I think I finally lost them, it took me all day but they finally stopped following me... I have to concentrate and locate that guy, I think his name is Johann, it's the only clue I have that can help me reunite with Lumiere... and with Galaxie... it's over here, I can feel his energy, I have to be careful and not attract attention. The streets are heavily guarded, they really want to catch me so I have to take advantage of the veil of night to cover myself.

          The source comes from here, this must be Johann's house, I need to contact him without the other inhabitants of this house seeing me, that would alarm them and my coverage would be lost... I look inside through a window and I barely manage to get out of the way in time before two people entered the room, if I remain silent I will be able to hear what they are saying and confirm if this is really the house I am looking for.

          Tundra: Tell me what happened, when you left that house you looked upset. What did you see in there?

          Pierce: If you really want to know then I'll tell you, there were two girls on the top floor... the way they behaved completely threw me off balance, I hesitated for a moment and that could have cost us dearly. It could have been a trap!

          Tundra: But it wasn't like that and now we are finalists in the big event... it's what we always wanted, we just have to win one more time and our lives will be better.

          Pierce doesn't respond and stares at his reflection in the mirror, trying to figure something out of it.

          Tundra: What's going on?

          Pierce: I believed that nothing could affect me, that all the deaths we have had to witness and cause were justified... but when I saw those girls... something awakened inside me.

          Tundra: What do you mean?

          Pierce: One of them was talking to the remains of her brother, the one who detonated the first mine... his body was blown to pieces and that girl recovered them, she... mentioned that they had been together from the beginning, just like us. Don't you see? At any moment I could lose my brother, Lehman or you... I couldn't stand it.

          Tundra hugged her boyfriend from behind and kissed him on the cheek.

          Tundra: Believe me, I understand perfectly, maybe you and Johann are blood brothers but you two are my family, just like Lehman... I have seen those two boys grow up and I love them as if they were my brothers.

          Pierce: We are family... and we have been forced to destroy other families. How many brothers have we killed? Sons, fathers, mothers... for years I have been repressing those feelings but after what I saw today I don't know if I can continue doing so.

          Tundra: It's very hard, I know... but it's not like we have many options, it's kill or be killed... I also have to fight guilt frequently but I get my strength from knowing that everything I do is to keep my loved ones safe and in return they do the same for me... in today's confrontation, when I had Lehman lying on my legs, I was afraid because I had never seen him so hurt... it was at that moment when I understood that there is definitely no turning back, when someone so close is hurt, something activates inside us and forces us to do what is necessary to protect them.

          Pierce: You're right, this is not the time to soften, especially with the big event just around the corner... we should do what we can with what we have, whether we like it or not, that's our life... tomorrow we should have a family conversation to clarify these details because I am sure that the boys also ended up affected by today's confrontation.

          For a long time I thought that those who participated in the War Games were soulless monsters, but now that I have the opportunity to listen to these people I realize that they are not bad... they are forced to do atrocities because they want the best for their loved ones, I just wish there was another way to get it... I must not lose my focus, with this I verified that Johann does live here... if his brother and his girlfriend are on the first floor, then he must be on the second, but how will I get there?

          Luckily for me there is a fire escape right outside a second floor window, I hadn't seen it because this street is particularly dark, the street lighting does not work and I can barely make out what is in front of me... What are those lights in the sky? I had never seen them but I must thank them since they were the ones that allowed me to see the fire escape after their sudden appearance.

          I climb up as fast as I can and look in through the window... Good! This is Johann's room, I have to subtly draw his attention... I knock lightly on the window and that is enough for him to notice my presence, but to my surprise he crouches to the floor to take a gun and point it at me... I decide not to hide since If I do, he could warn the others that there is someone lurking around, so I raise my hands to indicate that I am not armed... he approaches the window.

          Johann: You're the girl who was asking about Lumiere this morning. What are you doing here? And how did you know I talked to her?

          Girl: My name is Etoile... Lumiere is my sister.

          Johann: Impossible, she lives in a place unknown to me, if she had a sister she would have nothing to do here... don't lie to me.

          Etoile: I swear it's true, it's hard to explain but if you give me a chance I'll try... Can I come in? They could see me out here.

          Johann: Why are they looking for you?

          Etoile: They are pursuing me for something I didn't do, please let me in, I will tell you everything in detail... I beg you.

          He must have taken pity after hearing my pleas and seeing the desperation in my eyes because he opened the window and allowed me into his room.

          Etoile: Thank you very much, you are a good person.

          Johann: Don't make me regret this.

          Etoile: Don't worry, you can trust me... as I was saying, Lumiere is my sister, we were separated at birth and I know you talked to her recently because I can feel a little of her energy inside you.

          Johann: Energy?

          Etoile: Yes... when two people talk, the energy deposited in their words lasts for several hours within the receiver... even if the talk is from a distance or if they have never seen each other... they momentarily form part of each other's lives.

