Stage: 1
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“She’s been messing up the PN Centre,” Heidis told
them, “I don’t know what she’s trying to do. She’s doing all sorts of
strange things like paralyzing our computer system, destroying our files,
cutting off our electric supplies, etc. We had to do something about her.”
“I understand that.” Witt said, and he really understood.
How could PN Centre stand a troublemaker? “But I just can’t figure her out.
We’ve tried talking to her, but she avoided the subject very much. She has
really changed a lot.”
Max seemed to notice that Linda felt uncomfortable talking
about Esonia’s problems and he changed the subject by asking her, “How is
Esonia doing now?”
“If you don’t mind, you can go visit her.” Linda
suggested, “I’ll ring her up.”
Heidis seemed a little doubtful, “Esonia and I had some
conflicts. I think it’s best if we could just keep a distance. Max, Ponnie,
Yisa, you three can go. I’ll just stay here.”
Witt smiled, “Esonia won’t blame you. She’s never angry
with anyone. But if you don’t feel comfortable, I’ll ask Toft to show you
around and meet the members of the DARK.”
Ponnie felt that she wanted to go get acquainted with the
DARK. She followed Heidis while Yisa followed Linda and Max to Esonia’s house.
Cat had told Esonia everything about Max’s drop by and she
seemed in the least bit surprised to see Max and Yisa. Max started the
conversation by first introducing Yisa who was standing behind him, and then
asked Esonia how she was feeling.
“I’m okay.” Esonia replied, she was sitting on her bed,
“Only if I don’t meet Felin or Mohia.”
“You’ll be safe here.” Cat who was standing at a
corner, said.
“I know.” Esonia nodded. Then, she turned to Max,
“Where’s she?”
“Who?”
Max was puzzled.
“Heidis Strategist.”
“She followed Toft around.”
“Clever.” Esonia squinted. Max could see that she had no
intention for a long conversation on this matter.
“Esonia, really,” he said in a serious tone, “why do
you risk your life to screw up the PN Centre? You could’ve been killed.”
“Don’t be affected by Heidis.” Esonia snapped, “She
can only judge me from her professional point of view, but I have a very good
reason behind all this I’m trying to do.”
“Is
it for your parents?” Max demanded.
“No.” she answered in a much quiet tone.
“Then what for?”
“Don’t ask. I’m not gonna tell.”
“Esonia,” Cat joined in, “I’m with Max this time. I
don’t understand why you gamble with your life. You are important to Witt and
Linda. What if you got killed?”
Esonia said nothing. After a long moment of uncomfortable
silence, she broke the ice by changing the subject. She turned to Yisa, “You
are from the famous Breaker family. Did your father work in the PN Centre
too?”
Yisa
nodded, “He was appointed to be the lock breaker of the PN Centre. He
wouldn’t have agreed to leave the family if he weren’t promised great salary
and fringed benefits. However, he just disappeared. I guess he was eliminated
after a mission, like I would have been. To be honest, if it wasn’t for his
disappearance, I wouldn’t have been so alert when Mohia tried to trap us all
in the Conference Room.”
Esonia remarked, “You were fortunate.” Then, she asked,
“How long have you been working in the PN Centre?”
“For three years.” Yisa replied, “I was selected to
work as the lock breaker when I was fourteen. I was nothing but a back street
girl who used to go round wrecking all the locks on cars and bounded areas. I
didn’t imagine this would become my career.”
“It
seems that,” Esonia frowned suddenly, “you and Heidis don’t understand how
the PN Centre is working. Though you both work for it for quite a while, you
have no idea of how dark the business is.”
On the other hand, Heidis followed Toft and Lars around town.
(Try going into shops and talking to the sales persons. They sometimes offer
useful information and news—and it’s 100% free of charge and fighting.)
Their destination was Zada’s weapon shop—the secret meeting place of the
DARK. The owner of the shop, Zada Toni was the good-looking girlfriend of Toft.
She may seem gentle and brilliant, but she hid incredible strength beneath her
soft appearance. She was in fact the founder of the DARK.
Zada lost her mother during the attack of the Vega City. She
now lived with her father who was paralyzed from waist down. She had to work to
support her family. She didn’t use to believe in revenge but she was terribly
angry at Felin’s action. An idea came up to her. She wanted to form a group to
oppose the action of the PN Centre. She was joined by many other angry teenagers
and the group would go to the PN Centre to mess up the supplies that would be
transported to the PN Centre. They called themselves the DARK.
Zada flashed Heidis
and Ponnie a smile as they entered the shop. Toft gave them a brief
introduction. Zada was a friendly person and Heidis could get acquainted to her
naturally. (Zada said Ponnie was so lovely!!) Heidis asked Zada something about
the DARK, “What is the purpose of the DARK anyway?”
