The communicator screen turned black.
Art faced the bench Grimm and Elaina rested at.
"It's time."
Grimm stood, grabbing the case Art placed next to him.
His piercings moved with his steps.
"All right."
He headed towards the exit, with Elaina close behind.
Art placed the handgun down, walking to the exit.
"Let's go, Kane."
Kane stood—
Still.
His arm—
Lowered with the pistol.
He moved—
Later.
Following behind Art.
…
A rhythmic clicking sounded before them.
An open double–door came into view.
Grimm and Elaina stepped through the threshold.
Their feet moved along metal rafters.
The airship rested on a platform in the center.
Art and Kane arrived a moment later.
Jean waved from the ground below.
"Go get changed."
Grimm gave a thumbs up.
"On it."
Grimm and Elaina moved to two nearby doorways.
He placed the case down between them, unhooking the locks.
Elaina picked up a black suit, entering the left room.
Art copied, bringing a white box with her.
Kane watched each of them.
Grimm pointed at the case.
"Those suits…"
He opened the right door.
"...fit automatically."
Kane nodded, following Grimm.
A few minutes passed.
Each suit—
Covered.
Shrouding their figures in shadows.
They exited the rooms, heading down the metal stairs.
A metallic tapping clinked from beneath the nearby truck.
Their footsteps approached.
A man slid out from underneath.
He lifted his mask.
"Trucks ready."
Jean placed her hand on the passenger door.
"Thanks, Dean."
Dean nodded.
His gaze—
Turned to face Kane.
He pointed.
"Who's this?"
Art opened the back door.
"Kane…"
She climbed in the trunk.
"...He's with us."
Dean shrugged, turning to his toolbox.
"Alright."
Elaina and Grimm entered the trunk behind Art.
Kane boarded—
Last.
Dean wheeled his toolbox out before entering the driver's seat.
He flicked a switch.
The garage doors were lifted.
An orange light beamed in.
The ignition—
Clicked.
Lights flicked on.
The truck engine hummed as it drove towards the east.
Kane's head—
Turned.
Facing the front window.
His mind—
Focused within.
The hollow—
Empty.
…
Wheels bumped across the rocky wasteland.
The sun set behind them.
Elaina leaned forward.
"Nothing but rocks."
Jean sighed, pointed to the front windshield.
"We're getting close."
Color bled into the horizon.
A lush green—
Colliding.
With the barren wasteland.
Art's eyes narrowed.
"It's a perfect line."
Grimm shifted forward.
"Woah."
The truck crossed a final ridge.
Dust kicked up beneath the wheels.
It's engine—
Silenced.
The back door opened.
Art and Kane exited.
Elaina followed close behind.
Kane's eyes—
Focused.
On the vegetation before him.
A perfect division—
Separated.
Abundance from scarcity.
Elaina pointed at a large dome.
"What's that?"
Jean's window lowered.
"The eastern lab."
Kane's hand—
Twitched.
Something lingered for a brief moment.
The thought—
Dissipated.
He moved to the threshold.
His hand—
Reached.
Art grabbed his wrist.
"Activate the jammer first."
Kane's head—
Turned.
His arm—
Lowered.
Art sighed.
"The forest misguides…"
She tapped her wrist.
"...before you even know it."
A breeze passed over the forest.
The trees—
Swayed.
In the same motion.
Elaina stood next to Art, tapping her wrist.
"Come on, let's go already."
Art's face tightened.
"We're going close to the lab…"
Her eyes shifted to Elaina.
"...quietly."
Elaina smiled— softer than usual.
Art stepped forward, entering the forest.
Elaina skipped close behind.
Kane's hand rested on his wrist.
His body—
Moved.
Entering the forest.
Jean rolled her window up.
"We should head to our destination."
The truck lights flickered.
Dean pressed the pedal, heading to the standby point.
…
The forest—
Silent.
Twigs snapped beneath their feet.
The leaves—
Hung.
In perfect unison.
Art held her hand up, stopping her movement.
Elaina and Kane paused.
A white glow flickered from Art.
Her eyes—
Shut.
Ears—
Twitched.
She straightened her posture.
The glow faded.
"Disguises."
Art touched her collar.
