T

hunder roared and lightning split the sky across Albiore City. Numerous raindrops drenched the streets with deep puddles and washed away the smog from the unceasing factories. The

cleansing rain was so thick that it was nearly impossible for pedestrians to see farther than three feet ahead. While people sat in their homes, sipping their morning coffee and tea, they listened gloomily to the pitter-patter of the dismal rainfall hammering at their rooftops. Since the sky was blocked out by the clouds, the sun did not rise that day.

As Darek stayed in bed, the mind-numbing racket from the rain annoyed him to no end. He wrapped the pillow around his head to drown out the noise, but it didn’t help much. After much twisting and stirring, he sat up in his bed, lethargic.

The roof was flooded with rain and the water crept its way into his crummy shack, but Darek didn’t care—or rather, he was used to it. It was a normal occurrence. Sighing from his feelings of dreariness, he forced himself to get dressed. He grabbed an old umbrella, wore his usual and only pair of jacket and shorts, and climbed down the side ladder.

It was an ordinary rainy day. The streets were less crowded, but he was sure that the agency would still get a sharp boost in business. The request for local deliveries always skyrocketed when it rained. These jobs in the rain were always terrible. The agency would get ridiculous requests like grocery deliveries or fast food deliveries— mostly low paying and time consuming. The agency prided itself in reliability and low cost. The agency never turned down any job. Their reputation was at stake and the only ones who suffered were the delivery boys.

Darek recalled the worst local job he ever had in the rain: he had to look for a runaway cat. Its owner had been worried sick about it. It wasn’t really a delivery, but they make you do all kinds of stupid stuff. Darek shuddered just thinking about it. He remembered running up and down through the entire city, kicking open foulsmelling trashcans and climbing up trees. All that grueling work had been done in a raging storm. In the end he never found the cat and never got paid for the job. The cat had gone back home by itself.

His flimsy umbrella collapsed and broke apart after getting worn-out from the heavy downpour. After tossing it in the trash, Darek moved to the sidewalk, cautiously staying under the awning of shops to enjoy their small cover. He ignored the sharp glances of people through the shop windows.

When he reached the agency, he saw some police officers by the entrance. They chatted among themselves, cramming bagels and donuts down their throats in a rush. One of them, his mouth open, saw Darek and started jumping up and down, pointing frantically at him. All of a sudden, whistles blared and police started appearing all over the place, exiting the cars and shops nearby.

