XX.XX.XXXX?'Could you do me a favor?' This question said by Mrs. Agnes was always a bit confusing at first, like trying to solve a puzzle with missing pieces. But working on them, gradually her intentions come more clear. Unfortunately, her plans were often based on lies and betrayal, which made the whole experience even more frustrating."What favor?" Carmen asked, a bit unsure about the whole situation. His voice was barely above a whisper, the thought of Alex waking up terrified him. He was scared that Alex would develop hatred towards him. While falling asleep, he had enough time to ponder about what if Alex found out and why he would care so much—and he was thinking, and thinking.Feelings are complicated."Oh," Mrs. Agnes paused before continuing. "Just a simple one. No worries," she spoke calmly. Calm like a soothing melody. No melody could be compared to her hideous being though."You'll sneak some of ours to this town. Hm They really should name it," Mrs. Agnes explained."And when?". Carmen didn't like that idea at all."Right now. Sneak them through the back gate," she ordered."That's too risky. I am not doing that"."I will murder Alex, even personally if that's so".Carmen didn't know what powers she had, despite that, it made him come to a different conclusion immediately. Though if the guardians were to catch him, he could be on the brink of death.Feelings are complicated. They soon become the worst weaknesses."How do you know we talk?" Carmen questioned, a wave of uncertainty washing over him."You all've been watched by Team C for a while now"."What? We would notice"."They're indeed my masterpiece. Enough talking. You doing it or not?".Wow. 'Masterpiece', as if she was talking about a machine, not people. 'My', as if she was talking about her dog, not people."Uh...Yes," Carmen responded. Sure he hated his choice, yet for Alex he would."Great," Mrs. Agnes ended the connection right after that, utter silence filling the room. He put the transmitter back to its place in a drawer, erasing any possible suspicion.Unsure what to exactly do, he slowly made his way through the apartment, his steps echoing throughout the halls. Outside, everything was cold against his skin, he soon began to desire for the warmth of the mansion again, even though he was wearing a black coat that reached just above his knees. Streetlights illuminated his path, reminiscent of the night walks he used to take back when he lived with his parents. Well. More with his mother than 'parents'.He walked for minutes before he got to the back gate. Unfortunately, its lattice-like entrance was guarded by one of the guardians. He watched everything keenly, and the keys to that gate lay on a small post.Carmen realized he had to distract him. Foolish, but he easily, hidden behind a building, threw a rock far to distract the guard. That worked, and the guard followed the noise, so he sneakily made his way to the gate and stole the keys, proceeding to open it. People—Team B, dressed in plaids with hoods, covering their heads snuck in. They didn't say a word and left.What were they doing here anyways? Carmen pondered while locking the gate. As he placed the keys back at their original place, the guardian just came back, illuminating Carmen with his flashlight."Hey!" the guardian shouted, approaching him. "Where do you think you're going, ha?" he added."I-I wanted to go outside and clear my head," Carmen lied, his heartbeat beating noticeably irregularly. He looked around to see if Team C had already disappeared and fortunately, they did. Their steps were quiet as a mouse, he barely noticed they had run away."Stop with those lies. You wanted to sneak away," the guardian scanned Carmen's appearance. "Hm. Aren't you one of those we arrested a few days ago? Of course you tried to escape".Carmen remained silent, seezing no purpose in responding."Follow me," the guardian stated. He led him back to the mansion, down to that jail. There, he shoved him in, and added one last thing before leaving him to this eerie environment, "I won't be waking up anyone for you. We'll see what we do with you in the morning".Ultimately, Carmen fell asleep. In the morning he was awoken by the sound of a bell placed above the towering clock. It chimed like that loudly every 'morning', significating start of the day. Minutes after, Alex along with the guardian entered the environment behind the bars."Sir, that's him. He tried to snuck away yesterday," the guardian gestured to Carmen.Alex raised his eyebrows in surprise at the sight of Carmen, "I know him. Don't worry, release him"."Are you sure, Sir?"