The key

"Guys! Who were you talking to?"Leo asked, running in with the supplies that were needed for the bullets. "Uhm…"The 4 musketeers looked at the black computer screen,"She's gone…"Luna's eyes widened, frowning while tilting her head,"Why?"

"Ferrah came back?"Leo asked, placing his items down.

"How are you so calm about it?"Daniel asked, clearly annoyed at Leo's and Wesley's every action.

"I don't know. I have dealt with enough murders that I'm not actually fazed by that."Leo replied unpacking the items.

"Enough."Luna sighed."Take your items, all of it, and follow me."Luna walked off without giving them a chance to speak or react. Grabbing their items, they immediately followed Luna, who was grabbing items of every kind from the lab as well as from the library, quickly trying to catch up with her quick little steps.

When they finally reached Amil's office, Luna stopped dead in her tracks, closing the shelf-door behind them.

"Amil, where can we talk about all these issues without anyone hearing us?"Luna asked

"Uhm…"Amil stuttered, still fazed by Luna's sudden seriousness along with her little cowardly cover suddenly disappearing."The conference room?"Uncertainty was clearly shown in his voice.

"No, it has too many computer and television screens ready for Ferrah to listen in."Luna replied immediately, her face still scrunched up, well focused on the topic.

"How about our favourite hiding spot?"Leah added, her face lit up.

"Yes yes…ok!"Luna muttered before running off to 'Forest'. Her friends trailed after her, confused.

They ran to their favourite hangout place, a place they hardly went to after reaching the age of 12. Life as a teenager took over. 12 was the legal age to work and these kids had only a parent or none at that age. They had to work to survive if it wasn't for them the farms and ship wouldn't have managed to survive. It wasn't about money, it was about life or death. Many on the ship knew them. They were known to be the hard-working kind of kids that many parents would want but little did they know that it wasn't all about being 'mature' or 'hardworking' but more of survival.

The rules on the ship were simple. Before one reaches the age of 12, one has to learn basic knowledge on how to survive on earth as well as on the ship, what could be eaten, how to cook, read, hunt, build a shelter and even things like making weapons. From a young age, childrens of all genders will be observed to see if they are able to be a soldier, a line of defence. It was compulsory that males and females whose personality did not fit the required requirement to be a soldier ought to take up something that could allow them to survive when with a fighter.

Take Luna for example, she could not meet the requirements to be a soldier so she was placed in the stream for medic. However she was an exception. Her father, a Rellik, taught her how to fight under the cover and now Luna understood that her father only wanted to protect her. He knew that this would happen. Luna grew up with books, just books. With the knowledge of her father along with the books, she was what her team needed. She was a part of the key to stopping Ferrah's madness.

At the age of 12, one is given the ability to work. If they choose to work, they will be gifted with a larger food ration. They will be given a card, a black card. This card grants them a larger food ration whenever they want, however, they can only use it once a day or once a week depending on the situation of the food supply. It would, however, be confiscated if one decides not to work for at least a week straight without a medial certificate. At the age of 16, it is compulsory for one to work however, if one does not have a job which is always available ( it isn't like the past where a job was hard to find. Interviews were now not a thing.) one will be put in a cell and starved. Food and water will only be provided every 3 days. They will have to go through the torture for a year before being released and given a chance to work.

"Why are you so panicky?"Leo asked, irritated.

"While you guys were talking, I realised that all the computers and televisions were blinking green. She was listening to every word we spoke. Every word, every letter."Luna slowed down her pace, setting down her items on a log that was used as a bench in 'Forest'. This place was its name, it's literal name. Fake trees, books all around, logs of different trees were laying around with fake plants of different kinds that were placed nicely around the spot. It was the peaceful forest many would have visualised.

"Well that explains a lot,'' Wesley added.

"So she might be connected to all kinds of technology?"Amil asked.

"If she is connected to all technology, it might mean that she is connected to our internet."Leo continued.

The kids formed an uneven circle. Leo and Wesley, who hated Luna, unexpectedly worked and even sat with her.

"I'm scared of what she might do to our internet." Luna expressed her worries.

"Small issue. Don't fret about that. We can create another internet line for us and our citizens."Leo unknowingly reassured.

"Thought you hated her."Daniel mocked.

Leo rolled his eyes,"Ferrah is connected to our wifi. Do you know how dangerous that is?"

Dainel didn't answer with sarcasm. Instead he raised his hands up surrendering himself, admitting defeat which brought some light into the tensed moment.

"We must still keep the line that Ferrah is connected too."Wesley noted immediately,"we mustn't lose contact with this psycho."

