Adrian sighed and shook his head. “Monica has nothing to do with this.” Mira wasn’t convinced, but he didn’t change his answer. “Oh, come on, Blackwood. Is this how stupid I look to you?” She let out a dry laugh. “You know I can mind control you to tell me the truth, right?” He looked at her for a moment before letting out a tired sigh, knowing she would do it if she could. “Won’t work.” He pointed at himself. “Infused, remember?” Mira rolled her eyes. She knew he was right, but that didn’t make his answer any less annoying. She picked up her watch and slipped it back onto her wrist. “Let’s just go.” Adrian followed her, saying nothing. They walked toward the end of the quiet road. For a while, neither of them spoke. Mira kept her eyes ahead while he stayed a few steps behind her. Knowing that saying nothing would only drag out the situation, he finally spoke. “I didn’t know what to do, so I acted like everything was normal between us.” Mira stopped and turned around half way

“All done.” Michael said as he closed the medical kit and set it aside. He had just finished treating Celia’s wounds. He looked over the work he had done one last time before getting up from the coffee table, “You should get some rest.” He sat across from her and gave her a reassuring smile, “You’re safe here.” Celia leaned back and rested against the couch, but she didn’t look ready to sleep. “Later. I want to know what happened to you during these past five months you were on Fog Island.” Her eyes stayed on him, waiting for an answer. Michael knew there was no way around the question, so he let out a quiet breath and tried to explain everything without making it sound worse than it already was. “Hah… What didn’t happen? From fighting rabid Infused soldiers daily, to finding out the island was fake and was sinking, to trying to keep it afloat by recharging it…” He paused briefly before continuing, “Lost both my arms in the process. I was out cold for about a week, haha.” He trie

The outskirts of the city of Terra had changed over the past year. What was once a ragged and rocky area was now well constructed. Buildings and reinforced structures had been added along the route, making the area look completely different from what it used to be. The path that went through the outskirts was now wider and well constructed, allowing people to travel through the area more easily. The high rocky terrains that were once filled with sniper soldiers were no longer there, most of those natural hiding spots had either been removed or changed as the city continued to develop. It was clear that Terra had put a lot of effort into making the outskirts safer and more accessible, but Mira didn’t seem impressed by the changes. She stood near the path, looking over the area with her arms folded. She took in the new structures and the cleaner roads before letting out a quiet sigh, “They’ve gone soft.” Her tone was blunt, almost disappointed. Jace approached her from behind and

Michael straightened his tie in front of the mirror and sighed. He took a step back to observe his reflection. His hair was styled neatly, and the suit fit him perfectly. He was wearing the same watch Gerald had given him during his welcome ceremony over two years ago. On the side of his suit was the Scofield family symbol, neatly pinned in place. He looked at himself one more time before adjusting his tie slightly. Just then, a knock came from outside the door. Before Michael could answer, the door opened and Celia stepped in. She wore a sleek black straight dress with a slit running along one side that gave it a classy but bold look. Her dark hair had been styled beautifully, falling neatly around her shoulders. She looked elegant without trying too hard, and for a moment, Michael simply stared at her. He blinked and finally smiled, “Celia? You came…” “Yes, I did.” She closed the door behind her and smiled. “I didn’t want you to miss me too much.” Michael chuckled softly, “Yo

Cristy's eyes shimmered when she saw Mira, and she immediately held out both her arms. “Mira, my child...” Mira blinked when her mother pulled her into a hug. She clearly didn't know how to react at first. Slowly, she raised both her hands and hugged back. The hug deepened as Cristy held onto her daughter, and Mira gradually relaxed in her mother's arms. Everyone around them seemed to let out a breath they didn't even realize they had been holding. Even some of the elders remained silent, watching the mother and daughter share a moment they had probably been waiting for. Celia turned to Michael and leaned closer, speaking quietly so she wouldn't interrupt them. “I'm going to Barry now. See you around.” Michael nodded, “Alright. Thanks for earlier.” She gave him a small smile before walking away toward Barry. Meanwhile, the hug between Cristy and Mira finally broke. Cristy still had a smile on her face as she looked at her daughter. “It's so good to see you again. You look beaut