation.
"It's my pleasure, Lydia. I promise we'll do everything we can to make you feel at home here. If you have any questions or need anything, don't hesitate to let me know. We're in this together."
Lydia nodded, implying that she felt a sense of relief and gratitude, knowing she wasn't alone amidst all the chaos and uncertainty. "Thank you, Airon."
"I'm here to support you every step of the way, Lydia. If you need anything, you can call me as I'll be nearby. Right now, we're heading to our community, and you can rest assured that nothing will happen to you."
Lydia nodded with a bright smile, and as Airon disappeared, the smile faded, and she began to look around her.
After a few seconds, consumed by anger and madness, sitting on the clean gurney, her mind filled with dark and vengeful thoughts, she seeks a way to unleash her rage. In the midst of her desperation, a melody emerges from her lips, intertwining with her thoughts.
"In the eternal night, where tranquility reigns against the dead, the Red Army awakens from the darkness, while everything plunges into the color of blood."
"Life is death, the soldiers of the Red Army prevail without seeking a fixed purpose, not even mother could understand them."
Unconsciously, through her song, Lydia expressed the disturbing reality that her community faced in the heart of Washington DC. The threat of the Red Army loomed over the remaining whisperers, plunging everyone into a path filled with death.