The story so far:

---- Aija is a Volunteer at the Pristine School at Innermost. She works along with Zuri and Ze, who are her friends. Aija witnesses a strange event one night – light emanating from Rez's body. The kidnapper is after her soul, next, but he leaves her alive and goes away. Another man finds her, he wants to take her somewhere else - Aija though wary of him agrees. Aija learns of the existence of the aliens – the Ytai. Also, about the R'ies and H'eon, Harvesting and Àvo from Etrie. Etrie tells her that the man, who Harvested Rez (Thieron), will now go after her. He tells her that the spy/kidnapper's name is Luka. Etrie asks her to work along with him. Aija agrees to work along with Etrie on Harvest Stopping Missions.

---- Thieron and Nala check out a new target, and realize that Etrie's team was trailing the same target.

---- Aija's parents tell her that she has received the notice for engagement from The Leadership. She hates the idea of it, but there is no escape. Aija meets Quinn and likes him. Kuna confronts her about Quinn; he seems visibly upset about it.

---- Zuri goes to her place when Kuna is there and she tells him she knows all about them. Kuna is angry with Aija for telling about them to Zuri, who is now insisting that she too, joins them.

---- Goldstar preps for the Transfer to the South Land.

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****14.2 - Goldstar****

Goldstar reached the Open by seven-thirty in the evening. 

He slid his mask on before stepping out of the train; the Green Plague was rampant in the Open, and he had no desire to die of it. He reached the farm, which was a cover for the Gale squad at the Open. The three Transfers were already all set to leave, so he had a quick dinner.

A car had been arranged for their travel to Landing 5. There was no public transportation available beyond the Open. Goldstar led the Transfers out where the car was waiting for them. He handed the three Scientists their packed dinners he brought from Core and kept his in his backpack. They would need the food during their trip to the South Land. The night was rather chilly, and the three Scientists were shivering despite the thick Gale coats they were wearing. They obviously weren't used to the cold at Innermost, where the temperature was a constant regardless of weather and season.

The three Scientists settled in the back seat. Goldstar sat in the front next to the driver, who introduced himself as 'Daniel'.

"It's my first time meeting you," Goldstar told him.

"Yes, Sir." Daniel smiled. He looked like he was in his thirties.

"Please don't call me, 'Sir'" Goldstar requested. "I'm much younger than you."

"But, you're Goldstar, aren't you?"

"So?"

"I've heard all about you. Much respect."

Goldstar nodded. "Call me, Goldstar."

Daniel smiled. "Sure."

They set off to Landing 5, which was far from Pristine Four. Daniel set the car on auto mode and switched on the tiny signal disrupter fixed to the vehicle. Else it would automatically connect to the LINC, and the Secures would learn of their activities.

Goldstar drifted off to sleep and woke up around midnight. About an hour's journey was still left. He looked out of the car. The land was nearly barren with the occasional broken down buildings marking their presence, a reminder of a previous world. He had seen it countless times, but it never got old. No flora or fauna that could survive in the Open so far from any City. Most areas had high amounts of radiation still left from the Wars. Nothing survived, but the Creatures and Savages. They were the mutated animals and humans that roamed the deep Open scavenging for food. 

No one got to see the deep Open, but the Gale. One traveled from one Pristine City to the other via the Sub-Terra Turbo Trains, which obviously went underground, avoiding the dying land above.

  "I can't believe this," said Mr. Martin, the oldest of the three Scientists. "I mean, I knew it was bad, but this is frightful."

"The Leadership doesn't show this part of our planet," Goldstar explained. "They don't want people knowing how bad it genuinely is. They are content with just managing the Cities."

"But, the Cities will run out of space one day." Mr. Pestin noted. "We need more space for the growing population."

"True." Daniel agreed, slowing down the car and changed it into the manual mode as they entered a foggy area. It was challenging to drive the car in the Open as the roads were ruined.

