The story so far:

----Aija, Zuri, and Ze are three friends, who were working at the Pristine School at Innermost. Aija gets involved with the Ytai first, leading Zuri and Ze to them as well. Zuri falls in love with Nala (Lalana), who is Ytai, and works with Thieron. Aija and Ze are captured by Thieron, of H'eon, when they were at the Hospital - Aija was at the Hospital with Kuna of R'ies and Zuri to stop a Harvest; Ze was there to visit his sick student Xan. Thieron has bound Aija to himself, and Nala has bound Ze to herself. Luka works for Thieron(Ah'n), along with Lalana (Nala).

----Aija and Ze go along with the three Ytai. It's a Harvest, but Thieron doesn't inform them since Aija would hinder them. When Nala and Luka go away, Thieron shows them the sea -which has swallowed the land. A sea-savage pulls Aija into the sea when she is standing too close to the water on the walkway. Aija faints after Thieron saves her from the sea-savages, just as she remembers that a sea-savage bit her.

----Goldstar had received information that Aija and Ze are kidnapped.

----Goldstar is uncomfortable with Vincent staying with him, in Pristine Four. Vincent has a way of making him feel weirded out concerning his feelings. While on the other hand, Iyler keeps distancing herself because she doesn't know who Goldstar really is.

✽✽✽

****28.2 - Goldstar****

The Apartment door unlocked as he walked to it. It seemed quiet; maybe Avery was still in class. 

Goldstar entered the Apartment to find Vincent at the dining table looking at something on his DigiScreen. He nodded once at Goldstar as he came and went back to his work as if he couldn't care lesser if Goldstar had arrived. Goldstar returned a nod, though the man wasn't looking at him already, and went to his room. 

He took a bath and freshened up. Avery had mailed him the notes from the classes he'd missed; Goldstar had missed a lot. He tried to go through the notes so that he could catch up for the next day's lessons. But all he could think of was about the missing kids. 

Every small sound outside the room startled him. He kept expecting Vincent to come to his room. He kept turning towards the door each time there was a sound. 

Was Vincent angry with him? He had left before Vincent had woken up. Why did it matter if Vincent was angry? If he was angry, he was. It wasn't Goldstar's problem. 

"Argh...." Goldstar mumbled, pulling at his cropped black hair. 

Did he have to flee to the South Land to be rid of Vincent's influence? He did not have that many leaves left, though. 

There was a knock on his door, and he flinched. He commanded the central system to open the door, expecting the tall, green-eyed man to walk in. But, it was the brown-eyed, black-haired Avery. He almost sighed in relief. 

"All okay?" he asked, sitting on his bed. Goldstar nodded, his eyes drifting to the open door; to the main room. 

"Thanks for the notes." 

"You're always welcome." Avery smiled. "I hope things are more settled now." 

Goldstar shrugged. 

"It's going to be alright." Avery's voice was gentle. 

"I hope so," Goldstar whispered. 

Avery nodded. "Dinner's ready." 

"Avery?" 

"Yes, Veer?" 

"Thanks, man." 

Avery looked at him, worried. "Always, man." 

Goldstar smiled at him. "Let's eat. I'm hungry." 

Vincent wasn't at dinner. Goldstar felt that he was avoiding him. Not that it truly mattered to him, he thought immediately. 

"Vince went for a walk," Avery told him halfway through dinner. "He had dinner early." 

"Vince?" Goldstar asked, startled, and then he remembered that Vincent Taylor Ainsworth had been changed to Vince Red for his posting at the Pristine Four Research Centre. 

"He's a nice guy. He's working on a major project, but he won't tell me what. It almost makes me want to join Research. Almost...." 

Goldstar smiled at his friend, picking the wrap the burger came in. He took a bite of it. It tasted good, a berry flavor. He enjoyed the edible packing as much as the food itself. 

"Mr. Patel and Mrs. James asked me to tell you that if you miss any more of their classes, they will fail you, even if you pass their exams." 

