Sophie stopped in the middle of the hall as she heard Fitz's scream. Was that real? She questioned herself. Clearly, it was when Sophie heard the second cry. He heart pounded ten times harder. She ran towards the sound. The cloaked figure laid on the floor, Sophie recognized him imediately. Alvar. Or Fitz. Sophie couldn't identify, because she hadn't seen the eye color yet. Sophie's first guess is that it's Fitz.

"You think the dwarves didn't find out that you buried those clicking-time bombs under our base?" A woman shouted, and Sophie could only identify her as Lady Gisela. Gisela kicked Fitz hard, making him hit the cold, metal wall, and more rd spilled on the floor.

The figure laid still on the ground, his blood spilling out of his body. Sophie couldn't take it anymore. "Surrender?" Gisela asked, ready to stab the blade into Fitz's chest. 

"FITZ!" Sophie screamed, running towards Gisela, the others had no choice but to follow.

"Ah. My fearless Moonlark. You're finally here." Lady Gisela said with her sickly poisonous voice.

"Fitz..." She stammered, unable to look straight at the body, covered in red, that laid still on the floor.

"If you want to watch him die here, Sophie, let me know." Lady Gisela whispered, though the voice stilled echoed through the walls.

"What's the exchange?" Sophie asked, taking a deep breath. She heard Biana crying quietly behind her in Tam's arms, wiping her tears on his shoulder. Sophie really wished she had a person to lean on right now.

"Three secrets of the Black Swan and Hades won't take him with him." Gisela said, a wicked smile forming on her face.

Sophie, don't. Sophie heard the faint crisp, accented voice in her head. Don't say anything.

Fitz? she transmitted back.

It's me. I know you might hate me, but, please, trust me.

I'm not going to leave you here, and I'm not going to hate you, I know it's not you. Sophie transmitted, her heart was beating faster and faster.

Thanks, Sophie. His transmissions started to fade out. But I have my plans.

Just... don't die. Sophie transmitted, sadness exploding in  her throat.

Gisela hung her dagger above Fitz's throat, and he was now unconscious due to lack of blood, or that is what Sophie guessed.

"I'm giving you three seconds, Moonlark." Gisela growled. "I don't have time to mess with you."

Sophie hesitated. Fitz told her not to, but what if his plan failed? Sophie struggled between revealing the Black Swan's secrets and Fitz's life. They both seem equally important.

"Three." Gisela counted.

She looked at Fitz, who laid still on the ground, Sophie hope he can wake up and do something, or at least stop the dagger from slitting his throat.

"Two." Gisela counted, her eyes filled with excitement, she grabbed the dagger tight.

Suddenly, to Sophie's surprise, Fitz opened his eyes.

"One." Fitz said, with a loud snap, two loud noises came from the hall way they came in, and Gisela laid there with her blood soaking her clothes.

A tall boy walked towards Fitz, who was holding another silver key in his hand, "Go free your sister." Fitz whispered to the boy. "And hope we'll never meet again."

Sophie couldn't help but ran towards him, wrapping her arms arouns him, wiping off the blood that stained his face with her cape. "Are you okay?" Sophie whispered as she brushed the blood away on his cheek, more blood ran out of his wounds. Sophie paled. "You need to see Elwin."

"I'm fine, Sophie." Fitz argued, "And maybe we should hand Gisela to the Council first."

"Lady Gisela, you- " Gisela tried to correct him, but the rest of her sentence was cut off by Dex, who clamped a piece of duct tape. Dex shrugged, "Found this in the corner, and it seems to be a good tool, shutting her up."

"Let's... leave this place." Fitz stood up shakily, and Biana hung her brother's arm around her neck, so Fitz could stand up straight.

"I think we'd better let Gisela stay away from Sophie as far as possible." Marella cut in.

"I agree with that." Dex said, hitting Gisela's head with a 50 pound hammer. 

"Seriously, Dex, where did you get those?" Sophie questioned.

"This place is looks like a Technopath's paradise for me." Linh said.

"Well, maybe it's because this is a Technopath's lab?" Fitz said, "You'd better put those down, Dex, their owner died two days ago." This made Dex drop the things imediately on the ground.

"OWWWW...." Dex groaneed as the hammer accidentally fell on his toe. Fitz gave him a told-you look.

Marella and Dex picked up Gisela's unconscious body on the ground. "So... We're ready to go?" Tam asked. "I've been waiting for like... almost half an hour..."

Sophie, are you still interested in blowing up another Neverseen hideout? Sophie heard the crisp, accented voice say in her head. 

I thought Gisela found the ones you buried under the ground. Sophie transmitted back, happy to know that Fitz and her relationship might turn into something better.

But she didn't know I set another five on each ceiling.

Are you sure you want to blow up this place?

I'm fine with anything.

The moment they set their feet out of the hideout, feeling the gentle breeze on their bodies and the warm sunlight, Sophie saw Fitz lit up a match, throwing it to the corner of the gates.

Fire exploded, and the whole hideout turned into ashes.