          Johann: Oh... and how can you detect that energy?

          Etoile: With this.

          I push my hair aside and allow my third eye to manifest on my forehead.

          Johann: What the hell!

          Etoile: Keep your voice down! No one must know I'm here.

          Johann: I'm sorry... I've never seen anything like that... something came out on your forehead.

          Etoile: It's my third eye, I was blessed with it since birth, it helps me perceive things that other people can't... I hope this helps you believe me.

          Johann: I don't know what's going on, but this is the most interesting thing that has happened to me in years... apart from the War Games obviously... I have an idea, let's contact Lumiere and see what she thinks about this.

          Etoile: Yes! I would really appreciate it!

          Johann: Give me a moment.

          Several minutes pass but nothing happens.

          Johann: How strange, yesterday I spoke to her through this same frequency, but this time no one  is answering. Has she forgotten it? Shit! It was me who forgot... it's already past midnight, I was so deep in my thoughts remembering everything that happened in today's qualifying round that I lost track of time... in fact I would still be doing the same thing if you hadn't shown up.

          Etoile: Don't worry, the fact that you listened to me and believed me is enough... in return, I will share with you what I want to tell Lumiere once I find her, it is not a simple reunion but something much more important... at first it will sound crazy but hopefully you will also believe in this information.

          With curiosity in his eyes, Johann sits on his bed and invites me to do the same... it is important that as many people as possible know the truth, but while I organize my thoughts to determine the best way to approach this topic, a loud knock on the front door interrupts us.

          Johann: Who knocks at this hour?

          Etoile: They're still looking for me and they're searching in every house!

          Johann: What the hell did you do?

          Etoile: I assure you that I didn't do anything, you have to believe me, please... I couldn't explain it to you in detail but I swear on my life that I'm innocent.

          Johann hesitates and at the same time his brother is already at the door asking who it is, we could hear him from up here... I depend on the decision of a stranger since at this point escaping through the window is not an option... my eyes light up with the light of hope when Johann finally breaks the silence.

          Johann: Quick! Hide here!

          Etoile: Thank you very much.

         Johann: Thank me when they leave.

          I enter his closet and hide under his clothes, between several bags that contain weapons inside... I hear screams in the distance, Johann's brother is telling the people who are looking for me to leave.

          Pierce: There's no one here but my family and me!

          Tundra: You can't just break into civilian houses like that!

          Guard: Silence! When we inspect all the rooms we'll leave. Check the second floor!

          Oh no, they're coming this way, there's no doubt they'll search this closet... I'll have to do it again! They are pursuing me because I managed to leave sector one and reach sector three without having participated in the War Games, I don't even know how I did it... on that occasion my emotions were overflowing due to the epiphany I had, so much information revealed at once almost drove me crazy and there was a moment where the sensation became unbearable, so I closed my eyes and wished with all my soul that I was with a loved one to help me bear the burden, it was then that I appeared here and they immediately noticed my presence, they have perfectly identified the inhabitants of each sector.

          My third eye sent me to sector three because the closest thing it found to a loved one was the energy that Lumiere had placed in Johann... I must move again but that time I only managed it through very intense emotions, it is something that I still don't control... I have to hurry. They're already in the room! Isn't that enough? How more intense can my emotions be?

          Johann: What are you doing here? Get out of my room!

          Lehman: What is all this noise? I want to rest... What are these guards doing here?

          Guard: Move aside, let's check the closet, there is someone dangerous on the streets that must be eradicated and is hiding in one of the houses.

          Johann: There's no one here!

          They're going to kill me if I don't leave! Please third eye! You have never failed me and I know that this will not be the first time... follow Lumiere's trail, we already found the recipient of her words so now it will be easier... I must find my sisters... I must make them see the truth, I must get out of here not only for me, but for my family; my agitated heart calms down when I open my eyes and realize that I'm no longer in Johann's closet... I did it, I was able to escape, but where am I? Ah! I feel Lumiere's energy closer than ever... but it's very weak, that's not a good sign, I have to find her and make sure she's okay... I don't know this city, so I have no choice but to move in a straight line towards the origin of her energy.

          Guard: Clear.

          Pierce: I told you there was no one here!

          Guard: Don't raise your voice at me, citizen... or everyone in this house will die... fall back and move on to the next destination!

          The security guards of sector three withdrew, leaving everyone feeling frustrated and helpless.

          Tundra: Fuckers! I can't wait to get out of here.

          Pierce: Let's go to sleep, we have to recover our energy, tomorrow we will talk calmly and prepare for the big event.

          The four of them retired to their respective rooms, Johann immediately closed the door to his bedroom and opened the door to his closet... Etoile was no longer there.

          Johann: I don't know where you've gone but I hope you're okay, it's clear to me that there are things in the world that I don't understand... find Lumiere and let me know when that happens... I'll be waiting.