The trip was surprisingly quiet. Aniya hadn't interrogated James on how he was able to escape Shika, one of the top Velocity soldiers. The knot on her stomach tightened, and she gripped the jet ship's steering wheel compactly, crescent moons dipping into her palms with her knuckles white as a sheet of snow. There were destination options in the navigation screen, and Aniya clicked Vector-211. The ship calculated the amount of time to arrive to the planet, and wasn't it ironic that time existed in the vast galaxy? Although Earth diminished into nothingness, the calendar did not change, and the Vector planets' orbits lasted for 365 days a year, 24 hours a day. From the history books, Aniya learned that Earth operated the same way.

She was looking forward to arriving to Vector-211, she admitted, because how would it feel like to breathe fresh air? To eat the healthiest cow or chicken in the planet? To gallivant in the world of the rich? What did they do in their daily lives? Had they toiled away to accumulate wealth? She had zero inkling what the wealthiest planet was like. She did know, however, that they had the best food, best clothing, and best power system. Aside from the successful cloning of planets, infinite production of energy was discovered and perfected.

To exist in such a planet like that was every Vector citizen's dream.

"Are we heading to Vector-211?" was James' first question throughout the entire ride. She nodded wordlessly; her eyes busy analysing the instruction manual. She was starting to get the hang of operating the jet ship, and in case things would be spoiled upon their arrival to the said planet, she could bolt to her home planet. It could be a billion light years away. Would there be enough fuel to propel the jet ship?

Somehow, she wasn't too concerned about that. People wouldn't take notice of her anyway. She could dye her hair blonde and find the cheapest plastic surgeon to reconstruct the planes of her face. She could start a new life as anyone. Maybe forget her mother was being tracked down by the soldiers. Did her mother know about her abduction?

"Brace for the last wormhole," she instructed. James closed his eyes, his lips seared into a thin line. The last wormhole didn't feel as nauseous as the first wormhole she experienced. They saw the planet from a distance. The colours blue and green looked magnificent from a bird's eye view, and a pang of jealousy hit Aniya.

She retired the ship on the landing area of the planet. For a wealthy planet, the security was quite lax, and that was a huge relief. Probably because the other planets were too poor to afford to hijack this planet. Given with the recent circumstances, however, the security should've been stricter.

It seemed surreal how things were going smoother than she planned. Was this better than being jumped by a soldier?

Aniya and James got off the jet ship. Their footsteps were light, and they scampered away from any of the soldiers who were stationed at the hangar. Good thing they weren't top ranking soldiers, else, they knew they would be screwed if they get caught. They reached the exit successfully, and a whoosh of fresh air swooped past their faces.

"Wow," James breathed. His eyes were closed, as if he was memorizing how the air felt. No one could blame him because she was doing it, too. It felt gratifying letting the wind touch your skin. It suddenly cured all secret illnesses she might have been harbouring growing up in that wretched planet. Still, that planet was home to her.

"Is this heaven?..." James murmured, spreading his arms like a boy who got the best present.

"We need to move," Aniya snapped, breaking him out of his reverie. They were in another silver lifeless maze. She groaned. She was starting to hate the colour grey. It was dull, and it stripped away the vibrant colours of life. It also made it difficult to navigate through the exit, though Aniya did not have a blueprint of this building. Curiosity kept building her interest which made her go on. What would Vector-211 feel like?

James trailed behind her like a kicked puppy, his eyes wandering everywhere. Was he checking for any security cameras? Shit. Aniya forgot about that. Her heart kept lurching her forward to whatever was in store for her. She was unsure what that would be. Would she be able to keep a low profile? Would there be a bounty in her head for escaping the soldiers?

They saw a door which was unlocked. Was it the backdoor of the building? The exit perhaps? She pulled the door, and the light almost blinded her. It was an empty lot. Aniya turned around. The building towered, casting a shadow on her entire body. Relief flooded her features, realizing she was finally out of the building. Or wherever they were.

"Look!" James exclaimed, index finger pointing at the road looming from afar. They ran towards the highway. Their breaths were short-lived. Aniya knew the lack of exercise would doom her one day, and today was that day. Ignoring the burning sensation in her lungs, she turned her head left and right, hoping for a sign that there were vehicles passing by this road. Maybe there would be rich citizens who would occasionally come to this ominous building, probably to do some shady business with the soldiers stationed.