What is it this time? Darek stood there, his hands raised. The officers drew their pistols and surrounded Darek. They gripped their guns with their fingers almost itching to pull the trigger. They screamed hoarsely, “GET DOWN! GET DOWN! DOWN ON THE FLOOR, NOW!”
“Don’t shoot! I’m unarmed!” he exclaimed.
Darek knelt down, his hands interlocked behind his head, but they still kept the barrel of their pistols locked on him. Even though he didn’t resist, they handcuffed him and shoved him to the ground, roughly pinning him against the wet pavement. Then they patted him down and searched his belongings.
When an officer discovered the daggers, he cried in a panic, “He has a weapon!”
Officer Bellum was there among them. He looked down at Darek in contempt. “I’ll take the weapon,” he told the officer. As Bellum held the daggers in his hand, he lowered his face. “Darek, I would’ve never guessed.” He brought Darek up to his feet and forcefully pushed him toward the police car. “Come on, let’s go.”
“Wait, what did I do?” Darek asked. “What’s going on?”
“Don’t play dumb,” snapped Bellum, pushing him forward.
“No, really—I have no idea what’s happening.” Darek’s face was flushed from the harsh treatment and scornful looks. “Is this because of the daggers? I didn’t steal them! Rodrey gave them to me. Ask him! He’ll tell you everything.”
Bellum took a quick glance around and then whispered into Darek’s ear, “You really don’t know what’s going on?”
Darek shook his head.
Bellum said, “You’re a good kid. How long have we known each other?”
“I came to live here about three years ago.”
“Three years…Time sure goes by fast.” Bellum glanced warily at the nearest officers. “Listen,” Bellum said quickly, “I want you to run as fast as you can into that alley straight ahead. Take cover where you can and stay out of sight. Understand? I’m going to investigate this myself, but until then, I want you to be safe.”
“I can’t run away that easily—they’ll shoot.”
Bellum unlocked the handcuffs, slipped the daggers into Darek’s pouch and said, “Just trust me and go!”
Darek tossed the handcuffs to the concrete floor and took the opportunity to escape. Still wondering why they were eager to catch him in the first place, he dashed toward the alleyway to make his getaway.
All the officers were caught off guard. “He’s headed for the alley!” they yelled. They drew their guns again and, without a second thought, opened fire; but they were only aiming to cripple Darek. Bellum ran behind Darek, intercepting the gunfire. Several bullets punctured Bellum’s leg, but he stood firm, refusing to fall.
Darek rushed into the bustling throng that filled the marketplace. The marketplace was packed with food vendors and various stalls. He squeezed himself through, pushing aside everyone in his way. With great perseverance, he managed to make it through the crowd without any police behind him. But what was he going to do? His first and foremost thought was to head back to the Guridoh Tavern. Even though the cops were sure to investigate it, he was fresh out of ideas. All he could hope for was some advice from his friends. Maybe they would know of a place for him to hide.
Soaked to the bone like a wet dog, he pushed open the door of the tavern to find Locke, the bouncer, standing at the entrance. “Hey Locke, can you move over? I’m kind of in a hurry here.” Darek tried to walk past Locke, but Locke pushed him back.
“Where do you think you’re going?” Locke stared him down.
“Inside, of course.” Darek tried to walk past him again, but Locke clamped down on his shoulder, making him squeal in agony. Then Locke picked him up with both hands and tossed him into the streets. Darek felt the hard asphalt scrape away some flesh. There was a little blood, but it was washed clean by the rain.
Because people were so interested in the sudden burst of violence, a small crowd started to form outside the tavern. Intrigued citizens stopped to watch Darek pick himself up.
“What’s the big idea?” Darek rubbed the throbbing pain in his arm.
“Scram.” Locke crossed his arms. “You’re making it hard on the customers.”
At that moment, Jenson walked out of the tavern; he paid no attention to Darek and pushed his way through the crowd as though in a hurry.
“Jenson,” Darek said, “can you believe it? This guy won’t let me through.” But Jenson ignored him and kept walking. “Hey.” Darek touched Jenson on the shoulder but Jenson brushed his hand off.
“Excuse me,” Jenson said coldly, “I’d appreciate it if you’d just let me be.”
“What are you ignoring me for?” Darek grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and shook him. “It’s me, Darek! What’s wrong with you?”
Jenson shoved him away and said, “Just get out of my sight.”
“Wha-what?” Darek watched Jenson head down the road. “Is this a sick joke?” He looked back to the entrance of the Guridoh to find curious eyes peering through the windows. He turned to the crowd and asked them, “Did I miss something? Why is everyone treating me like a criminal?” The crowd backed away from Darek and scattered.
A broadcast over the large television monitor on a nearby building caught his eye. At first he thought nothing of it, but then he recognized a person on the screen. “Is that a picture of me?” Dumbfounded by his appearance on national television, Darek went closer to listen to the news.