."Yes. I'll take care of him".The guardian nodded hesitantly and unlocked Carmen's cell."Now return to work," Alex ordered. The guardian left after that. "Come with me,' his voice steady. He led Carmen to a narrow hallway and leaned against the wall, his arms crossed, "Care to explain?" he turned his gaze up, his eyes meeting with Carmen's. For a moment, he got lost in their depth. Pale green like the hue of willow leaves, what a sight for sore eyes."I wanted to clear my head," Carmen asked. He was shorter than Alex by two inches now that they were standing."In the middle of the night?" Alex's suspicion grew bigger"I woke up. I'm sorry there's just too much on my mind, and I need to clear things out...". Carmen hated lying and the weight on chest that came with it, despite that, the untruthful words left his mouth each time anyways."I understand," Alex spoke calmly, looking down."Am I free to go?"."Yeah," Alex paused before continuing. "But first, how's your arm?".Carmen rolled up the sleeve of his coat, revealing the bandages that were soaked with a little blood. He glanced at it for a brief, then responded, "Hurts, though alright"."That's not great. It could be infected"."Nah," Carmen denied."You sure you don't want me to check?"."Yes".Alex chuckled, "Okay, but if you die then it's not my fault"."Okay".Alex chuckled again, shifting his gaze to Carmen. "Are you playing some kind of 'you can only say one word' game?"."No".They both laughed."By the way...Yesterday, how we injected chemicals in Svan...I need to show you something," Alex mentioned.He led Carmen to his room. Throughout the way, the coldness disappeared, the further they got into the mansion's corridor.When Alex opened the door to his room, the first thing Carmen did was checking the state of the creature. The sight he had seen shocked him, the creature was not enveloped in dark matter anymore. It had turned into bones, just blackish bones."Did we do that?" Carmen asked, despite already knowing the answer."Yes"."Oh...Uhm...I guess I'm sorry for your loss then?" Carmen was half-joking, unsure how Alex felt about the whole situation."Thanks. But this is amazing!" beamed Alex.Carmen stared, confused."This means the chemicals removed dark matter from it, and the thing in some people's bodies is consisted of a part of dark matter, so if I make it less fatal, it could work," Alex explainedThis discovery meant they were closer to saving the world, though they still didn't know about the obstacles that lay upon them."Good luck with that," Carmen said. Then, before Alex got the chance to speak, Elodie tapped on Carmen's shoulder, "Here you are".Carmen turned to her."What are you two looking at?" she asked, about to peek in Alex's room."Nothing," Alex closed the door swiftly."Okay. Anyways, Carmen, can I talk to you?"."You're already talking so..." Carmen mentioned."Alone," Elodie added."Sure," Carmen glanced at Allex before walking away, along with Elodie.She led him through the corridor to a hall, far away enough from Alex, there, she spoke, "The transmitter. Do you have it?"."I found it yesterday and talked to Mrs. Agnes, but then I returned it"."Why? You should've kept it"."He would notice. I don't want him to know that I lied"."With the transmitter in our hands, we could leave. No...You care about him, don't you?"."No. Actually, yes"."Well—let's just head to breakfast".So they did, everyone else was already seated. They sat down too, and a few minutes later, a servant approached Alex, "Sir," the servant leaned close to Alex's ear "There's someone who wants to speak with you"."Okay then," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "Excuse me," he called out, now much louder, rising up from his seat.Beyond the gate, where his guest waited for him, he met with the sight of Team B members. One of them, a girl—perhaps the leader shook Alex's hand firmly. "Greetings," she said."Need something?" Alex responded."Yes. The kids you took some days ago"."Why?"."We have an offer for them. Could you bring them?".Alex wondered what kind of offer—and especially how did they know about them? Based on their attire and gear, he recognized that they were Agnes' puppets. Which made his suspicion grow, though he wasn't gonna question that right now. After all, some things began to make sense with passing time on their own. Not everything has to be a puzzle.Alex agreed and returned back with the news, "Some people have an offer for you".Just from this information, they all knew that the offer is associated with Agnes, and that it won't do any good. If it does, then a miracle must've occurred.When they met with Team B, Carmen recognized the leader in an instant. Despite being veiled under a hood before, her long pearl blonde hair was a detail he couldn't forget."So what's the offer?" Alex asked, now that they were all together."We need just...Ah...What did she say was his name...Theodore," the leader answered.Alex was confused—the 'she' was definitely indicated on Mrs. Agnes, so how would she know about a regular student? He had to mention it, because some puzzles wouldn't be solved without intervention. "How do you know about him, if I may ask?"