As soon as she crossed the clouds and saw the glowing Lisbon below, her heart began to beat faster again. But the joy did not last long: one of the cruisers following her began an attack, and her capsule shook from a powerful impact. Lights sparkled outside the porthole, and Delia, gritting her teeth, pulled the capsule to the side, accelerating and avoiding a direct hit. She managed to break away from one of the cruisers, but the other continued to pursue her. Luckily, she was able to find a small area on the outskirts of the city.
"The time has come," she whispered, setting up the equipment for an emergency landing.
The landing was rough and the capsule shook, but Delia quickly composed herself and scooped up Galbraith, who, strangely enough, continued to snore peacefully in his sleep. Stepping out of the capsule, she looked around. The street was empty, and in the distance she saw a shadow that made her freeze again. With her frail brother in her arms, Delia began to move towards the nearest alley, hoping to meet Jordan, who she thought would take her in and provide shelter. When she finally approached a familiar building, she knocked on the door, and a few moments later she saw Jordan standing on the threshold, the expression on his face sending a chill through Delia "he looked disappointed, and his eyes were full of confusion and doubt.
"Delia?" he said, as if he couldn't believe his eyes.
"Jordan, I..." she began, but didn't have time to finish.
"You're back," he interrupted, stepping back and looking closely at Galbraith. "But who is it?"
"This is Galbraith, he is my... Real brother," she said hopefully, but the uncertainty in her voice undermined his trust.
"Seriously? You know, I heard rumors that you and Edwin... Well, that," Jordan crossed his arms over his chest, and his voice was full of resentment. "And you, then, came back so that I could raise the son of your lover at my own expense? No, do you really think that I will believe your fairy tales about him being your brother?"
Jordan's words hurt Delia. She felt her hope for support crumble.
"No, Jordan, you don't understand. It's not like that! He was cloned. I couldn't leave him there at the base," she explained, but his gaze remained cold.
"Delia, I don't know what to think. You just came back from another world, and now you have this baby here, and I have no reason to trust you," he said, avoiding her gaze.
"But he's my brother!" Delia cried, and there was despair in her voice. "He doesn't know anything. It's not his fault he was created to serve! I can't leave him alone. You have to help us!"
"I can't," Jordan snapped, stepping back even further. "I can't accept you and this baby. It's too stupid. I can't spend my hard-earned money on someone who wasn't born of me!"
Unable to bear Jordan's hatred any longer, Delia turned away, trying not to cry. She felt that their presence in Lisbon could not remain a secret for long. Rumors of her escape had already begun to spread, and her rivals were not asleep. Every second counted, and Delia knew that she had to find a safe place before it was too late.
Eventually, she decided to seek help from an old acquaintance, Karen, a woman Delia had met at an art show in Lisbon. Karen ran a small art gallery and would be the perfect hiding place for her and Galbraith. When Delia finally got to the gallery, she knocked on the door. Karen opened it with a puzzled expression, but when she saw Delia with the baby, her eyes filled with concern and understanding.
"Delia! What happened? Are you in danger?" Karen asked, letting her in and bolting the door.
"Karen, I need shelter right now," Delia said, sitting down on the old couch and covering Galbraith with a blanket. "I escaped from the Moon Base, and they're looking for me. I can't stay outside."
Karen looked at Galbraith and frowned.
"You're not the only one looking for shelter. Word is spreading about you, and not just among your enemies. The Convention, the Moon Base - they'll know."
Delia felt her heart squeeze.
"I can't let them take him. He's my brother, and I have to protect him."
Karen nodded and couldn't help but smile as she glanced at Galbraith. She was touched by his fragility and innocence, which contrasted with the grim circumstances Delia found herself in. The baby was snoring softly, curled up in the blanket Delia had wrapped around him.
"He's so cute!" Karen exclaimed, kneeling down next to the sofa. "What a cute nose he has!"
She gently stroked Galbraith's cheek, and he stirred slightly without waking.
"You have no idea how lucky I am that he's so calm," Delia said, watching her friend's playful actions.
Her heart filled with warmth as she watched Karen tenderly care for her brother.
"He obviously knows he's being protected," Karen said, looking up at Delia with sympathy. "What a brave little boy you have. I'm sure he could be a great source of strength for you."
Delia smiled, but her smile was sad.
"I hope he won't become what is expected of him. I want him to live a normal life, to be free, like normal children. And not be an instrument in someone's hands."
"But that's what he seems to be imagining now, isn't it?" Karen asked, gently picking Galbraith up and rocking him back to sleep. "We have to do everything we can to save him from that."
