Sophie and Nathan stood there, frozen in pce as Cole gred at them, his gun still pointed at them. Sophie gnced around. There was limited space to run, and Cole was a good shot. The chances of them both being able to escape this was nearly impossible. Cole looked down at Reggie, making a face.

  “Is this one of her pet projects?” He asked. Reggie’s expression turned angry.

  “I am not a pet.” Reggie snapped back. Cole seemed taken aback for a moment but regained his composure.

  “Right. I remember now. Alright, robot, you’re coming with me. Same with you, Sophie. We’re returning you back home.” Cole stated. Sophie looked over to Nathan. Nathan didn’t look worried or shocked, just annoyed.

  “What about Nathan?” She asked, her voice trembling. Nathan looked over at her and smiled weakly, but still remained silent.

  “He won’t be returning with us. I’ve been given strict instructions to make sure he can’t ever find you again.” Cole expined, cocking his gun. Sophie shook her head.

  “No!” She screamed. Nathan sighed, holding his hands up.

  “I knew you guys pyed dirty, but this is pretty low, even for you.” He snapped. Cole shrugged.

  “I didn’t make the call. It came from higher up. Though, I’m sure it made Leo happy to hear that her concerns weren’t falling on deaf ears.” Cole expined, “She was all too happy to deliver that news to me. ”

  Cole looked at Sophie and motioned for her to move with the pistol grasped firmly in his hand.

  “Alright, I’m ready to head back now, so you need to scooch so I can kill your pal here.” He said, his voice a little too calm for the situation at hand. Sophie shook her head, but Nathan pced his hand on hers.

  “Sophie, just go. Run you still can.” He whispered. Sophie shook her head and was about to protest, when she noticed Bir on Cole’s back lifting her head a bit. They made eye contact for a moment before Bir grinned at her, reached up and smmed her hands into Cole’s back. Cole yelped in pain and dropped the gun as Bir swung herself back over his shoulder. She scrambled quickly to grab the gun, aiming it at Cole.

  “Now I see. They’re not being paid. They're hostages” She growled, gring at Cole. Cole looked up at her, gring back.

  “So what? He’s a criminal and she’s aiding a criminal. Why should it matter what happens to them?” He snarled. Bir shrugged.

  “I’m a criminal too. Why not kill me?” She asked, looking at him. Cole opened his mouth to speak but shut it again quickly.

  Bir cocked her had to one side.

  “It's fine. I already know the answer. I’m of value to the LDPD. And Nathan isn’t deemed as valuable, despite being a dreamer. Easier to eliminate those who oppose you, right?” Bir asked. Cole just gred at her.

  “I never said you’re of value to the LDPD. You’re just a monster who deserves to be caged.” He spat. Bir’s expression faltered for a moment, before she aimed the pistol into the sky and shot the entire round of bullets. She dropped the gun in front of Cole.

  “You’re right. And a monster doesn’t need a gun to kill you.” She said, her voice low and full of menace. She turned around motioning to Sophie and Nathan as Reggie wheeled towards the shed.

  “You two, come with me... unless you want to go back with them?” She asked. Sophie and Nathan exchanged a quick gnce before following her quickly. Bir had opened the door to the shed but spun around suddenly. Nathan and Sophie also looked behind them to see Cole barreling towards them, a dagger in his hand. Bir stepped forward, swinging her wrench upwards as it grew into a rge wrench again, then shrunk it down as Cole was thrown back, nding unconscious on the ground. Bir sighed, picking up his intercom and buzzing it.

  “Kavi. Come get Cole please.” Bir stated. Then dropped the device next to Cole. She looked to Nathan and Sophie.

  “Okay. Now we should run." Bir said, suddenly breaking into a sprint. Nathan, Sophie, and Reggie followed her quickly, as they entered the shed. Inside was a door with a strange frame around it, and a rge amount of explosives around that. The door glowed a soft blue colour that seemed to pulse with energy. Bir opened the door, revealing a long, cement hallway on the other side. She gestured, motioning for everyone to enter.

  “Hurry up.” She ordered. Sophie gnced around as Nathan and Reggie entered the door.

  “What are you going to do?” She asked. Bir stared at her for a moment, but just motioned for her to enter the door.

  “Trust me, they'll be fine. But you won't if you don’t get in here now.” Bir stated. Sophie gnced back, then walked through the door as well. Bir followed behind her, shutting the door quickly. She pressed a button on the other side of the door, and Sophie could hear a booming sound, followed by the blue light pulsing from this side of the door dying out. She looked to Bir who just walked forward, Reggie moving alongside her.

  “Should I notify the office of our return?” Reggie asked. Bir shook her head.

  “No, I’ll go and do that myself. I’ll have to expin what happened and that we have two stowaways now. You take Nathan and Sophie straight to my old room. The less they see the better.” She ordered. Reggie nodded as he began to veer down a separate hallway from Bir. Bir looked over at Nathan and Sophie.

  “Reggie will take you to a safe space for now while I try to work this situation out. Worst case scenario, you’ll be eliminated. But that won’t happen unless you’re considered a threat. Best case scenario you get to go.” She expined. Nathan scoffed.

  “So that most likely won't happen, either, right? So, what now? Are we stuck working for Insomnia for the rest of our lives?” He asked, snarling. Bir sighed.

