Keeping her hair up in a neat and tight bun, Rachael transferred the written map into her G-Tab before leaving their cubical. It was almost three in the morning, which means most of the researchers would be asleep, leaving them to deal with the guards and systems to be hack in. By six in the morning, most of the citizens in Mars would be awake, so they have a total of three hours to get their father from the Research Department and also heading over to Sa'ne. Both Captain Chen and Ranveer had decided to put on the guards clothing they had stolen. Arthur slipped his formal G-Tab in between his jeans as he looked through the informal ones for more data.

Chen and Ranveer both were discussing on their plans for getting Stefan out. It would not be easy. That is for sure. Guards would be guarding at the cubical where Stefan is resting in. Well, resting – to be assume. He might be laughing and giggling around. It was at that moment, when they were heading towards the Research Department, Arthur looked forward at his uncle. "What happened to the two guards whom you have steal the uniform from?" He questioned before resuming his study on some of the numbers in his G-Tab. As much as it needs the Yellow Base to keep it untraceable, the siblings had also created a small chip to be slipped into the tab to prevent tracing as they roamed around. Rachael had been burying her head in between the numbers, trying to crack the code to enter into the secured cubical where Stefan was residing in.

Chen looked ahead, his helmet covering his face as he walked next to Ranveer who took a turn to the left, heading towards the Special Areas in the Research Department. Holding tightly onto Riffle 11, Chen chuckled. "What else? We knock em' on the head and stash them in the basement."

Arthur's eyes widened at the response. "Wait. You have got to be joking right?" He questioned for assurance, turning to Rachael who was already looking up at the answer provided.

Ranveer made a 'tsk' sound from his lips before punching in some numbers and swiped the card he had took out from his pocket. "You kids think we are old timers, still don't you?"

"Considering that we are in a crucial situation, I do think that old timers have their ways to knock people out. But, you do slot in some extra olive oil in the salad right?" Rachael asked, locking her G-Tab.

"Of course, we do. We injected them with EL 4." Ranveer stated as he looked around before making a few turns to the other corner, almost reaching their destination only to pull the kids backwards when he spotted four guards at the entrance.

"EL 4. EL 4." Arthur muttered before he gasped. "Gosh, that liquid. How did you even get it?"

Rachael glared at her elder brother. "Can you save that love story of your liquid for another day, brother?"

Arthur shrugged before all four of them took a peak out at the guards who were patrolling at the entrance of the Special Areas. Before this, there would only be two guards at duty, but the President must have increased his security on the place. Chen head-counted the guards only to turn back towards the rest of the three with worried eyes as he removed his helmet.

"We are going to cause chaos if we go in like this. We need a really strong plan." Chen stated.

"How about we just shoot at the guards? Or do 'Get Help'?" Ranveer suggested, referring to one of the old movies he watched.

Arthur brushed his face with frustration written all over it. "If you think this is acting then, go ahead. I shall take another route."

Chen chuckled. "We needed the light moment, but on a serious tone..." He stated turning to look at the guards. "There are six of them, we can't possibly take them all out."

Rachael listened carefully before she stuck her head out, eyeing all the guards. She wouldn't mind giving it a shot to have hand-to-hand combat, but she noticed one of them having a different weapon. She did not want to risk herself getting shot with that. Turning her head to the corner, she noticed a familiar figure. A wide smirked formed on her face as she saw Jonathan strolling down into the Research Department. Now, that is worth a shot. Slipping back behind their hideout, Rachael turned to look at the rest.

"It would take time for me to crack the code at Sa'ne, to crack the password to the room. Perhaps we can split up?" Rachael suggested.

"No!" Arthur protested. "No! I might be able to get appa there in time, but you do realise Sa'ne would be heavily guarded."

"We don't know how it looks like down there, but someone can show us, or be a bait." Rachael added, pointing towards Jonathan who was talking to the guards. "It is worth a shot. It would be havoc either way, Arthur. Either we live or we die trying."

Chen looked towards Ranveer who was worried about their choices, but it is all up to the kids. They both knew better than anyone else that once the Halton siblings had planned something, there will not be a way that anyone would talk them out of it. With Rachael urging Arthur that he was wasting time, Arthur finally submitted into his sister's idea. He watched as Rachael spun around, taking her way to the other side of the building where Jonathan was.

