I couldn't wait any longer to see Aris, not since Kane told me they're now forcing cures on the Gifted people in the Purus compound.

I'm not sure when Aris was planning to retrieve Mathea, but it needs to be sooner rather than later. Also, it seems we can't fully rely on the information provided by Eve, because as Kane said and is also proof of, she isn't told every important detail regarding the acts of her fellow Purus members.

I need to talk to Aris now, so I don't care that I came to the forbidden level; Bunker Level Two. I didn't start off here. First, despite the warnings from the security, I went to his office.

Thereafter, although I'm also not allowed there, I went to Bunker Level Three; that's where one talkative lady told me that Aris is usually on this Bunker at this time of the day.

A few guards there decided to do their jobs and try stop me, chasing me around Bunker Level Three and shooting at me with pellet bullets. None of them hit me. I do wonder how it would feel if it did.

I ended up by stairs that weren't, contrary to Saints prior statements, blocked off. I ran up and ended up on Bunker Level Two, and I continued running as I heard the footsteps of the guards trailing behind me.

The first familiar face I saw was Saint. He looked at me guiltily before raising his hands to stop the guards that were about to grab my then stationary body. It seems he was lying to me about Aris not telling him what was on this level.

The second familiar face I saw was Aris; he's still talking to Saint. I tried joining their conversation but Saint shook his head, leaving me to sit on an uncomfortable wooden chair as I wait for them to finish their conversation.

There's nothing exceptional about this level; it seems to be a control room. I see many cameras and large machines of which I do not know their purpose. They're very loud, though.

Perhaps no one wanted me coming here, because they fear I'll damage some things. Although, it's more likely that I wasn't supposed to see what these people spy on. They seem to have camera's everywhere; cameras in parks, offices, vehicles and roads.

There are even cameras in the rooms on Bunker Level One. I noticed one showed my room. I knew it was my room because Kane lay asleep on the bed. The lady monitoring my room noticed my disgusted expression, but I calmed down once she said the camera automatically blurs from their view when any nudity is detected. She also said every staff member knows of all the cameras, and I was the only one left out.

One thing that did catch my attention about this room is the staff members working on it. It isn't every day you see most of the staff members with a disability; probably over two-thirds of them here are in wheelchairs.

I continue to swing my legs back and forth as I wait for Saint or Aris to motion me over to them. Seeing as Aris talked to Kane, I'm sure he should also be eager to get Mathea out of there.

Aris needs Mathea to complete Project G, and he has always looks very excited when he talks about how much more Gifted people he'll be able to sell.

I begin tapping my leg up and down, growing impatient by the second, and eventually, I chose to disobey Saint's silent order; I begin walking towards him and Aris, but it seems neither of them notices me.

"...it won't be. The boy agreed to leave with her. He has to now."

I reach them as Aris finishes speaking and Saint moves past him, sliding his hands into his pocket as he directs his attention to me. Aris then turns to face me as well.

"Now, Ms Bare, I really have to sell you." By now I'm fairly sure that Aris is joking, and so I laugh at his threat. He doesn't laugh in return.

"You're always showing up where you shouldn't." Saint shakes his head as he looks at me.

"Were you talking about Kane? He said he'd go with me." I continue the conversation with Saint, trying to forget about Aris remaining serious at such a threat.

"He will," Aris replies.

"That's alright with you?" I wonder.

"Yes. We'll get you both a place to stay, and give you enough funds to provide for yourself until you both find a job. You'll have to work eventually. That's what I agreed for with Saint."

"Oh." I never actually thought of this before. I never thought about how I would survive anywhere else. I never even thought about shelter or food, so I'm glad Saint thought of it for me.

"Thank you," I say, addressing both Saint and Aris.

"I wanted to talk to you about Mathea."

"There's no need. I talked to the boy. We're moving everything up. Unfortunately there were setbacks with the vehicles and weapons we will need, but they'll be here in six days. We get your sister and the other Gifted out on the seventh."

The conversation is quicker and easier than expected, but I won't complain about that.

"I'm glad you're alive, Willow. I was just talking to Frosty; that museum you went to blew up just before you both returned. Maybe you're lucky."

I don't reply to Aris; I only watch him as he pats Saint on the shoulder before nodding at me. He then walks away, leaving Saint and I alone.

I'd prefer to rescue Mathea sooner, but I see there is nothing I can really do. I guess I could pray the doctors won't be able to make a cure compatible with her within a week.

"We were lucky."

"We should check up with Eve in case she knows when they plan to cure Thea. We'll be forced to rush the rescue then. Aris wants the Gifted, too, right?"