  “Most likely not. But either way, you’re helping out the good side,” She expined as she turned away from him and headed down a different hallway, “Go on with Reggie now!”

  Nathan snorted as he too turned away, angrily walking down the hallway Reggie had started down. Sophie quickly followed behind him.

  “There is no ‘good’ side,” He grumbled, “Not if this is how you recruit people.”

  Reggie remained silent as he led Sophie and Nathan further into the concrete byrinth. All the doors were closed so neither of them could see where anything lead. And it was eerily quiet. There was just a strange sort of humming sound they could here periodically, but even then, it was just for a few seconds before it vanished. Suddenly, Reggie stopped and opened a door, leading into a barren room. As Sophie entered, she could see there was a bed and a desk inside, but nothing much else. Reggie followed behind them and shut the door quietly.

  “Please excuse the state of the room, up until recently Miss Bir was staying at the cottage. Unfortunately, now that her room is in many pieces and all of her worldly possessions have been burnt to a crisp it is impossible for her to stay there.” Reggie expined, then cast the two of them a gnce, “Not that either of you need to feel guilty. It’s not like she had much to begin with. And here you two are, wanting to just get out as quickly as you can. Back to your comfortable lives.”

  Nathan gnced over at Sophie.

  “I get the feeling the robot isn’t a fan of us.” He whispered to her before looking back to Reggie. Sophie sighed.

  “Reggie, we’re very sorry about what happened. But we haven’t had the easiest past few days either…” She expined. Reggie surveyed her up and down for a moment. There was a loading bar across their face before their face returned and they paused.

  “I suppose you haven’t. Apologies for my rudeness. I have been programmed to stand by and protect Miss Bir, and that includes verbally. She suffered a lot through the hands of the LDPD. She just wants to be free of them.” They expined. Nathan sighed and nodded.

  “I think a lot of people have been through a lot… but on both sides. This isn’t a battle you can win with violence against the innocent.” Nathan said softly, “It’s bad enough when you’re in the battle… but all these innocent people who have nothing to do with this get harassed and bothered and for what? Ego? Someone’s idea as to what is right and what is freedom? And then they get to speak for all of the greater good? What is Insomnia’s hope if they win? That they sughter all of the members of the LDPD and then we’re all free? Something tells me there’s more to this than that. Those in control like being in control. They don’t like relenting, even if it is for everyone’s freedom. They only want their freedom to do as they please. To hell with anyone else’s freedom” Nathan continued, before letting out a sigh, “But there are those within Insomnia that take joy out of causing others pain. And others who may cause pain to those they believe that need it. So, what then? Do they get to choose who is worthy of freedom and who isn’t?”

  Reggie paused for a moment before speaking up.

  “Unfortunately, I can’t answer that question. I’m only programmed to follow Bir with her choices.” They expined. There was a moment of silence before Nathan cleared his throat.

  “Yeah, I suppose you can’t. It’s just something that’s been bothering me for a while.” Nathan muttered. Sophie also sat in silence as she thought about the words Nathan had said. She wasn’t familiar with Insomnia’s work, but based on what Nathan had told her it seemed it wasn’t good either. After a while of silence, the door suddenly burst open. The three snapped their heads up to see Bir entering the room with two forms in her hand.

  “Alright! I think I got you both a good deal!” She excimed as she walked into the room before shutting the door behind her. Nathan let out a sigh.

  “Okay. What is it?” He asked. Bir grinned.

  “You just need to work with Insomnia for a year. Apparently, they said that should be enough to get both of you off the hook.” She expined. Nathan gnced over at Sophie nervously.

  “One whole year? What are we supposed to do?” Nathan asked. Bir shrugged.

  “Well, if you’re both dream walkers, then usually you’re used to sneak into pces and take things Insomnia needs.” She expined. Sophie frowned.

  “So… you want us to steal.” Sophie muttered. Bir raised an eyebrow.

  “Yeah, but it’s all for the greater good.” Bir expined, “No one will get hurt.”

  “Yeah. No one will get hurt.” He scoffed. Bir gred at him.

  “Well, no one except for those LDPD pigs.” She retorted. Sophie felt her body shake as she looked up at Bir.

  “And what if we refuse?” She asked. Bir shrugged.

  “We take you out back and put a bullet in your head.” Bir expined, sounding a bit too okay with that idea. Nathan shot Sophie a gnce, pcing a hand on her hand before turning back to Bir.

  “It’s fine. It’s one year. But we’re not hurting anyone.” He demanded. Bir nodded.

  “Like I said, you’re both just on support roles. The higher ups said that would be enough. You should consider yourselves lucky. I’m stuck here until I can pay off my debt, so that’ll be maybe another 20 years.” She expined, “Not that I mind really. This is about as much freedom as I’ll have until I can escape to the outer wilds.”

  Before Sophie could ask what Bir was referring to, Bir smmed the papers on the table.

  “Enough gabber. You both need to sign these forms, so we have your agreement to these conditions. And after a year, you’ll both be free. Deal?” Bir asked. Nathan let out another exasperated sigh before stepping forward and taking a pen off the table. Sophie followed quietly, taking the other pen and signing her own paper. Bir smirked as she took both the forms away, checking the signatures.

  “Right, let’s burn those fuckers down.” She snarled.