LOG:// 70 ACD-6-30 the Deserts

  “Extraordinary. It’s probable that it could happen today and succeed. They’ve confirmed. He has arrived with a bag. It looks like he will stay for the night. They might try it tonight,” Amber said.

  “My best student deserves to be disciplined. For what he did to me and for what he does in his life. I evaluate his actions constantly. Am I peeking? Am I currently an uncultured voyeur? Always hidden, as I am concealing energy and my new face, trying not to be recognized. How wonderful. Like my dead Young Master, I peep at a man.”

  Amber shook his head. “Dare I say. The more I observe his husband, the more admiration I feel. He must have inhuman stamina or be full of love to endure my student’s libido.”

  “Who would have thought? If he were alive, Young Mr. Clar would be over the moon, knowing how durable his crush was. More. If he could see what I sometimes observed…”

  “As far as I remember, he liked to watch. He had a full collection of photos and videos, forming a considerable archive. Smart people collect knowledge, sentimental mementos, or anything of value. Young Master collected photos and recordings with one man in the main role. Everything was from hiding; those were not even professional materials. He gathered it all without consent, despite being rejected. No elegance in it.”

  “Oh. Song? He has transported here. Why? He must disappear; otherwise, they will postpone the action for another occasion. What is he even doing here? Oh, he clearly has a hair fetish; I noticed it back then. How common. Time to disappear.”

  Amber started to transport himself but suddenly stopped. “Wait. Laurel?”

  …

  “Why didn’t Rowan come with you?” Song asked.

  “She had to stay with Wan. It is not a problem; I will do myself what we had planned, it will take me longer. Can you transport me back not early in the morning but later, at around 2 p.m. tomorrow? O? Why disappointed?” Taj asked.

  Song was indeed disappointed. He had some ideas for the next day. However, Taj would be working.

  Hell, Taj could find more time for him. Song thought this every time his plans with Taj were disrupted, whether by external factors or by Taj himself.

  Plans were plans. Song liked order.

  “It is only a few hours later; whatever you had in mind can be done then, no?” Taj laughed.

  Song reached for him as if to pat his head, but instead, he took off his hair tie, letting Taj’s hair fall loose.

  “No, Song, it is not the best moment—” Taj didn’t finish the sentence.

  Song noticed the energy. He knew who it was.

  Without a word, he disappeared.

  Log:// 70 ACD-6-30 the City

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  Amber transported. There was something wrong with the process; something was holding him back. He landed in his safe room; despite this unexpected factor, it worked.

  “Did Song sense me? Even if he did, I am behind the barrier now. But Laurel? How? Impossible. If, however, it would be the cruelest joke of fate. Laurel, stealing someone important from me for the second time.”

  “Is it him? He looks exactly like Laurel when he had his hair loose. I am too familiar with how he looked. My friend—traitor! The worst betrayer in my life. He had stolen from me. If it hadn’t been for him, she would have chosen me.”

  “How is this resemblance possible?”

  Amber looked around. He felt as if something was still on him, attached to him; he couldn’t locate it. Should he be worried?

  “My best student, did he invent something new? Perhaps it wouldn’t be the worst idea to catch his attention and lure him out of the place. If they could make it tonight, oh, then Song would cry.”

  “His punishment is not optional. I need to discipline him for how he destroyed my energy level. My student, naughty, very naughty. He must be bursting with energy. But my punishment for him is not related to energy. I do not begrudge him about it; I let him have it. Let him have it, and let him see that even with it, and even with his Army, he will not be able to protect his loved one.”

  “Love. What is it?”

  “Song. This will teach him. An attachment is not allowed. He can only have sentiments toward his old teacher; everything else is worth a laugh. Only betrayal awaits, and disappointment. I told him that years ago, but he must have forgotten that lesson.”

  “It will show him how difficult it is to make choices. He is always so direct and honest. The intricacies of the gray scale of decisions are not his strength. There will be a lot of politics involved if it happens as I planned it. What will Song choose? I bet he will hesitate, and that will be enough.”

  “The way this experiment is planned, his husband has no chance. Even if Song gets him out of there, with what I saw they were planning to do with his energy, the death is inevitable.”

  “I didn’t tell them that. These labs are so na?ve; they know nothing. Daydreams and fantasies. Pathetic. However, the enemy of my enemy, and so on.”

  “Oh, Song, very soon you will cry for your husband.”

  “… Laurel.”

  Amber felt stirred. Long-buried memories started to surface.

  “If he were Laurel’s son, her son, I would at the same time feel miserable and overjoyed. To see Laurel’s face again—I want to kill him. I could kill him many times and have no regrets.”

  “My An, she fought with me. I dreamed she would come to me, be back, and talk to me again. Nonsensical. I was delusional. She was trying to bring Laurel back to life; she didn’t care about me.”

  “If he is Laurel’s son, he needs to die even more. I need to kill him to get rid of this face, to wipe it from existence forever. I wish now I paid more attention to Song’s husband and discovered his past more carefully. It could be; he could be Laurel’s son.”

  “Regardless. The reasons for my revenge were different. Song had no attachment; he was free from emotions. Song should be empty. He rejected me; he should love no one. It is not permissible to harbor feelings.”

  Amber stopped his heated internal monologue; he had to calm down.

  Then he noticed that the barrier vibrated.

  “What a fuss. Another reminder that emotions are dangerous. I was too immersed in my memories, and I almost omitted something happening.”

  Amber stood up. He checked for the cause of the trembles. It stopped—he relaxed. And then he felt transportation. Someone transported directly into his safe room, ignoring the barrier. Amber managed to briefly notice Song’s face near him before being knocked unconscious.

  LOG:// 70 ACD-6-30 MESSAGES

  [11.42 p.m. ‘Work, cannot come back, very sorry transported’]

  R: [11.48 p.m. ‘Sure, if you cannot come for me tomorrow as we talked just say, I will ask Wei. Or I will wait? All good. I have work to do. Be careful, promise’]

  R: [11.49 p.m. ‘It can take long, ask wei, very sorry, will be, go sleep taj’]

  R: [11.52 p.m. ‘Soon, I want to finish something. Be safe’]

  R: [11:52 p.m. ‘Will’]

  …

  [11:54 p.m. ‘Amber kept in room8, I interrogate, give me time to have 2an confession, tell lan, taj in camp2, will ask to bring him back tomorrow, confirm’]

  R: [11.54 p.m. ‘Noted. Lan informed. Possible. Good luck, finally’]