We stood in the middle of the corridor, where anyone could have seen us. Which would soon happen if we didn't move very quickly! Now that the lights were back on, they were going to find out very fast that I was no longer in my cell, and the hunt would then begin. It was my feline companion who came to her senses first and told me to open the second door on the right, which I did without taking any special precautions. After all, there was no longer time for discretion. Luck seemed to be on our side because the room was empty and apparently without a camera. I was beginning to think it was strange, all these corridors and empty rooms without any guards or surveillance equipment.

What I had mistaken for a room was actually a small corridor, a kind of airlock, with an elevator, topped by a camera at its tip. I froze and the panther mimicked me, having instantly shared my concerns. How do we get past this camera without being noticed? Answer: None. Other than crossing fingers and hoping that no one was looking at the screens at that time.

So I walked forward with a quick and confident gait, my head slightly lowered to show only my hair to the camera and pressed the button. The door immediately opened with the small ding characteristic of all elevators and we quickly entered. I looked for the control panel on the left wall with only one button, at least saving me the trouble of choosing. I pressed it and the cabin began its descent, which seemed endless to me. When it stopped, I put myself in a corner, my makeshift weapon brandished in front of me, ready for any eventuality. At least that was the idea.

I felt like a mocking laugh echoing in my mind and the panther projected her vision of me. A tall girl too skinny and in greyish underwear stained with blood, who brandished a wrench with a trembling hand, her auburn hair all tangled up falling back on her face. Not very scary, indeed! I laughed a little bitterly with her, then, when the universal ding rang out, I tensed in anticipation of what we would find on the other side.

Before us lay the same white tiled corridors, the difference being that everything here seemed new and sanitized. As we moved forward a little, we discovered a large glass door that opened onto a brand new laboratory. A person in a white coat was using a complex looking machine and turning their back on us. We took the opportunity to move quickly and discreetly, before he or she turned around and saw us. At the end of the corridor, there was another one. My partner, seeming to know where she was going, continued to give me her mental indications until yet another door.

Facing the latter, equipped with a magnetic card lock, I understood that it was time to take out my miracle tool number two. I placed it as explained to me, then nervously waited for the device to do its job, crossing my fingers for no one to appear in the meantime. Once again, we were lucky and I began to seriously doubt that it was just that. No one is that lucky and especially not me... There was something wrong.

What if the reinforcements had arrived? That would explain the hustle and bustle earlier, the fact that there were so few people inside and why no one was reacting to my disappearance. It also meant that if Worth had managed to find me, it was because Jude had to be with him. I realized then that I missed him and that I had been afraid deep down inside that I would never see him again, no matter how annoying he may be. But maybe I took my wishes for reality? Maybe after all, I was blessed with goddamn fortune! Anyway, the door was still not open and I decided to take the opportunity to test my theory. I emptied my mind and searched for his characteristic imprint among all the other signatures around me. For a short moment, I thought I had found him and my heart leapt into my chest, before all my senses were overwhelmed by the laughter of an indiscreet panther's thoughts.

« You are really smitten, aren't you? But do you think it's time to look for your love? I'll let you know, if you're still interested, that the door is open! »

« Feline... Damn it! Stay out of my head, you're keeping me from concentrating! And he's not my "love", he's the reinforcements! »

I felt her astonishment and then her amusement in my head. I really had to get rid of this telepathic connection as soon as possible, or I was going to end up schizophrenic!

« Feline? » she asked me gently.

« Yes, that's how I see you and I don't know your name, so... Unless you give it to me, for me, you'll be Feline. »

« I like it, Feline. But why do you want me to leave? »

She seemed sad about this and especially did not understand what bothered me.

« We'll see about that later, because as you so kindly pointed out to me, the door is open. »

I had barely finished my thought when a violent and dull pain exploded under my skull, as if a certain power was trying to drive another one away. I had the horrible feeling that my heart was pounding behind my eyes. I could not hold back a moan and took my head in my hands. I felt, more than I saw, Feline fidgeting near me. But although I still perceived her presence, I could no longer hear her thoughts. I didn't really hear much anymore, obsessed with the thought that my head was going to explode. I forced myself to open my eyes and was relieved to see that I was still seeing clearly. I tried to forget the pain and worry that Feline's behaviour showed and forced myself to keep going.

We entered yet another white corridor, and that's when I felt it. An indefinable smell, both sweet and sour. When I saw Feline freeze by my side, I wondered for a moment if I could smell it by myself or through her, because since our connection had almost "break", my sense of smell seemed like... boosted! Unless I'm the one who uses it to compensate? It led us to the last door at the left end of the corridor and became more prominent once I pushed the door.

We were at the entrance of a kind of rectangular room about ten meters long, closed by a blind and bare wall, except for a wooden rack to which six sets of keys were hung. The two side walls had three doors with locks, each placed at regular intervals. No need to be a genius to guess what this place was for. We had found "their prison". In my opinion, the best place to find our missing persons. Galvanized by hope and a sense of urgency, I rushed to the keys and began to try to open the cells, starting with the first on the right of the front door which turned out to be number 1. Well, might as well start somewhere and have a minimum of organization. As we had no way of checking whether or not the cells were occupied, I unlocked the door and entered without further ado.

It was a small room with bare walls, about two metres square and without any furniture, except for a toilet and a blanket placed on the ground. A little girl, with long blond hair and cheeks streaked with tears, was sitting on the blanket, curled up against the wall. A defensive position that she must have instinctively taken when we entered.

