Awakening

Duke jumped into the pit, landing with a soft thud beside Dominique. "It worked, he's inside and not coming out. It appears he's recovered its voice," Duke said, relief washing over his face.

Dominique, still weak and battered, managed a faint smile. He raised his hands, and with a shaky gesture, gave Duke a thumbs up. But the effort was too much, and his hands slumped back down, limp and weak.

"Dominique, can you walk?" Duke asked, concern etched on his face.

Dominique grunted in pain, his eyes clenched shut.

"There's something you need to see," Duke said again.

"No, there's nothing to see," Dominique replied. "We've completed the mission. We can head back now."

But Duke insisted with urgency. "No, Dominique, you need to see this."

Just as Duke was about to brief Dominique, the latter threw a small white pill on the ground. It quickly morphed into a vibrant red portal, pulsing with energy.

Before Duke could react, the portal expanded, engulfing both of them. They were sucked in, disappearing from the alien landscape in an instant.

As they emerged from the portal, Duke and Dominique found themselves in a sleek, metallic chamber. Different from the room, Duke was previously trapped in.

Dominique grunted still very much in pain as he stood up. But on doing so, he halted and looked at something behind Duke in a startled manner.

"Please tell me the creature did not follow us back here." Duke mumbled, loud enough for Dominique to hear.

"No, but there are intruders in my chamber," Dominique responded with an angry tone.

"Duke!" A familiar voice called out, and Duke's eyes widened in recognition.

"Nadia? What are you doing here?"

"I am wondering the same thing," Dominique interjected. "how did you get in… where are my men?"

"Oh, they won't be coming to your rescue anytime soon," Ryker spoke, as he entered the scene from the shadows.

"Let's get out of here." Nadia said and started to make her way out, but Duke halted her with his voice.

"Did you get Mahalia?"

"Mahalia?" Nadia asked as she turned back to face Duke.

"Yes, she's here. But unfortunately, I don't know where she is currently, I thought I would get my hands on her before you lot showed up."

Dominique glared at Duke accusingly, pointing his finger in Duke's face. He opened his mouth to say something, but no word came out.

"So she's here?" Nadia asked, sounding hopeful.

"Yes," Duke affirmed. Duke's gaze shifted to Dominique. "Where is she? I've helped you with the task. Now you hand her over to me as promised."

"I wasn't going to hand her over to you, to take away. It's to have f-" Dominique stopped mid-sentence and started making gestures so Duke could understand. When Duke said nothing, Dominique stopped trying and continued.

"And we are not done yet. There are more tasks I need your help with. That's your way of paying me back for taking what's mine remember? I need to get to the final level."

"About that, there is something you need to know, Dominique. There is no paradise lurking once you complete the Tiers you are tasked with." Duke replied.

Dominique looked at Duke as if he had grown another head. "How do you know that?"

"Because the government is using you. All of you!" Duke said, his gaze sweeping across Nadia and Ryker, who wore identical expressions of shock.

Ryker takes a step closer to the trio. "Duke, we don't have time for that. Show some gratitude for us risking our lives to come to save you and comply."

"We still need to get Mahalia and he's going to tell us where she is," Duke responded, his eyes locked on Dominique.

"Or we could just torture him until he spills. And you're good at that field so get it over with."

Duke tried not to heed Ryker's taunts. His gaze landed back on Dominique and he continued. "The government has nothing in store for you lot, running around with the System chip etched on your back. Except for the little powers you get when you take down other creatures. And the powers don't come to you immediately, do they?"

"That's- how it works." Dominique stuttered unsure of his own words.

"No, that's not how it works," Duke said firmly. " I know that because I have a system of my own, that gives me liberty and gives me what I deserve after every order it asks me to do. The government is using you to capture creatures that think and talk in their own way just like you do. For their own selfish gain, Don't you see the problem?"

"All I see is you trying any means necessary to make me hand the girl over to you, Duke, and I'm not buying it." Dominique retorted

"I will find her with or without your help, Dominique. I'm telling you this because I want you to be consciously aware of what you are doing. To know, you are a puppet under the government's aims, and that makes you part of the government."

Duke drew closer to Dominique, towering over him. "I want you to know this because when I receive a special order, tasked with taking down allies of the government. I never ever reject it."