."He's from the orphanage, they all are. You didn't know?".Alex had to glance at Carmen, who was completely humiliated."What," Alex realized so gently that his voice couldn't be heard."Anyways. Agnes found out that Theo is the cure to the problem spreading throughout the whole world," the leader said.Suddenly, a deafening explosion shook the town, sending tremors through the ground. Another, even closer, followed soon after. In reflex, they all stepped back and Alex could see the leader smirk. Soon, every bit of the town was destroyed completely.Everyone, except for Team C, were shocked and panting uncontrollably, especially Alex, who's anger grew inside him. "You. I saw you smirk. You all did that!" he shouted, looking at Team C."Thank your friend," the leader glanced briefly at Carmen, still smirking."Carmen?" Alex said calmly."I'm so sorry. I didn't know, I let them in because-".Alex interjected, "And you also lied about everything?" he kept yelling. "You know what? Leave, go to that witch's place, get out of my sight, you all," his shouting ceased, but the raw pain in his voice was undeniable."Alex please," Carmen begged."I said get out!".They were really left with no option but to leave. Team C led them to their van, before they could even fully agree. Carmen was the last to enter, her gaze lingering on Alex's furious expression. But beneath his angry facade, a deep sadness lurked.The van drove away, and the sight of debris of once a town that saved many faded gradually away.Tears were pouring down Carmen's face, for many years he had recrained from crying, this was the first time in that period his eyes wet again. No one seemed to notice, not even Theo, everyone was lost in their own thoughts.When their ride came to an end, they were led back to the laboratory, where air suddenly didn't feel so heavy.Agnes stood by the entrance already, waiting upon their arrival. She turned slowly as they entered, a cold smile playing on her lips. "Welcome back," she said, her voice smooth but laced with something that made Ethan's skin crawl. She stepped forward, her heels clicking on the marble floor with a deliberate cadence. Her eyes, sharp and calculating, locked onto Ethan's, unsettling him. Without warning, she wrapped him in an embrace that was as icy as her gaze. Her lips brushed against his ear as she whispered, "I should've kept you here with me," the words hanging in the air like a dark promise. She pulled away, leaving him rooted in place, struggling to suppress a shiver.Turning her attention to Theo, her tone shifted to something more business-like, though no less chilling. "Well, Theo. Does the current crisis sound familiar to you?" Her eyes glinted with a mix of curiosity and menace.Theo nodded. "Yeah."Agnes's gaze bore into him. "From your blood tests, we've concluded that you might be the cure. But there's a catch—it could be fatal."A heavy silence settled over the room as Theo processed her words. "So I'll save the world?" he asked, his voice steady despite the storm brewing inside him."Yes," she confirmed, her lips curling into a smile that didn't reach her eyes."I'll agree," Theo said, his voice firmer, "but only if you free everyone."Agnes's smile widened, almost predatory. "No problem. This entire experiment was conducted solely to find the cure."Theo nodded slowly, the weight of his decision pressing down on him. "Alright."Ethan's heart lurched. "What? You're just going to believe her like that?" His voice was edged with desperation."I don't think she's lying, really," Theo replied, his eyes distant, already preparing for the sacrifice he was about to make.Ethan stepped closer, his voice cracking. "What if I lose you?""You won't," Theo assured him, but even he seemed to falter under the weight of his words.Velvette, who had been silent, spoke up, her voice trembling. "Theo... are you sure?""I'll do it," Theo stated with finality, sealing his fate.Agnes's eyes gleamed with excitement. "Let's begin then," she said. "You all can wait in the hall," she added, dismissing them with a wave of her hand.Theo looked at Ethan, his eyes softening. "Can we have a moment?" he asked, his voice almost a whisper.Agnes hesitated, then nodded. "Yes, but make it quick." She gestured for the others to leave.Once alone, Theo took Ethan's hands in his, the touch gentle but firm. He leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to Ethan's forehead. "Even if I die, I'll always be with you, okay? In your heart."Ethan shook his head, tears already spilling down his cheeks. "You won't. You can't. There's still so much we have to talk about." He pulled