My heart pounded hyperactive. My body trembled as if electricity bolted through my veins. Was that real? It couldn't be. But still, there he was, right in front of me. Red paint tinted his whole face masking the once adorable and innocent features I used to love so much. I stood up, still fuzzy. We locked eyes. No doubt. It was definitely him.

"Micha..." Before I could finish his name, he leaped onto me, enveloping me in what felt like the warmest embrace of all time. I squeezed him tight, as if with that I could make up for all the time we had been apart. My chest exploded with the most sincere joy. Was I flying? It felt like it. He seemed stronger and perhaps a bit taller, but that smell of damp earth after a downpour was unmistakable. It only could be Michael.

I lost track of how long we stayed wrapped in each other, but if eternity had been offered to me, I would have accepted without hesitation.

We broke apart to finally see our faces. His red paint was smeared by the tears, and we both breathed fast, unable to pull any words out. A huge smile bloomed on his face, just like the one from that surprising day our parents took us camping instead of school.

Michael was the keeper of the key to my memory vault, the only one who could unlock it no matter how deep or hidden the memories lay. Just a few minutes beside him seemed to have been enough to rekindle a flood of emotions and nostalgia.

I remembered Dad telling us bedtime stories, crafting thoes cool shadow puppets on the wall, and Mom carrying us both piggybacks until we collapsed in giggles. Then there were Michael and I, always engaged in races that always ended with him in tears for not winning. Of course, I'd let him win the second time, and then I would hoist him high on my shoulders like a champion.

I had endless beautiful memories that I had buried due to the fear of not having anyone with whom to share them.

"I can't believe you're real..." I said wiping away my tears.

"Neither can I."

Silence hung heavy between us, filled only by the sound of our ragged breaths.

"You... are taller," I remarked and I trailed my eyes up and down his figure. He smiled, embarrassed. Michael had always been very shy when it came to his physique, and that familiar gesture made my heart flutter with joy.

"Well, It's been a while," A pause. "You look different too. Like..." He pondered his words. "...stronger and... implacable."

I chuckled. "Thanks, I guess, but it was your punch that gave my face a bit of a makeover."

"Yeah, sorry about that, does it hurt?"

I shook my head "I'm too happy to feel any pain right now."

Another pause.

"Well...all this time...what... what happened?" He asked.

"Ugh, I don't know where to start..." I said, passing one hand through my hair, exhausted at the mere thought of explaining everything.

"Did you get our message?" I asked him.

"I did. It was the best day ever. I read it a thousand times, I couldn't believe it." His eyes filled with happiness at the memory. "But... you didn't mention that..." He gazed at my Narval uniform and locked eyes with it.

True, I hadn't told him about my assignment because I was so damn scared of his reaction.

"Oh, yeah sorry, I wanted to tell you but...well..." I wasn't prepared for that conversation. "This wasn't my plan...They assigned me here and you can't refuse."

"Really?" He said as if he couldn't believe it.

"Yes, of course, I would never end up here if it was my choice," I replied. "And you... you joined the Phoenix group and for real." I looked at the black tattoo he had under his eye. It looked like the wing of a bird but in flames. It started from the upper side of his cheekbone and ended in the left corner of his eye.

"If it wasn't for them I would probably be dead by now." He lowered his gaze avoiding me.

My heart ached when I heard that. I was the one who should have protected him that day at the border and I had failed him.

"I'm so sorry for what happened. I've felt like shit since then."

"It wasn't your fault. We all saw it. There was nothing you could do." His eyes were kind.

"Well, you won't have to worry about this anymore, now that you're here." I said ready to cure and bandage the past right away.

"What do you mean?" He frowned.

"Don't worry I'll help you. We'll find a way to sneak you in, I know someone who can help us."

"I didn't come to stay." He said it as if that was the most certain thing in the world.

"What? Michael, you have to stay." 

He went quiet.

And in that moment I noticed he was holding something in his left hand. It was a rounded technologic device that looked like a Reg hardware, probably from the control room.

"What have you taken?" I asked.

No answer.

Suddenly the peal of footsteps alerted us and we both darted our gaze to the entrance. Michael took his laser gun out automatically.

"Grace, come with me." He urged. His hand trembled as he pointed the weapon to the origin of the sound.

"What?" I said unable to process the petition.

"Come with me, please. We don't belong here. There are many things you don't know." he said.