He heard the news anchor say, “And here again we have a photo of the current suspect. The suspect is charged with a series of murders and destruction of property. If anyone has any information regarding this case please contact your local authorities. Do not—I repeat—do not attempt to engage the suspect as he is believed to be armed and dangerous.”
Darek gawked at the screen. “Murder? Me? When did this happen? I’d never—” He was interrupted by a group of police officers that managed to catch up to him.
“There he is! Don’t let him get away!”
Darek ran away. As he searched for crowded places to get lost in, he thought about his next destination. Bellum was injured and Jenson had ignored him. There was only one hope left. Using his extensive knowledge of the city streets, he took a series of shortcuts through buildings, across fountains and under roads. He stayed hidden and unnoticed, only moving about when he knew it was safe. At last, he found himself standing in front of Rodrey’s shop.
As he looked at the shop, Darek’s heart felt burdened. It was possible Rodrey would act the same way Jenson did. Thinking back on it, while he was angry at Jenson’s reaction, he couldn’t blame him either. He’d only end up dragging Jenson down for no reason and there was nothing that Jenson could do to help him.
He turned away from the door of the shop. There was nothing Rodrey could do for him. And after what had happened to Bellum, Darek wouldn’t forgive himself if someone else got hurt because of his problems.
“Darek!” Rodrey opened the door of his shop and shouted, “Get in here!”
Darek couldn’t help but smile. Maybe there was nothing Rodrey could do, but that didn’t change the fact that there was still someone who cared. How could he refuse? He wasted no time and snuck into the shop. Rodrey locked the door and sealed the blinds shut.
He gave Darek a great big hug. “Darek, you’re okay!” Darek felt embarrassed to be hugged in such a manner but let it slide, seeing as Rodrey was so happy to see him. Rodrey handed him a dry towel. “Here, dry up. I heard the news. I’ve been worried ever since.”
“So…you’re not mad?” Darek asked, drying his hair and face in a rush.
Rodrey laughed. “Mad? You think I’d believe the government? I wouldn’t trust those selfish little gimps for a second.” He paused. “Anyway, we’ve got to get you out of here. This place isn’t safe.”
“But where can I go?” Darek wondered out loud, placing the towel on the counter. “It’s almost like there’re people watching every corner of every street.” In anguish, he said, “Maybe I should just…surrender myself. There’s no way I can escape.”
Rodrey looked at him and shook his head, disappointed. “I didn’t think you were the type to give up so easily. It would’ve never crossed my mind.”
Embarrassed, Darek blushed and said, “Apparently, you don’t know me that well.”
Rodrey gave him a pat on the back. “Maybe not. But I know myself. And I went through almost the exact same thing you’re going through…except the—um—the murderer part. I was a delivery boy too, you know!”
“You were?” Darek sounded surprised.
“Yup,” said Rodrey, nodding. “I’ve lived in Albiore all my life! And I know how hard it is. Everyone treats you like dirt. Meals are hard to come by. It’s like no one really cares about you, and some people even hate you! But if there’s something I’ve learned over the years, it’s this: even if everyone hates you and turns their back on you, it doesn’t mean it’s deserved! Just because people treat you like dirt, doesn’t mean you are dirt! And just because people treat you like a criminal, doesn’t mean you are a criminal! Don’t let them get you down! If you give up here, we’ll never know what you might accomplish one day! You might do something incredibly amazing and you might not. But whatever it is you do, that’s something I’d like to see.”
Darek grinned at Rodrey’s encouraging speech. “Thanks. That’s just what I needed.”
Sirens wailed outside. Darek heard the screeches of cars parking outside. Rodney gestured for Darek to be silent and to follow him into the backroom. Once inside, he shut the door behind them and locked it.
Rodney whispered, “We’ll be safe in here.”
“Open up!” The front door shook about violently. Gunshots blew off the locks of the door. With an explosive kick, the door flung wide open, allowing a squad of police to pour into the facility. They quickly scanned the corners left and right, searching for any hostile activity.
“There’s nothing here. Check the backroom.” One of the officers tried to open the door. “It won’t budge. They must’ve locked themselves inside.” Once again, with a few bullets, they shot off the doorknob and tried to kick open the door, but it wouldn’t budge. It was much more secure than the front door.
“I don’t care what it takes,” said the sergeant. “Break it down!”
The officers shot off the hinges of the door and aimed along the side of the door, hoping to knock off a few more of the locks. A group of policemen repeatedly slammed into the door with their shoulders. After much banging, it tumbled over. As the dust cleared from the collapse of the door, they kept careful watch of the backroom. They rushed in, hoping to catch the trapped criminals, but after a brief inspection, they found no one.