A mask—
Adorned.
Shrouding her face.
The fabric—
Shifted.
Reshaping her figure.
The others mimicked.
Art reached into the fake purse, removing an identification card.
"Have these ready."
Elaina saluted.
Kane stayed—
Still.
Art turned, stepping out of the forest.
A stone path stretched before them.
Red blossoms—
Lined the edges.
The air smelled sweet—
Too sweet.
Citizens gathered at a nearby pond.
Their strides—
Measured.
Stopping at the same intervals.
The clothes—
Matched.
No variations between them.
Art and Elaina matched their pace.
Kane moved slightly out of rhythm.
Pink petals drifted through the air.
One landed on Kane.
The petal—
Shifted.
Falling to the ground.
A fragment—
Surfaced.
Through his mind.
A figure walked beside him.
Their hands—
Holding.
Kane's arm reaching up.
Light filtered through leaves.
The warmth—
Faded.
Kane blinked.
His chains—
Swayed.
The forest—
Returned.
A buzz—
Vibrated through their earpieces.
Jean's voice reached through static.
"Rendezvous has…"
She continued.
"...been established."
Art touched her ear.
"Roger."
Static rang through.
The line—
Cut.
Jean placed the device down, exiting the tent.
Dean and Grimm sat near a low fire.
The moon began to rise above them.
…
Smoke rose in the air before them.
Gears clicked in unison.
Marble framed its structure.
The train station came into view.
Art led them into a line of citizens.
A soldier blocked their path.
"Identification."
They presented their cards.
A scanner ran over them.
He hooked his thumb.
"Clear."
The station opened wide.
Benches aligned in clean rows.
Passengers seated in composed silence.
A faint tickling—
Filled the air.
Speakers clicked atop tall poles.
"Passengers may begin to board."
The locomotive—
Rested.
Conductors slid car doors open.
The wheels resembled cogs.
The citizens—
Boarded.
Orderly and without commotion.
Art and Elaina entered the second cabin.
Kane followed close behind.
His chains—
Shook.
A crack—
Pulsed.
Drawing near to something.
He entered the car.
His hollow—
Returned.
Unchanged.
They sat down in a booth.
Conductors stamped tickets.
Food carts rolled past.
Art reached for a glass.
"Our target is…"
She placed it on the table.
"...located in the second-to-last car."
Elaina gave a small thumbs up.
Kane's head—
Turned.
Facing the window.
His chest—
Tightened.
The emptiness—
Stirred.
Growing closer to the surface.
Art glanced at him.
"Rest here."
Her ears twitched.
A conversation piqued her interest.
One woman covered her mouth.
"That man was different."
The other rested her cheek in her palm.
"You're right."
Art slowly rose.
Elaina did the same.
They tailed the two women into the next train car.
Art stopped at their seats.
"Excuse me."
The woman faced her.
She continued.
"That strange man…"
One woman's eyebrows raised.
"You mean the one with golden hair."
Art's eyes twitched.
"...yes that one."
The other woman responded.
"What about him?"
Elaina interjected.
"He felt different right?"
The woman nodded.
"His attire too…"
She continued.
"...black and gold."
Art's chin lowered.
Black and gold…
Her thoughts—
Aligned.
She thanked them before moving into the connector hallway.
Elaina leaned close.
"It's one of them, isn't it?"
Art's finger hovered near her lips.
"It could be—"
The door—
Opened.
A man—
Entered.
A hat covering his head.
He extended his finger to the door behind them.
"Excuse me."
Art and Elaina moved close together.
"Sorry."
The man tipped his hat.
The dim light—
Caught his silver hair.
His hand—
Rested on the door handle.
It slid—
Open.
Without his hand moving.
His stride—
Measured.
Stepping in perfect rhythm.
Kane sat—
Still.
Observing the window beside him.
The forest reflected—
Perfectly still.
Misleading.
A crack—
Shifted.
The ticking—
Louder.
Footsteps—
Approached.
Movement—
Halted.
The man stood—
Aligned with Kane.
He turned, removing his hat.
His body—
Lowered.
Sitting across from Kane.
The hat—
Placed on the table.
Kane's head—-
Turned.
Chains—
Shook.
Their eyes—
Met.