Morning duty came earlier than expected.
Curly barely had time to braid her hair when Sara appeared at the door of the slave house.
"You, Angela, Micka, and Sony," she said. "You're going out."
Angela gasped. "Out? Like... outside outside?"
Sara nodded. "Market run. You'll be escorted. Do not wander."
Curly's heart fluttered - fear and excitement tangled together. She hadn't stepped beyond WAN EMPIRE's gates since the day she was brought in.
Sony said nothing, simply tying her hair back with practiced calm.
Micka glanced at Curly and smiled faintly. "First time?"
Curly nodded.
"Then stay close to us," Micka said. "This world isn't kinder than the one inside."
---
OUTSIDE - CITY MARKET
The noise hit Curly first.
People shouting. Laughter. Life.
For a moment, it felt unreal - like the world had kept moving without her.
Angela clutched her arm. "I forgot how loud freedom sounds."
Curly smiled sadly.
As they moved between stalls, Curly felt eyes on her.
Not guards.
Someone else.
"Curly."
Her steps faltered.
She turned.
Michael stood a few feet away, holding a small paper bag, surprise flickering across his face.
"You're okay," he said, relief evident in his voice.
Micka noticed immediately. "You know him?"
Curly hesitated. "Yes."
Michael's gaze shifted briefly to the guards nearby before returning to her. "I've been meaning to ask... are you safe?"
Curly nodded slowly. "As safe as I can be."
He noticed the familiar jacket folded over her arm. "You kept it."
"I wanted to return it," she said softly.
He smiled. "You can keep it. Beaches get cold."
Sony watched the exchange silently, eyes sharp.
"Curly," Sony said suddenly, "we should go."
The tone wasn't rude - it was urgent.
Michael seemed to sense it too. "Be careful," he murmured. "Some places look peaceful... until they aren't."
Curly nodded.
As they walked away, Angela whispered, "He's cute."
Curly sighed. "Angela..."
---
ALLEYWAY - SAME TIME
They were halfway back when it happened.
Gunshots.
People screamed.
The guards reacted instantly, pushing the girls back.
"DOWN!"
Curly's heart pounded as she dropped beside Micka.
Sony grabbed Curly's wrist. "Stay low."
From the corner of her vision, Curly saw men dressed in black moving fast.
Not WAN EMPIRE.
"LOS EMPIRE," one of the guards hissed.
Chaos erupted.
A familiar figure stepped in front of the girls.
Danger.
He moved like instinct itself - blocking bullets, shouting orders.
"Get them out!" he barked.
Storm appeared moments later, eyes blazing.
The clash was swift and brutal.
When it was over, bodies lay still, and sirens wailed in the distance.
Storm turned sharply to the girls. "Why were they here?"
"They followed us," a guard replied.
Storm's gaze lingered on Curly for half a second longer than necessary.
"Back. Now."
---
SLAVE HOUSE - LATER
Angela wouldn't stop shaking.
"I thought we were going to die."
Micka wrapped an arm around her. "But we didn't."
Sony sat on her bed, unusually silent.
Curly noticed her clenched fists.
"You knew something was wrong," Curly said softly.
Sony looked up slowly. "Danger follows patterns. Today, he broke one."
Curly frowned. "What does that mean?"
Sony didn't answer.
---
ELSEWHERE - WAN EMPIRE
Danger stood alone again, blood staining his sleeve.
Storm approached quietly. "You disobeyed orders."
"I protected civilians," Danger replied.
Storm studied him. "You protected her."
Danger didn't deny it.
Storm sighed. "Be careful, Vince."
The name lingered in the air.