"Oh..." 

"Things will get better, Veer. So, stay and concentrate on classes. You know it'll leave a bad mark on your reputation if you fail a class." Avery said, his voice full of concern. "You're so good at this. You'll unnecessarily bring trouble upon yourself if you take more leaves. No matter how tough this is, please endure it. I'll help you endure this. Vince will help you. We have long term holidays coming up soon; you can be home for a long time then. Please, Veer. Stay." 

"I'm not going anywhere, Ave." Goldstar's voice was low. 

"I'm afraid you will. My family can help you out of this trouble. My father's in Legal." 

"I know," Goldstar laughed. "Ave, you worry too much. I'm not in trouble. I'm in it because I want to be." 

Avery's eyes rounded. "What's it you're in? Some kind of secret investigation?" 

"Something like that." Goldstar smiled. "I can't give you details." 

Avery nodded. "I understand." 

****

Goldstar stretched as he yawned. There was just too much to study. 

"...please endure this...." 

Avery had pleaded him. Why was he afraid that he would leave? Where would Goldstar go? He wasn't prepared to join the Gale full time, yet. His condition to Premier Red at the time of joining was that he would continue his normal life. Although, over the years, it did become apparent to him that he might have to enter the Gale full time at some point. 

With that looming over him, it made his time with his family all that more precious. One day it would be his last time he saw them, and he wouldn't be able to offer them an explanation; wouldn't be able to tell them that he did it for them; to make the Earth a better place for them. Maybe, Avery had caught the right note early on. Goldstar would leave – one day. 

There was sound near the door, and he knew he'd left it open. Without turning around, he said, "This is a lot of notes, Ave." 

"Then you should probably stay back here more and concentrate on classes." 

Goldstar froze on hearing the baritone voice. 

He swiveled around on his chair to find Vincent behind him. Vincent was wearing blue jeans and a grey tee. He took a seat on his bed, and Goldstar faced him. Vincent quietly looked at him, and Goldstar felt his breath increase in pace. He steadied himself taking deep breaths.

"Sorry for not knocking." Vincent apologized. "The door was left open." 

Goldstar nodded, accepting the apology. 

"I hope there was progress in searching for the kids." 

"Not much," Goldstar answered, trying not to look into Vincent's emerald green eyes. "Aija Rao-Oshiro has been bonded to Thieron." 

"Bonded?" Vincent frowned. 

"It's like a physical tie between them." 

Vincent's frown deepened. Goldstar found himself feeling hot. Vincent had thin stubble covering his sharp jawline. It made him look... Stop! 

"Did I...?" Goldstar started but held himself back. 

"What?" Vincent asked. 

"Nothing..." Goldstar tried to brush it off. 

"What?" Vincent insisted. 

"Did I do something wrong? Are you angry with me?"

Vincent smiled, amused. "What - you leaving me behind after I insisted I go with you? No, you didn't do anything wrong." 

Goldstar bit his lower lip. 

"Are you worried about how I feel?" Vincent asked, still amused. 

"No," Goldstar said quickly, too fast for it to be nothing. 

Vincent smiled, eyes shining. 

Goldstar frowned and cleared his throat. "The bond - you can't see the bond's connection between them," he said, trying to change the topic. Vincent nodded, hearing him out with attention. "It's something that ties them together. Where Thieron goes, so does she. If we try to separate them, it'll be physically too painful for them. She might be in terrible pain every moment that she's away from him." 

A nuance of a smile traced Vincent's lips. "I feel that way on some days, too," he whispered, his voice dulcet. The softness made his deep voice strangely beautiful. Heat forged its way, all the way from Goldstar's cheeks down to his neck and chest. He knew what the man was talking about – or rather, whom. 

Vincent was unrelenting in his emotions. And, Goldstar let him affect him. 

"I'm sorry to hear that," Vincent said. "It must be tough to know that you can't get her back, even if you find her." 