"I can do the tech stuff. For now, we have to make another secret office specifically for this current issue."Amil's formal tone changed the mood immediately,"As for certain evidence, I will arrange some people to make a vault for us."

Leo laughed slightly,"Rookie mistake.''He shook his head,"You know Ferrah.This woman has so much knowledge, more than us. We have to do the vault, office and the rest ourselves. We can't let anyone know that we are making vaults since her minions are still around us."

Amil nodded,"I'll get to it immediately. But I do have a question."

Those who were sitting moved to the very edge of their seats afraid and those who were standing bent forward giving Amil the 'we are listening' cue.

"We need protection, all of us. I know that Wes and Leo aren't part of this but since Ferrah has met them already indirectly, they are probably in the same danger as us. However, if we can't trust anyone, how are we supposed to find guards to help us?"Ami'sl tone shifted. His worries were very well shown and shared with his friends.

"We can only trust each other. We have to protect one another in all situations."Leo sighed,"It's our only option."

The team nodded in response solemnly,"Okay, so let's see...Me and Luna, Leah and Amil, Wesley and Leo."Daniel concluded.

"Uhm...what?"Leo asked for clarification, confused.

"The pairs I have stated need to stay together. Any objections?"Daniel clarified.

"Leah should come with me. At least there will be a soldier and medic with each of the pairs."Leo suggested.

Daniel squinted his eyes realising that Leo never knew that Leah was trained in by her father,"You didn't tell him?"

"It was meant to be a secret…"Leah answered."Look, my dad taught me how to fight since I was a kid. Look, here is proof."Leah took out several weapons under her shoe, in her sleeve, on her waist as well as her ankles.She held the pistols, pocket-knives and extra magazines up in the air before placing them in the same place they were found.

"Secret? Why did he know then?"Leo was offended,"is it because you knew him earlier than you knew me?"

"Leo, we are dealing with a murderer. Is this your biggest concern right now?"Leah sighed."If you really wanted to know why I told him, well it's because he accidentally walked into the room while my father was training me."

Leo looked away, upset."Yes it's important. I want to be your priority…"Leo muttered under his breath.

"What?"The team asked in sync, confused.

Leo shook his head before speaking once again."So...now what?"All he wanted to do was to change the topic.

"I guess… if Leah is ok to say that she was secretly learning to fight,"Amil turned to Leah to ask for confirmation.Leah nodded agreeing to what Amil was about to expose."Leah is also a Rellik, like Luna, Luna's dad, and even her father."

"And Amil knows too?"Leo asked, aggravated.

"Why wasn't I the important man in her life?"His brain's little voice spoke.

"That...I have no excuse since I was the one that told him…these two boys really kept my secret well."Leah was speechless."I'm sorry…"She apologised.

"How is this all even important? We have a murderer with an army of her own minions! Do you not see the situation here?"Daniel chided,"I'm sorry but your love issues are not that important compared to what we are dealing with!"With a slip of tongue, he exposed the fact that Leo had a thing for Leah.

The silence that came after was louder than anything one may have had ever heard.

Leo glared at Daniel. Fear wavered around him. If Leah avoids him, he would have a target to blame now.

"Why are you all so quiet?"Oblivious, Leah frowned, turning around to look at each and everyone of them.

"Uhm...nothing he just...scared us…?"Leo, unsure what to say and came up with a random excuse.

The group held back their laughter. "Ok so i want to confirm the pairs. Amil and Luna, Leo and I, Daniel and Leah? "Wesley asked.

"It's Amil and Leah, Daniel and Luna, Leo and you dumbass." Amil mocked.

The group burst into laughter. "It's good that we can laugh now, who knows what will happen next." Leah sighed.

"C'mon enjoy the moment...Don't keep looking so far into the future." Amil cheered her up a little.

Nodding her head, she managed an angelic smile but deep down she was looking further into the future as to what would happen if they were to do certain things, all she wanted was answers."

The kids sat around surrounding a small patch of flowers. They talked about the situation and past memories while making some more bullets. With a mixture of laughter, fear and silence, they bonded. Their hearts started to connect to one another. Leo and Wesley were unaware of how their hearts started to connect slowly to one another. They started to be more comfortable talking to Luna. The 6 kids were unaware of how the key was starting to form. It was them who were the key. Though Leo and Wesley were not part of this but with them, the key would start to form, they were the 'key makers'.

"Hey I kind of got a sickening feeling in me…"Amil whispered.

"What is it? "Leah asked, worried. She knows Amil well...his gut feeling was never wrong; it's like his sixth sense was stronger than many others that she had met.