As James and I exited the hospital, the crisp breeze of an incoming blizzard greeted us with a chilly embrace, tingling against the skin of my face. Dark, purplish clouds rolled in the sky as they approached the city.

I couldn't help but steal a glance at James, his wavy hair tousled by the wind, his strong jawline set with determination. Despite his stoic demeanour and his sudden darkening vibe in his nonverbal language, there was an undeniable magnetism about him that drew me in.

Why was he pushing his wheelchair with such rash movements? Were we late for something? It was something beyond being simply late. His movements denoted urgency and nervousness... and maybe anger too?

But why? I had just given him the greatest bits of news in his entire life! If I was right and I could prove it, he would only need some surgery to be able to walk again.

He hurried to the cab parking area. "Mia, let's go. We have no time to lose." His talking speech took me by surprise.

As he shot an arm in the air to hail a cab, his movements were swift and purposeful, his brow furrowed with apparent concern. I couldn't shake the feeling that something weighed heavily on his mind.

A cab stopped right in front of us, drawing a sigh of relief from him.

The cabbie got off and offered his help to James, which, to my utter amazement, the latter didn't oppose to.

"Hop in, Mia," he said with an unnerving urgency. "A hundred VirtPounds if you hurry as if the plague was chasing you."

The cabbie nodded with wide-open eyes and a nervous smile.

Barely ten seconds later, the cabbie already had helped James to get into the car, right next to me in the back seats.

"Lord Commander Melnik's mansion," James said when the cabbie sat and grabbed the steering wheel. "Be there in less than five minutes, I'll give you a bonus of fifty VirtPounds."

He hadn't finished uttering that sentence that he had already fished his phone from his pocket and started texting.

"James, why the hurry? Who are you texting?" I inquired, curiosity lacing my voice.

His response was terse, his eyes fixed on his phone screen as he typed away. "Just some urgent matters to attend to," he muttered, his tone clipped. But the tension in his shoulders betrayed the urgency of his actions, especially when he took a warning glimpse at the cabbie.

Oh, so it was a secret he didn't want the cabbie to know.

As the cab whisked us away to Lord Commander Melnik's mansion running into sharp turns at a delirious speed, I feared for our lives. The blood drained from my face and the rest of my body as an unpleasant cold sensation spread through my entire body. What was this all about?

As I stole another glance at James, a silent vow formed in my mind. I'd force an answer out from those lips as soon as the cabbie was out of our lives.

And I'd never take a cab with James ever again in my entire life!

But he went on texting while displaying his canines with annoyance, his furrowed brow protruding. A white, clenched fist told me he was about to lose his patience with the person he had been texting.

The mansion appeared on my left before I could even process what street we were in. After I opened the door and stepped outside of the cab, I sighed with relief.

The cabbie was already helping James out of the cab and into his wheelchair. Next, the man offered him the phone payment terminal, which James grabbed and paid with his smartphone.

The man bowed and thanked him as if meeting us had been the highlight of his life. No wonder! A hundred and fifty VirtPounds is what a regular person would earn in a month!

As the blizzard threatened to engulf us in its icy embrace, I stood outside Lord Commander Melnik's mansion next to James, our breaths forming misty clouds in the frigid air.

The cabbie's departure left us alone in the swirling snow, and James wasted no time in explaining the urgent matter at hand before I could even open my mouth.

"Mia, listen," James began, his voice urgent and tense. "Some bystanders recorded videos of you saving that paramedic woman outside the hospital and posted them on social media. Suit Robotics could use those videos to identify you and come after you."

"And discussing this in front of the cabbie was out of the question," I replied. After a sigh, I added, "I get it now. Jesus... what have I done? Why didn't I think of it?"

"I didn't think of it either when it happened," he admitted. "Only when Dylan mentioned it during rehab did I realise that. I'm awfully sorry."

My heart quickened at his words, a chill running down my spine at the thought of being hunted by such a powerful entity once more. I had worked hard to live a life out of the spotlight. "What do we do?" I asked, my voice trembling.

James took a deep breath, his brow furrowed with worry. He showed me his phone. "I just texted a hacker to take down those videos from social media and track who's seen them. We need to act fast," he explained, his words rushed and breathless. "I asked for a list of their IP addresses and any vital data he can find. That way, I can keep tabs on who's seen it already and whether or not they have any connections to Suit Robotics. I sincerely hope I don't find any."

I nodded, my mind racing with the gravity of the situation. "How much time do we have if they act, if they've seen it?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper as the wind howled around us.

"Who knows," he whispered back. "We'll take extra precautions just in case they send mercenaries to Two Dawns. I'll tell my father to issue a security protocol at the docks, to maximise security in any incoming flight from First Landing especially."

