(Lachlan's POV)

     I'm slightly shaking as Rob and I look out out from under a bush. Rob decided that he wanted to follow the humans in the suits, and I couldn't be alone again. The sun is slowly setting behind us. It took half of a day to get back here. It's like a punch in the face telling me that I never really was free at any point. I've never even really escaped the prison where I was made; I was just put into a different one. I've been trapped for my entire life. And now it could happen all over again. The longer we sit here, the higher chance we have of being caught.

"Why do we have to be here.....", I shakily ask Rob. He's quietly listening to every noise that's coming from the lab, his eyes misty and dull. "Why are people still here? What are they doing?", he mumbles. "I..... I could try to look?", I suggest, but my voice shakes so much that it sounds like a question. "No! I won't make you use your telepathy if it makes you uncomfortable. We can figure out some other way to get in", Rob argues. I would totally agree with him, but I'm starting to feel pretty useless. It's clear that Rob wants to help, but he's no fighter. I'm half aware of the sun finally sinking below the horizon line as I think. "I can help, so I will", I decide.

     Before Rob can say anything else, I've already let my mind wander away from my body. It's a feeling that I can't really describe. It's like I'm free floating, but I don't have a body to be floating in the first place. I feel like I could just fade away like this. Nothing seems to be keeping me here once I leave my body. Is this what happens when people die? I have to fight to remember what I'm suppose to be doing. I'm looking for something in the building. But it's strange to know what it is, yet not see it. I'm not blind, but I'm seeing in a different way, like feeling it with my mind. I easily slip through the walls and into a long hallway. They don't scare me. I should be scared of being here, but I have no emotions while I'm not in my body. Sparks wander all around, some beside different walls. Some are bright and some are dull. There's a floor above me with even more sparks. They seem to be in a disarray, with sparks flickering out. I move up through the ceiling and into the floor above.

     I'm instantly met by chaos. No noise exists here, but I can feel the chaotic emotions and thoughts of all the sparks around me. I don't know what I'm looking for, but I'm drawn to anything that seems familiar. I focus in on the mind of someone near me. I make sure to hide my presence. A ghostly outline appears around them, revealing short brown fur smeared with blood. Some part of me recognizes them, but I don't care at the moment. Another similar aura gets a shifting red outline as I watch. But there's more sparks in this building with the same aura. Not quite human, not really hybrids. I can feel all of them when I'm like this.

     I'm suddenly forcefully pulled out of my 'limbo'. "W-What!?", I yelp, falling back into the brush with my wings and tail in heap. Rob had to stop shaking me when I fell, now crouching next to me. "Are you ok, Lachlan!? You were staring at the building for a good five minutes, not even blinking", Rob worries. "I'm fine", I try and reassure him. It takes me a moment to remember what I felt, "Wait..... it's Jerome! And Preston! They're inside the building on the second floor, fighting to try and get out". I'm instantly on my feet, half crouched as I slink through the brush. Rob helps when I grab him and put him on my back. His camouflage kicks in and mostly hides us from view. The rising moonlight slightly glitters off my wings, but the lab is in too much of a panic to pay attention to what's trying to get in.

"Lachlan! This is crazy, what are you doing!?", Rob squeaks as get to the edge of the brush. I don't answer him. I quickly sprint over to the wall of the building, not even pausing when I start to climb. Rob clings to my back tightly as use my wings and tail to help climb. I stick my fingers and feet into the small grooves in the brick work. There's a way out over here, I felt it. People were guarding it. I only get another few feet before something comes smashing through the wall. No, it's a side door for bringing in equipment from the river. The door's completely torn open as shouts and screams come from the hole. "Lachlan!", Rob yells, squeezing me tighter.

"Jerome! Move!", I bellow. The sun is completely set, with the Stars and moon shining brightly. "What the-", I hear the Bacca's deep voice when I crawl up into the building. Rob is looking around widely, trying to figure out what's going on. "Where's Preston!", I shout over all the noise on the room. The laboratory workers are surprised to see us, but still fighting to keep at least one of us in. "He's at the end of the hall! We got separated, he wouldn't come this way!", Jerome tries to explain, pointing back down the hall. The way is blocked with humans, all armed and starting to come towards us. I pull Rob off my back, shoving him to Jerome. "Rob, go to the river and get away, I'm going for Preston!", I order. I can hear him try and argue, but I ignore them and run towards the humans. I don't have time to waste.

My reactions are starting to slip back into autopilot as I charge. Right when I get close, I pivot to the side and kick off of the wall. My wings flare out the farthest they can go, undoubtedly opening bleeding wounds. The metal loops are still there. I awkwardly glide over a few people, knocking down the last one and using him as a cushion. I get right back up and keep running. My telepathy starts to work, leaving me almost in a 3rd perspective view of myself. I quickly locate Preston while still moving my body. He's on the roof. With a bunch of people who are cornering him. They're hurting him.

I don't remember climbing any stairs, but I'm suddenly bursting through a door and onto the roof. I roar in rage, my vision getting a red tint. My wings sparkle in the light when I charge forward on all fours. People scream, but I don't care. I scare them enough that they move away from Preston to try and get away from me. "Lachlan?", he mumbles. There's bad burns on his skin from water, his one arm turned to lava with stone burned into it. "Yeah, it's me! C'mon, we're getting out of here", I speak quickly, hoisting Preston up on his feet. He sways and leans against me. I can feel how warm his skin is even now.

"They know me too well, I can't get out. The fall will kill me with the water burns. I'm trapped", he whimpers, "Go without me". The lab people are finally coming closer again, this time with water weapons and tranquilizer darts for me. I try and rack my brain for any solution to get us both out. Preston heats up both his hands, trying to keep the humans away. That's it. "Melt the metal on my wings", I say, moving to show Preston the bindings. "No! I'll burn you", he argues. "We don't have time! Just do it!", I yell at him. He bites his lip, looking back at the approaching humans. Then he grabs my wings with his heated hands.

The pain is immediately excruciating. This is worse then what the pit master ever did to me. You can smell burning scales and flesh as Preston quickly tries to pull off the sizzling metal. When they do, a ring of scars, blood, and burnt skin cover the area. It's still sizzling as I grit my teeth and grab Preston underneath his arms. I can take the pain. It's how I've been taught. My wings flare out, each being nearly six feet long. I roar at the humans, bearing my teeth and lashing my tail.

And then I turn and jump off the building.