"It is," Goldstar said, trying to recover his composure. 

"The boy?" 

"No one's seen him." 

Vincent sighed. 

"I think you'll be useful back at Pristine One," Goldstar told him. "You could help them with this case." 

"I'm not going anywhere," Vincent said with conviction. 

"Why?" 

"I have more reasons than one, Veer." Vincent's voice was feathery. 

Goldstar wasn't used to being called by his name. It coming from Vincent made it all the more strange. His name, through Vincent's deep voice, sounded lovely. 

Goldstar continued to watch Vincent. He didn't know anything about the man. Maybe Vincent wasn't even his real name. It wasn't uncommon for people in the Gale to take on false names to protect their real identities as they continued to work in their real lives. 

"People," Vincent said, "think life is better or something wildly different in Pristine Six and Seven. But it's not. Our lives are the exact same as in other Cities - the only exception is the people. We aren't ethnically mixed like the people in Cities One to Five. Maybe the Leadership wanted to maintain a few Cities with people like how they lived in the old world. 

"But our lives are the same. There's the Capital – Innermost. Again, only those who can afford it can stay there. My family can't. They live in an insignificant town, where the air isn't as purified as in the Capital and other select towns. They own a small shop selling food. Even a day closed could mean less money. 

"I was lucky to be selected for Research volunteering. It helped me get a job at Pristine One; helped me send money back home. If I quit working, I lose money. The Gale doesn't give as much, you must know that already. I can't go back to the Research Institute at Pristine One. The Leadership purposely blew up our Lab. If they find me, they'll kill me. Premier Red used his contacts to get me a job here. My family depends on me; I need this job." 

Goldstar felt genuinely bad for Vincent. Goldstar grew up privileged; his family owned a big house at Innermost. He didn't lack anything; he didn't need anything, he had it all. 

He hadn't known how flawed the system was until he joined the Gale. "Alright," he said. "But, you stick to your work." 

"I'm more useful than you think," Vincent smirked. 

"How so?" 

"I'm good at gathering information." 

Goldstar raised his brows. 

"The Green Plague is being caused by the Leadership." 

"What?" 

"I've heard whispers of it in the Research Institute. I'm friendly with nearly everyone. They tell me things. The group I worked with, you know, along with Thomas Ersco, we had almost come upon a vaccine for the Plague. It's why the Leadership ordered the Special Forces to blow up our Lab – it's a first even for them. They only often blame Scientists for illegal work and punish them – by death or murdering them and telling the family they are missing. But, I guess this time they were desperate, and it involved the Director's son. The Director would have searched for his missing son." 

 "That's ridiculous, even for the Leadership!" Goldstar exclaimed. "Why would they kill those searching for a cure?" 

"That's because they are creating the Plague, and it won't make sense if someone claims a cure and the Plague becomes obsolete; because they want to instill fear in people. Control them. See who survives. Why do you think the Plague is prominent in the perimeter of a City? They're controlling it. They need people to believe that they are searching for a cure; it's why they fund the research on the cures for the Plague. 

"But, every time the Scientists are close to a cure or a vaccine, they dismantle the team, they accuse some of illegal activities - which of course they haven't committed. Sometimes, Scientists go missing; some get killed in weird accidents. Tell me, Veer, Innermost is the safest place, how can there be accidents?" 

"How do you know all this?" 

"I told you, I'm good at this. Also, rumors spread when similar things keep frequently happening over time." 

Goldstar studied Vincent. Could he believe this man's words? 

Vincent spoke, "The cure is simple, Veer. So is the vaccine. Both together will solve the whole issue, save countless lives. The Leadership created a simple disease and kept creating more virulent forms. Each time a group finds a cure or a vaccine, they release a more virulent form to counter it. There are rumors that there is a special team under the Leadership's orders. They create more dangerous strains of the Plague. I never saw Mr. Seren Martin from the vaccine team again; they were dismantled a few weeks before the blast. But as I'd heard they had been assigned to different teams which meant they should have come to work." 

