I can't hear anything from my position. I am not startled by gunshots nor am I startled by the screams of any person the bullets may pierce. I only hear the whispers of the wind and the barely audible humming of one of the individuals near me; one of the people also tasked with guarding Mathea's getaway car.

There are three of us, excluding the driver and me. Nobody has said a word since we arrived here; most of them look afraid, and guilt begins to consume me as I think about the risk I've asked these people to take for the hopes of ensuring my sister is safe. I feel even more guilty that I would do it all again. Perhaps that means I don't feel guilty enough or maybe I am not a good person.

I'm not sure about any of it, but mother once told me it's good to feel guilt; she said it means that I know I have done something wrong.

Now, thinking about all I have done and all I will make others do, I don't think it matter that I feel guilt; it doesn't matter since I will not change my ways. Well, I now know I am not entirely to blame for all of this.

Aris needs these people to help him get the Gifted. Aris needs the Gifted for the survival of the black market. In a way, I have done a good thing. I have, by convincing Mathea to go along with this plan in order to bring her back home, helped the black market and so many who the market helps. Aris and I are a team.

Perhaps nothing has actually started. Although, I'm not sure what anyone could be waiting for. There is nothing I can do now but wait; I can only wait for Mathea to arrive at this vehicle. There are other cars nearby, but those are for the other Gifted people Aris' team manages to...procure. Mathea won't see the larger scheme of what we're doing.

"Sorry," the slender lady to the left of me apologises as a pebble is thrown at my leg.

She is the only who seems relaxed, and, for some reason, her relaxed state worries me. I think I'd prefer if she were afraid; that would let me know that she is taking Mathea's rescue seriously. She said I should call her Maka.

Everyone here is wearing a mask, so I'm only able to tell people apart by their figures, which, luckily, are quite different from one another.

"It's okay." I smile back at Maka and begin to look at our surroundings.

You never know who or what is lurking around the corners. With the scenery, it will be especially difficult to timeously spot anything or anyone around us.

The large trees surrounding us provide a good cover for us, but may also provide a good cover for any enemies lurking around. Luckily, a large enough path is created throughout this venue, making it easy enough for our vehicles to move through, and although the trees are large, they are also spaced out.

As I look up, I notice most branches, those closest to the ground, aren't long enough for a person to sit and hide there, and, considering that these branches are greatly spaced apart, no one would be able to climb to the longer ones. Well, that would depend on their gear. However, I don't believe anyone is hiding up there. I am hoping we'll be able to hear any movement.

The grass here is long, but not so long that it hides the brown, worn out shoes covering my feet. There are patches of grass here and there, but most of this area is covered with stones, soil, and rocks.

Various insects fly around my face, causing me to swat any in my sight. There are also various insects crawling around my feet, but I choose to move away from them, standing further away from my team to do so. I think the wait my kill me, not knowing what's going on in the bunker some hundred metres away from me. I believe it may be soundproof.

I only hope Mathea is alright, and, although this may be wrong, I hope Aris gets the Gifted he needs to keep the black market in operation. Aris isn't playing any active role in this mission. He says he's too important and too scared to do so. I don't blame him. I, however, insisted on seeing my sister as soon as I could.

Saint should be the first one to see her. He insisted on it. He said he wanted her to see a familiar and friendly face in the chaos that should be happening below. I never thought they were that close, but my thoughts on that do not matter.

I am happy that Saint will be there. I trust Saint, and I trust him to do anything he can to ensure this operation goes smoothly. He not only wants to procure the Gifted for the survival of the black market, but Saint also wants me to get Mathea back safely. I see that he does.

Kane had asked to personally get Mathea, but Aris wouldn't even allow him to join the mission. I'm sure he feels useless, but Aris mainly didn't want him around because everything was already planned without him.

Perhaps I do this to myself, but my mind cannot stop thinking of everything that could go wrong. I can't stop thinking that Eve, who assured us that she has completed her part of the task right before we all set out to this secluded location, has been deceiving us all.

Some part of me feels that she did not keep up with her end of the deal; tampering with some chemicals her co-worker has been working with. If this is the case, I will storm into that bunker—Compound X—and cure Eve myself.

She deserves it. She deserves to be cured for all those she cured and comforted herself my saying they 'chose' it. I now know what her definition of a choice is.

Regardless, even if Eve plays her part, I can't help but worry about Mathea. I wonder how well she is holding up; her mind and body. I wonder how much damage has been inflicted on her. I know they're hurting her.

Kane's facial expression and tone of voice gave it away when I asked him about Mathea's state; he still insisted that she was fine, but it wouldn't make sense that Mathea comes out unharmed while Kane has scars on him.

As for Mathea's memory, that's something we'll have to deal with once she goes home. I also worry about all those risking their life, hoping there are few or even no casualties.

"Who's there," Maka draws my attention as she speaks, her voice authoritative enough to demand answers from the most respected leaders.

However, the intruder remains silent. I can only tell there is an intruder behind the tree to the left of me when I notice grey attire covered in the letter s peeking out of the edges of the tree.

I look to my teammates, slowly pulling my gun out of my holster, but confusion fills me when I notice my teammates aren't staring at the exact position I was staring at. My teammates look a little more to the right, missing, if only by a few feet, the spot where the person in the grey attire stands.

That's when I see Mathea aiming her gun at Maka, looking frightened and confused as her eyes move from Maka to her own clothing, which I now notice is covered in dirt as if she has been swimming in the soil.

I pull off my mask, so she recognises me. However, when our eyes meet, the gun goes off. Mathea drops her gun immediately after, holding her hands over her eyes as Maka sinks to the floor. It's a gunshot to the head.