A man stepped out of his villa. He wore simple clothes, hung a bag on one of his shoulders and wore a cap to cover his face. After a long walk through a few colonies without being noticed he reached the riverside. He looked around to check if he was being followed and walked towards the river cave which was at the far end. He increased his pace as he saw the river cave, with full force he managed to move the boulder that blocked the entrance of the cave.
"Time's up Derek!" He said softly, pulling out a gun from his bag.
Before he could realise a spear knocked the gun out of his hand and he felt a sword pointing at the behind of his neck. Colin, Lily, Edna and Derek surrounded him.
"You should try to be a little less noisy when you push away a boulder!"Lily said, dusting her hands.
Derek walked forward and removed the man's cap. He immediately let out a gasp after seeing the face.
"Dad?"He asked puzzled.
The man was Arthur.
"What are you doing here and why did you bring a gun?" He questioned.
"Son, I know you don't like seeing me and this gun gives the wrong idea. Just let me explain okay!"Arthur pleaded.
Derek looked at his friends and gave Arthur an indication to start talking.
"You need to stop your investigations! The scientists could find out and if they do… They could hurt you! I brought the gun, thinking someone had come here to hurt you. Please stop whatever it is you are doing. Save your friends and yourself."
"What are the scientists upto?"Edna asked.
"That's confidential matter." Arthur said dismissively.
"Answer her question."Colin said, piercing the sword a little more.
"Agh! Alright. Alright."Arthur shouted with pain.
"You all are going to be the death of me." Colin cursed under his breath.
"It's selection. The cult is trying to make the perfect society with perfectly healthy people. Travelers are tested at the frontier...we gas them, those who survive the gas are allowed inside and those who don't...well, they die."
The four were flabbergasted at what they had just heard. This was unbelievable. A perfect society by eliminating the weak. This was the worst kind of manipulation. Tricking people into believing that there is a safe haven and killing them for not being immune to a deadly gas. It was cruelty at its worst.
"How could you do such a thing? do you not have a heart? Do you not have a conscience?"Derek yelled at his father.
Colin put his sword down and looked at Edna with pitiful eyes.
"Son, we scientists are least interested in the selection. It's Jeffrey! He is the head of the cult. He has control over all of us." Arthur revealed.
The four were dismayed. They did not know what to say but their jaws simply dropped.
"Jef.. Jeffrey?!"Derek stuttered.
Arthur looked down and let out a sigh. He then looked up and took a deep breath. Soon, tears welled up in his eyes. He tried to speak but his voice wouldn't come. He cleared his throat and gathered the courage to tell his son another appalling news.
"Son, your mother…"he said, pausing to take a breath.
"What? What about her?"Derek asked immediately, desperate to know what he was trying to say.
"Son, you need to know that I couldn't do anything. They sent me on an expedition and when I returned they threatened me that they would kill you." He stopped again trying to get his breath.
