Old Exit Music

## Prologue

It was at this moment that several parallel discoveries were made. Baptiste had discovered Atticus and Marshall, and Fontaine had discovered Wellington. Melissa began to realize how truly fragmented her memories were. Washing out the shock of these several individuals, the Silivan air became damp, the clouds shone a bright gray, and a light rain subsided over the city. Now, it would be cat and mouse. A game of evasion and running.

## Chris and Fontaine

Chris heard the footsteps behind him, and quickly turned around. "Precisely why am I being tailed by you? Are those weapons in your possession?"

The rain falling, Chris started to glitch and quickly ran to the nearest house. Chris rapidly banged on the door, continuously shouting "Let me in!" For a moment, his voice had done something it hadn't before -- if one did not know any better, they'd think he was a regular human.

Back in the city, Fontaine crouched with one knee to the ground, as he stared Chris down. He made a mental note of Chris' new disguise, and fingered the trigger of his pistol. With a quick thought about how his superiors would respond were Chris found destroyed beyond repair, Fontaine fired. The shot narrowly missed before Chris would even have time to relax, however, piercing the thick wooden door.

Fontaine muttered a curse word, beginning to sweat. He could have entirely blown his cover, and then he was sure that Gabriel would have some words for him. No, he simply could not allow Chris any chance at escape.

Startled, Chris ran back into the downpour. He was especially susceptible to rain, considering his status as an older android. Panicking, he decided to consider his past plan. He set his sights on returning to Siliva, and finding a hiding place.Startled, Chris ran back into the downpour. He was especially susceptible to rain, considering his status as an older android. Panicking, he decided to consider his past plan. He set his sights on returning to Siliva, and finding a hiding place.

Fontaine lept onto a dumpster, using it to climb onto the rooftops. Now he had the high ground, and he still had his sights set on Chris. "Damnable rain," he muttered, continuing on.

Finding yet another dumpster, Chris decided to hide in this one for good, hoping it would keep him safe for a while.

Fontaine had used up one of his twelve bullets he had, and figured it wouldn't be that much of an issue to fire a few more. He shot three times into the top of the dumpster that he had seen Chris climb into, easily penetrating the hard lid.

## Atticus and Marshall

Breathing heavily, Atticus continued to push through crowds of people, running down the Silivian streets and looking for any sign of a possible escape route. Behind him, he could hear Marshall running to keep up with his pace and the shouts of various Alchem aggressors, who had surprised the two upon leaving the barbershop.

With rain steadily falling down and a strong crowd of people navigating the streets, he had a hard time scanning the streets for side roads, slipping a few times against the road and almost losing his balance.

Baptiste followed in close pursuit. He was hesitant to chase them down at first, since that was not the purpose of his mission. However, being that these were the very people who where with Chris Wellington, it only made sense that they'd have valuable information to give.

Some guards yelled at the two fleeing boys. "This won't be like last time!" They exclaimed, as the boys took wild paths through people and traffic.

Marshall started to sprint faster than Atticus.

"Run, Atticus! Run like your life depends on it! Stop playing in the mud and catch up!"

Marshall jumped over some railing and down some stairs, hoping to lose Alchem.

Noticing that Marshall had attempted to create a diversion, Baptiste yelled loudly at the crew. "Five! Five of you go, fetch him! We'll stay with this one." Agreeing, five members of the crew split from the main nine, with the intent to prevent Marshall from escaping.

Atticus, hearing the commotion behind him, started to sprint faster after the small disturbance Marshall had caused, stopping upon coming to a cross-road and taking the left path after a small moment of thinking.

Running down it, he pushed people left and right as he ran, looking behind him at times to see if he lost the Alchem guards. After losing sight of them, he quickly ran behind a small bush to hide behind, taking a moment to catch his breath.

"I seem to have lost them," he thought. "But where did they go?"

"Well nice goin' sir, we los' 'em." The crew sent for Atticus decided to stop running, their heads drenched in rain.

Baptiste was panting as the group came to a standstill. "He's by himself, he could not have gotten far."

"Droid is probably long gone by now, ain't he? Son of a...."

"Alright now hang on a second." replied Baptiste. "Look, the thing isn't state of the art corporation technology. He's made of run of the mill, ancient technology. He's malfunctioning from the rain by now, we're good. I am sure the other group has the other kid cornered by now."

Indeed, by now, Marshall was running, the other search party nearing capture.

