Ffffffff...A soft rustle of leaves... slow footsteps, as if someone was watching from afar.Jack's eyes widened, he stood up slowly, lifted his finger to his lips, signaling Yuki to stay silent...The leaves moved again...Then — a sudden cut.
A clear voice came from the shadows:"I don't want to fight... I just want to talk."
A boy, about Jack's age, appeared from between the trees, raising his hands slowly in surrender.Jack immediately took a defensive stance, his eyes tracking every movement.
Jack:"Who are you? And why are you following us?"
The boy, calmly:"If I were following you... I wouldn't have spoken first."
Yuki (cautiously):"Are you one of those who attacked us?!"
The boy (smiling faintly as he turned to her):"If I were one of them... you wouldn't be alive right now."
The tension grew heavier...Jack took a careful step forward, muscles tight, his eyes never leaving his opponent.Before he could move again, the boy raised his hand and said:
Boy:"Jack... right?"
Jack (freezing):"How do you know my name?!"
The boy, with a calm smile:"Because I've been watching you."
Jack (suddenly angry):"I knew it! You're one of them!"
He charged forward, but the boy stepped back quickly, shouting sharply:"I'm a number like you!"
Jack stopped suddenly... shock filled his face."A number?!"
Boy:"Yes... one of the projects, just like you."
They both stayed silent for a moment before Jack allowed him to come closer.The three sat by the river, the water reflecting the calm moonlight.Yuki looked between them, her eyes full of confusion and disbelief.
The boy took a deep breath, staring into the water, then began to tell his story...
Boy:"I escaped about a year ago... me and three others.We were called by numbers, just like you, Jack.We thought we were free when we reached land, but that was only the start of a long chase...Every day we moved from one place to another, hiding, watching people from afar, trying to learn how to live among them without being found."
He paused for a moment, his eyes wandering toward the moonlight:"But we realized running wasn't enough... the facility didn't stop.It was still working... still making new numbers, turning them into people like us.So we planned to go back. We wanted to end it... to free whoever was still trapped there."
He breathed slowly, as if the memories pressed on his chest:"We studied the entry routes for weeks... every possible path inside the facility.And when the night came... we returned.The sky was pouring rain, the sea roaring as if it wanted to stop us.Still, we got on the boat and sailed toward the hell we had escaped from."
He paused for a second, eyes following a small spark of fire he lit before him:"We slipped in silently... we knew every hall, every corner.We weren't afraid anymore—just tired of fear itself.When we reached the eastern wing, where the others were kept, we were shaking.We opened the first door... and saw them there — pale faces, empty eyes, unable to believe we came back for them.We freed them one by one, and I could hear their crying mixing with laughter... like watching death laughing at life."
His voice lowered, barely a whisper:"But they found us.The alarm went off... the whole place shook.Guards came from every direction and released the gas — that blue smoke that makes your body collapse slowly, leaving you awake but unable to move.We tried to fight... there was no choice but to fight or die there."
He closed his eyes, as if the scenes were still burning behind them:"One of the tanks exploded, and flames spread everywhere.We ran through the fire, smoke filling our lungs.Thirty people made it out of hell that night... thirty humans running toward a freedom they had never known."
He gave a sad, bitter smile:"But they caught up to us.They trapped us from three sides, bullets raining like the storm.I watched them fall one after another, on the wet ground that turned into a river of blood."
He took a deep breath, his voice trembling slightly:"Only ten of us reached the shore.I saw, from afar, a fight on the cliff... someone being chased by the troops.We took two small boats and forced our way through the waves.The storm tore us apart, and the bullets followed us even at sea.I saw two fall into the water... and never come back."
"When we finally saw land... we cried.Only eight of us survived. We sat on the sand, laughing and crying at the same time... as if we couldn't believe we were still alive.But minutes later... lights appeared from the sea.Their boats were coming closer."
"We ran into the forest, each of us taking a different path.We promised to meet again... at a small restaurant near the shore, our favorite place before the escape.I waited there for three days... but no one came."
"And while I was heading north, I saw the facility's troops watching someone.I thought it was one of my friends, so I started watching them instead...And the day I found out who they were chasing, they broke into a house...I saw them running into the forest... so I followed."
He looked up at Jack, his voice fading:"And from that moment... I ended up here."
Silence filled the place...Jack sat quietly, staring at the water, as if trying to process every word.Yuki looked between them, her face full of fear and confusion:
Yuki:"Who are you two? Where did you even come from?"
The boy smiled faintly:"Looks like your friend hasn't told you yet, has he?We are…"
He suddenly stopped... his eyes turning toward the forest, his gaze sharp.Jack stood up at once, his body tense, every sense on edge.
Yuki (frightened):"What's happening?"
Boy (serious face):"We've got... some company."
Yuki:"Company?!"
A soft whistle cut through the air...Jack turned fast, pushing Yuki away from the tree —
Whip!An arrow pierced the tree trunk hard.
A group of men appeared from behind the trees, wearing black suits that looked like military gear.Red laser lights flashed from their weapons...And behind them, Gray appeared, walking calmly, his voice cold as a blade:
Gary :"Number 96... let's finish what we started."
Jack clenched his fists, his face covered with blood and dirt, his eyes burning with rage.The boy stood beside him, his eye glowing faintly:
Boy:"I didn't expect them to find us this fast...But it seems you never lose your taste for surprises."
...The chapter ends here.