Theo into a desperate hug, clinging to him as if he could anchor him to life through sheer will. His sobs echoed in the quiet room, raw and heartbreaking."Shh," Theo hushed him, though his own eyes glistened with unshed tears. "It'll be okay."Agnes's voice cut through the moment like a blade. "Ready?" she asked, her patience wearing thin.Theo reluctantly pulled away from Ethan's embrace, his heart heavy. "I'm ready," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.Agnes led Theo to the sterile, cold surgery room. The metallic scent of disinfectant hung in the air, mixing with the underlying tension. Theo lay down on the bed, his heart pounding in his chest. As the doctors moved around him, he noticed the absence of any sedatives. The realization hit him like a punch to the gut."Why no sedatives?" he asked, his voice shaky.Agnes's answer was as cold as the room. "It's important that you stay conscious."Theo's stomach twisted with fear, but there was no turning back now. The procedure began, and pain unlike anything he had ever imagined tore through him. His body convulsed as they cut into his flesh, every nerve screaming in agony. The room blurred around him, but one thing remained clear—Ethan's face, watching from behind the glass, pale and stricken.Ethan couldn't take it anymore. When Theo's screams pierced the air, something inside him snapped. He burst through the door, disregarding the guards' protests. "Please!" he begged, his voice breaking. "Please, let me stay with him."Agnes glanced at him, then nodded in reluctant approval. Ethan rushed to Theo's side, grabbing his hand. It was cold, clammy, and trembling."He's going to die!" Ethan cried, his voice rising in panic.A doctor glanced at him, a poor attempt at reassurance in his eyes. "Don't worry."Of course he'd worry, what a foolish answer.Theo's grip on Ethan's hand weakened. "Ethan," he whispered, his voice barely audible, "I love you." At that moment Theo made his last wish—in his thoughts at least. He wished to say 'I love you' to Ethan, he didn't wish to not meet his end, because he believed he was the cure, that he was the rescue to the world. He wished to say 'I love you' but in a different moment, different place, not like this. He meant those words, he really did. Yet if he were to tell them on another occasion, perhaps Ethan would know that he didn't say them only because he felt bad. That was far from true. He would give Ethan the stars from the sky if that's what he were to ask for.Ethan froze, the words he had longed to hear now shattering his soul. Tears streamed down his face as he realized this might be the last time he'd ever hear them. "No... not like this," he choked out. But Theo's eyes fluttered closed, and his heart stilled.For a moment, the world stopped. The air was heavy with the finality of it all, and Ethan's mind screamed in denial. The guards stepped forward, pulling him away as he struggled against them, his cries echoing through the halls.Minutes felt like hours as he sat on the cold floor outside the surgery room, his body wracked with uncontrollable tremors. The others hovered nearby, their presence a silent testament to the tragedy unfolding, but they kept their distance, giving him space to grieve.Finally, Agnes returned, dragging Theo behind her. But it wasn't Theo anymore. Chains clinked against the floor as she pulled him forward, his body twisted, corrupted by the dark matter that now consumed half of him, as if he was half-creature.His once vibrant blue eyes were now soulless voids, blacker than the deepest night.Ethan's blood ran cold. "What have you done?" he screamed, his voice raw with fury and despair. "You lied!"Agnes's smile was cruel. "I indeed did.""You're a monster! What have you done to him?" Ethan's voice broke, his words a mixture of rage and anguish. She already had killed a part of him once. Now, she was relentlessly tearing at the tattered remains.Agnes's eyes gleamed with perverse pride. "He's my new strongest weapon, sweetheart.""He's a human, not a weapon!" Ethan shouted, his heart shattering at the sight of what Theo had become."Not anymore. His most human part—his consciousness—is now forever gone," Agnes replied, her tone devoid of any empathy.Ethan lunged toward her, but Elodie and Victor grabbed his arms, holding him back. He struggled against them, his soul crying out in pain. "Why!" he screamed, the word tearing from his throat like a wounded animal.Elodie leaned in close, her voice a trembling whisper. "Ethan, we have to leave."Ethan's legs gave out as they dragged him away, his cries echoing in the sterile, lifeless corridors. And as they left, returning to the shadowed world from which they came, the weight of their loss pressed down on them all, the darkness swallowing any hope they had left.