MUSSEL MOBILE DEFENSE SYSTEM.

In the driver's cock pit. Sage was quiet after coming back from checking up on the students.

Kabe had noticed and decided to ask her. "What happened?"

Candidly to the point as ever, he just knew something was bothering her and it had something to do with the children.

As she had only become silent on her return from the compartments behind.

"Kabe, strange things are happening back at the compound" Sage started.

"Strange things? what do you mean?" Kabe asked with his attention still on the path in front of him.

They were about to leave Misty City behind. The gate was just right Infront of him.

"I can't tell you everything as I have not solidified my findings yet. I think Clara is doing something in that compound that Macra or any of the higher-ups know nothing about."

Sage said and waited for his reaction to what she had just told him.

"What did you see Sage?." Kabe asked straight to the point again.

"Just yesterday, I had given a headcount of the students I was asked to pick off…"

Sage trailed off and paused for some seconds, thinking of how to put what she wanted to say to Kabe.

"Some were missing," Kabe stated.

"How do you know that!" Sage questioned looking at Kabe suspiciously.

"Stop looking at me that way!...what was I supposed to think when you spoke of counting kids, and now you come back looking gloomy?.."

Kabe said, not at all bothered at the way Sage kept scrutinizing him.

"I would feel hurt that you have known me for ten years and don't still trust me, Sage…"

Kabe called her out, which succeeded in making her break her stare.

"Yes, some kids are missing" Sage admitted.

"And from the way you sound calm, you know what happened to them, don't you?"

Kabe asked, sounding sure.

Sage just turned to look infront, leaving Kabe's question unanswered.

They finally got to the gate. It was not ideally a gate, as it was not made of iron or anything comparable to that. It was just an opening in the dome that surrounded this city.

If one were to look up and focus on a point in the sky, a grain-like substance would come into view.

This grain-like substance was invisible, except when touched would it glow blue on the area touched.

The grain-like substance covered the entire city in a dome. And it is said that no one could pass through the dome in the sky.

The only way in and out of the city was through the gate. The gate was an extension of the dome, which could be opened and closed at will.

It was used to regulate, and also protect the city from intruders.

There were two lanes, one for those going out and the other for those coming in.

There was no gridlock as one would have expected. Kabe maneuvered the Mussel Mobile to join the lane of those going out.

Just before the blue Dome's opening, there was an official dressed in deep blue amor with a small blue feather by his left breast.

Kabe turned to his side and picked up a deep blue disc. This was a gate pass that had been given to him as a visitor to this city.

And would be returned when he passed the gate to leave.

Turning to where the door was, Kabe pressed down on a small black button, which had a small-sized window, and it open up.

The inside of the driver's cockpit was all glass, so he was able to see the official step up a raised platform and took the disc from his stretched hand.

The official raised his right hand in the direction of the gate, and the barricade was raised.

Kabe slowly drove through, and out of the dome.

The scenery outside of the dome was drastically different from that inside the city.

The land was burnt and barren. And it seemed to extend unendingly.

There was no tree in view, and the sky was dark blue, with tints of red in it.

Little stubble streaks of lightning could be seen flickering in the sky.

"Am sure you told the kids to be prepared for what they are going to see?" Kabe said to Sage with an eyebrow raised.

"Nah…what was I going to tell them?. That there was a chance that they could die today, or maybe in the next five days?" Sage replied with her hands behind her head.

"But, it would have been better if they could prepare their minds for the dangers ahead…" Kabe said while shaking his head.

"It doesn't matter. You could take it like a test on them, the strongest would survive. Isn't that what we both want?"

Sage said turning to face Kabe. While Kabe let out a sigh and said to her.

"Alright, activate the Mussel defense system. At least we have to be ready."

"Ahhh!…can't you do it yourself?"

Sage said with annoyance.

"Am the one driving Sage. Now the defense system?..." Kabe reminded.

"Whatever!" Sage said and sluggishly moved forward to pull on a button close to where Kabe was sitting, just underneath the dashboard.

There was a glass case covering the button. First unlocking it, she pushed it upwards and jabbed nattily at the large red button.

[ Initiating Mussel Mobile Defense System. ]

[ Activating Mussel Shell…]

[Activating Mussel Shoot System… ]

[ Activating…. ]

[ Activated. ]

A robotic voice called out, and the changes to the Mussel Mobile could instantly be noticed.

The dashboard from where the steering was merged, slowly flipped over. And an entirely different dashboard could be seen coming into view.

This dashboard had more controls than the last.

The two drivers' chairs slowly shifted backward, and a strap went around Kabe's and Sage's bodies, holding them firmly in place.

From the dashboard, two different steerings emerged. One at each side of the driver areas.

A large panel popped up from the dashboard. This showed a map by the top right.

And at the middle, it showed the front outside view of the Mobile.

Scattered around the dashboard were other side views which could be easily magnified to get a closer look at the images shown within.