March 14th, 2014 (1:04 am)

“So, how’re ya feeling, being here again?” Zack heard a feminine voice and started to open his eye-lids. The first thing he saw was the masked women standing just in front of him, with her hands on her waist. She was wearing the same black outfit she had before. Zack noticed that his hands were tied behind his back, and so were his legs. He soon realized that she was the one to ask him the question.

“Oh, well, I don’t get a good feeling,” Zack replied, dumb-minded because of his sleepiness.

“That’s good,” The woman replied, taking her mask off by her right hand, “But it’d be the last feeling of your life.” Zack was still dumb-minded, but Harry was very shocked to find out that the one who just revealed her face was Miley.

“Oh… Well…” Zack searched for an answer. “That’s good” was the last thing he found.

“What?” Harry, who was tied beside him on the right, yelled.

“Oh, Harry’s also here! I completely forgot ya!” Miley sarcastically said after turning her head towards him. She crouched down and dominantly asked him, “How fool of me to forget the mistake one of my teammate made!”

“Mistake?” Zack whispered without any sound. He looked at Harry with a sense of disgust on his face. His face expressions clearly said, “What’s she talking about?”

“Gonna tell you later, Zack,” Harry calmly replied.

Miley’s men dragged the two towards the same room, which was like an office to Miley. It had the same old desk in front of the window on the right, and a bulb hanging on the right corner, where Olivia was beaten last time. Zack entered the room and the first thing he saw was that same bulb, still making a creepy sound as it moved to and fro. Zack suddenly remembered the face of Olivia when she was beaten badly at that same place. “Nostalgic, isn’t it?” Miley asked, sitting on the table. “That’s where the story started, Zack; the story of your destruction!”

“M-My destruction?” Zack asked. He was frightened a bit. “W-Why’re y’all after my l-life?”

“Well, that’s an extremely long story, Zacky.” She got up from the table and explained him through his hand-movements. “It’s not your fault, Zack. It’s not ours, either. We don’t know the answer of ‘why’. We’re just following the orders of our leader, who’re given orders by their leaders, and the cycle goes on.”

“No, it doesn’t,” Zack angrily said. “At the top there must be a person who’s not governed by anyone, right?”

“Smarty-ass!” Miley sarcastically laughed. “Well, that’s not the question we were made to learn answer of when we were taught about all this.”

“It probably is one of the worst education systems one can ever have,” Zack coldly replied. His head was tilted downwards and his hairs covered his eyes. “Ain’t I correct?”

“Oh wait, you look a kinda… Different,” Miley noticed him. “Wait, isn’t it transformation from one Zack to the other one?!”

“N-N-NO!” Zack said, struggling for himself.

“Oh, did it fail?” Miley asked. She glared at him for a few minutes. “Oh!” She acted like she was the innocent one here. “Wait, maybe this can help, Zacky. Ads! Come here, your friends are here!” She looked like a big sister or something. Suddenly, the door opened with a noise as someone entered the room.

“Nice to meet you, Zack!” Adam, arrogantly said as he ascended towards him. “So, ’sup?”

Zack was completely shocked by watching Adam walking so freely. “D-D-Did ya re-really joined the e-enemy’s side?” Zack asked, with drops of sweat on his forehead and eyes wide open.

“Sure, Zack, can’t ya see?” Adam sarcastically asked. “You badly need an eye-checkup! Want me to book an appointment to that dentist?”

“Haha!” Miley laughed. “That was a good one, Ads!”

“Sure it was,” Adam replied.

Suddenly, Miley stopped laughing and asked him, “So, d’ya think y’are ready?”

“Mm… Maybe?” Adam shrugged.

“Ok so, Imma take it as a ‘yes,’” Miley replied. “Seeing that girl?” She said, pointing at the wall behind the Harry-Zack duo.

“Is she invisible?”

“No, you’re gonna see her in a few minutes,” She said.

Zack was kicked by the bodyguard from behind. “Hey!” He yelled. But, the guard didn’t reply and pushed him towards the front, towards the exactly opposite of where Adam and Miley had their eyes on.

“How long do I needa wait?” Adam asked. Zack was seated behind them and so was the case with Harry.

Suddenly, the door opened with the same creepy noise and this time, the one who was summoned was a woman, Olivia, along with a guard of her. The room was almost full now, with three guards, Miley, Olivia, Adam, Zack and Harry. “So, I know this must be heart-breaking, Ads, but…” Miley’s face suddenly turned devilish and frightening as she continued, “SHOOT HER!”