The fog grew heavier, and Daniel slowed down further. Goldstar had a bad feeling caressing the edges of his senses. The Open was always quiet, but now it was eerie. And, the eeriness wasn't a good sign – they were going to be attacked soon.

Daniel cleared his throat and glanced at him sideways. Goldstar knew what that meant. Daniel placed a call to Landing 5 for backup in case it was necessary. Upon hearing the word backup, the whole atmosphere in the car changed. The three Scientists grew tense, clearly not understanding what they needed back up for.

"Have you three buckled your seat belts?" Goldstar asked them, turning around in his seat.

"Is it necessary?" Mr. Pestin asked. "We are going slowly."

"Not for long," Goldstar informed. "You better secure yourselves. Things are about to get rough."

The three Scientists looked confused, but Mr. Martin obliged first and put on his seat belt seeing whom the other two followed suit. Goldstar took out three rifles from the front storage of the car and handed them to the now terrified Scientists. He took one for himself and gave one to Daniel. He then handed everyone air-purifier masks, just in case things went sour, and they ended up out of the car.

A low humming sound filled the air as Daniel guided the car on the now rough dirt road.

"What's that sound?" Mr. Martin asked, looking out the window, as the sound grew louder.

The low humming grew into loud thuds as the sound came closer and became louder. Goldstar looked at Daniel. He seemed somewhat calm, considering how things were about to go. Maybe he experienced this more often and was more mentally prepared for it.

The fog was thick, and the road was unclear. Goldstar wondered how Daniel was even navigating through the fog, almost blind. The screeching sound pierced the quiet Open, and the loud thuds grew closer. Goldstar gripped his rifle tighter.

"What's that?" Mr. Brown spoke for the first time since getting into the car. The fear was unblemished on his face, just like on the other two Scientists.

"The Creatures and Savages," Daniel said, "prepare to shoot at them."

"What?" Mr. Pestin questioned.

"They..." Daniel's words were cut short as a Creature plowed into their car, sending them backward.

The impact had everyone shouting in fear, and Daniel swiveled the car around and drove faster now. The only way that had been possible was because he had been going slowly until then. The fog cleared slightly as more of the Creatures and Savages pounded with all their weight onto the car rattling it. Goldstar held on tightly as they spotted a huge brown gnarly Creature hurtle towards them.

The Creatures were animals muted by the radioactivity and biochemical warfare from the Wars. These 'animals' had grown in size into wild, grotesque creatures that inhabited the Open. The Savages were the muted humans. They had become black and sinewy from head to toe; their eyes glowing like the radioactive materials that had affected them.

They were starved, and whenever the occasional human crossed the Open, they attacked in the hope of getting something to eat. They often killed among themselves – the Creatures attacking other Creatures and Savages, and the Savages attacking the Creatures. The Savages tended to work together (often imitating human behavior – like how they had once been) and didn't attack other Savages. But, fresh food – living humans – was always more tempting than others like themselves. And, since their numbers were invariably more than the humans, it resulted in a fight amongst themselves for the humans.

The brown Creature was huge, and Gold wondered what animal it had been before it muted into the sickly creature that it was now. Daniel changed course and drove as several smaller Creatures came at them along with the Savages. Gold opened the window a little on his side and started firing at the Savages. The bullets weren't much of a help, but at least they kept them far for a few minutes.

"Don't you have the firebombs?" asked Goldstar, managing to hit one Savage straight into its head. It slowed for all but a moment and then continued running after them.

"No, we used it up last time. We didn't receive replacements in time." Daniel said, hitting the accelerator. "There's just too many today."

The massive brown Creature came at them again and pounded into the car with all its might - the impact had the car off the ground; into the air. It tumbled onto the ground and landed upside down.

Goldstar groaned, feeling dizzy, hoping he hadn't broken any bones. 

All the glasses of their vehicle had shattered. Now, the Creatures and Savages were reaching into the car with their mouths and arms. 

One Savage reached into the car, caught hold of Goldstar, and dragged him out.

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