Suddenly, James's phone rang, and he quickly answered, his expression tense as he listened intently to the voice on the other end for a few seconds. "Yes, I understand," he said, his tone grave. "I'll transfer the funds immediately, but you get this done within the hour. Delete all those videos, from any account, in all social media, get all traces of the data traffic and the IP addresses, and last but not least, zip it for as long as you live, understood? If you tell anybody, I'll know."

Turning to me, James's eyes met mine, a mixture of determination and concern reflected in their depths as the hacker replied and James fell silent. The cold wind increased its speed.

"Fine. Five thousand," he said with a tense jaw and white fingers grabbing his phone hard.

He sucked in a breath as the hacker replied.

"Don't push it," James said some seconds later, looking away from me. "I agreed to five, and that's all you're gonna get from me. Now stop babbling and get on with it!"

He hung up and stared back at me.

"The hacker needs more money than usual for this job," he explained, his voice strained with the weight of our predicament. "He knows I'm desperate, a lot more than for other jobs I had offered him while I was still in the force. He just demanded an urgency fee."

I reached out, placing a reassuring hand on his arm, feeling the warmth of his touch through the layers of our winter clothing. "We'll do whatever it takes. I have the money, but if I get it, I'll trigger some alarms for sure."

"Forget it," he replied. "Our aim right now is your security. No one should know you're here in Two Dawns besides my father, my family, Sir Khan, Rosa, and my healer. I'll make sure no one speaks about you and where you're from. Don't touch any savings. I'll handle this."

Would he use his savings to save me?! Wow. That was insanely generous. I blushed. I needed to pay him back because I couldn't stand owing anything to anybody.

He sighed and put his phone back in his pocket.

"Let's get inside," he said, now with a calmer tone. "Both of us need a shower."

I took a look at myself and I couldn't agree more. I still had some blood on me from saving that paramedic's life, while he was sweaty from his rehab session.

"The hacker will call me in an hour. Let's meet and discuss what to do next. And..." He made a long pause. "Don't get surprised if that idiot hands over nothing at all, demanding more money."

A few minutes later, I was already standing beneath a hot stream of water in my private bathroom shower. The hot water cascaded down my body, gently enveloping me in a steamy embrace that pushed the harsh cold reality away.

Like a long-awaited caress, the water soothed away the tensions of the day. Steam rose around me, enveloping me in a cocoon of warmth and tranquillity. Closing my eyes, I breathed in deeply, the fragrant aroma of the lavender-scented soap mingling with the steam, creating a sensory symphony that transported me to a state of blissful relaxation. With each gentle lather, I luxuriated in the sensation of cleanliness.

Lost in the moment, I revelled in the simple pleasure of the shower, the rhythmic patter of water against tile a soothing backdrop to my thoughts. The hot water worked its magic, loosening tense muscles and washing away the residue of stress, leaving me feeling renewed and invigorated.

As I emerged from the shower, wrapped in a fluffy towel and with a contented smile on my lips, I couldn't help but feel grateful for the brief respite from the chaos of the outside world.

But I had no time to lose. Regretfully, I had to let go of that peaceful paradise.

I dried myself off and started to get dressed as I summed up my state of affairs.

Suit Robotics was out to get me. I was merely a student, but a bright one. They must've done a background check on me the moment I dared to talk back to its envoys at the conference. Otherwise, it would make no sense to devote so much time and resources to chasing me all these months to kill me.

They must know that I was a renowned student with a higher IQ than most, that I had saved many lives on a hunch, that I had a bright career ahead of me after an outstanding performance during my residency years, and that I obviously had a sharp tongue in any controversial matters.

What I just did for James wasn't something out of the ordinary for me. I was used to seeing what other doctors missed. I was glad to save James' life as much as I was happy to have saved hundreds of lives before his.

But if Suit Robotics found me here, in Two Dawns, doing research under the protective wing of Lord Commander Melnik and Sir Khan—and succeeding at it—I would not get out of here alive.

The videos on social media might've reached them if they went viral throughout the colonies.

Rosa could be indiscreet despite Sir Khan's plea.

Thiago could use this wish for secrecy as leverage to get close to me. And maybe get in bed with me. Yuck.

Vanessa might've known or found out who I was. She was a cop and had the means to do it, at the end of the day. If she hated my guts, I could be done for.

Healer Lee hated me already. So, if he wanted me out of the picture, he could be indiscreet too—if he knew I was in danger.

The hospital was full of people I had interacted with before and during that emergency surgery. Would they accidentally tip me off?

Not to mention that the Federal Governor and his friends would come to Two Dawns in less than a fortnight to host a conference and whatnot.

I had finished getting dressed and proceeded to dry my long blue hair.

I sighed with dread. I wasn't sure James could do anything to keep my presence in Two Dawns a secret. The hacker's work could be all for nothing!

And then, killers would attack me and prevent me from finding a cure for the pandemic. I'd die and I would never get to see my father again. He might die alone—or worse. He'd choose to become a stupid suit!