“W-What?” Adam asked. “S-Shoot her? This wasn’t supposed to be what we were—”

“Shut the fuck up, Ads, and do as I say. Today, y’are gonna save one life, and take one. The one to be killed here will be either Olivia, who has absolutely no weapon to fight back, or yours, Adam, who has both the weapons and resources. But remember, the choice may be up to you, Ads, but you can’t choose both.”

Adam was scared by this command. His hands started shaking as he didn’t know what do to. “T-This wasn’t what I expected,” Adam thought, still scared. “It’s not the choice between either Olivia or me, but it’s a choice of either my friend or the Agency. T-The Agency has the upper-hand, a-and I should probably choose myself over her, but w-what about Olivia? S-She—”

“Hey, you motherfucker!” Miley yelled at him. “What the fuck has gone into you? Just choose now!”

“O-Okay,” Adam replied, “I-I choose…” He gulped and, while pointing the gun towards the dark-skinned woman, continued, “…Olivia.”

“N-N-No, Adam! Wh-What’s gone in your head? Th-The Adam I knew wasn’t like this! Ads, pl-please, ch-choose anyone else!” Olivia begged. She was scared at the thought of death near her.

“What option?” Adam coldly asked. “Should I choose myself? Then should I kill myself?!”

“N-No I didn’t mea—”

“I got it what you mean, you bitch!” Adam angrily said. “I know no one of you ever felt something for me!”

“Ads, it’s-it’s just not true,” Zack calmly told him. “We all are there for you, Ads.”

“Then, Zacky, can ya explain this?” Adam asked. “Olivia is someone you love, isn’t it? So, you should be scared by the idea of her murder. But, did you ever have the same kinda feeling for me? Wasn’t I as close to you as her?”

“What’re you saying, Ads. You are taking it the other way,” Harry tried to explain.

“I’m not the one to take it the other way; if someone doesn’t care what the fuck is goin’ on into my life, even I don’t care if he’s dead!”

He turned back towards Olivia, and winked at her, with a sense of reassurance. “Don’t worry,” He told her under his breath without making any sound, so that no one except her can interpret it.

Zack, in the meantime, took out the knife which was given to them in case of such circumstances. Then, he started to cut his rope by tilting it upside down and then cutting the rope by applying force, by pushing the body backwards towards the wall, on it while moving the knife to and fro. It started giving effect in the first try as the rope’s cavity was getting deeper and deeper.

“So, it means y’are killing her, right?” Miley asked him.

“Yeah,” Adam replied, and confidently glared at Olivia, who was standing in front of him, tied with ropes. He started to think, “Oh, what should I do now? I’ve promised her I won’t shoot, but what should I do now? Oh wait…” He tilted his head towards Miley and observed her. “What if—” He was unable to complete his sentence because he was pushed sideways by someone beside him. He was on ground, and his pistol not in his hands anymore; it was in his front. He turned backwards to find out the man who pushed him and was now sitting on him, with his hands buried under his legs. He saw him with great madness and anger and Adam was shocked to see that it was Zack, who was sitting on him with a knife .

“You betrayed me, Adam! You betrayed us all, Harry, me, Olivia, and everyone at SAI. I already expected such shit from Miley, but you… C’mon, I don’t even have words to say. I can’t believe that it was you, who did such shameful thing. You saw my gleeful and happy face, but now Y’ARE GONNA SEE ZACK’S WRATH!” He was turning insane again, and the worst part was that the other one was taking over his body. “AAAAH!” He shouted in pain, scratching his hair madly. Suddenly, Harry saw the ropes being cut, and instantly got to know that they were cut with the knife. He took out his knife from the back pocket and started cutting his ropes. “Thanks to the self-defense trainers at SAI!” He thought while cutting them.

“Oh, great!” Miley cheerfully yelled, like she was enjoying the whole show going on. “The transformation’s begun again!”

Zack held his head with his hands tightly and started scratching his hairs. “AAAH!” He regularly shouted in pain. It was like he was having an intense headache and was just gonna die due to the pain. “NO, PLEASE! NOOOO!”

“Z-Zack,” Olivia said with pity. She knew well how her friend must be fighting inside himself.

