Eve closed her eyes as she can no longer take it—Rum’s walking here and there, checking the facility after cleaning some of the men.
“Just be thankful that your clone has left without seeing the mess.”
“Thank you.”
“I am not asking you to thank me.” He threw a warning glare at her, to which she didn’t care.
“You heard him. If I can’t make sudden decisions and give orders without his confirmation, much more that I can’t disobey one of his. Whether you are prepared or not, you are leaving this place three days from now.” He stood up in front of her and handed her a waver. “Sign it.”
She flipped the pages only to see that her clone has already signed her part, so is Lux’s.
“When did you do this?”
“What do you mean?” He creased his forehead and frustratedly sighed as he is having trouble reaching the man—again. “I don’t know what is wrong with the communication line. This is the first time that this happened, and it is honestly quite…” He paused and shook his head.
“Nothing. I am already on it,” he said instead, and speak no more.
“Rum, I am asking you when did you do this?” she repeated to her query and wondered how did he convince her clone to sign the papers without her informing her about it.
The man then stop what he’s doing and locked the door before facing her.
“I wasn’t the one who did it, neither the boss, if you are asking who made her sign it. Though, the papers are already prepared beforehand. He had already signed the consent form days before you came here. As for your clone, she opened up about your leave the last time she went here; asking when you will be sent off. I have no plans to tell her about the waver, neither show it to her, nor make her sign it. But she’s so persistent to work on those papers, so you can leave at ease whenever you wanted to.”
Slowly, she put down the documents and smiled as she thought it would be her most challenging task to do—to make her clone understand that she has to agree to the terms and conditions of switching them without feeling guilty, or forcing her to do it. It turns out, she doesn’t have to think of it anymore. No persuasion is needed.
“So, does it mean that I can really leave now—days from now, I should say.”
“Certainly, you could.”
Her face lightened up. After staying there for weeks, that is by far the best news she has ever received. She stood up to help the man.
“Let me.” She placed her palm on the sensory device and let the program read her badge’s chip.
‘Any commands, Captain Eve?’ Program Lux inquired, making the two of them glanced at each other and smiled.
“Please do connect us with Program Anne on the Island.”
‘Right away, Captain!’
Rum frowned, to which she just laughed off. She looked back at the system update, thinking that the world is really full of people that you can both trust and doubt. When is that, is depends on the time and situation.
One thing she has learned from being with them is something that she thinks she has to carry with her throughout her life: an enemy can be a friend, and an ally can be a threat at one point of time. Up to them if they are going to stay the same or have a change of views. Either way, you have to know when and whom to point and fire the gun; and whom not to.
“I have been working on it for hours now, thinking what else to do to get us connected to them on the island. And yet, you know a thing that might work! You should have told me about it sooner!” he complained, watching her manually inputting commands to the system.
“I have no assurance that this is going to work. I am just trying in case it might!” She laughed.
Their laughter lasted for minutes until they stopped, like something made them do so. The man then turned around to hide his face as he silently and tearless mourned for his chosen few. Never did he think that he had to dispose them one day, for once, they are his upright guards on his security team.
“How can you be calm when you have just seen people killing each other in front of you?” he asked Eve without looking at her.
“I was once a Captain. As one, you have to toughened yourself every time. You aren’t allowed to show weaknesses to your team. You can’t mourn when they are mourning. You have to put up an example of a mentally and emotionally strong individual, so they won’t be easily shaken, thinking that they have to follow your ways.”
“You must be seemed like heartless during those times, then.”
“Not really. When no one is around, that is the only time that I can be myself. That’s the only time that I can entertain any negative thoughts and feelings I have. Believe me, it was never easy. I got used to it, yet still, I am not, and I think I will never be used to dealing with those moments.”
As if nothing happened, Rum quickly turned to her when another program’s voice echoed.
‘This is Program Anne. How may I help you, Program Lux?’
“Thank goodness! This is Eve, Anne!”
‘Captain Eve?!’
“Yes, this is me.” Her heartbeat raised like she has just met a friend after a very long time of being away from each other. She can’t help but to tear a little upon hearing Anne again.
‘I thought you were already outside, Captain?’
“I am. But not yet home.” She gazed at Rum, who is just listening to their conversation, surprised that she can really do that.
‘What’s the matter? Is your leave have been on hold?’
“Sort of. But no worries, I am okay. It’s just that something happened.”
The line went silent. The man become worried, but not her. Knowing the program for a decade, she already knew how perfect she is, that if only she’s not aware that Anne is a program, she would think she’s a human.
‘Is it something serious?’
“Kind of. But it’s already settled.”
‘How did you get access to the isolation facility’s system, then?’
She was stopped. It never crossed her mind that that place, to which she thought was like a rest house or a separate office outside the Island Dreen is actually an isolation area. Makes her wonder what the facility really is for, why Lux had to assign Rum to manage it.
“I still have my badge, I used it. Glad to know that the organization system still have my data as well. Can’t depend on my badge’s chip alone to have access to the system. I did it with Program Lux’s help, of course.”
‘So, what is it that made you attempt to contact me, Captain?’
That’s when she remembered the reason. She instructed Rum to remain silent, and they both nodded, understood that they just have to be extra cautious.
“I am set to leave here days from now. The thing is, Lux isn’t back from the island yet. It is quite disturbing, since it is not his way to not give orders whenever he leaves. He left last week to settle some things on the island—that is what he said upon leaving. Since then, neither I nor his people here have heard any words from him anymore. Is everything okay there?”
Once more, it took Program Anne to respond. They are almost not breathing as they wait for her reply. There is no noise in the background, literally nothing.
“No, don’t,” Rum mouthed when she is about to speak and motioned her to make no noise.
She can’t name the fear she sees in the man’s eyes as he looked at the data being transferred to them, as if it is better to send it in text instead of voicing it out.
[Captain Eve! How was your stay there so far?]
They looked at each other, it is a familiar voice, but it brought them a different kind of cautiousness that Rum even had to remind her not to mention that she is not alone at the moment.
“It is good to finally hear you again, boss. Well, so far, so good. How about you? How's the organization?” She shook her head as she couldn’t understand what Rum is trying to tell her.
[I am so disappointed that the team that the organization has left are not as promising as yours. So disappointing that I had to teach them some lesson to learn from. You know…] He paused and gave an order to whoever he’s with on the other line. [I just thought that what if you consider signing another contract with us?]
She waited for Rum’s reaction, but even him is undecided whether to decline nor not the offer. Eve gently tap his back. She can’t blame him for feeling that way towards Lux.
“He never changed his mind when. Specially when it comes to one's freedom. Something is off, Captain Eve. Say no to that offer,” he whispered, almost unhearable.
“Sorry, but I will say no to that, Sir. I have already told you before, we have already discussed about it, and you agreed that my team and I will no longer either renew or sign another one with you,” she reminded the man. “And if you have forgotten, it was you who are one of the most excited that finally, you can already send us home,” she then added and signaled the man beside her to record their conversation.
[Did I? I don’t remember having that agreement with you, Captain Eve.]