"I can't believe I have just submitted myself to my younger sister's ideas, but either way, let's go." Arthur stated as a matter of fact before looking out at the guards.

--- xxx ---

Jonathan sauntered his way down to the Research Department, his head burning with the archives he had secretly went through, through his father's computer. As much as he hated the truth of it, Jonathan disliked the idea of betraying his father. He is a man of science himself, a man who had survived his ways through science and also a fact that he never believed in the existence of mythical beings. Stefan Halton, might just have a concussion and had been hallucinating. Planet 14 couldn't be that irrational. As he walked past a guard who was guarding the space where Stefan was locked in, he couldn't help but noticed a familiar figure sitting by the edge, her hair tied up in a neat bun, while she whistled at him like some kind of wild wolf. It angered him to even look at her face for challenging his father.

"Hey, Hot Shot!" Rachael whistled, her arms crossed as her back leaned onto the steel of the bar behind her. "Are you lost?!"

"The last time I see, it was you who were probably running like a lost puppy. Are you lost? You are not even qualified to be here." Jonathan challenged in a mocking tone as he looked up towards two of the guards who had been alerted by his finger gestures.

Rachael tilted her head to the side as she looked from the corner of her eyes that Arthur had sneaked up behind one of the guards. She then shifted her attention towards Jonathan, chuckling. "Thank you for that. I know myself that I am not qualified, unlike you."

"You are selfish, irrational and such an idiot! Always pretending that you are right! Your father is just pretending to be mad, I should presume since he killed..."

Without any warning, Jonathan felt a sting right on the bridge of his nose. He groaned as he reached out to grab Rachael only to have her sprinting away from him. Rachael sprinted down the halls. Knowing that she had gotten his attention, including both the guards, she ran towards the corner of the department where there were stairs as she pulled out her informal G-Tab, switching it on to detect the route from the earlier map. It wasn't far away, but she needed to get something on the way to defend herself from the guards. Luck wasn't on her side since Jonathan had brought along two of the guards with EL 2 which was one of the strongest weapons to capture any inhabitants on Mars.

Racing down the stairs, Rachael heard the sound of Jonathan commanding the guards to catch up with her, while their boots clicked like exploding fireworks above her. She sprinted down the spiral staircase while studying her G-Tab and took a sharp corner which would leaded her to the higher deck of the Base. She needed some weapons to defend herself. Breathing in heavily at the scent of metal, Rachael headed towards the cupboard where hand in hand combat weapons were located. She wouldn't be able to get electronic weapons since it would only be able to be access by her Captain, so she merely grabbed CW 34 and stashed two CW 21 into her belt before bolting out only to be surprise by Jonathan blocking her way. Rachael took a step backwards as she glanced slightly at her G-Tab which was the only source to get her out of here.

"Give up, Rachael!" Jonathan sneered. "You are captured!"

--- xxx ---

Ranveer wiped his palms on his pants before he went over to help Chen knocked down the guard with the weapons he had gotten earlier. Stefan who was lying down on the bed, jolted out from his sleep as he looked around the place, chuckling on his own. His grey eyes studying the sight of the fallen guards in front of him before he clapped his hands like a seal, patting his palms on the mirror surrounding him. Arthur hurried to the other side where the key pad was. It requires and authorization from one of the researchers. Now, Arthur began to fell annoyed by it. He isn't a great hacker and anything like this would usually be referred back to his younger sister. Now that they have parted ways, it made everything harder for him.

"Arthur, hurry up! We need to get there in time before the guards keep flooding onto us and figured out that your sister is at Sa'ne." Chen reminded as he gestured for Ranveer to look onto the situation outside.

Stefan patted onto the glass multiple times, his tongue licking onto it only to spat his saliva out on the ground before he jumped excitedly from the ground. He kept putting his fingers out in the air, drawing patterns unknown to all of them. Ranveer headed back into the place as he locked the door, turning to look at Arthur who was busy cracking he codes only to have error keep popping out of it. Now, there are so many researchers in Roaming 95, how can he possibly know who has the authority to it. Shoving the younger boy aside, Chen punched onto the system with his weapons, causing it to shatter into pieces. Arthur's black eyes widened at the sight of it as he turned to look at his uncle.