After hiding behind the bush for a bit longer, Atticus stood up, now soaked from the rain and slightly cold.

Looking around his surroundings, he was confused on where he was as he hadn't paid attention to the area before-hand. It seemed to be a park of some sort, with the entrance leading back out to the city he had come from. Scanning the surrounding areas for the Alchem guards, he slowly crept up to the gate and looked out in the city.

A couple of minutes later, Atticus was running through the city, trying to find the last area he had seen Marshall. Getting a heavy headache due to the cold rain pouring down, Atticus had a hard time navigating the streets. Bumping into people and slipping on the roads, he silently cursed himself in his head.

"How the hell did I even get into this mess?"

Even though he couldn't remember events before the barn, he continued to curse whatever choices he had made leading up to that day as he continued in the rain, finally spotting the railing Marshall had jumped from off in the distance.

## Melissa and Steven

Steven paused for a moment. "That corporation? I've heard that somewhere. I don't know much about them, but they're probably not doing anything good." With a hint of worry in his voice, he asked the girl a question. "What do you mean 'raid'? Hundred men? Fifty?"

"They are marching the streets, Looking for a boy named Chris Wellington. It's crazy out there. Heard they are even chasing down these two boys too. They are shoving people, running through traffic, it's ridiculous. They even took our Internet and phones down for a moment, sir." Beth replied.

Melissa began watching them with a startled look as soon as she heard Alchem's and Chris' name. With Beth's information, she now knew Chris was in the city. She also had hopes of who the two boys were. "Steven, I have to go out there." She said, interrupting his conversation with Beth.

Steven was confused and bewildered. "Go out there? I mean, it's best we stay inside, didn't you just hear about what's going on?"

"Yes, I heard...but those are my friends and if Alchem is after them they might be after me as well, I have to help them." Melissa told her brother before she pushed passed him and started to head out of the lab, Steven and Beth ran after the girl with bewildered looks on their faces.

## Gabriel Alchemilia

Several miles away, in the Alchemilia Corporation headquarters, there existed a mysterious woman in her office. She had just been given a briefing on operations of the corporation in Siliva. She pondered over the information, blue light emanating from her hands as she thought things through. She wondered if the man, Baptiste, sent would be able to get the job done. She wondered if Gabriel would take any more measures, considering the relationship between him and the runaways. Deep in thought, she sunk into her chair.

Deciding it would be best to ask the man himself, the woman departed from her room, with the intent of contacting Alchem's head, Gabriel.

She did not want the fugitives to escape, for that would be a great disgrace to the company. Finding his office, she knocked on the door. "Mr. Alchemilia?"

"Come in." Alchemilia spoke with a soft tone of voice. He sat at his desk with his fingers interlocked and his glasses resting beside him. A few disheveled strands of hair rested in front of his face, and he was leaning forward on his elbows.

She walked in the room quietly. It had a unique "feel" to it -- in some ways, his office was a cold, unwelcome place akin to a doctor's office, but it also felt warm and comforting. In the back of his office, there were two large windows -- the light fog and rain could be barely seen through it. Somewhat, the sounds of vehicles driving on the wet roads could be heard.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Alchemilia." She said, with a light grin on her face.

Gabriel made a light motion towards a chair in front of his desk, adjacent to his own. "I trust you've read the briefing I had sent to you. What is it you need to speak about?"

She sat down. "I've read it thoroughly, yes. I'm here to -- I suppose I have a few concerns. I'll go through them briefly." she explained. "Firstly, that site director, Baptiste -- do you.. do you think he'll be able to find the android? I do not know much about that man, but I have heard he's very hands off. The Silivians, they fear his weapons and status, but not him. Never liked those types. Also, what about the others? The fools that made a mockery of the corporation. The teenagers. Do you have any plans for them? Because you know -- I'm always available to solve any problems you might have."

Gabriel unfolded the arms of his glasses and gently placed them upon the bridge of his nose. "I'm aware of Rousseau's methods, that's why I've sent a solution. It's only a piece of equipment-" His mind wandered to Fontaine. There was no way such a masterful operative would fail, right? "-I don't doubt it will work wonders. The teenagers, I've received a report that they're currently under pursuit. If my idea doesn't work, though- I don't claim to be perfect, -I may have to send you in to clean up the mess."

She nodded at Gabriel's last comment. "Thank you for considering, Mr. Alchemilia. Trust me," A small, bright blue light emanated from her hands. "I can get the job done."

 S2: