This was a bad idea. I anxiously tugged at the sleeve of my black shirt as I followed Suzuka and Beck to the back entrance of the hospital. A shiver shook my body and I rubbed my arms. I should have brought a jacket with me.

“No one is in the break room at this time of the night.” The nurse murmured, carefully sliding herself through the narrow space. “Just remember, if anyone asks, you’re both interns. I’ll be able to vouch for you.”

We were currently creeping between the main hospital building and another section of the medical facility. It smelt musty and as I moved along the wall, I could feel something wet seep into the back of my shirt.

“I still think we should tell the police or Sir Larmore about this.”

Suzuka gave her head a small shake. “We can’t trust anyone right now. If the hospital has tests for the missing clients, who knows who else is involved in this? We need proof.”

Her expression darkened. “I bet they’re institutionalizing them again.”

The image of Chloe or River emaciated and locked inside a huge empty cell sent shivers down my already weak legs. I could imagine their screams bouncing off the walls. I paused and took a deep breath to calm myself down. The institutionalization of clients has been illegal for decades after we discovered they were cognisant and not mindless monsters. No one would lock up an innocent human being.

“If we get caught, we’ll get fired.” I murmured.

The rounder shot me a serious glance. “Would you rather more clients go missing?”

That was an unfair question and from the way Suzuka turned away from me so quickly, I could tell she knew that too.

Upon reaching the back entrance, I froze up. Someone in a light grey hoodie stood beside the door and glanced at their watch.

“Mateo?” I murmured, confused.

He lifted his head to gaze at me with his dark eyes. We had not discussed this plan with him.

“What are you doing here?” Suzuka hissed.

The protector lifted his hands up in a show of defence.

“Maggie sent me a message. She said there was information about the missing clients and that she needed help.”

Everyone turned to face me, and I felt an icy stab in my chest.

“I didn’t send you anything.” I replied. “I swear!”

“Do you think HQ overheard our conversation?” Suzuka said in a quiet voice, darting her eyes from me to Mateo.

My heart pounded in my chest like a booming drum. I was certain I knew the DOPD’s privacy document inside and out, but maybe I had been wrong. Perhaps there had been a loophole. After all, if clients were being held against their will, who knew what other laws were being broken?

“I don’t understand. Why would they send Mateo?” Beck asked, giving the protector a fearful glance. “Do you know what’s going on?”

“I don’t know anything.” Mateo grunted, his voice seething with frustration. “Maggie sent me a text and I came here. She didn’t say anyone else was going to be here.”

Thoughts were bubbling in my mind. How did the protector get a message from me in the first place? Had someone hacked into our phones?

Not only that, I was surprised that Mateo would have agreed to this. Was he becoming more invested in the plight of clients, or was there something more to it? No, the protector was not doing this maliciously.

A paranoid thought surfaced in my mind.

“Mateo, do you have a tracking device on you?” I asked.

The protector gave me a bewildered look. “No, not at all.”

“He’s been sent here as a spy.” Suzuka spat.

Mateo shot her an icy glare and spoke in a deliberate manner.

“Listen to the words coming out of my mouth. I have no tracking devices on me. I came here because Maggie sent me a message saying to come here. Right?”

He turned to face me as a cool breeze caused me to shudder. Without saying anything, Mateo pulled his hoodie off and held it out to me.

“You’re cold, put it on.”

“Thanks.” I murmured softly, pulling it on quickly.

In the creeping darkness of the approaching twilight, a red blinking light caught my eye. I turned my gaze to Matro’s now bare wrist.

“The watch.”

Everyone went quiet and stared at the vintage sports watch. It was made of a shining metal and had a sleek black face. The light blinked on and off at regular intervals. Mateo must have sensed our staring because he automatically jerked his wrist back.

“It’s a present from dad.” The protector muttered.

“Take it off now.” Suzuka demanded.

Not wanting to argue any further, Mateo carefully undid the watch. The rounder snatched it off him, threw it onto the ground and stomped on it. The protector lunged for her, causing Suzuka to stumble back quickly.

“You bitch-”

“Look.”

Beck pointed to the smashed metal on the ground. There were bits of broken glass and black slivers, but underneath the façade I could see a cracked white microchip adorned with golden lines. I didn’t know much about vintage watches, but I was certain that chip was far too advanced to be in that device. I turned my gaze to Mateo. The protector’s eyes were wide with shock, his mouth slack.

“I’ve had it for years.”

I wondered where the protector had gone during those years he had secretly been tracked. Had his father known about his trips to meet Valory? Did he ever have any privacy under his guardianship?

“You were a set up.” Suzuka growled. “You can’t stay here. You need to go.”

Mateo, still shaken about the revelation of his watch, gave a small nod. Not saying anything, he wandered off into the approaching darkness. I hoped he would make an excuse for his broken watch.

“No one else has anything that can track us?” Suzuka asked.

I shook my head. Like we had discussed earlier, I’d left my phone at home. HQ tracked us everywhere we went with that and there was no way to turn the tracker off. The old-fashioned beeper I had adorned to my belt would tell me if we got a call for a client. I had Suzuka and her technological know-how to thank for that.

Once we were satisfied we were no longer on anyone’s radar, Beck opened the back door with her key card and led us inside. The break room comprised of a small set of table and chairs, a fridge, a sink and a television screen.

“Suzuka, come with me to the office. Maggie, watch the door.”

I gave a small nod; thankful I didn’t need to snoop around. Pulling the hoodie further down my face, I watched the duo leave as I leant against the wall. Something caught my eye on the screen, and I glanced up. It was Ardour’s nightly news broadcast. The sound had been turned down but from the groups of people pouring down a busy street in Central Ardour, I could tell what the news report was about.

Haggard people held signs and banners in their hands, their faces contorted with anger. Some wore dirty clothes, others looked sickly or malnourished.

“LET US RETURN TO THE MAINLAND!”

“ARDOUR WAS FOUNDED ON DEBT SLAVERY”

“MY FATHER BUILT THIS CITY; MY CHILD STARVES IN IT”

I got that familiar sinking feeling in my chest. There was so much suffering in Ardour and the government always seemed to turn a blind eye to it. This protest seemed to be the largest I had ever seen. When I saw the date on the screen, I understood why.

It was Foundation Day; the day Ardour was officially recognised as a country.

I heard footsteps approach me and I whipped around. Something was shoved over my head and my vision went dark. Panicking, I began to flail and shout. A hand clamped over my mouth. I felt sharp pain stung my shoulder and almost immediately I felt my muscles go limp.

I grew drowsy as my hearing began to fade. I heard a deep husky voice mutter something in an annoyed tone and the sound of a soft replying murmur before I went unconscious.