Momoko watched the clothes in the dryer, her eyes following the movement of the tumbling colors as her brain tried to shove its gears into conceiving a brilliant idea. Even though she had said they should go to Arc City, she really had no idea how to make that happen. She'd never been outside of New York.... The truth was, she had hardly any knowledge of the world outside of the dome.

She sighed. Lucas was upstairs with Flere, rummaging through the kitchen to grab whatever he could fit in her old school book bag. Her duffle bag was on the bed half-packed. As soon as the dryer finished, she needed a plan.

"It couldn't be as simple as walking up and grabbing the tickets for the train, right?" she rubbed her cheeks. "I mean, what are the odds they're looking for Lucas at the train station?"

Probably very good, since getting out of the citiplex was his best shot at disappearing and never having to go back to Park Asylum. She sighed again as her M-band began to ring, signaling a video call.

She slipped out the visor and tapped the ear piece, her heart thumping at the thought it might be Sylvia. The visage that filled the screen, however, did not bear any resemblance to her guardian with his pale blonde hair and easy smile.

"Nick!" she gasped, pulling the remote up to her face so she could initiate video feed in return.

"Hey, I didn't call at a bad time, did I?" his brow furrowed.

"No—Not at all." She forced a smile. "How are you?"

"I'd be better if a certain Clover had called me after the other night." He teased. "But other than that, I can't complain."

"Sorry..." the dryer began to sing its swan song. "it's been.... Kind of crazy around here. I meant to take you up on the dinner thing, but it looks like I've got to go out of town for a while."

"You and everyone I know." He tilted his head. "It's like a mass exodus, with what's going on in the streets."

"Huh?" Momoko blinked.

"You haven't heard?" his eyebrows shot up. "The whole city's gone nuts. Park Asylum went up in flames last night, and half the inmates escaped—"

Momoko felt her throat tighten and her hands turned cold.

"—as it turns out, they were all dangerous humanoids, you know like the urban legends-- being held for public safety concerns. There's riots tearing through the streets on both sides of the issue, and a massive manhunt. I was actually calling to tell you I'd need to postpone our date, but you beat me to it." 

"You're leaving too?" Momoko breathed.

"Yes.... They're going to lock down the Deluxe Gate tonight.... So I thought I'd try to get out before then. I think I'll go stay with my cousin in Arc City."

"Are you flying via shuttle?" Momoko licked her lips, working up the courage to ask the next question once he'd answered.

"Actually, the flights are completely booked.... But I was going to see if there was any room left on the Ground Express."

"Nick, I know you don't know me all that well.... But can I ask.... I mean, we'll pay for tickets—but do you think you could help me and a friend get on that train today?"

He blinked, taken aback. "You want to go to Arc City with me?"

"If you can get us on the train, yes."

He smiled after a moment, that charming smile that messed with the pace of her heart. "There's hardly anything I can't make happen— Especially for a beautiful woman. Give me ten minutes."

"Thank you!" relief coursed through her. "Thank you so much, you don't know what this means."

"Don't worry about it— I'll text you as soon as I secure the ride."

"Thank you." Momoko glanced up to see Lucas's feet coming down the narrow basement steps. "I have to go, talk to you soon."

"Bye." Nick disappeared from the M-band.

Momoko took a deep breath and stood to tell Lucas, but froze as his face came into view beneath the stairwell. His eyes were wide and glassy.

"Momoko..." he swallowed. "You have to come see what's happening on the TV."

"What is it?" she asked quietly, searching his face.

He shook his head and took her hand. "Just come see."

He led her through the remains of the hallway into the tossed living room, where the images streaming across the TV made her freeze. Hundreds of people screaming, marching, fighting each other, interwoven with aerial shots of a smoldering building and mug shots of people, most of who barely looked human. The feed broke for the reporter to comment on the implications of the 'mutant controversy'. Momoko slowly sank to the floor.

"What is this..." She stared as the riots became bloody, the police wailing on the protestors who were busy fighting each other.

They sat and watched for a few moments.