She relaxed imperceptibly when she saw me and tried to look at me with all the courage she had left. Even if it was clear from her tear-stained face that she was scared, her posture and little chin forward clearly said that she no longer intended to show it. I was so relieved that I had only one desire: to rush towards her, take her in my arms and tell her that she was safe, but I was afraid I would scare her more than anything else.

- 'Aria? It is your grandfather who sent me,' I whispered to her very gently so as not to frighten her and avoid alerting the guards who might be on the lookout.

The minute I said that, I saw the spark in her eyes as she recognized me. She had only seen me for a few seconds, but apparently that was enough. She then dropped the mask and sobbed towards me, when halfway through, she stopped abruptly and stared with intensity and fear at a point behind me. I didn't turn around, knowing that it was Feline who had just entered the room. If we had always been able to communicate, I would have asked her not to, but under present circumstances...

However, as soon as I had thought this, I saw her turn around and leave the room. Apparently, the communication was only disconnected in one way. All right, that was good to know.

- 'Don't worry, she's with me. She won't hurt you. But... we shouldn't hang around here,' I urged her gently.

Was it the tone of my voice or the fact that she was a future shape-shifter, I couldn't say; but she believed me without hesitation and closed the distance throwing herself into my arms in tears. I comforted her as best I could, before telling her that we had to get out of here very quickly.

She let go of me after a few minutes and dried her tears with the back of her hand. We were walking through the door when a loud alarm went off. I had the feeling that my skull was pierced through and through, as the sharp sound was twisting my eardrums.

- 'We waited too long! Hurry, we must leave!' I shouted to cover the shrill sound.

- 'Not without Adam!' Aria shouted at me in a panicked voice. 'I know he's here, I felt him and heard him. We have to save him.'

She was afraid but her eyes were determined. No way she's leaving without him! Nevertheless, if we stayed there for even a minute longer, we would be trapped, because the only way out was through the door through which we had arrived. I had to get Aria to safety! But where and how? I couldn't entrust her to a panther... could I?

If only I could be certain that Worth and Jude were around...

The time lost in hesitation was fatal for me. As I was about to tell Aria to go hide with Feline while I looked for Adam, a sound of boots suddenly echoed in the hallway. I only had time to push Aria and the panther into the cell they had just left before the man entered the room.

He stepped forward with a quiet step, a large assault rifle pointed at my chest, all accompanied by a lewd smile that reminded me of someone.

- 'I was hoping it was you!' he exclaimed in an unpleasant voice as he continued to move forward, staring at me from head to toe. 'My brother bragged so much about your looks... that I was a little jealous.'

In spite of myself, I started to back down. There was no way I was going to let that guy come near me, let alone touch me. I'd rather he killed me. I now knew why he looked familiar to me. He was the brother of the other pervert and, a priori, they didn't only share their filiation.

- 'It's my lucky day. With the trouble up there, they let me come alone,' he blustered with a predatory smile. 'I'm going to have some fun,' he said, running his tongue over his lips. 'Yum... Besides, you're already half naked! It's nice to make my job easier,' he continued, giggling as he approached even closer.

As I backed away, I finally hit the back wall and painfully hit my head with the rack. I held my wrench in front of me with a trembling hand, which made him laugh mockingly. I had to buy time! In my misfortune, I had just learned that the inspector was up there with his men, and I couldn't fail now!

- 'Don't come any closer!' I ordered him with a trembling voice, which seemed pathetic even to me.

- 'And this is how you think you're gonna stop me?'

He then laughed frankly and walked the distance that separated us in two strides. In a desperate attempt, I tried to hit him in the head, despite the gun still pointed at me. If he wanted to rape me, there was little chance he would shoot me right away. Unfortunately, I missed my shot and he tore the gun out of my hands, before slapping me violently. My head went right and hit the wall.

I must have fainted for a few seconds, because when I regained consciousness, I was lying on the floor, my bra lying next to me and the guard's hands touching me. I forced myself not to think about what he was doing and tried to get in touch with Feline. With any luck, she'd hear me. The man was so focused on his task that he put his gun down and turned his back to the door. It was the best time to attack. As I sent the psychic information to the panther, I heard the door open slowly.

But if I could hear it, so could my torturer. I had to find a way to divert his attention. So I forced myself to look back at him and found with horror that he had almost finished opening his fly. Desperate times desperate measures, I decided to provoke him.

- 'Little dicks are like little brains, they run in the family?'

It worked beyond my expectations and diverted him from his task for a few seconds, until he slapped me again and called me a slut. He had to let go of my arm to hit me and I took the opportunity to grab my bra. I didn't have a precise idea in mind when I took it, but the moment he leaned back on me with an obvious intention, I put my bra around his neck. Then, crossing the straps, I started to pull with all my might to strangle him. At the same time, Feline jumped on his back with a furious roar and while she was holding herself with her claws, she undertook to rip his throat out.

It was long and particularly messy, because the least we could say was that he put up a fight! He struggled violently to try to bring down Feline, who had not yet reached his jugular, bleeding and screaming for his life. When she succeeded with a roar of satisfaction, the man suddenly stopped moving and fell heavily on me, while a hot, viscous flood poured over my chest. Disgusted and horrified, I crawled like a maniac to get out from under the corpse, trying in vain to remove the blood that covered me before putting my slightly distended bra back on with my trembling hands. I felt that I had some kind of hiccup and a strange noise echoed in the room. It took me a little while to realize that this noise was me laughing, with a nervous and borderline hysterical laughter, mixed with tears. I finally got up and found, surprised, that I had no pain anywhere. Not even in the head! I was like... disconnected, certainly in shock. The only question was how long it would last, because I had a feeling I wasn't going to enjoy the reality check.