I breathe in heavily as I wake up. I feel no tubes anymore. Good. But I am also not in the bed anymore. I start to hyperventilate because of the thick air, but I hear shushing in front of me. 'Hey, shh shh!' I slowly open my eyes, and see a figure in front of me. 'It's okay, Lashell.' He says. He. It's a guy. His voice sounds familiar, but not so familiar te recognize him. 'How... Do you know my name?' I ask heavy. 'Because we've known each other for three years now.' He says. That voice. It makes me think of something, only what...? 'Three years...?' I ask. The guy nods. I open my eyes wider and now I see him better. Puppy eyes. Jawline. It's so familiar. Who is this, again? 'Who are you?' I ask. He smiles. 'I am Trace Weldon. I fell in love with you, Lashell Lavanchy.' He says, almost proud. I look at him. Trace. This was how he looked like in my dream. That beautiful, perfect dream. 'Trace...' I whisper. Trace nods, smiling. 'I finally found you.' He says and smiles. I am still breathing heavily and I feel like collapsing. 'Why are you even here?' I ask weak. He blinks but then he looks up. 'I volunteered.' He says. After 'volunteered' I feel very clear and look at him with big eyes. 'Volunteered? For who?' I ask. 'Maysley.' Trace answers. 'We got attacked. She wanted to give herself up. But I said she had to go.' 'Why? Why would they want someone else?' I ask. Trace shakes his head. 'I don't even know. But the most important thing now is that I am here. I mean, I can get through it.' He says confident. I shake my hand. 'You don't get it, Trace. What I've been through, are simulations. Horrible simulations. It's not that easy.' I say. Trace sighs. 'I am sorry that... that you've been through them.' He says. I nod. 'It's okay.' I say. I want to stand up, and walk over to him, but I soon recognize I am stuck at a bench with my handcuffs. 'Yeah, getting out won't be easy.' He says. I sigh and sit down. 'We're stuck here, right?' I ask. Trace nods. 'Great.' I sigh. After a couple of seconds, I just have to ask him if he really gave himself up as Leading Guard. 'Trace...?' I say. He looks up. 'Hm?' He asks. But then I decide him not to ask. I already know the answer. Yes, he did. So I decide to tell him something else. 'I feel... heavy.' I say. And this lie turned out to be true. Because I can't feel any movement in my body then collapsing. Even though I am still awake, I let my head hang and exhale deeply. I know Trace would've already held me if he wasn't stuck in handcuffs. But he can't. 'Just hold on...' He says, probably to shush me. I want to sigh because he can't help me, but my body is too heavy to admit. I blink for a second, and just as I want to close my eyes again, I hear the lock of the big metal door getting opened. 'Lashell Lavanchy.' A voice says. It's Shad. 'Madame Miller wants to talk to you.' He says, and signs the other guards to pull me up. I look panicked at Trace, but he nods. 'It's okay,' he says. 'I am fine...' I nod slowly, and then I let myself getting pulled away.

I vaguely can see how the guards pull me back to the same office I attacked the guards before. I sigh. 'Put her on the chair, Shad. And leave, please. I want to discuss something with her... alone.' Sheila says, sitting in the same position as last time; biting her pen. I blink not to pass out. I breathe in and out; ready for her little chit chat.

'So, Lashell. We meet again, don't we? After the... blood outtake?' Sheila grins. Oh yeah, that... I still freaking hate her for it, but I hated her already. 'Right... And wasn't it you who destroyed the Minder Center?' I say madly, and cross my arms. Sheila grins. 'Oh why would that be me? I would never do something like that!' Sheila says sarcastic. I chuckle, and inhale bored. 'Of course it wasn't you. I mean, there is no bloody person who hates the Minder Center more like you. Come on. You hate Dia, you hate Minders. So you also hate the Minder Center.' I say. Sheila nods. 'You're right. Indeed, I destroyed it. It was an stupid idea from Dia Hughes to build it. But, I am happy she is dead.' Sheila chuckles. She puts her pen down and leans with her back against the back of the office chair. No. She is lying. 'Oh come on,' I spit. 'Dia is not dead. I know how strong she is, she would get out.' Sheila giggles. 'Oh, Lavanchy... Such a believer...' She grabs something out of her drawer. 'Then I guess you also want to know the truth...' She shows me the cover; my mother's face is on it. I stand up and run over to her desk. But I head back as I see a bullet hole getting point at me. Wow, I didn't expect Mrs. Office Woman also shoots guns... 'If you think you could save yourself and your friends, you are wrong. You showed it by 'volunteering'. But... You knew there were simulations, right?' She grins a little while still pointing the gun at me. 'Yes. I did. And since when do you shoot guns?' I ask and cross my arms. Sheila laughs. 'It's just a little present from the guards. They say to protect myself from people like you.' She says and puts the gun down. I am still mad about the fact of hating Minders. I decide to ask her. I want the truth. Now.

'Why do you hate us so much? Huh? What have we ever done wrong? I want the real truth. Why are you doing simulations?' I almost spit. Sheila shows a little evil smile, then she sighs. 'So many questions...' She smiles. 'No, I am done playing nice. I want to know the truth.' I say, almost yelling. Sheila leans back, strokes her blouse flat and then leans forward. 'You want the truth? Fine.' She says. 'Your aunt Madilyn and your mom Juliette both were Minders. And they were so selfish to steal information from us. Told you already. They caused this war.' Sheila smiles. 'What information?' I ask. Sheila laughs. 'Information you'll never know.' 'No. They are my family. I deserve to know it.' I say bossy. But I know I would never win the conversation. She always comes up with something new to manipulate me. I stand up instead and walk out of the room, just to let myself getting pulled away by the guards.

'You didn't get it?' Trace asks me, still leaning with his back against the wall. I shake my head and sigh. 'Sheila is Sheila.' I cross my arms. 'I should've known...' He says. 'What?!' I ask. 'Well, that she was in state of doing something like this. I was Leading Guard... If I wasn't that stupid...' He says sadly. 'What? No. No, Trace. It's not your fault that all this is happening.' I say. But he still shakes his head. 'As Leading Guard I could enter rooms, even with the security camera's. And on them they were talking about changing someone.' He says. I look at my feet. 'I just want to make sure first that I get out of here. We can find out what happens next afterwards.' I say. Trace nods. 'You're right. But I am sure they are going to be here fast.' He says. I nod. 'Yes. Let's hope so.' I say, and lean my head against the wall.