Suddenly, Harry was also open of the roped of his hands, stood up and dashed towards him. He caught Zack by his torso and pushed both his and Zack’s body towards the ground. Both fell down perpendicular to Adam. When both were down, Harry extended his hand towards the pistol and got a tight hold on it. Then, he shook Zack’s body and told him, “Zack! T-The situation’s in o-our control!”

Adam, on the other hand, was frozen in the same spot. The frightening looks of Zack and the transformation and all that stuff at once was difficult to digest for him. His eyes were wide open in shock, and so do his mouth. With the face expressions jammed, he suddenly started tilting his head towards his left, where the two fell. Their legs were still upon his legs, so he took a deep breath, got back his face expressions, and pushed their legs. “W-W-What? Adam!” Miley shockingly stared him. “What the fuck is—”

Adam stood up and started walking towards her. He sighed and shrugged and said, “Well, I—”

“Hands up!” Harry angrily commanded him. He had already pointed his pistol on the head. “And don’t underestimate my shooting skills!” He added.

Adam had a drop of sweat on his forehead again due to fear and sensitivity of the situation. He moved his hands up while convincing him, “Okay, okay. Don’t get angry, I’m doing it.”

“Great,” Harry coldly said. “You’ve seen Zack’s wrath, now it’s time for mine, Ads! It’s enough. I’m not gonna stay shut today. Imma forget all my introversion, just for NOW!”

“Well, it’s good to hear that everyone got a lecture to give here, but I think we should start the mass-murder’s ribbon cutting ceremony.”

“W-W-What?” Olivia murmured. She was confused by seeing how Miley was calm and arrogant even at such a time.

“The first one to start the ceremony was gonna be Olivia, but the time’s changed for good!” Miley calmly said. “Now it’s you, Ads!” She took out her pistol, which she already had as a backup, and aimed at his head. “So, Harry, who’s it gonna be? You, or me?”

Harry’s eyes grew wide. He didn’t expect that Miley would betray her own companion. “W-What?”

“Betrayal is in my nerves, Harry. The time I’m on your side, enjoy it. Once I turn my head to the other, it’s gonna be a tragedy for your dear ones!”

“Did I ever tell you I can’t accept betrayals?” Zack, who was on his elbow trying to get up, said. He raised back his right hand and threw the knife hard towards Miley. Miley was hit on the left hand, which was pushed backwards due to the impact. It was so hard that she even lost the grip on her pistol. Seeing this as a great opportunity to save everyone, Adam tried running towards the pistol. But, Harry pushed him sideways through his shoulders to stop him from moving forward and gaining the pistol for himself. Adam was not on ground this time. Luckily, he was on his hands and didn’t touch the ground. Smiling, he looked towards the pistol and it was enough to fade his small smile. Such a short time was enough for Harry to gain the other pistol. Miley was unable to stand, so she sat down on the corner of her desk, while constantly rubbing her wound, with her eyes closed due to intense pain.

“Argh!” She screamed in pain. Then, she opened her eyes and found Harry pointing a pistol at her and the other at Adam. Harry’s face expressions showed that he was extremely angry and low on stamina. He was breathing hard. “Do you know how many backups do I, as a terrorist, have?” Harry questioningly narrowed his eyes as Miley turned her head right towards the wide open window. Then, she kicked Harry right between his legs by her right knee. It was enough for him to let go of the pistol of his right hand. He left it and the pistol fell on the ground. Adam, who was standing again, saw her shockingly in slow-motion as she took the pistol and pointed it back towards Harry. He started running towards her, aiming at her right hand, before the trigger was pushed. He knew that his unpunctuality this time can cause a person to lose his life. He dived towards her hand and pushed it sideways. It was late, as the trigger was pulled, but not too late, as the bullets, which were first going to travel to the brain, now shot the left cheek area. Adam was happy and sad at the same time. His friend was shot, but at least it was not on the brain anymore, where just one bullet could have meant death. But, the chances of death were still high and Harry needed immediate medical attention.

Miley yelled and pushed him sideways. She stood up and climbed up the window which was wide open beside her. He jumped off to the other side and ran away as fast as she can. “What the fuck! Another failure! My boss isn’t gonna leave me alive this time!”

“A-Adam?” Zack was shocked by Adam’s life-saving deed. “W-W-What’s going on?”

“I’ve no time to explain, Zack,” Adam told him. “First we should take care of Harry. He’s been badly hit.”