INIZIO

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This was certainly a suicidal mission. The possibilities of them all surviving were few. Yvette eyed Giselle, who, despite seeming passed out, was as conscious as conscious could be.

"I'm sorry I lied," Yvette whispered. "The stakes were too high, and you and Vadim too naïve to be told the truth. Now that we are here," she pulled at the straps of the floaterboard, trying to loosen them as much as she could so they weren't making Giselle uncomfortable. "I hope they aren't that tight. You'll have them on for a day or two, until the effects of the dust have finally passed away."

She turned and began arranging different amounts of paperwork and she began to download and pass files to different formats, from SD cards to small USB memories. "I'll be giving you everything that needs to be known. I've been storing this sensible information for the longest of whiles, now." she turned to look at Giselle. "It's time to give it all away."

She took a small foldable camoscreen and began to furiously type away. "The information that I will be giving you is very important, Giselle. It holds all of the medicinal advances that the UNIPO has done, as well as how to replicate them. It holds the cures to many sicknesses we thought of uncurable. Take care of them with your life.

"I will also be giving you the projects that the UNIPO has in mind to carry out in a few years, hopefully this information will be useful to the Turncoat in one way or the other. I really wish you could see my office right now; you'd be quite surprised to see this is where I work," Yvette let out a soft chuckle.

"My office is a mess," Yvette admitted. "Not as much as my mind," she muttered to herself. "Anyhow, you won't be the only one getting transported back to the Union. It is likely on getting there the Turncoat will see it good to settle on a different country so that the Union and Potestas no longer have you on their radar."

The SD cards and the USB memories were still loading slowly with the information that Yvette was passing onto them. Checking the small screen that floated above all the mess, Yvette made sure no one was near to, and that no one had seen her enter with Giselle.

"I have arranged a small group of seven. The smallest one in it is a little girl. No one knows her name, she is afraid of dare uttering a word. Reminds me lots of Vadim. I remember how he'd always hide behind you every time I'd ask him a question. Keep an eye on her, she's only five," Yvette pulled out her small transmitter, and sent a message to Lazarus.

They were already on their way. They sent a disappearing message that for less than three seconds allowed her to see their location. Time to get to work, Yvette thought. She sent a quick message to her accomplices, making sure they would be ready when the others arrived.

"Sweetheart," Yvette began, she turned to Giselle and uncovered her abdomen. "I'm going to hide the information in your body. The SD cards will go on your lower abdomen, while the USB's will be inserted in your calves. Don't worry, I'll try making it as quick and as painless as possible, ok?"

Giselle's skin broke into goosebumps, allowing Yvette to realize that Giselle was nervous.

"Don't you worry darling. It will all be over before you know it. It will all be over soon."

Yvette got to work with her scalpel, gently cutting the flesh of the girl that was like a daughter to her, and she began to insert the SD and the USBs into her.

This might be the last time I may be near you, Yvette thought. But may it all be worth it to save your beloved life.

-

The lights of the UNIPO shone bright from where Vadim stood.

His heart beat in an unnatural manner, thrumming violently against his chest, as anticipation seemed to eat him alive.

The coordinates had been true, and the small door open itself to receive the helicopters, the scientists that allowed the entry being quick to hide them.

"You all must be quick," a woman said. "The certified product is on its way and she has just been operated. The recommendation is to leave immediately to a different country, if possible. The children have been given paperwork that will make it easier to be implemented into their respective societies and communities. Not many children have been recruited. Only a few who trusted us. This might as well be our last batch, and our largest one as well. They are eight, counting the certified one."

Vadim nodded, following Lazarus into the tunnel where the small group of kids was waiting. The biggest one barely seemed to reach twelve.

Rachel offered a charming smile, which put the kids at ease. "Hi, my name is Rachel. You guys will be safe with us, come along, follow us," she walked away, with the kids in tow.

"Where is Giselle?" Jayden asked, surprising Vadim. "Isn't she supposed to be here?"

"She's on her way!" another scientist called out, "Hurry up, the superiors are going to do an inspection, they always start with the smallest! Hurry, you've got the youngest in between your bundle!"

"We cannot leave without the certified product! If we do so, this whole thing would've been pointless!" Lazarus called.

Looking up, Vadim caught sight of a person carrying a limp body, and his whole soul seemed to freeze.

Jayden caught him staring, and followed his gaze, only to mirror his reaction. Jayden was the first to react, and he quickly ran to meet the man. Taking Giselle into his arms, he backed up quickly and ran toward Vadim.

"She's stable, she can hear us, we have to go now!" Jayden called out above the noise of the helicopters.

"Where is Yvette?" Vadim cried out bewildered.

"She - she isn't coming," Jayden stuttered.

Vadim's eyes met with Jayden's for a fleeting second, as a loud blaring noise began to sound in the heart of the base.

"We must leave now," Lazarus cried, as he ushered them toward the helicopters.

Vadim felt his body buzz with energy, his mind whirling as he jumped back onto the helicopter and helped Jayden, being careful with Giselle's bleeding body.

His mind was floating above all noise, chaos and silence were one, as they slowly began to drift away from the UNIPO, that was now on fire; fire amidst the snowy scenery.

Whatever happened now, it would no longer matter. Not anymore.