"He's on his way to do just that. He'll do whatever he can to get them, Willow. You can count on that." Saint begins walking, and I follow him.

"You said the stairs were blocked."

"Most are."

"You said you didn't know what was on this level."

"I lied." Saint looks tired.

I can't say that I'm angry at him. I suppose I have no right to be. He doesn't really owe me anything, and this lie isn't something I can't get passed. He probably wasn't supposed to tell me about this level anyway.

"So this is a spy-cam level."

"I've never heard anyone call it that before."

Saint chuckles as he looks to me for a second before staring directly ahead of him.

"My brother would have liked it here; not that he'd be interested in all this," Saint waves his hand in the air as he motions to this room, "but he would have liked the people here."

"Is it because they're like him?" I clamp my hand over my mouth, unsure of how he'll take my words. "I just mean I haven't met a lot of people that treat any disabled person with as much love and respect as they do able-bodied people. People would be kinder here, wouldn't they? Truly kind. A lot of other people just pity them."

"Being 'like him' has nothing to do with being kind." Saint sounds angry. "People are just so quick to judge, and all these damn laws making it seem like there's something wrong with them makes it seem acceptable to do that. Look at them, Willow. Does it look like there's anything wrong with them?"

He doesn't allow me to respond before continuing. However, I follow his instructions and look at the people in this room.

"They have nothing to do with you or anyone else. No one else should get to say if they're useful or if they're suffering so bad that taking their life is right. It doesn't matter that the process is painless. You know, a lot of them are even happy, and they're happy because Aris helped them get here."

Saint continues, "Aris connects them with people who know there's nothing wrong with them while he still tries to convince the messed up people to think the same."

"Saint..." My heart breaks a little when I see his eyes tear up.

"Do you know how many conferences he goes to? He keeps trying to get meetings with anyone in power. Aris keeps trying to get funding for them to build more group homes, or he tries to get them to actually provide what's needed for the current group homes and decrease the ridiculous costs just to treat people with disabilities. Have you seen the group homes we have, Willow?"

"They're run down."

"They're run down. They hardly have staff. We have five in all of Geode, and they're low on staff. They're low on medication, too. Nobody really gets helped. I guess it's because every parent is just killing them off, and the fact that the law allows it makes everyone take the easy way out," Saint says, looking disgusted.
"Hardly any schools are suitable for them, either."

"I'm sorry. Everything does need to change."

"Aris is more than words. He's acting to make change."

Saint and I stop by the stairs leading to Bunker Level One. This staircase also isn't blocked.

I consider walking up without him as he just stares at everything and everyone on this level, but his facial expression stops me. I've never seen anyone in so much pain.

"Saint, can I do anything for you?" I ask although I'm sure this nothing I can do to make him feel better.

"I tried getting my brother here when I heard about what Aris did. I tried to organise my brother's...relief behind my parents' back. That's what they all call it. There are some hospitals and some doctors that work for Aris, and if a person about to be terminated is assigned to that hospital or doctor, they're given a choice. They can choose to live, and they're snuck to this location or Aris' other buildings."

"Aris helps get them out."

"He does more than that. That's why he needs to sell the Gifted, and we need them more than ever with our funds running low. Aris helps fund all this." Saint looks around the room.

"A lot of families live here, Willow. Aris has even helped some of them start new lives in a country that doesn't have ableism promoted in the laws. Aris is a good person. He does what he must. He even tries to make sure the Gifted sold are treated well. He even brought one of them back when there were signs of abuse. The only time we've ever hurt them is if they don't cooperate with their new owners."

I don't know what to say to Saint. I can't offer him words of comfort, and I can't whole heartedly agree that Aris is a good person. I do believe he has good intentions.

"He has always been sorry he couldn't save my brother."

"Is that why he owes you? He feels guilty that he couldn't help your brother?"

"No, that's not it. I saved his cousin. He was supposed to be terminated, and I ended up tampering with his records. I got help changing the hospital he was assigned to." Saint sighs. "It was an accident really. They never referred to those patients by name; they used numbers for that. I was trying to tamper with my brother's records and get him assigned to a place I heard would give him a choice. I helped Aris' cousin instead."

"I'm sorry, Saint."

"Yeah...you shouldn't be. Aris' cousin is a good guy. Anyway, it's my parent's fault for wanting to set an example."

Saint doesn't look at me before hurrying up the stairs. I follow him, but at a slower pace, wanting to give him the space I think he may need. I believe he has horrible parents.