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[Eva, can you start making that bomb?] (Syrus)

[Once we get back to the house?] (Eva)

[Yes, how long will it take you?] (Syrus)

[Argh…] Eva paused as she debated how to answer the question. [To create a stable bomb that would require a lot more time than we have.]

[How long?] (Syrus)

[It would take five hours to set.] (Eva)

[Yeah… you're right.] (Syrus)

A bomb would really help cover the escape, but Syrus knew she was asking for a lot, wanting it to be completed now, so she didn’t push the topic further.

[I can create an unstable one, the explosion will be less potent, and I can’t predict when it will go off, but I can create it quickly, and the final touches have to be done before we plant it.] (Eva)

[However, Lilly, what’s the chance it will simply blow up in our hands?] (Luna)

[If we are moving with it active, high, which is why if we do use it, I must finish it when it is planted.] (Eva)

Anlesa ran back to the city, but sneaked her way into it once she neared and quickly made her way to the abandoned house they set up camp at.

[Okay, what do you need?] (Syrus)

[Just let me get out my supplies.] (Eva)

Eva pulled out three small, thin flasks and three larger ones, big enough to fit one of the smaller ones inside.

She pulled out some herbs of various shapes and colours and quickly ground them into a powder, and put equal amounts into the small tubes.

Then she filled the three larger bottles with an energy potion.

Finally, she pulled out a pouch of Noxs Grass and mixed it with honey.

She put the mix back in a pouch and finally took out one more vial, filled it with water from their waterskin, and then poured a large amount of salt into it.

[When the time comes, we need to put a portion of the Noxs Grass honey mix into the energy potions and the salted water into the energy potion, and then drop the small vial and seal the lid.] (Eva)

Once Eva was finished, she had a pile of all the supplies needed on the floor in front of her.

[Out of curiosity, what happens if we put the ingredients of the other vial directly into the big one.] (Syrus)

[Boom. Though to a lesser extent compared to the max output. The sealed container will help amplify the effect by trapping the gases created.] (Eva)

[Okay. Good to know.] (Syrus)

Anlesa tied a bunch of supplies to their body underneath the dress of the disguise.

[Do we grab our bag of supplies once we complete the escape?] (Eva)

[Only if the opportunity allows for it.] (Luna)

Depending on how the rescue attempt went, there was a chance they wouldn’t be able to make it back to this house. Although all three were fine with it, the lives of the children were much more important.

[All that money… gone…] (Syrus)

[Is this really the time for that?] (Luna)

[You're not the one who’s going to need to spend money to replace the lost supplies and the custom sword.] (Syrus)

[Yes we are.] (Luna)

[Enough joking… what’s the plan?] (Eva)

[Get back inside for one.] (Syrus)

[Options are either trying to climb over the wall, or going through one of the entrances with the passes, we can try and play it off if needed.] (Luna)

[Erh…. Less noise, the better.] (Syrus)

[What about teleportation?] (Eva)

[That would be the second use.] (Syrus)

The escape plan had to start by getting into the building, which already had some divided opinions.

Syrus wanted to climb the wall, using Eva’s wires as a rope.

Luna wanted to take advantage of their disguise and sneak back in using the excuse that they had passed out during the day.

Eva wanted to take what in her mind was the safest option and teleport up onto the wall.

There were ups and downs to each approach.

[What about getting Billy and Susan out first?] (Eva)

[That just adds more risk.] (Luna)

[Not necessarily…] Syrus contemplated the option.

Beforehand, it was always the idea to rescue Jerry first, then the other two.

The reason was simple: Jerry was likely in a harder-to-reach spot, so it was a case of doing the hard task first, and since no one else knew Jerry’s value, once they brought him to the other kids, they could escape.

There was the risk that it was noticeable if Susan and Billy suddenly disappeared, as people had to feed them throughout the day, so if they were gone, it could alert the general church.

These weren’t perfect reasons, but they were some of the main reasons.

Syrus added, [Because we are doing this at night, there is less of a point in trying to sneakily get out. So we could get those two out and have them hide in the house.]

It would add an extra leap over the wall, but Syrus believed this might be the best approach.

[I’m not for it. Too much risk for the children.] (Luna)

[They will be at risk anyway.] (Syrus)

[I…] Luna was hesitant. [It adds more uncertainty. If the children are at the building in the church, then at least we know where they are. If they are outside it, even if the goal is to hide out in the building we crashed at, we won’t know what will happen to them until we get out with Jerry.]

They were at a divide, but due to majority vote, it was leaning towards taking the children out first.

With the plans set, it was time to invade the building.

They scaled the wall by jumping off the building and used their metal wires to grab the wall and fling themselves over.

Now that they had made it inside the complex again.

[Time to move.] (Syrus)

Immediately, they made their way to the house with the children.

The cover of night made it harder to move around, as the noise could alert people, unlike the day, where there was enough noise in the air and people were moving around that their actions would not be suspicious.

Upon opening the door to the children’s house, there was someone waiting for them. Susan, with Billy standing behind her, both looking tired and wearing the same clothes from before.

Susan whispered, “I heard you coming…”

Syrus whispered back, “Good. Now, we have to move.”

They decided to take the fast option, Syrus removed her shoes and picked up the two children and quietly sprinted to the wall around the outskirts of the church’s area.

[How are you so quiet?] (Eva)

[Plenty of practice.] (Syrus)

However, before they left. Eva mixed together the ingredients and placed the unstable bottle in the building.

[How long until that explodes?] (Syrus)

[Twenty minutes to an hour, I can’t confirm the ingredients are up to par, so the large time range would be extended. Or sooner if someone moves it.] (Eva)

[That is one nasty concoction.] (Syrus)

[There is a reason why it's banned in Eletscoep.] (Eva)

[How… Do you know the recipe for a banned bomb?] (Syrus)

[Different education.] (Eva)

[Weren’t they all easy to get ingredients?] (Luna)

[The Noxs Grass technically isn’t, I got that for a good deal. I should note the bomb isn’t that powerful, the only reason it can be deadly is if you keep it in a sealed container.] (Eva)

[As in what we just did?] (Luna)

[Yes?] (Eva)

Syrus and Luna’s questions were more focused on the fact of how weird it was for Eva to know how to make bombs.

They hadn’t questioned it too much beforehand because of the time constraints, but now that one was placed down, it did feel weird that Eva was speaking of it like it was something so simple to make.

They neared the wall, and Eva tied the wire around both children’s waists. Ensure it was tight enough to hold them, but also ensure that it wasn’t cutting through the fabric.

“Okay, kids, you will need to follow my next few instructions closely, and most importantly, if we don’t come back a while after you hear some, umm, booms, run and leave.”

“Okay.” The two children nodded, and Syrus explained the plan and told them to be as quiet as possible.