Visit To Pandora City (Part 2)

As the line grew shorter and the Flawed in front of them were slowly allowed into the city, the officer's displeasure became increasingly evident. His frown deepened with each person admitted, his irritation palpable. Eventually, the checks grew sloppy, allowing people to pass through at a faster rate as the officer's diligence waned.

Lydia's mood remained dark, a shadow of dread cast over her. She seemed to brace herself for their turn, though she occasionally mustered a small smile for Alex, trying to reassure him despite her evident anxiety.

As they inched closer to the checkpoint, Lydia turned to Alex with a sudden resolve. "Alex, I need to tell you something..."

"O-Oh, of course. What is it?" Alex flinched, caught off guard by her serious tone. He leaned in closer, his heart pounding as he prepared to listen.

"I… I know you'll be here for me, and you'll protect me," Lydia began, her voice trembling slightly, her eyes growing sad. "But if something happens later… please don't do anything rash. I know it'll be hard for you to watch, but I need you to promise me that you won't do anything." Her gaze locked onto Alex's, her expression a mix of determination and desperation.

Alex wanted to ask what she meant, but the gravity of her plea made him hesitate. Seeing how serious she was, he decided it was best to ask her later. "I… okay. I understand. I promise."

Soon, it was Lydia's turn to pass through the checkpoint. She walked forward with a measured grace, bowing respectfully towards the officer before standing in position. A soldier approached with a scanning device, its rays sweeping over Lydia's body, creating an eerie, penetrating glow.

Alex noticed the officer's expression shift as he gazed upon Lydia. A sinister grin spread across his face, his eyes leering at her with a malevolent glint.

"Done. You may pass," the soldier said, stepping back after completing the scan.

Just as Lydia was about to walk away, the officer grabbed her by the arm, pulling her towards him with a forceful jerk. "Oh! Not so fast, you pretty little thing," he sneered, his voice dripping with smugness and ill intent.

Lydia's expression transformed from discomfort to fear, her eyes widening as she tried to look away. The officer's grip tightened as he slowly looked her up and down, his gaze predatory.

Alex's blood boiled as he watched the scene unfold, a surge of anger threatening to overwhelm him. His mind raced with thoughts of intervention, but Lydia's earlier plea echoed in his head, anchoring him to the spot.

As Lydia looked down, the officer raised a finger, tipping her face upwards. The moment their eyes met, he smirked. "Ah… I remember you. Lydia, wasn't it? You went into the city last cycle as well, didn't you?" His voice echoed around the area, sending shivers down spines and creating a tense silence among the onlookers.

"A-Ah, yes, officer. Urgh…" Lydia's voice trembled as she spoke, her expression twisted with discomfort and slight disgust. The officer's finger started stroking her face, his touch invasive and unwelcome.

"Oh, don't pretend you don't enjoy this, Lydia. It's quite an honour to be fancied by me, the great Lieutenant Oliver Louse," he taunted, his tone thick with self-importance. His words dripped with arrogance as he became increasingly touchy. As Oliver's touch grew more intrusive, his hand wandered dangerously close to inappropriate places.

Lydia stayed silent, squirming in discomfort while averting her gaze as much as possible, doing her best to look away from her aggressor. The people around them, especially Alex, watched in a horrified hush, the oppressive atmosphere thick with tension.

Oliver's eyes travelled over Lydia, his gaze lingering in a way that made her skin crawl. Oliver's predatory eyes fell upon her chest, and he licked his lips as if savouring a meal. His lips curled into a vile smile. "You know, we don't usually follow this rule since it's a pain and often disgusting... but for you... I think we should."

His finger traced a slow, deliberate to the base of Lydia's neck, inching ever closer to her chest. The cold touch sent a wave of disgust through her, but she dared not move.

"You're quite special, Lydia," Oliver murmured, his voice a venomous whisper. "Not everyone catches my eye like you do."

Lydia fought to maintain her composure, her breath coming in shallow, ragged gasps.

His finger began to circle the bottom of Lydia's neck, his touch making her flinch. "As per the lawful requirement of a Flawed entering the city, you must partially strip and show, in full display, your core. Now, if you would please, Lydia, abide by this rule."

