Lucas turned to face us on the hill and gave us a smug wave. Immediately, four VISORs turned to our direction and started approaching us.

"Okay, now we really need to go," Elyse shouted over the familiar mechanical whirring noise.

We nodded and started sprinting as fast as our legs would take us. Our initial instinct was to head back to the compound but it was obviously compromised. At this point, we were just running away from inevitable danger.

"Head towards the facilities!" I yelled, breathless. "We can still fight and save as many people as possible!"

Elyse held her hand up and we stopped, ducking round into an alleyway in the process. It was ironic that this was the same alleyway I had ran into when I was forced to leave the Resistance, now I was running away from the Resistance.

"It's too late, Verity. Do you really think that Lucas will have let the NukeFusions leave the Zyphia Chambers?"

She was right, as if he was about to let the most powerful weapons on Terra fall into the hands of some rebels.

"So what do we do then?" Sam asked.

Elyse shook her head; no one had an answer for this one.

"We could meet the Skyfall and Aurora Resistance," a husky voice replied.

We all looked at Jackson, astounded.

"I overheard Lucas telling them that they should meet us over by the facilities. I
At first, I thought it was weird since they would be blown up but I guess now it makes sense if they aren't getting destroyed. He would literally be delivering rebels to their doorstep. We could meet them before they got too close and together we might be able to save a few?"

"It's worth a shot," Elyse said. "Our best chance is the facility by the construction zone, where we can escape onto the Plains if necessary."

Deep down, I knew she was right but I couldn't go back there. I couldn't risk getting caught and having to face that absolute nightmare again. My knees suddenly felt leaden and I felt the blood leave my face as it turned ashen.

"Come on, Verity. We'll do it together."

I looked at Elyse and her desperate eyes, though she was endeavouring so hard not to show it, I could see her immense concern for Amir. I had to do it for her.

"Okay then, let's do it."

Elyse nodded and we set off running again, this time with a destination. Far off behind us I could still hear the whirring of the VISORs but it sounded like they had lost us. At least something had gone our way today.

We reached the facility quite quickly as there was no traffic nor security. Everything was still at the Solar Elections, after all, Lucas still had the ceremony to go through.

"Lucas said that the meeting point was round the back," Jackson added.

As we ran round the familiar concrete building, all the memories threatened to break free inside my skull. My time in solitary was especially present as we passed under the barred windows. The only person that didn't seem to be affected was Jackson; he must have been one of the fortunate ones who had never been put in a facility, or at least not for very long anyway.

We reached the back of the facility but it didn't seem that anyone was coming. Instead, the back entrance doors had been prised open and were nearly hanging off their metal hinges.

I looked at Elyse, and she confirmed what I already knew, we had to go inside. Too much was happening and I couldn't keep up with it. I tried to organise my thoughts as we walked forward to distract the panic.

Lucas betrayed us and was really Beta. He had led the Resistance into a trap. Some members of the Resistance were good, some were bad.

I paused at the doors, hesitant but forced myself through. Elyse led us onwards with a torch from her belt illuminating our path. About ten feet in, we heard a screeching sound, the noise of metal on metal, grinding. Jackson's face appeared through the gap of the closing metal doors.

We were engulfed into darkness, the only sound was Jackson's footsteps as he caught up to us. I continued to keep away the panic.

Some Resistance members were bad. My old facility had been abandoned - probably part of Lucas' new re-education scheme. Unless it wasn't. Lucas had promised us that the facilities would be abandoned and they were, just not as he said. Alpha had been killed and the VISORs didn't catch us although they easily could have. Did that mean what I thought it meant?

I couldn't be sure. I just had to deal with the present situation. The one where we were trapped in the most traumatic place of my life...

Okay, breathe Verity, breathe.

I had some hope to cling to, perhaps this was all part of Lucas' plan although I couldn't fathom why he couldn't have just told us. We pressed onwards into the gloom.

Suddenly, a girl jumped out in front of us and I nearly smashed into her. She stumbled but then stopped and stared at us, like she couldn't believe we were real. Then she was talking, rambling even.

"Oh wow, hi, I didn't even know you were coming. You're part of the Resistance? I'm Harleen, I was left by the Skyfall Resistance to guide you. We heard of the whole incident with Lucas and decided to gather as many of you as possible and take us back to Skyfall with us where we can replan our strategy."

Harleen was kind of cute when she was nervous; her long, black hair kept falling behind her glasses and getting in her eyes. She was messing with her hands as she spoke until she stepped forward and tripped. Instinctively, I caught her wrist and stood her back up as a small spark of electricity shot up my arm.

Not the time, Verity.

"So can I take you?" She asked Elyse.

Elyse darted a wary look at us to gather approval but it wasn't as if we had a choice. Before she could reply my WalkTalk crackled into life.

"Verity, Verity, are you there?"

"Rachel?!" I asked in disbelief.

"Verity! Oh thank Terra! You need to listen to me! I'm in danger in the construction zone, we managed to get some of the kids from the facilities out along with a couple of Resistance workers but there are VISORs swarming all over the place."

"Because Lucas told them to," muttered Elyse.

"Oh please don't tell me you believe that! It's all part of the plan! Since Beta's true identity has never been revealed, Lucas imitated him. He knew the plan would never work so he did this instead but he couldn't tell you because you would never have let him go through with it."

Rachel finished explaining but we were too shocked to say anything. I didn't know who was good and bad anymore. It was all well and good saying that Lucas was just imitating Beta but he still set the VISORs on us, yet they didn't actually catch us...

"I'm sorry to rush this but I really need your help. Bring anyone you can."

"I guess we are going then," murmured Harleen.

"I guess we are," confirmed Elyse.

"Come on then, I'll show you the way."

We left the facility through the front exit (like the back exit, it was also open) but we were immediately stopped by VISORs. They were everywhere! In packs of two or three, they patrolled the area with a whir and click now and then.

Yet I noticed a slight advantage, the VISORs were robots and their movements were regular, their patrols were patterned. Providing we didn't draw any attention to ourselves, we could time our movements in coordination to when they weren't looking. Everyone else seemed to notice this at the same time. Now we just needed a location of Rachel.

"Rachel," I whispered into my WalkTalk, "we are on the edge of the construction zone by the facility, where are you? Over."

The reply was faster this time.

"In the brick building with no windows a few streets down, hurry Verity. They are started to search buildings and aren't far away. Over."

"I'm coming," I promised.

Elyse nodded and one by one we slipped away from the safe facility walls and ran over the street to the cover of another building. The VISORs didn't catch us and I knew the plan was sound. When the time was right, we repeated this across the next road and the next until we were inside the brick building Rachel had indicated.

There was no one there.

In the centre of the ground floor, a lone WalkTalk sat. Rachel's voice vibrated out of it.

"Verity, are you there?"

I picked up the WalkTalk from the floor, confused and pressed the talk button. Outside the windows, multiple VISORs walked past. They were searching the building right next to us.

"I'm here, Rachel. Where are you?"

The reply was delayed and I could feel time as it ran out.

"Verity, I'm so sorry to do this to you but I had to follow orders. If you know what's best for you, you'll surrender to the VISORs now."

I didn't understand but as the VISORs broke down the door and started rounding the five of us up, it clicked.

Rachel had told me to trust no one but I would have never imagined that it also meant I couldn't trust her.