Alas, the odds were in her favour. A sleek black vehicle halted in front of the pair. The vehicle's window was rolled down. Inside, there were two people. A driver and his passenger. The passenger had blonde hair and bangs covering the tips of her eyebrows. She was chewing a gum, her lips painted in dark blue. Her brown eyes looked bored.

"This is the first time I saw someone standing in my father's property," she said in the blandest tone. Aniya would've expected this woman to sound mad, since they were in her father's property, or excited perhaps.

Before Aniya could reply, James cut her off. Whatever dastardly plan he had, she hoped it would work. "We're tourists, and we got lost."

The blonde woman did not show any emotion at all. Aniya could tell the gears were churning in her head. "Get in," she said, after the excruciating long pause. Aniya heaved a sigh of relief and gestured at a hesitant James to climb at the back of the vehicle. If they would get killed, then Aniya was somehow ready for the end. It was much better than be at the hands of Victoria and Shika who wouldn't think twice of finishing her off.

"My name is Aleanna, or Allie for short." Finally, a name to a face. She might be their glory or their downfall. Aniya hoped it wasn't the latter. "I manage the entry and exits of the citizens of this planet. The one where you were in was the backdoor of this planet." Allie explained like a teacher. The duo remained silent. It made sense now why the security wasn't tight. Aniya was lucky.

Allie continued her monologue. "I know who you are." The atmosphere shifted. You could hear a pin drop at the tensioned silence. "You are Aniya Le and James van Buren," she stated a-matter-of-factly. Aniya's heart lurched through her throat. She dreaded for this to happen. She knew she would die at the hands of the daughter of one of the most powerful families. She could tell Allie wasn't someone to fool with. Although she had a bored look on her features, her eyes were calculating, cunning.

She felt the air escaping her system. She suddenly couldn't breathe, and the surroundings were starting to blacken. She realized she didn't want to die yet, not when she hadn't seen her mother. Her mother flashed before her mind, burning the image of cradling Aniya in her arms whenever she had bad days. That was the Ariadna she knew, not the rebel leader of the North Star.

When she opened her eyes, James was sitting beside the bed she laid, his hands clasping hers. Blood rushed to her cheeks and immediately recoiled at his touch. James didn't sport any reaction. He was probably expecting her to do it.

Allie was walking back and forth, and when she noticed she woke up, she rushed to her other side. "I thought you would die of heart attack," she said. For the first time, she looked worried. Her eyes held a myriad of emotions. It was a stark contrast to Victoria's dead grey-green eyes.

"I'm still twenty-two," she chuckled. When no one laughed at her sardonic joke, she said, "I thought you would have James and I beheaded."

"Won't that be too medieval?" Allie snorted. She sat straight, her eyes shifting back to that lack of emotion Aniya saw from her earlier. "Anyway," she clasped her hands, propping her elbows beside her, "I don't plan on killing both of you. That's not how I operate. Sure, you're not allowed to enter here because you need to pay to enter, but I'm neither Victor nor his sick and twisted daughter Victoria." Her tone was acerbic when she mentioned Victoria's name.

"So..." Aniya trailed off in response. "What do you plan to do with us?"

"You and you," she turned to James, "will join the Vector Field."

Aniya scrunched her eyebrows. "Vector Field?"

"Vector Field," Allie echoed. "That is one of the most prestigious events in the Vector calendar. Since it is the new year, the highest governing body has organized this event for the citizens of Vector-211."

"And what will occur in this event?" Aniya raised a brow. Her eyes were laced in confusion, but curiosity washed her features.

"You'll see," Allie teased. "You will be attending as my guests of honour. Of course, you'll be wearing these." She tossed the pair two chips. "You need to put these chips at the base of your nape. This helps you change your facial features. I recently received news that both of you are wanted for arrest. They offered a lump sum of money for your heads, but of course, why would I need that when I operate the most crucial part of this planet? I have all the power in this planet, and I could just kill off you if I did want to, but where's the fun in that?" She smirked; her eyes marred with deviousness. Aniya gulped. Although she was kinder than Victoria, Aniya couldn't help but feel that she wasn't who she seemed she was. There was something up her sleeve, and Aniya knew she had to keep her guard up.

