Rubin fidgeted, his lips instinctively curved in a sheepish smile while he stole glances at Laura whose eyes were darted and slightly biting on her lips– lost for words.
"What were you thinking?" She mumbled in a near whisper as if Mya could hear her; Rubin gesticulated with creased brow.
Mya gazed at him, edge on with a raised eyebrow.
"What are you doing?" She queried, sounding a bit skeptical.
Rubin muttered as if to say something but nothing came in mind. "Um–" He fumbled while his mind haunted for an escape. Just then, Laura noticed Alixies in the distance; heading towards the Canteen.
"Alixies!" She shouted which instinctively drew Rubin's attention to her direction.
"Excuse me, I've got to go" He hastily uttered, dragging Laura along; which in Mya's eyes was just an air. She stared at his back in outer surprise; her jaw slightly dropped.
"What's with him?" She thought. "So strange " She eluded with a shrug and trod off her path again.
"I guess everyone got their own issues" Her voice echoed.
**************
Alixies hastily shuffled through the corridors towards the Canteen. A sudden flash of Rubin instinctively got her attention. She paused in her steps as her gaze swiftly travelled after him.
"What's with him?" She stuttered; her brow furrowed with narrow eyes while she tilted her head with a click of the tongue. "Or someone is after him?" She thought, her fixed gaze traced back to where he erupted from but found no one.
" This is strange" She mumbled. "Why is he running then?– That's a prohibited place he's headed to. He's surely gonna be in trouble " Just then, a thought clicked in. "Oh, or maybe he found a clue to Laura's case?" She blinked with a skeptical gaze. "Got to find out"
Without further thoughts or hesitation, she hastened off after him.
Laura and Rubin, swiftly rounded the corridor towards the theatre hall which had been out of use after Laura's incident. Just then, she howled, snatching her hand from his.
"Ouch, let go off me– it's hurt!" Her darting eyes fixed on his worn, pale face.
"Oh, does it?– Huh!" He shouted with a frown which made her flinch; Her wide eyes stared without a blink. She couldn't lay fingers on the reason behind his absurd attitude, no matter how hard her subconscious mind guessed.
" I was worried sick over here and you were just having fun out there!– Right?" He added which made Laura gasp with a scoff.
"Does being in a state like this look fun to you?– Huh?" She stuttered, her gaze was blank and tears welled up in her eyes. "Is not like I'm human?– I'm just a raged and wounded ghost who passes by like the wind along with the shadow of the sunset" She cried. "How can I stay put when those bastards who changed my destiny, haunt after my sister!– Tell me"
Her voice trembled with sobs which made Rubin's face flash with guilt.
"In this very hall, I watched my breath fade before my eyes– My life ruthlessly taken away yet denied justice. How can I allow my sister risk her life for me, Rubin?; How?"
She screamed amidst tears, her anguish suddenly caused the lights to blink on and off. The things in the room floated in the hair. Rubin fidgeted.
"Calm down, Laura, please" He called. Just then, Alixies walked in but instinctively paused in her steps. She gasped with wide eyes and hunched shoulders. Her legs felt numb– she screamed which drew their attention.
"Alixies?" Laura cried and everything suddenly came back to normalization as she sobbed down. Rubin swiftly glanced at her and back at Alixies with darting eyes.
"Are you okay, Alixies?" He asked with a step towards her but she sharply halted him halfway.
"No, don't come any further, Rubin – Just stay where you are" She stuttered. " What's going on over here–Who were you talking to this time around?" She trembled, her eyes flashed through the hall; her frightened– curiosity, evident on her pale face.
Without a word, Rubin instinctively glanced at Laura who stared back at him. He nodded and she slightly tilted her head, taking his hand in the process.
"Is me, Alixies " Laura replied. With Rubin's hand, Alixies could directly see her with her bare eyes without being told.
" Oh, Laura–" She sniffed with a smile, almost in tears as she neared them. " Thought you left without a goodbye, again" She cried.
"How can I, Alixi ?" She smiled.
Desmond stared at them with a smile. Suddenly a thoughtful gaze replaced those smiles. His subconscious mind, settled on Laura's claims.
"So tell us, Laura–" He furrowed. "What's going?" He asked which made Alixies stare with mimic body language.
" I don't know what Mya is up to but I found out she got something about my attack – And now, those bastards are after her." She answered, her chin, slightly tucked. Alixies gasped with wide eyes and her hands over her mouth.
"What do we do now, Laura?– I know they'll never stop until she's also out of the picture." She stated.
"I know, dear and I can not allow that to happen. Can't watch her risk her life for me"
"So what do you suggest?" Rubin swiftly interrupted.
" Let's keep them under close monitor, henceforth " She respectively glanced at their expectant gazes which was all along, fixed on her. " We must find out what their plan is and the person covering their deeds" She stated and they bobbed their heads in agreement.
"They must not go scot free, this time around" She added with firm and precised movement; her headed lifted and her lips pressed with a slight frown.
*************
Mya briskly shuffled her way through to the control room. She instinctively paused with her darted eyes fixed on the door. She took in a deep breath and sighed, looking a bit nervous. "Let's go for it, Mya."
She rubbed her hands together and slowly turned the knob open with her eyes, lurking through the room.