I turned the dryer off and left it on the floor.

I sank my fingers into my hair and tousled it. A loud groan forced its way out of my chest, ripping more than just air from me.

Turning to a small window to my left, I stared at the violent snow falling outside. My hands fell on either side of me as my eyes stared at a distant point on the horizon, where the blizzard erased the beautiful city skyline.

I had to meet James in the corridor. The hour was up.

The voice on the speakerphone didn't lie or joke despite its playful mood.

"I want a dozen photos of you in sexy lingerie," the hacker said over the phone, his voice calm and rather juvenile. "No buts. Flirty poses. As if you were posing for a naughty magazine."

He had to be kidding.

"NO!" James exclaimed with a revealing blush creeping up his neck and cheeks as he held his phone between us.

After meeting in the corridor when the hour was up, we agreed to take advantage of the privacy of his room to speak with the hacker when he called.

A long bed, draped in dark green bed linen, stretched before me, its crisp edges a testament to James' meticulous nature. There were no cushions adorning the bed, no unnecessary frills to clutter the space, just a sense of military-like precision in every detail. His room reflected his controlled and strict nature, just like he said, "I will not allow this."

The hacker chuckled at the other end of the line. "What's up, man? Is she your girlfriend?"

The subject matter of the conversation was awkward. At least I found the soft glow cast by the small light on his nightstand comforting. Contrasting with it, dark oak wood dominated the furniture all over the room, casting a warm, earthy hue, providing simplicity and sobriety to the room—a simplicity I found lacking in my life.

"No, but..." James replied. The muscles in his entire body were tense.

The hacker had given him ample time to reply, but James hadn't dared to finish the sentence. "But what? I condone the urgency fee in exchange for this little gift. That's all. It's super simple."

James didn't lose a second to answer, "I'll pay the money you asked me gladly."

I was holding my breath, but when I heard him say that, I released it. As I stood in the centre of the room, taking in the simple elegance of his surroundings, I couldn't help but feel a sense of calm wash over me.

"You don't have that much money, dude," the hacker said.

James' tone became cheekier. "My father does."

The hacker scoffed. "You won't dare to ask him for that much money. And he won't allow you to spend it on her."

What was that supposed to mean? That he... likes me? And that the Lord Commander won't like that?

Well, he was a noble. James, despite being a bastard son, was still a noble, right?

I wasn't.

The air carried a faint scent of pine fragrance, a lingering reminder of James' preference for clean, natural smells. Every item in the room seemed to have its designated place, arranged with the precision of a seasoned soldier. From the neatly folded clothes in the dresser to the meticulously organised books on the shelf, there was an undeniable sense of order that spoke volumes about James' disciplined mindset.

All that led me to assume that the Lord Commander had infused that disciplined mindset on James since he was little—a kind of discipline that might not fit well with what the hacker was implying.

Why would a noble spend such an enormous fortune on a girl like me? The adopted daughter of a doctor from far away, in a distant colony. Both peasants to them, and middle class to the rest of the world.

"Why do you care?" James replied in a rough tone. "I'll get you the bloody money. Now, shut up and deliver!"

"Nope. Not until I get–" the hacker insisted.

"Fine, I said," I said, blushing. "I'll get you the photos."

"Mia!" James exclaimed, the skin on his face red all over. "Are you insane?!"

Ignoring his outburst and revealing skin colour, I went on, "Deliver what you've got so far. James will pay the normal fee, and I'll get you the photos you want as the urgency fee you suggest."

"No, wait!" James said.

"No, you wait," I said.

James grunted as he glared at me.

Sorry. I would handle this my way.

"So, guys. How are you gonna do this? Photos, yes or no?" the hacker insisted.

James shook his head and silently mouthed the word 'no'.

"I'll give you what you ask for," I said, making James press his lips into a thin line and avoid my gaze.

"Okay, I'm sending you the deletion logs from all the social media accounts you appeared in as we speak," the hacker said in a formal but joyful mood. "I'm also sending you the traces of the data traffic and some IP addresses. I'll give you the rest when you send me the photos."

"Great," I replied. "Give me... a day? I need to prepare."

James massaged his forehead and temples with his eyes closed and a furrowed brow.

"Sure, love."

"And when she does, you'll send the rest of the list..." James said in a foul mood, "and never tell a soul about her and what you've done."

"Sure, dude," the hacker replied. "Chillax, man. You know I'm a man of my word."

A ping from James' phone indicated that the files were waiting for us in his email inbox.

"Talk to you tomorrow, babe," the hacker said with mischief.

Hello, my sugar cubes!

Will she take the naughty photos and send them to the hacker? Will the hacker's work be worth something to save Mia's life? Or will it be too late?

Stay tuned!

XOXO

Mar