Rodrey replied with a wide grin, “Yeah…the sweet smell of freedom.”
“The smell has gotten to your brain,” said Darek, as he sloshed through the grimy sewer waste. “My lungs! I seriously want to puke! It’s a good thing you had that escape route. Why’d you have something like that anyway?” He swung around to find Rodrey catching his breath.
Rodrey said breathlessly, “Sometimes I stumble upon some odd rarity, and when that happens, you never know who’ll come knocking on your door. Better safe than sorry.”
“Sorry about your shop,” Darek said. “It’s all my fault.”
“Don’t worry about it. All that matters is you’re safe and sound.”
“Thanks…I…I can’t take this anymore…” Darek leaned on the wall of the sewer, clapping his hand over his mouth to refrain from vomiting. “Let’s get out of here. Please.”
Rodrey laughed. “All right, I think we’re far enough. I thought you’d already be used to the smell by now. Don’t you sometimes take the sewers on your deliveries?”
Darek frowned. “I don’t think you can get used to this horribleness.”
Darek and Rodrey climbed out of a manhole in the remote part of the city. Darek spun around and flapped his arms wildly, airing out the rotten stench that clung to his skin. Rodrey neatly covered back the manhole.
“Where are we? I don’t recognize this road.” Darek tried to read the street sign, but the wet mud splattered over the rusted letters made it impossible.
“This is the Old Town,” Rodrey explained. “Few people live here. Even though it’s connected to the city, it’s relatively independent. People from the city usually don’t come to this side. There’s really nothing of interest.” He pointed down the road. “There’s a checkpoint this way. If you can sneak past the guards, you’ll make it out easily.”
Darek asked, “Are you coming with me?”
“I’m going to back to the city. While you’re busy escaping, I’ll lead them away. Better to give them the early slip.”
“Will I ever…” Darek’s voice trembled. “Will I ever see you again?”
“Of course,” chuckled Rodrey, “I still need payment for those daggers. I’m not letting you off the hook.” With those final words, he waved goodbye and left him.
The Old Town—as it was called—was like a ghost town. It was the part of the city that had been forgotten when the major industries boomed and the factories took over. At the time of the industrial revolution, the mayor had decided it would be too expensive to demolish the town and rebuild over the land, so they had built the modern city apart from it instead. It remained as timeless as when it was first abandoned. The streets were empty. The windows were cracked. The signs were faded.
Darek whistled a nostalgic tune from his orphanage days as he walked to the checkpoint. He tried to erase every inch of doubt from his mind. But for every glimmer of hope that pervaded his thoughts, he could feel a flood of doubts invade and suppress it. He became engrossed in his thoughts, dwelling on the happy memories of the past and melancholic situation of the present.
Did his life matter? Though he hated this question, it kept popping up in his mind. He was a mere delivery boy, one of many. It was a life-risking job that the world saw as a cheap convenience. Even if they were to lock him up, life would go on without him. But there was more to life than that. All he ever wanted was to break free from everything, to find his purpose and his place in the universe, as small as it might be. He always believed that everything had a purpose. But those ideals were fading quickly.
His preoccupation was cut short by the sight of a lone person at the far end of the road. Could it be a nearby resident taking a stroll around the block, or could it be a cop making a quick sweep of the area? Regardless, there was a possibility of getting recognized.
Darek considered running away, but that would probably draw too much attention. Darek flipped up the collar of his jacket, trying to use it as cover. He figured the best way would be to play it cool. No one would think twice about his identity if he didn’t show too much of his face.
The two of them continued to walk straight along this narrow road. Step by step, Darek paid no attention to the stranger. He kept his eyes on his side of the road. When he hit the point where they were only an arm’s length from each other, he could feel every fiber in his body tensing up. As the gap between them narrowed, his heart beat ever more rapidly. A shudder ran down his back when the person’s shoulder brushed up against his.
Darek held his breath. Why didn’t the man step out of the way? The suspense was eating at him. It was almost as if time was standing still. Then, when he finally passed the man, nothing happened. Realizing he was safe, he took a deep breath to calm his nerves.
“Excuse me.” The man spun around and tapped Darek on the shoulder, startling him.
In an attempt to scare off the man, Darek snapped, “Don’t bother me!”
“I’m lost.” The man pulled out a map. “You see, I want to get to over here, but I’m not even sure where I am right now.”
“No time.” Darek tried to walk away but the man held him at the shoulder.
