12:45 AM — Ascension Gala, Cargo Hold — Shirley's POV
The cargo hold had gone quiet again.
Not because the prisoners had lost hope, because they were listening.
Thousands of eyes remained fixed on the only three people standing outside the cages.
Waiting.
Michonne slowly walked along the nearest row of cells, her hand resting lightly on the hilt of her katana. She wasn't looking at the prisoners anymore.
She was studying the room. The ceiling, walls, every vent, beam, and door.
Shirley finally broke the silence, "So…"
Michonne didn't look back, "So?"
"…You said you had a plan."
"I said I was making one."
"…Oh. Wait… no you didn't—"
She crouched beside one of the steel walls, running her fingers across several thick bolts before standing again, "No windows."
She looked upward, "No emergency hatches."
Then toward the enormous cargo door stretching across one side of the chamber, "…One loading door, one ramp."
Shirley followed her gaze, "So we just open that?"
Michonne immediately shook her head, "If it were that simple, we'd already be dead."
Shirley frowned, "…Why?"
EBS answered before Michonne could, "Because… we're flying."
Both of them looked at her.
"If you open the cargo door while we're this high up…"
She hesitated.
"…Wouldn't the pressure inside the plane disappear?"
Michonne nodded once, "The cabin would decompress."
Shirley's eyes widened, "…Meaning?"
"The people in this room would be the least of our problems." She glanced around the hold, "Everyone on this aircraft could die."
Even several nearby prisoners stopped whispering. "You're smarter than somebody like you should be," Michonne pointed out.
EBS responded with an awkward grin.
Shirley slowly looked back at the massive door, "So…" He scratched his head, "…How did they get everyone in here?"
That question lingered. Michonne's expression changed, "…Exactly."
EBS frowned, "The passengers were drugged after takeoff."
"They couldn't have opened that door in the air."
"And even if they somehow did…" she looked around at the endless rows of cages.
"…they would've had to move thousands of unconscious people."
Shirley blinked, "…Which would've taken forever."
Michonne nodded, "And someone would've noticed."
The three fell silent. None of it made sense.
Not yet.
Finally, Michonne spoke again, "We're missing something."
"What?" Shirley asked.
"I don't know."
She looked toward the ceiling, "But this operation is too organized."
Her eyes swept across the rows of cages, "They've done this before."
Shirley slowly turned toward the prisoners, "…Meaning they already know how to move thousands of people without anyone realizing it."
"Exactly."
EBS let out a quiet breath, "…I don't like that sentence."
Michonne finally turned back toward them, "So."
She pointed toward the far end of the cargo hold.
"Before we think about escaping…"
"We need answers."
"Three things."
She held up one finger, "First, we locate every exit from this cargo hold."
A second finger, "We figure out how they're transporting prisoners."
Then a third, "And we find out where the guards are entering from."
Shirley nodded immediately, "…That sounds doable."
"It won't be."
Michonne's voice remained calm, "But it's the only place to start."
The three exchanged one final glance.
Then, without another word…
They stepped deeper into the endless cargo hold.
As thousands of prisoners silently watched the only people who still had the ability to walk free.
12:49 AM — Ascension Gala, First Floor: Entertainment District
The woman sat alone.
The music still played. The laughter still echoed. But none of it reached her.
She pressed both hands tightly against her ears as another heavy impact rolled through the plane.
The glass beneath her drink rippled.
"…It's so loud," she whispered.
Another impact.
Her untouched glass of alcohol trembled across the table.
Beside it sat an unopened bottle of vodka.
Her eyes drifted between the two. For several seconds she hesitated.
Then, without another thought, she snatched up the bottle and drank straight from it.
One gulp. Then one after the other.
The liquid disappeared rapidly until barely a quarter remained.
She lowered the bottle.
And immediately, she gagged.
"Cgh…"
Her breathing became uneven.
One hand gripped the edge of the table while the other buried itself in her hair, fingers digging into her scalp.
"…Damn it…"
She paced in small circles, "No…"
Another step, "No…"
Her breathing quickened, "…Please…"
Then it happened. A wave of dark gray Absolute Presence erupted from her body.
The pressure spread across the Entertainment District like a pulse.
Bottles rattled. Tables vibrated. Even the unconscious passengers nearest to her twitched beneath the invisible weight.
Her eyes widened in horror, "…Not now."
She clutched her head. A sharp pain shot through her skull, she staggered backward.
"No… no…!"
The pressure intensified.
Without warning, a dull gray ring bloomed beneath several unconscious passengers.
It expanded silently across the floor.
One by one… The bodies began sinking.
As though the floor itself had become liquid.
Within moments they disappeared completely.
The gray ring contracted, then vanished. As if nothing had ever been there.
The woman collapsed to one knee, sweat dripping from her face onto the polished floor.
Her entire body trembled.
She stared at the empty space where the passengers had been only seconds earlier, "…I lost control again."
Her voice barely escaped her lips.
Somewhere above… Another impact shook the plane.
She closed her eyes.
"…Diamond…"
A tear slipped down her cheek.
