Rebecca clumsily carries two cups of coffee over to her chief advisor, who is lying lifeless on his table. She sets the coffee down ands begins scanning through the research papers he had written. She nods in amazement at his discovery.
"Hey, how do you manage to gather all this information?" Rebecca asks in a mischievous tone. The advisor groans and starts muttering , Oh god, do you ever shut up. He then covers his face and looks at his golden watch, catching a glimpse of his tired, red eyes in its reflection. Shaking off his exhaustion, he stands up with renewed passion.
"Sorry, confidential and thanks for the coffee?" he says with enthusiasm, What? Cocoa, you know I loathe that. Rebecca puts the papers back and takes a sip of her latte. The aroma of cocoa beans and palm oil cream blissfully tickles her nose. It's a scent that contrasts with the cold concrete walls that surround the office.
Suddenly, a knock interrupts her pleasant moment. Rebecca skips over to the door and opens it. "And who might you be?" she asks, eyeing a man of average height wearing a fancy hat. He is dressed in regal attire and sports a long beard that reaches his belly.
He huffs at her and says, "Well, let me tell you, I am the chairman's messenger, here to deliver greetings and—" Rebecca interrupts him by placing a finger on his lips and turns to her advisor. "It's a messenger. Why do they have to bother me at a time like this?, the advisor thinks. He then smiles and says, "Ask him why he's here." Rebecca turns back to the messenger and does as she was instructed.
The messenger furrows his eyebrows, but then relaxes. "I was assigned to provide a report on Bishop Samson's factory activities by the chairman himself. However, I haven't been able to reach him."
Rebecca's advisor perked up his ears, quickly stumbled his way to the front of the door. With a gentle smile, he extended his hand and said, "Sir, I would be delighted to assist you. I will deliver the letter." The small man gladly accepted the handshake and offered his help.
"Now that's a true gentleman. Lady, you should take notes," he remarked, handing over the report letter before swiftly leaving the building. The advisor couldn't contain his excitement, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. "What a rude person, showing up without even a greeting," Rebecca complained. Unfazed, the advisor brushed off her comment, knowing he had obtained the information he had been waiting for. Rebecca started to notice his sinister gaze and asked, "How do you know where the chairman is? He moves around so much."
The advisor simply giggled and replied, "Don't worry, my dear. Everything will make sense in the end." He hurried back to his desk, stuffing papers and his laptop into his bag. Giving Rebecca a wink, he dashed out of the room. Rebecca sighed at the mess he left behind during his hasty departure. She glanced at his desk one last time and noticed some overlooked papers. "Might as well take a peek while I'm still here."
...
Ariek was in the middle of a conversation with Nel when he spotted Ruby's drone spying on them. He gestured to Nel and waved him off. "Good news and bad news. Which one do you want to hear first?" he asked, addressing the seemingly sleeping Ruby and Lana. "I know you two are awake, so pay attention," he said, clasping his hands together. "Lana, your meeting with the bishop has been postponed."
Lana jumped up in joy, while Ruby remained in bed, muttering to herself, postponed. Ariek noticed her reaction and gave her a comforting look. "This is the best outcome we could hope for. Now we have a chance to catch Kemuri," he said, causing Lana's excitement to fade. She glanced at Ruby, who was nervously biting her lip ready for another argument, and at the determined Ariek who was trying to prevent that and realizing that she no longer belonged there.
Perhaps she never did. She contemplated making her escape. "Excuse me, guys," she whispered. Both of them stared at her. "I know that if we don't catch Kemuri, both of you will be in trouble."
"I know if you don't get Kemuri, you both will be in serious trouble," she wraps her arm, "But what about joining us? At my place, we have a farm, we have water, and we don't have to leave because of a dictator." The room falls silent. Lana eagerly awaits their reactions, wanting to know what they think of her suggestion. She silently prays, hoping that her words have touched their hearts. Ruby breaks the silence, saying, "Well, that depends on one thing." Lana winces at the implication.
Ariek chimes in, "She has a point. How can we leave with people who might have killed our comrade?"
"I'm sure he's still alive. Amara would never..."
"And how do you know that?" Ariek interrupts, his anger evident.