"They're saying the humanoids were dangerous." Lucas' voice trembled. "That some had been taken to Park in lieu of going to jail for fear for what they might do to 'normal' people."

Momoko tore her eyes from the insanity on the screen to see his whole body match the tremor of his speech.

"It's lies." He shook his head. "It's all lies."

Momoko found strength to stand, and picked herself off the floor to hug him.

"I mean," he leaned into her, clutching at her shoulders. "I mean, maybe one or two of them.... But not all of us! Why are they lying?!"

Momoko glanced at the screen, her heart dropping as the mugshot roulette landed on an image of Lucas and a girl with fluffy pink hair.

"Come on, Lucas, let's go." She gave him a reassuring squeeze and then jogged up to her room to throw the last articles into her duffle bag, then made her way back down to the basement to grab the 90% dry clothes.

When she got back upstairs Lucas was still poised, eyes glued to the screen, but the trembling had stopped. Momoko jabbed the remote icon on her M-band, instantly turning off the chaotic images. Slowly, Lucas turned to face her, expression dazed. "How are we going to make it out of the city like this?"

She tossed him the bundle of his garments, which he deftly caught.

"We're catching the last train to Arc City tonight with my friend's help—but we have to head to the Deluxe Gate first--"

Lucas' pale face lost another shade. "Momoko.... I'd never pass security."

Momoko paused, surveying his lean, gray, not quite human appearance. He couldn't use just the oversized coat and hat to cover up, it looked too suspicious. Any decent guard would ask him to at least take off the hat, and it'd be a gamble and time they didn't have to try to bribe away said guard.

"Makeup!" she snapped her fingers, dropping the bag to run upstairs. "Get dressed!"

She rifled through her stash, finding some leftover white face paint from the last Halloween. She grabbed that and her foundation, along with a lip tint. It would have to be enough. She bolted back down the stairs, Lucas meeting her in the hall.

"Here, hold this." She gave him the lip tint and foundation, squirting a large dollop of the face paint in her palm. She switched the tube out for the foundation, and then mixed them together for a pale shade of paint and started smearing it across his face and neck. She did her best to blend it with her fingers without getting too much in his hair. She stepped back to admire her work. He was still terribly pale, but the grey was successfully masked.

"Throw that in the bag and put on the lip tint; keep that on you." She directed as she sprinted into the kitchen to wash her hands. A message popped up in the corner of her visor.

"Message." She commanded.

The envelope icon opened, revealing three attachments from Nick: Two train tickets and a gate pass.

She sighed in relief as she downloaded their tickets to freedom, and turned to see her companion adjusting the backpack, Flere dangling like a keychain as they'd agreed.

"We're good to go." She grinned.

'Feels awfully rushed.... Are you sure you can trust this 'friend'?' Flere scoffed.

'We don't have a choice.' Momoko kept her face smiling as she scooped up the duffle. 'at least until we get Lucas safely out of the citiplex.'

'You have a point.' Flere huffed.

Momoko tapped her M-band, pulling up a familiar contact. The cabbie from a few weeks ago. She dialed the number and was met with the cab service automated service. She requested a pick up and it was granted, 5 minute estimated arrival.

"Huh." She checked her watch. "Either Dean drives like a maniac, or he's really close."

Lucas tilted his head as she passed him in the hall. "Who's Dean?"

"My personal driver." Momoko winked.

They exited the town house, and Momoko had to swallow the nervous pit her stomach had become. She was really doing this. She was really going to flee the city with a fugitive and some secret journal, heading for parts unknown.

'Yes, you are.' Flere purred reassuringly. 'It's the path you need to take.'

'Why?' she closed her eyes. 'because of this whole being an advocate thing?'

'Well, that too.' Flere snorted. 'but I was actually being more altruistic, I was thinking of the boy.'

Lucas.... She glanced over at his nervous expression, his gloved hands fidgeting as he glanced both ways down the street, alert for danger.

"Hey." Momoko reached for his hand, gently prying it from his worrying. "Relax. Everything's going to be fine."