"Please… finish this quickly."
12:50 AM — Ascension Gala, Second Floor: Sovereign District — August's Office
Neither of them had gained an inch.
Diamond attacked. August dodged. Again, and again, and again.
The office had become unrecognizable. Walls were shattered. Marble flooring had collapsed beneath Diamond's strikes. Furniture lay in splinters across the room.
August's suit had accumulated scratches and tears. Thin cuts marked his arms and cheek where Diamond's attacks had barely grazed him.
Diamond, however, was nearly untouched.
Only…
She was breathing harder.
"You know," August said while adjusting his torn cuff, "when we reached our little agreement earlier, I assumed you'd leave."
Diamond scoffed, "You mean your pathetic deal? Spare my arm if I spare your life?"
She smiled coldly, "I knew you'd betray it."
August chuckled, "I still could."
His golden revolver spun effortlessly around one finger before disappearing back into his hand.
"But that's not what interests me."
He reached into his coat. Instead of another weapon… He produced a single playing card. A diamond. Marked with the number 1.
Diamond's pupils shrank, "…D1."
August smiled, "So that's what she was called."
He examined the card as if it were an old photograph.
"I've heard fascinating things about your fleet." He looked back up, "They say you're remarkably kind."
Diamond remained silent.
"But one thing always confused me." He tilted his head, "Why are you the commander…"
"…when D1 was so much better than you?"
Silence.
"I've read the reports."
"You destroy."
"She protected."
"You break."
"She led."
August's smile widened ever so slightly, "Tell me… Did that ever bother you?"
Diamond's fists tightened, "…Shut up."
"You know what's funny?" August began pacing through the ruined office.
"People think power is enough."
He laughed quietly.
"It isn't."
"In a world full of idiots…"
"…there are always a handful who simply aren't."
He looked directly at Diamond.
"You."
"Me."
"The Order of Assassination."
"King and Queen."
"The truly exceptional."
His voice remained calm, "They spend their entire lives pretending we're monsters. That we are so different."
"But history has never been shaped by the ordinary."
He slowly spread his arms, "It has always belonged to those willing to do what others cannot."
Diamond frowned, "What are you talking about?"
"I'm talking about evolution."
August's smile disappeared completely.
"The kingdoms cling to laws."
"They cling to morality."
"They cling to equality."
"As though every human was born the same."
He shook his head, "They weren't."
His eyes sharpened, "Some people exist to rule."
"Others exist to be ruled."
"The kingdoms refuse to accept that."
"So…"
"I'll build a world that does."
Diamond stared at him, "…You're insane."
"No."
August smiled again, "I'm honest."
"We're different, Diamond."
"We were never meant to live beside everyone else."
"We were meant to stand above them."
His voice softened, "You know that."
For the first time since the fight began…Diamond hesitated.
Her guard lowered, only slightly. But it was enough. A presence appeared behind her. Arms locked around her shoulders.
A Smiley.
Diamond's eyes widened. "Wha—"
The golden revolver fired. The bullet tore into her abdomen. Blood sprayed across the broken marble.
The Smiley released her immediately.
Diamond stumbled backward before collapsing onto one knee.
Her breathing caught in her throat.
Warm blood poured through her fingers as she instinctively grabbed the wound.
August calmly lowered the revolver.
"I told you."
He walked past her.
His footsteps echoed through the ruined office.
"If you're trying to stop my perfect world…"
He leaned close enough for only her to hear.
"…then perhaps…"
"…you simply aren't perfect."
12:59 AM — Ascension Gala, Third Floor — Shirley's POV
Now they needed answers.
The three walked deeper into the cargo hold, their footsteps echoing between endless rows of cages.
No one begged anymore.
Most of the prisoners simply watched them pass.
Some with hope.
Some with hollow eyes.
Shirley tried not to meet their gazes.
"…This place just keeps going," EBS muttered.
"It wasn't built for people," Michonne replied quietly. "It was built to store them."
The words lingered.
As they continued, Shirley noticed something.
"…Wait."
He slowed.
Near the front of one of the cells, a man lay motionless on the floor.
He wasn't chained any differently than the others.
But… Something about him looked familiar.
Shirley stepped closer.
The man wore an expensive white suit.
His bow tie had come loose. A gold watch still clung to his wrist.
One polished dress shoe had fallen off.
EBS frowned, "…Do you know him?"
Shirley stared, "…I don't…"
His eyes narrowed, "…But I've seen him."
Michonne looked over, "Where?"
Shirley pointed through the bars, "…Downstairs.. or upstairs."
Silence.
EBS looked again. The man's suit was stained with dried vomit.
One of his hands still loosely held a crystal wine glass.
It had somehow survived without shattering.
"…No…" EBS whispered.
Shirley slowly looked around. Now that he was paying attention…
Another woman wore a sparkling evening gown.
A man farther down still had casino chips scattered beside him.
The metal around their wrists still gleamed, as though it had only just been locked into place.
The three exchanged a glance.
Nobody said a word.
Nobody needed to.
Far above them…
The music was still playing.