"We have a situation." Cammi sat down in front of them and poured himself a cup of tea. He took a long sip as though it was something stronger than hot leaf water and looked to Pharah. "My sister may have dropped you brother's body in the Atlantic."

Zaharah shifted her weight and threw an arm around Pharah to catch her before she fell over and braced a foot to keep them both up. "Easy." She looked to Cammi. "We have to go find him. I know how to dive. I just need a suit."

"You're not going out there in the dark, but," he added before she could protest. "I have a friend who captains a Special Defence Force vessel and he is willing to... patrol the area. The water there is stagnant, there's a good chance he hasn't drifted away."

Roddi inhaled a deep breath that puffed out his chest and held it. "I know she's your sister and all. But that... fucking bitch! How could she be so cruel?"

Cameron breathed a sigh. "My sister is disgustingly spiteful. Always has been. When she can't have things her way, she lashes out, and I have my share of childhood scars to prove it. To think I shared a womb with her."

You're twins? Jade signed.

"Yeap. Identical," he answered, and Jade's confused look deepened. "I wasn't always the handsome, dapper lad you see before you." He set his teacup on a saucer. "But on to more pressing matters. My friend will provide updates. As soon as they find Devin I'll let you know."

Zaharah guided Pharah to a couch and sat with her. "So we just wait?"

"It's all we can do for now." He leaned forward and threaded his fingers in front of his face. "Aleesha said you all stole something from her."

She kissed her teeth. "She probably means the micro metal."

"The what?!" Elliot screamed, making Zaharah jump. She'd forgotten he was there.

Cameron reached under the coffee table again, and whatever he did made the curtains shift over the windows. "You have micro metal here?"

"Yeah." The word came out hoarse. "Is that bad?"

"It's... very illegal. You need a special permit to handle that stuff, and I'm guessing you don't have one. And neither do I. And you've been walking around the 700 with that in your possession, which is very illegal." He breathed another sigh, longer, heavier. "Let me see."

Zaharah handed over the bag Doctor Will had given her, and the vials clinked together.

"Where exactly did you get this?" Cammi asked as he unzipped the bag. Elliot had moved behind the couch to get a closer look.

"Dr Will gave them to me as his parting shot against the Director. He said they were harvested from me." The thought of it made her stomach turn over. Lab rat, that's all she was.

Cammi blinked. "I'm sorry. You said harvested?" She nodded. "From you?" She nodded again. "Aleesha used these on you?" Another nod. "I..." He leaned back in his seat and rubbed his face with both hands.

"I had no idea about this, I swear," Elliot said.

Zaharah shrugged a shoulder. "I think Dr Will stashed a copy of my medical records in there somewhere. There's isn't anything I can tell you because I didn't know what they did to me until this morning."

Cammi sat up so fast that the micro metal almost flew out of his lap. "And you didn't consent to this?!" He took a breath and his face relaxed. "Where the hell was Kass when all of this was happening?"

"You mean Dr Cyan? She was out of town. I guess her hands were tied, just like everyone else in that damn place." If fate favoured her, she'd never set foot in that place again.

"Jade, was this done to you too?" Cam asked.

Jade shook her head. She took my memories is all, and no, I didn't consent to it.

"I see. There's much we need to discuss. But you all have had a very long day. I won't bombard you further." He zipped up the micro metal. "Do you mind if I secure these?"

Zaharah shook her head. She wouldn't know what to do with them, anyway. And if lugging them around was illegal, she'd rather him have it than her.

"I'll deal with those later. For now let's discuss lodgings. If you want, I can let you all stay in one of the houses here. This property is private so no one can waltz in without invitation. Or..." His eyes flicked to Pharah. "If you all are not comfortable staying here, I can arrange a hotel room or something."

Zaharah turned to Pharah. "It's your call."

"What's going to happen to Devin once they find him?" Pharah asked after a sniffle. "Will the police get involved?"