My mind was rushing with confusion and before I could answer, a voice interjected, "Put your hands on your head, right now!" Heather's voice slashed the air. Fuck, she had to come in the worst possible moment.

She pointed her laser gun at Michael and he automatically deflected his weapon back at her in return.

"Heather no! Calm down! He's my brother!" I said as fast as I could. She didn't look at me, her eyes were locked on Michael's who seemed to have recognized her.

"I know you, bitch! But I bet you don't remember me." Michael said to Heather.

"Michael stop, lower your weapon!" I pleaded. He looked at me confused.

"What? Don't you remember her?" He said and then gazed back at Heather "You! Leave her come with me, and I'll let you live"

"Grace, don't listen to him."

Neither of them was paying me any attention, and I felt as if a hurricane had annihilated all the happiness I had experienced moments before. Now, we were at the edge of a cliff, one step away from the fall that would shatter everything away forever. It couldn't happen.

"Both of you, lower your weapons right now! We can solve this without anyone getting hurt!" I yelled, desperate.

"You first." Heather said.

"YOU first!" Michael yelled.

"Come on Michael, do it! I promise nothing is going to happen!" He didn't move an inch.

"Think about Erik!" I yelled. That unlocked something. His eyes softened.

"Is he... alright?" He asked curious. My mind thrashed like a river in a storm trying to find the correct words that could unwind that dangerous situation.

"Yes, he's fine!" I said.

Michael pursed his lips in anger. "Liar." His dry tone froze my blood.

"What?" I asked.

"You're lying!" His hands shook and a tear formed on the corner of his eyelid.

"Put your weapon down!" Heather ordered again.

"Shut up!" He yelled furious.

"Michael, you need to calm down." I plead seeing the inevitable about to happen.

"You're lying to me!" Fury blazed in his eyes. "Erik is not fine. He told me everything in his last message. They were going to implant something in him, he told me he was scared to death, and he said that letter could be his last words!"

Michael's tears ran uncontrolled down his cheeks. Shit! I had no idea Erik had sent another message after the first one; he never got to tell me before the whole improvement procedure.

"I'm so sorry Michael." I mumbled.

"You are not! You are just like them." He said looking at Heather.

"He's brainwashed, Grace. See what he has on his hand? He didn't come looking for you. He only wanted that," Heather said.

I looked again at the hardware Michael was clenching so intensely.

"What's that Michael?" I asked.

He didn't answer.

"You don't want to tell her, huh? I'll do it then. This hardware contains the algorithms we use for the border's protection system. The Phoenix group wants to destroy us, and he didn't care if you were part of it,"

"That's not true! Stop manipulating her!" He yelled.

"Michael, please, leave that hardware to me," My stomach churned with dread. I was running out of ideas that could stop that horrible escalation of events.

"We should have never crossed, Grace." He said his fingers trembling on the trigger.

"Grace, there's no time." Heather was about to shoot. She tightened her lips and squinted his eyes to look for precision. My hands were shaking, I couldn't let that happen. I had to do something, but what? One single thought crossed my mind. I had to do it.

I stretched out my arm and pointed my laser gun at Heather.

"Lower your weapon, Heather," I said, my throat tight with sorrow. Heather looked at me, shocked.

"What are you doing?" Her eyes darkened as if they had sunk in ink.

Michael looked at me then at Heather and then back at me like a frenetic compass.

"He is going to give us the hardware, trust me, please! Lower your gun." I plead.

Heather went silent and steadily lowered her weapon. I breathed a sigh of relief. Michael did too and then put her gun down.

There was a moment of silence where we all just tried to recover our breaths.

I looked at Michael and smiled at him, but he didn't return it. Instead, his gaze mirrored Heather's, full of deceit and anger.

"I'm sorry Grace." He said.

And right after, before I could intervene, he aimed his gun at Heather again and shot.

The echo of that dreaded sound bounced strongly against the semi-destroyed walls, each repetition like a hammer blow to my heart sinking into the deepest horror.

Heather collapsed to the ground. Michael ran away.

And I stood frozen as if my soul had been sucked away and I were only a lifeless body, like the countless others you could find piled beneath the rubble.

Author's Note:

What a ride, huh? Grace's reaction, Michael's appearance, and Heather's sudden intrusion – it all came together in a whirlwind of emotions. Tell me, who would you have trusted in that situation: Michael or Heather? And could things have ended differently, or was this destined to be? 

Can't wait to hear from you! And thank you so much for being here!

Ava 💫