"You've only known her for a month. You don't know the families she's destroyed. The communities. Entire cultures and regions have suffered because of her alone!" His anger subsides, leaving Lana in shock. Not only because of his ruthless determination towards Amara, but also because he knows about her circumstances. Ruby clarifies, "If you can provide proof of Dreng's body and ensure our safety, then..."
Lana finally meets their gaze, seeing the same moisture in their eyes as in hers. She clenches her teeth and says, "Alright. Give me two days." Ariek almost lets anger consume him again. "What? How do you expect..."
"Fine," Ruby interrupts. "But I'm coming with you." Ariek looks at them both as if they're possessed. He shakes his head wildly, then storms out of the room. Ruby grows tense. "Damn it, why did I let my emotions get the best of me?" she laments. Lana asks, "What do you mean?" Ruby glares at her. "He won't let us escape. He made a promise to remember."
"Keep her safe." Dreng's words flashes her mind. They hear loud crashes from outside, unsettling Lana and Ruby. After a few seconds, the noise stops.
"Ruby! Lana! Come outside!" Their stomachs sink. He calls out again, "Come outside, you two! I won't say it again." Ruby remains frozen in place, unable to move. Lana holds Ruby's trembling hands.
"He won't harm you, right? So let's go. And if I-" Ruby stopped her, returning to reality. She firmly grasped Lana's hands. "I won't allow it. Stay here," she left Lana, taking unsteady steps towards the exit. She glanced back at Lana, then shut the door. She heard a hushed conversation, followed by the resumption of noise, causing Lana to shake her head. Then she heard Ruby's voice saying, "Lana, come out. You won't believe it."
With a knife in hand, Lana cautiously approached the door and swung it open slightly. She peeked outside and saw Ruby standing on the horse from before, holding a horn. "What's happening?" she asked. Lana stepped outside into the morning breeze, feeling the gentle grass and sand beneath her feet. Ariek noticed her and approached. Lana grew apprehensive but didn't try to run. Ariek stopped an arms length apart and said,
" Listen, Lana. I am sorry. It is poorly my mistake that you are with us, and..." he grazes up. "I have seen your influence on Ruby and your heart. My mom once told me, 'If you ate garbage your entire life, you would think garbage was delicious.'" He exhales sharply, "I have been living in that same garbage for too long and planned on taking Ruby and Drew with me there. But now I see the truth. I can hope." He met Lana's gaze and placed a gentle, reassuring hand on her. She flinched at first but quickly relaxed her shoulders. "You're a good kid, and even though we haven't spoken much, I trust you." Her cheeks turned red, and she looked away, weakly saying, "Thanks."
He finally stepped back from Lana's personal space and glanced at Ruby. "Alright, listen carefully, both of you. My dear there I will transport you two to your destination. I'll also send my snakes over. If she starts causing trouble, blow that horn. It will calm her down." Lana looked up at him. "You're not coming with us?"
"No," he sighed. "You were delayed, but that might change soon."
He clutches his shirt tightly, "I will ensure that he won't pursue the two of you until you achieve your goals." Ruby dismounts from the horse and embraces Ariek. "But you..." Ariek runs his fingers through her hair. "Don't worry. I'm not going to die. I'm just going to delay." Lana embraces her, tears streaming down her face. "Thank you." The two children cry bitterly, causing Ariek to become emotional as well. After a few moments, Ariek pats them both on the back and says, "That's enough now... time to back up"
They both rush to the house and return with their belongings. Lana doesn't have anything, so she simply helps Ruby. Ariek loads everything onto the wagon, says something to the horse, and nods at Lana and Ruby, who both take a seat at the front. They nod back, and with a gentle breeze blowing through, Ruby snaps the reins. The horse snorts and gallops into the distance.
This time, Ariek doesn't hesitate. He knows what his next move will be. "Come out, Nel," and right on cue, Nel emerges from the shadows. "The plan is in motion. It's up to them now," Ariek says. Nel nods. "But first, you deserve recognition for your exceptional performance." Ariek gazes into the distance and wipes his face. "That wasn't acting, and..." he turns to face Nel. "Courage and determination come from within, not because someone tells you to possess those qualities." His eyes begin to well up with tears again. "Let's go inside and discuss our roles before you becomes too emotional again," Nel suggests, his voice filled with excitement.
