Milo and Luna ran in the middle of the cold night in the desert, their icy breath freezing their lungs, their skin had turned red, making their cheeks blush.
"I can't go on anymore, it's hard for me to breathe Milo," Luna stopped and put her hands together to blow on them.
"We're close," he rubbed her back, "just a little more."
Luna looked at him decisively and took his hand, they continued running together without stopping. After several kilometers, she felt Zev's body temperature along with Nix's.
"They're close but explain to me something," she frowned, "why are we heading towards the new Community base?"
"Because now they can help us, they are our new allies," he said, looking into her eyes.
"Does Zev know about this?"
"Surely Nix already told him."
"I hope this isn't a mistake."
"Trust me, we're doing the right thing."
They followed the path until they met Zev. He looked at them from a distance and as soon as he saw Milo he ran to hug him, pulling Nix a little since they were still linked by the cord.
"Brother," he sighed.
Zev started to cry uncontrollably, Milo didn't know how to react so he listened to him and gently rubbed his back.
"I miss my old life," he sobbed, "don't you?"
Luna looked in another direction, she barely remembered her life in its chaotic dimension, her feelings had changed a lot since she met them both so if she was honest, she didn't miss her life before.
"Stop crying," Nix spoke in a somber voice that dueted with his creepy amorphous figure, "cut the cord."
"I don't know how to do it," he screeched.
"He will in due time ma'am," Milo interrupted respectfully.
Nix looked at him but didn't do or say anything, she just closed her eyes.
"Zev, Luna and I are on your side," Milo said.
"No," Luna mentioned, "I'm not on Zev's side, if I came here it was because of you," she expressed with a trembling voice.
"Okay," he sighed, breaking into a slight smile.
"And what will happen now?" she asked more relaxed.
"Deal with reinforcements," Milo said, putting his hands to his head.
"That's ridiculous! We don't have a chance."
"We'll try," Milo said optimistically, "even if we die..."
Zev wiped away his tears and frowned as if he didn't know his own brother.
"What are you saying Milo? Are you an idiot or what?"
"They shouldn't win," Nix and Milo uttered in unison, completely disconcerting Luna and Zev.
Before they could comment, Jolene appeared with her men, grabbed Milo by the neck below the nape of his head with an imperious smile.
"My traveler has returned," she said.
Zev was surprised to see how the woman licked his younger brother's cheek.
"And he brought with him different creatures," she smiled like a possessed doll.
"How did you know I'm the traveler?" Zev asked.
"Excuse me?" She was taken aback, "Who are you?"
"Jolene, he's my older brother," Milo interjected, "he's the second traveler."
Jolene opened her eyes wider without removing her enormous and terrifying smile from her face, she let go of Milo and began to clap.
"So the little brothers are travelers, both... that's interesting, is he the same as you?"
"He is a better traveler than me, he can travel physically, unlike me, and he was chosen by the mother ether, ma'am," he pointed out.
Luna and Zev were baffled by that conversation. Zev remembered that he had been told about the original traveler but he never imagined it was his own brother.
"What do you mean physically and you don't? What do you mean?" He faced him.
"Why didn't you mention any of this Milo? I trusted you and you hide things from me, the night we fucked didn't mean anything to you?" Luna also faced him.
Jolene laughed discreetly and asked her men to take Zev and Nix to the base to examine them and give them a bath, leaving Luna and Milo alone.
"Milo what the hell?"
"Luna calm down, I was going to tell you but Jolene appeared just in time," he gently held her by the arms.
Luna stepped back, she felt mistrust and sadness because her heart was broken.
"I'm going to be honest with you because like I told you, I'm not like my brother, so listen to me and then make the decision you want."
There was sincerity in his eyes and Luna was quite sentimental, she believed in second chances so she chose to listen to him.
"You have a minute," she said firmly.
"The first time I saw you you seemed like a nice person, your strange way of being and your conspiracies was what caught my attention but you liked my brother so I didn't think of you as anything more and when I found out that you were a traitor I didn't care, don't judge you because I am too," he slowly approached her, "the night I approached you it was because you were so vulnerable and I wanted an ally, a companion, I was undecided about telling you the truth about myself so I let myself go for the moment but being with you, touching your skin, I realized that I couldn't deny my feelings, I really like you..."
"No, Milo, don't talk to me about your happy feelings anymore," her voice trembled.
"I'm in love with you, spending time with you makes me want to protect you, Luna, I'm only working for Jolene out of obligation and to save my damn life, I don't care about reinforcements, or mother ether, or that new dark beast. It's not our fight, I want my old life and I'm sure Zev thinks the same as me," he paused to take her hand, "I want to run away with you and my brother."
"So you planned this? Everything that's happening is your fault?"
"Partly yes."
"What, in part, yes?" She interrupted, "please explain."
"It was an accident, I have to talk to Zev and explain to him, explain to both of you the truth but don't leave, don't go back to La Resistencia, stay with me."
For Luna, Milo was charming so she was between a rock and a hard place.
"And do you know what the reinforcements will do?"
"We're buying time, with them off the radar, Nix can be complete," he explained.
"Off the radar?"
"Yes, they went in search of Ocean but she is kidnapped in our dimension, without her and her power they will not be able to leave the northern lights or return here."
"I appreciate your sincerity, but if something goes wrong and you're really the bad guy, I'll leave you, understood?" She was biting her lips on the inside, she couldn't believe she had the courage to give herself her place.
Milo nodded and extended his hand, she took it hesitantly but preferred to trust him.
"Hey Milo, I'd like to go to the bathroom before going to Zev."
"Sure come, it's this way."
He led her to the bathroom and waited outside. Luna dropped her pants, sat on the toilet and the sound of her pee distracted Milo, who could hear from outside. While she was cleaning herself, some men approached Milo to give him some instructions so while he attended to that, Luna opened the pendant on her necklace.
"You heard everything loud girl, I'm going to destroy my necklace because I really like him, I'm sure we'll see each other soon," she whispered.
"Of course you like him, crybaby, losers attract, thanks for the information bitch," Maeko said from the other side, "good luck."
Luna and Maeko did their last spy job together, their collars had hidden microphones that worked thanks to the power of the little girl's sound but now that they had been divided, there was nothing else to do together.
Luna wanted to give the reinforcements the benefit of the doubt and Maeko wanted to think that Zev and Milo were just innocent pawns who fell into the wrong karma.