"What?" Chen and Ranveer both questioned. "It is going to waste a lot time waiting for you to crack the code. No offense, but you are not a profession in that."

"None taken." Arthur chuckled as he looked up watching the glass slowly folded themselves as his father ran out of the space, tugging onto Chen's coat harshly.

Arthur plunged himself forward to his father, trying to release his grip, but his father was already laughing, his grey eyes staring straight into Chen. "I need to go. Let me go! Let me go!"

"Go where?" Chen questioned curiously.

Stefan paid no heed to them as he pushed past the three men, running out of the cubical and passed the door. Arthur was already chasing after his father as the sound of systems began to blare across Roaming 95. The bells began to ring and both Chen and Ranveer quickly trailed behind the father and son.

"Cubical 97-97 has been breech! Alert! Security has been breeched and subject is out of confinement! Repeat! Cubical 97-97 has been breech!"

Stefan laughed through the announcement. He clapped his hands excitedly as he ran towards the stairs, his shoes making no sound, causing Arthur to catch up with his father who was singing out a song in a language he did not understand. Stefan's sight was covered with stars. He saw a blue star ahead on the road, its glitter shimmering as it began to form into a darker blue colour with blue flames burning around it. He giggled as he ran all the way down towards the first floor like a ghost. He didn't seem to be in need of air, that as if his lungs were machines. Arthur heaved as sweat began to trickle down his forehead. He lifted up his sleeves to wipe those beading sweats as he turned around seeing his uncle and Ranveer both trying to catch up with them.

"We are almost here! Hurry up! Come on!" Stefan gestured as he chuckled. He saw a sharper arrow, directing him towards the corner, it's flames slowly disappearing, as his palms were trying to reach out for it. He let out a howling sound, tears forming on his eyes as he grabbed onto his head when the arrow disappeared. His brains felt like it was pouring out of his brains. Stefan growled as he held onto the side of the wall before he started singing again out of a sudden, laughing as if the pain was not there anymore. Arthur began to doubt his father's sanity. Even if Rachael and him would be able to safe him, would his father be able to return to the way he was? Stefan began jumping up and down till they have all reached an opaque door where Rachael had been leaning on. The sign above clearly written Sa'ne.

Rachael breathed in heavily as she glanced at two guards who were dead by the side. The bodies sprawled on the ground like a dead corpse. Arthur was speechless as he took a glance into his sister's eyes who looked away, guilt eating up her heart. There was a swollen bump at the side of her forehead. Her lips were bleeding, her palms gripping tightly on the weapon as she reached out hugging onto her father tightly but was being pushed away as Stefan skipped into the place like a free ticket. Arthur turned to hug onto his elder sister, brushing her cheeks gently.

"Come on, let's go." Rachael assured, patting her brother's shoulders telling him that she is fine.

Stefan ran through the place. Sa'ne is indeed an underground compartment, known to none. Along the blue road, there were rooms on left and right, all named with inhumane names. Chen and Ranveer felt chills going down his spine as they passed through the place The first two rooms consist of creatures from the earlier planets of Planet 2 and Planet 5. They were lying down on the ground, motionless. The creature form Planet 2 had a similar figure to an ancient creature from the seas. It's tail was chopped off, blood sprawled on the ground. When Stefan stopped at a room, everyone gathered to look at it. They gasped. Stefan hummed a soft melody, his lips forming into a smile.

"Here we are. Here we are." He clapped excitedly.

Rachael stared at the confinement. "No way." She muttered silently. 

      ===========================================================================

Author's Notes

Well, I like to send a huge 'Thank You' to all my wonderful and loyal readers who have been dropping suggestions and lovely comments on this story. I cannot help but love reading them to keep improving myself and look out for those amazing suggestions which I could use. I am having a tight schedule in real life, so I really apologise for all the slow updates. This story is written for Open Novella Contest 2019, and I would love to say that I have enjoy this genre because it is a challenge for me even to write science-fiction or romance which isn't really my genre to write, but I have to admit through this prompt, I have found myself in the process. Thank you for all those supports, commenters, readers and writers all over the globe. I have met some amazing people along the way too. I am planning to drop something new later in the year with almost the same genre, a new book perhaps and I will leave it, but something new would be coming.

With that, I thank all of you again and have a nice and happy day ahead!

"There might be a day we will part, but I never thought it would be as permanent as this."