"I can't say for sure. According to Elliot, he was shot by a Creeper. Which opens up a whole can of worms. I can't make any promises, except that I'll do my best to make sure his body his secured."

Pharah nodded. "Okay. We'll stay here."

Zaharah smiled her approval and gave Pharah's arm a light squeeze.

"Alright." Cameron stood. "Come with me please." He led the way outside, into the still night air. Zaharah recognised the calm, the way the trees stood stoic as statue the silence. The storm was close. Lights hidden amongst the shrubbery illuminated the paths between the houses and cast long menacing shadows over the grounds. The other houses had lights illuminating their door, but their windows remained dark.

Cameron led them to the next house over, tucked away behind hibiscus hedges and shaded by trimmed poincianas. "It's a three bedroom," he explained as they walked up to the front door. A red panel with a blinking red light flanked it. "Divvy them up as you see fit. There's food in there and drinks. The strong kind, if you need it. Except you Jade. No underaged drinking on my watch." He nodded to the door. "Zaharah, put your hand on the knob please."

She obliged, and he tapped away at the panel. A small vibration went through the knob and when she pull her hand away, a sort of keyhole sat on top. Oddly shaped, a little like a wing.

"You already have the key. I'll see you all in the morning." With that, he turned on his heel and started back towards the main house.

Zaharah opened her mouth to yell after him about the key, but realisation smack her over the head. She dropped her backpack and dug through it for the Icarus pin. It sat nestled on its own in an inner pocket, the gold winking under the front door's light. She pressed it into the faux keyhole and shimmering blue pixels cascaded over the knob.

A click and a tumble and the door swung open. Lights flickered to life in the room beyond, illuminating the simple décor. Unlike the Victorian dream that was the main house, this one looked more the Sigma frat house on the Uni campus. The living room had a pit in the centre with a couch hugging its perimeter. A console she assumed was for a TV sat on the wall in front of it.

Across the room, another of Zaharah's paintings hung on the wall, the underwater study she'd done of a turtle. She'd been trying for photorealism and almost got there.

Zaharah ushered their bags inside, while Roddi and Pharah went to check the bedrooms and Jade disappeared into the kitchen. The batteries were on 75% after their long trek across Denden and the 700. And her battery was at zero. She was running on whatever auxiliary stores her body had amassed.

Roddi popped his head out from the door beside the painting. "Bedrooms are this way. The master is on the south side, has its own bathroom."

"Jade and I can share the Master. You and Pharah can have your own."

He gave a nod and disappeared back into the hall.

"You alright back there Jade?" Zaharah called. Her sister poked her head in the doorway and gave a thumbs up. "Our room's in the back I'm gonna shower." She herded their luggage towards the hall and left the duffle bag for Pharah and Roddi.

The Master bedroom was huge, at least four times the size of their room back in Denden. And most of was taken up by the bed. It was big enough for five people to sleep in comfortably, piles high with dark green bedding and throw pillows accented with gold embroidery. A trunk sat at its feet, one of those old-fashioned ones with a cushioned top.

Zaharah sat on it and stared at the wooden stand opposite. It held a console for a TV, and several other blinking black boxes she had no interest in investigating. The suitcases rolled in front of her and she dug through her own for pyjamas and headed to the bathroom.

The lights flickered to life, illuminating the ivory white tiles on the walls and floor. A jacuzzi tub flanked the shower on the back wall. She dropped her PJs on the vanity next to the door and perused the selection of soaps, oils and body wash on the shelf over it. A little aromatherapy would help her sleep. Hopefully.

She settled on jasmine scent soap and got the water going. As the hot water cascaded over her, she bowed her head, the weight of everything that had happened falling on her shoulders. Images of the creeper slamming Markus into the wall, Devin's dead body lying in the back of the pod. It was too much. This was too much.

Zaharah wrapped her arms around herself and sank to the bottom of the showers, hoping the spray would drown out her sobs.