After a cart ride, surrounded by hostile policemen, Mathias is taken to Columbia Central Prison, where all the most dangerous criminals are locked up. Arrived in the large hall of the prison lit by a light bulb, Mathias looks around him with quick glances and sees on the walls of the posters "Wanted" showing a young black woman with a determined look and holding two weapons in his hands. According to research, her name would be Daisy Fitzroy and she would be a former leader of the Vox Populi group, a rebel group that has existed for several years and who is fighting Zachary Comstock and his order. In addition to being a hell rather than paradise, Columbia seems to have plunged into civil war, although people do not seem to be afraid and continue their lives as if nothing had happened. Detained by a police officer on each arm, handcuffed, Mathias is taken to the corridors of the prison. Behind iron doors locked with padlocks, he can hear the cries of anger and despair from the prisoners, some of them violently striking the doors of their cells. The soil is wet and should not be cleaned frequently. The air smells of death, rust and coal. Passing by a room, Mathias sees two policemen torturing a prisoner, on a sort of metal chair with claws and spikes. The man screams in pain as a policeman asks him questions in a threatening tone. Mathias has a lump in his throat when he saw it.

The police take Mathias to an empty room at the end of a corridor and forcefully sit on an iron chair and immobilize the young soldier's wrists and ankles with solid locks. The police leave the room and leave Mathias alone for the moment. The young man looks around, but apart from his chair and the old light bulb that illuminates the room, there is nothing here. Mathias tries to force the barriers that hold him back but he knows it's useless. He acted as if nothing had happened when suddenly Zachary Comstock entered the room, escorted by two armed guards. But Mathias does not allow himself to be intimidated by the prophet and speaks to him sarcastically.

(Mathias): "A prophet authorizing weapons and escorted by guards with machine guns? Machines to torture prisoners are not very Christian things may I say."

(Zachary): ".. you are not in position to sarcasm, Mr. Mathias Booker. I know why you are here, you come from Sodom below to kidnap my daughter, Elizabeth, and stop her from fulfilling her destiny. "

(Mathias): "What? What fate and why would I take your daughter? Even if she is really beautiful, I admit it, I do not know her, I am there by accident."

But Zachary did not believe him and hit him once in the jaw. Mathias sounded but quickly revived.

(Zachary): "Do not think that you can bother me with your words, false shepherd, you are just like all those who live in the Sodom ... Corruption, greedy, violent ....."

(Mathias): "Oh? Because you think you're different?"

(Zachary): "I became prophet at the request of god. Our Lord told me to purify the world of the Sodom, by any means. The archangel Gabriel himself appeared to me, while I was only a peasant, to reveal to me that one day I would be the man who would become the founder of a perfect and pure nation. And when my time will come, Elizabeth will continue my work. Soon, this world will become.....Perfect."

The old man speaks as if possessed, and Mathias think he is crazy.

(Mathias): "And what will you do to me, if I may ask?"

(Zachary): "You will suffer the same fate as all abominations of your kind. You will be hanged tomorrow at the first hour, and after, your body will be thrown from the top of the sky, to be returned to the hell from where you come."

Mathias had a lump in the throat but from that crazy fanatic prophet, he expected something horrible. Zachary, confident, leaving the cell escorted by his guards, leaving Mathias alone, tied to the chair and locked in the room. The young soldier tries to force the barriers of the chains several times, but no chance of success. He stays several hours, until nightfall, sitting on the chair, hoping to find a way to escape, but nothing. Around midnight, the cell door opened slowly, pulling Mathias from his thoughts. A woman, her face hidden by a hood and draped in a large black cloak, enters in the room and approaches Mathias, who had the beating heart, not very reassured again.

(Mathias): "If you ever come to kill me, so do it now." He said nervously but not wanting to show it.

The woman then removes her cloak, revealing her face in the light of the room. Mathias is surprised to see the lovely young woman who was present at the raffle: Elizabeth Comstock, always dressed in her elegant blue dress. Elizabeth gestured to Mathias to not make any noise while she begins to detach the fetters of the metal chair with a key, surely taken to a guard.

(Elizabeth): "Do not worry, I'm coming to help you."

(Mathias): "You .... You are the woman I saw this afternoon..... Elizabeth, is not it?"

(Elizabeth): "Yes, and you, what is your name?"

(Mathias):"Uh ..... Mathias..... Mathias Booker. But .... Why do you help me? From what your father the prophet said, I am the devil incarnate."

(Elizabeth): "I'll explain you later I promise. For now, we must leave fast."

There was such a sense of fear in the voice of the young woman, as if she was being tracked. Mathias found it strange, but being free, he would not stay here longer. Leaving the cell with Elizabeth, Mathias sees the guard lying on the floor, stunned, probably by Elizabeth.

(Elizabeth): "I have never liked violence, but I had no choice."

Suddenly, Mathias took the gun in the waistband of the guard, and with a furtive gesture, catches Elizabeth from behind, putting his hand over her mouth and the gun to her head. Elizabeth was surprised and had a little cry muffled by the hand of the young soldier.

(Mathias): "And why should I trust you? Why not shoot you and go alone?"

He gently removed his hand to allow the young woman to speak, not without keeping the gun at her.

(Elizabeth): "Because I know this city better than you. And if you shoot me, the guards will be immediately alerted by the noise, and by seeing you killed the prophet's daughter, will kill you without hesitation."

Not false. Mathias had a moment of hesitation, but admits that she is right and frees her from his arm and weapon. No other guards in the corridor for now and the alert was not given. It rules a heavy silence in the morbid corridors of the prison. Passing some rooms, Elizabeth can see with horror the tortures endured by some prisoners. Mathias sees the shocked look of the young woman when she sees a dead prisoner on a chair, slashed and trendy for experimental torture machines.