"Did you say, Seren Martin? Mr. Martin?" 

"Yes, why?" 

Goldstar had transferred Seren Martin to the South Land, not very long ago, with two more Scientists. "I transferred him to the South Land." 

"Really? He's alive?" 

"Yes, he was apparently being kept imprisoned by the Secures to be killed. He and two others managed to escape to the Open." 

"See? I told you." 

Goldstar stood, all this new information running through his mind. Vincent was useful, after all. 

"Do you have proof that the Leadership is doing this?" 

"No, these are just rumors, whispers." Vincent shook his head. "I've only heard the Researchers speak. And, I've also heard that they keep records of every single research ever done maintained – not on the LINC; on paper files." 

Goldstar paced around the room, a new idea growing in his mind. Vincent's expression shifted as he noticed Goldstar thinking. 

"If we can get our hands on these records, we can prove that there were cures found, vaccines created and that the Leadership is covering it all up. We can prove that the blast was ordered by the Leadership; clear the Gale's name. We can make the people trust the Gale and bring the Leadership down." 

Vincent smiled at Goldstar's enthusiasm. "We need to get our hands on these records." 

"You're good at getting information, aren't you? Someone, somewhere, will know something. Even a small piece of information might lead us to somewhere big." 

"No harm in trying." Vincent agreed. "I'll gather as much information as I can." 

Goldstar smiled at Vincent. 

"It's nice to see that rare smile of yours," Vincent said, standing. 

Goldstar blushed despite himself, looking up at Vincent. The man was tall, and towered over him, almost reminding him of the Ytai. 

"How old are you, Veer?" 

"Why?" It was such a random question, and Goldstar found it awkward. He knew most had already heard of him before they met him and often had assumed him to be much older than he was. But, it never deterred him; it only made him work harder. 

Vincent shrugged. "You're rather young – especially compared to what people make you out to be. I know you've been working with the Gale a while now. Four years to be precise." 

"You know so much about me," Goldstar observed. 

"A lot of people do Goldstar," Vincent said, using his Gale name. 

"I'm twenty-one," Goldstar said, surprising himself. He often never told people his real age. He liked to keep it a mystery, and it was fun seeing people's expressions when they saw him for the first time and realized that he was much younger than they had anticipated. "But, you're not allowed to go around informing people of my age." 

"Of course not," Vincent sounded distracted. "When did you start? Seventeen?" 

"Eighteen."

"Ah.... you'll be twenty-two this year," Vincent said more to himself, and Goldstar found that he was getting conscious of himself. Only Iyler knew his age and probably Premier Red since he'd had him followed and spoken to him when he'd been a new student at the School. 

"I'm twenty-seven," Vincent informed him. 

"I didn't ask," Goldstar mumbled, but he instantly calculated that he was the same age as Iyler. Five years older than him. 

"I know. But, it's only fair to tell you mine when I asked for yours. At twenty-one, you're the Goldstar. You will do great things, Veer." 

Vincent was standing extremely close to Goldstar. He had to lift his head to look into those emerald-green eyes. At the distance, Goldstar could make out the faint scent found at Labs. 

"I don't know about great things," Goldstar's voice was candid under Vincent's gaze. "I just want to help as many people as possible. I want to save lives. I want to make the Earth a better place. It's our home. I want it to remain ours."

 Vincent smiled. It felt so pure; honest. "You will do it all."

 Vincent lifted his hand, Goldstar stiffened as it almost looked like Vincent would put his fingers on his cheek. But, at the last moment, maybe Vincent decided against it; he ran those long fingers through his own brown hair. He nodded once and left. 

Goldstar let out a breath he hadn't known he was holding. His breathing quickened again, and he had to calm his pounding heart. 

Why did Vincent affect him this way? 

I love Iyler, he thought. I do. I love her. So why do I feel this way? 

✽✽✽