As we walked through the endless corridors, we found ourselves lost. We scoured around the facility, looking for any sort of map or sign for a way out of this place.

 

The only things in sight were unopened crates and unorganized luggage.

 

Fortunately, only a few minutes later were we able to find the staircase going down. It was unknown to me how many guards there were, but it seemed like the best option was to exit silently.

 

After only 8 sets of stairs, we finally hit ground level. There was but one problem. There were people outside. A LOT of people. I could hear people shouting, workers moving things, machines moving; all right past this, thick, sturdy metal gate.

 

"Hey Alex… How are we going to get out…?" I asked worriedly. 

 

"Good question. I have no idea…" said Alex in a low voice, almost murmuring it. 

 

"Let's go out through a window…" I said, that was the only thing I could think of, that was reasonably effective at least. 

 

Hopping out of the window, there was thankfully no one around, allowing us to easily get outside. However, when I looked to my right, I found a group of what looked to be construction workers walking towards us.

 

I stiffened up, but quickly got into a fighting stance. I waited for them to make the first move.

 

And…!

 

They walked right past me, not a single question nor care. 

 

"Wow… That was… Anticlimactic to say the least…" I exclaimed, followed up by a "You can say that again…" from Alex.

 

Sneaking out of the facility was the supposed hard part, now it was (hopefully) the easy part. Get on a plane or ship and head off to a different country, continent even.

 

"Hey! Stop standing around and help! The crates won't open themselves god damn it!" Yelled what I assumed to be a supervisor. 

 

"Y-yes sir!" I yelled, walking out of his sight.

 

"God damned kids these days…" Said the supervisor. Sometimes, I wish I wasn't able to hear this well…

 

***

 

Heading off, we decided to get onto a cruise ship, it was the fastest and best option for us currently. I lazed around the motel we booked into. Trying to think of situations where I could use neutralize efficiently. 

 

There were a few I could think of, but all of them were definitely not practical.

 

Planting a trap, shooting things all at once, stopping a bullet. Things like those.

 

There were also many unanswered questions I had left about it. Does it retain heat? Will it ever gain any sort of upgrade? What are it's limits? 

 

The tests I had done didn't help, and that… burst… That burst of energy I had, that power. I felt like it was there, yet out of my reach. Like I could grasp it, but every time I tried, it would slip out. Falling to the ground and slowly, but surely cracking, until one day, the day it'll shatter.

 

"Let's go, it's almost time!" Said Alex. He was decked out in the "vacation time" starter pack. A flowery Hawaiian button up shirt, grey shorts, black sunglasses, flip flops, and a straw hat...

 

"Alex…" I said, pausing before speaking further. 

 

"Well? Continue…?" He said.

 

"Sigh… Nothing…" I said. I held myself back from telling him that it looks terrible…

 

***

 

"Haah… Finally. On the ship… We can finally rest now!" I exclaimed. 

 

We had finally boarded the ship, got into our rooms, and settled in. Now, it was time to rest, night had already fallen. 

 

"Huh? Rest? Hahaha! The party's just begun!" Said Alex while rubbing his hands together as he dragged me out of the room, into the heart of the party.

 

"Oh no…" I sighed and reluctantly followed him.

 

A few hours into the party…

 

There I was, among the dancing people, flashing lights, loud music, I was awkwardly sitting alone at the bar when a woman approached me.

 

Curvy in the right places, blue eyes as deep as the sea, with light blue hair to match.

 

"Can I buy you a drink~?" She said with a flirtatious smile 

 

"No." I replied, trying to be as cold as possible.

 

"Aww, I'm sorry, please don't be mad at me~" Said the woman, before leaning in, placing her bright pink lips next to my ears.

 

"You'll ruin that cute face of yours you know~?" She whispered into my ear. A shiver went down my spine and I started to get tipsy.

 

"I think I've drank too much, so, goodbye…" I said one last time before standing up and unsteadily walking back to my room. It was a sudden burst of drowsiness, I had to be careful around her.

 

The woman chased me into the hallway. She followed me for a half a minute before running up in front of me, blocking my party forward.

 

"I think you're a bit too tipsy, maybe you should rest a bit. Maybe… We could have some fun~♥" She said as she placed her hand on my crotch, rubbing it through my pants. 

 

I grabbed her hands and gently prevented her from doing anything further. "For the last time. Stop." I said, walking past her and continuing on back to my room.

 

Thankfully it didn't seem like she was following me anymore.

 

It was time for a good night's rest…

 

***

 

"EVERYONE. THIS IS AN EMERGENCY, PLEASE EXIT YOUR ROOMS AND HEAD UPSTAIRS. LIFEBOATS ARE…" 

 

I jolted up. The captain yelled into the mic, the ship was sinking and they were preparing lifeboats. 

 

"Ah shit, Alex!" I yelled, Alex also jolted up and prepared to leave. We headed up, getting into a lifeboat like everyone else. Less than a minute later, we were put down into the sea. 

 

On the small boat, it was me, Alex, 2 children, and one woman. We had provisions, enough to last us at least a week if used sparingly. If not, we only have 2 or 3 days before we're on our own.

 

As I looked back, I got a full view of the large cruise ship slowly sinking. It was slowly tilting to the right, causing many things to slide down, into the abyss that is the ocean. The boat sank and sank. Until it was completely submerged underwater. The starry night adding this melodramatic atmosphere, as we drifted off into the night…