“Now don’t be so cold,” said the man. “I’m also in a hurry and would really appreciate the help. Just show me where we are and I’ll be on my way.”
“Leave me alone!”
“What’s the big deal? Just show me on the map. I’ll even pay you for your trouble. If you’re in such a hurry, I’ll compensate you for your time.”
Darek gave in to his temper. Curling his lip, he faced the man and shouted, “WHY WON’T YOU LEAVE ME ALONE—”
“Hey,” said the man in a surprised tone, “you’re Darek, aren’t you?”
Darek got a look at a familiar face. “Rex?” Darek was shocked to see him. “What are you doing here? Don’t tell me you came to see me. You didn’t even tell me you were coming!”
Rex laughed. “I didn’t even know you were here! I came here because of my job. Wow…I never thought I’d see you again.” Rex paused. “How about we get a cup of coffee?”
Darek shook his head. “Not right now. Maybe some other time?”
“Another time?” Rex said defiantly. “I haven’t seen you in three years! Surely we can just chat for a few minutes.”
Darek thought about it. He knew he shouldn’t stay any longer, but he couldn’t help but feel a little guilty. Rex was right. It has been a long time. Darek said, “I guess a few minutes wouldn’t hurt—for old time’s sake.”
Rex looked pleased. “There’s a café nearby. It’ll be a good place to catch up on things.”
They found the café a few blocks away. The sign of the store dangled from a nail above. The awning overhead was tattered and ruined. Inside the shop, a young lady sat at the counter, reading a book. Her uncombed, disheveled hair and the thick bags under her eyes made Darek wonder how long she had been sitting there with that book. He couldn’t help but stare at her, but even so, she ignored him and continued reading, chewing her nails in silence.
The two of them walked through the empty café. They briefly examined each table before finding the perfect place to sit. Though it looked like no one had entered the shop for several days, the tables had gooey stains, old half-filled cups, and some nibbled off food particles. None of the tables were clean, so they chose the cleanest table of them all, down in the far right corner.
“I’ll get a napkin,” said Rex. He walked up to the counter and seeing that he could not find any napkins, asked the lady, “May I please have some napkins?”
“Sure, go ahead,” she replied, not even looking up.
“Where are they?”
“Don’t know. Help yourself.”
A little annoyed, Rex cleared his throat. “So are you telling me you don’t have any napkins?” She said nothing in reply.
Darek tapped Rex on the shoulder. “We’re both in a hurry so just forget about it.”
“What about a drink? Don’t you want to get something to drink?” Rex asked him.
“No.” Darek motioned for him to just take a seat. He analyzed the lady’s stoic expression. “I don’t really want to…disturb her.”
“Yes,” said Rex, as he pulled up a chair, “you’re right. Let’s just take a seat and relax.”
“So what are you doing here?” Darek asked, sitting down at the table.
“Listen closely.” Rex’s tone suddenly became more serious. “The truth is that I’m working as a Federation officer.”
Shocked, Darek said, “Federation officer? Wow, you really hit it big. Congratulations!”
“Don’t you understand? I’ve been ordered to arrest you!”
Darek examined him for a moment. “You don’t really believe I’m a criminal, right?”
Rex pursed his lips. “Not to be insulting, but I’m sure you’re as harmless as a mouse.”
“Thanks,” said Darek, feeling slightly offended. “And why are you telling me this?”
“Because you’re in trouble. All the exits are blocked and hundreds of Federation soldiers have been sent to scour the city. Barring miracles, it’ll be impossible for you to escape.”
“Why would the Federation go through so much trouble?”
“They want to apprehend you at all costs. But I’ve got a plan. Everything will work out.”
“Rex,” said Darek, smiling, “I’m surprised. You’ve really changed. Never thought I’d have to depend on you, but I’m thankful you’re here.”
“Don’t mention it.” Rex leaned back on his seat. “It’s destiny after all. Think about it. Out of all the Federation officers, I’m the one who was chosen to lead this operation to catch you. And while I’m lost in this city, I’m the one who manages to find you all alone where we can talk in private. This must be destiny. I’m sure of it.”
“What do you have in mind?”
Rex leaned forward, avoiding contact with the sticky table. “The plan itself is simple. I’ll take you back to the spaceport. I have my own personal ship there.” He pulled out some handcuffs. “If you wear these, it’ll be no problem. No one will think otherwise.”
Darek eyed the handcuffs. Already, he had felt the cold metal against his wrists and had no intentions of willingly doing so again. “I don’t know about this.”
“It’s the only way,” Rex assured him. “You have to understand, these chains will only be temporary. Once we’re on the ship, I’ll remove it. Then I’ll take you someplace safe.”
“Okay,” said Darek. He looked Rex in the eye and could see his sincerity. “I understand. What kind of friend would I be if I didn’t trust you?”