Aniya and James attached the chip as was instructed. She looked at the mirror hanging at the wall of the bedroom. The shape of her face changed, as well as her eyes, nose, lips, and ears. She was unrecognizable. However, her movements were still hers. James' hair darkened, and his green eyes shifted to blue ones. He looked handsome, she admitted.

She mentally shook herself to reality. She shouldn't be thinking of those things. James was just someone who was a thorn on her arse. They were given fresh sets of clothes. They looked expensive basing from the fabric. Aniya had a green velvet blouse, and a matching green velvet slacks. She looked regal, and the accessories amplified her looks. It wasn't her face though, and for a split second, she wished she looked blonde with doe blue eyes, a button up nose and a set of plump lips. Maybe it would've been easier for boys to notice her.

James wore a royal blue tux to match the blue eyes. His now dark hair was slightly unkempt. He looked like a man who had a lot of pain in his eyes. Was he acting? Or was that who he was?

They emerged in front of Allie, who looked satisfied at the sight of them. "How adorable you two are!" she cooed. Aniya felt her cheeks flush at the compliment. She stole a glance at James, whose cheeks were slightly tinged in pink. "Now that you two are dressed, we shall go to this most awaited Vector event."

Aniya felt the wind knocked out of her lungs. Everything happened at a lightning speed, and it was difficult for her to comprehend the gravity of the situation she was in. She escaped from the clutches of Velocity soldiers, and now she was snared into another powerful person who could end her whenever she wanted to.

Every step Aniya took was calculated. If Allie decided to turn them in, she was ready to turn around and run to wherever she could escape. She didn't spare a thought of what would happen to James. He was a nuisance to her plans. What was her plan in the first place, anyway?

They entered the balcony. Several people were already there, and they stopped whatever business they were on when Allie arrived. The crowd divided like Moses parting the sea, and an aisle formed at the centre. Allie's hips swayed sensuously with every step, wisps of blonde hair falling from her bun. She looked royalty and acted like one from the royal bloodline. Aniya had learned from history books about the royal family of Great Britain, and she wondered if Allie was their descendant. She didn't have their uncanny features, or maybe it had been mixed with multiple bloods.

When they ended up at the balcony railing, the crowd sat down, and one of her attendants gave her a plush red velvet seat. Another two of her attendants brought two chairs which were for Aniya and James who would go by the names Marianne and Julian for now. The seats weren't as posh as Allie's seat, but they were still comfortable, and they were seated at the front row, giving them the best view of a green grassy field. The entire place was a marriage between a football field and an opera or a theatre.

"This," Allie gestured to the entire field, "is the Vector Field." There was a ghost of a smile lilting her lips, her eyes gleaming with pride and passionate fervour. "My family built this place," she spoke in reverence to her family, "and this is one of the reasons why people look forward to this event." The attendants provided them glasses of iced tea and three boxes of popcorn. Even their iced teas and popcorns tasted differently in a really good way. She turned to face Aniya and giggled. "This is the reason why the Vector Field is the most awaited event in the Vector calendar."

Aniya had no idea what she meant but when the loud sounds of trumpets assaulting her ears, she now understood why. Marching bands emerged from different doors and marched to the middle of the green patch of grass, their uniforms ranging in varying colours. Once they halted, Allie stood and let the entire audience clap briefly for her presence.

"Thank you so much!" she said, her voice echoing around the entire field. "I am honoured to open the annual Vector Field celebration, one of the most prestigious events of the Vector calendar. My name is Aleanna Rutherford, the heir of Rutherflight Corp., but you already know that." The audience cheered at that. Aniya scanned around, and she noticed all these people were rich, but Allie was obviously filthy richer than them as she had control in the transportations of passengers of the entire Vector system. Her stomach turned to lead at the thought.

"Of course, this event will not be fruitful without some special guests!" Her voice boomed and everyone let out shrills of excitement. The doors around the field opened, and there were people dressed in suits of armour emerging on the left side of the field. The screams of excitement grew louder from the audience as the figures appearing at the right side were beasts who stood on two feet. Cows, bulls, horses were humanified. Bile rose through Aniya's throat. Her head spun, and she might faint for the second time soon.