Lydia's face paled, her eyes darting to Alex for a moment before she took a deep breath and obeyed the command given. She began to move her hands towards her dress, shaking as they moved, and slowly pulled her dress down, stretching the collar as it revealed her shoulders and, eventually, the pink diamond-shaped core on her chest, at the same time, her well-endowed parts.

Small droplets of tears began to form at the corner of Lydia's eyes, stemming mostly from the embarrassment of having to expose herself in public but ultimately from shame.

Lieutenant Oliver's smirk widened, relishing the power he held, as he leered at Lydia's over-exposed chest, his mouth almost close to drooling.

Alex clenched his fists, his jaw tight with suppressed rage. He knew interfering would not only break his earlier promise and potentially escalate the situation, getting both Lydia and him into further trouble, but watching Lydia endure such humiliation was tearing him apart inside.

Just as Alex's anger reached its peak, and he was about to snap and lash out, a voice cut through the air. "Lieutenant Oliver! There's a situation from the command post that needs your attention immediately!"

The officer's head snapped around, annoyance flickering across his face at the interruption. A soldier, perhaps a fellow officer, approached, his expression urgent. This officer was fully masked with a cybernetic headset that covered the entirety of his face. He seemed to glance at Lydia, then back at Oliver, tilting sideways in confusion.

"Lieutenant? What is…happening here? I seem to be witnessing something rather uncouth." The newly arrived officer criticised Oliver, his tone slightly taunting.

Oliver straightened slightly, his arrogance faltering in the presence of his fellow officer. "Ah, Lieutenant Shawn, I uh…was just performing the routine inspection. As per required protocol," he replied, attempting to regain his composure.

The fellow officer seemed unimpressed and shook his head. "I see no need for such...thoroughness for a mere female Flawed. Please, let the girl pass and let me take over this task. There are more pressing matters for you to attend to."

There was a tense pause, the crowd holding its breath. Oliver hesitated, clearly torn between his desire to assert his perverse dominance and the call of duty before him.

With a reluctant nod, Oliver finally released Lydia's arm, stepping back as if conceding defeat. Lydia wasted no time readjusting her clothes, smoothing out the wrinkles that marked the indignity she had just endured. She quickly hurried away from Oliver's menacing presence, her steps quick and purposeful.

As she reached the officer named Shawn, who had intervened, she bowed slightly in gratitude. Her face was flushed with a mixture of humiliation and relief, her eyes briefly meeting Shawn with unspoken gratitude.

Oliver clicked his tongue in frustration and walked away in a huff, dissatisfied with how the interaction had ended. Meanwhile, Shawn remained where Oliver had stood, his demeanour calm yet authoritative. He signalled for Alex to approach, a gesture that Alex obeyed.

As Alex stood before Shawn, he couldn't shake the feeling of familiarity emanating from the officer. The officer gestured for the soldier to proceed with the scan. The device hummed softly as it passed over Alex, its beams scanning him from head to toe. Then, unexpectedly, in a soft voice that carried a hint of understanding, Shawn whispered, "I'm glad you didn't lose control of yourself, Alex."

Alex was taken aback, his mind racing with questions. "How did you—"

"Done. You may pass," interrupted the soldier in charge of the scanning, stepping back after completing the procedure and gesturing for Alex to move forward through the gate.

Shawn didn't offer an explanation to Alex, instead turning to signal for the next person to come forward. Alex stood there, stunned by Shawn's cryptic words and his uncanny knowledge of his name.

Alex was about to speak up once again, but the soldier who did the scan grew impatient. "Hey, I said you may pass. Move it."

Rattled by the encounter and feeling the urgency of the moment, Alex pushed aside his questions and hurried through the gate. He cast a few backward glances at Shawn, who met his gaze with a knowing look that sent a chill down Alex's spine.

On the other side of the gate, out of sight from the checkpoint, Alex spotted Lydia standing silently, her back turned to him. "Lydia?" he called out softly as he approached her.

Almost immediately, Lydia turned around, her face streaked with tears that glistened in the sunlight. Without a word, she threw herself into Alex's arms, seeking solace and comfort in his embrace.

Alex held her tightly, his own heart aching as he felt her tears dampen his clothes. In that moment of shared vulnerability, words were unnecessary. They clung to each other, finding solace in the warmth and safety of their embrace amidst the lingering echoes of injustice and cruelty they had just faced.