(Elizabeth): "It's ..... It's really horrible."

Mathias takes her by the shoulders and hangs her against a wall, in watching her almost with anger. Elizabeth is surprised and intimidated by Mathias who looks at her like this.

(Mathias): "You were not aware about this? These men and women are treated worse than animals, and are subject to horrific experiences."

(Elizabeth): "Of .... Of course I didn't know, I swear. But who could allow such things?"

(Mathias): "Your father, so-called, "the man of faith who spread the good word."

(Elizabeth): "I can not believe it. This is surely a mistake. My father always educated me to be a good person, to spread justice..."

(Mathias): "Listen, I don't know what is going on in this crazy city, and I don't want to know. All I want is to get away from here. I accept to trust you, but you say you are a good person? Prove it."

The young woman was almost a tear, but refrains. The angry look of Mathias had turned into a look almost of comfort and support for her. Elizabeth took a deep breath and looked at the young man in the eyes.

(Elizabeth): "I'll help you to leave, I swear. And then I will assume the consequences in front of my father."

(Mathias): "It is not necessary he knows it."

(Elizabeth): "He will, believe me. Nothing escapes the vision of the prophet."

Suddenly a violent impact is felt and shook the whole prison, as if something had hit the building with violence. A strange sound, almost like a shrill inhuman scream resonates around the building. Mathias wondered what happens, but sees in the eyes of Elizabeth, a really terrified look.

(Elizabeth): "Oh no ..... He found me. He is here."

(Mathias): "But what you are talking about? What's happening?"

(Elizabeth): "It's .... Death."

Mathias was surprised by this response but a shiver runs through his back. Another shock again shook the prison, and a large piece of wall collapsed into pieces. Mathias and Elizabeth fell to the ground and in looking up, the young man sees something that terrifies him and amazed him at the same time: in front of them, an enormous creature, gigantic, like a robotic bird, with bright and terrifying red eyes, and with mechanical wings like those of a dragon, just tear the piece of the wall with his powerful arms armed with giant metal claws. The giant red eyes of the robotic creature scanned the room and saw Mathias and Elizabeth. The giant bird seemed furious to see the young man, and pushes a violent metallic scream that resonates everywhere. Seeing Mathias always ringing and kneeling on the ground, Elizabeth courageously stands between him and the bird with outstretched arms.

(Elizabeth): "Stop! I beg you, Songbird, do not kill him!"

The robot bird is therefore called Songbird. This one had a down movement in seeing that Elizabeth is interposed and held his arm clawed to not to touch her. His eyes were green at the sight of the young woman, who, almost in tears, stood motionless in front of him, crushed by the immense size of the bird. Taking up his spirits, Mathias was impressed that Elizabeth was able to control such a monster. But from the deep of the corridors, he could hear the guards arrived. It was time to leave, now. Taking the advantage that the attention of the monster was attracted to Elizabeth, Mathias took the gun on the floor beside him, and by a furtive gesture, took the young woman by the waist and began to shoot all its bullets on Songbird. Elizabeth had a surprise breath, but did not try to break the grip of Mathias. The detonations of the gun resonated, as the bullets ricocheted on the metal armor of the bird, who, blinded by gunfire on his head, roared with anger and with a violent gesture of the arm, destroyed another part of the wall. Mathias knew that small gun bullets could not kill such a monster, but he continued to shoot, hoping to keep the monster away. Down the hall, the guards arrive, armed too, but better.

(Elizabeth): "We must leave!"

(Mathias): "Let's go! Do not stop running!"

Mathias and Elizabeth began to run, under the shooting of the guards who followed them, and Songbird, enraged, went on to express his anger gradually in destroying the prison. One of his punches hit a group of guards, and violently thrown them against a wall. After that, Songbird took off, roaring furiously as ever, and hovering around the prison to try to locate the fugitives. Curiously, the guards did not fire on the monster. Mathias shot randomly behind him as he ran, and managed to reach a guard in the chest, and the man fell to the ground. The shots of machine guns and rifle gunfire erupted throughout the corridor. In front of Elizabeth, another wall destroyed, and casting a quick look down, she saw a huge void, but not sees the bottom because concealed by clouds. Mathias was suddenly hit in the leg by a gunshot and with a scream of pain, he fell to the ground, the leg in blood. Elizabeth notices and horrified, rushed to help the young soldier, even if he threatened her a few moments earlier, she wanted to help him. Seeing the guards approaching, Elizabeth had no other choice. A blue energy began to appear around her hands, and like magic, wooden boxes were raised in the air. From a precise and telekinetic movement, Elizabeth threw the boxes in the direction of the guards, and the first three were beaten violently by the projectiles.

(Mathias): "Really Impressive." He said in pain but really surprised by the power of the young woman.

Elizabeth smiled and helped her get up and move forward. Unfortunately, other guards arrived by the opposite corridor. Every exit was impossible, unless ..... Mathias and Elizabeth stood ready from the edge of the void, and looked down. Mathias was dizzy and this mere sight made him sick. He and Elizabeth looked into the eyes, knowing they did not have other choice. Mathias and Elizabeth joined their hands and jumped into the void, under the stunned gazes of the guards. The couple fell steeply from the heights of heaven. Mathias and Elizabeth, always holding together by the hands and trying to stay together, saw Songbird reached at full speed, the clawed hand forward, ready to seize Elizabeth in flight. But Mathias, in a final effort, threw his gun in the eye of Songbird, which was destabilized and missed his kick, from very little. Elizabeth was worried sick and was screaming in terror. Mathias also was very afraid, but with Elizabeth, they looked into the eyes, and holding hands while they slowly disappear in the sea of ​​clouds, without knowing where they were going to crash.

À SUIVRE