I changed chapter 11 a little , so you can go check that out if you want. I also upload on Webnovel and Wattpad, so if I forget to post here( which I think I will one of these days), you can go check those out. Anyway, stay safe and healthy and enjoy!

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“ OMG, you bastard ! Are you sure that you smelled something? We already searched for those nonexistent things for half an hour!” The person called Asper was annoyed, scowling at his colleague. 

 

“ Well, for the tenth time, yes! It's not like you have anything to lose, right? So, just shut up and continue to search!” the low , seemingly male voice responded back, the voice barely audible as the person was high up in the trees, looking for the ‘ nonexistent’ beings. 

 

Silence resumed and the two shadows continued to move as the four continued to hide.  Anne, Ruby and Ice stared attentively at the scene of the two bickering as Mary put her finger in her mouth in hope to stop her jaws that were threatening to chatter in fear of being found. 

 

Footsteps drew closer once again for the hundredth time and Mary squeezed her eyes shut again. This process has been repeating for the past half an hour and their thighs were starting to get sore as the four of them were all squatting.  Mary’s whole body was trembling, including her thighs , yet when she looked at the other three, they looked perfectly fine except for the sleepiness in their eyes. 

 

“THUD!” Mary’s thighs finally gave out. Mary nearly gave out a high-pitched squeak but Anne once again saved her by a hair’s breadth by covering her mouth in time. 

 

“ HEY, ANXIUS! DID YOU HEAR THAT?” Asper quickly shouted excitedly to the person still perched on top of the tree.

 

“ HEAR WHAT?” Anxius replied back, still very confused. 

 

Out of the blue, a high pitched alarm started to resound through the entire forest. 

 

“ OH SHITZ! WE NEED TO GO NOW, ANXIUS!” 

 

“ WELL, I KNOW THAT! COME ON!” 

 

And just like that, the two ran back to HQ.

 

“ What was that?” Mary asked curiously.

 

“ Well, that was the alarm. I think something happened at HQ.” Anne replied while stretching her legs. 

 

“ D-do you think the a-alarm rang because of us?” Mary asked , having an alarmed look on her face. 

 

“ Nah, when I attempted to escape last time, the superior beings didn’t ring the bell because they didn’t want to let the other lab subjects know. They don’t want them to get any ideas of doing that.” Anne answered Mary’s question.

 

“ Well, we’re going to escape anyway so that is some pretty useful information.” Ice joined the conversation, intentionally letting Mary realize what she was currently in.

 

“ W-WE’RE GOING-uhum, to e-escape????” Mary’s face turned into a blank canvas, shock written all over her face.

 

“ You didn’t know, Mary?” Ruby asked while sitting down on a rock.

 

“ W-well, no. S-sorry.” Mary’s head hanged low, looking like a dejected chipmunk.

 

“ No worries. But, anyway, we really need to find a new hideout, and fast. I think those two will be back tomorrow.” Ruby’s tone turned serious, her eyes focusing on the other three eyes.

 

“ Well, first, let’s create signs. We never know whether these situations will happen again or whether they will get even more dangerous.”  Ice suggested.

 

“ Sure.”, Anne nodded. “ I learned sign language for fun when I was back on Earth, let me teach you guys.”

 

The three agreed to the suggestion and the classes began.

 

Ruby interrupted Anne’s teaching and said.“ Um, big sis. I don’t think we can finish learning today, so how about we continue this tomorrow.”

 

“ Well, I expected that. But I never planned to teach you guys all of it. I taught you guys some of the basics but now it's time to get to the main part. When I was teaching you guys this now, I thought of 4 emergency signs which you guys must remember.”  Anne told the four as she picked up a stick from the ground.

 

Anne began drawing a pyramid diagram on the dirt floor and wrote numbers 1 to 4 in each of the layers. 

 

“ Okay, this is what I came up with. The first rank is the least one ranked, the least dangerous is your left hand on the neck. Your thumb on your neck means encountering dangerous fyta and zoa( plants and animals) or noxious poison or drugs that were not not self-did or by any of us four .

 

The 2nd one, which is ranked as the 3rd least dangerous, is your palm on the waist means you are being watched seriously by people and have no means of escape but you can fend them off by yourself. 

 

The 3rd one, ranked as 2nd most dangerous, is that your palm on your stomach means that you’re being ambushed and they’re stronger than you.  

 

The last one is the most dangerous one: your finger on your hand on one side of your head. Your thumb on your stomach means that the plans are being leaked.” Anne explained.

“Well, that’s it.” Anne said. 

 

Ruby, who was attentively listening to Anne’s explanation spoke up. “ Big sis, I think that your signs are too complicated. How about just doing 1,2,3 and 4 with our fingers.” 

 

“ M-mhmm, I agree with Ruby. But just that we do our threes and fours like this and this.” Mary showed the three her fingers. When she mentioned three, she placed her thumb over her pinkie, and when she mentioned four she placed her pinkie down. 

 

“ I agree with Mary. If we place our hands any differently when we were meant to indicate 3 and four, then that will mean  and 4.” Ice nodded his head as he joined the discussion.  

 

“ Ok, we’re done for today then. We will start to search for our new hideout tonight. If you find anything this morning, mention it in our meeting tomorrow. “ Anne said as she turned around to leave.

 

The four said their goodbyes and went back to their rooms.