Nathan's POV

Having been secluded in my room for two days now, I felt the despair growing inside me. It was as if an impending death was inevitable. Working in The Association came with its own risks—part of the contract stated that we were subject to their special laws and regulations, which were separate from the government. They were powerful enough that no one could challenge them.

So any cases or issues brought against me would be incredibly difficult to fight. They controlled the entire process, and many people who had gained their positions had not listed within The Association. Of course, it was more the management section that had tried to gain more power and abuse their rights. But I worked in the kitchen. There shouldn't have been any risk of that! I wasn't power-hungry—I just wanted to help my family and my sister.

Thinking of my family, a sob rose from my chest again. Normally, I would drop by the hospital to see my sister on my day off, but without the ability to leave or communicate, I was incredibly worried. What if she was stressed? It could affect her health, too.

I hoped my parents hadn't tried to contact The Association in their worry. I wouldn't want them to be targeted. It had been two days now, and my anxiety over them was only growing.

Lying on the bed, I stared at the ceiling, feeling hollow. It seemed like the end of an unremarkable life. I had worked so hard from the moment I could, helping my parents with my sister's treatment as soon as I started working. Seeing her a shell of the child she once was hurt me more than anything.

I just hoped that she thought I was working so hard I hadn't had a chance to call or visit. I didn't want to add any stress to her body right now.

Since it was midday, the dormitory was quiet, everyone either working or sleeping if they had the night shift. Without my phone or computer, I had nothing to do but listen to the sounds outside, trying to gauge the passing time.

Hearing heavy boots coming down the hallway, I pulled myself into a sitting position, straining to see the door.

Nobody in this dormitory for boonies wore boots like that. My heart started to pound in my chest. I could feel the dread building as I sat on the bed, my eyes locked on the door, anticipating what was coming.

The boots stopped outside my room. My heart leapt into my throat as I shivered, the exhaustion and tears creeping back. A knock echoed, followed by the door being thrown open. Fear washed over me in waves.

They were different people from the ones I had seen before. They wore the same scary symbols on their uniforms, their faces cold and filled with hatred. Their eyes locked onto mine, and I froze. These men were stronger than the previous guards. They had the air of soldiers who had seen combat, and it made the tension in the room thick enough to cut.

The two of them stepped inside. One of them spoke, his voice deep and commanding."Come with us. We'll be questioning you about where you got the aphrodisiac and how you managed to smuggle it into The Association."

Fear surged through me, and I muttered a trembling, "I swear it wasn't me, I swear I didn't do anything."

The look of disgust passed between the two of them before they grabbed me by the upper arm and began dragging me out. My feet stumbled, trying to keep up with their long strides as they roughly pulled me along.

I caught glimpses of sympathetic looks from some of the others in the dormitory, but I also saw looks of disgust. It felt like my world was crumbling.

They dragged me out of the dormitory, down the stairs, and into the side section of the main building, where the cafeteria I worked in was located. With every door we passed through, they swiped their security passes. I couldn't help but feel my chance of ever seeing sunlight again dwindling as the weight of despair pressed on my chest.

Finally, they reached a room with a table and three chairs. They shoved me into one of the chairs opposite them before sitting down.

They stared at me without saying a word. I struggled to breathe, my chest tightening as I tried to make sense of what was happening.

The smaller of the two men, who seemed to be in charge, spoke first."We had a report that two days ago you had an interaction with Guide Gabriel and Esper Elliot, where you gave them a substance that caused high levels of contamination. We believe you tried to use this to get closer to them."

My body shook uncontrollably as I gasped for air."Do you think you're the first person to try something like this?" The man's eyes drilled into my skull.

I shook my head, my voice shaking as I spoke."Of course not, sir. But I swear I didn't have anything to do with it. I just wanted to help them when they started to fall. They didn't look well before I got there, and I radioed for help! I didn't do anything other than help them not hurt themselves."

The two men exchanged looks of disgust. The smaller one leaned forward, his voice cold and menacing."Do you think we're so naive that we haven't already heard these excuses? Now tell us, what type of aphrodisiac did you use? Did it contain any hallucinogens? Anything that could harm them in the long term?"

I stared at him, shock creeping across my face."No, I swear, I've never even seen an aphrodisiac in my life! I know they're illegal. I've never broken the law before."

Tears streamed down my face as I blubbered, feeling my thoughts scatter and fear grip me. All I could see in my mind was a guillotine coming for me.

The man sighed in exasperation and leaned forward, crowding the already-thin air. A menacing look crossed his face as he whispered near my ear."If you keep this up, we'll bring in a mind esper. You should confess now. Their ability on a normie would cause significant pain." He paused, his smile stretching unnervingly. "And one little slip... could turn you into a zombie for the rest of your life."

My body trembled uncontrollably, and even though I had been crying for two days, my body broke down further as fresh sobs wracked my frame.

This was the end. They didn't care about the truth. I would be one of the innocents lost in the crossfire.

Just as the weight of despair became unbearable, there was a loud knock on the door.