Karen continued to care for the baby, humming a soft lullaby. Delia looked at her friend with admiration, feeling hope rise within her. She wanted Galbraith to know that there were people willing to love and protect him, even if the world around them was full of threats.
"I know it's not safe, but I'd like to take him away from the city for a weekend, if that's okay with you," Karen said to Delia. "Maybe we can hide out in one of the abandoned places on the outskirts. I'm sure it'll be a lot safer there than here."
Delia sighed, and suddenly Galbraith opened his eyes and looked at Karen, smiling slightly, as if he sensed the concern radiating from her. It was a moment that reminded Delia that, despite everything that was happening, life was still full of small miracles.
Meanwhile, back at the Moon Base, Sergeant Schaeymoure, who had received orders from the higher command, gathered his team, encouraging them with his military charm, but inside he was growing anxious.
"We must work quickly and carefully," he said, looking at his subordinates. "Word of her escape has already spread, and we have no time for mistakes. We must bring her back before she falls under the control of the Convention or into the hands of those who would use her brother for their own purposes."
The team nodded, and Schaeymoure divided them into groups to cover as many possible routes as possible. While some collected data on space flights and reviewed records of ship movements, others began collecting information on possible hiding places for Delia on Earth.
"Make sure we have access to all space lanes," Schaeymoure commanded. "Every mission, every launch, we need to be aware. Don't let her get away from us. I'm not going back without her."
From that moment on, Moon Base tightened its control over all space routes. Every capsule and ship heading to Earth was subject to strict inspection. Cargo operations were suspended, and every second was precious. Schaeymoure and his team hurriedly checked databases and all possible evidence, hoping to find even one clue as to where Delia might be. They knew that time was against them, and if they could not find her, the consequences would be catastrophic not only for Delia, but for the entire Moon Base.
The Convention wasted no time either, and its agents were ordered to gather information on her whereabouts and outline a possible escape route. Their plan was to capture Delia and bring her back to Tokyo, where the judges were waiting to ask her some questions.
Agents of the Convention, disguised as tourists and locals, began setting traps. They watched every moving figure, gathering information and analyzing who might be connected to Delia. Their goal was clear "to capture her, to use her in solving the Japhet Byrnes case, which was a veritable web of corruption, technology smuggling, and interstellar political intrigue that reverberated through the darkest corners of the galaxy.
Japhet Byrnes, a powerful businessman and tycoon, used his connections on the Moon and Earth to secretly trade in high technology. His focus was on developing deadly weapons and manipulating telepathic abilities. Known for his cunning and ruthlessness, Byrnes acted as if the rules did not apply to him. He bribed high-ranking officials and created complex schemes in which legal and illegal deals were intertwined like threads in a cloth. This shady business threatened not only the security of the Moon Federation, but also Earth itself.
Delia, with her unique telepathic abilities, became a key figure in this case. She was born on the Moon, and her life on Earth was little more than a temporary tourist. However, her abilities, along with her personal history, made her a target for two powerful organizations. The Convention, in particular, was interested in her testimony, which could expose not only Byrnes himself, but also his vast network of criminal activity. Delia knew that her experience in a world full of intrigue and conspiracy could prove decisive, but it also meant that she was in danger.
Once her name was out, the hunt for Delia was redoubled. On one hand, Moon Base saw her as essential to exposing Byrnes, while on the other, the Convention saw her as a threat that needed to be eliminated. Byrnes had been using her as a pawn in his game, and now that her true intentions were known, he wanted to ensure that she could not turn against him. By pursuing her, he hoped to preserve his secrets and avoid justice. Her relationship with Galbraith added an extra layer of tension, as his existence was tied to secret experiments and plans to create the perfect soldier, capable of carrying out any orders.
During all of this horrible happening, Delia was sitting in Karen's old apartment and stumbled upon a document hidden between the pages of one of the books. It was a contract signed with the Convention, with clear instructions on how to use the information about her. She stood up in disbelief and looked at Galbraith, who was curled up in a ball on the old sofa, sleeping. He had no idea that his life and safety were at risk once again.
Delia couldn't let him be betrayed. Had Karen always been on the side of the Convention? Delia crept into the kitchen, trying not to make any noise. She knew she had to be especially careful after discovering Karen's contract with the Convention. But her curiosity made her seek out her friend to find out the truth.
"Karen, where are you?" Delia called softly, her voice shaking with excitement.
Karen came out of the bedroom, quickly lacing up her old robe, a look of surprise on her face.
"Delia? What happened? You look... Worried."
"I know about your connections to the Convention," Delia said, looking her friend straight in the eye. "I found a document that said you... That you turned in me and Galbraith."
