Chapter 28

As Okara and Crimson barrel through countless black-masked goons. They come to a split end.

"Which way, Rose!"

"Let's see we are on the third level and my lab is on the second. However, the stairs are guarded heavily. There's a secret passage this way!"

Rose takes them left which soon enough leads to a dead end. As black-masked goons start to catch up to them. Rose places her hands against the wall. Opening a secret door.

"This way, hurry."

Quickly everyone enters the secret room and the door closes the moment the goons arrive.

"There's no one here, retrace our steps and continue the search! Don't fail Arako!"

The room Okara and everyone had entered was dark. However.

"Here, let me light our way."

Crimson generated a small ball of light in his hand. That lit the room up enough for them to see where they're going.

"Okay, just head straight we should come up to a divided tunnel. Once were there take the ladder up to the upper-level tunnel."

Slowly they move through the secret passage hearing many noises below them and above them. Goons shouting information about their locations.

"They're not on the eastern section."

"All clear on the western section."

"Keep looking! They're here somewhere!"

"This way..." Rose said as she lead Crimson with her to light the way. They continued crawling through the secret passage which was their ventilation systems.

"The sooner we get my lab back, the sooner I can continue my work."

"Are you insane? Do you think we'll let you continue your work?" Crimson said with a hint of aggravation in his voice.

"Look there's a reason I'm trying to take over the world."

They begin climbing the vents ladder up into the upper tunnel. Rose waited for everyone to get back together so she could continue her story and as they continue crouch walking through the vents, she did.

"This world is a horrid place. It takes from you without permission, it gives you things you don't ask for or deserve. Overall it's not right especially with all the horrible people out there."

"You mean horrible people like you." Okara said with a grim tone.

"I understand why people think I'm evil or a plain villain. It's because of the way I wanted to approach this. Yes, some people have gotten hurt, others have died. However, progress requires sacrifice."

Suddenly they enter a giant vertical elevator shaft. That only had a thin edge and more ladders.

"You are insane! Aren't you!" Okara screamed without thinking and his voice instantly echoed throughout the elevator shaft.

"You're lucky you chose to do that now! If you had done that earlier they would've found us instantly! This elevator shaft has soundproof walls. I mainly had them created so I wouldn't have to hear anything coming from the elevator while I worked."

"Grab hold of my hand and don't let go. We're going to fly up." Okara said with a bitter taste.

"Wait, Okara. If we fly, Arako would instantly know where we are. Our best bet would to be climb the ladders to the second floor."

Okara looked at Crimson and nodded.

"Yeah, that would be the best idea. (He looks over at Rose.) Lead the way, Rosaria."

Rose looked shocked at the name.

"H-How do you know that name?"

Okara pointed at the ladder with a grim expression. Instantly Rose began climbing waiting for an answer from Okara.

"Officer Jay explained to me that you took your dead daughter's name to try and hide your identity. But we instantly found out that she was dead and he revealed your real identity."

Suddenly Rose stopped on the ladder stopping everyone with her.

"Is that what they told you..."

Okara bit his tongue as she continued climbing. As she reached the top she stepped forward and stopped. Only turning around when Okara and Crimson were with her.

"Let me tell you the truth."

"By all means, whatever you say will have a good chance of not being the truth. But we'll play your game."

Rose looked even angrier, she even pulled back her right hand ready to slap Okara. But showed restraint.

"Did they tell you how she died?"

"No..."

"Then you don't know half the story, buddy!"

"Then why don't you tell me it."

Rose bit her tongue but drew in a breath to tell the story.

"My real name is Rosaria Lament, my husband's name... Is Coll Lament..."

"Wait! No, no. That's not what Jay-."

"Okara, let her speak..."

"Our daughter's real name was Rosery Roseburg Lament. She was the light of my life along with my husband. She was nice to everyone and everything. My husband and I loved her. But my husband was involved with some bad people... It was the only way we could afford a life. Once we got a place we could fully settle and have that nice peaceful life we wanted. We planned to run away from it all. That was until one of the people decided to rat us out to the police. While we were on the run, we had a swarm of police cars and vans. Coming after us we tried everything we could to avoid them and getaway, but... They caught up to us. We were stopped on the highway so close to entering a different state. They had us surrounded, police cars, and choppers covering our every escape point. They had told us to get out of the car with our hands up. So we did... Well, we tried. As Coll stepped out he was quickly gunned down by the officers then they began opening fire on the car. I-I tried to save her. But bullets were flying so fast, and then out of nowhere a giant explosion, everything went dark for a moment. I woke up multiple times only hearing things and seeing blurred images. Jay, Coll, blood. Those were the other things I could hear as I saw nothing, but an officer's feet and a mob boss's feet. After that I fully passed out and when I came. I woke up upside down in the car in a forest..."

Okara and Crimson were looking at Rose with sorrow on their faces as she slowly swelled up into tears.