James's hand was atop hers and squeezed it. His face shook in horror. The cameras panned to the humans, and they all looked familiar. Aniya wanted to scream and yell at Allie; to ask her to stop and to beg her and to tell her she would do anything for these people not to get killed. But she remained quiet, her throat locked with chains. She lost her voice.

She was a coward hiding behind a different face. These people were the rebel's family members and seeing them looking bewildered had her stomach twist in a thousand knots with barbed wires guttering her intestines. She felt relieved but what good would relief do when seeing these people who was in the same bullet spaceship getting butchered by animals that were modified to have human-like characteristics? Relief was the last thing she was supposed to feel. She clenched her fists.

"How are you feeling, Marianne?" Allie smirked with a knowing look in her eyes. She knew what she was doing, and she was grinning on the fact that Aniya felt claustrophobic at the sight of the people who were in the same bullet spaceship as hers.

She wanted to scream at Allie, but she knew that if she said a single word defying her, her head would be at the stake. She could be murdered on a whim because she was Aleanna Rutherford, the heir to Rutherflight Corp. She was one of the most powerful figures and rebelling against her right now meant the death sentence.

"Good." Aniya was surprised she was able to manage a reply. Her nerves steeled at the sight of her people from Vector-098 about to get slaughtered by half-animal half-human genetic breeds. Something acrid rose on her throat. She wanted to puke everything she ate at the bullet spaceship, down to the drinks that were served right now as refreshments for their biggest event of the Vector calendar.

"That's good to know," Allie smirked. Even if Allie didn't say anything after that, Aniya knew in the dead silence that if she were to do anything behind Allie's back, she would be next to the slaughterhouse.

Her legs shook on her seat like a newborn deer caught in the headlights. She was gripping the edges of her seat in a forceful manner, creating dents on the cushion with sheer force. She hid the emotions fighting their way on her face. She felt Allie's eyes studiously waiting for her next move. One wrong action could cost Aniya her life, and she would rather think things through instead of jumping at the chance of saving the rebels' families. Desperation tasted like vomit and once the referee whistled at the stadium-opera grassy field, the barriers hindering the genetically modified animal-human breeds lifted.

The rebel's relatives screamed and ran in different directions, looking for ways to escape. Aniya felt their desperation, but most of all, she could smell their fear. It permeated in the area. She stole a glance in James' direction, and he saw that his Adam's apple was bobbing out of his neck. She thought a vein popped out, but maybe she was imagining things.

Aniya wanted to look away, to save herself from witnessing their brutal deaths. Blood splattered in the camera that was projected on large screens. Cheers roared from all four sides, deafening the small squeal of despair escaping from Aniya's throat.

Blood boiled in her system, and one thing was clear. Aniya wanted to destroy Allie, to obliterate the empire she and her family built and continued, an empire that stood upright on the bloods of the innocents. She wanted to jump on her, to slit her throat with a knife that she wished she had.

She knew any attempt of attacking Allie would be futile. She only straightened her lips, and she felt the tears welling up in her eyes. Her nose bridge stung as she willed her vision to stayed glued to the screen where her people's horrified faces were broadcasted. The half-animal half-human breeds mercilessly tore their bodies in half, as if they were made of a thin sheet of paper.

Allie cheered, licking her lips as if it was the most entertaining show she had seen in her life. "This is so much fun!" she giggled, sipping on her drink. Aniya curled her hands into fists, waiting the perfect moment to strike her perfect face. However, a hand enclosed her hand, and it was James. She turned her head vehemently to him. He shook his head, his eyes sentencing her to stop whatever she was planning.

"I hope you're enjoying the show, Marianne and Julian!" Allie said, excitement gleaming her eyes. "This is probably the best Vector Field in the last couple of years we had."

"Y-yeah!" James chimed in, but there was discomfort in his voice. "Thank you for inviting us," he added but in a small voice.

"Of course, you are my esteemed guests!" Allie winked, but there was a flicker of emotion that flashed in her eyes. Aniya knew what it was.

Allie showed her what triumph meant.

It was a message telling Aniya that Allie would always win, despite whatever attempts she would pull off to topple them down.

A chilling shiver ran down her spine. The message was silent, but deadly, and it shook Aniya to the core.