Karen froze, her eyes wide in shock.
"What? Delia, it's not what you think!" She took a step towards her, but Delia stepped back.
"Don't come any closer!" she cried, clenching her fists. "You lied to me! You said you'd help me!"
"I... I couldn't do anything! They threatened me!" Karen tried to justify herself, but there was fear in her voice. "Don't you understand what will happen to me if I refuse? These are not just jokes!"
"Do you really think I don't know what you're doing?" Delia snapped, her voice growing tense. "I can't stay here, it's dangerous for both of us!"
"Delia, please listen to me," Karen tried to calm her down. "I did all this for your safety. If they knew you were here, you and Galbraith would be in great danger."
"So you've decided to betray me to save your own skin?" Delia blurted out. "I wish I'd never come to you!"
"I really cared about you," Karen tried to get closer to her again. "I had no choice. I... I thought I could find a way to save you both."
"Save me? Look, we can't stay here!" Delia was determined. "We have to go, now!
At this point, Karen shook her head.
"Delia, no! If you leave, they'll catch you. I don't want you in danger again."
"Have you ever thought about me getting caught here?" Delia screamed. "I can't let Galbraith get taken away! He can't be part of this system!"
Karen seemed to be searching for words to explain herself, but instead she just looked down.
"I... I just wanted you to be safe."
"Safety cannot be achieved through betrayal!" Delia screamed, her voice bouncing off the walls.
"I know," Karen said quietly, her voice shaking. "I know. But I didn't know what to do."
Delia decided that further discussion would lead nowhere. She gave Karen one last look, filled with bitterness and betrayal.
"I'm leaving," she said, turning to leave. "And I'm not coming back."
"Delia, wait!" Karen shouted, but Delia had already disappeared behind the door, determined to get away from this betrayal.
Her heart was breaking with pain, but inside her the will to act was raging. As soon as she found herself on the streets of Lisbon, panic overwhelmed her. She walked forward along the narrow streets, trying not to attract attention. But as soon as she slipped into the shadow of one of the abandoned buildings, her pursuers were already active. In a panic, she crossed the streets, and everything around her seemed dark and menacingly ghostly. Every sound made her shudder. Delia knew that she could lose everything "both herself and her brother. Her path was full of uncertainty, but she was not going to give up.
At this point, Sergeant Schaeymoure stepped out of his ship, which had landed in one of the old, abandoned hangars on the outskirts of Lisbon. He immediately felt the hot breath of the city, full of life and danger, and confidently headed to meet with the agents of the Convention. They were already waiting for him in a small cafe, hidden behind the gray facades of the buildings. Their faces were tense, and their eyes were full of determination. Schaeymoure understood that his decision to cooperate with the Convention would make him even more vulnerable.
"Sergeant Schaeymoure," said one of the agents, looking up from his glass. "You've arrived on Earth from the Moon Base. Well, what are our chances of completing this operation successfully?"
"Delia and her brother," Schaeymoure said, crossing his arms over his chest, "must be found. She can't stay in this city. She's a threat to us all."
The agent laughed, his laugh full of displeasure.
"A threat? She's just a girl from the moon. Do you really think she's capable of anything more?
Schaeymoure clenched his fists.
"You don't understand who we're dealing with. Delia may be part of the system, and if she is, she's an enemy. We can't let her go."
The agent thought for a moment, then nodded.
"We agree to help you, but only if you provide us with information about her location. If we do not find her, we will have to carry out another plan."
Schaeymoure felt his heart skip a beat. He knew what this "other plan" meant. It meant not only capturing Delia, but also carrying out the order to kill her.
"I can't do this," Schaeymoure said sharply, disappointment creeping into his voice. "Delia is needed alive. She's important."
The agent frowned.
"We know you're her friend. But if we can't get her back, she'll be an unnecessary witness. And then we'll have to solve the problem another way."
Schaeymoure knew he had no choice in the matter. The whole plan was repulsive to him, but he knew there was no turning back. In the end, he had to do his duty - even if it meant carrying out the order to destroy her.
"Okay," he said with a heavy sigh. "I agree. We'll find her, and I'll try to convince her to surrender. But if she resists..."
He didn't finish, but everyone understood what he meant. The agent smiled, pleased with the outcome of the deal.
"Excellent. We're counting on you, Sergeant. And remember, if we can't bring her back alive, all we need is results."
Schaeymoure left the café with conflicting emotions. He still hoped that Delia would understand what was happening and surrender. But deep down, he knew that she would fight for her freedom – no matter how dangerous it was. And if she was captured, there was nothing he could do to save her.