The cylindrical spaceport was a famous landmark of Albiore City. It was a locale that was hard to miss; it could even be seen from the outskirts of town. Most of the city was built out of bricks and mortar, but the spaceport was fully constructed of steel and reinforced with pliable Alutanium. The port was a gift of the Federation in order to begin interplanetary trade with their developing planet. The glaring reflection of the metal showed the path to the port in the daylight, and bright beacons on the roof led the way at night.

While the port was as busy as ever, it was no longer the civilian transports that went to and fro. Armed soldiers had secured the area and restricted access from civilians; only military ships were allowed to dock. Merchants were unable to land and all flights off the planet were postponed indefinitely. Hundreds of outraged citizens lined up outside the door complaining to the guards about their rights, but the guards responded by pushing them back, threatening to use force if they did not calm down.

The guards recognized Rex and saluted him. When a guard saw Darek behind him, he said to Rex with a smile, “Good work, Lieutenant. Your ship is ready and waiting. I heard the local police force had some trouble catching him this morning, but I guess it’s a simple job for someone like you.”

One of the guards laughed. “Share some of that luck with us too!”
They opened the doors to the spaceport and urgently pushed Rex and Darek inside. Then they slammed the doors behind them and braced themselves as the crowd desperately tried to rush in. Once inside the lobby, Darek kept his head down to avoid eye contact with the soldiers that they passed by. He felt intimidated by the glares and angry stares. But when they walked into the circle of gates, he lifted his head up to get a view of the area.
The circle of gates was the heart of the spaceport. It was simply a large circular corridor with many numbered doors that line the walls. Each door led to armored compartments on different floors where they housed the spaceships. The walls stretched up hundreds of feet high, which was tall enough for most of the transports that docked there. The sky could be seen through the glass ceiling above them, but because the hallway was so wide and tall, the light that came from those windows was not enough to brighten the place. Small light bulbs were placed along the walls so that people could at least have an idea of where they walked.
The two of them took Gate 46 to where Rex’s private shuttle was located. The shuttle looked much better than Darek had anticipated. He had been riding in rusty, broken-down transports for the past three years and never expected to ever ride in something that looked remotely new. Stylish streaks of green paint wrapped around the hull. Along the top of the frame were small stubs of retractable wings on the side and a sail-fin at the zenith. The overall shape was a bit like the head of a snake, the front narrowed in slightly while the back was wider and rounded out. It appeared small and compact on the outside, but the inside felt much more spacious, leaving plenty of legroom and walking space. The ship had four seats: one for the pilot, one for the copilot and two backseats for passengers.
Everything is going smoothly, maybe a little too smoothly, thought Darek as he sat in the backseat, admiring the aesthetics of the interior. Easing into the chair, he felt the soft cushion mold to fit the contour of his body.
“This is a nice ride,” Darek blurted out to break the prolonged silence. “Must be nice to cruise around space with something like this.”
Rex collapsed into the pilot’s chair and began initiating the startup sequence. “It is nice. But I don’t use it much. It’s only useful for missions such as this one.”
Darek wondered if Rex had forgotten about the handcuffs. He looked at the back of Rex’s chair and saw that he was busy operating the ship. Darek rattled the chains to catch Rex’s attention. Rex paid no mind; he continued to focus on the controls.
Then Darek said, “Hey, Rex.” He didn’t want to be distracting, but still, he couldn’t wait to have his hands free. “Do you mind taking these off?”
Rex glanced back. “Sorry about that. But the ride isn’t too long. I’ll take it off later.”
“How cruel.” A female voice came from behind. “Giving him hope at a time like this?”
The sudden appearance of the young woman startled